This is the revamped version of the old thread, started with some sort of planning.
Ever had trouble thinking of random buildings for an urban setting? Ever just drawn some rectangular shapes and said 'OK, that's a building' without bothering to explain it? Ever wonder just what sorts of structures a particular setting has? Ever wondered what sort of mischief you could turn up in a city?
Here's a nice big list to answer any of those questions.
Primary Factors of Settlement Building Each of the following factors should be an important consideration for developing a settlement. This is just a summary, however. Click each subject for additional details (or scroll down)
Size - The biggest factor in building a settlement is deciding what size it should be, both in terms of population, land mass, and economic power. How wealthy is the upper class? Is it a sprawling cityscape, or a maze-like ancient city, like those found in Europe? Size is the primary factor in determining what sorts of structures can be found.
Location - Location is important as well. Most settlements grow from small towns due to their importance. This can be for any number of reasons, but geographical location is perhaps the most important.
Composition - What is the settlement's primary purpose? Is it a logging town? An academic center? A military outpost? Does your city have a dock? Is it landlocked? Is it in a northern continent? If so, it may need some HUGE storage warehouses, to store food for the winter. Composition is important for setting the tone, and adding subtle details like that.
Notes This is a compilation, with lots of people who helped. Some were online, posting links and giving feedback. Some were offline, who mentioned a story or historical factoid, which reminded me of another tidbit. Thanks to anyone who helps!
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As mentioned, settlement size is probably the most important factor for creating random buildings. Depending on the size of the settlement, the frequency of each structure can vary greatly; A city can have dozens of blacksmiths, while a village may not have one at all.
Village Population: under 1000 according to DMG, I say 500 is more reasonable. Generally just a collection of small houses and some other minor buildings. Everything is probably made of wood, thatch, and dirt floors. Villages *may* have a wooden palisade, but nothing more than that. A wall of cultivated briars or something may be more likely. Villages may also build their structures close together and add some brick walls between the buildings in an attempt to fortify things a bit. Mufflon says: Villages in feudal settings would only rarely, if ever, have palisades or other such fortifications. In the middle ages it was common practice to flee to the keep held by the local lord should the village come under attack.
Villages should have a very communal feel, and probably don't actually use currency too much. A bartering system may be more common here, and they would probably let adventurers sleep in a hay loft for free, or in exchange for helping them with some minor things. Larger villages would probably have an inn or two, especially if near a major road, but isolated farming communities probably wouldn't.
Magic items in a village would generally be small trinkets or baubles, and would be considered family heirlooms. Many of the tradesman jobs found in a Town or City would be performed by the village members, though the results would probably be far more utilitarian. Examples include a tanner, basket weaver, woodworker, and a poleturner. These activities would only be needed occasionally in a village, but a town would be large enough to support the occupation as an independent affair.
Town Population: 1000 to 10,000 people, according to DMG. I would say 500 to 3000 would be more reasonable. Towns may have some cobbled streets, especially if near a source of stone. Towns tend to have more niche structures, and probably an actual government, rather than "Bill's in charge."
Towns probably have a wall around them, especially if monsters are frequent nearby. For that matter, towns tend to develop around strategically important locations, such as major crossroads, natural resources, or tactically important locations (such as a narrow pass in the mountain chains)
Many buildings may be stone, and clay roofs may be quite common as well. Multi-story buildings would start to emerge. Glass windows may start to emerge as well, especially if the town houses a glassblower.
City Population: Up to 25,000 or more. Cities are big, and would almost always have a wall of some kind, especially around the inner city, though the city would often outgrow this wall as the years go by. This wall would often be made of stone, and possibly be magically reinforced. Cities also have a clearly defined class system, either by design or by natural occurrence. A well-trained militia or guard force would be common. Cities would also begin to sell magic weapons in high numbers, at least at lower levels, though the price would remain high. Magic items would probably be common among the nobility, though random trinkets may be found among the commoners as well. Cities are dependent on neighboring towns for resources, especially food, though they would also be able to export finery. Their size would be able to sustain highly-trained and highly-talented craftsmen.
