As an aspiring "GM" (game master for the uninitiated), I've felt a yearning to compile reams of hastily constructed yet cohesive and awe-inspiring papers detailing my own fantasy world I wish my friends and I could explore. If only I could jot it down.
Idea synthesis is easy enough but tying things together gets difficult quickly, and I really don't want to fall prey to those cliches that appear throughout the fantasy genre. The entire idea of table-top role-playing games (TTRPGs) makes this easier. I can create the building blocks and the players bring the cement. However things rarely go as planned; I'm far from adept at running a TTRPG and my friends rarely take things seriously. That's OK, as we're having fun it doesn't matter.
Ultimately what's stopping from me isn't my players but the thought of hours spent intricately linking obsidian notes together just for them to never be used. So now I've started spitting out dungeon maps - half hour affairs, so not too taxing. Specifically, at least for now, I've focused on caves - they're a much more malleable concept. Since they're products of nature, there's no need for rhyme or reason in their formatting. And surprisingly, they're easy enough to make look good.
I'm not claiming they're well-made, but if i squint at one or two or three on the right day from far enough away,they look somewhat decent - like something you may find in the back of an old DnD magazine with an accompanying story thread and lot table. I really like the idea of amassing a bunch of these, and one day, when called upon for some underground inspiration, pull one crisp, ready-made map out. Realistically, that's not gonna happen, but a binder of hand-drawn, mysterious maps makes for a wonderful bookshelf filler.
