@atpollard - well, I agree it's not completely flat. I was going from my experience of terrain and medieval towns, which are mostly Alpine or Mediterranean, where 100' drops aren't really that unusual. I agree about clipping the town contours though. Hmm. On checking, it might be a bit much - 60' feet would be closer to the 20 metres I had in mind. On the other hand - it is a fantasy town and a bit more contour does make it more ... impressive to visualise. It's at approximately the elevation of Zürich and even Zürich is in a depression that drops approximately 600' from the heights on either side.

I haven't added contours to the river (indicating a drop) because it's gentler than would be visible at this scale, while the valley it has carved is quite visible. The town was built on an outcropping of harder bedrock that served as a natural dam for a long time, before the river broke through eventually (maybe it was a terminal morraine?). possibly I should narrow the river there ... Anyway, while the terrain is mostly rolling and not so steep, defense needs mean that a steeper location is better suited to settlement. Plus I think stair-case streets look really neat

DOT_street_mid.jpg <-- is this approximately the incline that would result?

@Larb - the West Gate is built right on top of the stream, doubling as a bridge and culvert, barring entrance along the stream. I'm going to have to indicate that some more. Hmm. Maybe even carve out a moat along that wall, or something.

Some of the buildings are a lighter shade of grey because they are going to be unlabelled it's just so I can tell them apart at the drawing phase.

Thanks for the thoughtful comments!