Weather in Blackmoor

[aldarron]

Its no secret that I think TSR really butchered Arnesons Blackmoor in the DA series, but most of the time there seems to be some purpose behind all the radical changes, mostly to shoehorn it into the TSR Mystara product line I suppose. Even so, I can't imagine what the thinking was with the following nonsense in DA1:

"It is the freezing current from the Firefrost channel that gives Blackmoor its temperate climate (which would otherwise be almost sub-tropical) p 43-44.

If the "North" is normally sub tropical then the south - Thonia etc must be a Tropical/equatorial land.

Simply put, I don't think so, but its really the only clue I've seen yet (still looking) on the weather of Blackmoor.

What are the seasons like? Is it wet and rainy? Foggy? prone to heavy snows or no snow at all? sunny? Any ideas?

[Havard]

Good question Dan! Although I strongly disagree with your assessment of the DA series, I will agree that the statements about the climate make little sense. IMC I have taken the term "the North" as meaning something more than just its relative position to Thonia.

I see the climate of Blackmoor as something similar to Northern Europe or Britain. The Climate of the Skandaharian Lands would be similar to that of Scandinavia. Thonia's climate would range from southern to central Europe.

-Havard

[aldarron]

Good question Dan! Although I strongly disagree with your assessment of the DA series, I will agree that the statements about the climate make little sense. IMC I have taken the term "the North" as meaning something more than just its relative position to Thonia.

I see the climate of Blackmoor as something similar to Northern Europe or Britain. The Climate of the Skandaharian Lands would be similar to that of Scandinavia. Thonia's climate would range from southern to central Europe.

-Havard

Yep, I'm sure Arneson intended a northern clime, quite possibly not unlike that of Minneapolis, but unless we assume it really is like Minneapolis or maybe Holland, there's still a really wide variation in possibilities regarding rainfall/snowfall, fog, etc. and that stuff can make a difference in a long term campaign. It would definetly be helpful to figure it out.

[Dave L]

If you make the climate of Blackmoor similar to that of Britain, you could end up with ANY weather, especially along the coast. Even sunshine at times, or so it's been rumoured.

I'm not quite sure if you'd want the swamps to freeze over though, which would be a possibility in deep winter, especially in northern England and Scotland.

[Rafael]

Blackmoor: Scotland.

Thonia: Spain.

[aldarron]

Blackmoor: Scotland.

Thonia: Spain.

Yeah, that's my impression to Rafe. So how do we turn that into some seasonal weather tables to use in the game....

[Dave L]

Blackmoor: Scotland.

Thonia: Spain.

Yeah, that's my impression to Rafe. So how do we turn that into some seasonal weather tables to use in the game....

If Blackmoor is Scotland, you'd better have your thermal underwear ready for the winter.

[aldarron]

Okay, having just read through the FFC again (not saying I couldn't have missed something), the only notes on weather I noticede are these:

1) Bleakwood, (Next to Bramwald).... Medieval Demographic Area ("Bannchock Scotland Baseline")

2 Lake gloomy area has constant dense cloud cover making navigation difficult.

3) winter ends 50% of the time in May, 33% of the time in april, and only 16.6 % of the time in March

That is a late date for the end of winter. Here in New york Winter usually ends in March but maybe in one out of three years we will get a snow in early to mid april.

[gsvenson]

In Minnesota the snow can still be melting in May. Growing up, I can remember being snowed upon while camping in Minnesota on both Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends...

[Rafael]

1) Bleakwood, (Next to Bramwald).... Medieval Demographic Area ("Bannchock Scotland Baseline")

Bleakwood is also a village in AiF, btw.

So, that could be a hint about the setting:

The AiF regions then would be situated between Williamsfort and Bramwald.