Canonfire!

Thu Jul 23, 2009 2:59 am Weather in the Mounds of Dawn

I am still playing the Seeds of Sehan campaign arc which is set in the Perrenalnds. I always thought the Perrenalds to be shaped after Switzerland, so my best take was for the climate there to be "subalpine" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subalpine), Exag in particular is set in a valley in a hilly region at the feet of the Yatils.
However from the illustrations of the adventure, it seems as if the designer had in mind a vaguely middle-eastern climate, with its inhabitants dressed in long, fresh tunics similar to those used in the middle east or Afghanistan. My take is that if you go dressed like that in a subalpine region you're likely to freeze soon.
Considering I am obsessed by canon :) I was wondering if we can consider Exag to be in a semi-magical microclimate, where the weather is similar to the Baklunish coast, or I should correct and redesign the exag citizens dress to a "cold" version of the one used in the middle east.
I am probably addressing a stupid question since I guess there are freezing places even up in the mountains in Arabia etc. but I just liked to discuss about it a bit.

Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:06 am

Ok this could be an idea:

"Situated high in the Hindu Kush and Koh e Baba mountains, the Hazarajat plateau has extremely cold and harsh climate dominated by heavy snowfalls, snow storms and short, hot summers. Winters span to over 6 months before snow melts. Like most of Afghanistan, Hazarajat also lacks greenery and is poorly covered with vegetation, there is no forest in the region and the slopes are bare."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazarajat

I just need to see how people used to dress like in this part of the world 1000 years ago. Ehm.

Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:52 am

Exag is at 45° N latitude. Using the weather tables in the Glossography, this would be the BTB temperature spread:

Thu Jul 23, 2009 11:55 am

I definitely view Perrenland as being more Middle-Eastern than Swiss, especially given its proximity to the Baklunish lands.

But concerning the weather, there's really no reason you couldn't have much warmer climes in the lower elevations. It could be that geothermal energy produces higher temperatures in the valleys. It could also be that Exag's unusual nature creates warmer-than-natural temperatures in the vicinity of that city.

Concerning the clothing in Dungeon's illustrations, perhaps if you think of it as thick wool instead of thin linen or cotton it will help. We know from archaeology that ancient Middle-Easterners were able to fashion these fibers into cloth as fine as silk or as thick and tough as canvas. Those in Exag may well be able to produce finely woven woolen or cashmere garments that are more than adequate for the snow. Or maybe those pictures were "taken" in the heat of summer. Or something. Then again, perhaps the illustrator just didn't think of how cold you can get with only a thin sheet of silk between you and the glaciers. Wink

Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:59 pm

Grand Junction, CO, has been collecting a large population of retired people because of their climate. Surprised

Grand Junction sits at about 4500 feet, but is in a very large valley, surrounded by much higher mountains. The city is collecting so many retired persons because of one fact:

Grand Junction is second only to San Fransisco for constant year-round temperture. It rarely freezes, snow never sticks for too long and summer is around 85 degrees -- most days. Happy

Lived there since High School, recently moved. Cool

Perhaps a similar situation exists in Exag? Confused

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Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:36 pm

And you also have the big lake there to moderate temperatures as well.

Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:09 pm

Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:12 pm

I think Vulcan was referring to Lake Quag, not the Salt Lake.

Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:15 pm

Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:43 pm

To be fair, I didn't specify one way or the other, but yes, I meant Lake Quag.

Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:04 am

I think all of the various theories are interesting. Anyway I still have not very clear the weather patterns in the northern ocean/land of black ice/baklunish lands etc. That sector of the Flanaess seems to have deserts and glacers, mountains and prairies all in a few hundred kilometers...
Someone has ever sketched a climate map like this one (http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/rmp/demo/local-resources/images/climate_prism_map.gif) for Greyhawk?

Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:47 am

I think all of the various theories are interesting. Anyway I still have not very clear the weather patterns in the northern ocean/land of black ice/baklunish lands etc. That sector of the Flanaess seems to have deserts and glacers, mountains and prairies all in a few hundred kilometers...
Someone has ever sketched a climate map like this one (http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/rmp/demo/local-resources/images/climate_prism_map.gif) for Greyhawk?

Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:52 am

Wed Jul 29, 2009 1:38 pm

DMPrata, excellent map! Thanks for that! Happy

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Wed Aug 05, 2009 7:06 pm

Excellent map. Two points. The Drawmidj is unnaturally warm; the subartic line should swing north in that area. It should also swing north (IMO) at the Thillronian penninsula, following the mountain line.

Re: Perrenland - I think there are plenty of real-world examples of "cold" or colder areas with people who wear some kind of robes - Afghanistan, and the other 'stans, are one example. Also, even very cold areas can get very hot during the summer - it just doesn't stay hot for long. Whether an area is cold or hot has less to do with maximum or minimum range and more to do with the average.

Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:34 am

Wow great map indeed.
So Exbir, Zeif etc are just "temperate" like greyhawk? I always pictured them as insanely hot like the middle-east.
I too agree the climate lines should be way more awkward in the upper north-west, but that's a good starting point!

Tue Aug 25, 2009 12:24 am

I am not sure I would rely so much on the art in dungeon magazine to determine the culture of the area.

Tue Aug 25, 2009 6:37 am

Tue Aug 25, 2009 8:36 am

Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:18 am

Oh, you don't have to worry about Smillan. You can pretty much just assume he's lost it! Cool

But at least he's a decent writer.

Thu Aug 27, 2009 2:51 pm

You know what they say, "once you go gnome you'll never..." Well, no one really says that. Back to my main point, being if she was a gnome, where is the pointy hat? AH-HA! Some so-called artist thinks they can present some tarted-up halfling as a gnome and get away with it? Not in my house!

Thu Aug 27, 2009 3:12 pm

Its now official . . . Smillan's "gone native." Evil Grin

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Thu Aug 27, 2009 4:34 pm

Thu Aug 27, 2009 4:51 pm

Remember Smillan, the blade is envenomed! Shocked

Antidote, ole' son. Plenty of antidote! Evil Grin

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