Describing aromas can add a whole new layer to your storytelling, immersing your readers in the atmosphere of your scenes. Here's a categorized list of different words to help you describe scents in your writing.
🌿 Fresh & Clean Scents
Crisp
Clean
Pure
Refreshing
Invigorating
Bright
Zesty
Airy
Dewy
Herbal
Minty
Oceanic
Morning breeze
Green grass
Rain-kissed
🌼 Floral Scents
Fragrant
Sweet
Floral
Delicate
Perfumed
Lush
Blooming
Petaled
Jasmine
Rose-scented
Lavender
Hibiscus
Gardenia
Lilac
Wildflower
🍏 Fruity Scents
Juicy
Tangy
Sweet
Citrusy
Tropical
Ripe
Pungent
Tart
Berry-like
Melon-scented
Apple-blossom
Peachy
Grape-like
Banana-esque
Citrus burst
🍂 Earthy & Woody Scents
Musky
Earthy
Woody
Grounded
Rich
Smoky
Resinous
Pine-scented
Oak-like
Cedarwood
Amber
Mossy
Soil-rich
Sandalwood
Forest floor
☕ Spicy & Warm Scents
Spiced
Warm
Cozy
Inviting
Cinnamon-like
Clove-scented
Nutmeg
Ginger
Cardamom
Coffee-infused
Chocolatey
Vanilla-sweet
Toasted
Roasted
Hearth-like
🏭 Industrial & Chemical Scents
Metallic
Oily
Chemical
Synthetic
Acrid
Pungent
Foul
Musty
Smoky
Rubber-like
Diesel-scented
Gasoline
Paint-thinner
Industrial
Sharp
🍃 Natural & Herbal Scents
Herbal
Aromatic
Earthy
Leafy
Grass-like
Sage-scented
Basil-like
Thyme-infused
Rosemary
Chamomile
Green tea
Wild mint
Eucalyptus
Cinnamon-bark
Clary sage
🎉 Unique & Uncommon Scents
Antique
Nostalgic
Ethereal
Enigmatic
Exotic
Haunted
Mysterious
Eerie
Poignant
Dreamlike
Surreal
Enveloping
Mesmerizing
Captivating
Transcendent
I hope this list can help you with your writing. 🌷✨
Feel free to share your favorite scent descriptions in the replies below! What scents do you love to incorporate into your stories?
Small fantasy worldbuilding elements you might want to think about:
A currency that isn’t gold-standard/having gold be as valuable as tin
A currency that runs entirely on a perishable resource, like cocoa beans
A clock that isn’t 24-hours
More or less than four seasons/seasons other than the ones we know
Fantastical weather patterns like irregular cloud formations, iridescent rain
Multiple moons/no moon
Planetary rings
A northern lights effect, but near the equator
Roads that aren’t brown or grey/black, like San Juan’s blue bricks
Jewelry beyond precious gems and metals
Marriage signifiers other than wedding bands
The husband taking the wife's name / newlyweds inventing a new surname upon marriage
No concept of virginity or bastardry
More than 2 genders/no concept of gender
Monotheism, but not creationism
Gods that don’t look like people
Domesticated pets that aren’t re-skinned dogs and cats
Some normalized supernatural element that has nothing to do with the plot
Magical communication that isn’t Fantasy Zoom
“Books” that aren’t bound or scrolls
A nonverbal means of communicating, like sign language
A race of people who are obligate carnivores/ vegetarians/ vegans/ pescatarians (not religious, biological imperative)
I’ve done about half of these myself in one WIP or another and a little detail here or there goes a long way in reminding the audience that this isn’t Kansas anymore.
When the players are about to visit a new town, pre-generate several NPCs who fit the demographics of the town, but don't give them jobs. Your town is Mostly human, with a number of halflings and gnomes? Make a list that's mostly humans with some halflings and gnomes mixed in, with names that match the vibe you're going for and maybe the barest description + a quirk of some sort.
