|
N essential but sadly neglected part of most campaign
settings, due to complexity, is a system for generating weather. The system
detailed here is also crucial to other parts of the rules such as TRAVEL
and TIME, describing the seasons and how they
affect different areas of the Lands of Dual throughout the calendar. Before
anyone says "but what about...", it is intended as a simple
campaign rule to enable DM's to generate believable weather patterns for
their slice of Dual.
THE SEASONS
 O
avoid any unnecessary confusion for players I have stuck to the common
format of 4 seasons, SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN & WINTER. However to add
a little bit of spice and opportunity for seasonal plot hooks, their duration
varies throughout the four year (Quaternal) cycle of the dual perpetual
calendar. Dual's peculiar seasonal variations are due to the influences
of it's twin suns, both sol type stars, the particular orbit that Dual
surcumscribes around them, hence the name, and the four moons which orbit
the planet.
THE QUATERNAL YEAR CYCLE
HE
Dual perpetual calendar revolves around 13 months of four, seven day weeks.
As can be seen from the chart below, even though the length of the seasons
fluctuates throughout the quaternal cycle, there is always at least one
month in each season which never fluctuates. Each society on Dual has
different names for each of the months and ways of measuring the passage
of years, however all recognise the influence of the Dual lunar cycle
which is the predominant common factor wherever in the lands they find
themselves.
1 YEAR = 13 MONTHS = 52 WEEKS = 364 DAYS, 1 WEEK = 7
DAYS, 1 MONTH = 28 DAYS
|
|
YEAR 1
|
YEAR 2
|
YEAR 3
|
YEAR 4
|
|
MONTH 1
|
WINTER
|
WINTER
|
WINTER
|
WINTER
|
|
MONTH 2
|
SPRING
|
SPRING
|
WINTER
|
WINTER
|
|
MONTH 3
|
SPRING
|
SPRING
|
SPRING
|
SPRING
|
|
MONTH 4
|
SPRING
|
SPRING
|
SPRING
|
SPRING
|
|
MONTH 5
|
SPRING
|
SUMMER
|
SUMMER
|
SPRING
|
|
MONTH 6
|
SPRING
|
SUMMER
|
SUMMER
|
SUMMER
|
|
MONTH 7
|
SUMMER
|
SUMMER
|
SUMMER
|
SUMMER
|
|
MONTH 8
|
SUMMER
|
SUMMER
|
AUTUMN
|
AUTUMN
|
|
MONTH 9
|
SUMMER
|
SUMMER
|
AUTUMN
|
AUTUMN
|
|
MONTH 10
|
AUTUMN
|
AUTUMN
|
AUTUMN
|
AUTUMN
|
|
MONTH 11
|
AUTUMN
|
AUTUMN
|
AUTUMN
|
WINTER
|
|
MONTH 12
|
WINTER
|
AUTUMN
|
AUTUMN
|
WINTER
|
|
MONTH 13
|
WINTER
|
WINTER
|
WINTER
|
WINTER
|
LATITUDE, THE TWO HEMISPHERES AND THE EQUATOR
 UAL,
like all planets is divided into three distinct sections by latitude;
a Northern Hemisphere, Equatorial Belt and Southern Hemisphere. As there
is no acurate method of timekeeping measurements of longitude have not
been conceived, although certain civilizations sailors and navigators
have been using a crude system of position mapping at sea, using the stars,
for several centuries. Weather conditions in any one location depends
on both that locations latitude and the season and year that are currently
in effect. The charts below shows the typical random chances for each
type of weather for each of the seasons depending on latitude and includes
a midseason modifier for those seasons which are extended to 5 months.
|
|
SPRING
|
SUMMER
|
AUTUMN
|
WINTER
|
|
NORMAL
|
RAIN
CLEAR & DRY:
LIGHT RAIN:
DRIVING RAIN:
MONSOON:
SNOW
SNOW / SLEET:
HAIL:
BLIZZARD:
WIND
NO WIND:
LIGHT WIND
MILD WIND:
STRONG WIND:
GALE FORCE:
HURRICANE:
|
--
25%
30%
20%
5%
--
5%
10%
1%
--
10%
30%
20%
15%
10%
3%
|
RAIN
CLEAR & DRY:
LIGHT RAIN:
DRIVING RAIN:
MONSOON:
SNOW
SNOW / SLEET:
HAIL:
BLIZZARD:
WIND
NO WIND:
LIGHT WIND
MILD WIND:
STRONG WIND:
GALE FORCE:
HURRICANE:
|
--
50%
20%
