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boddynock
Learned Scribe
Belgium
258 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Jan 2007 : 22:26:59
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Good evening :-),
Because I don't know very much about travelling by sea, i have a question about it. My players are in Luskan at the moment and they have the intention to go to Calimport by ship. (My aasimar sorceres-player want to know more about the live of her departed mentor who fleed from calimshan (she was a concubinne in a harem of an evil pasha so she left without her infant) Because I read one of the novels of Drizzt, I know that when you take a ship from waterdeep to Calimport, you have to make a stop in Baldur's gate. So my players will take the following way Luskan --> Waterdeep, Waterdeep --> Baldur's Gate, Baldur's gate --> Calimport.
The question is how long will it take to make that journey by a ship? I read in "the north boxed set from AD&D" that it will take about 8 days from Luskan to Waterdeep, but what about going to the Baldur's gate & Calimport.
My second question: In my campaign my players are now just in autumn. But I remember I read in a sourcebook (I don't find it back) that it's impossible to travel by sea from Luskan during a specific period. Is there someone who remember the months this is happening? :)
thanks :)
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Besshalar
Learned Scribe
Finland
166 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2007 : 22:57:25
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I'd say that it wouldn't be completely impossible, but that taking a ship during the wintermonths would be extremely stupid because of the weather conditions and the captains willing to make the voyage are very hard to find and expensive. Ofcourse taking a ship in a dangerous time of year might be a nice chance to have a shipwreck and that presents a lot of options  . As for the time that the seatravel takes I have to say that I'm really bad at that kind of math . |
The large print giveth , and the small print taketh away.
-Tom Waits |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jan 2007 : 01:46:08
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Depends what part of autum. If it's early autum, there shouldn't be a problem. If it's late autum, especially if winter is starting early, you might have a problem. In either case you'll probably have plenty of ships to choose from, as merchants rush to complete one last trip before Luskan gets too dangerous to sail. I don't remember if Luskan gets completely ice-locked, but it wouldn't surprise me.
As for how long it will take, that in part depends on which version of the maps you're using. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Wolf of the Dark
Acolyte
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2007 : 08:10:52
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Greetings Boddynock,
I can speak a bit of truth from a real life sailor's experience...
A modern vessel with a healthy crew can readily cover 150-200 miles in a day---- with accurate navigation aids and charts!!
However, if we assume a somewhat more primitive state, then I would say that a typical coaster would need to cover no more than a hundred miles per day for all of the 2000+ miles of your trip.
For a good seafaring crew and stout ship, say a caravelle, I think the total sailing time from Luskan to Calimport could be done in 16 days not counting the time you spend in port at Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate. 16 days is a bit optimistic, I feel.... Call it 18 if you like
One thing I can say from sailing the West Coast of the US is that weather comes in three day patterns year around. A bit of calm and a bit of wind (off at sea)and sometimes the bit of wind is indeed WINDY. High winds, however do not mean danger in every case. I have seen 50 mile an hour winds (80-90 KPH)with a clear sky and coming from behind, that merely sped us on our way! (once we surfed our sloop at 23 knots)
I think the weather on the west coast of Faerun would be similar. I sailed from Seattle to San Francisco in 7 days in October and we had a 3-day gale blowing and a three day near-calm. You pay your money and you take your chances. A good captain and sound boat make all the difference. Pay extra for both, my friend.
Your example of Luskan to Waterdeep in 8 days implies an average speed of 2.6 mph. This would also imply that you are mostly fighting a headwind since most simple sailing vessels should manage about 3-5 mph in a straight line (unless conditions are unfavorable). At 3 mph you would expect the 2,000 mile journey to Calimport to take 27 days-- a lot more than my first estimate above. One thing we have to consider is that sailing along with marginal charts and nav tools means we are at constant hazard from all those islands, reefs and such- and there are lot of them on your course!
Were I the DM, I'd say your hearty souls need to expect 25 days at sea; and give a dice roll of 50/50 saying you can add or subtract 1d6 days. Let them stop at various places if they choose, to wait out some weather or get sailing advice, and if they do well in the role play, maybe give them a 60/40 or 70/30 chance in the 1d6 arena.
please post your choices and their decisions. I am curious to know....