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Most important settlements grew because of proximity to an important geographical feature.
Resource Proximity - An important resource is found nearby, and this settlement has grown around accessing this resource.
Minerals Agricultural Land (fertile land, suitable geography) Building Material (lumber, stone) Labor Water Wind
Environmental Transition - This is where the heroes inevitably stock up on the proper gear for the next leg of the voyage. Resources could include clothes, climbing gear, magical items, and other gear. In some cases, it may be necessary to acquire transportation, including loading/unloading a ship of some kind.
Connectivity of Routes - Ever notice how major roads often intersect at major cities? That's not a coincidence. Crossroads are an important geographical feature.
River Crossing/ Crossroads River Branch/Fork in Road Stop Over/Rest Stop
Defensible Position
****/Sea Wall Mound Hill Mountain River bend Gorge/Pass
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Another factor to consider is the composition, or function of each location. This is especially important in cities, and mildly important in towns.
By composition I mean the structure, layout, and overall design of the city. By function I mean the basic purpose of the settlement
Compare building in a Germanic style village to those of an Asian style or Greek. It's possible to mix a little but adding that kind of flair to a town is another factor to consider. Is the town all cut stonemasonry or mud bricks? Are buildings plastered or simple timber structures? Do the local religions effect the makeup heavily or do they just have a marble church in the middle of mud huts? In a city setting, are the streets cobble stones or pressed gravel? Alleyways are unlikely to be as well-maintained as the main roads are.
The race making up the majority of the city will have a significant impact on it's overall design.
City Composition Archetypes
The Fortress - Surrounded by high walls, and probably has laws preventing people from building right next to the wall. Enchantments to sense powerful magic or tunneling under the wall may also be around. Fortresses are most likely found defending important economic centers and located in naturally defensible locations such as high spots or a river crossing. Fortresses are most likely to have several layers of defenses. Many buildings in a fortress would have flat roofs, so defenders could climb on top and rain archer fire on invaders. Major roads would cut wide gaps between each city block (rather than lots of meandering paths). This way, if a single block is overtaken, defenders can simply remove the planks/bridge to those rooftops and continue the defense. Perhaps each major square has magic stone walls that sink into the ground (merging with the road) during peace time, but erupt from the ground to stop invaders from simply walking around. Infiltrators would still slip through, but it would force the invaders to split up (inviting a massacre), or spend time breaking down the wall, giving the defenders more time to regain control of the situation.
The Metropolis - After many, many years of relative peace, this city has outgrown the limited space it has available. Think of New York City. Everything is built on top of everything else. Buildings tend to grow up, not out. Everything is more expensive, because of the competition for space. Depending on the situation, the city may have started growing down, presenting a whole new set of problems. Perhaps the metropolis has a form of public transportation, such as short-range teleportation circles or a canal system full of enchanted (driverless) boats, kind of like taxis. In a high-magic situation, flying chariots may deliver the upper class to their destination.
Steeltown - Located next to an important resource, such as a mine or harbor, this city has a very industrial feel. While everything is in good condition, many of the buildings are utilitarian. Entire blocks may be taken over by warehouses or factories. Instead of favoring a craftsman trade, this city focuses on making large items. Steeltown is experiencing an industrial revolution.
Vegas - The opposite of steeltown, this settlement has become popular for it's carefree lifestyle. Perhaps nestled in a peaceful valley, this town is quite safe from overt threats, but may have a (nasty) vein of corruption. Everything is flashy, gaudy, and over the top.
Enlightenment - This city had it's roots in the study of arcane magic, or something. It has a very intellectual culture. Perhaps it's the result of a powerful wizard's university, or perhaps it grew around a supernatural phenomenon that naturally attracted the curious in nature. Examples of this include waterfalls that fall up, floating rocks, temporal phenomenon, Weird Stuff Happening (the Bermuda Triangle, only smaller in scale), or maybe a weird glitch in space-time that lets astronomers see into other dimensions.
