The Rain of Colorless Fire was sufficient to burn the soil of the Sea of Dust into ash hundreds of feet thick in places over an area of land stretching for 1000 miles. Heavy plumes of smoke and ash would have billowed into the atmosphere. The Hellfurnaces were triggered into violent volcanic eruptions, further spewing heavy amounts of ash into the atmosphere. The ash and dust would circle the globe in short order. This layer of ash and dust would take years to clear from the atmosphere. The amount of sunlight penetrating to the Oerth’s surface heavily diminished. The effect was immediate and dramatic. An ice age was triggered. Tundra stretched across the north, reaching from the Yatils to the northern Fellreev to the Griffs. The ice age was a relatively short period of time, and hence, glaciers did not have enough time to form to any thickness. For this reason, not that much of the Oerth’s water became trapped in glaciation, and therefore, ocean levels did not drop.
At the time, the Flaneass was dominated by Flan, Elves, Dwarves, and Gnomes. The Ice Age devastated their societies. Agriculture absolutely failed. Incabulos laughed as famine and disease rode across the lands. Villages and towns were abandoned. The City of Summer Stars had long depended upon Flan food imports to survive. Without the imports, the City dramatically collapsed, and with it, the greatest kingdom of the Flaneass. Cold steppes spread in a swath from Bissel to the northern Nyr Dyv to the Flinty Hills. Into this land came Oeridian nomads. Well adapted to the cold steppe of the upland plateau of present day Ulm, they were perfectly adapted to the situation. Their small numbers could never have challenged the many Flan under normal circumstances, but could easily push the starving, plague ridden Flan aside under the Ice Age. Only when the Oeridians reached the Flanmi River basin was the climate more temperate. And it is here that the greatest battles between Oeridians and Flan occurred. Fortunately for the Oeridians, the Flan had taken to worship of the nihilistic cult of death in this time of great hardship, being ruled by the Ur-Flan. The necromantic rulers were so ruthless to their own people that they were ultimately doomed against the aggressive and expanding Aerdi.
The lands along the Azure Sea and Solnor Ocean experienced heavy precipitation, flooding, and heavy rain forest growth. Long having had plantation colonies in the Amedio and Zindian jungles, Suel understood agricultural practices necessary for such wet environments. Starving, plague ridden Flan were enslaved in hellish plantation conditions. However, plantations are not self-sufficient. Without a strong Empire to bind them together, the Suel failed to properly trade back and forth. Without the Empire to trade with, the Suel plantation economy ultimately collapsed.
Hepmonaland became dry and arid, destroying the jungles. Olman agriculture collapsed and so did their Empire. They crossed to the still rainy Amedio. Tuov agricultural practices were far better adapted to an arid climate, and the Kingdom of Kunda was born.
As the years passed, the ash and dust cleared from the air. By the founding of the Kingdom of Aerdi, natural conditions had mostly returned. Having adapted to the warming conditions, the Kingdom of Aerdi stood to inherit the crippled Flaneass.
That's what I was thinking. This would make a good article or maybe series. I would like to read/ speculate more on his short ice age era. A 'cold' Ull indeed!
I have simply been thinking about weather. For instance:
The Black Ice is supernaturally cold. Further, being black it absorbs most of the Sun’s rays without reflecting them back into the atmosphere. The layer of air just above the Land of Black Ice is therefore extremely cold compared to the surrounding lands. A permanent high pressure zone is thereby caused. A column of cool air reaches into the atmosphere above the Black Ice. Being cooler than would naturally be the case, it descends. As the air descends from the upper atmosphere it warms up, and increases the moisture carrying capacity. Clear, dry skies cover the Black Ice. However, the Black Ice absorbs heat. As the descending air comes immediately above the Black Ice, it has a rapid chilling effect. Heavy fogs are always present. The chilled air looses its moisture carrying capacity and surface level snows are common. The air pressure is significantly higher than that for surrounding lands. As such, heavy winds virtually always blow away from the Black Ice in all directions. As the wind blows away from the Black Ice, the air rapidly warms up. Its moisture carrying capacity is thereby increased, and precipitation is rare for surrounding lands. When a low pressure front moves toward the Black Ice, violent interaction occurs with the permanent high pressure and frequently cause tornadoes.
