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    Canonfire :: View topic - Joramy's Wrath (or: Volcanoes and Tsunamis, oh my!)
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    Joramy's Wrath (or: Volcanoes and Tsunamis, oh my!)
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    Adept Greytalker

    Joined: Jun 29, 2001
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    Fri May 13, 2005 12:32 pm  
    Joramy's Wrath (or: Volcanoes and Tsunamis, oh my!)

    This is the rough outline of events for a plot thread discussed heavily at last nights chat. All the details proposed by those involved will be added, and we welcome input from everyone!

    Help flesh out the event, suggest possibilities for adventure in the aftermath, whatever.

    Richfest 4th, 595 cy

    At about 5 am in the morning, under the light of both full moons, the long dormant volcano Ixamkal, known by some in the Flannaes as Cauldron, erupted with horrible ferocity, throwing a full 3/4 of its mass into Jeklea Bay. The roar of the blast could be heard as far away as Jotsplat (about 2 hours later).

    The sudden dumping of that much earth into the bay created a tsunami of incredible size and power, wreaking the following havoc on the cities of the Jeklea and Azure coasts:


    • 5:50am Port Toli is hit by a 150 foot wave (the actual wave is still 225 feet, but Toli faces into Toli bay on the inner curve of its peninsula, so the effect was lessened). Damage and casualties in the city are estimated at 95%
    • 6:05am Monmurg hit by 150 foot wave (again, the wave itself is still aroun 200 feet in height, but Monmurg is shielded similarly to Toli) Damage and casualties estimated at 90%
    • 6:30am Gradsul is hit by the full 185 foot force of the wave, lacking any shielding at all, damage and casualties are estimated at 99%
    • 6:40am Gryrax is hit by the full 175 foot force of the wave, being located in higher, rockier terrain that Gradsul, it is spared a little of the damage. Damage and casualties estimated at 90%
    • 7:25am Blue is hit by a 60 foot wave (note that blue is heavily sheltered by the curvature of the pomarj peninsula, so is spared a majority of the damage, but the state of disrepair and sqaullor in the city makes damage relatively high) Damage and casualties estimated at 50%
    • 7:30am Scant is hit by the full 120 foot force of the wave. As in Gryrax, high, rocky ground spares the city some of the damage. Damage and casualties estimated at 50%
    • 7:45 to 8:30am All cities on the coasts of the Wooly and Relmor bays suffer moderate flooding from 20 to 40 foot waves. No major impacts, damage and casualties in these cities is low, 5 to 10%.
    • 7:50am Irongate is hit by the full 95 foot force of the wave, but extremely high, rocky landscape buffers it from major damage. Damage and casualties estimated at 30%
    • 8:15am New Keep and Naerie hit by the full 70 foot force of the wave. Damage and casualties estimated at 35 to 40%
    • 8:20am Kro Terlep is hit by a 40 wave, spared the full force of the tsunami by its sheltered bay. Damage and casualties estimaed at 20%


    In addition, shipping and naval fleets in the affected areas are seriously damaged.

    All vessels in the Jeklea bay, including Monmurg bay and the Azure Sea's "gulf of keoland, are destroyed or sunk.
    75% of ships on the Azure sea or in its port cities are destroyed or sunk.
    20% of ships on the Wooly or Relmor bays are destroyed or sunk.

    All minor coastal towns and villages along the Jeklea coast of the Amedio are utterly destroyed (99% carnage)

    All minor coastal towns and villages from toli to Blue are similarly annihilated (99% carnage)

    Minor coastal villages and towns on the Wooly Bay, Gearnet Sea and Relmor Bay suffer 20 to 25% carnage.

    Minor coastal settlements along the eastern coast of the Azure sea, from Scant to Kro Terlep, suffer 50 to 60% carnage.

    All minor settlements along the SB coast west of Kro Terlep and in the two eastern most Olman Isles suffer 75% carnage.

    Ok, that's the basic set up. I'll begin posting some of the ideas and details we hashed out as the weekend progresses, but wanted to give folks a chance to jump in on the fun.

    Let's shake up the setting a bit and see what the CF users can come up with!
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    Master Greytalker

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    Fri May 13, 2005 2:07 pm  

    I have to absorb this, but doesn't it seem a bit exterme.

    Where were the Gods, pick a pantheon?
    Druids?
    Circle of Eight?
    SB weather wizards?
    Various city mage Guilds?
    No large scale evacuations?
    No one had time to prepare or react to minimze or stop the damage on the scale presented?
    Do volcanoes even erupt this way most rumble or show signs for weeks if not months before erupting.

    So much for GH rebuilding itself the last few years after the GH wars, here is another Oerth shattering event.

    I feel sorry for the citizens of GH remember when all they had to worry about was an evil wizard or humanoid warband, now it seems major wars, demon armies, ether invasions, coups and assassinations are occuring far to frequently and now we can add catatrosphic natural diasters.

    My GH has become a busy place.
    Grandmaster Greytalker

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    Fri May 13, 2005 3:12 pm  

    The islands off the coast of the Hold of the Sea Princes are devastated. In the immediate aftermath of the tidal waves, long simmering unrest with the rule of the Scarlet Brotherhood boils over in the Hold. Food and water riots become orgies of destruction as the hated Brothers are overthrown in a single day, oddly replaying and repaying the history of the initial conquest of the Hold. In 24 hours, the Scarlet Brotherhood ceases to exist anywhere within the Hold as an organized force. Only small, scattered groups in hiding remain.

    In Port Toli, a clandestine group of Olman druids and sorcerors, previously unknown, organizies relief efforts and reestablishes order under their rule. The Tziquetzalpoztectzin (Precious Broken Plume of the Quetzal Bird), warned of the disaster in prophetic dreams, had stockpiled supplies and withdrawn it members from the danger zone just before the tsunami hit. For years the Broken Plume has lurked within the society of Port Toli, keeping alive the old traditions and awaiting the return of the Olman gods, who would restore Olman rule of ancient Ixtolali - modern Port Toli. They believe that time has come with the eruption of Ixamkal and the destruction of Cauldron.

    The leader of the Broken Plume, the sorceress Teotalco, has offered truce to the so-called Wizards of the Coast, if they will support her. The surviving non-Olman temples have not been so lucky. Those not destroyed by the wave have been targeted, along with their clerics, by eagle and jaguar knights, called down from the Olman mountain kingdom of Atahualpa in the days preceding Ixamkal's eruption. The only exception to this purge have been followers and clerics of WeeJas, who Teotalco believes to be an incarnation of the Olman goddess Coatlicue. With the clerical example red before them, the Wizards of the Coast have agreed to cooperate with the Broken Plume.