Zealous r We - A city with a highly religious atmosphere, possibly at the base of your world's Mt Olympus.
City Function Archetypes
Market - A centralized community focused on the collection and distribution of local produce. This type of community can function in isolation while access to a communication network is vital for the export of surplus produce. Prerequisite: Resource (Agricultural Land/Labour).
Industrial - A community concerned primarily with the processing of raw materials into manufactured goods. Some will specialize in a single end-product. They have access to the resources necessary to process raw materials including labour, power (water for mills). Industrial communities require a communication network to function. Prerequisite: Resource (Minerals/Labour/Water/Wind); Network (Road/River).
Commercial - A community involved in trade and financial activities (banking and money lending). They do not require traded produce to pass through the town and may be sophisticated enough to deal in document based trade and financial transactions. A communication network is critical to the survival of this community. Prerequisite: Node, Nexus (Road/River).
Mining - This is involved in the extraction of minerals. It will be located where the minerals are and that can be anywhere. It requires access to a communication network. Prerequisite: Network (River/Road), Resource (Mineral/Labour).
Administrative - This is the seat of government, whether the capital city or a local administration. This community will sit at a centre of a provincial or national communication network. Prerequisite: Node or Nexus (River/Road).
Cultural/Education - These are centered on universities and colleges. They are centers of learning and have a selection of appropriate crafts to support the development, recording, and storage of information. There is some need for access to a communication network. Prerequisite: Network, Nexus, Node (River/Road).
Ecclesiastical - Religious centers drawing pilgrimage, or housing religious associations or shrines. These require access to a communication network. Prerequisite: Network, Nexus, Node (River/Road).
Primary Residence – This is the residence of a Ruler (Whether President, Emperor, King, Duke or Baron). It is a palace or castle and requires some access to a communication network. Prerequisite: Any Location.
Resorts – Baths, recreational districts, retreats. They require a favorable geographical location that provides both safety and healing. Resorts function on a communication network. Prerequisite: Coast, Hill, Network (Road/River).
Port – Located on the coast as a fishing community, a center of sea trade and travel or located on a river for the movement of goods and people by river. A port requires communication networks that extend over water and land. Prerequisite: Environmental Transition (Coast); Pit-stop, node, nexus (River/road); Defensible Position (Lakeside).
Residential - These are designed to provide urban peoples with housing away from polluted, corrupted, or expensive urban centres. This specialization requires a second specialized centre in close proximity. Prerequisite: Network, node, nexus (Road/river).
Dispersed – Isolated independent farms with a selection of skills necessary to support their independent nature. There is little social interaction. Prerequisite: Exploitable Resource (Agricultural Land), Defensible Position (Mound).
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Dispersed Holdings & Residential Barn - Farms would generally have a barn for storing their tools, hay, and for housing the animals. Farm - Villages will be surrounded by farm fields. Each farm would probably specialize in one or two crops or animals, but still grow enough other things for personal use. Hovel/Hut - A one or two room structure for living in. Probably has a chimney/stove and a sleeping chamber. Root Cellar - Where community members store their crops and stuff. By storing the items underground, they remain cold and (mostly) fresh. Larger villages may have several, and prosperous families may have a small personal root cellar as well. Smokehouse - Sometimes a family would have one, but village residents may share. Well - Every village would need a well or stream to get their water from "Wise Woman" - Probably works from home, heals people's afflictions. Probably full of random superstitions and a couple of true nuggets of knowledge. Probably knows of and grows some herbs, but these would be on the low end of effectiveness, only curing mundane (non-magical) ailments.
Local Market Granary - A large silo, for holding grain (commonly called Silos today) Store/Shop - Sells assorted items, traveling gear, and food. Probably near the center of village.
Industry Blacksmith's - Every village should have a blacksmith, even if he's only part-time Mill - Again, nearly every village would have a windmill or water mill to grind up the wheat Sawmill - Where people take trees to be cut into lumber. Many sawmills were powered by water, but manpower or beasts of burden could be used in the absence of a large river.
