Let's Build a Bridge: Your Unconventional Guide to Writing for MUDs


Table of Contents

Part     0. Introduction
         1. Let's think of a bridge...
         2. Let's build that bridge... (layout)
         3. Let's build that bridge... (refinement)
         4. Let's build that bridge... (further refinement)
         5. Let's build that bridge... (even further refinement)
         6. Let's build that bridge... (production)
         7. End of the Guide

Appendix A. The Bridge
         B. End Thoughts


---------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 0 --
Introduction

What is a bridge?

A bridge is a flat(-ish) surface over a cavity to allow ease of travel (walking,
running, riding) over said cavity. The cavity can be empty, filled with water,
filled with rocks, filled with lava, unfathomably deep, impenetrably dark, etc.

Oo-kay... but, really, what is a bridge?

A bridge can be anything, but in MUD terms, it's simply a room or a set of rooms
that can act as...
  a means of setting areas apart
  a means of keeping mobs at bay
  a means of blocking players from wandering
  a means of extracting a toll from players
  a means of adding a quest
  a means of crossing an otherwise impassable barrier
  an area in and of itself
  and etc.
  and all of the above!

Hrm, I still don't get it. What is a bridge?

A bridge is... well, a bridge is an opportunity! An opportunity to demonstrate
how to build a set of rooms for your world.

Wha-?! Why won't you--

Tut tut, give me a moment. Rather than have me describe a bridge to you, let me
show you what a bridge is by building one. And, hopefully by the time we're
done, you'll know exactly what a bridge is.

With that said...

---------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 1 --
Let's think of a bridge...

Or, rather, the things we will spitball* in coming up with ideas for a bridge.

Is it...
   old, new or mature?
   flat (truss or beam) or curved (arch)?
   paved, cobbled, wood-planked or dirt?
   parapeted (low wall) or open? protected by a (wood, stone, metal) rail?
     handrail?
   going over a river, stream or valley?
   stonework or wood?
   grassy? mossy? ivied?
   stable or unstable?

Does it...
  have a sign or two?
  have any statues?
    lions, dogs, gargoyles, hands, crossed knives, spears
  have any pock marks? blast marks? stones missing?
  have a sandy surface? gravel?
  have a statue (or two) at one end? each end? hanging heads? hands?
  have any ruts? holes in the surface? large cracks?
  open onto a road? into a forest? a field? come to a dead end?
  have rustication (roughened surface)? or is it ashlar (finely cut)?
  have a baluster? a newel?

Can you...
  see the shoreline from the bridge?
  see the river or stream or valley?
  see the treeline? the city/town?

The stream underneath...
  does it have rocks in it? reeds? debris?
  is it swift flowing? slow, meandering?
  is it murky? clear?

Let's think of its end points...

If a road...
  is the road gravel? dirt? paved?
  is the road in good shape? poor?
  is the road washed out? rutted?
  does the road open to a forest? field? desert? town or city? building?

If a forest...
  is there a trail or path? a clearing?
  is the forest deep? light? middling?
  is the forest ancient? young?


* Spitballing--In writing terms we are scribbling out word clouds. In tech terms
we are generating a mind map. In Ray Bradbury terms we're jotting down word
associations.

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 2a --
Let's build that bridge...

  aka The Crappening

Before we begin, you'll want to note that building can (and often does) take
place in stages. And the first stage is generally UTTER CRAP.

And that's okay. :o)

As you'll see, I write utter crap the first time 'round. Why? 'Cause I wanna get
a feel for the area, to make sure I have a good idea of where I'm going before
fully committing to the project. Think of it as an artist's thumbnail sketches,
or as a programmer's pseudocode before she digs into the real code.

SO BEWARE--crap ahead.

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 2b --
Let's build that bridge...

  between fabled Midgaard and the Miden'nir (forest)

       x ; To Midgaard (paved road)
       |
      01 ; road
       |
  z - 02 ; north end of bridge - z is trail
       |
      03 ; middle of bridge
       |
      04 ; south end of bridge
       |
      05 ; road
       |
       y ; To Miden'nir (gravel road)

[NOTE #1: I begin by taking what I spitballed above and applying it below. I've
five rooms to fill, and fill them I will, keeping in mind the bridge I've mapped
runs north to south, with Midgaard (a town) to the north and the Miden'nir (a
dark forest) to the south. We'll describe these places in more detail later. One
other thing--note the uses of simple statements and generic titles.]

[NOTE #2: When laying out the area below I use pseudo-markup. The markup looks
like something out of ROM or Smaug, but it's neither. D0, D2 and D3 correspond
to north. south and west, respectively.]

[NOTE #3: This setting is fantasy.]

#1
A Well-Used Road~
The gate to the south end of Midgaard stands north of here.
The road continues north through a field of grasses and shrubs.
The road is paved in large cobblestones.
A large boulder sits off the side of the road between some shrubbery.
A bridge crosses a river to the south.
~
D0

~
D2

~

#2
The End of a Bridge~
This here is a meeting of bridge and road, the latter going north, the former
south.
A sign on the bridge indicates Miden'nir is to the south.
In the distance stands Midgaard.
The woods of the Miden'nir are south.
The bridge passes over a river, the Gryndelwidthe.
Small cobblestones form the surface of the bridge.
Small tufts of grass can be seen here and there on the road.
A trail goes west.
~
D0

~
D2

~
D3

~

#3
On a Bridge~
A low wall prevents anyone from tumbling over the bridge.
A few markings are on the wall, one of which is a name.
The bridge is wide enough for a cart and two persons to pass side-by-side.
The wall uses a shallow refuge to allow wider carts to pass by.
Small cobblestones form the surface of the bridge.
There's a stone missing from the cobblestone pavement.
Small tufts of grass can be seen here and there on the road.
Very shallow grooves have formed where cart wheels have passed.
The bridge passes over a river, the Gryndelwidthe.
~
D0

~
D2

~

#4
The End of a Bridge~
This here is a meeting of bridge and road, the latter going north, the former
south.
Tracks of dirt and mud run onto the bridge from the road.
A sign on the bridge indicates Miden'nir is to the north.
In the distance stands the forests of the Miden'nir.
A tree has tipped one of the pedestals (?) as it grows from the side of the
bridge.
The bridge passes over a river, the Gryndelwidthe.
Small cobblestones form the surface of the bridge, becoming larger as they head
into the road.
Small tufts of grass can be seen here and there on the road.
~
D0

~
D2

~

#5
A Well-Used Road~
The road heads south into the looming forests of the Miden'nir, connecting it
with a bridge to the north.
The road nearer the bridge is paved in cobblestones, fading into dirt as the
road goes south through a clearing in the trees.
The road has some light rutting.
Someone tossed an old, broken wagon wheel into a small clump of shrubby trees
and grasses.
~
D0

~
D2

~

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 2c --
Time-out

Whoa doggie! Ugly AMIRITE?!

Now, you might be asking, do I really have to do ALL this to make a bridge, or
really any kind of area? Hell no, not at ALL.

