This article is one entry in the Traversing Terrains series of articles. Below you will find 33 read-aloud descriptions that can be used while traveling through urban terrain.
Deep auburn pebbled roads bear the worn scars and shallow ruts borne from decades of merchant wagon traffic transporting goods to and from the local storefronts. In the distance the sound of clopping hooves and creaking wagons is drowned out by the shouts of fishermen working the docks.
A two-story building fronts near the roadside, its lower portion bearing a mortared stone façade crowned by a wood-framed stucco upper level. Sun-faded shutters frame the upstairs windows and a rickety verdant awning casts pleasant shade across the building’s entrance.
The savory scent of broiled meats wafts from a glass-pained storefront. Elaborate guilt verbiage has been painted in an arc across the window which offers a clear view of cured meats and sausages that hang from a latticed wooden framework spanning the shop ceiling.
The stone roadway abruptly terminates in a parallel roadway at the entrance to a massive multi-windowed structure. A fancy gilt sign reading ‘INN’ hangs, swaying in the breeze. The roadway to the left leads to a straw-floored stables building, to the right a stout mug painted stone building.
An overly dressed lady peers with eagerness through a paned window at an icy blue gown. Standing behind her is a bearded man bearing a gaze of disarray as he frantically counts and recounts coins from within a small leather pouch.
Greyed stone bricks brim the roadway around a large stone well located in the middle of a crossroads. Dual cranks pulley ropes laden with waterlogged wooden buckets, each suspended from a conical thatched straw roof supported by rough-hewn framework of oak columns and beams.
A suit of iron full plate armor kissed by rust has been poised upright upon a wooden pike outside of a simple storefront. Smoke billows from a wide chimney behind the building where the clank of a blacksmith’s hammer rhythmically reverberates from an attached forge.
Stacked crates line the walls of two buildings positioned to create a narrow alleyway offshot from the road. The strong scent of mildew pours from the empty containers as a shuffling in the shadows suddenly darts past to reveal several rats chasing one another carrying scraps from within.
A raggedy street urchin emerges from the shadows between buildings as an elderly man walks past. The youngling asks him for a contribution but is greeted with a glance of disdain and annoyed handwave. The boy’s response is to cut loose the man’s coin pouch and vanish into a nearby crowd.
Muffled, raucous music emanates from within a stone-worked corner building. A single window of stained glass presents the icon of a wooden keg, backlit by a glowing hearthfire within. Shifting shadows upon the vibrant display suggests more than a few patrons dance within.
The dense smell of freshly baked bread and sweet cakes and pastries envelopes the entire street as you walk past a bakery. The white plastered building is nondescript except for a carmine and ivory striped canopy extended above the simple red painted door.
The crowd grows thick as you continue down the cobblestone road, many have gathered around an orator perched upon a stack of crates, his hand waggling angrily as he shouts political slogans and peddles propaganda against the local officials in hopes of his own election.
A red-faced elderly woman sits upon stone stairs leading into a large library. Sweat drips from her forehead as she stares blankly at the street before her. From the tavern across the street a young man races to the woman, a simple glass of water in hand. With concern, he tends to her as she slowly sips.
An elegantly carved wooden sign denotes a large warehouse as the local general store, hoisted high from the tall rooftop a series of colorful banners flutter in the wind and proclaim in bold lettering that the establishment is having a sale on dry goods.
Commotion erupts in the street as a shirtless young man belts up to a fair-haired lass poised in a narrow window in a tall building. She hurls articles of clothing at him while shouting, soon followed by a narrow miss of a whiskey bottle that shatters upon the street. Conversation loudly ensues as they shout at one another until suddenly the woman vanished from the window, only to emerge moments later to embrace her lover in a passionate kiss.
A lone bard busks on a street corner, his lute softly serenading passersby with a gentle love song. A bright red velvet wide-brimmed hat is set upside down on the grey brick walkway before him, the makeshift bowl revealing a small pile of copper coins within.
