Treasure Maps in Your D&D campaign

[@americanbaldguy]

In one of my favorite homebrews I had the party find parts of a treasure map on the back of labels on bottles of rare wine. The first map section was found by accident when a bottle is broken and the players notice writing on the back of the label. All the map sections were interchangeable so the players had to figure out how the pieces were supposed to fit together after they were all found (after opening a lot of bottles!). It worked out really well. Thanks for the vid!

[@paavohirn3728]

Nice!

[@keithkannenberg7414]

My one challenge with treasure maps is the challenge of explaining why they exist. I think it's important that there be a reason or else it loses verisimilitude for me. You covered a few possible explanations. But if every other hoard has a map then it's going to feel a little bit unrealistic/overdone. That said, a "treasure map" doesn't have to be a map at all. Maybe the PCs find a letter from an ally of the vanquished monsters or a signet ring. Things like these can serve the same purpose.

[@jasonroberts4116]

If there’s a treasure map…..someone had a reason to draw it’s your job to piece that together. There are plenty of real life reasons why people made maps…and plenty more reasons why said maps are no longer in the hands of the folks who created said map. Sometimes current map owner stumbled upon the map, and doesn’t have any connection what so ever to the origins ( never happened in real life) Additionally, there are real life people today who refuse to use a bank and still bury their money in the ground… they may or may not have a map… why do they do this…beats me. I guess real life doesn’t qualify for your verisimilitude level? I think what you are getting at are repetitiveness and common tropes Finally, He never even alluded to putting a map in every hoard.

[@keithkannenberg7414]

@@jasonroberts4116 Yes, the repetitiveness and possibility of them being common if they show up as often as the OD&D might make them. The GM really should put in the effort in to make them feel real by coming up with at least a bit of backstory. Unless your just playing a completely procedural game where it might not matter.

[@darylehret]

I remember using parchament paper, calligraphy pen, burning the edges, and using them for handouts to the players. I think I even used invisible ink one time.

[@grumpyoldslan]

In story based campaigns, treasure maps are a great side quest. The enemy you just killed may have the usual letter from the BBEG, but he could also have a treasure map he was planning on using once he'd dispatched the PCs. The players now have a quandary: go for loot or follow the trails to the BBEG. And maybe going for the loot might be the better way to save the world in the end as it gives you more resources to accomplish your goal.

[@BanditsKeep]

For sure

[@djholland7]

Heeeeey I just asked about this topic in your Discord. And this is part of your Song of the Mapper series. Glad to see this.

[@danielrowan4716]

Daniel- Awesome topic. Recently in my campaign the party recovered treasure from a sunken pirate ship and found four (4) maps charts to locations within the Archipelago they are exploring. Each had brief notes written on them as plot hooks. Whether or not they pursue those adventure paths is up to them - they include a volcanic island where an Azer has a magical forge, a jungle island with a Green Dragon, another with a Cyclops that hoards a vast treasure but has a taste for the flesh of humans, demi-humans, and humanoids alike and lastly the one of the fortress base the pirates hail from.

[@BanditsKeep]

That’s awesome

[@silmaril8420]

Great as always Daniel. I will add a type of map that is the ancient recovery. It may be an old carving on a wall, a sculpture with a painting or something along those lines. The PCs find this kind of map in the dungeon or in the adventure 'cause they are a fisical part of it.

[@henryrodriguez6260]

I only clicked in this video because of your excellent choice for a thumbnail. I love Lieber’s Fafhrd & The Grey Mouser, and especially loved the graphic novel adaptations. That initial story, Ill Met in Lankmar with the villainous black wizard Hristomo was so well drawn by Mignola that I became a lifelong fan. Now, connecting that dot to the point of your video… my first treasure/quest map handout I prepared for my players was from the Lankhmar module “Nehwon.” I burnt the edges of some photocopies, rolled them up like a scroll and tied them with string. It was fun. Thanks

[@biffstrong1079]

