Markdown Image Prompts for D&D: Create Stunning Maps and Scenes with ChatGPT

Use markdown to generate maps and complex images.

Creating visuals for your campaign used to mean hours in Photoshop, fiddling with map generators, or settling for images that only kind of matched your vision. Now? You can generate detailed fantasy visuals — maps, scenes, towns, and more — directly inside ChatGPT, just by using markdown.

That’s right. Markdown.

Not only is markdown easy to use, it gives your prompts a clean structure that ChatGPT understands. It helps you break your ideas into pieces — like sections of a dungeon or parts of a scene — so the AI knows how to build them into a cohesive image.

While this process isn't perfect yet, this version of ChatGPT is so much closer to where I want to be. In the near future I believe that this process of using markdown will help GMs generate meaningful maps, dungeons and complex scenes and I wanted to make you aware of what Markdown is and how you might begin to use it now. Give it a try and let me know how it works for you.

Here's what markdown helps GMs do when generating images:

✅ Break the image into functional parts Helps you customize just one section — like lighting, terrain, or mood — without rewriting the entire prompt.

✅ Create visual layers Lets you define what appears in the foreground, midground, and background, adding depth and cinematic framing.

✅ Improve prompt clarity for the AI Markdown makes your intent crystal clear, so the AI knows what to emphasize and how to structure the image.

✅ Make iteration fast and precise Need to tweak the sky or swap a monster? Just adjust that part of the prompt and re-run — no need to start over.

✅ Let GMs think like directors You’re not just describing a place; you’re directing a scene. Markdown helps you design shots, not just visuals.

✅ Add specific words and callouts From room numbers on dungeon maps to etched phrases above doors, markdown lets you define exactly what should appear as in-world text or symbols.

In this blog, we’ll walk through four essential image types that every Game Master needs:

• 🗺️ Region Maps (Quality: Ok)

• 🧭 Dungeon Maps (Quality: Ok)

• 🏰 Location Art (Quality: Great)

• 🔮 Complex Scenes (Quality: Good)

For each one, you’ll get a ready-to-use markdown template, written specifically to give you better, more detailed images — the kind that actually match what’s in your head.

What Is Markdown and Why Should GMs Care?

Markdown is a lightweight formatting language. It was originally made for writing clean, structured documents — but it turns out it's also a GM’s secret weapon when talking to ChatGPT.

When you give the AI a giant wall of text like this:

“Make a fantasy map with forests, mountains, rivers, and a few towns and castles. Maybe add ruins and make it kind of magical.”

…it shrugs and throws something together. But when you break that same idea into a structured, labeled format with markdown, like this:

# Region Map – The Kingdom of Veilreach

## Visual Style

- Hand-drawn on aged parchment

- Medieval fantasy style

## Geographic Features

- Mountain range to the north (The Crownspine Peaks)

- Central enchanted forest (Whisperwood)

- River delta to the south (The Thornshed)

## Landmarks

- Capital city: Veilguard, built into a cliffside

- Abandoned ruin: Temple of the Hollow Star

Why it Works

• Hierarchy matters — # headings help ChatGPT organize your ideas

• Lists are magic — bullet points are easier for the model to parse

• Clarity = better visuals — the more specific you are, the better the output

And here’s the best part: you don’t need to know any code. If you can type # and -, you already know 90% of markdown.

🗺️ Region Map Template (with Example)

Region maps are the backbone of your world. Whether you’re sketching out a single kingdom, a cursed valley, or the whole known continent, a well-structured region map helps your players understand where they are and where they’re headed.

With markdown, you can give ChatGPT everything it needs to generate a clear, organized, and visually interesting map — without needing cartography skills or 10 layers of Photoshop.