I'm not sure such an event as the Rain of Colorless Fire would have enough impact to cause a complete global climate change on the order of an Ice Age that conveniently lasted for a relatively short period. Ice Age conditions are global effects, not localized ones. The last major fire in California few years back was not quite a “Rain of Colorless Fire”, but it sure burnt a lot of area. The sun was not blotted out, though ash was everywhere, and it didn’t get colder (quite the contrary). The one good thing is that you can only burn what is in an area once- carbon, ash, and dirt doesn't burn. You can toss all the magically sustained, non-fuel using fire at it you want to, but if there is nothing to burn then there will be no additional smoke. So, smoke would not be created throughout the entirety of the magical effect- just as long as there is something to burn. Even adding in the eruption of the Hellfurnaces isn’t enough to cause such an effect. The Suel Basin is not that large of an area, so a global Ice Age effect sounds a bit "iffy" to me.
The Rain of Colorless Fire was sufficient to turn 1,000,000 square miles into ash dozens, perhaps hundreds, of feet deep. A large amount of this ash would enter the atmosphere. While I don't think it is specifically stated anywhere, but I imagine many volcanic eruptions to have been spawned in the Hellfurnaces from all the magical activities occurring. Volcanoes can expell a tremendous amount of ash and dust into the atmosphere.
When large amounts of ash and dust enter the atmosphere, they reduce the amount of sunlight that hits the Oerth. Further, cloud formation is encouraged as water particles have all the ash particles to attach to. Heavy cloud cover reduces the amount of sunlight. Cooler conditions are experienced on a global scale. Over time, the ash is clensed from the atmosphere and normal climatic conditions prevail. How long it takes depends upon how much debris there is. Many real life cold spells can be blamed on volcanoes, sometimes lasting up to 1,000 years.
While there is speculation that multiple volcanic eruptions could be a cause of Ice Ages here on Earth, I am under the impression that such speculation has been refuted. However, absent magic or different physical principals, the Rain of Colorless Fire coupled with multiple volcanic eruptions would have cooled the Oerth, likely for a number of years.
In addition, I like the idea of weather having had an impact on the course of human affairs. History books often ignore this fact while focusing on wars. I am reminded of being a yound lad wondering why Columbus went three times to the Carribean and never to the U.S. Eastern seaboard. My history book didn't say anything about trade winds.
Greyhawk history is written much the same as real history - with a focus upon military affairs. Oeridians and Suel somehow brush aside settled Flan, Elvin, Dwarven, Gnomish, and other kinglets to dominate the Flanneass. Oeridians were horse nomads which came from present-day Ull, which has a present-day population of some 250,000. Ull is half settled and half nomad. Since nomadic people cannot sustain the population density of a settled people, I think it is fair to say there were substantially less than 250,000 Oeridians involved in the migrations. Having just broken the shackles of Baklune domination, they were likely a poor people with limited resources. Millions of Flan, and many demi-humans controlled the lands they conquered. Climatic change creating massive crop failure, spreading pestilence, and the like would make the Oeridians' manifest destiny much easier. The same principle applies for the Suel, whom I imagine to have had more resources but less people at their disposal than the Oeridians.
Several things come to mind. I like the idea of a small ice age. It could leave some interesting remnants... small glacial collections in remote areas of the Lortmils or the Yatils.
I appreciate the scientific expertise that is exhibited here, it far exceeds mine. However, it doesnt have to make sense... try explaining magic missle and that everyone falls into 9 detectable alignments. Besides those there is the fact that the precipitating event is of unexplainable magical origins.
My point is that for the suspension of disbelief to work, a) you have to suspend disbelief and b) it has to be realistic, not real. I suggest you move forward, if you have the desire. I know I would like to read more.
There's records of large volcanic eruptions cooling the climate slightly over decades in the real world. Certainly the RoCF may have caused cooling though I think Ice Age is a bit strong a term for it.
The Rain of Colorless Fire was sufficient to turn 1,000,000 square miles into ash dozens, perhaps hundreds, of feet deep.