One of my favourite Sherlock Holmes stories has a puzzle map "The Musgrave Ritual". It was a recitation all the Musgraves learned by rote whose meaning was lost. It lead to an ancient treasure. Once there was someone who understood it was a description of a map to the treasure you could figure it out and go find the treasure. Because of that one and well Treasure Island I've always enjoyed the idea of maps in games that the players could figure. The Holmes story also included the history of the treasure in the map. Let's you know that this was the hidden crown of Charles I who was executed by the protestant/puritan leaders of England at the time. A good map/puzzle gives you elements of both and the players can be rewarded by figuring out the map and the history, getting the treasure and the story. 'Whose was it?' 'His who is gone.' 'Who shall have it?' 'He who will come.' ('What was the month?' 'The sixth from the first.') 'Where was the sun?' 'Over the oak.' 'Where was the shadow?' 'Under the elm.' 'How was it stepped?' 'North by ten and by ten, east by five and by five, south by two and by two, west by one and by one, and so under.' 'What shall we give for it?' 'All that is ours.' 'Why should we give it?' 'For the sake of the trust.' I like to have partial maps in my dungeons. If they are in a mine they usually can find a board set up that shows part of the old workings though part of that map has rotted away and perhaps there is a message on the board in blood. Stay out of here with a big ex and there is a skeleton under the map board. A lot of Jaquays mini dungeons start with a map produced by a group of tomb robbers who got three or four rooms in before being killed or chased out. I do have a Wight's Barrow where another group has this old map from mostly dead adventurers but they don't want to use it so they sell the partial map and the location all the time saying , yeah this is really dangerous. Don't go there. Little foreshadowing and gives me some license to have the Barrow be pretty tough. This isn't a place that adventurers have to go. In fact going there might free something evil, but there is treasure to be had.

[@Arnkel]

The Map IS in the 2nd Edition DMG. Original printing description is on page 146, and it is the first result on scroll subtable B on page 136.

[@Arnkel]

Also should mention that treasure maps are mentioned in the PHB under the Thief's Read Languages skill description.

[@jeremydurdil556]

I had my party find Rory Barbarossa’s map of the Isle of Dread in a treasure chest of their second minor dungeon. They were only just second level and just outside Threshold. It took them another year and a half before they got there. Leveling up on the adventure along the way. Treasure maps are great. BECMI Forever! Long Live King Elmore!!

[@PeterZeender]

Wow. Fantastic treatment of a criminally overlooked topic. I’ve just re-kicked off my Pirate Birg campaign and been avoiding treasure maps for lack of personal inspiration. This really got my creative juices going. Great work Daniel.

[@BanditsKeep]

Thanks!

[@link090909]

I can immediately see how I can use treasure maps in my games, I had never even thought of it. Excellent video as always

[@BanditsKeep]

Awesome

[@angelalewis3645]

This is the first video I’ve seen of yours, and it’s a gift! I’m running a game for nephews (who want a treasure map!) and trying to figure out a starting adventure for other friends. Thanks!

[@SmileyTrilobite]

I like making treasure maps verbal or pictorial riddles, like a rhyme about a mountain in the region, or a pic of rows of circles with some other shapes, found in or near a dungeon, that to perceptive players is a stylized map of the dungeon with a secret room marked in a stand-out way.

[@razorboy251]

I used them with great effect in multiple campaign and they never failed to motivate players. One thing I found works best with treasure maps is to also clearly indicate to the players that these are indeed maps to treasure and that the treasure there is truly valuable and unique. That really lights a fire under the players!

[@SpiritWolf1966]

I enjoy all of Bandit’s Keep videos 🎉🎉😊

[@rwustudios]

"That's like a path to a Treasure Map.". Too funny. Thanks for the video Daniel. Great as always.

[@stephenwendell]

THIS is why I am in Daniel's choir. I love treasure. I love maps. I love treasure maps! Jaquays' Book of Treasure Maps is great. You got to get hold of that thing! It's full of classic treasure maps, exactly like what you might imagine. Each one is a short (or longish) adventure. Daniel, you will especially like THE CRYPTS OF ARCADIA. It has a treasure map to a fallen comrade, who carried... a treasure map "to the location of vast lost treasure of Arcadian kings, nobles, and princes..." !!!

[@georgelaiacona111]

I love how the AD&D table also has false maps as well as treasure or magic maps. Great for a sandbox game. In my campaigns, typically the characters have a patron in town. A retired adventurer who collects maps. Retired, so he can't investigate them on his own, but he'll dole them out to PCs to check out for him. There's a little more than that, but it's the gist. Yet another excellent video, Daniel. Thanks for this.