🛠️ Markdown Template – Region Map

# Region Map – [Region Name or Theme]

*Top-down fantasy map of a region designed for use in TTRPG campaigns.*

## Visual Style

- Hand-drawn on parchment or weathered canvas

- Style: medieval fantasy, ink and wash, or color-coded

- Visible scale or compass rose

## Geographic Features

- Mountains: [Name, direction, style – snow-covered, jagged, volcanic]

- Forests: [Name, size, magical or mundane]

- Water: [Oceans, rivers, lakes, waterfalls]

- Terrain: [Deserts, plains, cliffs, marshes]

## Landmarks

- Cities or towns: [Name, location, architecture style]

- Ruins or dungeons: [Ancient temples, sealed vaults, fallen towers]

- Religious sites or shrines: [Who they honor, how they look]

- Magical anomalies: [Floating islands, leyline intersections, arcane storms]

## Factions / Control Zones

- Kingdom borders, tribal lands, or monster territories

- Use subtle linework or color shading to show areas of influence

- Include symbols or banners if applicable

## Labels & Details

- Region name styled in calligraphy

- Place names near key features

- Optional: travel paths, merchant roads, trade ports

📍 Example – The Shattered Crescent

# Region Map – The Shattered Crescent

*A broken archipelago once part of a great empire, now overrun with pirates and shadow cults.*

## Visual Style

- Hand-drawn on torn parchment

- Stylized with watercolor and ink

- Compass rose with crescent moon motif

## Geographic Features

- The Gloomspine Mountains (western isles, jagged volcanic peaks)

- The Driftwood Expanse (central shallow sea dotted with wreckage)

- Blackreef Jungle (southern isles, thick with cursed flora)

## Landmarks

- Isle of Ember: active volcano with ritual altar

- The Drowned Citadel: half-submerged ruins glowing faintly at night

- Port Scourge: pirate haven built into a cliff

- Shrine of Echoing Salt: sea god altar atop a coral-covered spire

## Labels & Details

- Weathered script for island names

- Dashed lines for pirate trade routes

- “Beware the Deep” scrawled in blood-red ink in bottom corner

First Output

First Try - Not bad!

Second try after selecting and editing the image through Midjourney.

Editing in Midjourney

Here is the final version after tweaking a bit in Midjourney.

Final Image

🧭 Dungeon Map Template (with Example)

Dungeon maps are where the adventure happens. These are the ancient tombs, cursed catacombs, ruined fortresses, and hidden sanctums your players will explore room by room. With markdown, you can design these maps in a way that’s both logical and creative — making it easier for ChatGPT to generate a functional top-down layout.

This is still the hardest thing for the image generators to do. I will spend time cleaning up the text to make a final image. I will not cover this process here.

Whether you need a mini-dungeon or a sprawling labyrinth, markdown lets you control the structure, style, and key features — from secret doors to boss rooms — without needing cartography software.

🛠️ Markdown Template – Dungeon Map

# Dungeon Map – [Dungeon Name or Theme]

*Top-down fantasy dungeon map for TTRPG use.*

## Visual Style

- Hand-drawn ink on aged parchment

- Visible 5 ft grid subtly integrated

- Style: ancient, arcane, horror, natural cavern, etc.

- Colors: [browns, greys, pale greens, glowing accents]

## Dungeon Theme

- Theme: [e.g., Forgotten necromancer's sanctum]

- Built by: [e.g., cult, empire, ancient dwarves]

- Current state: [abandoned, flooded, cursed, occupied]

## Overall Layout

- Map shape: [spiral, linear, branching, ringed]

- Entrance: [describe main entrance location and type]

- Exit: [e.g., hidden tunnel, teleportation rune]

- Central hub? [yes/no]

## Zones / Quadrants

### Northwest – [Room Name or Number]

- Room type: [library, ritual chamber, vault]

- Features: [e.g., cracked stone altar, magical barrier]

- Hazards or puzzles: [trap, riddle, environmental danger]

### Northeast –

### Southwest –

### Southeast –

*(Repeat or modify as needed)*

## Points of Interest

- Secret doors

- Puzzle locks

- Lore-related props or scenery

- Named NPCs or monsters (optional)

## Labels & Details

- Numbered rooms

- Dashed lines for hidden paths

- Glowing zones for magical influence

- Optional: compass rose or scale marker

📍 Example – The Sepulcher of Hollow Echoes

# Dungeon Map

– The Sepulcher of Hollow Echoes

Top-down dungeon map beneath a ruined chapel, once a cult tomb, now haunted by restless spirits.