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15 years of DnD, but only a few weeks in the Realms.... |
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boddynock
Learned Scribe
Belgium
258 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2007 : 13:59:56
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| Thanks for the information Wolf of the Dark. I never made a trip by boat so for me it's not so easy to make it -+ realistic. With the information you just give me I can really do a lot :) |
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Thauramarth
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
729 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2007 : 19:19:15
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| Seems pretty accurate - I remember that the old Forgotten Realms Atlas provided a day-by-day timeline for the sea journey from Waterdeep to Calimport, as undertaken by Entreri in "The Halfling's Gem". There was also a map detailing where his ship was, day by day. Pity I don't have the Atlas with me right now, though [:-(] |
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Wolf of the Dark
Acolyte
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2007 : 00:46:01
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Thauramarth,
Are you saying that the Atlas has the map of the journey in it somewhere? I can't find it if so. What is the name of the map??
My copy of the Halfling's Gem has a dark map and I can barely make out the course of the ship as a black line along the coast- no words or numbers come through. It is clear however, that the route is a coast-hugging affair. Waterdeep to Memnon looks to be about 1750 miles- according to the New FR map, not the old Atlas. (Luskan to Waterdeep along the coast would be around 425-450 miles with good winds; and if a ship cut out the stop at Memnon to make a cut around the desert peninsula for Calimshan, that would make Waterdeep to Calimshan just over 2,000 miles.) Chart quality is worth its weight in platinum.
- Wolf |
15 years of DnD, but only a few weeks in the Realms.... |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2007 : 01:26:38
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| I just measured the sea voyage from Baldur's Gate to Calimport using the Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas, and reckon it to be about 1350 miles. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2007 : 04:55:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Wolf of the Dark
Thauramarth,
Are you saying that the Atlas has the map of the journey in it somewhere? I can't find it if so. What is the name of the map??
Page 65 of the print Atlas. |
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Wolf of the Dark
Acolyte
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2007 : 06:15:50
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Thank you. I don't have the print atlas, and didn't know there was one. I want it though.
I was referring to the interactive atlas. oh well.
- Wolf |
15 years of DnD, but only a few weeks in the Realms.... |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2007 : 06:51:39
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quote:
Originally posted by Wolf of the Dark
Thank you. I don't have the print atlas, and didn't know there was one. I want it though.
I was referring to the interactive atlas. oh well.
- Wolf
Ah. I thought that might be the case.
The Forgotten Realms Atlas is an older product, written by the late Karen Wyn Fonstad. It's something I see pop up on eBay pretty frequently, often for $20 or less. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2007 : 11:35:46
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
The Forgotten Realms Atlas is an older product, written by the late Karen Wyn Fonstad. It's something I see pop up on eBay pretty frequently, often for $20 or less.
And a source I can not recommend enough, with the exception of the trade-map in 3e. campaign setting, it contains all the maps I have ever needed in my years of gaming.
Bare in mind that the maps were changed in 3ed. and the distances and scales are now different from the ones found here. |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2007 : 23:15:18
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| Wolf, in your example, how long are you assuming the ship spends each day sailing? I, like many other DM's have been forced to make assumptions during play about sailing trips without any actual experience in a boat, so I'm really interested to hear your opinions. Also, how do the winds change after dark? (In other words, assuming the captain is willing to risk it, how feasible is sailing through the night?) |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Wolf of the Dark
Acolyte
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2007 : 04:03:35
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Hoondatha,
Great questions for the game world. Again I come back to two basic "facts" a captain must consider: the quality of his charts/navigation and the sorts fo stuff he might run into in the dark.
If you know where everything dangerous is, and where you are, you have a big edge when it comes to sailing at night. But there are always random dangers such as old "dead head" logs from coastal areas where folks log big trees. Hitting one at night will usually sink a boat under 60-70 feet -- which is why I love the Coast Guard and their speedy helicopters (and a good life raft, and flares and cell phones and such)-- but in a non-tech world like most of us game in, a floating log is a killer.