[@onetruetroy]

I love this video. Thank you for this topic. Treasure maps are one of the best elements that bridges characters and players. Depending on the GM and their creativity, maps or real physical objects that are representational open up the roleplay experience. Maps can be treasures in themselves even if they are proposed or actual dungeon plans, future expansion projects, diagram of water sources, ley lines, major traps, chutes, ladders, maintenance tunnels, monster lairs, etc. The players are involved. Now, add physical trinkets, puzzles, poems, wax seals, invisible ink, maps that fold to create a different map, runes, fake rubies that reveal hidden messages, and so on. I cannot resist. 😜

[@VelliMak]

Great channel, thanks for making all these videos!

[@AndyReichert0]

great video! I started with pathfinder and then 5e, so I have never encountered any concept of a treasure map! great way to fill the world with more dungeons. I don't like to write dungeons from scratch, so it would be nice to just give the players a stack of prewritten one shots to complete at their pleasure.

[@dougcustard]

This is great advice, I'm about to run Return to the Keep on the Borderlands in Shadowdark RPG and I think a treasure map might be worth an XP in itself, let alone the treasure hoard.

[@willmendoza8498]

Sounds awesome. I love Shadowdark and Keep on the Borderlands.

[@aazz9676]

Shadowdark? Some day maybe you'll play for real.

[@scottmarsh2991]

Now I can’t stop thinking of Graham Chapman in Yellowbeard following his Treasure Map from memory: “Stagger, Stagger, Crawl, Crawl, Roll, Stagger Stagger…”

[@earthenkindquests]

Nice video, once again! You make me think about the overlap between a treasure hunt and a fetch quest, especially when in multiple parts.

[@ivancarabano]

I love all bandits keep videos!

[@GothridgeManor]

I love treasure maps. I used one in my game not too long ago. It was interesting watching the party interpreting it, trying to assess the danger level from the map. And if forgotten about the JG treasure map book. It's on my shelf somewhere. I need to find it.

[@BanditsKeep]

Awesome, I am on the lookout for it - I’d be curious what you think of it. I have often had maps lead to your micro adventures

[@ricardowilliams76]

I love giving treasure maps to my players. In my current AD&D 2E campaign the players have found maps to wizard's tomb (from "The Moor-Tomb Map") and an ancient dwarven fortress (the 3e module "The Forge of Fury", which I've converted to 2e). The only problem I see with giving treasure maps is that some players might need some "prodding" to realize it's a plot hook, or they might just ignore it.

[@DanBoyo115]

I feel like Treasure Maps are an essential part of these games and exploring the campaign as it develops makes it feel more alive. Obviously quest like rescuing the Baron's daughter or defeating a bandit group could still be incorporated to add some story to the game.

[@BanditsKeep]

True

[@pickpocketpressrpgvideos6655]

Very interesting video. I really started with 2e and I don't remember seeing any treasure maps come up in a treasure roll (or perhaps we just ignored them). I feel like I kind of came around to this idea by accident in recent years - in adventures I will often place an item (book, scroll, scriptures, carved sticks, etc) or mural bas relief or something that refers to another adventure location/lost treasure. Or while doing one adventure there might be an NPC who has a rumour about another lost city or ogre treasure cave or whatever in xx location. I admit I have not I don't think ever used a literal treasure map, like a pirate treasure map, in a game... but now I'd like to.

[@dittrich04]

I have wanted to use these but not had a great idea of how to do it. I'd love to see some ideas of physical handouts to give the players that act as a map.

[@BanditsKeep]

I’d just do a google image search, to get inspired

[@worldbigfootcentral3933]

Treasue maps, oh YEAH!

[@alienspaceshaman]

My players are about to find a ships log in the loot. Its from a shipwreck survivor, they were looking for a fabled lost city of loot. Instead of a map its landmarks, windspeed, position of stars. Love your channel!

[@tonysladky8925]

"It's a side quest, but they can decide when to go on it." It's a decide quest. (Not to be confused with a Deicide quest. That's very different)

[@CountryBwoy]

DUDE!!! I ordered the Hex Crawler T-shirt earlier today! Its a belated birthday gift to myself! Thank You for being You! 🫵🏾

[@BanditsKeep]

That’s awesome, thanks!

[@RobertWF42]

Not just treasure maps, but maps in general are a way to give players agency in their adventures. A map with labelled locations ("Goblin tribe", "Ogre cave", "Dragon den", etc.) allows players to find challenges suitable to their level without the DM railroading or having to nerf/buff encounters & possibly damaging player immersion.