The bold part is the misleading section. Like I said, dirt doesn't burn. To have ashes even dozens of feet deep you would have to burn every single thing in the Flanaess and dump it into the Suel basin.
The Sea of Dust would best be described as ash(a little of it) that has mixed with the originally rich dirt of the area, been blown about for centuries and, through friction upon itself, made into a finite "ashy" dust. It isn't all ash, as that is impossible for a contained effect. Dirt and rock doesn't become ash when exposed to heat. Only living, and once living things become ash (critters, plant matter, etc.) when burned. I doubt the Suel basin was piled hundreds or even thousands of feet deep with critters and plants such that when rendered down to ash by the Rain of Colorless Fire it filled up the basin with dozens or even hundreds of feet of pure ash. The Hellfurnaces can only spew so much ash themselves, and that would be contained to the general area of the mountains anyways.
Like you say, the overall effect would alter the temperature in the local vicinity and could lead to many hardships for the people nearby, but not to the point that there would be glacial movement across the continent of Oerik. A very notable, yet not very drastic climate change is a very good reason, probably the best reason, for The Migrations other than conflict among the different peoples. It couled even be the main reason for continuing conflict, as resources and habitable land is competed for. It’s just enough cold to really screw things up.
Another thing is that Vecna is placed in the Sheldomar just before the Twin Cataclysms I believe (yes, I hate that he is not ancient beyond time and memory). This assumes that Vecna was around (living and/or undead) for at least 150+ years (not so long a time for the uber arch- lich in my opinion), as his empire fell less than 150 years after the Twin Cataclysms. The point of this is that Vecna and the folks of the land just might notice some glaciers cruising through their domain. Besides, undead don’t really care about cold, and in fact “cold” and “chill” is often linked with undead, so the atmosphere change would add a really nice and dreary effect in the lands of the Spidered Throne. That is a good thing in my opinion.
While I really, really like the climate change idea, but an “ice age” is a bit too extreme.
I actually agree that an Ice Age similar to that that ended some 13,000 years ago or so is perhaps a bit dramatic. None the less, changes wrought by temporary global cooling help explain the dramatic conquest of the Flanneass by two relatively small groups of humans.
Anyway, more thoughts on weather (though as a word of caution, I am a complete layman in meteorology having read but one book on the matter):
In the Flanneass, winds generally blow from the northeast in autumn/winter and from the southeast in spring/summer. Preciitation is caused by water evaporation into the atmosphere, condensing, then falling back to the Oerth. As the oceans have far more water than land, more evaporation occurs over the oceans. Also, warm waters are more conducive to evaporation than cold waters. Winds blowing from the warm Azure and southern Solnor during the spring/summer carry more water vapor than those blowing from the Icy Sea and northern Solnor during the autumn/winter. Thus, in the Flanneass, the wet season occurs during the spring/summer and the dry season during the autumn/winter.
winds do not blow in a straight line. The coriolis effect causes winds in the northern hemisphere to circle clockwise. Friction with the Oerth's surface changes wind direction based upon the topography. Mountain ranges in the Flanneass are generally north-south oriented, and so, cause increased wind circulation across latitudes.
Air pressure is not constant across the Oerth's surface. High pressure zones and low pressure zones develop. Winds blow from high pressure to low pressure. In high pressure zones, air is descending from the upper atmosphere to the surface atmosphere. As it descends, it warms up. Warm air can carry more water vapor than cold air, and so, precipitation is rare. In low pressure zones, air is ascending from the surface to the upper atmosphere. As it ascends, it cools. Since cool air cannot carry as much water vapor, it condenses and falls as precipitation.
Lots of precipitation fuels lots of plant growth. Thus, areas of the Flanneass with lots of forests should receive more rainfall than those with grasslands and deserts.