Uncharted rocks can literally stick up through hundreds or thousands of feet of water and only be struck at low tide-- but that one needle in the haystack is a very real danger. (Just ask the US Navy submarine skipper who hit one south of Japan last year.)
Night sailing in a primitive world should be considered hazardous unless you are well offshore (say 50 miles). Along shore for a "coaster" trading in local waters, I'd say the smart captain would anchor up each night and only sail 12 hours per day, depending on light. At most two hours before dawn, and one hour after sunset in northern climes (The closer you are to the equator, the less twilight you have, so you may really be stuck at 12 hours.)
For a coastal sail down the Sword Coast, in spring, summer or autumn, I'd rule for serious, deadly hazards at night, and Strongly recommend the Players sail no more than 14 hours per day in spring and autumn, and 15-16 in summer. I say this as the Sword Coast is sort of Northerly like the Pacific Northwest of the US, or like the Baltic Sea (where there is substantial twilight in summer).
For an offshore sail, with a stout ship and good charts, the captain should maybe shorten sail a bit at night (in case a sqaull blows up - as it can be very hard to see wind coming at night - but he can sail 24 hours a day. In my experience, we normally slowed down 10 to 20 percent at night by reefing our sails and playing it safe.
Wind patterns are fickle. Usually, along shore, the winds are based off of the temperature of the land at sunset and sunrise- as the land warms or cools, the air masses rise or fall and the air goes offshore, or onshore. But in the deep night, the air just normally calms down some. It is not uncommon to find the wind slow to less than half what it was during the day. Unless you are in a belt of winds like the Tradewinds where wind speed and direction are very predictable (based on the season, which is where 'local knowledge or good charts' also come in handy.
Well offshore, the winds are steadier and mostly only change directions with a change of seasons. Weather systems blow in on a 3 to 6 day cycle, but some are weaker than others so "a blow" may only be 25-30 knots of wind and that is a good boost to your speed.
For game purposes, I'd probably give any given week a 25% chance of a gale blowing up, but I'd also give at least a day's warning to the players that "the clouds and sky say a storm's a'comin, lads."
I'd up that percentage a bit for autumn and wintertime sailing. Also, I'd probably say that if a "big blow" was called for, I'd roll another d100 and say a 25% chance that the gale would actually be a full storm.
(A gale is the old word to describe a small storm with winds around 40 to 50 knots; a storm is bigger with winds of about 50 to 70 knots; beyond that is called 'hurricane force winds'. For some good info on this sort of stuff, check out the Annapolis Book of Seamanship.)
Mostly though, unless you want to play out the dangers and consequences of a storm at sea, you could just say the trip was mostly easy and dull (slow going) so add 20% to the time needed to sail; or it was a bad run, with hardly a dry day to be had, but at least the big winds carried you quickly - and you could subtract 10% of the sailing-time you first estimated. (I always randomize weather in my game and let it "sort out" each week of in game play.)
For a good book to give you some flavor, read Dana's "Two Years Before the Mast."
Sorry for the long post, but I do love boats... If there are other nautical types out there with ideas on handling sailing in-game, I'm always interested in hearing about it, too. |
15 years of DnD, but only a few weeks in the Realms.... |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jan 2007 : 02:05:52
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Actually, that long post was great. Just the sort of basic information I was lacking. (Two Years Before the Mast and the series of which Master and Commander is a part are both on my list of things to read, but I need to finish the Sharpe series first)
If I'm extrapolating what you said correctly, night sailing is probably out for the vast majority of the Sea of Fallen Stars. There's just too much stuff packed in there. That's pretty much what I figured, but it's always nice to awe my players with my all-encompasing knowledge (ha!) when they ask why.
I'm sure I'll have another sailing question sooner or later, but my brain's too fuzzy right nowt o come up with one.
Thanks again for imparting your experience to us. Hmm, that's one. I know an experienced sailor's a salt, or old salt, but what's a new sailor? The seaman's version of a greenhorn? |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Wolf of the Dark
Acolyte
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jan 2007 : 06:53:40
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A new Sailor? Well he/she might be called a Lubber, after the term landlubber, but only if the crew didn't like you much, or if you were clumsy.