So the list would look something like this:
Ophelia Bracegurdle, older Halfling woman who laughs a lot
Norabecka Johnson, a young human woman who seems tired
Geraldofinio Babblecock Nimsy, gnome gentleman who takes pains to maintain a fabulous mustache
Etc.
Then, when the players are like, "Can I go to the blacksmith?" You look at your list of NPCs and the one at the top is Ophelia Bracegurdle. She's your blacksmith now. Then they want to go to the tavern, where Norabecka is the innkeeper and Geraldofinio is a patron having a drink at the bar. He's using a straw so he doesn't mess up his mustache.
If they had gone to the inn first, Ophelia would have been the innkeeper with Norabecka as the patron, and then Geraldofinio should have been a blacksmith with some sort of mustache guard to keep the sparks off.
Making the list ahead of time doesn't take much time, and you can often re-use the people you never got to at the next town.
Your world will seem vibrant and interesting and like you have everything planned out.
Since this post has been getting a lot of notes, I would like to clarify a couple of points. This method has a few different benefits I would like people to note:
This prep is fairly simple and easy. You could use a random name generator and find lists of character quirks online or you could just make your own shit up. Because no one has any jobs or stats, you have very little you have to decide ahead of time.
It removes in-the-moment decision making from your game. Because you assign NPCs to roles as the players meet them, you don't have to pick who is gonna be the blacksmith or make up a blacksmith ahead of time.
This third point is the heart of this method for me: Randomization thwarts stereotyping. Some DMs struggle with this more than others, but I know I have made my fair share of gruff burly man blacksmiths! How many of us would really pick Ophelia Bracegurdle, older halfling woman who likes to laugh, to be the blacksmith? Honestly I probably wouldn't. But since in the example the players wanted to go to the blacksmith first, there she is. And now we have the option but not the requirement to think about why and how old Ophelia got her job. Maybe she's a widow who took over for her dead husband. Maybe she just always wanted to be a blacksmith or this town just has always had halfling ladies be their blacksmiths. Or maybe you don't think about it at all, and she's just the blacksmith because she is.
I've been in games where literally every NPC except the pretty barmaid is a man, and pretty much everyone is a light skinned dwarf, elf, or human. I've also been in games with awesome diverse characters who bring the game to life. I know I want to be a DM who creates the latter, and this system helps push back against our unconscious biases. When you have the list of everyone in the town, you can see ahead of time if you have a good gender ratio, whether your descriptions include any people with disabilities or people from different points of view.
being a vigilante in high school has to be crazy because imagine ur counsellor tells u that u aren't doing enough extracurriculars meanwhile 12 hours ago you were defeating the joker before he could set off a nuclear bomb
Everybody keeps being like excited to see Callum trying to win Runaan over and meanwhile I’m just like
I want to see Runaan meet Ezran.
This is a child he signed up to help kill two years ago, and I imagine assassin man is going to have to go through an “oh shit, this kid is like. a really good kid. and if i had killed him peace between katolis and xadia probably never would have happened.” and try to figure out how to apologize.
And meanwhile Ezran is going to have to figure out if his “everyone deserves a chance to choose a different path” philosophy extends to the man who killed his father.
While his home is literally in ashes from Sol Regem’s attack.
Like yes I want to watch Callum be a dork around his girlfriend’s dad, but tbh I’m more curious about how they’re going to handle the reality that Runaan very much did kill Harrow. Like that is definitely a thing he did.
Being charged as head of the elite Crownguard of Katolis is a large responsibility. For anyone- even more so when you're the youngest in history to earn the title.
So protecting the King that fateful night, knowing not everyone would get to see the sunrise, was a heavy weight. So when Harrow died...? If that person, the one who took Harrow's life, came back?
I want to know how Soren would react to Runaan, how would he mentally go through hurdles and scenarios in his mind, if he'd accept him? This was his friend's father, yes, but also his King's killer.
I wonder if Soren and Ezran would talk and listen to each other about it, just late quiet-filled nights or spoken talks of understanding. Corvus too to some extent: he's Ezran's guard, after all, and Soren's best friend (so even if he didn't experience Harrow's death as directly, he'd make sure to be there for them both).
