“Central Aventuria’s climate is mild overall, but the winters do
bring some snow. Most humans live here, where their cultures
and sciences flourish. Truly, the Twelve love this land best, for it
is home to the Twelve’s most loyal worshipers.
Northern Aventuria, in contrast, lies firmly in Firun’s merciless
grip. It never warms in summer and the winter lasts for more
than half a year. Only the hardiest souls can live in these lands.
Southern Aventuria simmers with heat. In this land of sand and
dense jungles, bands of bronze-skinned warriors hunt all manner
of dangerous beasts.”
—from the Introduction to Great Aventurian Atlas, printed
in 885 FB
Despite its relatively small size (3,000 by 2,000
Middenmiles), Aventuria exhibits all possible climate
zones. While the far north lies covered in eternal ice,
tropical rainforests dominate in the south. Between these
extremes are tundra and wide steppes, taiga and wooded
highlands, rugged mountain ranges, vibrant river valleys,
dense forests, broiling deserts, and swamps that swim with
ravenous mosquitoes.
The weather in Aventuria reflects supernatural influences
as often as natural ones. Lightning is attributed to the gods,
especially the valiant goddess Rondra who is also known as
Lady of Storm and Lightning. Fog and clouds conceal many
things and thus are often associated with cunning Phex,
the god of secrecy. Seasonal and trade winds are named
after the gods’ children and are supposed to obey Efferd,
the Lord of Wind and Waves. In fact, nearly every weather
phenomenon is attributed to the work of an immortal or
at least to the casting of powerful magic. Legend says that
the Khôm Desert was once a vibrant jungle until it was
transformed into a hostile wasteland by powerful magic.
Three large climate zones dominate Aventuria. In the far
reaches of the north, eternal frost, pack ice, and biting
winds render survival enormously challenging. Firun’s
Frost (below -14 degrees, F.) is so cold that skin freezes
to metal items. A body with poor protection against the
cold loses so much warmth that death from freezing is
imminent. Outer Hellish cold (below -59 degrees, F.) freezes
even the sea and sudden ice storms make it dangerous to
travel. It is no wonder then that the Far North is seldom
visited and remains largely unexplored.
Levels of Cold
Level 1 Cold 50 to 33 degrees F
Level 2 Freezing 32 to -13 degrees F
Level 3 Firun’s Frost —14 to -58 degrees F
Level 4 Outer Hellish below -59 degrees F
Levels of Heat
Level 1 Warm 51 to 95 degrees F
Level 2 Hot 96 to 113 degrees F
Level 3 Scorch of Praios 114 to 131 degrees F
Level 4 Blaze of the Khôm above 132 degrees F
The largest portion of Aventuria (the area between the
Weal Mountains and Rashtul’s Wall) possesses a temperate
climate that enjoys four pronounced seasons. The summers
can be sunny, hot, and dry, and the winters biting cold and
full of snow and ice, but extremes of temperature occur
rarely. The coasts of central Aventuria seem particularly
blessed by the gods. The harbor of Festum practically
never freezes even though this Bornish port city lies far to the north and Bornland routinely experiences frosty
winters. On the other hand, summers in the Horasian city
of Kuslik are never so unbearable that daily life grinds to
a halt. Spring and autumn see frequent fog, strong winds,
and rain, which often lead to river flooding. Annual rainfall
shapes life in the river valleys and meadows. Most people
(of any race) live in these areas due to the abundant
harvests and plentiful forage for livestock.
Southern Aventuria is shaped entirely by heat. Depending
on the location, this heat can either be stifling and dry or
oppressive and sultry. In the sand seas of the Khôm Desert,
the sun beats down mercilessly. The scorching heat of the
day only seems to magnify the severe cold of the night
when the ambient temperature plummets from Blaze of
the Khôm (above 132 degrees F.) to Cold (33 degrees F.)
in just a few hours. Nevertheless, the greatest challenges
to life are sand storms, which can appear out of nowhere,
and shortages of water, and travelers must make their way
from oasis to oasis in a timely fashion or else die of thirst.
Beyond the Khôm lie rainforests, evergreen jungles,
mangrove forests, and swamps teeming with mosquitoes
and crocodiles. Rising above everything are mist-covered
mountain ranges that have yet to be fully explored. Travel
is further hindered by prolonged rainfall, which turns
brooks into rushing torrents and firm ground into marshy
muck.
Weather conditions can affect character actions, especially
while traveling. For more about the effects of heat and cold
on travelers, see the Core Rules, on page 346.
“Storm? By Swafnir’s fluke, I wouldn’t call this
gentle breeze a storm! Once, near Prem, we
could hardly see the port for the swell, and
Carolan went overboard. That was a storm!”
—Tjalva Garheltsdottir, Hetja from Prem
Windlore
Seafarers fear Beleman, Rondrikan, Nuianna, Horoban,
Harunka, Katla, and Caranthu—the winds that lend their
names to the Sea of Seven Winds. Of these, the best known
is Beleman, which carries warm winds across Aventuria
from the west coast to the east. The Rondrikan is a mighty
storm attributed to the anger-fueled work of the valiant
goddess Rondra, as it often brings thunder and lighting.
Winds influence the weather at sea as well. The Gebelaus
and Tobrien breezes blow from the north, bringing cold
and moisture with them. In the south, the whirlwind
named Kauca sometimes rages over the Sea of Pearls and
comes ashore, devastating entire villages.