If they figured you could splice a line and reef a sail ok, they'd grant you a label like, Tar or Jack perhaps. Or 'able hand'....
Or they might just give you a foul nick name that would make the harlots blush. -- but only if they really liked you.
And if you want some nifty terms to toss out for scenic color, tell your players that the sailors on deck are "splicing the main sheet with a nasty-sharp lookin' marlin spike" or maybe, "One young tar is patching the sail; sewing on some stiff canvas by shoving a big needle through the cloth with a leather 'palm' on his right hand"; or, "Overhead you see a spry lad clearing some tangled rigging; he's hanging in a bo'sun's chair 'n usin' his 'spike to pry a jammed line out of a halyard block."
Oh man, sailors have a thousand new terms for old stuff--- or old old terms for things new to you... but read some of the Aubrey/Maturin books, or the CS Forester books and you'll get a fair samplin'.
Good on you for the Sharpe books. Try the movies with Sean Bean as Sharpe, too. They are all pretty good.
As for the Sea of Fallen Stars, well. I'd love to sail it by day, but it looks like a whole keg of hazards at night. Only a few stretches where 'local knowledge' could safely see you through an overnight voyage. And mind you, I'm just looking at the large map. Small hazards could be even more numerous!! |
15 years of DnD, but only a few weeks in the Realms.... |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2007 : 03:32:56
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I'll admit, most of the time my campaigns encounter a large body of water, the PC's generally end up swimming under it, not sailing over it. On the other hand, my player's have even less of an idea about old naval terminology than I do. So if my Seros campaign ever gets together again, I can send the assorted sea elves and shalarin up onto the surface, have them encounter a ship, and then have all of the sailors start talking like that.
It's so much easier when you don't have to role play complete befuddlement... |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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shandiris
Seeker
61 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2007 : 14:41:52
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Well since you are offering.
I'm talking about a sailing ship like detailed in the Arms & Equipment, in wich you would replace all the wood with darkwood,(making it twice as light).
So the question is if say you make a ship half as light how much faster would it go? |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 02:59:37
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| I'm sure a ship that's half the weight would be faster, but I'm also sure that there'd be a trade-off. Probably a decrease in its sea-worthiness (easier for it to get thrown around by winds) or at the very least an increase in the skill required to handle it. I'll be curious to hear what Wolf has to say, though. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Wolf of the Dark
Acolyte
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 06:45:11
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Glad I stopped back by, Just noticed a reply to my skull gorge query and now this.
A light ship requires less sail to move at the same speed as a heavy ship. Light weight however does make you more susceptible to the wind. The old Viking ships were long, lean and light, but were far different in shape than the ‘typical’ medieval sailing ship.
If you want a caravelle type or galleon type ship, the weight of the wooden planking and timber frames matters little. The weight you save in the planks has to be made up for with extra ballast to keep the hull ‘upright’ as the wind fills the sails. Or you could make a much deeper keel under the ship so the mass of the ballast balanced the large sail area above. But with a deeper keel, you limit the number of harbors you can use, and run a greater risk of running aground, etc.
If you want a darkwood ship of light weight, I’d go with a narrow, shallow draft boat like the Viking longship. Easily propelled by oars or fairly small sails.
Such a ship can sail fast and safe in shallow waters.
However, if you have a really large vessel, like a Chinese ship of around 1200 AD (they had a narrow window of ocean going dominance in there- trips to Africa and back every year or so…), or something akin to the Greek/Roman/Phoenician type ships… Well, then you could have a huge galley- bireme or trireme…. That could be real cool in a game with a major focus on the ships and seafaring.
Oh yeah: "How much faster would it go?"
Well, speed depends on hull shape more than anything. A deep broad hull takes more energy to drive it thru the water; narrow, long hulls are easier.
But, if you did take the same basic hull design, and lightened the wood, but added some ballast, and THEN reduced the height of the masts and amount of sail area, I'd say you would have a slightly lighter, slightly faster ship. I couldn't begin to guess how much however.