    The settlers of Cauldron had unwittingly pushed into the fringes of Atahualpa, one of the strongest of the Olman interior kingdoms, whose army now marches down the Itzotli, the Obsidian Road, toward the reclaimed Ixtolali. The eagle and jaguar knights already in the city are merely advance elements of the Olman force now on its way. Once Ixtolali was the northern provincial capital of a great Olman empire. In the city, the Obsidian Road from the western mountains, the Atlotli or Water Road from the southern jungles and the Acatlotli, or Reed Road to the north, met. Modern Port Toli was built on Ixtolali's greatness, taking advantage of the excellent port and strategic position at the nexus the Olman road system. That Port Toli was accounted a beautiful city with an artistry unusual for the Hold of the Sea Princes was due in no small measure to the lingering influence of the Olman and the quiet diligence of the Broken Plume. Now, Port Toli is reclaimed and Ixtolali will rise from the destruction of Ixamkal's eruption.

    The king of Atahualpa intends nothing less than the reestablishment of the ancient Olman empire under his rule. Ixtolali will give Atahualpa a lowland territory and valuable port. Already runners speed south to devastated Olman villages bearing the news. The gods are returning, the defilers of Ixamkal are destroyed, Ixtolali is reclaimed, join with the Atahualpa then aid and the wealth of empire will be yours. Olman long reduced to forcible savagery by a string of forts and outposts along the northern coast of the Amedio, now all destroyed by the tsunami, answer the call to arms.

    Even the Suel and Oeridian populations of the Hold are answering and not a few swearing fealty to Teotalco. The Olman have effectively taken credit for Ixamkal's destruction of the Scarlet Brotherhood. With an army on the way, whose vanguard is now the most powerful organized force in the area, and Olman flowing north from the Amedio, the canny folk of the Hold see which way the lava is flowing. Teotalco wise from years of living among the round eyes knows well how to play the feudal game and accepts the offered fealty without threat, demand or reprisal. Only on the offshore islands and in Monmurg is the rising Olman tide checked. Those opposing the Olman rising flee to one or the other but neither is capable in the destructive wake of the wave to halt events transipring in Port Toli and the southern interior of the Hold.

    The Olman Empire will be reborn. The blood of all who oppose the Empire will flow in red rivers down the sides of the stepped pyramids, from atop which Olman priests will cut out the still beating hearts of any who dare deny the Olman to make sacrifice to the gods. The stars are coming into alignment and the return of the Olman gods is nigh. No celestial pact or concord binds the Smoking Mirror or dread Tlaloc, who will again walk Oerth.
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    Fri May 13, 2005 6:34 pm  

    Crag wrote:

    Where were the Gods, pick a pantheon?
    Druids?
    Circle of Eight?
    SB weather wizards?
    Various city mage Guilds?
    No large scale evacuations?
    No one had time to prepare or react to minimze or stop the damage on the scale presented?
    Do volcanoes even erupt this way most rumble or show signs for weeks if not months before erupting.

    So much for GH rebuilding itself the last few years after the GH wars, here is another Oerth shattering event.
    Where were the gods when the Twin Cataclysms happened? It is entirely possible a deity ot group of gods cause this incident thus reducing the amount of time mortals get in warning. Of course there is time to evacuate, chat listed the time frames, but the farther you are from the epicenter the better. Mages, druids and the like unless of very epic standing would be no better than gnats to stop the full force of a tsunami, they would only be able to deflect small localized portions to reduce the percentage of damage chat listed. As for the scenario, sure Oerth has more than its share of shattering events. But don't take this exercise as another, take it as an alternative. Besides it is largely a coastal incident and would hardly disrup the goings on deeper inland.

    Now back to the tsunami, more is yet to come.
    Master Greytalker

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    Fri May 13, 2005 8:51 pm  

    Lets me make this clear, I am not against a natural diaster scenario.

    I just wonder about the scale of destruction discussed, their seems to be alot of 90% and above destruction of towns and cities.

    I just wonder if that is realistic given the magic possible and the popularity of ocean faiths in coastal regions in part to provide protection from diaster.

    I just have a hard time seeing the loss of life and property being so total given the nature of GH.

    Btw since the Hold has borne the worst of this diaster, what is Keoland doing to seize the moment?

    Keoland has alway wanted to "reclaim" the southern province lost to pirates and despite GVD dramatic narrative, I doubt a reborn "olman" empire and an army of jungle savages would be considered by the Lion throne not to grab this opportunity while it is available.

    But i am interested in how this scenario develops Wink
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    Sat May 14, 2005 3:00 am  

    This is a cool idea (although Crag is right, a 90+ percent casualty rate in all those cities is not only extreme in a way that even the Wars were not - it's not necessary to achieve the purpose of reviving the Olman race. It's just destroying some cool cities.) The Olman peoples are already much stronger in my campaign than in canon, and my PCs are dealing with the beginnings of the GH Wars (campaign set in early 582 CY), so it doesn't work for me - not yet, anyway.

    However, I'm looking forward to reading what transpires here. Hopefully it doesn't lose steam, like other ideas that have been proposed here and sparked interest. Keep the posts coming, fellas.


    Last edited by btgrover on Sat May 14, 2005 10:30 am; edited 1 time in total
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    Sat May 14, 2005 8:56 am  

    Well, this sounds scary and reflective of our times.

    There may be potential plus sides to all of this depending on your outlook: the undersea life of the Flanaess. What happened to the Sahugan, Koa-toa, aquatic elves, koalinth, merrows, storm giants, etc.? Were they hurt or safe? Will they take advantage of Saltmarsh yet again (if it's still there)?

    How will this be felt by the various fishing industries? The treasure seekers looking for sunken salvage may find their dreams washed away (or up on shore).

    Many "ocean" deities may find that the bulk of their shrines and temples are now gone (along with a big portion of their worshippers). Will they be diminished in power with a reduced congregation?

    Just some thots.

    Skech
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    Sat May 14, 2005 10:40 am  

    I tend to agree with Crag. The SCALE of this event seems a bit large. The largest waves in the Indian Ocean Tsunami were 20-25' and we all know how much devistation that caused.

    150' foot waves are flat out cataclysmic. They would completely whipe away EVERYTHING on the coast and many miles in land, depending on the topography. Cities wouldn't be 90% destroyed, they'd completely disappear.

    I'm all for a natural disaster scenario, but the level of this event I think changes the game world too drastically.

    If the waves were smaller say 25-30, similar to the Indian Ocean event, I think you'd have a more interesting scenario. Lots of devistation, disease, etc. Larger cities, particularly walled cities would be better prepaired to survive the waves, but all of their shipping would be destroyed, surrounding farmlands would be flooded, their crops destroyed. Without modern disaster relief capabilities (helecopters, cargo planes to fly food in etc.) the famine would be severe.
    Adept Greytalker

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    Sat May 14, 2005 2:42 pm  

    ando_tane wrote:
    I tend to agree with Crag. The SCALE of this event seems a bit large. The largest waves in the Indian Ocean Tsunami were 20-25' and we all know how much devistation that caused


    Forgive me if I sound blunt, but Keoland is not the 3rd world hellhole most of the countries affected by the Indian Ocean Tsunami are.