[@Slit518]

In my D&D days, I want to say 2e I think I used 1 treasure map. But now that you mention it, I should use more treasure maps in my games. On a side note, in my game of Grognard in one of the games I run the party started with a magical treasure map that would vaguely circle a destination on the map, but the party wouldn't know why it was a point of interest. The party doesn't have to follow the map, but if they do and they find the "point of interest" or "complete the task" or whatever, the map then puts an X through it letting the party know they have completed whatever goal it was the map had in mind.

[@CaptCook999]

I don't remember ever getting a map as part of the "treasure". We did find a map of a lower level of the dungeon once. As a thief player i was always making maps and putting in notes of what treasure we left behind in case we wanted to come back later. At the very least these types of maps might be found on characters/NPC's or stolen from them.

[@VitoWolf-me3tq]

So interesting. I would like to know more about the book on treasure maps

[@mikeb.1705]

I've been in love with treasure maps since seeing Romancing the Stone! Add to that the map from Goonies, or even the headpiece of the Staff of Ra from Raider of the Lost Arc! Whether it requires being folded a certain way (like Romancing the Stone), or read under moonlight, or using the alignment of stars and monoliths to point the way, I always try to make my treasure maps interesting - and interactive - in some way. I also prefer to make the map an actual prop that the players can handle and fiddle with.

[@BanditsKeep]

Yes! I love props

[@timsanty3052]

I followed the Treasure Map to this video!

[@GodOfMoxie]

used a treasure map for the first time a couple of months back and it completely engrossed one of my players, as he looted the body of a random bandit which as a group i had rolled they would have a map I padded my pockets mimicing the looting and slipped him the map that I had weathered. it was magical.

[@steved1135]

Great stuff here, as always. One minor point of correction however: 2E did indeed include maps as treasure. They're nested under Scrolls. DMG p. 146.

[@BanditsKeep]

Thanks! I didn’t see them there!

[@steved1135]

@@BanditsKeep Admittedly, as you point out, as editions went on maps as treasure did fall by the wayside, and here in 2E there's no tables, and just mentioned in a small paragraph. I still use them much as you describe though. There's nothing more handy for a DM than to drop a treasure map in some loot. After rumours, it's probably my favourite way to introduce a hook... Cheers.

[@Sageofthedustypage]

I have the three judges guild supplements, also the book of lairs was a good resource and the use of rumours about treasure. I think of the Mummy series where the guide is hired by the explorers.

[@CombustedLemon]

I use treasure maps as more of a transition from a large plot point to more sandbox type things. That way they can have alittle breather at points if I know there are no other quests that I had given them.

[@TheArcturusProject]

So good! Make DnD great again!

[@BakaPope]

We getting out of the keep with this one bois

[@BanditsKeep]

Indeed

[@TheArcturusProject]

Ahah amen! Perfect 👌🏿

[@GalvatronRodimus]

2e does actually have maps! They're in the "Scrolls" table. They're certainly lessened compared to previous editions (in keeping with the trend you observed), and are *extremely* unlikely to generate by strictly rolling, but they are there!

[@BanditsKeep]

Thanks! I was not looking in the right spot!

[@markbaker465]

As you say, times have changed. I think it would depend very much on the motivations of the party and the individuals therein as to how appealing the possibility of finding treasure would be. That said, the concept of a map or other way of leading the party somewhere is good, even if the motivation isn't simply to gain treasure.

[@sirguy6678]

Good video!

[@JdJdR]

I always wanted to use Treasure Maps in my games but never did it... I'm running ADnD 2nd Edition, The Night Below adventure with my old school friends and I will put some treasure maps there!" Thanks for reminding me about Treasure Maps!!!

[@CharlesTersteeg]

Treasure maps, not that I recall ever having come across. Interesting optional side quest or even a main adventure.

[@atomicnectar]

I love the idea of solo play I’m gonna try to find some models and run those

[@BanditsKeep]

Nice

[@harkejuice]

I used a treasure map only once so far, because only my current group are sharp enough to use them. However, it led to a treasure room stripped clean with a note by their arch-nemesis a cat-thief who is currently stalking them to steal treasure they leave behind. This is how they find out they have missed approximately 200k gold pieces worth of treasure and magic items. They are angry and on a side quest of petty revenge.

[@Marcus-ki1en]

Treasure maps are the essence of Sandbox Worlds. They are the antithesis of the Linear, or Railroaded campaign. For me, player agency is king - follow the map whenever you want. For a twist, follow the map, find the location looted already (especially is they wait too long to follow up on it)

[@AuthoritativeNewsNetwork]

A friend used the AD&D 'Treasure Maps' to determine the ransom value of captives retrieved from a bandit lair.

