| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Jamallo Kreen |
Posted - 11 Mar 2009 : 19:41:29
BBC has published some still photos of March 9th's monstrous sandstorm over Riyadh. The storm is so enormous that only a few buildings may be distinguished in the foreground of the two aerial shots; everything else is just a collection of smudges being overwhelmed by a wall of sand hundreds of feet tall.
Those who run campaigns set in The Old Empires or in The Empires of the Sands might find them helpful visual aids for players who have never witnessed such a storm up close and personal, and they will certainly put PCs in their place when players see what their characters are up against in some environments. (PC: "I attack Qysar Shoon VII with a magic missile." DM: "Shoon summons a wall of sand hundreds of feet tall to overwhelm you and your puny allies. You are plunged into darkness." PC: "I attack the darkness.")
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| 29 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Einheriar |
Posted - 02 Apr 2009 : 16:04:41
Pretty good pictures of an incomming sandstorm. I have seen quite a few of these while in the red sea area.
Experienced one in january when i was flying home from Borneo, and had a stopover in Dubai, I was stuck in the airport till it blew over and they had cleared the runways.
Seems weather is getting more and more dire the last few years, as a diver i experience alot of strange weather and changing ecologi.
Where there used to be some of the most beutifull coral reefs you could imagine, now there is dead bleached coral gardens, because of higher temperature in the oceans.
I also noticed a fluctuation of the moonson, where you once could count on it, now it seems more eratic.
Also saw some pretty cool water twisters this year, never seen them before, one was in Kota Kinabalou on borneo, and the other in the harbour of singapore.
Sometimes the weather can be awe inspiring. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 14 Mar 2009 : 23:29:20
Okay folks, we seem to be getting somewhat off-topic here. Let's bring it back to the original point of discussion, eh?  |
| Markustay |
Posted - 14 Mar 2009 : 18:46:43
I went to Mazitlan, Mexico, which is just about as far south as you can go and still be in Mexico. It was January - and it was around 70 degrees the whole time we were there (the natives were wearing light jackets - they thought it was 'chilly'). We came back wearing what we wore there - T-shirts and shorts... and got off the plane back in NY in a bad snowstorm!
That SUCKED.  |
| Hoondatha |
Posted - 14 Mar 2009 : 16:34:15
I went to college in Baltimore, Maryland, and spent a month in Berlin as part of an intensive German class. In January. Early in the semester, our professor told us to pack warmly. "After all, Baltimore is on the same latitude as southern Greece." That got some of the people who hadn't been north of Maryland thinking...
I also worked for nearly a decade for an exchange student company, moving international students (many with limited English) between flights at Los Angeles International Airport. One memorable winter, I picked up five Australian girls from three different flights coming into the country. It was January, and they were all from various parts of the Outback, which meant they were coming from temperatures in the neighborhood of 40 C (104 F) and as soon as we got outside they were pulling out sweatshirts, muttering "It's so cold."
Now, this is LA. Sure, LAX is near the ocean, but it's still only 60 F at the worst, with a little breeze. I'm in a t-shirt and shorts, and unlike them, perfectly comfortable. So I look at them and calmly ask them where they're heading.
Green Bay, Wisconsin (not called the Frozen Tundra for no reason). Michigan's Upper Penninsula (known for getting more than 30 feet of snow in one winter). And upper Minnesota (where the day before the temperature had hit -40 F/C). I was taking even odds that they would freeze solid between the terminal and their host family's cars.
But at least it would be something different for them... |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 14 Mar 2009 : 16:22:34
quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
quote:
Originally posted by Kajehase
<snip>... slightly below -20 degrees Celsius, but the norm during the winter tends to be between 5 degress above 0 to 5 degrees below.<snip>
For my fahrenheit brothers and sisters, that comes out to around -5F and between 41F and 23F.
And, just for the record, this winter in Minnesota we saw -15F (-25C) with wind chills hitting -30F (-35C). Yep, spent a lot of time indoors this winter.
This winter in Melbourne, it got as cold as 38F (3C)! 
I hate the weather down here. It's often warm enough to go to the beach on Christmas Day... And our seasons are hot, not-quite-as-hot, and mild-with-flipflopping-periods-of-heat-and-chilliness.  |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 14 Mar 2009 : 16:11:31
quote:
Originally posted by Kajehase
<snip>... slightly below -20 degrees Celsius, but the norm during the winter tends to be between 5 degress above 0 to 5 degrees below.<snip>
For my fahrenheit brothers and sisters, that comes out to around -5F and between 41F and 23F.