Commercial Tavern/Restaurant/Inn - All-in-one building, possibly the local shop as well. In especially remote locations, this may just be someone with an extra room to their house, or another function of the Town Hall.
Mining Quarry - If a source of stone is handy, the village may build a quarry. In that case, buildings (especially public ones) may be built out of stone.
Administrative Town Hall - Probably a multifunction building where meetings are held. Quite possibly held in the church, or another public building.
Culture & Education Parade Field - Small villages wouldn't have an active musician's guild, but there might be a chior. Simple instruments (ocarinas and carved reeds come to mind) might be present.
Ecclesiastical Church - Church would probably be held in a small building or perhaps at someone's house. Larger villages would probably have a dedicated town hall and use it for both purposes. Shrine - A small shrine to a particular deity, or group of deities. Perhaps a private wing of the Town Hall or Inn, if there is no church.
Nobility Elders - Villages probably wouldn't have any nobility living there, but perhaps a family is especially respected for their Elder status.
Public Service Graveyard - A small family gravesite, or village graveyard. Would probably be a short distance outside the village, especially if locals are concerned about necromancers. Perhaps the village believes in cremation.
Port & Aquatic Dock - A small fishing village would have a small, communal dock.
Animals* Chickens - Chickens were quite common and easy to raise, but some farms probably specialized in them... Cows - Milk, beef, cattle Goats - Milk, meat. More adaptable than cattle. Horses - Horse breeding was a very important job Oxen - Used to pull very heavy wagons Pigs - Pork Sheep - Wool
Hounds - Trained dogs were invaluable to farmers and such. They keep away most vermin, and are useful for hunting. Different dog breeds have different uses. For example, small dogs are useful in an urban setting to keep away rats, but don't take up much room. Country farms would probably prefer larger dogs, especially those that can hold their own against low-level monsters (goblins).
ScrewySqrl says: Most herd animals are not grown on farms until at least the 15th century. Sheep and goats, especially, but in lesser extents beef cattle and horses are tended by nomads who bring the animals to a city for trade.
Ponds fowl and fish
Field Crops Barley - Makes beer Beans Corn - Corn was actually in the new world (Americas) on Earth, but perhaps your plane has it? Potatoes Rice - Another biggie. Asian cultures practically used this in place of wheat. Wheat - Probably the number one crop. Used to make bread.
Orchards Apples Bananas? Grapes - Makes wine Oranges Olives - Olives are food, a flavor enhancement, a source of light and mechanical lubrication. CRITICALLY important to any Mediterranean culture
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Dispersed Holdings & Residential Farms - A town would be surrounded by farms for quite a distance. When trouble brews, the farmers seek safety inside the town walls. Houses - Single family or multiple family structures. Imagine a small suburb home. Now imagine it half that size, and you are probably about right. Family members would often share a bed or at least a room. Dedicated rooms were a luxury, so a simple 2-4 room building would be common. Plantation - Essentially a large farm, probably using slaves/servants/peasants/monsters as labor. Plantation owners would probably high-middle class or minor nobles.
Local Market Black Market - So you want something... special, eh? Suppose I know a guy... Coldhouse - A larger version of an icebox, for storing perishables. Quite possibly magicked. Graintower - Used to store grain. Marketplace - Possibly a set location for selling goods, sometimes just vendor carts at the side of the road. Cities would probably have dedicated market districts, such as a fish market and a farmer's market. Merchant Post - Merchant posts would collect food and other goods sold in nearby villages and arrange for caravans to be sent out to other towns and cities. Merchants may also hire low-level adventurers for protection. Warehouse - Used to store various goods in, warehouses may take up an entire block.
