How to make finding the path fun

'Where we're going, we don't need roads.'

Imagine a path.

Like me, you are probably picturing a well trodden trail through a generous opening in the trees.

But my opinion changed after a recent holiday that included negotiating several paths like this one:

I grew up in a world of talking boxes leading me through detailed maps of anywhere I want to travel.

I think that mindset has transferred to my games - and perhaps yours too.

I'll assume you play in a world where maps of major settlements, and the roads between them, exist to help guide travellers.

But should that level of accuracy exist to find the ruins of an Abbey in a nearby valley?

I doubt locals would bother creating such a map, and their directions would probably be even less specific:

“Walk through the iron gate at the bottom of the field and keep going until you reach the waterfall. The river leads to the ruins.”

That's a real direction I was given.

It sounds plausible until you reach the cliff edge, where you can hear the waterfall but have no idea how to reach it.

Is there a safe way down, or do local people scramble down the rocks?

Not long after I stood in a green field, with trampled grass suggesting six directions where the map offered just two.

It turns out that “monument” where I was meant to turn left is no longer there because someone took the bricks to repair a wall.

In your game, there are most likely solutions that will make these problems trivial. But my advice this week is to challenge your players, make them work to find their path:

The trail ends as you enter a large field, a flock of sheep chewing aimlessly at the grass. On the far side of the field is a large brick wall, to your right a wire fence which prevents the flock from wandering over a cliff edge. You can see two paths of trampled grass leading off to the left, but one veers to the north and the other to the west.

❓How would you tackle this?

🔍What might you find at the end of those paths?

🤯What’s the most surprising solution?

I suspect the best answers won’t be found on any map.

Learn more from the Mage Advice archive:

When in doubt, trust your players

When a Dungeon Crawl becomes a Pub Crawl

The one piece of advice that solved my locked door problem