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EltonRobb
Learned Scribe
USA
159 Posts |
 Posted - 10 May 2025 : 17:21:13
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I'm wondering about weather patterns for Faerun. While looking at the thread on climate zones for 5e (thanks Galuf) I'm wondering about weather patterns. I know that the Moonsea and the Sea of Fallen Stars might produce lake effect weather for certain zones around them. Like during the winter, there might be blizzards for Aglarond for example.
I know that Dungeon Masters and Game Masters may decide what the weather is while the PCs are adventuring, but it would be nice to talk about certain weather patterns.
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Gelcur
Senior Scribe
536 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2025 : 05:32:16
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I don't think we have much on large scale weather patterns. Except for this one instance, Ed talks sea currents but those should help dictate weather:
"Heh. Back in 1979, when writing up a Realms merchant trading game, I sent TSR the Sword Coast currents map. There is indeed "The Vrail" (Western Boundary Current), but it passes down the W side of the Moonshaes. There's a much smaller, local Coastal Gyre flowing N, tight along the coast, then curling NW around the Whalebones and back S between the Whalebones and Ruathym and the Sea of Moonshae, that brings warm air and water from The Shining Sea N to Waterdeep and especially the Tethyrian coast (which usually experiences very mild winter weather).
That's one of the reasons Waterdeep gets coastal fog (colder winds blowing out of the NW, onshore, across this warmer water). Mount Waterdeep shields the city against a lot of weather nastiness; that's why the city developed where it did: superb deepwater natural harbor in the lee of a sheltering shieldwall of rock.
(I'd thought the coastal currents had passed into accepted, known Realmslore in the 1980s, but…obviously not. ;} )"
You can find similar info on the 2E Maztica supplement. There's another reference somewhere that further elaborates on this, but I haven't been able to find it again, it speaks debris and how it makes way around.
If you search for weather certain areas you have a good chance of finding info for example:
Suzail, as Ed details the buildings:
"THO’s recollections are indeed correct: fogs are rarer in Suzail than in many port cities, because of the prevailing breezes (strong winds are rare locally, except during out-and-out lashing storms), though they DO occur - - particularly if DMs see a plot need for them. ;}
Most of the buildings in the central city of Suzail (so I’m excluding the docks with their warehouses, the military bases, the closet-to-slum-like westernmost buildings, and everything north of the Promenade) now rise three to four floors above the street, are of stone or brick (or older stone patched and expanded with newer brick), and have steeply pitched roofs to shed snow and rain. (Rain IS frequent in Suzail, though local weather tends to brief, vigorous downpours followed by clearing, not “gray day after gray day” weather. In winter, wet snowfalls are frequent.) Balconies are found on upper floors, not within easy reach of thieves’ ladders from the street, spires are relatively rare, and there’s a new fashion for installing glass skylights (of three-overlapping-pane thickness, for strength). Most buildings have tile or slate roofs (wooden shingles are still found, but rot swiftly and tend to leak and offer rooftop clamberers very “spongy” footing), an along-the-roofpeak decoration (repeating ironwork pattern) of stout iron that can be used to anchor safety ropes while doing roof repairs, and corner downspouts. Climbers should NOT depend on the latter to support much weight as climbing ladders, nor swing from them (unless they want to come crashing down with the spout tearing away and coming down with them). In a storm, beware this, too: lightning rods are increasingly popular, and are found at both ends of a peaked roof - - connected directly to the downspouts!"
Baldur's Gate:
Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast
Moonsea:
See 3E Mysteries of the Moonsea
Silver Marches:
3E book by the same name
Then there's always Elminster's Ecologies.
Finally, I often just use: https://www.realmshelps.net/faerun/weather.shtml . This way my weather stays consistent |
The party come to a town befallen by hysteria
Rogue: So what's in the general store?
DM: What are you looking for?
Rogue: Whatevers in the store.
DM: Like what?
Rogue: Everything.
DM: There is a lot of stuff.
Rogue: Is there a cart outside?
DM: (rolls) Yes.
Rogue: We'll take it all, we may need it for the greater good. |
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Jurants
Acolyte
United Kingdom
1 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2025 : 18:06:39
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| Very detailed explanation. Very interesting information. |
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Galuf the Dwarf
Senior Scribe
USA
709 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2025 : 22:47:53
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quote:
Originally posted by EltonRobb
I'm wondering about weather patterns for Faerun. While looking at the thread on climate zones for 5e (thanks Galuf) I'm wondering about weather patterns. I know that the Moonsea and the Sea of Fallen Stars might produce lake effect weather for certain zones around them. Like during the winter, there might be blizzards for Aglarond for example.
I know that Dungeon Masters and Game Masters may decide what the weather is while the PCs are adventuring, but it would be nice to talk about certain weather patterns.
I appreciate the shoutout, but note that thread was for 3.5 Edition.  |
Galuf's Baldur's Gate NPC stats: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8823
Galuf's 3.5 Ed. Cleric Domains: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14036
Galuf's Homebrew 4th Edition Races: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=13787
Galuf's Homebrew Specialty Priest PrCs: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14353
Galuf's Forgotten Realms Heralds and Allies thread: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8766 |
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Weather Patterns for Faerun
