How to use the Vault

Welcome to the Vault of Cartography, your weekly source for exciting, ready-to-go Dungeons & Dragons maps. There are tons of D&D map resources out there so I wanted to make something unique and of real value. That's why I've not just creating maps, but full encounters or mini-adventures. This started as resource for me as a Dungeon Master, but I hope that these adventures will be more generally useful to you in your games.

What is the Vault of Cartography?

At its core, the Vault of Cartography is a hand-crafted, ever-growing collection of mini-adventures. Each week, we deliver an adventure-ready location straight to your inbox—we aim to do at least one free map a month, others are exclusive premium content. Every map is designed to function as a short encounter or mini-adventure, but these pieces are easily adapted to fit into any larger campaign setting. With a bit of creativity, you can transform each map to suit your party’s specific story arc.

Example: A Wizard’s Subterranean Laboratory

If you look at our map, A Wizard’s Subterranean Laboratory, you’ll see it’s laid out as a hidden chamber packed with magical contraptions. We provide suggestions for plot hooks, encounter ideas, and the wizard’s possible motivations—but ultimately, you decide how (and even if) these details fit into your ongoing narrative. Maybe the laboratory was once run by a benevolent researcher, or perhaps a secret society orchestrated the forbidden experiments. It’s up to you how to spin this location into an unforgettable experience for your players.

What You Get with Each Map

When you subscribe to the Vault, each map typically arrives with:

• A Hand-Drawn Map - Created with real ink on paper, each week is a new original map
• Location Details - Rooms and location listings, so you don't have to invent it yourself.
• Encounter Ideas – Suggestions for NPCs, monsters, and story hooks that match the map’s theme.
• Narrative Suggestions – Short descriptions and rumors about the location, designed to inspire quest hooks.

These elements act as a flexible framework. Use them as-is for a quick one-shot, or pick them apart and customize them to fit the tapestry of your world.

Different Ways to Use Vault Maps

Quick Side Quests

If your main campaign starts to run off schedule—or the party takes an unexpected detour—pull out one of our maps for a last-minute side quest. You can easily adjust the difficulty to match your party’s level, plug in an appropriate monster or antagonist, and let the adventure begin.

Filler Between Major Story Arcs

Sometimes the party just needs a breather between major story beats. A small dungeon or hidden village from the Vault can become a bridge between arcs. Your players get a fun, self-contained experience that doesn’t require you to plan a massive subplot.

Incorporate into a Larger Homebrew World

The Vault’s maps are designed to be setting-agnostic. If your campaign has a desert region, drop our desert-themed map into that area. Running a seafaring adventure? Snag a coastal or underwater location. Each map is built with universal storytelling in mind.

One-Shots and Playtesting

Want to test new character builds or rule variations without changing the course of your main campaign? Grab a Vault map and run a quick, self-contained session. Our maps let you experiment with new gameplay ideas—like unique puzzles, environmental challenges, or unfamiliar monsters—without risking your entire world’s plot structure.

Improvised Sessions

Not every session can be meticulously planned. When your group decides to play on a whim, Vault maps give you ready-made, DM-friendly blueprints to keep the action moving. Open your collection, pick a map that sparks your imagination, and jump right into adventure.

Tips for Personalizing Each Map

1. Customize the Story Hooks
   Swap our suggested story hooks for ones that better fit your world. If we say “A wizard’s experiment has gone wrong,” maybe in your game it’s a cult’s ritual gone awry, or a rogue artificer playing with dangerous technology.
2. Adjust the Enemy or Ally Roster
   The monsters or NPCs we recommend are starting points. Feel free to mix and match from your own creature compendiums to keep your players guessing.
3. Tie It to Player Backstories
   Want to make the location resonate with a player’s personal history? Make the wizard their long-lost mentor or the laboratory the site of a tragic event from their past.
4. Sprinkle in Unique Loot
   If you’ve been waiting for a perfect moment to introduce a special item—like a relic with a hidden curse—now’s the time. Tuck it somewhere in the map so your players get a satisfying payoff.

Getting the Most Out of Your Subscription

• Check Your Inbox Weekly: Our content arrives directly in your inbox. Keep an eye out for new arrivals—some might spark ideas for the next session immediately.
• Explore the Archive: Dive into previous maps you might have missed. You never know which map might become your new favorite.
• Stay Inspired: Even if you’re not running a session this week, browsing through the Vault’s maps can stoke new ideas or epic worldbuilding plots for the future.
• Upgrade for Premium Content: If you enjoy the free offerings, consider upgrading to a premium subscription for exclusive maps, bonus variants, and deeper storytelling suggestions.

Start Your Adventure Today

The Vault of Cartography is designed to be your ever-reliable sidekick at the table— a constant stream of imaginative locations you can reshape however you like. Think of each map as a blank canvas primed for your creative flourishes. Whether you use them to enhance a sprawling campaign or to run a quick one-shot, our maps are meant to save you time and inspire fresh ideas.

Ready to dive in? Explore our latest releases, or revisit a classic favorite. If you have any questions or suggestions for new map ideas, feel free to reach out! We’re always excited to hear about the adventures unfolding in your world.

Here’s to endless inspiration and epic quests—happy map-hunting, and may your dice rolls be ever in your favor!