Mapping out your adventure pt1

My latest find is a tool I wanna share with you all, together with a way to use that tool to design modules and adventures for RPG's.

Now, mind you, the tool in itself isn't necessary for the method, but it's handy and it's free. Can't get better than that, now can it?

The tools is called cmaptools, and it's a tool for drawing relational diagrams. In short, create a map of "enteties" and their relations.

The image attached to this post is an example of how it can look after you have added a number of enteties.

In this particular case, I as a GM brainstormed a couple of things. I have Naug the dwarf, who is a member of a dwarven clan. It is run by a chieftain. Not far from the hills where the clan lives is a human-populated village called Outskirts. In the village we have the Rangers, a group of able bodied men protecting the surrounding area from harm. In a tower not far from the hills, a mighty wizard lives. He is currently researching a powerful ritual.

This short story resulted in a list of things that I added to the work area in cmaptools. Now, mind you, all of these things could be done manually.