10%
1%
--
0%
1%
0%
--
24%
30%
20%
15%
10%
1%
|
RAIN
CLEAR & DRY:
LIGHT RAIN:
DRIVING RAIN:
MONSOON:
SNOW
SNOW / SLEET:
HAIL:
BLIZZARD:
WIND
NO WIND:
LIGHT WIND
MILD WIND:
STRONG WIND:
GALE FORCE:
HURRICANE:
|
--
10%
50%
20%
5%
--
10%
10%
1%
--
5%
20%
30%
15%
10%
5%
|
RAIN
CLEAR & DRY:
LIGHT RAIN:
DRIVING RAIN:
MONSOON:
SNOW
SNOW / SLEET:
HAIL:
BLIZZARD:
WIND
NO WIND:
LIGHT WIND
MILD WIND:
STRONG WIND:
GALE FORCE:
HURRICANE:
|
--
10%
15%
10%
1%
--
50%
20%
10%
--
10%
20%
30%
20%
10%
5%
|
|
MIDSEASONAL
|
|
+10%
+0%
+10%
|
|
-10%
0%
-10%
|
|
+15%
+5%
+10%
|
|
-5%
+15%
+10%
|
|
|
SPRING
|
SUMMER
|
AUTUMN
|
WINTER
|
|
NORMAL
|
RAIN
CLEAR & DRY:
LIGHT RAIN:
DRIVING RAIN:
MONSOON:
SNOW
SNOW / SLEET:
HAIL:
BLIZZARD:
WIND
NO WIND:
LIGHT WIND
MILD WIND:
STRONG WIND:
GALE FORCE:
HURRICANE:
|
--
50%
30%
10%
5%
--
1%
1%
1%
--
15%
30%
20%
15%
10%
10%
|
RAIN
CLEAR & DRY:
LIGHT RAIN:
DRIVING RAIN:
MONSOON:
SNOW
SNOW / SLEET:
HAIL:
BLIZZARD:
WIND
NO WIND:
LIGHT WIND
MILD WIND:
STRONG WIND:
GALE FORCE:
HURRICANE:
|
--
60%
20%
10%
10%
--
0%
0%
0%
--
10%
40%
20%
15%
5%
5%
|
RAIN
CLEAR & DRY:
LIGHT RAIN:
DRIVING RAIN:
MONSOON:
SNOW
SNOW / SLEET:
HAIL:
BLIZZARD:
WIND
NO WIND:
LIGHT WIND
MILD WIND:
STRONG WIND:
GALE FORCE:
HURRICANE:
|
--
5%
30%
40%
15%
--
0%
5%
0%
--
10%
15%
20%
20%
20%
15%
|
RAIN
CLEAR & DRY:
LIGHT RAIN:
DRIVING RAIN:
MONSOON:
SNOW
SNOW / SLEET:
HAIL:
BLIZZARD:
WIND
NO WIND:
LIGHT WIND
MILD WIND:
STRONG WIND:
GALE FORCE:
HURRICANE:
|
--
5%
20%
50%
20%
--
3%
5%
0%
--
10%
20%
30%
20%
10%
5%
|
|
MIDSEASONAL
|
|
+10%
+0%
+10%
|
|
-20%
+0%
-20%
|
|
+20%
+0%
+20%
|
|
+10%
+0%
+10%
|
|
|
SPRING
|
SUMMER
|
AUTUMN
|
WINTER
|
|
NORMAL
|
RAIN
CLEAR & DRY:
LIGHT RAIN:
DRIVING RAIN:
MONSOON:
SNOW
SNOW / SLEET:
HAIL:
BLIZZARD:
WIND
NO WIND:
LIGHT WIND
MILD WIND:
STRONG WIND:
GALE FORCE:
HURRICANE:
|
--
10%
40%
20%
5%
--
5%
5%
1%
--
10%
20%
30%
20%
10%
5%
|
RAIN
CLEAR & DRY:
LIGHT RAIN:
DRIVING RAIN:
MONSOON:
SNOW
SNOW / SLEET:
HAIL:
BLIZZARD:
WIND
NO WIND:
LIGHT WIND
MILD WIND:
STRONG WIND:
GALE FORCE:
HURRICANE:
|
--
20%
30%
20%
1%
--
0%
1%
0%
--
20%
30%
20%
15%
10%
5%
|
RAIN
CLEAR & DRY:
LIGHT RAIN:
DRIVING RAIN:
MONSOON:
SNOW
SNOW / SLEET:
HAIL:
BLIZZARD:
WIND
NO WIND:
LIGHT WIND
MILD WIND:
STRONG WIND:
GALE FORCE:
HURRICANE:
|
--
5%
50%
40%
5%
--
5%
10%
1%
--
10%
15%
30%
25%
10%
5%
|
RAIN
CLEAR & DRY:
LIGHT RAIN:
DRIVING RAIN:
MONSOON:
SNOW
SNOW / SLEET:
HAIL:
BLIZZARD:
WIND
NO WIND:
LIGHT WIND
MILD WIND:
STRONG WIND:
GALE FORCE:
HURRICANE:
|
--
15%
30%
15%
1%
--
15%
10%
5%
--
10%
20%
35%
20%
10%
5%
|
|
MIDSEASONAL
|
|
+10%
+0%
+10%
|
|
+0%
+0%
-5%
|
|
+15%
+0%
+10%
|
|
+5%
+5%
+10%
|
NOTES:
When using the above tables roll percentile dice once each day for each
of the weather variables. Percentage chances are cumulative (e.g. Normal
Autumn, Southern Hemisphere Precipitation: Clear & Dry (Die Roll 1-5),
Light Rain (Die roll 6-55), Driving Rain (Die Roll 56-95), Monsoon (Die
Roll 96-00).
Mid-seasonal modifier is applied once for each roll and
is added to score on die (ie: effect of mid-seasonal modifier on a normal
roll of 47 for precipitation using above season as an example would change
the result from Light Rain to Driving Rain.
Seasonal Cusps, where a scenario takes place within 1 week
of a change in season, DMs may choose to use either season's chart to
randomize weather.
Height above sea-level and Regional geographic modifiers
have not been applied at this stage, as the rules develop this may or
may not be included. If anyone has any ideas let me know in an e-mail
detailing how these would be applied.
|