Were it me, and the darkwood was available, I petition the DM to allow "certain enchantments to be carved into the wood so the ship would always find the fairest wind about," or some thing akin to that. Darkwood should take enchantment fairly well, after all.
Oh yeah, you could also craft the ship into a catamaran or trimaran... |
15 years of DnD, but only a few weeks in the Realms.... |
Edited by - Wolf of the Dark on 21 Jan 2007 06:52:46 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 20:02:55
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I would add at least two days per stop over to Wolf's estimates, which otherwise seem in order. That is if the Captain just wants to do some quick restocking/trading; if anyone has more involved business in port it could be as much as a week per stop.
I have the print Atlas, it says Entrerri went from Waterdeep to calimport by ship in 22 days, Drizzt took 23 because he crossed the desert for part of the journey. That includes a single stop in Baldur's gate BTW.
There is one thing though... I don't remember where I read it, but I KNOW I READ IT somewhere. There is a weather pattern or current, akin to our Gulf Stream, which travels in a clockwise pattern South along the Swordcoast, West from Chult, North from Maztica, and back around (east) the northern waters to the icewind dale area. The 'thing' I read was giving this information to explain why sometimes debri from Maztica (after storms I would presume) occasionaly washes up on the Swordcoast. If I recall correctly, there was even a map, with Evermeet at the center, showing the wind or water patterns. Hmmmmmm....
Anyhow, this would mean that the journey back could take quite a bit longer, because you would be tacking into a head wind or fighting a strong current the whole way. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Aureus
Learned Scribe
Luxembourg
125 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 21:30:12
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I once made a calculation that the ships are not really faster than transporters travelling by land, the main diffrence is the mass that is transported, it's quite simple actually, if you can transport 100-200 pounds per porter per day by land (even with wagons) or 1000-2000 pounds per sailor per day that make's the importance of ships clear, you can transport a lot of volume and weight over a long distance at a more reasonable price
for adventuring it's good as well, you have your own mobile base, with all the equipement you need such as a secure resting place, you have a kitchen, food storage, repair material, a little smithing place (depending on the ships size and equipment), a small laboratory for alchemie, reserve weapons and ammunition, a defendable stronghold and one of the decks can be modified as a secured summoning place for calling dangerous fiends or other difficult to control ousiders and it is always impressive if you come with your own ship ;)
oh yes, I liked this idea, thanks boddynock for making me think about it |
That is not the weirdest thing that happened to me |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2007 : 03:26:27
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I *really* wouldn't want to do anything really delicate on board a ship. Even if it's anchored in a secure harbor with minimal wind, the boat would be rocking enough to slosh liquids around, spill powders, that sort of thing. Sounds like an explosion waiting to happen to me. So I'd strike any kind of alchemy or detailed magical work (enchanting, summoning, and the like, but obviously not most normal spell casting).
Likewise a full forge set-up would be 1) dangerous, and 2) completely impractical. A medieval forge was quite a complicated piece of technology, especially for harder metals like steel (or especially mithral). It needed large amounts of fuel and a carefully regulated air flow to get the metal hot enough. And, oh yeah, you're placing this bulky, heavy, extrodinately *hot* piece of equipment *in a craft made of wood.* Very bad idea.
That said, a cold forge might be workable, since that's pretty much just an anvil. It would still require special design work to make it work properly (and not go sliding around in a storm, for instance), but *I* certainly wouldn't want one. That thing gets loose, and you're lucky if it just squashes a few sailors and doesn't hole your ship.
Most of your other points are well made, however. A ship works well as a mobile base, and is capable of carrying large amounts of supplies. Or just cargo in general, letting you turn a profit. Though you then have to worry about all the roving sea monsters instead of the roving land monsters... |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
Edited by - Hoondatha on 23 Jan 2007 03:27:40 |
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Aureus
Learned Scribe
Luxembourg
125 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2007 : 10:35:31
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That depends on the type of the ship, have you seen Master and Commander?
