Desert Towns
Desert towns are towns or small settlements in a desert. Fictional desert towns are often either depicted as desolate and remote locations or hubs of trade. They are often located on rivers or oases and may be part of trade routes. Nearby there may be ruins or ancient temples. Desert towns are home to traders, bandits, and desert nomads.
| Synonyms: desert villages |
| Example Mythonyms: Red Sands, Twin Suns |
| Places |
Designing Fictional Desert Towns
Archetypes
Foundations
Overview
For inhabitants of the desert, water is a critical concern. Desert towns may be located near an important water source, such as a desert river, oasis, or underground aquifer. If these towns are not near water, they may have extensive pipes or aqueducts to bring in water from another location as well as water towers and cisterns to store it.
The architecture of desert towns reflects what materials are available to build with – in the desert this can mean stone, sand, and mud. Walls are often built thick to help retain cooler temperatures in the day and preserve warmer temperatures at night. Awnings and covered walkways may be used to generate shade.
As resources can be scarce in the desert, desert towns may rely on trade and trade routes for certain goods. They likely have a marketplace. These resources can also make them a tempting target for bandits and raiders, and fictional desert towns may have defensive measures and fortifications such as town walls.