[@lexington476]

Back when I played in the 90s, sometimes we used them sometimes we didn't. If time was running short that day and we wanted to wrap it up, the DM would sometimes go, there is a big blue neon sign with an arrow ➡saying "this way" 😀... clearly a sign from Tymora.

[@michaelwest4325]

Maps in a sand box seem too valuable to ignore, offering plot hooks, context, world building and paths to explore. As the game moved to prepared adventures I guess they got lost but even as the first step on a linear adventure they offer a fun lure. Another useful tool for the GM!

[@GontltsufOgrpwr]

Great stuff

[@BanditsKeep]

Thank You!

[@bronsongorham]

One thing I've found difficult about handing out treasure maps, especially after random encounters, is drawing all of them. I feel like I need a stack of half a dozen maps sitting around before DMing! Has anyone found a better way of dealing with this issue on the fly?

[@Coffee-the-Hermit]

The AD&D 1e DMG has tables for the distance and location of a hoard (page 120), which are also recreated in For Gold & Glory (pages 217-218). While not as flashy as a physical prop, it certainly gets the job done!

[@slushbubs]

I have a scan of the JG book of treasure maps. It's pretty cool but a lot of them are really tough with save or die, and one can be campaign-altering lol.

[@BanditsKeep]

Save or die was definitely a thing back in the day, I tend to change that stuff for my campaign

[@RobertWF42]

An alternative to a treasure map is a magic item (like a compass) that points to nearby treasure hoards. Maybe the compass is damaged - the pointer thingie no longer works but the crystals glow brighter the closer you get & the larger the hoard. Let players figure out how to gauge distance & size of treasures.

[@MrMuddyWheels]

I'm running through all the movies and stories in my head that have "treasure maps" as the main plot but I never even consider them in ttrpgs

[@koonitube]

So obvious, yet under used. Definitely going to use treasure maps… could also be something more vague like a painting showing a familiar landscape with a lost shrine or something, players would dart straight to the location to start digging😅

[@BlackJar72]

I do like using maps to introduce new dungeons or areas.

[@BanditsKeep]

For sure

[@nickcody7257]

The funniest Treasure Map I found was in a complex political game. A group that was our enemy set a trap and created a map to it to lure the party in. Being half witted murder hobos we got distracted for a while. During that time, one of the party who was a turncoat for another organization, sold the map to their group... Eventually we followed up and most of the traps was triggered by the other group prior to us getting there. The trap didn't have anything except for that other parties loot. Needless to say the turncoat almost got assassinated for selling it.

[@sketchasaurrex4087]

I use treasure maps all the time. I have it planned for the party to run into another antagonistic group that are trying to get the same treasure. Both maps are unreliable but have a solid direction and mostly overlap.

[@BanditsKeep]

Cool

[@zenosmythe5264]

There are still treasure maps in 2e, but they are under scrolls, and the percentage chance drops to just over 1/2 of 1% when taken in context of all magical treasure.

[@BanditsKeep]

Cool, I missed that!

[@BScalise97]

Hey Daniel. Unrelated, but could you do a video on Familiars? I run Basic Fantasy. They've asked about the MU having a cat familiar (she likes cats). Familiars don't seem to be in BX, so I looked up Familiars in many rulesets (1e, 2e, 3.5e, 5e, PF, DCC, and some supplements for BF). They're actually quite complex and seem like a huge addition to the game. Don't want anything game-breaking or game-slowing, so I'll probably just dumb down the significance of them mechanically, and keep it more flavor-oriented. Do you have enough thoughts for a video?

[@BanditsKeep]

That’s a great topic. I have some things I’ve used in the past. Let me see what I can whip up

[@TourFaint]

8:09 my gm did literally this on out first pathfinder game and i didn't have the heart to tell him how freaking lame that was.

[@BanditsKeep]

Were they a new GM?

[@TourFaint]

@@BanditsKeep Unfortunately no.

[@israelmorales4249]

Im early in your solo campaing, a question. How do you value your treasure maps? anyway! thx for the video!

[@BanditsKeep]

For that game the maps are worth .5% the value to the mapper. But to a PC in a regular game, they have no XP value until the PCs get the treasure

[@israelmorales4249]

@@BanditsKeep thx a Lot!

[@yourseatatthetable]

X sometimes literally marks the spot.