But... note that this took me all of a few minutes, just to get my bearings. I
want to make a good area (I assume you do, too!) so I jot down things I think'll
make the area workman-like. You know, blue collar--functional but not
necessarily pretty.

Let's move on.

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 3a --
Let's build that bridge...

  between fabled Midgaard and the forested Miden'nir.

       x ; To Midgaard (paved road)
       |
      01 ; road
       |
  z - 02 ; north end of bridge - z is a trail
       |
      03 ; middle of bridge
       |
      04 ; south end of bridge
       |
      05 ; road
       |
       y ; To Miden'nir (gravel road)

[NOTE: Now begins the tying together. First I make copypasta of what I initially
wrote. Then below each initial set of ideas I write out words, sentences and
paragraphs, slowly bringing the ideas I had for each room into a passable,
functional read. I write just above the second tilde ~ in each room, and if I
can't quite come up with the right idea, I leave it behind and try again below,
till something sticks. I do NOT delete this stuff because, who knows? might be
useful later.]

#1
A Well-Used Road~
The gate to the south end of Midgaard stands north of here.
The road continues north through a field of grasses and shrubs.
The road is paved in large cobblestones. (cobblestone change to gravel)
A large boulder sits off the side of the road between some shrubbery.
A bridge crosses a river to the south.

Shallow grooves in the road bear testament to the many carts and wagons that
have passed this way towards the gates of Midgaard north of here. Many, too,
have gone the opposite direction, heading south over the bridge that way...

Shallow grooves in the road bear testament to the many carts and wagons that
have passed this way as they've traveled between Midgaard to the north and the
Miden'nir to the south. A bridge ...

  Shallow grooves in the road bear testament to the many carts and wagons that
have passed this way, likely laden with goods prepared for the markets of
Midgaard from the forests and other lands south of here. A bridge is that way,
which passes over the Gryndelwidthe River, and beyond the river looms the great
forest of the Miden'nir. The gate into Midgaard beckons to the north.

  Shallow grooves in the road bear testament to the many carts and wagons making
their way to the markets of Midgaard from the lands beyond the Brandywine River.
A bridge passes south over the river, and beyond the bridge looms the great
forest of the Miden'nir. The gate into Midgaard beckons northwards.
~
D0

~
D2

~

[Lots of trial and error above. Let's see how the next room goes.]

#2
The Northern End of the Brandywine Bridge~
This here is a meeting of bridge and road, the latter going north, the former
south.
A sign on the bridge indicates Miden'nir is to the south.
In the distance stands Midgaard.
The woods of the Miden'nir are south.
The bridge passes over a river, the Gryndelwidthe.
Small cobblestones form the surface of the bridge.
Small tufts of grass can be seen here and there on the road.
A trail goes west.

  Bridge and road come together...

  The gravel surface of road gives way to smooth stonework as it makes its way
south over the bridge...

  Despite the tufts of grass and the bits of field debris marring its surface,
the stone bridge looks to be well-built with many years of service still to
come. It heads south over the Brandywine River towards the forests of the
Miden'nir, and northwards it becomes a gravel road that rises towards the
southern gate of Midgaard.

  connects the gravel road that heads north to Midgaard with the forests of the
Miden'nir and lands even further south...

  Despite the tufts of grass and a few small cracks blemishing its otherwise
clean and even cobblestone surface, the bridge looks ready for many more years
of merchants and other travelers ...

  Named after the river passing underneath it, or so the plaque says, the
Brandywine Bridge arches over the river southwards towards the forests of the
Miden'nir and beyond. Its cobblestone surface becomes gravel as the bridge
becomes a well-used road that wends its way north to the town of Midgaard. A
thin trail parts the grasses off the west side of the bridge.

There is a <sign> here.
~
D0
road~
The road heads further north, coming to the southern gate of Midgaard.
~
D2
bridge~
The bridge continues south over the river.
~
D3
trail~
The trail bends around the bridge and down towards the river.
~
E
plaque brass~
      Brandywine Bridge
          c196 CY

  "Rebuilt With Caring Hands"
~
E
bridge cobblestones stones surface~
Despite the tufts of grass and a few small cracks blemishing its otherwise clean
surface, the stone bridge looks to be well-built and maintained.
~
E
grass field~
The grasses of the field grow high nearer the bridge and down towards the river
below it.
~
E
river brandywine~
You'll have to take the trail to see the river better.
~

[Oof, even more bad stuff. BUT! Some of it I was able to use as room extras, and
I left a <sign> in to indicate where I would like to add an object. We
won't be covering objects here, but I thought I'd let you know what it's there
for.

And... it seems I've changed the name of the river. Starting in #1.]

#3
On the Brandywine Bridge~
A low wall prevents anyone from tumbling over the bridge.
A few markings are on the wall, one of which is a name.
The bridge is wide enough for a cart and two persons to pass side-by-side.
The wall uses a shallow refuge to allow wider carts to pass by.
Small cobblestones form the surface of the bridge.
There's a stone missing from the cobblestone pavement.
Small tufts of grass can be seen here and there on the road.
Very shallow grooves have formed where cart wheels have passed.
The bridge passes over a river, the Brandywine.

  Wide enough to allow a wagon and a person or two to travel alongside it, the
bridge passes over the Brandywine River in a north-south direction from the town
of Midgaard to the forests of the Miden'nir. A low wall of field stone and
mortar protect passersby from falling over its side and a shallow recess was
added to the western wall. There's a brass plate attached to the top of the
recess.
~
D0

~
D2

~
E
plate brass~
Overlooking the Brandywine River - WATCH OUT FOR ROCKS BELOW!
~

[Sometimes when writing you hit it just right the first time.]

#4
The Southern End of the Brandywine Bridge~
This here is a meeting of bridge and road, the latter going north, the former
south.
Tracks of dirt and mud run onto the bridge from the road.
A sign on the bridge indicates Miden'nir is to the north.
In the distance stands the forests of the Miden'nir.
A tree has tipped one of the pedestals (?) as it grows from the side of the
bridge.
The bridge passes over a river, the Gryndelwidthe.
Small cobblestones form the surface of the bridge, becoming larger as they head
into the road.
Small tufts of grass can be seen here and there on the road.

  Small tufts of grass blemish the surface of the bridge.

  A pair of fish heads hang off the end of the bridge, nailed there some time
ago by the looks of them. They cover a small plaque. The bridge makes its way
over the Brandywine River to the north and ends here at a gravel road that winds
its way south through a field of small trees and shrubs. Off in the distance
beyond the field stand the forests of the Miden'nir.

  A pair of fish heads hang off the end of the bridge, nailed there some time
ago by the looks of them. They cover a small plaque. The bridge makes its way
over the Brandywine River to the north and ends here at a gravel road that winds
its way south through a field of small trees and shrubs. Off in the distance
beyond the field stand the forests of the Miden'nir.