Mountain Ranges:
Prevailing winds generally blow from an easterly direction, northeast or southeast as the season may indicate. As winds travel from the Sheldomar Valley to the Barrier Peaks/Crystalmists/Hellfurnaces, the winds flow upward. As air rises, it cools. The cool air cannot carry as much water vapor, and much precipitation falls on the windward side of the mountain chain. The eastern side of the Hellfurnaces likely receives the highest annual rainfall in the Flanneass. Once having crested the mountain chain's summit, the wind blows down the leeward side. As it descends, the air warms and increases its water vapor holding capacity. Thus, precipitation is rare in the Drey Steppes/Sea of Dust.
The same general principal occurs over the Lortmils, though to less effect as they have lower elevations.
The Corusks and Griffs are generally east-west, and so, often lie parallel to wind patterns. The Rakers cause the same wet eastern side and dry western side. However, this is tempered by the coriolis effect. While winds generally flow from the east, the coriolis effect causes them to curl in a clockwise fashion. Winds curl around the southern extent of the Raker to flow over the Gamboge, Phostwood, and Troll Fens. Thus, Pale, Tenh, and northern Nyrond receive sufficient rainfall. Pale's border on the Rakers, however, receives significantly less rainfall than its Nyrond/Tenh border, with a tree line significantly lower in e4levation than the treeline of the Timberway side of the Rakers.
The Black Ice Effect:
The Land of Black Ice is magically colder than surrounding lands. It causes the air above to likewise be colder. Cold air falls, and so, is constantly descending from the upper atmosphere to the lower atmosphere in a near permanent high pressure zone. As air is constantly descending from the upper atmosphere to the surface, the upper atmosphere sucks in surrounding air. In the upper atmosphere, surrounding air flows toward that of the Black Ice. Thus semi-permanent low pressure zones are created over the Burneal Forest/Cold Marshes, which causes them to receive ample precipitation. This pattern is repeated outward, with the steppelands from the Tiger Nomads to the Wastes having high pressure zones, and so, little rainfall. The grassland band of the Paynims, Bissel, Veluna, Furyndy, and Bandit Lands have high pressure zones, and so, lessened rainfall. The bands of varying pressure zones weaken the further away from the Black Ice such that the high pressure of Furyondy is less pronounced than the high pressure of the Wolf Nomads. Further, this is only a generality. Day to day weather has many other factors involved - markedly the various fronts that move through from a generally eastern direction.
The Bright Desert Effect:
The Bright Desert is a magically created desert. Arid lands are predominated by high air pressure. Thus, some magical force creates relatively high pressure over the desert. Much like the Black Ice effect, bands of alternating high and low pressure extend outward. The Bright Desert's high pressure leads to a ring of low pressure covering the Celadon, Nyr Dyv, and Gnarley/Welkwood/Suss.n In turn, high pressure predominates over Nyrond, Bandit Lands, Furyondy, Sheldomar, Pomarj, Onnwal, and Ahlissa. Low pressure over Adri, Gamboge, Phostwood, Fellreev, Vesve, Bramblewood, Dim Forest, Dreadwood, Menowood, Rieuwood, and Granwood. Note the overlap between the Bright Desert Effect and the Black Ice Effect.
The Drawmidj Ocean is also supposed to be unusually warm for its latitude.
The Sea of Dust was rendered, to a depth of hundreds of feet, into a magical substance that is unlike ordinary dust mixed with the ash from the burnt Suel empire and volcanic ash from the neighboring Hellfurnaces. This process was obviously magical by any standards, and might have produced as many smoke and fumes as you like if you want it that way (and might just as easily not have produced any), creating anything from no climate change at all to massive glaciers destroying the Isles of Woe. Real-world chemistry is pretty useless in analyzing this. If clouds of sulfur were released into the atmosphere, we could also enjoy acid rain wiping out the population. I don't think this contradicts any of the official canon, though my personal preference is a less apocalyptic cataclysm.
Vecna's empire collapsed about 65 years after the Rain of Colorless Fire.
I think you're doing some interesting things here, OleOneEye. Ivid the Undying and the LGG other explanations for Oeridian supremacy (most of the 1e artifacts, advanced battle-magic, ability to forge alliances, and a feeling of manifest destiny versus dispirited Suel and Flan who had long since collapsed into decadence and barbarism), but yours is definitely a very interesting alternate take. It would definitely help explain the extremely low Flan population that some have raised concerns about.
