Cartograph - Atlas Edition
A downloadable game
The brass of the sextant pushes against your eye. These stars are unfamiliar. You pivot your calipers across the parchment, walking and measuring this alien land. What lies beyond those distant bluffs? Who occupies that structure in the valley? You are an interloper here; so tread with respect, observe, and most importantly, finish your map.
Cartograph is a solo / multiplayer map-making RPG about journaling, exploration, worldbuilding, and resource management. The core rules are easy to learn, and facilitate the creation of a world map through a variety of prompts and tables. By the end of a game, you will have produced a map of an unknown world, complete with a journal that details those places. This is a great artefact to use as a homebrew setting for your DnD 5e campaign, or other fantasy systems.
- A pencil and eraser.
- Paper to draw your map.
- A place to journal.
- A deck of standard playing cards.
- A collection of six-sided dice.
Cartograph is played over a series of turns. Each turn, you will roll your pool of dice onto your map page. Then, you will fill in the details your cartographer can survey about the area based on these rolls. You'll pick your next destination, travel there, and draw a playing card to generate a prompt which will give you a a few questions to answer in your journal and some context for the location. Then, you'll manage your resources, before starting the cycle again!
Cartograph is designed to be super flexible, and super modular. If you don't like journalling games, no problem! The Atlas Edition includes a ruleset to play Cartograph more akin to traditional roleplaying. You want a more chill and relaxed experience? Easy! Follow the peaceful mode rules for casual play.
You can pre-order physical hardcover copies of Cartograph Atlas Edition here!
Custom Cartograph standard playing cards and journals are also available on our website!
Updated | 13 days ago |
Status | Released |
Category | Physical game |
Rating | Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars (9 total ratings) |
Author | The Ravensridge Press |
Tags | GM-Less, journaling, maps, rules-lite, Solo RPG, storygame, Tabletop, Tabletop role-playing game, Two Player, worldbuilding |
Purchase
In order to download this game you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $12 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Development log
- Table updates13 days ago
- Minor wording changesMar 06, 2024
- Minor Updates and Dice Helper FileFeb 29, 2024
Comments
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What do you do when you are told to 'Mark and name a discovery'?? I take it you put a '?' on the map area but there is no naming table for discoveries. So I am a little confused.
Hi! The rules for marking locations is mentioned on page 22 - but yes you are pretty much correct in that you put a ? on the map! As discoveries are all very different, it was impossible to make a name generator table for them, so you’ll just have to use your imagination to name the discovery!
Hope that helps!
Hi,
I recently acquired a hardcopy of this at supanova.
Are the character sheets available somewhere to play as a pdf, or will I have to purchase this pack to get them?
Cheers
Hey there! Thanks for the support! I can supply you with all the digital files - the next printing of Cartograph will have a QR code that will take you to free downloads, but alas it was not something I considered for this printing. Could you send me an email at theravensridgeemporium@gmail.com and I’ll send you the files!
Email sent, thank you
How many pages is the book? Is it better to print it as a hard cover or soft cover?
The book is ~90 pages, and the phyiscal copy is hardcover. Hope this helps!
Where I can buy the hardcover?
You can purchase it from our website here: theRavensridgeEmporium
Thanks for checking out the game!
On page 7, is it meant that either 'Fame' in the text or 'Notoriety' in the table be the same thing? If so, which word was intended?
Hey Lorenmj,
The use of “fame” in the value and disposition section is there to show you that you can come up with your own (a descriptor that isn’t on the table). Certianly fame and notoriety are similar (although I’d argue there are slight differences between the two descriptors) it is ultimately up to you the player to determine how you interpret the descriptors. Hope that answers your question!
Absolutely love using this to build out regions of my fantasy world! 100% Recommend for fledgling map makers
Hey thanks so much! I’m glad you’re enjoying Cartograph! 🧭
I am super hyped about playing it after seeing some reviews! I'd like to pre-order the physical edition; does it give access to the pdf, to start playing before August?
Hey thanks so much, I hope you enjoy the game! Yes the pre-order should come with the digital files too 😊
Thank you! That's an insta buy for me then ^^
This looks amazing. Would love to play and review on yt channel, do you ever do review copies?
Thank you! Yes I do review copies, would you kindly send an email to theravensridgeemporium@gmail.com and we can chat!
Hello, the cartograph dice icons's rar file is damaged and doesn't open.
Opens just fine for me on Windows using 7-zip.
Opens for me using NCH Express Zip. Bit of a shock actually first RAR file I have managed to open!
Hey Alessioserini, I am able to open the rar file and the files seem to be in tact. What unzipping application are you using?
Winrar
I usually use 7zip, but I downloaded the files and tried it with winrar and the files are not corrupted. Perhaps try a different unzipping software?
Hey Alessioserini, I’ve added a zip file rather then a rar file into the downloads, try that and see how you go