But your totally right about the complete forge, the alchemie and the summoning place, although one can have the equipment on board and "simply" land if you need something made by one of these (if there is no appropriate installtion) that is more complicated/dangerous, (on board the anvil must of course be fasted very tightly) nobody said that it wasn't dangerous
I'm sure there are some magical ways to raise the fire resitance of the ship, not only because it make the entire craft more secure for day to day life but also because it very usfull in combat where enemies are likly to have firy wepons of diffent sorts |
That is not the weirdest thing that happened to me |
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Gelcur
Senior Scribe
523 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2021 : 14:15:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
There is one thing though... I don't remember where I read it, but I KNOW I READ IT somewhere. There is a weather pattern or current, akin to our Gulf Stream, which travels in a clockwise pattern South along the Swordcoast, West from Chult, North from Maztica, and back around (east) the northern waters to the icewind dale area. The 'thing' I read was giving this information to explain why sometimes debri from Maztica (after storms I would presume) occasionaly washes up on the Swordcoast. If I recall correctly, there was even a map, with Evermeet at the center, showing the wind or water patterns. Hmmmmmm....
Anyhow, this would mean that the journey back could take quite a bit longer, because you would be tacking into a head wind or fighting a strong current the whole way.
I know this is nearly 15 years later but I found this scroll a while back when I was researching air and water currents. It struck me as interesting but I too wanted a source. Well today when I was researching weather of the Sword Coast I found it. 3e FRCS page 79 has a sidebar called "Waterdeep's Climate".
Hopefully it'll help someone in the future, likely me a decade from now. You're welcome future me.
Edit:
Something always bothered me about the travel times on the Sword Coast and I finally realized this is the root of it. If the current goes clockwise. Shouldn't heading south down the coast be faster than heading north? City of Splendors p.103 has travel times. Heading North BG to WD 7 days, Heading South WD to BG 9 days. |
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. |
Edited by - Gelcur on 24 Nov 2021 20:13:36 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2021 : 20:56:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Gelcur
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
There is one thing though... I don't remember where I read it, but I KNOW I READ IT somewhere. There is a weather pattern or current, akin to our Gulf Stream, which travels in a clockwise pattern South along the Swordcoast, West from Chult, North from Maztica, and back around (east) the northern waters to the icewind dale area. The 'thing' I read was giving this information to explain why sometimes debri from Maztica (after storms I would presume) occasionaly washes up on the Swordcoast. If I recall correctly, there was even a map, with Evermeet at the center, showing the wind or water patterns. Hmmmmmm....
Anyhow, this would mean that the journey back could take quite a bit longer, because you would be tacking into a head wind or fighting a strong current the whole way.
I know this is nearly 15 years later but I found this scroll a while back when I was researching air and water currents. It struck me as interesting but I too wanted a source. Well today when I was researching weather of the Sword Coast I found it. 3e FRCS page 79 has a sidebar called "Waterdeep's Climate".
Hopefully it'll help someone in the future, likely me a decade from now. You're welcome future me.
Edit:
Something always bothered me about the travel times on the Sword Coast and I finally realized this is the root of it. If the current goes clockwise. Shouldn't heading south down the coast be faster than heading north? City of Splendors p.103 has travel times. Heading North BG to WD 7 days, Heading South WD to BG 9 days.
It would depend on how far from shore the current is, and the presence of other currents. It's possible that this larger current is further offshore than most ships go -- I seem to recall a preference for hugging the coast. There could be a second current, flowing south to north, closer into the coast.
For a real-world example, look at the Labrador Current. It flows south, along the eastern Canadian coast - and the Gulf Stream is not far beyond it, flowing north. |
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Gelcur
Senior Scribe
523 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2021 : 00:10:40
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Thank you for the feedback. Nature sciences were never a strong suit. Interesting. So someone daring enough could sail further out to take the stronger current and maybe make WD to BG in less than 7 days, obviously longer distance traveled having to head out and back in but faster rate of travel.
I wonder if this might be an explanation for the stormy weather up and down the coast. You have two currents with likely different temperatures mixing especially around islands like the Moonshaes. |
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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Travelling by sea