Industry Basket Weaver - Makes things out of reeds, especially baskets. Villages may do this on the side, but a town would probably have an expert. Random fact: wicker baskets can be made watertight! Brewer - Makes the world's favorite beverage. Water was often unsafe to drank in the medieval ages, so everyone drank wine and beer. I would argue that the presence of magic would make sanitizing water a snap, but that still may not be feasible in towns. Butcher - Farmers probably butcher their own meat, but a town may have a butcher. Butchers would need a icebox, an underground cellar packed with ice to keep things cold. Salting is also an option. Cities may have task mages capable of enchanting the icebox with a Cold spell. Cobbler - Makes or repairs shoes. Shoes were generally made of leather, but they sometimes had wooden soles. Cooper - Makes barrels. Barrels would have been everywhere, used for shipping practically everything. May want to be near a blacksmith to make the steel rings. Possibly maker of coffins and other things. (see post 13 & 14 for details) Chandler - Makes candles, sells them at market. Candles are made out of beeswax and/or animal fat. Possibly smelly if latter, and on outskirts/downwind side of town. Glassblower - Makes glassware and windows out of sand. Needs a blast furnace. May be in conflict with potter. Mine - Towns tend to spring up around important terrain features. A mine would be one example of such feature. Mines provide an excellent source of raw materials for local workers. Raw material can also be refined or exported to another location. Potter - Makes clay pots for general purpose use. May also make bricks, though that was more of an untrained task IIRC. Needs a kiln. May be in conflict with glass blower. Specialist Shops - Town Blacksmiths would begin to specialize in one industry. Sword smiths and armor smiths may begin to emerge. Shops may begin to sell only a speciffic category of items (such as spears or crossbows), and magic items may begin to show up, though they would be highly expensive. Tanner - Takes leather/hide and cures it using various caustic & smelly chemicals. Winery - A town may have a winery to make wine at. Wine needs to be stored underground and let cure for many years, so a warehouse nearby would be important. Woodworker - In a small town, the construction of furniture and other devices would begin to increase in demand.
Commercial Apartment - High frequency in Cities, perhaps one or two in a town. Inn - Towns would have an inn, possibly doubling as a diner in smaller locations. Stables would be nearby. Stable - Any town with an inn is going to have a stable, probably owned by the innkeeper. Cities may have independent stables, sort of like a car parking garage. Tavern - Most towns would likely have a tavern, especially if the Inn doesn't have a large common room.
Mining Quarry mine carts - some way to ship the resources.
Administrative Council Office Customs House - Collects customs, of course! Guard Room - Towns will probably have an active guard duty of some kind, though it may not be much more than 3-5 guys with some decent armor. A militia would also be a common occurrence. Guard Tower - Even a town with meager defenses will likely have a high guard tower where a keen-eyed teen could watch for dangers on the horizon. Notice Board - A posting of advertisements, including wanted signs, announcements, and other sorts of things. Town Hall - Basically a big meeting hall, probably with 2-3 rooms in moderate towns. Villagers probably meet at someone's house. Outpost - A small fortress about half a day's ride from the village.
Culture & Education Arena - Perhaps small sports activities would take place here. Performing Inn - An inn or tavern with a small stage for singers/performers Street Performers - Jugglers, acrobats, 'magicians' and other minor performers. Theatre - A dedicated theater may begin to emerge.
Ecclesiastical Church - Moderate churches would begin to show up.
Nobility Mayor's Palace - Mayor's residence. May also function as a meeting hall, with a separate wing for personal quarters. Manor House - Lesser nobility may have fancy housing near the keep. They may even be somewhat fortified, or at least have a wall, a gate, and a dozen guards.
Public Service Catacombs/Graveyard - Depending on size and concerns about necromantic magic, towns may have graveyards or catacombs. Cistern &/or Aqueduct - Access to clean water becomes harder as settlements increase in size. Even with probable access to magical water purification, cities would still need access to lots of water. Nobles would surely have magically purified water, but lower class people may have to settle for mostly-clean aqueduct water. Rivers, especially those supporting a large population, were generally vile to say the least. Gong Farmer (aka: poopsmith) - Scoops up all the animal droppings. Wee. Herbalist/Apothecary - Probably a low-level healer, a druid who lives nearby, or possibly a fake. Makes potions and goes around healing people. In a City setting, this would almost certainly be a trained Cleric. Jailhouse/stocks - Smaller than a true dungeon, but probably not much nicer. Crime was not well received way back when. Prison - Towns would have a prison, though it may not be much more than a cell or two in a stone building.