And I agree: seeing Callum trip over his feet around Runaan would be great, but also having the other side of it with Soren and Ezran tearing themselves up over the man's presence, wondering if they could really forgive him? That's just chef's kiss.
Y’know, I feel like we don’t give the writers enough credit when it comes to Soren
So often when a character is the “comic relief”, they start off with dynamic personalities and then lose them as the season go on (looking at you Cat Valentine and Steve Palchuk), but not Soren
No, Soren somehow manages to jump between being comic relief and genuinely serious and caring seamlessly. And it’s all the same character, too! He doesn’t feel like he’s switching personalities they’re just other facets of who he is and it’s amazing!!!
something about how callum’s father had a breathing related/respiratory disease. something about how callum’s first arcanum was the sky arcanum, how his most signature spell is the breathing spell (aspiro). something about how soren had a wheezing/coughing/respiratory disease as a child. something about how soren had possibly the same issues as callum’s father and how Soren is like a brother figure to callum. something about how viren turned to dark magic to save soren. something about how the only two times callum used dark magic it was to save his loved ones. something about the parallels between callum and viren, the two high mages.
PLSSSS MORE FANFIC RECOMMENDATIONS OF JASON TODDDD!
DUDEE!!!! really happy u asked but also omg this got long agaiN who would have thought (!) i added summaries this time tho :)
here is part one of my fic recs XD
andd heres the new ones!! pls give them some love if u read them :D
Dick and Jason:
how lonely to be something that nothing wants to kill by sunlitlemonade
There were blood drops dripping down his fingers to the ground. The puddle was big enough for it to have spread around more than half the tub. His breaths shuddered, they were shallow and waning. But he was breathing and Dick’s world centered around that.
starting strong with Angst go read all of sun’s fics i always die and get revived <333 pls mind the tags on this one
cast on/cast off by hellsreluctantheir
“This is surprisingly non-destructive for Jason,” Dick comments, lightly.
In the parking lot, Jason pulls a grenade out of one of his pockets, yanks the pin, and tosses it through the roller door and out of sight, before tearing out of the parking lot in chase of the truck.
“Well, for a minute there,” Dick amends. He takes a step back towards the alley the batmobile is parked in, giving Bruce a quick glance. “We following?
“No,” Bruce says, as the grenade goes off. “He’s cleared the warehouse. We can get into the office.”
Dick sighs again. But Jason knows he can call in if he needs help.
time loop!!! read most of this writer's fics and fell in love with them all,, go read fr
bloodstained by hellsreluctantheir
“I know where the clinic is, asshole,” Jason said. The wad of gauze he was using to keep pressure kept slipping against his shoulder. The knife had caught the space between two panels, split to allow movement. Lucky shot.
“Ok, let me make sure you get there without passing out from blood loss,” Dick said, a deliberate evenness to his tone, like he was doing his best to accomodate someone who was being completely unreasonable. Shithead.
“I’m not going to pass out,” Jason said, ignoring the fact that he was actually feeling pretty unsteady on his feet. He caught himself with his good shoulder on the entry to the bathroom, took a deep breath. “What would Daddy Bats think if he knew you were here, trying to help me?”
“I assume something like, ‘Wow, Dick, you’re such a good brother, trying so hard to make sure Jason is ok even when he’s being a complete idiot about it,’” Dick sniped.
heres another one from them. jasons scars and dick. andd another one next
brothers in arms by hellsreluctantheir
It wasn’t like none of them went undercover. Jason practically lived there. And he’d punch anyone who tried to make it a sob story for him, to cluck over the times he’d been alone in a pit of vipers, act like it was some tragedy.
But given half a minute to think about it, Dick somewhere completely cut off from everyone but Bruce, no allies on hand, surrounded by enemies. Angry as he was at the lie, there was something about that he just fucking hated.
or
Thinking your brother is dead and then finding out he's been alive the whole time really has a way of making you rethink the relationship.
Shelter by Ptelea
Two safe houses, two nights dealing with the aftermath of fear toxin, multiple conversations, several meals.