And, just for the record, this winter in Minnesota we saw -15F (-25C) with wind chills hitting -30F (-35C). Yep, spent a lot of time indoors this winter. |
| Kajehase |
Posted - 14 Mar 2009 : 10:17:06
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I'm at about the same latitude as central Spain; even in southern Sweden your still WAY further north then I (Thats why I would imagine your winters are a bit more brutal, on the average).
I know their are other factors, like the Gulf Stream and the North-Atlantic current that affect climate, so my guess could be way off.
Yes, those other factors make a huge difference in Sweden's case.
Actually, they make a huuuuge difference. There are parts of Greenland that's further south than where I live, and I'm pretty sure their winters are colder than mine I believe the coldest day I've experienced here was slightly below -20 degrees Celsius, but the norm during the winter tends to be between 5 degress above 0 to 5 degrees below. And being fairly close to the coast (as well as the second largest lake in Europe) we get more rain than snow. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 13 Mar 2009 : 22:22:52
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I'm at about the same latitude as central Spain; even in southern Sweden your still WAY further north then I (Thats why I would imagine your winters are a bit more brutal, on the average).
I know their are other factors, like the Gulf Stream and the North-Atlantic current that affect climate, so my guess could be way off.
Yes, those other factors make a huge difference in Sweden's case. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 13 Mar 2009 : 21:29:50
"I'm here to save Mystra, goddess of magic, from the evil depradations of thine Wizards who hail from yonder coast!" |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 13 Mar 2009 : 17:50:56
quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
Too... many... can't focus!
Depends. Good or Evil? Where (in Faerūn) are you from? Any honorable mentions of NPCs?
If it were me, it'd be something about "celebrating routing the local Zhents from the Dalelands" or somesuch.
Probably something like that. Maybe a mention of a deity, and I would probably hail from Waterdeep...maybe "destroying the Secret Temple of Cyric in Waterdeep" |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 13 Mar 2009 : 17:25:42
quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
<snip>
I'm gonna have to scream that next time I go.  Also, I like how you can pay to have your reason for going announced (I only had me and my girlfriend celebrating our first time there since I didn't know, someone wa celebrating their invasion of France lol) - soooo I'm thinking about having it be FR related...just not sure what would be best...any suggestions?
Too... many... can't focus!
Depends. Good or Evil? Where (in Faerūn) are you from? Any honorable mentions of NPCs?
If it were me, it'd be something about "celebrating routing the local Zhents from the Dalelands" or somesuch. |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 13 Mar 2009 : 17:21:29
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I did do Medieval Times though, the night before we left. It was cool, but almost identical to the one in Jersey and the one at the Excalibur in Vegas.
I went to Medieval Times in Toronto once. It was a great show for sure.
I did the one in Orlando, too, and it was a hoot. I bought a wooden dagger, and was going crazy waving it around and shouting "Huzzah!" I also quite amused one of the serving girls -- when the king said something about them bringing out the food, I yelled "Bring on the wenches!" in agreement. One of the serving girls (and a very pretty one, too) was walking by right when I said that, and she was clearly amused by it.
I'm gonna have to scream that next time I go. Also, I like how you can pay to have your reason for going announced (I only had me and my girlfriend celebrating our first time there since I didn't know, someone wa celebrating their invasion of France lol) - soooo I'm thinking about having it be FR related...just not sure what would be best...any suggestions? |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 13 Mar 2009 : 16:38:28
quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I did do Medieval Times though, the night before we left. It was cool, but almost identical to the one in Jersey and the one at the Excalibur in Vegas.
I went to Medieval Times in Toronto once. It was a great show for sure.
I did the one in Orlando, too, and it was a hoot. I bought a wooden dagger, and was going crazy waving it around and shouting "Huzzah!" I also quite amused one of the serving girls -- when the king said something about them bringing out the food, I yelled "Bring on the wenches!" in agreement. One of the serving girls (and a very pretty one, too) was walking by right when I said that, and she was clearly amused by it. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 13 Mar 2009 : 16:28:35
quote:
Originally posted by Kajehase
Nah, I live pretty far south in Sweden, so this is actually the only one I can remember, <snip>
Just checking a world map real quick because you got me curious...