[@BanditsKeep]

Indeed

[@PvtSchlock]

I'm as like as not to have the map show the way to something that may be as lucrative or advantageous. A forgotten city, gate to a far off city or lost shipment and so on. Bumping off agents of some faction or other "power player" who are dispatched to wrangle this or that hoard can be fun too. It can help make the world pull together some. Yeah I use maps and am older than I care to admit...

[@lexington476]

X marks the stop.

[@OldGamerPapi]

Is this the same Daniel that does videos for Adorama?

[@BanditsKeep]

Indeed it is!

[@pseudofenton]

I have no problems leaving maps around, but I find it hard to make them *treasure* maps. I just find the whole logic behind their existence very awkward to justify. Why is there a known worthwhile pile of treasure just laying around that the mapmaker didn't claim? How are they sure of its existence if they couldn't get it (other than it was too heavy or numerous to carry out, which does work, but gets repetitive and makes the treasure also a problem - as it should therefore be overly heavy or numerous of the players too)? How are the players sure it hasn't already been taken in the time between the maps creation and their finding of it. I dunno, explicit treasure just sounds implausible, and I think my players are too paranoid to trust possible honey pot baiting too - which makes it even tougher to get them to use them!

[@silmaril8420]

You don't have to. A map can lead to a place with a dungeon, a dragon's territory or something different. In the example that Daniel had made, the one of the "map person", he made me think of Gan-buri-ghan. He is a lord of the ring's charachter who act as a guide for the host of the rohirrim, granting them a safer and shorter route to reach the Pelennor Fields out of Minas Tirith. He can be consider as a map 😅

[@pseudofenton]

@@silmaril8420 A "person map" is great, and I do employ them of sorts (as in, obviously people exist who know where some things are, and can be convinced to tell you or take you there sometimes) although they also come with the "do your players trust them" clause, as well as the "does this character trust your players" - which still doesn't make them a sure fire thing Using maps as just "there is a place of interest in the wilderness here, that's possibly unexplored" or a "this is an incomplete map of a dungeon based on how far we explored" is as close to a treasure map as I'll get - but they're not specifically *treasure* maps - and they don't make sense to find them in the same place as other standard treasure, making the advice of finding them there not logically follow (although they may be found in other parts of a dungeon, as a stand alone "reward").

[@nooctip]

THe last time I introduced a treasure map someone sold a map to a fabulous treasure in the tavern for five gold. Why so cheap? Because the map maker wanted to get three captains to fight among themselves so the map was useless without the logbook, and chart he gave the other two captains.

[@BanditsKeep]

Interesting

[@balijosu]

I think it's important for the existence of the map to make sense. Who created it and why? Why leave a clue for a stranger to find something valuable? Not saying there can't be a good reason, but do come up with one.

[@balijosu]

(Also puzzles)

[@BanditsKeep]

Indeed

[@michaelpayne9710]

I played 2nd Ed. for many years. There's a 1% chance that a spell scroll is a map, but the description in the DMG says you shouldn't hand out maps randomly; they should be pre-planned handouts, instead.

[@BanditsKeep]

Ah, I missed that! I would also say having an idea of what maps might be is a good idea before adding them to a treasure hoard.

[@jamesrizza2640]

I never thought it made sense to find a treasure map within a treasure horde. I remember that in early editions, treasure was used to acquire XP as well as for buying things. I think the reason it's been eliminated [treasure maps, that is], is because it takes more effort to create one and to make it make sense in the campaign. I have noticed a disturbing trend to dumb down this this type of game a lot [RPG's, no matter the genre], first by removing THACO's and crunchy rules, so that they can have a larger player base, but that's a whole different can of worms. A treasure map is a railroad, but it is a voluntary one. You don't have to attempt it. I like your idea of finding a treasure map on a dead adventurer. I have a random encounter where the players find a dead man on a road with a map. X marks the spot, is it treasure, a trap, a secret location, or something else. These can lead to adventures. After watching this video I think I am going to add it to one of my hexcrawl encounters.

[@BanditsKeep]

Cool

[@Xplora213]

I can see the treasure map being very logical as directions to someone else's heist, passed on under duress. Modern context would be a tip from a captured mobster from another mafia family, given to prevent assassination of a family member and maybe the details are too complicated to just remember.

[@ericjome7284]

Treasure maps are weird. Why did someone hide wealth? Couldn't they find something to do with it? Maybe a treasure map wasn't made to reveal a lost treasure. Maybe it's a lure. >:)