Port & Aquatic Dock - paths suspended above water for easy passage to and from ships. Drydock - A warehouse where ships can be pulled out of the water for repairs. Offices - Controls the paperwork, keeps track of where everything needs sent.
I can't keep most of the names straight, but here's some general types of boats
Sail boat - Generally a small, sail-powered boat. Possibly used for personal transport? Ship - Required deep water and a long dock to load supplies in. Merchant Ship - Big, bulky, handles like a supersized SUV. Often unarmed or minimally armed, they focused on making big stupid boats that could carry lots of cargo. Poleboat - Used in small canals and stuff. No oars, just a long pole to push off the bottom. Canoe - Fits 2-4 people, excellent for small rivers. Can land anywhere, generally light enough to carry. An adventuring party would probably need one for every 2 people. Rowboat - Has 2 oars that can be used by the same person. Possible to use for one person and some gear, but are generally much wider and bulkier than canoes.
Mines tend to have only one or two kinds of resources, generally in veins. Minerals, like dirt and other rocks, naturally form layers. These layers often have wave shapes or other weird twists in them.
Metals Iron Tin (steel = refined iron, with traces of other things) Mythril Adamantium
Minerals Salt Gypsum
Gemstones Rubies Emeralds Diamond
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Dispersed Holdings & Residential Ghetto - The Narrows, The Poor District, whatever. Full of hopeless souls trapped in a desperate situation. Probably home to the black market. Suburbs - Essentially self-contained towns and villages built right next to the city itself. Probably outside the city walls, unless that's illegal.
Local Market Coffee House - Hey, it comes from somewhere, right? Probably an upper/middle class thing, depending on local crops of course.
Industry Bookbinder - Binds books, usually with leather or wood. Perhaps the cover is magically reinforced? Firefighter - A bucket brigade, or possibly a water wagon with a hand-pump. Scribe - Many uses for these people. Probably secretary type jobs for government functions, as well as working for publishers and bookbinders. Stonemason - Carves stone, and builds stone buildings
Commercial Carriage - Rent to have it drive you around town.
Mining
Administrative Armory - Where the town guard stores their weapons. Also probably near/built-in to their training ground. Bank - A bank (perhaps several) would begin to emerge, and they would probably have several mid-level spell users on-staff to keep the wards up and such. A high-security wing would be a must, so wealthy individuals can store their valuables. In a world with magic, banks must keep up with the times! Barracks - Where the City Guard lives, practices, exc. Barrister - Some kind of lawyer/contract place. "This would be in a city that allows and upholds a written contract or it could be a neutral guild negoitator" Creation Forge - Where Warforged are made! Teleportation Circle - Probably linked to other cities within the same country. Would be HIGHLY guarded, as it bypasses most of the city's defenses. A self-destruct rune may also be included, to destroy the gate in case of an emergency. Despite the risks, teleporting goods across vast distances would be a very powerful merchant feature. Of course, the local government would probably charge taxes/toles for public use... Prison/Dungeon - No, not that dungeon. This one is deep underground, filled with crooks, and probably smells.
Culture & Education Stage - For performances and such. University - A place to study magical arts, or history for things like battle tactics. Would again be in the upper class district, probably near/with/part of the library.
Ecclesiastical Cathedral - Big flashy church. Probably got it's own city block and stuff.
Nobility Keep/Palace - Where the King/Queen/Emperor lives.