I'm at about the same latitude as central Spain; even in southern Sweden your still WAY further north then I (Thats why I would imagine your winters are a bit more brutal, on the average).
I know their are other factors, like the Gulf Stream and the North-Atlantic current that affect climate, so my guess could be way off. Looking at the map, I know I don't have a 'mediterranean' climate, and yet I'm at the same lattitude. We got over a foot of snow with that last storm just two weeks ago.
Occassionally we get days over a hundred in the summer, and below zero in the winter (we had a couple like that this year), and I've seen days where the temperture has swung forty degrees in a single day. Its fun being mother-nature's playground.
We've even had a couple of those California-style brush fires, burning down thousands of acres of Pine Barrens, and in the last decade we started getting Tornados (small ones by comparison, but we never got them before... and the Gov't tells us the climate isn't changing).
Anyhow, I'm just glad I don't also get Sandstorms - there's a limit to how much 'fun' I can take. |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 13 Mar 2009 : 16:00:54
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I did do Medieval Times though, the night before we left. It was cool, but almost identical to the one in Jersey and the one at the Excalibur in Vegas.
I went to Medieval Times in Toronto once. It was a great show for sure. |
| Rabiesbunny |
Posted - 13 Mar 2009 : 14:36:37
I went through a really stupid baby hurricane when I was little and lived out in New England. But up here in Minnesota, we must get at least one big blizzard a year (if we're lucky!). We've had a few storms this year where the conditions are complete white out (and sooooo many accidents!!!), so, I guess that could be kind of what it's like to be in a sandstorm.
O_O Though that looks scary. Snow is a lot more tame than sand, at least you don't have the dust to deal with. |
| Kajehase |
Posted - 13 Mar 2009 : 09:06:19
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I've driven through a few blizzards, and even a category 3 Hurricane (one of the worst in Long Island's history) - It was fun.
But I'm betting the Blizzards by you are somewhat more... potent.. then anything I've seen.
Nah, I live pretty far south in Sweden, so this is actually the only one I can remember, and even then it was only a blizzard for about two hours, the rest of the time it was a fairly vanilla snow storm (a blizzard but without the wind, which makes a surprisingly huge difference). As for hurricanes... I think Wooly's reported more of them around his area since I started visiting Candlekeep than there has been in Sweden for the past 100 years (so obviously I've managed to be outside in 2 out of the three I've experienced...) |
| Markustay |
Posted - 12 Mar 2009 : 18:48:53
Is there really such a thing? For some reason I think I remember something to that effect in brochure...
I did do Medieval Times though, the night before we left. It was cool, but almost identical to the one in Jersey and the one at the Excalibur in Vegas.
Boy... do I miss having money....  |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 12 Mar 2009 : 18:39:13
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I went to Disney that year, so I got to see the damage. I arrived the day after the first (or second?) one, and the airport only had one terminal functional, so we had to circle for awhile. When we landed, the airport was full of water (it looked like it was hit by a Hurricane! ).
During that week, we did all the Parks, but the very first day we did sea World. At the gate they wouldn't tell us what attractions were closed due to damage - that we'd just have to "go in and take our chances".
Turns out EVERY marine show was cancelled, because ALL the pools had been contaminated! I went to see Shamu, and got to see a cat & Dog show!!! 
They refused to give refunds, and I refuse to go there ever again, and try to tell everyone "Its a waste of money". It cost me a small fortune to bring my family to Florida for aweek, and I didn't go there for disappointments.
That was prolly Charley. That was the odd one that was only expected to hit as a Cat 2, around Punta Gorda, IIRC. Just before making landfall, it suddenly jumped up to a Cat 4. Orlando was still visibly trashed from it when we ran there from Frances, a few weeks later. As I recall, it moved pretty quickly, which is prolly a good thing.
I've only done Sea World once, and while I enjoyed it (and got drenched by Shamu), I didn't think it was worth the same admission price as the other parks. Luckily, I had some coupons, and Florida residents don't pay as much for the theme parks, anyway.