## Visual Style

- Hand-drawn ink on aged parchment

- Subtle 5 ft grid - Gothic horror aesthetic

## Dungeon Theme

- Theme: Necromancer’s tomb

- State: Sealed, now cracking open

## Overall Layout

- Branching layout with circular central hub

- Entry: Crumbling staircase from surface chapel

- Exit: Secret tunnel in the southeastern quadrant

## Zones

### Northwest

– The Reliquary - Room type: Relic vault

- Features: Bone fragments, cracked glass cases, veiled skull idol

### Northeast

– The Ossuary Choir

- Room type: Bone-walled shrine

- Features: Posed skeletons, echoing acoustics, central platform

### Southwest

– The Plague Womb

- Room type: Birthing pit

- Features: Mucus tiles, cocooned husks

### Southeast

– The Hollow Throne

- Final boss chamber

- Features: Floating throne of bone, shattered stained glass

- Boss: Hollow King (shadow wight)

## Labels & Details

- Numbered rooms (1–10)

- Glowing glyphs in boss chamber

First Try - This is OK, I will need to edit in a separate tool.

🏰 Location Art Template (with Example)

Sometimes your players enter a place that deserves more than words. Whether it's a cursed chapel, a desert outpost, or a sacred shrine buried beneath snow, location art gives them a visual anchor. It sets the tone, evokes atmosphere, and makes the scene memorable.

Using markdown with ChatGPT, you can describe these places in clear, modular sections — giving the AI the structure it needs to generate a beautiful and cohesive image.

# Location Art – [Place Name or Type]

*Fantasy location illustration for a TTRPG campaign.*

## Location Type

- [Ancient temple, coastal town, watchtower, sacred grove]

## Visual Style

- Medium: Hand-painted or digital painting

- Style: Realistic, painterly, or stylized

- Lighting: Daylight, dusk, moonlit, torchlit, etc.

## Architecture & Materials

- Building materials: [Stone, wood, bone, obsidian]

- Cultural influence: [Elven ruins, dwarven fortress, shadow cult]

## Key Features

- Foreground: [Broken statues, glowing sigils, guard post]

- Midground: [Main building, plaza, altar, courtyard]

- Background: [Mountains, fog, spires, celestial bodies]

## Mood & Atmosphere

- Tone: Peaceful, eerie, divine, decaying

- Presence: NPCs, animals, guards, spirits

- Environmental effects: Mist, embers, falling leaves, magical light

## Labels (optional)

- Signpost, etched symbols, banner text, town crest

📍 Example – The Forgotten Chapel of Thal’Zaeth

# Location Art – The Forgotten Chapel of Thal’Zaeth

*A ruined moonlit chapel overgrown with thorned vines, long abandoned by the living.*

## Location Type

- Sacred ruin once used by moon-worshiping cultists

## Visual Style

- Digital painting with a soft, painterly brush

- Moonlit, with soft pale blue and silver highlights

- Slight fish-eye lens for dramatic effect

## Architecture & Materials

- Cracked marble arches

- Obsidian statues with broken faces

- Rusted iron gates with crescent moon carvings

## Key Features

- Foreground: Vines crawling over toppled altar

- Midground: Crumbling double doors ajar, faint blue light inside

- Background: Tower spire silhouetted against a full moon, trees whispering

## Mood & Atmosphere

- Tone: Mournful, sacred, still

- Presence: No visible NPCs, but ghostly silhouettes linger

- Environmental effects: Fog clings low to the ground, distant howling wind

## Labels

- Etched phrase above door: *"Walk Not in Her Shadow"*

First Try - nailed it

🔮 Complex Scene Template (with Example)

Some moments in your campaign deserve cinematic treatment — visions, magical rituals, divine interventions, or boss battle reveals. These aren’t static places or maps. They're scenes in motion, full of mood, magic, and layered meaning.

With markdown, you can build these scenes like a film set. Foreground, midground, background. Lighting, emotion, action. And ChatGPT eats this structure up, producing stunning images that feel alive.