    Had that wave hit a developed country, like the US, there would have been next to none of the mass devastation.
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    Sat May 14, 2005 3:52 pm  

    LOL

    My only objection is you wrecking the Rhola power base. Feel free to destroy everything else as long as I can summon the Silent Ones and Sea Mages to save the Gradsul coast. (You can have the Salinmoor coast if you like.)

    Happy
    Master Greytalker

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    Sat May 14, 2005 4:10 pm  

    Talk about over-reaction chatdemon Shocked

    chatdemon wrote:
    we welcome input from everyone!


    Guess I read this wrong Confused

    Rather then explain your ideas and discuss it rationally perhaps even convincing other posters, you choose instead too lash out and insult any dissent...very mature.

    Since only a select group of posters opinions on this forum actually count in your view, contributors, please would you mind posting the names of the members in this priviledged clique so all the "common posters" know which topics we are suppose to avoid.


    Last edited by Crag on Sat May 14, 2005 6:52 pm; edited 2 times in total
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    Sat May 14, 2005 5:27 pm  

    The first sign of the eruption was the breach in the dome’s integrity. The eruption of Ixamkal had triggered a nearly simultaneous underwater earthquake of immense magnitude centered some 50 miles offshore, opening a great rent in the sea floor. The seismic shockwaves of this event reached Drawmij’s underwater abode, some 100 miles from Gradsul in the Azure Sea, well before the tsunami wave. The breach was minor but clearly signaled an event of some magnitude. Drawmij began to investigate immediately.

    With the powers of his wizardry, Drawmij was quickly able to determine the cause of the breach in his underwater dome and just as quickly assay the doom now spreading out into the Azure Sea. Even with all of his specialist knowledge of the sea and his great magecraft, the cold truth was that even he could not stop the tsunami wave. Wizards and priests command great powers but they are not all knowing and may be caught by surprise and just as surely they are unable to assure the safety and well being of mortals. All bow before the wrath of nature.

    What Drawmij could do, however, was mitigate the damage, at least locally. He might offer protection from the wave to some small areas of the coast that also enjoyed a degree of natural protection as well. His wizardry would augment the natural protections - hills, cliffs, outcroppings of rock - and likely spare lives and property damage in these areas. He would, however, be able to concentrate his efforts in only very select areas if his magics were to be effective and not be spread too thin. Time would not allow for better or to sound a more general warning and call for help. While Drawmij was well connected in wizardly circles, he had lately withdrawn from much congress with the Circle of Eight, whose members would not be reliably available in any event, being occupied with their own business. Drawmij would stand alone.

    The choice of which areas to protect was obvious - Gradsul and Gyrax - large cities that commanded the southern coast. If both were destroyed, all of the southern Sheldomar Valley would stand open to invasion from the Pomarj, whose coasts, which would be equally devastated, held but a fraction of that lands fell might. Unfortunately, both cities were too large to protect in total and the necessary natural protections that could be augmented only existed in select locations. In both instances, these locations were hills upon which government and other important structures were located. Drawmij could protect the city-centers of Gradsul and Gyrax but the remainder of each city would be destroyed. Drawmij could do nothing for the rest of the coastlines that would be effected.

    In Keoland proper, the great mages of that land were caught entirely unawares and has no time to react when the approach of the wave became evident. The wave itself was too great a natural force to be amenable to any one mage’s power, even Drawmij. While the Silent Ones or other of Keoland’s mighty mages might have been able to do more acting in concert, there was no time for the preparations that would be necessary before such magics could be marshalled. When the waves hit, the destruction was nearly total outside of those areas Drawmij had been able to shield. Worse the wave moved up the Sheldomar River for nearly 100 miles, flooding farmland and inundating this heavily populated area. Striking at Richfest, Keoland’s harvest was decimated. The threat of famine now hung over the southern kingdom. Initial relief efforts were halting, as no natural event of this magnitude had happened since the Migrations. As Keoland bent to the task of recovery, every resource was marshaled to aid the stricken areas. While Keoland would survive and prosper in a very short time, she would have little or no effort to spare for other than recovering from the devastation of the wave for at least several years.
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    Sat May 14, 2005 10:10 pm  

    Quote:
    If you don't like the idea of a eruption/tsunami event, WHY POST IN THIS THREAD?


    Chatdemon I never said that I didn't like the tsunami event. You obviously didn't read very carefully.

    Oceanography is something I used to study. I recognize that this is a fantasy world, but I thought some real world physics would be useful here.

    But if that perspective doesn't interest you... Idea just ignore it.
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    Sat May 14, 2005 10:55 pm  

    Not to derail the topic much longer, here is some evidence to help out those who want some realism to this scenario:


    (From Wikipedia)
    Lituya Bay is a fjord (inlet) located in Alaska.

    Three glaciers spill into Lituya Bay. The bay is famous for its extremely high tides. The entrance of the bay is very narrow, and the tides going into and out of the bay through the entrance also cause very treacherous currents.

    The same topography that leads to the heavy tidal currents also created the highest tsunami wave ever recorded anywhere in the world. An earthquake and landslide in Crillon Inlet at the head of the bay on July 10, 1958 generated a monstrous megatsunami more than 500 m high, which stripped trees and soil from the opposite headland and consumed the entire bay


    500 METERS high, I ain't good with metric would someone help me convert that to feet Wink

    Carry On.
    Adept Greytalker

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    Sun May 15, 2005 8:41 am  

    Crag wrote:


    In all the posts, I fail to see the level of rudeness and antagonism your post is dripping with, if you don't want honest opinions but instead want a forum full of fanboys applauding in unison, please mention it in the thread topic first, so their isn't another misunderstanding.


    Ok, no problem.

    If all you plan to contribute is unfounded criticism, please do not post in this thread.

    Better?
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    Sun May 15, 2005 8:44 am  

    ando_tane wrote:
    Quote:
    If you don't like the idea of a eruption/tsunami event, WHY POST IN THIS THREAD?


    Chatdemon I never said that I didn't like the tsunami event. You obviously didn't read very carefully.

    Oceanography is something I used to study. I recognize that this is a fantasy world, but I thought some real world physics would be useful here.

    But if that perspective doesn't interest you... Idea just ignore it.


    I am ignoring no evidence.

    Forget about the Indian Ocean Tsunami. Let's talk volcanoes in the Canary Islands. There is evidence to support the theory that it has had cone collapse level eruptions before, and that those eruptions caused waves the size I'm talking about as far away as New York City.

    Comparing the Indian Ocean tsunami to what I suggested is apples and oranges.
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    Sun May 15, 2005 8:46 am  

    mortellan wrote:

    500 METERS high, I ain't good with metric would someone help me convert that to feet Wink


    Roughly 1500 feet, or well over 1/4 mile.