Written for Sholio's September 2020 Comfort Fest for a prompt from Musesfool. Warning-wise, there's nothing graphic here but there are definitely references to past canon trauma for both the characters.
the way they are written here <33
Rotten Fruits by couldyoublameme
“I’m fine,” Dick assured gently, sitting up slightly. “Just a bad night, is all.”
It’s a familiar phrase he has used so often. Whenever the addiction crawls back into his mind, a parasite he can never truly get rid of. The family knows what it means. Knows what the ‘bad’ is. Knows what to do.
“Oh,” Jason says. “Why?”
absolutely murdered me. pls do mind the tags
You Can Do Better Than That by AlexaAffect
All Jason could hear was his own ragged breathing. He desperately gasped for air, each breath more exhausting than the last and his lungs and throat burned with the effort.
In. And, he needed a second longer with every breath he took, out.
His arms had been suspended for the last… 15? minutes? Jason had quit keeping track of the time, he’d been too preoccupied trying to hold himself upright, trying to ease his position, switch it up, anything to prolong the guaranteed death.
“Red Hood?” That was Dick’s voice. Huh. So they had found him fast enough.
Or alternatively; Dick finds a kidnapped Jason shortly before he asphyxiates.
this fic is just oddly comforting to me idk. very precious
Equivalent Exchange by Lysical
Apparently favors don't expire on death. --"What do you want, Dick?"
"For you to be happy, Jay." Dick leaned over and pinched his cheek. Jason reached up and swiped at him, scowling. "And world peace."
ADORABLE and fun
Just for Now by Lysical
Jason was back in Gotham and the timing couldn't be worse for him to need assistance on a case. He didn't want to see any of the Bats and he was sure the feeling was mutual.
Nightwing was the worst option for Oracle to pick to help him out.
To Reconcile by CasualDanger
“Babs slapped me at your funeral.” Jason goes to laugh, but it’s just a cough and his mouth barely even twitches up. “She hated me in that moment. I mean, really, really hated me, like I did Talia after I found out Damian had died. And I wondered,” his voice cracks, eyes glassy now, “did you hate anyone when I was gone? Because I was gone?”
he ain't heavy, he's my brother by someplacewarm
Dick's been putting off meeting with Jason for a while now, but when a distress call comes through, he has no choice but to answer.
Or the one where Dick and Jason talk, fight, get high and cuddle. In that order.
making gold out of it by vmkhoney
Dick talks himself back down on the bathroom floor, clinical and detached.
(For someone whose primary skill is manipulating his body, it’s not very often that he feels connected to it.)
-
Or, five years after Blockbuster, Dick begins teetering on the ledge of processing what Catalina did to him.
a wonderful dick grayson fic, and jason is there being a good brother. mind the tags
What Hurts You by blueyeti
Dick comes to Jason's aid when he's injured in a fight, or at least he thinks he has.
jason has no scars!! and thats also sad
at me, too, someone is looking by bacondoughnut
Dick Grayson knows he's got problems when the Red Hood's busted leg somehow becomes his concern.
aka; How Dick Grayson finds out Jason Todd is alive. A story about healing.
a rather long one for my standards XD (very short attention span) but this made me sit down and read. very fun jason
Bruce and Jason:
Saltwater and Desperation by bacondoughnut
Jason's not sure how he even manages to get himself out of the harbor. He's just glad Bruce is there when he does. Not that he'll ever, ever admit as much out loud.
same writer, love this jason (and bruce) so much
Insomnolence by navree
It's not like he slept much as a kid anyway; this is just a return to the status quo. He's not overly tired, and even if he's been sleeping less than his already limited amount throughout April, that's still not any of her business.
Bad memories are already bad enough even before they spend the next few years in the aftermath becoming nightmares.
navree being The bruce and jason writer for me all of their fics are so o(- (
Ash Into The Wind by navree
This is his dad in there, the first man he ever called Dad, at any rate, and even after everything, booze and jail and Bruce and death and then death again, there's never going to be a part of Jason that isn't gutted that he's dead.