# Complex Scene – [Title or Moment Name]

*Dramatic moment or event in a fantasy TTRPG campaign, visualized as a cinematic painting.*

## Scene Type

- [Prophecy, ritual, battle, dream sequence, divine encounter, memory]

## Composition

- Foreground: [Characters, action, items, focus]

- Midground: [Ritual circle, crumbling ruins, crowd, portal]

- Background: [Stormy sky, mountain silhouette, starfield, watchers]

## Visual Style

- Style: Cinematic, painterly, surreal, dreamlike

- Lighting: Harsh, soft, magical, twilight

- Camera angle: Overhead, low-angle, wide shot, close-up

## Elements in Motion

- Magic flows, weapon strikes, falling snow, swirling shadows, divine glow

## Characters & Creatures

- [Optional] Include dramatic silhouettes, robed figures, monsters, celestial beings

## Mood & Emotion

- Tone: Triumphant, tragic, mysterious, terrifying

- Symbolism: [Use of color, sigils, reflections, duality]

## Labels (if any)

- Optional: Name or runes inscribed on structures, floating banners, or magical glyphs

📍 Example – The Shattering of the Veil

# Complex Scene – The Shattering of the Veil

*A magical rift tears through reality as a god is betrayed, unleashing shadow across a temple's ruins.*

## Scene Type

- Divine betrayal and magical eruption

## Composition

- Foreground: A cloaked figure with glowing hands thrusts a black blade into a floating sigil

- Midground: A radiant archway shatters, releasing beams of violet light

- Background: Crumbling temple walls and floating debris dissolve into a starlit void

## Visual Style

- Style: Cinematic and painterly

- Lighting: Split — one half warm divine gold, the other cold violet shadow

- Camera angle: Wide-angle low shot, looking upward toward the breaking sky

## Elements in Motion

- Cracks of magic spidering out from the sigil

- Shadow mist rising and curling

- Pieces of the archway suspended midair

## Characters & Creatures

- Betrayer figure with a mask

- Half-revealed divine being within the rift (face obscured)

## Mood & Emotion

- Tone: Awe, devastation, cosmic horror

- Symbolism: Half the sky glows, the other dims — balance broken

## Labels

- Etched runes on the archway read: *"One Breaks, All Fade"*

First Try - Close, it missed the etched ruins. But nailed the feeling.

✨ Final Tips for Using Markdown to Create Images in ChatGPT

"You don’t need to be an artist. You just need to know how to say what you see — in bullets, headers, and a few careful words." – A GM with more imagination than time

Now that you’ve seen how markdown turns your vision into images, here are a few pro-level tips to help you get even better results with ChatGPT.

✅ Keep Your Markdown Simple and Sharp

• Use #, ##, and ### headers to define structure.

• Bullet points are your best friend. They make information digestible for AI.

• Bold important terms only if you want to emphasize (though ChatGPT doesn't always render bold visually).

🔁 Edit by Section, Not the Whole Thing

• Want to change the lighting? Just edit the ## Visual Style or ## Lighting section.

• Need to add fog or glowing eyes? Tweak the specific bullet under ## Atmosphere or ## Motion.

• This allows fast iterations without rewriting your entire prompt.

🧪 Test Variants and Versions

• Generate multiple versions of the same markdown prompt with minor changes:

  • Try a day version and a night version of a location

  • Change tone from sacred to sinister

• Use these variations for different campaign moments: discovery, dream, flashback, or alternate timeline.

🧠 Treat ChatGPT Like Your Art Director

• You’re not just prompting — you’re collaborating.

• Talk to ChatGPT between generations:

  “Make the next version feel more mysterious and show less detail in the background.”“Let’s focus the lighting on the altar instead of the statue.”

🚀 Ready to Create?

Now that you have four ready-to-use markdown templates for:

• 🗺️ Region Maps

• 🧭 Dungeon Maps

• 🏰 Location Art

• 🔮 Complex Scenes

…it’s time to build your own. Copy a template, change the content, and paste it into ChatGPT. The image that comes out won’t just be good — it’ll feel like your world.