    Saying that a 200 foot wave is unrealistic is nonsense.
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    Sun May 15, 2005 8:51 am  

    Crag wrote:

    Since only a select group of posters opinions on this forum actually count in your view, contributors, please would you mind posting the names of the members in this priviledged clique so all the "common posters" know which topics we are suppose to avoid.

    I apologize to any poster offended by this post but I feel civil debate should be encouraged on these boards, remember we are all GH fans.


    In two consecutive threads, and article comments left by you on my last submission, you've done nothing but contradict EVERYTHING I've written without foundation or even basic acknowledgement of what I've actually written.

    When you want to contribute to something I'm discussing, and not dismiss it due to canon or whatever, feel free to jump in. Clear?
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    Sun May 15, 2005 10:18 am  

    If you're not going to act like gentlemen, this thread will be shut down. Replies to me only, not in this thread.

    -G
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    Sun May 15, 2005 10:23 am  

    Look, I'm very familiar with the Lituya Bay incident. I produced educational materials on Oceans, and spent a lot of time studying Tsunami.

    As you guys pointed out the reason the Tsunami was so large in that incident was because of the mountains on all sides (like Fjords in Norway, very narrow and high).

    The wave was 500 meters ONLY IN THE BAY, it was bearly percieved elsewhere.

    As for the Canary Islands thing fair enough. I was just trying to say that these kinds of events do MUCH MORE damage than you're talking about (on par with a moderately sized astreroid striking the earth).

    And on the "third world hell hole" vs. US comment, your quite mistaken if you think a 20-25' wave wouldn't cause MASSIVE damage in the US. Being from Fort Meyers, you should know that hurricanes cause very severe damage from 10-15 feet of storm surge (the water causes more damage than the wind usually). It's a exponential relationship, 2x the wave height casues drastically more damage.

    The difference in the US is the RECOVERY would be faster because of all the roads and infrastructure that would permit food to get in, relief personel, reconstruction aid, etc. With Tsunami warning systems, you might also avoid the large death toll. But the damage would be massive.

    And I'd say Keoland has a lot more in common with the third world than the US anyway (dirt or gravel roads, foot or horse travel most common).

    Anyway, this is a fantasy world and I recognize that, and I'm not trying to hold you back from whatever you want to do. But just because I havn't contributed zillions of hours to Canonfire, doesn't mean that I don't know what I'm talking about on the subject of Tsunami.

    And that's why I posted on your thread... trying to help, you know?

    I think I'm just more surprised than anything that it's become an issue. Not trying to make waves (pardon the pun).
    Master Greytalker

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    Sun May 15, 2005 11:50 am  

    Thank-you ando_tane for your post,

    Again everyone, I am not against the volcano tsumani event.

    I don't want too get caught up in a scientific debate either, my concern is the SCALE of destruction proposed and the harm to the gameworld to reposition the olman.

    I just feel the event as written takes a sledgehammer when a scapel is sufficent. If you disagree, fine convince me...why is this level of devastation neccessay?

    Wouldn't a smaller wave, less damage but still a diaster with the resulting flooding and chaos still provide ample rationale for the olman to seize power, without in effect erasing the coastal cities?

    chatdemon this is not a personal attack, just a question...

    In fact the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of some order being established once again in the Hold and using it to "showcase" the olman race and culture within GH, I just question whether the means have to be so draconian.
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    Sun May 15, 2005 1:29 pm  

    Crag wrote:
    I don't want too get caught up in a scientific debate either, my concern is the SCALE of destruction proposed and the harm to the gameworld to reposition the olman.


    Actually, I'm not sure that was Chatdemon's intent. In the Greychat, we talked about getting rid of Cauldron via an eruption. There was no specific discussion of a tidal wave or using such an event to reposition the Olman.

    When I saw Chatdemon's post and invitation to riff on it, I decided to kill two birds with one stone. Smile That may have been Chatdemon's intention too, but I do not know that is true. Question

    I read Chatdemon's post as an invititation to explore "what if," not "what must be," in a creative way by spinning out scenarios, "in character" so to speak, rather than just discussing the possibilities in a more clinical way. I thought everyone would contribute follow-up scenarios and that such might conflict with one another or might build on one another, sort of like an impromptu postfest. Happy Or like jazz - Chatdemon laid down the basic groove, now people can pick that up and take it places, others doing their own takes direct from Chatdemon's initial post or others' follow up posts. Cool

    So, I took the opportunity to give the Olman some stage time, then remembered that Drawmij would be in the area and unlikely to sit things out. Someone else could go a totally different way - no Olman and the Brotherhood launches a conquest of southern Keoland in the wake of the destruction etc. Or could riff off what I did. Or go someplace completely different as the wave had far ranging impact.

    I did not think we were deciding on a single scenario but were supposed to come up with multiple scenarios, however you saw it, but all "in character." Kind of the the "Infinite Planes" thread that got moved to The Planes folder (turns out maybe not the best decision that, to get a continuous input, as the thread languishes there Sad ).

    Of course, I could have misread. Confused

    One thing that has come through in the responses to Chatdemon's initial post that have looked at the scenario "out of character" is a question of how much change is acceptible. Not meaning to derail or hijack the thread but the question of "changing" the setting is of great interest to me. While I know people don't want a succession of Greyhawk War level events, I am just as certain that any relaunch of the setting will entail some significant reordering to justfy the relaunch. A recodification is just not in the cards with any relaunch, realistically, as it is not believed the present GH would "sell."

    So, how much change is too much? I don't know the answer but before any relaunch by the IP holder, that question will inevitably come up.

    Happy
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    Sun May 15, 2005 1:34 pm  

    I don't think you need to apologize Crag, I think quite a few people share your view, and this is a public board. A death toll well into the six figures and the wholesale destruction of several important cities of the Flanaess is naturally anathema to several of us who've been running GH campaigns for many years and have a lot invested in their little 'worlds'.

    As you say, the desired goal here seems to be the revitalization and reinvention of the Olman peoples, and everyone who's posted on this thread seems to have interest in that cause - or they wouldn't be posting here in the first place.

    Here's a question - what if there IS a major volcanic event, and Ixamkal blows its top, but the damage is largely confined to Jeklea Bay and its coasts (consistent with the Lituya Bay example above)? Glancing at the map, it seems plausible that the Sea Princes' coastline, the northern peninsula of the Amedio, and the Isles that ring the mouth of the bay would take the great brunt of the ensuing tidal waves (Port Toli WOULD almost certainly be destroyed, and Monmurg would be damaged).

    Killing 50,000 people (or 500,000, depending on what population numbers you use) and destroying Gradsul doesn't seem to me to be a necessary condition in making this scenario work. Which isn't to say that Gradsul wouldn't feel some of the effects of this volcano - just that I wouldn't have to throw away the maps and notes I've worked up over the years for the city.

