(Not a clue where this would go, but it's been a while since I did a neighborhood design, and well... I wanted to do some houses on stilts. g)
[NAME, Bridge]
Gulls' cries piece the quiet rhythm of the water lapping against the wood under your feet. Moss has grown on the supports of the bridge, further muffling the sound. The rickety path leads over the water through a maze of houses perched on heavy beams. Barely wide enough for two people to pass abreast, it still manages to look serviceable despite the weathered timbers and growing cracks.
[NAME, Path]
The houses here may have looked different when built, but time and the elements have made them nearly identical. Weathered beams turn up at the edges and create gaps that have been stuffed full of mud or rags. Bright paint covers the shutters, as if to make up for the uniform grey of the wood. While peeling and chipped, it still gives a homey air to the place. Water runs well under the houses, but stains along their lower planks tell of at least one flood that managed to crest the supports. You also see: [doors].
[NAME, Path]
Smoke rises from a few homes, bringing with it the sharp tang of fish being dried and salted for future trade. A quick glance at the houses currently occupied shows small boats moored around their supports. Dogs slumber on the narrow walkways bordering each small building. You also see: [doors]. (The path branches in two directions; one leads to "Platform," one to "Bridge.")
[NAME, Platform]
Boats surround you as the path between the houses comes to a sudden end. There is a wide platform here where fishing hauls can be unloaded and organized. Gulls swarm the area, waiting for a free meal. A glance under your feet shows a solid surface under this platform, despite the water around it. You also see: a rickety ladder. (ladder leads to "Under the Walkway.")
[NAME, Under the Walkway]
Someone has lashed scraps of wood to the Tog-sized beams supporting the platform overhead. Over time, the scraps have been turned into a solid base for a few shanties and shacks to be constructed upon. Water splashes onto the wood with each surge of the waves. A fetid smell rises up from the trash scattered between the tiny dwellings, which is never completely shaded and can never dry out. You also see: [lower-class homes].
[NAME, Bridge]
The bridge drops nearer to the water as it leaves behind the plank homes and crosses an inlet. Oddly, the wood is well kept up so that any traveler is assured a safe journey across. A few sections even have railings made of rough but sturdy branches. On the far side of the bridge lies a small island separated by a narrow channel of the river.
[NAME, Island Retreat]
This small island is separated from the fishing village by more than a stretch of water. Trees shade the paths even at midday, and gulls' cries are replaced by songbirds'. The dwellings on the island are scattered, placed on the few spots of level ground to be found. Mossy paths connect them and lead to the rocky shore on the far side. You also see: [middle-class houses].
[NAME, Rocky Cove]
Waves lap against the small crescent of this sheltered beach. Barely wide enough for a rowboat to safely moor, the cove provides a quiet and private retreat for any visitor. Overhanging branches shelter the rounded pebbles that make up the shore. Off to one side, a fire pit still remains, ready for use. You also see: a mossy path.