There is a <sign> here.
~
D0

~
D2

~
E
fish heads twine gills~
Hung by their gills with twine and a nail, the fish heads grow ever more rotten
with each passing day.
~
E
bridge cobblestones stones surface~
Tufts of grass and a few small cracks blemish the overall clean, smooth surface
of the bridge, whose cobblestone is well-maintained.
~
E
plaque brass~
Many of the words on the plaque appear to have been defaced:

      Br.ndywine Bridge
          c19* ,Y
          
  "Reoii* *-t. Car-** .a/*s"
~

[More crap, BUT... did you see what I did there? Compare the plaque in room #2
with that in this here room (#4). On one end the sign is completely legible,
whereas on this one the sign has been defaced. But why..? Same reason that the
fish heads are added... I've started to add mood to the rooms. It's not there
yet, but it is a start.]

#5
A Well-Used Road~
The road heads south into the looming forests of the Miden'nir, connecting it
with a bridge to the north.
The road nearer the bridge is paved in cobblestones, fading into dirt as the
road goes south through a clearing in the trees.
The road has some light rutting.
Someone tossed an old, broken wagon wheel into a small clump of shrubby trees
and grasses.

  The surface of the road is a mix of gravel and dirt, gradually becoming all
dirt 

  Wagon tracks
  A tree stump
  
  The road provides merchants and other travelers a relatively smooth means of
passage through this field of trees, shrubs and tall grasses.

  The hardpack surface of the road indicates the many travelers who have passed
through this land over the years.

  Small trees and shrubs dot the fields surrounding this road
  
  Wildflowers cluster near a boulder off the east side of the road
  
  The road curves around a grove of small trees as it goes north towards a
bridge over there. The grove forms an advancement of the greater Miden'nir,
whose boundaries loom a short distance from here. The surface of the road is a
mix of gravel and dirt, gradually becoming all dirt the further south it goes,
but still quite passable by all who want to travel it.
~
D0

~
D2

~

[Blurg... more crap. But take a look at what the crap does... ]

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 3b --
Time-out Redux

Such is the life of building. And writing, really. You write, then you rewrite,
then you start anew, then you go back and try something different... till you
hammer down the words and it begins to sound a'right.

Now, you could do this using the Hemingway method and wait till that One True
Sentence comes along before jotting it down, but why wait? Just jot that shit
down (and it IS shit--even Hemingway confessed that the first draft of anything
is shit.) Mold it, fasten it, make it yours. Grow that garden out of the
stinkiest shit you can ever find.

You can also try the DW Smith method, write whatever comes to mind once and
never look back. I've seen plenty of areas that read like, 'You see the road
going north to Midgaard and south to a bridge. Fields are everywhere. There's a
trail heading west towards a river.' and 'You are walking along the road to
Midgaard. To the south you see the Miden'nir, it sends shivers down your back.'
To each his own, I s'pose. But is it good?

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 4a --
Let's build that bridge...

  between fabled Midgaard and the forested Miden'nir.

       x ; To Midgaard (paved road)
       |
      01 ; road
       |
  z - 02 ; north end of bridge - z is a trail
       |
      03 ; middle of bridge
       |
      04 ; south end of bridge
       |
      05 ; road
       |
       y ; To Miden'nir (gravel road)

[NOTE: I set aside all the crap writing I started with, cutting down to just the
paragraphs that rang truest. You can stop at this point and rest on your laurels
knowing you did a good job. Me? I'll grab a coffee, surf the interwebs, take in
an episode of Rick and Morty... then dig back in. Time for some more molding and
editing.]

#1
A Well-Used Road~
  Shallow grooves in the road bear testament to the many carts and wagons making
their way to the markets of Midgaard from the lands beyond the Brandywine River.
A bridge passes south over the river, and beyond the bridge looms the great
forest of the Miden'nir. The gate into Midgaard beckons northwards.

  Shallow grooves in the road bear testament to the many carts and wagons making
their way to the markets of Midgaard from the lands beyond the Brandywine River.
A bridge passes south over the river, and further past the bridge loom the great
forests of the Miden'nir. The gate into Midgaard beckons northwards.
~
D0

~
D2

~

[Typically I aim for 3-5 lines per room description. Why? Reader fatigue.
Despite what players will tell you, they will generally ignore the room
descriptions to get to the monsters and the treasures they hold. (They don't
read THOSE descriptions either...) Anything more will often put the player to
sleep. This requires you to be (1) descriptive and (2) succinct.]

#2
The Northern End of the Brandywine Bridge~
  Named after the river passing underneath it, or so the plaque says, the
Brandywine Bridge arches over the river southwards towards the forests of the
Miden'nir and beyond. Its cobblestone surface becomes gravel as the bridge
becomes a well-used road that wends its way north to the town of Midgaard. A
thin trail parts the grasses off the west side of the bridge.

  Named after the river passing underneath it, or so the plaque says, the
Brandywine Bridge arches southwards over the river towards the forests of the
Miden'nir. Tufts of light grass poke up here and there from the stoney,
well-made surface of the bridge, a surface which changes to gravel as the bridge
becomes a road that saunters north past grasses, shrubs and the occasional
wildflower on its way to Midgaard. There's also a trail parting some higher
grasses below the bridge to the southwest.

There is a <sign> here.
~
D0
road~
The road heads further north, coming to the southern gate of Midgaard.
~
D2
bridge~
The bridge continues south over the river.
~
D3
trail~
The trail bends around the bridge and down towards the river.
~
E
plaque brass~
      Brandywine Bridge
          c196 CY

  "Rebuilt With Caring Hands"
~
E
bridge cobblestones stones surface~
Despite the tufts of grass and a few small cracks blemishing its otherwise clean
surface, the stone bridge looks to be well-built and maintained.
~
E
grass field~
The grasses of the field grow high nearer the bridge and down towards the river
below it.
~
E
river brandywine~
You'll have to take the trail to see the river better.
~

[Sometimes, though, a set of descriptions lend themselves to longer writing. Go
with what flows.]

#3
On the Brandywine Bridge~
  Wide enough to allow a wagon and a person or two to travel alongside it, the
bridge passes over the Brandywine River in a north-south direction from the town
of Midgaard to the forests of the Miden'nir. A low wall of field stone and
mortar protect passersby from falling over its side and a shallow recess was
added to the western wall. There's a brass plate attached to the top of the
recess.

  A pair of demonic masks, both of them snarling and their eyes glowing a bright
lazuli hue, glare at one another across the bridge. Each stares out from its own
wall at the exact middle of the bridge, never wavering, never flinching from his
opponent...

  A griffonic mask...
  