    So which is it - is this thread open for discussion and amendment, or not? If not, maybe chatdemon and GV should just grab each other's email addresses and work up a piece on their own - and then publish it on Canonfire, of course...
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    Sun May 15, 2005 2:45 pm  

    I'm not getting into a whole debate, but some of these questions need a few answers, or at least real-life examples. Let's lead off with two real-life volcanos to consider, though -- Mt. Vesuvius, and Krakatoa.

    Crag wrote:
    No large scale evacuations?

    Those barely work in the real world, let alone medieval Greyhawk. I think you're assuming a much greater connectivity than can possibly exist -- a crystal ball isn't a telephone. You can't simply grab the phone book and start calling people in Little Nowhere, Keoland (most of whom won't believe you anyways). If India and Thailand couldn't organize large scale evacuations, the SB can't.

    Crag wrote:
    No one had time to prepare or react to minimze or stop the damage on the scale presented?

    Again, lack of communication + lack of time; see next question.

    Crag wrote:
    Do volcanoes even erupt this way most rumble or show signs for weeks if not months before erupting.

    Absolutely. The #1 thing scientists know about volcanoes is that they don't really know all that much. While most/many eruptions are preceded by bulging, increased seismic activity, and minor eruptions, this is a) by no means a given, and b) no indication of an eruption. A volcano may present all, some, or none of those traits for any period of time before erupting, or not erupting, as the case may be. Volcanoes often exhibit varying amounts of activity for -years- without ever suffering a major eruption.
    Also, many of these phenomena are only detectable with modern equipment and record-keeping.

    Crag wrote:
    So much for GH rebuilding itself the last few years after the GH wars, here is another Oerth shattering event.

    I feel sorry for the citizens of GH remember when all they had to worry about was an evil wizard or humanoid warband, now it seems major wars, demon armies, ether invasions, coups and assassinations are occuring far to frequently and now we can add catatrosphic natural diasters.


    It's human nature, I suspect, and by "human" I mean on the designer's parts, not the characters. If you want to effect change, you can either do it the fast way (fiendish invasion, volcano) or the slow way (advance the timeline 150 years). Personally, I favor the second, but it is a sort of "board-clearing" move -- 90% of the NPCs disappear, and -everything- realigns equally. The former allows more continuity of game material pre- and post- event, and keeps everything in the "now" -- giving us the subconcious impression our changes are more relevant, not to mention dramatic.

    Crag wrote:
    My GH has become a busy place.

    The option being stagnation and a slow death, I'll take busy.

    Cheers
    Nell.
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    Sun May 15, 2005 5:01 pm  

    Crag wrote:

    I don't want too get caught up in a scientific debate either, my concern is the SCALE of destruction proposed and the harm to the gameworld to reposition the olman.


    Note: In my original post here, nothing is said about restoring the Olman empire. Nothing. That is something GVD added. I like where he went with it, but it was not part of my scenario.
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    Sun May 15, 2005 6:58 pm  

    Crag wrote:
    I have to absorb this, but doesn't it seem a bit exterme.

    Where were the Gods, pick a pantheon?


    See next post
    Quote:

    Druids?


    Given the lack of warning and short timeline, druids are generally powerless to stop the event. Some small areas of the affected cities might be aided, but not enough to change the overall outcome.

    Quote:

    Circle of Eight?


    See the explanation for the druids, above. Also, aside from Drawmij, who's abode is at ground zero of the event, it's a huge leap to assume that the circle, aside from a overly goodly type like Jallarzi, would necessarily care enough to try and intervene.

    Quote:
    SB weather wizards?


    The wave caused by the Ixamkal eruption is not weather.

    Quote:
    Various city mage Guilds?


    Aside from Drawmij, no mages in any of the affected cities are "epic" enough to do anything substantial to stop the wave.

    Quote:
    No large scale evacuations? No one had time to prepare or react to minimze or stop the damage on the scale presented?


    Given the time frame? No. The people of Gradsul, for example, wouldn't know about the wave on any large scale until they saw it, a mere minute or two before they are hit by it.

    Quote:
    Do volcanoes even erupt this way most rumble or show signs for weeks if not months before erupting.


    Aside from the comments by others about the unpredictable nature of volcanoes and the lack of proper technology in the flanaess to measure activity, there is also the matter of Ixamkal's location. It's nearly 500 miles from the nearest noteworthy city in the Flanaess, who's going to notice if it starts to rumble?
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    Sun May 15, 2005 7:02 pm  

    oops
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    Sun May 15, 2005 7:07 pm  

    ando_tane wrote:

    And on the "third world hell hole" vs. US comment, your quite mistaken if you think a 20-25' wave wouldn't cause MASSIVE damage in the US. Being from Fort Meyers, you should know that hurricanes cause very severe damage from 10-15 feet of storm surge (the water causes more damage than the wind usually). It's a exponential relationship, 2x the wave height casues drastically more damage.


    Not true in Ft Myers, or Punta Gorda, which was levelled by Hurricane Charlie, on a scale similar to what I'm suggesting. The wind did the majority of damage. Flooding was an issue, but not the deciding one.
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    Sun May 15, 2005 7:28 pm  

    Crag wrote:
    I have to absorb this, but doesn't it seem a bit exterme.

    Where were the Gods, pick a pantheon?


    Deep Sashelas The sea elves and undersea realms would suffer little devastation, except at the point in the jeklea where the mass of Mt Ixamkal falls into the water. Those sea elves may have recieved urgent warnings shortly before the eruption and fled.

    Eadro Same deal as Sashelas

    Huhueteotl His fire aspect would grant him foreknowledge of the eruption, but he's chaotic evil, why would he try and warn folks to save them?

    Incabulos His disasters aspect would grant him foreknowledge of the eruption and the wave, but again, he's evil, he'd revel in the destruction.

    Joramy She's the goddess of volcanoes, certainly not going to try and stop the eruption. As for the wave, it's entirely outside her portfolio, she'd be just as surprised as anyone, unprepared to help. Besides, just how trusted are clerics of the volcano goddess in the affected cities?

    Nerull The god of death would revel in destruction of this magnitude.

    Osprem Possibly has foreknowledge of the event, and warns ships to leave the area. But how much advance warning, and how many captains listen?

    Procan See Osprem and Deep Sashelas.

    Pyremius Evil god of fire and murder, enough said.

    Tsolorandril This is the best last hope for warning people of the impending doom, but do its clerics have any credibility in the cities affected?


    The other goodly and defense/protection type gods would try, futiley, to help, but the lack of forewarning and inability to intervene directly on oerth ensures that they can't do much on a large scale. Rallying and coordinatiing enough epic clerics in a 1 or 2 hours time frame isn't feasible.
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    Sun May 15, 2005 8:54 pm  

    I have posted some ideas about this in the EpicHawk folder here: http://www.canonfire.com/cf/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=1295&sid=c0e5219e0aa29fa718fb84735538271d

    An alternate is Joramy and Pyremius trying to control or bind it away.
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    Sun May 15, 2005 11:44 pm  

    I am aware the olman idea wasn't in your original post chat, I included it since that is where the conversation ended up.

