Nothing excites the imagination like a map and the promise of treasure at the end!
Maps are the perfect adventure hook - either belonging to one PC that is smart enough to realize they need companions to help recover it, or each PC holding a part of the map and grudgingly cooperating. Treasure maps provide a focused reason to go explore a specific area - especially if there is a decent idea of what is 'buried' at the end of the map.
I grew up encountering treasure maps again and again in various media, from following maps in Sid Meier's Pirates, to watching Harrison Ford evade Nazis while seeking the Ark of the Covenant in Raiders of the Lost Ark, to watching kids my age chasing One-Eyed Willie's treasure (while evading traps and finding a corpse) in the Goonies, to watching Elrond reading the Moon-Letters in the Hobbit on Thror's map.
As I got older, Treasure Island, Treasure Planet, the Pirates of Darkwater, and the various Pirates of the Caribbean films as inspiration joined my list of map-influenced adventure. And honestly, can one run a pirate or oceancrawl campaign and not have at least one treasure map?
Even the popular video game Skyrim contains multiple treasure maps, although in my case, I stumbled upon some of the hidden treasures before I found the map leading to them. THAT is the joy of an open world.
DnD has a history of maps, as well. The module X1: Isle of Dread kicks off with the PCs discovering a map of the edges of the fabled Isle of Dread. The module B10: Night's Dark Terror (review) contains a map hidden in plain sight as an elaborate tapestry. Even the boxed set Dragon Mountain starts with a piecemealed map; chasing a few bits and putting them together leads to the titular Mountain.
All of these sources prove again and again that a treasure map provides a vehicle for all sorts of adventures, and with DnD being an adventure game, they are a perfect match.
With all this precedent, why not include a map of your own?
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You've decided to include a treasure map in your next adventure, which is awesome.
The best part is that said map provides something tangible for the players at the table - even if it is a digital table. Giving the players a game artifact to fuss with and manipulate brings excitement to all.
A traditional map is an image and makes a great prop for the table. That said, you can also use a verbal map, which is just a set of instructions, either written or spoken or sung, perhaps. Both types lean heavily into the exploration pillar that some DnD games shun and others thrive on, but all need more of.
Verbal maps can take the form of diary or captain's log entries, letters, and tavern tales or bard songs - though I recommend the latter only if the players are tolerant of long read alouds. Perhaps have a one-sheet ready for the players to re-read the tale or song for clues.
Actual drawn maps don't actually require great artistic skills. Don't misunderstand - a pretty map is something beautiful to behold, but all you need is something that is clear enough to understand.
At this point, the crafty DM can create a unique-to-table item, making use of a variety of invisible inks, aging paper, and (less than) remarkable art skills to bring it all together. Fold it and/or roll it a few times to complete the appearance.
Then present it to your players and let the session(s) roll, because one map can provide all sorts of player-driven stories, all in pursuit of that X at the end of the map.
Note that on occasion, you can turn a player-created map into a treasure map for later adventurers. This happens when the PC mapmaker dies, and the rest of the party fail to grab their map before beating a hasty retreat. That map gets added to the key as a well-deserved prize for the next PCs to head that direction.
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Below is Redbeard demonstrating how to age paper - essential for a solid prop.
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