  A griffon stares across the bridge at the recess opposite its own section of
the wall

  A griffon stares out from the middle of the low wall protecting travelers who
pass over this bridge. In its sights is a recess on the opposite western wall
that allows the walking person or two to avoid the wagons heading north to the
town of Midgaard and south towards the deep, overgrown forests of the Miden'nir.
Attached to the top of the recess is a brass plate.
~
D0

~
D2

~
E
plate brass~
Overlooking the Brandywine River - WATCH OUT FOR ROCKS BELOW!
~

[All right, NOW we have something. So this thing I'm writing... I am in a
fantasy world, and to this point I've been anything but fantastic. So time to
BRING IN THE SEXY. But, in this case, not TOO sexy--just a gryphon's visage,
something you can encounter, for example, in ancient Babylon. But note that
something like this DRAWS a player's interest... they WANT to read interesting
things. It interests me, it interests you... it may even made you look for the
extra description. But, no, I haven't written it... yet.

But see how I started off with demonic masks, then changed this to a griffonic
mask (yeah, I made that shit up...), then changed it to a plain griffon? That's
sometimes how writing happens--you read it, ask yourself if it rings true, then
redo if false. Over and over. And over.

Btw, remember what I originally said about this room (3a)? "Sometimes when
writing you hit it just right the first time." And sometimes, later, you realize
it wasn't as good as you thought the first time.]

#4
The Southern End of the Brandywine Bridge~
  A pair of fish heads hang off the end of the bridge, nailed there some time
ago by the looks of them. They cover a small plaque. The bridge makes its way
over the Brandywine River to the north and ends here at a gravel road that cuts
its way south through a field of small trees and shrubs. Off in the distance
beyond the field stand the forests of the Miden'nir.

  A pair of fish heads hang off the end of the bridge, likely nailed there by
some joker looking for a laugh (or a scare.) They dangle over a small plaque.
The bridge makes its way over the Brandywine River to the north and ends here at
a gravel road that cuts its way south through a field of small trees and shrubs.
Off in the distance beyond the field stand the forests of the Miden'nir.

  A pair of fish heads hang off the end of the bridge, likely nailed there by
some joker looking for a laugh (or a scare.) A small plaque peeks out from
behind them. The bridge makes its way over the Brandywine River to the north,
ending here at a gravel road that cuts straight south through a field of small
trees and shrubs. Off in the distance beyond the field stand the forests of the
Miden'nir.

There is a <sign> here.
~
D0

~
D2

~
E
fish heads twine gills~
Hung by their gills with twine and a nail, the fish heads grow ever more rotten
with each passing day.
~
E
bridge cobblestones stones surface~
Tufts of grass and a few small cracks blemish the overall clean, smooth surface
of the bridge, whose cobblestone is well-maintained.
~
E
plaque brass~
Many of the words on the plaque appear to have been defaced:

      Br.ndywine Bridge
          c19* ,Y
          
  "Reoii* *-t. Car-** .a/*s"
~

[... "by some joker looking for a laugh (or a scare.)" Yes, this is adding mood.
It appeals to the gut, not the head. That's the aim of all writing, mon ami.]

#5
A Well-Used Road~
  The road curves around a grove of small trees as it goes north towards a
bridge over there. The grove forms an advancement of the greater Miden'nir,
whose boundaries loom a short distance from here. The surface of the road is a
mix of gravel and dirt, gradually becoming all dirt the further south it goes,
but still quite passable by all who want to travel it.

  The road curves around a grove of small trees as it goes north towards a
bridge over there. The grove forms an advancement of the greater Miden'nir,
whose boundaries loom a short distance from here. Many of the small trees and
shrubs of the fields surrounding this gravel road hail from the forest,
  
  The surface of the road is a mix of gravel and dirt, gradually becoming all
dirt the further south it goes, but is still quite passable by all who want to
travel it.

  The road curves around a grove of small trees as it goes north towards a
bridge over there. The grove forms an advancement of the greater Miden'nir,
whose boundaries threaten to gobble up the small trees and shrubs that dot the
fields surrounding this road. The forest still remains some distance to the
south, however, gorging instead on the portion of this road passing beneath its
depths.
~
D0

~
D2

~

[Bwahaha... now THAT'S mood. Make the Miden'nir menacing? Absolutely. Do this by
showing instead of telling? ABSOLUTELY.

But how?

By using metaphor. Unless you're watching a movie of plants in fast motion,
forests don't usually 'gobble' up anything. Or 'gorge' on lesser things. Or
purposefully 'advance' on their surroundings. Imagine the forest as a
single-minded monster, however, and you can begin using words that you don't
normally associate with the forest, creating a potential menace in the minds of
players who will see these words (signs) as they approach the forest and think
to themselves, 'Oof, I gotta watch my shit.' Maybe not consciously, but the
subconscious will hesitate.

And metaphor is part of how to create mood--you imagine one thing as another
thing and apply the qualities of the second thing to the first. You make the
think walk like a duck and quack like a duck without going so far as to make it
look like a duck. Now it's got ducky-ness all over it.]

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 4b --
Time-out Redux Redux

So, at the time of this writing, I'm nearing my bed time. Am I done yet? Nope,
not yet. I've rewritten and refined... now to refine some more. But sometimes
it's best to set a thing aside and let it mellow for longer than an episode of
Friends. Bed time is as good a time as any to let it be.

But note that, in my refining, I've begun to add more mood to the room
descriptions. This is on purpose. You connect with people, with players, by
aiming at their guts, their emotions. Other builders do the same; take for
example this room description by Rolindar in his area 'Asgard':

  The rainbow bridge shimmers beneath your feet, sending shivers through
  your frame, and you pause more than once to stare in awe out over the
  starry expanse it spans. To the west lies a small collection of lodges,
  homes of the Aesir, gods of Midgaard. In the center of these houses arises
  a mighty tree- Yggdrasil, the tree of life, the one tree, the tree that
  joins all.

Now that THERE'S some mood. Shiver... stare in awe... the mighty tree... the one
tree that joins all.

However, there's also some slight problems with the writing. For example, sure,
the first, second, perhaps the third time I may feel shivers... but upon visit
ten, twenty and fifty? Maybe not so much. Nor will I be awestruck after I've
been around the block a few times...

Also, why suppose I have feet? I could be a djinn, or a ghost, or a wisp, or, in
some MUDs, actually footless... 

Mood is important, but so is CONTROL. You write what can be reasonably assumed
in a room. (Or, at least, I do.) This doesn't mean you can't resort to 'you' and
to 'feet', but if it reads oddly depending on circumstance (e.g. I'm scrying on
a room from afar... and I lack feet...) strike it and rewrite. Or just strike
it.

Still, the mood's good and should be kept.

And with that--good night!

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 5a --
Let's build that bridge...

  between fabled Midgaard and the forested Miden'nir.

       x ; To Midgaard (paved road)
       |
      01 ; road
       |
    . 02 ; north end of bridge - z is a trail
   /   |
  z   03 ; middle of bridge
       |
      04 ; south end of bridge
       |
      05 ; road
       |
       y ; To Miden'nir (gravel road)

[NOTE #1: I've taken the refinements and now begin refining further. I REALLY
dislike how room #1 reads, so I may take another whack at it. Could it use some
mood?]

[NOTE #2: And good morning!]