Public Service Asylum - A super special happy place for the citizens with a different outlook on reality. Medieval cultures didn't understand developmental or psychological issues much (OK, not at all), and the common belief was that such people were possessed by demons. They were often tortured in an attempt to "snap them out of it," which had predictably unsuccessful results. In a DnD setting, magic such as mind reading and detect evil may eliminate much of this misunderstanding, so perhaps inmates would simply be restrained. Mages skilled in psychic abilities may work there, attempting to heal people. Catacombs - While villages would generally have above-ground graveyards, cities would probably have underground catacombs, especially for the nobility. Towns could go either way. Garden - A Botanical Garden or park inside the city. Hospital - Sure, lots of places will have clerics to come tend to people, but clerics only get so many spells per day. There is always injury and disease, especially in times of hardship, famine, war. You're going to need a place to put these people, and probably a staff of experts and adepts to care for them. Library - A public library may begin to emerge, though "public" may really mean "upper class" in most cases. Taking books home would likely be prohibited, though you would be free to take notes and spend many hours reading. Orphanage & City Mission - "Please sir, may I have some more?"
High-society jobs Jeweler's - High-class expert in jewelery and finery. Probably warded, just like the bank. Goldmsith - Gives things a nice shiny coat of gold! Silversmith - Makes silverware (that's how it got the name). Probably silvers weapons too. Tinsmith - Makes things out of tin, including cooking utensils and pots.
Craftsmen Trades Engineer's Guild - Specializing in building construction. May also build siege engines? Stonemason - Carves stones into shape for various functions. May work as an artist or just make regular old brick walls. Textile - Makes clothing out of cloth. Weaver - Makes cloth out of raw materials Wheelwright - Woodworker specializing in making wheels for carts. Vase maker - Makes fancy vases and such out of clay
Weaponry Sword smith Armor smith Chainmail Smith - Chainmail is hard to make. Poleturner - Makes the poles for use in polearms and other things. Requires a large lathe. Bowmaster - Makes bows. Fletcher - Makes arrows and the fletchings for them. Probably enchants them as well!
Magical Jobs Task Mage - Performes various low-level magical functions, such as weevil and rat wards. May also enchant a butcher's icebox to stay cold, another craftsman's tools to stay sharp, or a blacksmith's tools for durability.
Fighting Gladiators - 1v1, team fight, 1v5, 1vMonsters, Team v Monsters, Monster v Monster, exc. Criminals were often thrown into the arena, given the chance to fight for their freedom. (see: Roman history, the movie Gladiator) Duels
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Roads are another important part of world building. Just ask the Romans. Here's some random info about roads:
Romans (IIRC) turned some cobble stones on their side, causing them to stick up. This did two things. First, it gave citizens a great stepping stone when the streets flooded. Secondly, it only allowed carts with a particular axel width to pass.
By having one road with slots for a 5' axel, only carts with a 5' axel could pass. In this manner, traffic could be controlled with little supervision.
Bridge - Crossing a large river/canyon. Probably stone if heavily used. probably well-guarded Watch Tower - For observing the surrounding landscape. Signal Tower - Used to send signals quickly, using non-magical means. Would need to be within line of sight, and probably closer for more detailed messages. In the Lord of the Rings, there was a series of signal towers used as an emergency cry for help. If the beacon (huge torch) was lit, help was needed. Honestly though, Heroic Tier wizards cold probably accomplish the same thing. Checkpoint - Make sure you aren't sneaking around
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Ruins are the remains of an older settlement, possibly even a different civilization.
Damage to Ruins
Depending on the age and type of ruins, different structures are more likely to still exist. In many cases, they could be damaged to some degree, but still be recognizable.
For a real-world example, think of the Egyptian pyramids. The Pyramids were actually covered with a different type of limestone, smoothed to near perfection. Over time, however, this outer layer was removed by various people. The basic structure of the pyramids remains, but some of its grandeur was lost.
