Description in "boxed text"

[Simm]

I voted B because it is the closest to the order in which you would notice things in a room.

 

[Land Outcast]

LOL 33%

I say: Brief, extremely brief description-> Monsters -endfight-> detailed description

 

[Ed_Laprade]

I voted Other. I think that option D is the best. Although, as the description is fairly short I wouldn't much mind if either A or B were used. (But I don't like C at all.) For a longish description I'd do the room first, after telling the players to wait til the end. That way they'll know there's something interesting coming at the end, but they'll pay at least some attention to the room.

 

[MarkB]

I voted Other. Information on the room's occupants should be entirely separate from the boxed text, because the occupants are not static items. Depending upon the party's actions prior to this point, they may not be there, they may have been reinforced, they may be prepared for the PCs before they enter, or they may not even notice their arrival.

Including a set description of their disposition and actions in the boxed text serves only to trip up the DM if the situation has changed.

 

[Wombat]

Seeker95 has the right of it.