#1
A Well-Used Road~
  Shallow grooves in the road bear testament to the many carts and wagons making
their way to the markets of Midgaard from the lands beyond the Brandywine River.
A bridge passes south over the river, and further past the bridge loom the great
forests of the Miden'nir. The gate into Midgaard beckons northwards.
  
  A pair of wide, light tracks ...
  
  A small grove of trees provides shelter to passing wagons and horses ...
  
  Shallow grooves in the gravel testify to the many carts and wagons which
travel this road as they head to the markets of Midgaard from the lands beyond
the Brandywine River. The gate into town beckons northwards, and the road heads
further south to a bridge over the river.

  Shallow grooves in the gravel testify to the many carts and wagons which
travel this road as they head to the markets of Midgaard from the lands beyond
the Brandywine River. The gate into town beckons northwards, and the road
continues south to a bridge over the river.
~
D0

~
D2

~

[Sometimes simple is best, ya' know? I even cut down on the lines.

Not every room has to be exciting and, oddly enough, making every room exciting
leads to the opposite effect of making no room exciting. The eyes get tired, the
emotions get tired, the interest gets tired. You set up an expectation in the
player that he must be on the lookout for exciting things EVERYWHERE he goes.

In my approach to building, I instead try to interest the reader via other
tactics, for example, good ol' sentence variety. While the reader may not be
excited by compound sentences and verb phrases, his subconscious is not being
blasted with simple SVO (subject-verb-object) statements all the time. 

As for truly exciting things (see room #3), I shoot for a goal of 1 out of every
4 rooms to have something noticeably interesting.]

#2
The Northern End of the Brandywine Bridge~
  Named after the river passing underneath it, or so the plaque says, the
Brandywine Bridge arches southwards over the river towards the forests of the
Miden'nir. Tufts of light grass poke up here and there from the stoney,
well-made surface of the bridge, a surface which changes to gravel as the bridge
becomes a road that saunters north past grasses, shrubs and the occasional
wildflower on its way to Midgaard. There's also a trail parting some higher
grasses below the bridge to the southwest.

  Named for the river passing beneath it, the Brandywine Bridge arches
southwards over the river towards the forests of the Miden'nir. Tufts of light
grass poke up here and there from the stoney, well-made surface of the bridge, a
surface which changes to gravel as the bridge becomes a road that saunters north
past grasses, shrubs and the occasional wildflower on its way to Midgaard.
There's also a trail parting some higher grasses below the bridge to the
southwest.

  Tufts of light grass poke up here and there from the various corners, cracks
and edges of the bridge, anywhere that neither wheel nor heel can reach. The
surface of the bridge is in good repair, however, and there doesn't appear to be
a single cobblestone out of place. The bridge leads south over its namesake
river, and attached to one of its end posts is a brass plaque. Gravel marks the
end of the bridge and the start of the road that leads north to the town of
Midgaard.

There is a <sign> here.
~
D0
road~
The road heads further north, coming to the southern gate of Midgaard.
~
D2
bridge~
The bridge continues south over the river.
~
D3
trail~
The trail bends around the bridge and down towards the river.
~
E
plaque brass~
      Brandywine Bridge
          c196 CY

  "Rebuilt With Gratitude by
   Your Friends at the Shire"
~
E
bridge cobblestones stones surface~
Despite the tufts of grass and a few small cracks blemishing its otherwise clean
surface, the stone bridge looks to be well-built and maintained.
~
E
grass field~
The grasses of the field grow high nearer the bridge and down towards the river
below it.
~
E
river brandywine~
You'll have to take the trail to see the river better.
~

["neither wheel nor heel..." Sometimes a little rhyme can add interest to a
sentence, and hence to the description as a whole. But, like with all things, a
little goes a long way--no need to add rhyme to everything. You'll notice, too,
I rewrote the whole thing... and yet, to me, it sounds better. I also updated
the plaque.]

#3
On the Brandywine Bridge~
  A griffon stares out from the middle of the low wall protecting travelers who
pass over this bridge. In its sights is a recess on the opposite western wall
that allows the walking person or two to avoid the wagons heading north to the
town of Midgaard and south towards the deep, overgrown forests of the Miden'nir.
Attached to the top of the recess is a brass plate.

  A griffon watches over...
  It stares westwards at a recess on the opposite side of the bridge...

  A griffon stares out from the middle of the low wall protecting travelers who
pass over this bridge. In its sights is a recess on the opposite wall that
allows passersby to avoid the wagons heading north to the town of Midgaard and
south into the forests of the Miden'nir. Attached to the top of the recess is a
brass plate.
~
D0

~
D2

~
E
plate brass~
  Overlooking the Brandywine River
              -§-
    WATCH OUT FOR ROCKS BELOW!
~

[A slight rewrite, taking out "western" (doesn't sound like how anyone would
talk--it sounded like writing.) Also changed 'the walking person or two' to
'passersby', to make the read smoother. I'll add the location of the griffon in
my next update.

Is there a reason I would tell players to watch out for rocks in an extra
description?]

#4
The Southern End of the Brandywine Bridge~
  A pair of fish heads hang off the end of the bridge, likely nailed there by
some joker looking for a laugh (or a scare.) A small plaque peeks out from
behind them. The bridge makes its way over the Brandywine River to the north,
ending here at a gravel road that cuts straight south through a field of small
trees and shrubs. Off in the distance beyond the field stand the forests of the
Miden'nir.

  A pair of fish heads hang off the end of the bridge, likely nailed there by
some joker looking for a laugh (or a scare.) A small plaque peeks out from
behind them. The bridge makes its way over the Brandywine River to the north,
ending here at a gravel road that cuts straight south through a field of small
trees and shrubs. Off in the distance beyond the field stands the brooding
forest of the Miden'nir.

There is a <sign> here.
~
D0

~
D2

~
E
fish heads twine gills~
Hung by their gills with twine and a nail, the fish heads grow ever more rotten
with each passing day.
~
E
bridge cobblestones stones surface~
Tufts of grass and a few small cracks blemish the overall clean, smooth surface
of the bridge, whose cobblestone is well-maintained.
~
E
plaque brass~
Many of the words on the plaque appear to have been defaced:

      Br.ndywine Bridge
          c19* ,Y
          
  "R.o//\/ /\/h //-/*\ude */
   //*r Fr//-*///t ///.//ire"
~

["brooding." Mood, ya' know?]

#5
A Well-Used Road~
  The road curves around a grove of small trees as it goes north towards a
bridge over there. The grove forms an advancement of the greater Miden'nir,
whose boundaries threaten to gobble up the small trees and shrubs that dot the
fields surrounding this road. The forest still remains some distance to the
south, however, gorging instead on the portion of this road passing beneath its
depths.
~
D0

~
D2

~

[No need for change here. Let's move on.]

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 5b --
Time-out Redux^3

So far we've delved into spitballing, alpha writing, beta writing, beta-plus
writing, and are now closing in on production writing.

We've also covered puttin' your shit down, editing, re-editing, adding mood,
sentence variety, sentence gimmicks, excitement and so forth.

