one example: https://lordofmaps.com/ (unaffiliated)
For this specific case I was suprised to see they have a dedicated website for such questions! So I guess it is quite common.... (They seem very serious about it since i couldn't even mark the text to copy it here! )
>Tolkien’s original drawings, paintings, maps, designs, scripts and other graphic works are protected by copyright and may not be copied. The Tolkien Estate takes action against parties who try to commercialise Tolkien’s works, including maps of Middle-earth, the One Ring Inscription and other images.
[0] https://www.tolkienestate.com/frequently-asked-questions-and...
You could make a freeway map of Eriador, for example.
And see all the "unofficial" books around Minecraft or Harry Potter (or lord of the rings): https://www.amazon.com/s?k=unofficial+lord+of+the+rings
And maps "in the style" of Tolkien but covering the real world or other properties are likely entirely fine.
https://www.tomwayling.co.uk/product-page/songs-for-the-phil...
You can literally still connect to this game from your terminal: telnet mume.org 4040 IIRC.
When I was a teenager, a buddy and me printed out giant copies of that map, laminated it, and put it on the wall in front of our computers while we hunted hobbits on our orc characters. Was pretty rad.
mfro•2h ago