    Personally I like the olman angle as do many other posters, it provides a reason for the event beyond "I want something big" reasoning...

    If GH is going to go through such upheaval, I'd like a plan to capitalize on the aftermath.
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    Mon May 16, 2005 7:54 am  

    GH and the forum explode over the weekend!

    First, although I have no intent on using these ideas, I think they are great. I was particularly impressed by GDV’s Olman line. Of all the good ideas here, that was most creative in style and setting detail in response the to the thread idea.

    I don’t think even a monstrous volcano, by itself, would have much tidal wave effect outside Jerlea bay, except around maybe Scant. A mountain slide into the water would likely create one, but debris falling from the sky would probably disperse the energy over time and space and thus not create the wave. However, there might be acid rain and other weather effects across a much larger area. A year of winter?

    As Nellisir pointed out, the coastline of the Hold would contain a wave. In particular, I think the islands of Flotsom, etc. would prevent almost all of it from ever reaching Keoland.

    On a related note, those islands seem to me to be patterned off Cuba, etc. Cuba, etc. has deep sea trenches around it. I think I am correct in saying that the islands are mini continents with inactive subduction zones. If that is true for Flotsom, etc., such an eruption could jar the faults and cause secondary undersea earthquakes spawning tidal waves going in any direction, depending on which side the trenches are located.

    Two full moons? Maybe this would be wrong for canon, but what about moons in alignment with gravitational pulls helping to cause the event. Luna eclipsing Celene? I thought I saw a discussion of a third dark moon on Greytalk. Three in alignment?

    I would think that ships deep at sea would be largely unaffected by a tidal wave as they generally reach great heights in shallow waters.

    How can you have such a volcanic event without involving the Fire Giants? Volcano’s also create gems, so something to rival the Jacinth would not be out of order. Perhaps Jerlea is now littered with geodes.
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    Mon May 16, 2005 9:52 am  

    We all could sit down and think up a catatrosphic immediate event...natural, magical or cosmic...it becomes a "fait accompli" and everyone feels helpless as they see the gameworld change.

    Asteroid strike
    Millions of fiends erupt from rauxes, its a gateway
    Overnight the glacial black ice swallows up the north

    The irony of this is that some of the posters who dislike the "GH Wars" because it was just handed down from above and drastically altered the gameworld, are now advocating another more drastic "fait accompli".
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    Mon May 16, 2005 10:41 am  

    er, what? The Greyhawk Wars was an 'official' change that came essentially out of the blue from the publisher. The problem with it was that it radically changed the gameworld on all the existing users, guaranteeing that future published material would be increasingly out ot touch with their home campaigns unless they followed along with it.

    A thread like this is entirely different issue. Being homebrew, it has none of those issues. One, little GH material is expected to see print in the future. Two, its a change decided on by the DMs not the publisher. Three, messing up the Keoish coastline is not a radical reordering of the whole world.

    Anyway, what's the big deal? If you don't like the idea, don't use it. I'm not going to, though its interesting to see what folks think of.
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    Mon May 16, 2005 1:12 pm  

    Ofcourse I know the wars was official and this isn't...sigh

    All I am saying is that what these two ideas have in common is a desire for radical change, personally if I am playing, for continuity and ease of use for future player generated material (all their is for the near future it seems), hopefully this community and GH admirers can generally agree on the broad status of the world.

    Which makes some kind of concensus among the forum beneficial, GH is fractured enough and I enjoy the Canonfire material.

    I would hate to see in the future articles divided between prevolcanic and post volcanic eruption.
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    Mon May 16, 2005 2:31 pm  

    well, that hardly seems likely. And quite a lot of the material on canonfire is mutually contradictory as it is, so I don't think you'd notice a big difference even if it was. Maybe its different for you, but I've never seen an article I can use whole cloth. It always has to be sent to the tailor first.

    Anyway, I know you can distinguish between official and unofficial. My point was that your comment about folks liking one and not liking another was misplaced, because the reasons for disliking the Wars don't apply, even if you feel a major tidal wave is an equivalently catastrophic event (which I don't).
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    Mon May 16, 2005 2:31 pm  

    Wolfsire wrote:
    I don’t think even a monstrous volcano, by itself, would have much tidal wave effect outside Jerlea bay, except around maybe Scant. A mountain slide into the water would likely create one, but debris falling from the sky would probably disperse the energy over time and space and thus not create the wave. However, there might be acid rain and other weather effects across a much larger area. A year of winter?


    I think the initial post had something like 3/4's of the mountain "going away". I assumed a large chunk of that simply blew into the ocean, not into the sky.
    1/2 a mountain would create one hell of a wave, and the thing waves do best is travel. A undersea landslide in CA will create waves in Japan. Until those suckers hit something, they just move.

    Wolfsire wrote:
    As Nellisir pointed out, the coastline of the Hold would contain a wave. In particular, I think the islands of Flotsom, etc. would prevent almost all of it from ever reaching Keoland.

    Touched as I am, I don't think it was me. I haven't cracked a map to see exactly what Chatdemon's wiped away.

    Wolfsire wrote:
    Perhaps Jerlea is now littered with geodes.

    That's a cool idea.
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    Tue May 17, 2005 5:54 am  

    This might be relevent to discussions of the scale of the event and it's aftermath:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3963563.stm
    There's a couple of links off the article to relevent research institutes

    In summary, the scale of the wave depends on the amount of material dumped into the sea/size of the shift in the seafloor. So if you want big waves, you need a big splash. :)

    It would be interesting to know if there's some sort of rough formula linking the amount of water displaced and the size of the wave at coasts radiating out from the impact zone.

    As for the shielding effect of coastlines - yes, they can, but don't forget that waves can diffract or bend around corners. The effect will be less than a direct hit, but you'll still get it, if you're close enough. For example, look at how far up India's west coast the tsunami of December last reached. I guess it'd be a factor of distance from epicentre and magnitude of the event/wave.

    For how a pre-modern society might deal with a volanic eruption - I reccomend Pompei by Robert Harris, a historical novel set in the Roman city in the weeks immediately before the eruption that buried it.

    In general though, there's very little that mages and priests could do in the case to do anything other than protect a few very localised areas. Drawmij is the most obvious personage of power who'd be able to effect things. The question is, if all of the factions around the Azure suffer more or less equally, would be bother doing anything? After all, he's a servent of the Balance, rather than a servent of good. Or would be have some sort of emotional attachment to Keoland and Gradsul in particular?

    As for the Gods, they can't intercede other than through their priests. As CD pointed out - even if you've got every priest of Procan in the city yelling the end is nigh - how many are going to believe him (that's assuming the priests of the sea gods don't accept it as their lord's punishment on land-dwellers)? Even if they do believe them, how many are going to be able to flee in time? As others have pointed out, in an essentially medieval setting, there's no way to perform mass evacuations in the space of time we're talking here.