Now it's time to add extras and come to terms with what we've written.

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 6a --
Let's build that bridge...

  between fabled Midgaard and the forested Miden'nir.

       x ; To Midgaard (paved road)
       |
      01 ; road
       |
    . 02 ; north end of bridge - z is a trail
   /   |
  z   03 ; middle of bridge
       |
      04 ; south end of bridge
       |
      05 ; road
       |
       y ; To Miden'nir (gravel road)

[NOTE: The refinements are nearing an end and we're about ready for production.
But we've still a few things to check off: (1) room exits, (2) room extras, (3)
room objects and (4) mood.

But we've covered mood, right? We've said all there is to say?!

Well... you'll note that there's been a subtle shift in mood as we move north of
the bridge to south of the bridge, starting in room #4 (jokers, defacement and
brooding forests.) Now we need to make sure the mood shifts in the opposite
direction, that is, as the player leaves (escapes?) the Miden'nir, they feel
they aren't being pursued.

This is a game, after all, right?]

#1
A Well-Used Road~
  Shallow grooves in the gravel testify to the many wagons and carts which
travel this road as they head to the markets of Midgaard from the lands beyond
the Brandywine River. The gate into town beckons northwards, and the road
continues south to a bridge over the river.
~
D0
The road leads to southern gate of Midgaard.
~
D2
The road continues further south to a bridge over the Brandywine River.
~
E
carts wagons grooves tracks~
If the road is anything to go by, wagons and carts pass by here quite
frequently.
~
E
road gravel~
The gravel along the road looks to be in good repair, and should help to keep
both mud and dust at bay.
~
E
gate~
You'll need to go to the gate to get a better look at it.
~
E
bridge~
The bridge is a short distance off and should be able to take you past the river
south of here.
~
E
lands grasses shrubs fields~
Grasses and shrubs are all that inhabit the fields surrounding this road.
~

[Ya... I've a mania for extras. But it take less than 5 mins, really. I also
switched around the words "wagons" and "carts".]

#2
The Northern End of the Brandywine Bridge~
  Tufts of light grass poke up here and there from the various corners, cracks
and edges of the bridge, anywhere that neither wheel nor heel can reach. The
surface of the bridge is in good repair, however, and there doesn't appear to be
a single cobblestone out of place. The bridge leads south over its namesake
river, and attached to one of its end posts is a brass plaque. Gravel marks the
end of the bridge and the start of the road that leads north to the town of
Midgaard.
~
D0
The road there heads further north, coming to the southern gate of Midgaard.
~
D2
The bridge continues south over the river.
~
D3
The trail bends around the bridge and down towards the river.
~
E
plaque brass posts~
      Brandywine Bridge
          c196 CY

  "Rebuilt With Gratitude by
   Your Friends at the Shire"
~
E
bridge cobblestones stones surface corners edges cracks~
Despite the tufts of grass and a few small cracks blemishing its otherwise clean
surface, the stone bridge looks to be well-built and maintained.
~
E
grasses field~
The grasses of the field grow high nearer the bridge and down towards the river
below.
~
E
river brandywine~
You'll have to take the trail to see the river better.
~
E
gravel road~
The gravel road heads north towards Midgaard.
~
E
trail~
The trail bends around the bridge and down towards the river.
~

#2a
sign~
There is a <sign> here.~

          _.-''''''''''''''''''-._
       _.'                        |\
    .'      Midgaard 2n        _.' |
    `._         Miden'nir 4s    |:.'
       `._                     _.' |
          `..__                 |  |
               `---.._.--.    _|  |
                | _   - | `-.._|_.'

~

[So I took out the room description of the sign and added a faux object of a
sign that I'll add at another time, e.g. when I'm making objects. Regarding
mood, is it needed? In this case not really: it's an intellectual info dump,
giving the player the who-what-when while being emotionally blank. Only the
plaque will give warm fuzzies to the player who reads it.]

#3
On the Brandywine Bridge~
  A griffon stares out from the middle of the low wall protecting travelers who
pass over this bridge. In its sights is a recess on the opposite wall that
allows passersby to avoid the wagons and carts heading north to the town of
Midgaard and south into the forests of the Miden'nir. Attached to the top of the
recess is a brass plate.
~
D0
The bridge that way heads north to Midgaard.
~
D2
The bridge continues south over the river and then onto the Miden'nir.
~
E
plate brass~
  Overlooking the Brandywine River
              -§-
      WATCH FOR ROCKS BELOW!!
~
E
recess~
The recess looks big enough to fit a horse, or perhaps two or three people. I'd
be careful climbing over it.
~
E
wall~
Whereas cobblestones cover the surface of the bridge, riverstones and mortar
make up the low wall closing off the sides of the bridge.
~
E
bridge cobblestones stones grasses debris surface corners edges cracks~
Despite a few tufts of grass and other debris blemishing its otherwise clean
surface, this bridge looks to be well-built and maintained.
~
E
river brandywine~
The river flows past the bridge (and a few rocks) from west to east.
~
E
griffon~
Sculpted from a solid piece of limestone, the large griffon head stares out
across the bridge from the eastern wall, though on closer inspection its eyes
peer slightly to its left. The creature's expression is a combination both of
fierceness and determination, as if the griffon were resolved to protect the
city north of the bridge from potential invaders coming out of the forest to the
south.
~

[Remember above when I asked, "Is there a reason I would tell players to watch
out for rocks in an extra description?" Sometimes a MUD will allow you to
'climb' a thing, such as a wall, or perhaps have an opening that a player can go
through. Assuming either case, as soon as the non-flying player climbs over the
wall or steps off the bridge, I'll have them plunge down into the river, with a
splash and a little damage. It's a fun extra, but good to warn 'em first, hence
the extra extras for the 'recess' and 'river'.

The other thing of note is the griffon, aka the money shot. Earlier I'd
mentioned the subtle shift in mood... the griffon cements the idea that there's
something fishy going on south of the bridge. But what..? Who knows... guess the
player will need to figure it out.

By the way, one possible way to know whether a description is important is to
notice the detail put into the description. Descriptions with lots of words
could mean nothing more than hot air and jibber jabber, but they can also
provide exact detail that a player needs to know before proceeding to That One
important area or onto That One important quest.