The Elements Water & Wind Erosion - Sharp corners have been rounded, controlled water sources may have escaped their containment, and the details of great buildings may have been worn off. Especially noticeable in a desert environment, where sandstorms essentially sandblast ruins to pieces. Earthquakes - Probably results in toppled towers and collapsed structures. Otherwise, the structures may remain intact Fire - If the settlement was ruined by a fire, signs of fire damage may be noticeable in the way buildings are destroyed. For example, metals may be found in puddles on the ground, the remains of arms and armor reduced to slag. In Rome, a great fire partly melted the stonework of the city, leaving a warped pattern to the stone. Jungle - Everything is overgrown with vines and trees. Soil may have covered much of the ruins, the result of thousands of years of organic decay.
War Siege - The ruins didn't fall apart - they were blasted apart. In other ruins, the structures may be mostly intact except for where they fell over. In this city, vertical walls are the exception, not the rule.
Ruins of Power
OK, so you want some ruins. That's easy enough - describe a bunch of buildings reduced to near rubble. Ah, but you want those ruins to be from an ancient and powerful civilization? Well now. That's quite a different story. Here's a list of ways to hint at the power behind an ancient civilization.
Trivial Power Trivialize something that is now rare, or hard to do. Take something the players have to work for, and hint that this civilization used it like water. Telestone - Each house is equipped with a Sending Stone, which are all rigged up to make a telephone system. Sending Stones are a level 11 item. Similarly, Pouches of Shared Acquisition may have been in frequent use. Immovable Pathway - Several walkways are scattered throughout the ruins, suspended in the air by a ton of Immovable Shafts.
Enduring Ruins The ruins have been damaged, but are still untouched by the elements. Sure, the enemy blasted their way in, damaging many buildings, but otherwise the ruins look exactly the same. Stasis Ruins - These ruins have somehow entered a magical stasis, protecting them from the elements. Oh, and physics. A picture would probably explain it best: http://benwootten.deviantart.com/art/Fa … -121335821
Epic Ruins The ruins, though damaged, hint that this city was huge. Ten story buildings were common, crumbling skyscrapers claw for the sky, and the walls around the city stretch for miles.
Ancient Magic Ancient enchantments are still working, despite the thousands of years since they were last used. Light Sources - Magic light sources are still working, illuminating much of the ruins. Perhaps the light appears to have no source, or simply radiates from special ceiling tiles. Everburning torches would work, but those are so... last century. Running Water - Magiked water sources are still creating water out of thin air. Said water is now overflowing its basin and is flowing throughout the ruins, causing further damage Constructs Still Animated - The ancient constructs are still performing their designated task. Perhaps they were commanded to protect the city, or to rebuild it. Perhaps their task is now irrelevant, but they still follow it to the letter. For example, suppose a construct was told to fill a bath with water, but the tub cracked during the cataclysm. The construct has been fetching water for the tub for thousands of years.
Ruined Structures
The following list is a series of structures that are highly resilient, and among the most likely to survive mostly intact.
Fortress Walls - These are built to endure, and will probably last the longest, assuming they were built right.
Roadways and streets - Many of the roads Rome built are still around today. Barring extreme erosion and the advancement of nature, roads may remain intact for thousands of years.
1.Carved Stone Obelisk 2. Steele 3. Monument 4. Statue 5. Mine 6. Quarry 7. Smelter 8. Pottery Kiln 9. Blacksmith’s Forge 10. Charcoal Production Furnace 11. Stone Well 12. Irrigation Canal 13. Agricultural Field 14. Plantation Crop 15. Stone Docks 16. Bridge 17. Stone Paved Road 18. Causeway 19. Cemetery 20. Barrow Mound 21. Outdoor Altar Stone 22. Shrine 23. Buried Temple 24. Druid Grove 25. Ancient Tree 26. Ring of large Stones 27. Signal Tower 28. Watch Tower 29. Lighthouse 30. Fortified Cave 31. Bunker 32. Dungeon 33. Torture Chamber 34. Underground Laboratory 35. City Sewer 36. Catacombs 37. Castle Ruin 38. Foundations 39. Fitted Stone Wall 40. Re-used Rock Wall 41. Chimney 42. Fireplace 43. Partially-buried Brickwork
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