I often write boxed text for new in-game locations. I find it easier to think through the sights, smells, and other sensations during GM prep and write them out, rather than improv’ing when I’m trying to write a game. Here’s one such location.
As you see the stone slopes of Briste rising up through the morning fog, towering 15-20 feet above you, you push your paddles forward into the water to stop. Along the edges of its stone wall, you see the silhouettes of guards keeping watch across the marsh.
You pause for a moment, assessing the situation. The marshy sea water laps quietly at the sides of your boats. The scent of salt and stagnant water hangs in the air. The narrow, barren trees creak and groan under the occasional breeze. Gulls caw in the distance. Occasionally, you see the figures follow a patrol along the edges of the great stone ruin.
The guards are backlit by the morning sun, now ascending to its peak in the sky. The top of Briste pokes just above the fog. And you are still far enough away to be concealed.