Anyways, even if there wasn't an ice age, cooling of the area on a drastic enough scale to reduce the seasons to an almost perpetual state of winter for even just a couple years would cause such hardship as to have optimal conditions for a weakening of the western Flan due to starvation, disease, infighting over resources, etc. The far eastern Flan might have suffered less as the conditions were less nasty the farther away from the Suel Basin one is, but that fits well with the eastern Flan (the Ur-Flan specifically) actually putting up somewhat of a fight against the Aerdi, who finally settled in the Great Kingdom area as it was more hospitable (and because they had reached the coast and could go no further).
The Rain of Colorless Fire was sufficient to turn 1,000,000 square miles into ash dozens, perhaps hundreds, of feet deep.
The bold part is the misleading section. Like I said, dirt doesn't burn. To have ashes even dozens of feet deep you would have to burn every single thing in the Flanaess and dump it into the Suel basin.
"Ash" may be the wrong term; dust is probably more accurate. I don't have a quote at the moment (Greyhawk Adventures hardback, I think), but I seem to recall the Rain of Colorless Fire not only burned everything organic (including loam), it powdered hills and mountains.
Also, I suspect comparing a forest fire in California to the RoCF is a bit like comparing a campfire to a forest fire. Torch the United States, then see what happens.
The world interacts in suprising ways. A major source of nutrients for the Amazon jungle is the Sahara Desert. Dust picked up in storms is carried all the way across the Atlantic and deposited over the jungle. A hundred-year, bona fide Little Ice Age as a result of the RoCF sounds pretty reasonable to me.
Last edited by Nellisir on Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:11 pm; edited 1 time in total
Rocks may not burn, but volcanic ash comes from somewhere. Also, who knows what magic can accomplish. I like the idea of a climate change of a limited nature. This also helps with having apes in the crystalmists and remorahz in the lortmils.
I appreciate the effort you've put into this. A lot of what you're saying matches up with the research I've done on the subject, and has enhanced my understanding of the subject through the display of your reasoning. However, I have two points of contention.
The first point is that cold air creates a low pressure zone as it absorbs energy from other areas and wind flows toward it. I live in the Phoenix Az area, which is an unusually high pressure region in the summer. This is due to all of the black-top in the city absorbing rays from the sun. This causes the city to remain warmer than surrounding areas and to push weather away from it. The magical cold of Black Ice would be just the opposite, absorbing all weather that comes near it, building the glacier at an incredible rate as warm, moist air is drawn in and precipitation occurs.
The second point is regarding the direction of the jet stream. In the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth, the jet stream runs West to East. This means that most weather travels in that direction. This is why the West coasts of North America and Eurasia have milder weather than the East coasts. The stable temperatures of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans keep the temperatures of the West Coast of the US and Europe mild in both winter and summer. Considering that Oerth is identical to Earth with regards to the sun rising in the East and where magnetic north is, how can one justify having the jet stream travel in the opposite direction?
Ice age may not be tha appropriate term, perhaps just climate change. As far as explaining all of the ash that was generated, maybe the Rain of Colorless Fire opened a large portal to the quasi-elemental plane of ash.
Little Ice Age is more appropriate a term. Read the wikipedia article Wolfsire linked to. It has good information in it regarding what might happen in a less long-term phenomenon than a full blown ice age. Of course, it is highly likely that the Little Ice Age of 1250-1850 was driven by the sun rather than terrestrial forces, so they aren't entirely compatible.
It's a great idea but has a problem that always irks me. Trying to make a real world explanation for something in a fantasy world. TROCF was brought about by a grand magical ritual. Why would it need to affect anywhere else but where it was intended. The ash from the helfurnaces was part of the effect and therefore only needed to fall into the Suel Basin as it was directed to magically. That would be a much better explanantion for why the ash is so deep. Why do we need to worry about real world weather effects in a world where thier are dragons and elves? As long as things work by the rules of the world they are in, we don't need to apply the rules from our world. That being said, it's still an interesting idea.
Well, no one is actually arguing that anyone has to do it that way. They are discussing whether or not the rationale given would work in terms of real world meteorology.