    I'm not sure about the flooding upriver along the Sheldomar though? Is this something that's likely to happen in events of that scale? Would it really cause a widespread famine? Giv.en medieval rates of transport and the perishibility of food, I can see there'd be starvation and disease in the disaster area, but in the kingdom as a whole?.

    Undersea creatures not in the immediate radius of the eruption or too close to the coastlines would be largely unaffected by the tsunami. In deep water the waves just propagate through, only building and rising as you hit shallow waters and breaking when it hits the coast

    It's a pretty interesting idea (and you get rid of Cauldron!). The only reservation from my POV is that it'd set back the whole build up to a major naval war in the Azure Sea that's been brewing since the Greyhawk Wars. It would also be the end of the Scarlet Brotherhood's overseas domains around the Azure. However, with the Lords of the Isles and the fact that a goodly portion of the Brotherhood fleet isn't based in the Azure, it would go a long way to reestablishing Brotherhood dominance in the Azure Sea, which has been eroding steadily since the end of the Wars. Ahlissa might lose it's nascent fleet in Naerie, but Prymp would probably escape the brunt of the damage. Keoland would be shafted unless Drawmij personally intercede to save the fleet riding at anchor there.

    Just some random thoughts and comments.

    P.


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    Tue May 17, 2005 6:45 am  

    Quote:
    I would hate to see in the future articles divided between prevolcanic and post volcanic eruption.
    The chances of this happening are slim. Most people who write here do so from an official source as a starting place and only in special instances will other people build an article purely off of another CF article's deviation. A topic like this could belong in a special forum category...'What if'. Such a forum could cover other what ifs like what if Vecna was victorious or what if the Isles of Woe didn't sink.

    Quote:
    The only reservation from my POV is that it'd set back the whole build up to a major naval war in the Azure Sea that's been brewing since the Greyhawk Wars.
    Now that is another scenario I'd thoroughly love to see discussed, that is if we could all figure out what sort of naval tech the various nations have. Wink
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    Tue May 17, 2005 7:10 am  

    My bad, Nellisir. To give credit where it it due, it was Btgrover that wrote: “Glancing at the map, it seems plausible that the Sea Princes' coastline, the northern peninsula of the Amedio, and the Isles that ring the mouth of the bay would take the great brunt of the ensuing tidal waves (Port Toli WOULD almost certainly be destroyed, and Monmurg would be damaged).”
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    Tue May 17, 2005 10:35 am  

    A thought...

    Rather than weaken the SB, wouldn't an event like this end up strengthening the SB stranglehold on the Jungle.

    I mean the amedio jungle "villages" and coastal SB forts are wiped out but given the SB came out of the wars is good shape, resource wise and as woe said most of their fleet would survive how hard would it be for the SB to rebuild the forts, are we taking large stone trade ports or simple palisade warehouse / dock that can be quickly rebuilt.

    As for the northern amedio suel, the diaster and the loss of the villages would be an obvious SB recruiters dream since signing up and leaving the jungle becomes much more attractive and an opportunity to strengthen their hold on the suel, by providing their "allies" support and help to rebuild

    In a year that olman army of GVD may find itself cut off and stranded in the north, this eruption could be the best thing that ever happened to the scarlet sign.
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    Sat Jul 23, 2005 1:06 am  

    Crag wrote:

    Personally I like the olman angle as do many other posters, it provides a reason for the event beyond "I want something big" reasoning...



    The reason for the event, aside from my stated dislike of the Cauldron series material, is simple. I had a volcano in nearly the same locale as the cauldron one long before Dungeon put it there.

    I had a ruined, pompeii like city, Tonach, there quite a few years ago. Whenever new material comes about that contradicts material I have dont for my campaign, I try to explain why I am not using the new material, mostly for my players' sanity, but also for my own eog.

    A new city atop the cone of a major volcano in my campaign was unacceptable. A quick way to remedy that was to have Ixamkal erupt again. Trashing the rest of the region a bit to stir things up was an after thought, one I have not actually pursued in my campaign material.
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    Mon Jul 25, 2005 8:20 am  

    chatdemon wrote:
    The reason for the event, aside from my stated dislike of the Cauldron series material, is simple. I had a volcano in nearly the same locale as the cauldron one long before Dungeon put it there.


    Another reason not to like the Cauldron - It costs $60 in the new hardback from Paizo. Even if someone does not have the issue, for the tangental "Greyness" of the "Shackled City Adventure Path," I don't think it is worth $60. Even as just a game product, I think $60 overvalues the material. The fanboys of Dungeon better turn out in numbers to buy this or Paizo is going to get spanked.
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    Mon Nov 07, 2005 8:32 am  
    Re: Joramy's Wrath (or: Volcanoes and Tsunamis, oh my!)

    chatdemon wrote:
    This is the rough outline of events for a plot thread discussed heavily at last nights chat. All the details proposed by those involved will be added, and we welcome input from everyone!

    Help flesh out the event, suggest possibilities for adventure in the aftermath, whatever.

    Richfest 4th, 595 cy

    At about 5 am in the morning, under the light of both full moons, the long dormant volcano Ixamkal, known by some in the Flannaes as Cauldron, erupted with horrible ferocity, throwing a full 3/4 of its mass into Jeklea Bay. The roar of the blast could be heard as far away as Jotsplat (about 2 hours later).

    The sudden dumping of that much earth into the bay created a tsunami of incredible size and power, wreaking the following havoc on the cities of the Jeklea and Azure coasts:

    [list]
    . . .
    [*]6:30am Gradsul is hit by the full 185 foot force of the wave, lacking any shielding at all, damage and casualties are estimated at 99%
    [*]6:40am Gryrax is hit by the full 175 foot force of the wave, being located in higher, rockier terrain that Gradsul, it is spared a little of the damage. Damage and casualties estimated at 90%
    . . .
    Ok, that's the basic set up. I'll begin posting some of the ideas and details we hashed out as the weekend progresses, but wanted to give folks a chance to jump in on the fun.

    Let's shake up the setting a bit and see what the CF users can come up with!


    Turns out something very like this is canon. In the Gluttony adventure setup in Dungeon 98, Keoland is hit by a "tsunami" that eventually reaches the Lortmils! That's canon. Keoland is noted as heavily damaged. Duh.

    Because it is a setup for the adventure, however, the precise area of destruction is not set out. Reference is only to the "Sheldomar Valley," which one might interpret to mean the areas right around the Sheldomar River, limiting the area effected. In fact, as far north as the Lortmils, it might well mean heavy flooding and not an actual tidal wave that far north. This seems a logical interpretation to me.

    There is also some confusion in the adventure as the author at times appears to refer to the "tsunami" as a storm. Perhaps, the tsunami was accompanied by a simultaneous storm. Depending on the origin of the tsunami, this might make sense.