There is one local theme park I've never done -- the Holy Land Experience. I wonder if they simulate sandstorms there? (See how I bring it back on topic? ) |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 12 Mar 2009 : 18:02:06
I live in Canada so no Hurricanes or Sandstorms here, all blizzards....however those pictures of the sandstorm look nasty. Wouldn't want to get in there. Definately could have used those for the brief stint in Anauroch though. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 12 Mar 2009 : 17:19:50
I went to Disney that year, so I got to see the damage. I arrived the day after the first (or second?) one, and the airport only had one terminal functional, so we had to circle for awhile. When we landed, the airport was full of water (it looked like it was hit by a Hurricane! ).
During that week, we did all the Parks, but the very first day we did sea World. At the gate they wouldn't tell us what attractions were closed due to damage - that we'd just have to "go in and take our chances".
Turns out EVERY marine show was cancelled, because ALL the pools had been contaminated! I went to see Shamu, and got to see a cat & Dog show!!!
They refused to give refunds, and I refuse to go there ever again, and try to tell everyone "Its a waste of money". It cost me a small fortune to bring my family to Florida for aweek, and I didn't go there for disappointments.
Anyhow, at the end of the week another hurricane was coming in. We arrived in the wake of a Hurricane, and high-tailed it home with another chasing us!
Still, it was a wonderful week, and we saw Florida at its worst (Trees and power were down everywhere). It looked a lot like Long Island after Gloria (the Hurricane I drove around in).
Living on LI, I get to experience the full savagery of Hurricanes AND Blizzards, not to mention Louisiana-style flooding several times a year. I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Diversity is the spice of life. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 12 Mar 2009 : 16:59:13
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I've driven through a few blizzards, and even a category 3 Hurricane (one of the worst in Long Island's history) - It was fun.
But I'm betting the Blizzards by you are somewhat more... potent.. then anything I've seen.
I've never done a blizzard...
I once had a friend lock me outside during a hurricane... He and I were both running in and out of the house, because how often do you get to experience 85 mph winds? This particular instance, after the power had gone out, I went out the back door, and down the driveway to the street. I turned and looked back towards the house, and saw Mike standing in the front window. It was clear from the way he was looking around that he didn't see me... So I ran back up the driveway, snuck along the front of the house, and then jumped out, right in front of the window.
As soon as Mike recovered from his heart attack, he ran to the back door and locked it, then went into his bedroom to call someone. One of the girls that was there finally let me back into the house.
So yeah, I deserved it -- but still, he locked me outside during a hurricane!
BTW, this was Hurricane Jeanne, the one that did a 270-degree turn to come hit us just 20 days after Hurricane Frances. Jeanne was a Cat 3, and came ashore just two miles south of where Frances had come ashore. 2004 was a weird year. From 1987 until 2003, I experienced one Cat 1 hurricane, and that was it. Then, in 2004, we caught two hurricanes directly, one as it passed across the state from the other side, and pieces of a fourth. Since then, we've caught bits of two of them, but both were really just seriously rainy days. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 12 Mar 2009 : 16:05:31
I've driven through a few blizzards, and even a category 3 Hurricane (one of the worst in Long Island's history) - It was fun.
But I'm betting the Blizzards by you are somewhat more... potent.. then anything I've seen. |
| Kajehase |
Posted - 12 Mar 2009 : 09:12:58
Kinda makes me ashamed about bragging about having worked through a blizzard a few years ago (visibility - not quite enough to see my hands if I held the arms out straight - thank the Road Office for kerbsides to use for directional aid).
Edit: And thanks to all for not laughing at me for spelling kerb with a c and a u |
| The Sage |
Posted - 11 Mar 2009 : 23:15:51
Heh. When I ran a brief campaign in the Hordelands, the PCs encountered a severe sandstorm. Though I utilised images of the now infamous "Sandstorms of Mars" as visual aids for the campaign. Good stuff! |
| Garen Thal |
Posted - 11 Mar 2009 : 22:26:27
It's a good thing that that's sand coming at you, because you're almost guaranteed to crap your pants. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 11 Mar 2009 : 22:08:37
Yeah, but its got no Uber-Mummy's face sticking out of it.
I was trying to find a picture of that (and couldn't) for reference, and instead found another pic of a real sandstorm. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 11 Mar 2009 : 20:38:01
I went thru a couple of sandstorms when I was a kid, but nothing like that...
Oh, and I give points to Jamallo for making a Realms connection. |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 11 Mar 2009 : 20:04:27
"Do you have any Dew?"
That picture is incredible! |
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