Mapping Your Journeys

To keep track of the details of your world, download the blank Ironlands map at ironswornrpg.com. Then, use a separate sheet, index cards, or a journal to create a key for the locations on your map.

Index cards work great. They give you space for a reasonable amount of information for a region or location, and it’s quick and easy to dig through them to find details on-demand. Just mark the index card with a number, and mark that same number in the proper location on your Ironlands map. If you store your index cards in order, clipped to your map, it’ll take all of a couple of seconds to remind yourself, “What was the name of that village in the Hinterlands?”

You can even use these index cards for random events. Need to know where the raiders are headed? Shuffle your index cards, turn them face down, and draw one. 

Don’t worry about the details here. Not everything you encounter needs to be marked on the map or recorded. Focus on the people and places important to your story. Don’t fuss with distances or exact positioning. There are no extra points awarded for neatness. That said, if you really enjoy detailed maps and recording your journeys, feel free to do so in whatever form works best for you.

If you’re using your own map for the Ironlands or playing in a different setting altogether, you can manage the details however you like.

When you record the details of a community, include a note for any bonds you share. In the example below, (B) is used to signify a bond. The index cards can also be used to keep track of related quests.