    But in all events, there is canon for Keoland getting hit and damaged by a "tsunami" with neither Drawmij, nor Sea Mages, nor Silent Ones to the rescue to prevent significant damage. Looks like Chatdemon was substantially on the right track.
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    Mon Nov 07, 2005 1:45 pm  

    Pardon my ignorance, but I get the impression from some posts that Caldron from Shackled City has some canonical placement in Oerth. Did I get that right, and if so, where is it? I used the city (but not the path) in a Greyhawk campaign, and placed Caldron in the Yatils near Perrenland (I had good reasons at the time, but have since forgotten them).
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    Mon Nov 07, 2005 6:04 pm  

    It was placed on the southern shore of Jeklea bay, the hex of the Hellfurnaces that abuts the Amedio Jungle and the Bay. Due south of Niole Dra.
    GreySage

    Joined: Aug 03, 2001
    Posts: 3310
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    Mon Nov 07, 2005 6:56 pm  

    Approximately here?

    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: Sep 08, 2002
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    From: Finland

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    Sat Nov 12, 2005 9:27 am  
    Re: Joramy's Wrath (or: Volcanoes and Tsunamis, oh my!)

    Here is my take on subject, involving non-canon elements of our Living Greyhawk region. You don't like LG, I don't care.

    First of all, even if a 3/4 of a mountain fell into the sea, I believe that while being extremely powerful force, the power would go down in it's hundreds of miles of travel across the sea. I work with assumption that suitably large earthquake would have been included, as tsunami caused by it travels much further underwater, as seen in case of Asian tsunami which cause waves all they way in Africa.

    Also, New Keep is in Sunndi, so it won't be affected by Tsunami. Underwater tsunami also means that large scale destruction of ships would not happen in eastern Azure Sea, while near the eruption the massive flood caused by volcano would see that most ships there are destroyed.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In the early morning hours (6.30 Keoland time), a man appeared out of nowhere to the temple of Zilchus in Naerie City. He was quite well known to everyone, Captain Gerdan of the merchant vessel 'Stallion', running regular route to Keoland. His ship was setting sail in the early morning hours when a massive wave hit Gradsul. Gerdan was only saved by his 'life insurance', an amulet with 'Word of Recall' spell bound into it, enabling him to instantly move to Naerie City.

    By 6.35, high priest Yarleven had been summoned and casting of divination spells began. Apprentices were sent to alert Prince Barzhaan, Nasranite Watch (City guard) and wizard Eurynymos in case the divinations spells would require alerts

    By 6.50, divination spells revealed a danger to the city. Nasranite Watch was told to immediately to remove anyone from the harbor and secure the gates leading to and from it. Instructions were also given to afterwards remove every resident on the areas which were next to the wall (Build by using captive Brotherhood soldiers) that seperated harbor from rest of the city

    Due to magical disturbance that occured in Richfest 594 CY and killed dozens of people and wounded many more, Nasranite Watch is not questioned as they bang the doors and tell people to move away. Few dissenting voices are heard but officers quickly silence them.

    7.05 Wizard Eurynymos arrives and is told to communicate a warning to other towns using 'sending' spell.

    7.35, Poelitz, Gornor's Cove and Felten (in this order) have been warned.

    7.40. Prince Barzhaan and his court evacuate Naerie City. General warning is given to population to leave. Panic starts in some of the districts.

    7.50: evacuation of living areas near the harbor complete. Before magically moving away, Eyrynymos sends one more message to 2nd army of Naerie to break camp and move near the city in event of law and order breaking down.

    8.00. Magical sending arrives from Relaster Heshun in Poelitz. Witnessing destruction while flying above the city, it is learned that Poelitz has suffered massive damage. The port and poor districts appear to have been completely washed away. Only the new center, build by dwur hands is still standing, but severely flooded. Casualties are estimated at hundreds. While half-orc Brute squads had started to move people out, due to time it took for a warning to arrive, not much could be done.

    8.05. Jarlstun Estuary is hit by wave and completely destroyed. Tsunami causes severe flooding in Shimmering stream, causing flooding on several small villages along it, washing away houses but casualties are relatively light.

    Lake Felten gets it's share of flooding, as well as town of Felten but being many miles inland, large damage is avoided.

    8.10. Gornor's Cove is hit by tsunami. Being partially shielded by terrain, full brunt of the wave does not hit the city, but casualties are still severe. No ship in harbor escapes damage, some of them carried by water on the hills next to the town. Tomb of Saint Idee of the Sails escapes damage, being hundreds of feet above the town.

    An enclave of Procan Worshippers near the town is completely wiped out.

    8.15 Tsunami hits Naerie city. Because of it's nature, ships that moved into the sea are actually safe from it as it passes underneath, gathering strenght when it comes into shallow waters.

    Sea walls and fortifications, build against Scarlet Brotherhood by Brotherhood captives bear the brunt off tsunami, along with a new wave breaker. When wave hit's the harbor, it crushes several vessels and damages all the others. Most of the wooden structures in harbor are destroyed.

    Stonewall surrounding the harbor and the city walls however hold in most places, some breaches appear though, allowing water into city. Few gates fail as well, leading to more flooding in the city. Some of the more older buildings collapse but because of succesful evacuation by Nasranite Watch and the tragedy of Richfest 594 CY still in mind, large number of casualties are avoided as people move away in orderly fashion.

    Many people are trampled to death in northern district however, as panic ensues. Few desperate individuals start looting in the harbor and Nasranite watch moves in, with orders from Captain Belva and Damar Rocharion to arrest every one of them and kill any who resist.

    Aftermath:

    Brotherhood soldiers still in labor camps would be herded in to the town to clear the streets and help in re-building, as well as other parts of the principality as well.

    Lands around Poelitz and House Heshun would be decimated and most likely be taken over by ruling house Haxx. 'Temporarily' of course.

    Gornor's Cove would be given over to priesthood of Osprem to make sure civil disturbances would be kept to minimum during re-building. If need be, some long lost relative of House Lyrthi (who's head was killed in tsunami) could always appear later to claim the land.

    Majority of the food production (major import in Naerie) would not suffer at all from this crisis, but some drastic measures would be incorporated to ensure Principality get's on it's feet. Imports would certainly fall.

    Damage to fleet would take at least 1-2 years to rebuild. Situation with Poelitz and Gornor' Cove would be more serious and it would take several years for these areas to get back on their feet. Scarlet Brotherhood (and evil cults) might use this opportunity to infiltrate their agents into Naerie. Large scale invasion would not happen as SB's fleet was decimated as well.

    Some Trithereon extremists in Sunndi might call for an attack against Principality in this moment of weakness but as any foreign support would most likely be not so forthcoming, king Hazendel rejects their ideas, knowing full well that aside from the fleet, army of Naerie suffered hardly any casualties.

    That's my take on the situation.

    S.H, the guy from Naerie
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