Its entirely possible to disregard the real world completely. However, doing so tends to result in a world that is inconsistent and players who don't bother to care if things make sense (because they often don't). That can be an issue if you expect your players to apply critical thinking skills in the course of adventures. They aren't going to know for certain how the world works, so they aren't going to be making suppositions based on that knowledge.
Really, there is no reason why the Javan and Sheldomar rivers can't be flowing south to north, with their heads being sinkholes that are sucking water out of the ocean to feed vast underground lakes that link to the Elemental Plane of Water. But if you do that often enough, the world becomes whimsical rather than consistent.
Considering that Oerth is identical to Earth with regards to the sun rising in the East and where magnetic north is, how can one justify having the jet stream travel in the opposite direction?
Given that prevailing winds in the Flanaess are from the east, whereas on Earth (in North America, at least) they are from the west, it seems reasonable to me that most weather systems would travel east to west.
Considering that Oerth is identical to Earth with regards to the sun rising in the East and where magnetic north is, how can one justify having the jet stream travel in the opposite direction?
Given that prevailing winds in the Flanaess are from the east, whereas on Earth (in North America, at least) they are from the west, it seems reasonable to me that most weather systems would travel east to west.
While the jet stream doesn't completely dominate prevailing winds at all times and in all places, general air flow is west to east in the northern hemisphere. The discussion was about climate and how to apply principles we understand from Earth to Oerth. Just saying "use the arbitary choice that was previously made" isn't much of a contribution to the discussion. I think that was the obvious lazy choice. Eastern winds can be a viable option, but there should be a reason, maybe having to do with the low pressure over Black Ice.
Really, there is no reason why the Javan and Sheldomar rivers can't be flowing south to north, with their heads being sinkholes that are sucking water out of the ocean to feed vast underground lakes that link to the Elemental Plane of Water. But if you do that often enough, the world becomes whimsical rather than consistent.
Well as long as you stay consistant to the rules you lay down, there is no reason for it to get to Whimsical or at least unbelivable in that setting. However I do understand what your saying as that is the major problem I have witht the Forgotten realms setting. there is just too much magic and other things going on that it just becomes a big cheesefest.
fidgewinkle: "The first point is that cold air creates a low pressure zone as it absorbs energy from other areas and wind flows toward it."
Thank you for the insights. From what I understand about earth, the arctic's cold (coupled with other factors) causes low pressure in relation to the temperate zone. The heat of the tropics (coupled with other factors) generally causes high pressure, and so, it rains a lot in the tropics. This is by no means the case on any given day, but more of a general tendency. However, all weather patterns are tempered by local geography. As air warms, it both rises and expands. My hunch is something about Pheonix's geography causes the expansion to become more prevalent than the rising, and so, push away other weather systems as you state. Just guessing, is Pheonix sitting in a large depression, or perhaps have outlying mountain ranges that aid in pushing weather systems away? Of course, a very snowy Black Ice works just as well. I largely like having a reason that explains why the forests and plains of the Flanneass are situated where they are.
fidgewinkle: "The second point is regarding the direction of the jet stream. In the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth, the jet stream runs West to East. This means that most weather travels in that direction."
Very true. However, it is clearly stated in Greyhawk lore that the prevailing winds are easterly. I see no reason to change this. I do not know if changing the wind direction will cause the coriolis effect to reverse and go counter-clockwise - so I left it clockwise.
fidgewinkle: "This is why the West coasts of North America and Eurasia have milder weather than the East coasts."
From what I can tell of Oerth beyond the Flanneass, the east coasts are milder than the west coasts. Though, of course, this is mere conjecture without better atlasing of Oerth's remainder.
I am guessing that the tropical portions of Oerth will be just the opposite of Earth as well - blowing from west to east. Thereby, trade winds will blow one from the east coast of Hepmonaland, across the Solnor to continents beyond. Perfect for the Sea Baron's upcoming era of discovery.
fidgewinkle: "Considering that Oerth is identical to Earth with regards to the sun rising in the East and where magnetic north is, how can one justify having the jet stream travel in the opposite direction?"