Last thing--I edited the main description. Can you see where? Can you figure out
why?*]

#4
The Southern End of the Brandywine Bridge~
  A pair of fish heads hang off the end of the bridge, likely nailed there by
some joker looking for a laugh (or a scare.) A small plaque peeks out from
behind them. The bridge makes its way over the Brandywine River to the north,
ending here at a gravel road that cuts straight south through a field of small
trees and shrubs and further onwards into the brooding forests of the Miden'nir.
~
D0
The bridge continues further north over the river.
~
D2
There's a field that way, and beyond the field a deep forest.
~
E
fish heads twine gills~
Hung by their gills with twine and a nail, the fish heads grow ever more rotten
with each passing day.
~
E
bridge cobblestones stones surface~
Tufts of grass and some small cracks, including a gap near one of the end posts,
blemish the overall clean, smooth surface of the bridge, whose cobblestones are
nonetheless well-maintained.
~
E
plaque brass~
Many of the words on the plaque appear to have been defaced:

      Br.ndywine Bridge
          c19* ,Y
          
  "R.o//\/ /\/h //-/*\ude */
   //*r Fr//-*///t ///.//ire"
~
E
field trees shrubs~
A large field of young trees and shrubs lies south of here, likely the offspring
of the trees found further south in the Miden'nir.
~
E
road gravel~
The gravel atop the road, while fairly deep in most spots nearer the bridge,
begins to thin out the further south the road goes.
~

#4a
sign~
There is a <sign> here.~

          _.-''''''''''''''''''-._
       _.'                        |\
    .'      Midgaard 4n        _.' |
    `._         Miden'nir 2s    |:.'
       `._                     _.' |
          `..__                 |  |
               `---.._.--.    _|  |
                | _   - | `-.._|_.'

~

[First off, I made a slight edit to the main room description, "...and further
onwards into the brooding forests of the Miden'nir." I kept the mood, however.

Check out the extra description for the cobblestones... could I use that gap for
something?

As for the field, note that unlike the field in #1, there are trees here, small
but nevertheless noticeable. This is to prepare the player either for entering
the Miden'nir or for heading towards Midgaard.]

#5
A Well-Used Road~
  The road curves around a grove of small trees as it goes north towards a
bridge over there. The grove forms an advancement of the greater Miden'nir,
whose boundaries threaten to gobble up the small trees and shrubs that dot the
fields surrounding this road. The forest still remains some distance to the
south, however, gorging instead on the portion of this road passing beneath its
depths.
~
D0
Past the grove you can see a bridge crossing the river north of here.
~
D2
The skies darken beneath the thick canopy of the Miden'nir o'er there.
~
E
grove trees~
The grove of trees heads down into a shallow ravine east of here, towards one of
the edges of the Miden'nir. A closer inspection reveals a gap between two of the
trees.
~
E
carts wagons grooves tracks~
If the tracks along the road are anything to go by, wagons and carts pass by
here frequently.
~
E
road gravel~
The surface of the road is a mix of dirt and gravel, becoming more stony as the
road heads north, and becoming practically all dirt as it heads into the depths
of the forest.
~
E
bridge~
The bridge is a short distance off and should be able to take you past the river
north of the grove.
~
E
lands grasses shrubs fields~
Grasses and shrubs are all that inhabit the fields surrounding this road.
~

[So I added a few more extras and that's that. Or is it? Notice how I've begun
emphasizing the grove, and on a read of the grove extra, you'll see I've left
open the possibility the grove leads somewhere. Where? Who knows? It's all part
of the creativity that goes into building--a secret hide-out? A dryad's home? A
hidden waterfall? So many possibilities...]

* "I edited the main description. Can you see where? Can you figure out why?"
Essentially to (1) make the paragraph look better and (2) to mirror the
description in room #1 as a form of callback, that is, to emphasize this is a
trade route without saying "this is a trade route." Language does funny things
with the brain...

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 6b --
Time-out (Redux Redux)^2

Is that it?

Yup, that's it.

But what abou-

Whoa whoa whoa. No, man. Remember, we're only here to build a bridge. That's
all. Nothing more. No people, no wagons, no containers, no portals or hidden
exits. A bridge only.

D-does this mean we're done?

With this bridge, sure. You might quibble with my phrasings and my moods and if
the bridge really does lead to some civilization past the Miden'nir (afterall,
where do the wagons and carts really come from if the woods are dangerous?!).
But it's more than ready to be added to a live game.

And THAT has always been the goal.

---------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 7 --

OooOOoohh, seven IS a lucky number, wot?

So we've come to the end of this odd little guide to building. Yeah, yeah, it's
just a bridge, I get it. But who could have guessed a bridge would involve so
much? And a mere five rooms?! And we haven't even covered objects, mobiles,
mobprogs, scripts, magic...

I will leave you with a technique shared by one John Gardner, a writer and
teacher who died tragically too soon (though his detractors may have felt
otherwise...) This technique is useful for the creation of mood in any piece of
writing you're working on. And it goes like so:

  Describe a barn as seen by a man whose son has just been killed in a war. 
  Do not mention the son, or war, or death. Do not mention the man who does 
  the seeing. [The Art of Fiction, p37]

In the case of a forest, describe the forest as seen by a female ranger whose
best friend has just been killed and eaten by goblins (or wolves, or cannibals.)
Describe a bridge from the perspective of a wizard who just won the best
spellcaster prize from the Mage Tower. Buuutt... because you're NOT a wizard (or
ranger, or thief, or any fantasy race/class,) put yourself in the shoes of
someone real-to-life who...

  just won an important contest
  recently lost their son, their dad, their wife
  nearly slipped off a cliff during a mountain climb
  just got a break-up text from their girlfriend
  just stole a sentimental, but pricey, knick-knack from their grandmother
  this morning entered into her third day having chills and a high fever

... and then describe...

  a barn
  a bridge
  a forest
  an old battlefield
  a monument
  a shop
  the entrance to a cave

Essentially you're bypassing that reasoning part of you and going straight to
the part that makes you laugh, cry, scream, scoff and high-five. Anger, fear,
shame, joy--all of these emotions can (do and will) color how you see things,
and will similarly affect your writing. Wanna write that dark forest? Think back
to that time your big brother threw a spider on you. Wanna write a lane in the
carnival? Think back to when you scored that stuffed animal at the ring toss.
Wanna write a cliff? Remember that time you slipped off the high step on the
stairway? Etc.

------------------------------------------------------------------ Appendix A --

And finally the bridge without commentary (and a few edits...)

#1
A Well-Used Road~
  Shallow grooves in the gravel testify to the many wagons and carts which
travel this road as they head to the markets of Midgaard from the lands beyond
the Brandywine River. The gate into town beckons northwards, and to the south
the road comes to a bridge that crosses the river.
~
D0
The road leads to the southern gate of Midgaard.
~
D2
The road continues further south to a bridge over the Brandywine River.
~
E
carts wagons grooves tracks~
If the many grooves and tracks in the road are anything to go by, wagons and
carts pass by here quite a bit.
~
E
road gravel~
Grooves and tracks aside, the gravel on the road looks to be in good repair, and
likely helps to keep both mud and dust at bay.
~
E
gate~
You'll need to go to the gate to get a better look at it.
~
E
bridge~
The bridge is a short distance off and should be able to take you past the river
south of here.
~
E
lands grasses shrubs fields~
Grasses and shrubs are all that inhabit the fields surrounding this road.
~