A gilt marble-faced building stands in elegant contrast to neighboring worn wooden structures. Intricate trim lines every angle of the structure and frames a large sign painted to depict a beautiful, overly revealed wizardess summoning a spray of golden stars that spell out ‘Arcane Works Inc.’
The heavy scent of herbs wafts from a small wooden building sided with pale green shingles. The multi-tonal clay tiles that form the high-arched roof match the hues used to paint a simple hanging sign depicting a mortar and pestle.
A small park brimming with lush foliage and bursts of vivid flowers has been walled-off by a short wrought-iron fence. Within, beyond an open gate, a single bench is occupied by a young couple. The girls face flush and giggling as the boy recites poorly composed poetry to her.
The pungent scent of fresh fish assaults your senses as you walk by the docks, fish merchants have displayed the day’s catch in brine-filled barrels. A swarm of flies buzz nearby, drawn by the scent of an easy meal as an old man armed with switch swats feverishly at them.
A cold grey stone building leaves little doubt about its purpose. Thick iron bars block windows unusually high from the ground and a riveted iron door is guarded by two armed men dressed in matching black and red attire, one of them leaning, propped sleepily upon the shaft of his pike.
Aloud crash is followed by frantic shouts in the street as a spooked horse gallops madly through the crowd pulling a small wagon laden with crates of farm-fresh vegetables. While everyone in the crowd manages to dive to safety, the wheel of the wagon catches the ledge of the walkway, flipping the cargo and prompts a leafy, verdigris rain to fall upon bystanders.
The choking miasma of ammonia reeks from the tanner’s workshop stationed next to a furrier and outfitter’s storefront. Widely vented windows reveal several cloth-masked workers within stirring large steaming vats of dye fresh hides supplied by local trappers.
The twap of a slingshot precedes the sound of shattering glass. The young culprit launches into a tangled flee as he and his comrades stammer to escape the scene of their crime. A drunken occupant angrily shakes his fist at the boys from the broken window while shouting slurred vulgarities.
A small mule-hauled covered rickshaw has been parked along the roadside. A delicious aroma swirls around the vendor as a young elven woman cooks kabobs of chunked meat over a small open fire. She warmly smiles and motions you towards her stall gesturing her hand invitingly towards the sizzling food she has prepared.
An outburst of caterwauling explodes from a dark alleyway followed by an assault of rolling growls and hisses. Moments later two tomcats rush from the darkness bound in an angry whirlwind of fur and claws. The fiasco continues up the street until one of the cats makes a break for an adjacent alleyway.
The shadows of buildings grow long and deep as the sun sets to cloak the city in night. The darkness triggers the warm glow of lanterns and hearth fire from many windows, creating a pseudo expanse of glowing stars broken only by snaking streets faintly illuminated beneath pole-hoisted oil lamps.
A wide tattered banner hangs suspended above the roadway between two makeshift poles. The painted fabric is heavily faded but seems to have once promoted some long past festival, yet have since been left unattended to fall into disrepair.
A cloaked figure stands on the roadside, just beyond the illumination cast by a burning street lamp. Occasionally, young couples approaches the man who exchanges a mysterious sachet for a few copper coins. Always, the couple immediately depart and nervously make their way to the other side of the street before quickly pacing away.
On a narrow grassy lawn between tall buildings a traveling merchant dressed in elaborate silks has spread out a blanket. An array of trinkets and baubles have been neatly sorted in presentation across its surface. As you pass, he warmly beckons you with a heavy accent to come peruse.
One of the few marble buildings within the city walls, the white-walled central temple is surrounded by a dais of shallow steps, each inlaid with scenes from various divine scriptures. Towering columns prop an angular carved stone roof that shrouds the inner structure in darker shadow, hints of gold inlay glinting from the building’s precipice.
A small wooden kiosk is occupied by a young woman offering a warm smile from beneath a pale wool bonnet. From the walls of the makeshift storefront hang dozens of colorful wax-sealed wheels of cheese. A small tray is presented on a table before for offering samples of each flavor.
The grand stone wall that surrounds the city is breached by a gate where the road continues beyond into the wilderness. An iron portcullis has been raised above massive wooden doors, each propped open by a large weathered boulder.