I agree. However, mister's Holian, Mona, et al. certainly state easterly winds in the LGG. If memory serves, Gygax did the same in the '83 set (I don't have the folio and cannot say what it states). Since I don't know much of anything about climatology anyway, and want my model to smoothly mesh with the base setting, I stuck with them.
vonbek: "Trying to make a real world explanation for something in a fantasy world. . . As long as things work by the rules of the world they are in, we don't need to apply the rules from our world."
In principal, I agree. However, my home brew setting is very magically based. It is fun to have a contrasting world to play with using more urbane laws of nature, and so, I am tending toward modeling Oerth after Earth. That being said, the effects of magic are undeniable. Think of how many beings can Control Weather - perhaps thousands in the Flanneass alone. Across all Oerth, who knows how many. The effect of instantly causing a 2 mile diameter thunderstorm are hard to calculate.
Also, the Greyhawkian gods don't seem to have a whole lot of actual control over their spheres of influence. For instance, if Velnius truly did control all weather across the Oerth, my thinking is he would be commonly worshipped instead of being in the Oeridian pantheon. Further, if he was a regional weather god whom actually controlled the region's weather, it would stand to reason that the Flan, Suel, Baklunes, etc. would likewise have a weather god in their pantheon - which they don't. Thus, it appears to me that the gods are more symbolically in charge of their spheres of influence rather than directly in control.
Vormaerin "Really, there is no reason why the Javan and Sheldomar rivers can't be flowing south to north, with their heads being sinkholes that are sucking water out of the ocean to feed vast underground lakes that link to the Elemental Plane of Water."
While delivered tongue-in-cheek, it has gotten me thinking about elevations across the Flanneass. For instance, the headwaters of the Dulsi River (and so the Cold Marshes) must be significantly higher in elevation than the beaches of not so distant Blackmoor. The intervening 100-150 miles must have some significant folds and such.
fidgewinkle "Just saying "use the arbitary choice that was previously made" isn't much of a contribution to the discussion. I think that was the obvious lazy choice. Eastern winds can be a viable option, but there should be a reason,"
I do not know why the jet streams flow in the direction they do on Earth, only that they flow in such direction. A couple guesses why Oerth may be different: Oerth, with its tiny sun, is hit by far less solar wind than Earth, coupled with a different tilt angle, causes a change in jet streams. A massive blanket of high pressure sits over the unnaturally warm Dramidj Ocean which sucks wind from across the Flanneass, the rising plume of air cannot travel east due to the interference from the Black Ice Effect, and so gushes westward to cause a jet stream which traverses the globe to wrap around to the Flaneass's eastern shore. The Wind Dukes of Aqaa moved east of the Solnor.
SHELDOMAR MONSOONS
Winds blow from the northeast during the winter. Winds entering the Sheldomar valley have traveled far from the ocean. They reach the Lortmils, releasing much of thier moisture on the Veluna/Celene side. As the air descends into the Sheldomar, it warms and is able to carry more moisture. Thus, it precipitates little in the winter. In spring, the winds change to come from the southeast. Typically, htese will bring spring rains and the Sheldomar will be well watered until the autumn when the wind again changes direction to come from the northeast and bring the dry season.
Some years, it takes longer for the winds to change from the northeast to the southeast, with dry Lortmil winds blowing into the Summer. The land gets dry and hot. A powerful high pressure system develops over the valley. When the winds do change to come from the southeast, heavily moisture laden Azure air blows across the Sheldomar. The Sheldomar comes under deluge of a monsoon. This only happens about one year in ten, but when it does, the Sheldomar and Javan both flood massive areas.
PERRENLAND
In the spring/summer, wind blows from the southeast. After crossing the Clatspurs, only dry winds blow across Perrenland. However, in the autumn/winter, the winds change to come from the northeast. Flowing across Lake Quag, they gather significant moisture. Perrenland receives heavy rains turning to snow as it gets colder - with Exag and Krestible possibly having the highest annual snowfall of any Flanneass city. In the spring, as the mountain snow melts, Perrenland is significantly flooded. The torrent that flows down the Velverdyva canyon is terrific - causing significant flooding all along the Velverdyva.
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