By: Jared B.
In my last article, I walked you through my process for making NPC shopkeepers. I used Del Bog as my example shopkeeper running a magic shop in a big city. What I normally do next is put together a description of the shop. My general formula here is 1-2 sentences for the outside description and 2-3 sentences for the inside description. Let’s get into it.
Again, using Del Bog’s magic shop in a big city, let’s start on the outside. This will be your first impression for your players to know what kind of shop or business this is. I try to think about what materials the building is likely made out of based on what the shop is and its locale. This is a magic shop, so probably reasonably well off, and in a big city. I am going to go with a stone exterior with a slate roof. You could definitely stop there if you wanted to, but going back to the formula, we are looking for 1-2 sentences, and honestly it needs some pop. So I looked up some Google images of stone exteriors with slate roofs.
(Image 8.1- Townhouse) This looks close; it has a wood roof though. What I am looking for here is an image to help create my description. So I look for more. I find this one.
(Image 8-2: House) Here we go. This one has a stone exterior, a slate roof, and it looks a little grand with the window and such. Might be a good way to show it being a wealthier structure if it has some nice windows on the front.
Ok, using this picture as a reference, I’ll describe Del Bog’s magic shop as follows. “A two-story structure made of clean grey and white stone and heavy hardwood beam work. The tan and red clay tile roof looks like it is cleaned regularly, and large windows in the front gable show a level of metal and glass craftsmanship normally held for wealthy manors. The entrance is a heavy wood door with intricate metalwork in the hinges, strapping, and handle.”
It came to three sentences. Not ideal, but I am not sure at the moment how I could refine that without losing some of the description. I could simplify it to: “A two-story structure made of stone and heavy beams. With intricate craftsmanship that carries from the large front gable window down into the heavy wooden front door.”
The difference is that I have skipped the roof description and a lot of the color descriptors. If you want this building to be memorable and convey a lot through the appearance, then I would lean towards the first description.
Now on to the interior. We had said 2-3 sentences. Let us see if we can keep the description that short. Again, I am going to look for some inspirational pictures. The only time I do not poke around for some inspirational pictures is when I already have an image in my mind of what I want it to look like. Sometimes I do, sometimes I do not. For this interior, I am mainly looking for inspiration for the containers and paraphernalia.
Taking my mental image of how PCs might interact with Del Bog, I put together the following description. “When you enter the shop, you see a small intricately carved wooden podium with a marble countertop straight ahead. Items of various quality seem to be organised in various hangers and racks around the perimeter and in rows through the open space of the main floor. The large window above illuminates the whole showroom area in brilliant light, showing the rich and varied colors of the carpets and the tapestries that are under and around the weapon racks and shelves of various elixers and potions, only blocked in tall shadows by the forest of columns holding up the high vaulted roof.”
This took some fiddling, rearranging some of the sentence parts and all. Basically, I put everything down that I can see in my mind as I “walk” through the space. Then try to refine it as I can with what makes sense. Like originally, I wanted to describe the posts in the first sentence, then I realized it made more sense to describe how they blocked the light from the big window. I went back and added the descriptors of the carpets and tapestries because I had not mentioned anything about the floors or walls. I tried to keep the feeling from the outside that this is a wealthy space that is maintained well. The podium idea came from how I envisioned Del Bog interacting with PCs by meeting them at the podium, which has a stool behind it, so he can assist them, take orders for things he may not have in stock, and possibly identify magical items adventurers inevitably find on their adventures. This also being the first thing they see and can approach limits how much customers can wander in the shop before Del Bog notices them and can keep an eye on them. Particularly if he has had issues with specific individuals.
Now beyond that general description, I could go into more detail about a back library, the basement storage, or Del Bog’s personal space in the back upper floor. Again, this depends on how important this locale is to the adventure and if the PCs need to know about all that.
Lastly, I generally put these descriptions in a “handout” in Roll20, the virtual tabletop (VTT) that I normally use, and then the description of Del Bog, and lastly the inventory. Something like this:
“The Silk Chupacabra
A two-story structure made of clean grey and white stone and heavy hardwood beam work. The tan and red clay tile roof looks like it is cleaned regularly, and large windows in the front gable show a level of metal and glass craftsmanship normally held for wealthy manors. The entrance is a heavy wood door with intricate metalwork in the hinges, strapping, and handle.
When you enter the shop, you see a small intricately carved wooden podium with a marble countertop straight ahead. Items of various quality seem to be organised in various hangers and racks around the perimeter and in rows through the open space of the main floor. The large window above illuminates the whole showroom area in brilliant light, showing the rich and varied colors of the carpets and the tapestries that are under and around the weapon racks and shelves of various elixers and potions, only blocked in tall shadows by the forest of columns holding up the high vaulted roof.
Behind the podium, you see a well-dressed gnome reading a heavy tome.
(Reference the HeroForge image from last article)
Inventory: …”
And now we need some inventory, don’t we? Well, that is what I will cover in my next article on Building A Market. I hope you found this helpful and that it will inspire you to give vivid descriptions for your players! Game on!
About the Author
Jared “Martel” B has been GMing and playing in several TTRPG’s since late 2013. Enjoys the challenge of bringing his players worlds and stories straight from his mind in the moment that it happens. He is one of the Founders of RPGCounterpoint, happy husband to an active historian wife, and father to two puppers and a toddler!
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