One night, a wraith in a red helmet slips onto the grounds of Blackgate Penitentiary to steal one specific thing.
another one from them
Trapped by lurkinglurkerwholurks
BatFam Week 2018, Day Two. Prompt: Trapped
Yes, the prompt is "trapped" and it's a Jason fic. I'm so, so sorry. (Not really, though.) Please see tags for potential triggers.
binge read this writers fics recently they write them so nice
Overcoming Our Antecedents by Batbirdies
Bruce swallows, closing his eyes for a brief moment before he takes another, steadying breath and presses both hands to his face. He just needs a moment. Needs to remember where he is, what year it is, that Jason is not actually fifteen, he only looks like he is. This is temporary.
This is just a temporary problem that needs to be contained until they can change Jason back. This is not a repeat of events already passed.
This is not a second chance.
Jason and Batfam:
Names and Neapolitan by Muddell
“Goddamnnit Robin,” Hood is there, pulling him into his arms. Robin sees that helmet, he sees the green eyes, the dark hair, he sees open, gray, Gotham sky, and hears tires squealing, and then he sees stone. He sees the cave.
Bruce is there. Alfred is there. Dick is there.
And Hood is there.
Robin rolls in and out of consciousness. He reaches out, snatches the smell of copper and the touch of leather, and he holds Hood’s hand and he does not let go.
He’s allowed to say it now.
“Jason,” he says. “Don’t leave.”
Or, following Dick telling Tim about his older brother, to Tim actually knowing him.
read a couple fics from this writer all so good!!!
Six Ways to Sunday by Muddell
Jason catches Duke hiding a headache and says, is anyone going to deal with that?
same writer!! really love their jason
Settle Down and Sleep by OberonBronze
A series of vignettes about seeking comfort.
Damian tries his hand at being a comfort animal; Tim shows up at Jason’s place for an impromptu sleepover; Jason bonds with his older brother after a damaging fear toxin trip; Dick and Bruce have a long-overdue conversation.
really liked jason and dick in this :)
Tuck Me In by OberonBronze
Bruce Wayne and his long-standing habit of tucking his kids into bed.
think how great it is to fall asleep (and how terrible it is to wake up) by mikkal
Jason was fifteen, barely five foot, and underweight for his age when he died. When he came back to his body, suddenly he was too tall, too scarred, too much, too different. And he just... never got used to it.
(Or: 5 times a Bat noticed/discovered his body dysphoria post resurrection)
Stranger Danger by alchemistsarego, whumpinaheartbeat (alchemistsarego)
There was never one particular moment that Damian registered that he was losing consciousness.
Everything simply flashed from one thing to the next, even though some part of him understood that time had been passing in between. He had been sitting upright, rolling his eyes at something someone had said, then he was on the ground being pinned by some unknowable weight. All at once the weight was gone again, replaced instead by something not only lighter, but much warmer too.
A blanket?
No, a jacket.
jason and others:
Past Experience by Rookblonkorules
He thinks he might be dying.
Again.
clark and jason :)
Bats in the Belfry by endlessnepenthe
Hal idly wonders how long he has before he's found.
Probably not very. The Bat's freaky like that.
(Or, Hal goes to Gotham and discovers that Batman's brand of freaky isn't exactly one of a kind.)
What I adore about the idea of Katara ending up with Zuko instead of Aang is that in Zuko she would have someone who would support her in her righteous anger. Had he been there when Katara challenged Pakku for her right to learn how fight, he would've backed her up. He would never have tried to tell Pakku that she didn't mean it. And he would've offered to help her dispose of his body if it came to that.
That's the energy that Katara needs. Someone who understands that she's not jumping into a fight for nothing. If she kills someone, she had a darned good reason.
this has been accelerated by watching my roommate who teaches freshmen composition slowly become ben_affleck_smoking.jpg as he has to fail multiple students every semester for using chatgpt
like. this is bad and this person should feel bad lol this completely misses the point of writing assignments. the point is the production, not the end product
tangentwithtanner
jacobvanloon
andulkaphoto
2087
pixelskylines
origamiaround
