Mapping Scales (CSC)

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The first step in map creation is to decide how much of the world is going to be shown on a single map page. At the DM's choice, a single map (regardless of paper size) can show an entire world, a continent, a kingdom, a barony, a castle, or just a few rooms in an underground dungeon. The deciding factor is map scale-the relationship between a measurelnent on the map and its corresponding measurement in the real world (which is also called full scale).
To show a great deal of the world, the scale relationship of the map to the actual world must be quite large. Each unit of measurement on the map must represent many miles. While such a map gives an overview of the world and its major features, it is noticeably Jacking in fine detail. The DM must also create smaller scale regional maps as they are needed Regional maps reveal the locations of villages, streams, castles, ruins and so forth.
Even smaller scale maps are used for encounter areas. They are often floor plans for castles, towers, ruins, dungeons, and buildings. Such small scale maps are blowups of specific areas. The scale is measured in feet, not miles.
Choose a scale for the map that best suits the needs of the map. A regional Inap drawn at a scale of one inch or one hex equaling 1,000 feet gives too much detail and not enough overview of the region (and also Inakes much more work for the DM, who must draw an incredible number of such maps to depict even a single barony). Likewise, a dungeon map drawn with each th inch square equalling 100 feet is great for plotting large cavern complexes that stretch on for thousands of feet, but does not show enough detail to depict doors, traps, and stairs in a castle or dungeon.
Remember to mark the map scale on each map—it saves trying to remember what was intended when one looks at a map three months or three years after it was drawn.