#2
The Northern End of the Brandywine Bridge~
  Tufts of light grass poke up here and there from the various corners, cracks
and edges of the bridge, anywhere that neither wheel nor heel can reach. The
surface of the bridge is in good repair, however, and there doesn't appear to be
a single cobblestone out of place. The bridge leads south over its namesake
river, and attached to one of its end posts is a brass plaque. Gravel marks both
the end of the bridge and the start of the road that leads north to Midgaard.
~
D0
The road there heads further north, coming to the southern gate of Midgaard.
~
D2
The bridge continues south over the river.
~
D3
The trail bends around the bridge and down towards the river.
~
E
plaque brass posts~
      Brandywine Bridge
          c196 CY

  "Rebuilt With Gratitude by
   Your Friends at the Shire"
~
E
bridge cobblestones stones surface corners edges cracks~
Despite the tufts of grass and a few small cracks blemishing its otherwise clean
surface, the stone bridge looks to be well-built and maintained.
~
E
grasses field~
The grasses of the field grow high nearer the bridge and down towards the river
below.
~
E
river brandywine~
You'll have to take the trail to see the river better.
~
E
gravel road~
The gravel road heads north towards Midgaard.
~
E
trail~
The trail bends around the bridge and down towards the river.
~

#2a
sign~
There is a <sign> here.~

          _.-''''''''''''''''''-._
       _.'                        |\
    .'      Midgaard 2n        _.' |
    `._         Miden'nir 4s    |:.'
       `._                     _.' |
          `..__                 |  |
               `---.._.--.    _|  |
                | _   - | `-.._|_.'

~

#3
On the Brandywine Bridge~
  A griffon stares out from the middle of the low wall protecting travelers who
pass over this bridge. In its sights is a recess on the opposite wall that
allows passersby to avoid the wagons and carts heading north to the town of
Midgaard and south into the forests of the Miden'nir. Attached to the top of the
recess is a brass plate.
~
D0
The bridge that way heads north to Midgaard.
~
D2
The bridge continues south over the river and then onto a wide plain.
~
E
plate brass~
  Overlooking the Brandywine River
              -§-
      WATCH FOR ROCKS BELOW!!
~
E
recess~
The recess looks big enough to fit a horse, or perhaps two or three people. I'd
be careful climbing over it.
~
E
wall~
Whereas cobblestones cover the surface of the bridge, riverstones and mortar
make up the low wall closing off the sides of the bridge.
~
E
bridge cobblestones stones grasses debris surface corners edges cracks~
Despite a few tufts of grass and other debris blemishing its otherwise clean
surface, this bridge looks to be well-maintained.
~
E
river brandywine~
The river flows past the bridge (and a few rocks) from west to east.
~
E
griffon~
Sculpted from a solid piece of limestone and freckled with yellowish moss, the
griffon head stares out across the bridge from the eastern wall, though upon
closer inspection its eyes peer slightly to its left. The creature's expression
is a combination both of fierceness and determination, as if the griffon were
resolved to protect the city north of the bridge from potential invaders coming
out from the distant Miden'nir to the south.
~

#4
The Southern End of the Brandywine Bridge~
  A pair of fish heads hang off the end of the bridge, likely nailed there by
some joker looking for a laugh (or a scare.) A small plaque peeks out from
behind them. The bridge makes its way over the Brandywine River to the north,
ending here at a gravel road that heads south through a field of small trees and
shrubs before disappearing into the brooding arms of the Miden'nir.
~
D0
The bridge continues further north over the river.
~
D2
There's a field that way, and beyond the field a deep forest.
~
E
fish heads twine gills~
Hung by their gills with twine and a nail, the fish heads grow ever more rotten
with each passing day.
~
E
bridge cobblestones stones surface~
Tufts of grass and some small cracks, including a gap near one of the end posts,
blemish the overall clean, smooth surface of the bridge, whose cobblestones are
nonetheless well-maintained.
~
E
plaque brass~
Many of the words on the plaque appear to have been defaced:

      Br.ndywine Bridge
          c/9* ,Y
          
  "R.o//\/ /\/h //-/*\ude */
   //*r Fr//-*///t ///.//ire"
~
E
field trees shrubs~
A large field of young trees and shrubs lies south of here, likely the spawn of
the forest found further south.
~
E
road gravel~
The gravel atop the road, while fairly deep in most spots nearer the bridge,
begins to thin out the further south the road goes.
~

#4a
sign~
There is a <sign> here.~

          _.-''''''''''''''''''-._
       _.'                        |\
    .'      Midgaard 4n        _.' |
    `._         Miden'nir 2s    |:.'
       `._                     _.' |
          `..__                 |  |
               `---.._.--.    _|  |
                | _   - | `-.._|_.'

~

#5
A Well-Used Road~
  The road curves around a grove of young trees as it heads north towards a
bridge in the distance. The grove is an advancing host of the Miden'nir, whose
boundaries threaten to gobble up the small trees and shrubs that dot the fields
surrounding this road. The forest still remains some distance to the south,
however, gorging instead on the portion of the road passing beneath its depths.
~
D0
Past the grove you can see a bridge crossing the river north of here.
~
D2
The skies darken beneath the thick canopy of the Miden'nir o'er there.
~
E
grove trees~
The grove of trees gradually ages as it heads down into a shallow ravine east of
here--deeper, it seems, into the bounds of the Miden'nir. A closer inspection
reveals a gap between two of the trees.
~
E
carts wagons grooves tracks~
If the tracks along the road are anything to go by, wagons and carts pass by
here frequently.
~
E
road gravel~
The surface of the road is a mix of dirt and gravel, becoming more stony as the
road heads north, steadily changing to dirt as it heads into the depths of the
forest.
~
E
bridge~
The bridge is a short distance off and should be able to take you past the river
north of the grove.
~
E
grasses shrubs fields~
Grasses and shrubs are all that inhabit the fields surrounding this road.
~

------------------------------------------------------------------ Appendix B --

You're still here? It's over. Go home... *shuffle* Go. [--Ferris Bueller]

Yeah, all that stuff... everything above was a lot to take in. Does a builder
really have to go through all that just to build?

Nah. *waves hand dismissively*

This was just a demo for building a bridge. Truth be told, for throwaway areas
especially, I would phone it in. But... there's phoning it in badly, AND there's
phoning it in well.

This document is getting you in the frame of mind to do it well.

And to show how well it could be done, I took what would normally be a
throwaway (i.e. players ignore it) area and embellished it. To show that even
boring areas can be made more exciting if given effort.

Yeah, yeah, I could have written an area for the Demon Lord terrorizing the
citizens of Always D'Well, describing his demonic castle with its demonic
symbols and its pools of elven blood painted as demonic profanity all over the
walls. But what's the fun in that? Everyone wants to do that.

Builders have to write the unsexy areas, too, ya know. :-P

If nothing else I hope I've left you with two lessons: first is mood and its
effects on an area. More could be said on mood but this essay has gone long
enough as it is.

The second lesson is interest: to draw the interest of players, you also have to
find what you're writing interesting. Of course, what you find interesting won't
guarantee that others will find it interesting, but if you find what you're
writing is dull, that dullness likely'll show up in your writing. Be aware of
this.

Fin.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 2023 Morrn                                                 CC-BY-4.0