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Hyperborea » Tar Pits Mean Coal » 3/23/2020 8:53 pm

Rhebeqah
Replies: 0

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Tar pits are slow petroleum seeps which suggests the presence of fossil fuels and thus the presence of coal.

Where is the coal being mined and who does the mining? What if coal mines delve too deep and break into caverns measureless to man?

Coal is a vital resource and I can imagine battles over control of coal mines. In the film "Things To Come" such a battle was depicted.

Hyperborea » Month Names » 3/23/2020 7:27 am

Rhebeqah
Replies: 2

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Does Hyperborea have month names? I would use a default of the signs of the Zodiac with Ophiuchus slotted in as the ninth month between Scorpius and Sagittarius. The Latin names would be for scholars etc and the English translations would stand in for the common names.

I: Aries/Crios/The Ram
II: Taurus/Tauros/The Bull
III: Gemini/Didymoi/The Twins
IV: Cancer/Carcinos/The Crab
V: Leo/Leon/The Lion
VI: Virgo/Parthenos/The Virgin
VII: Libra/Zygos/The Scales
VIII: Scorpius/Scorpios/The Scorpion
IX: Ophiuchus/Ophiuchos/The Serpent Bearer
X: Sagittarius/Toxetes/The Archer
XI: Capricorn/Aigoceros/The Goat
XII: Aquarius/Hydrochöos/The Water Bearer
XIII: Pisces/Ichthyes/The Fishes

Ancient Greek names also given.

Two names in common with the name years ie The Crab and the Fishes which we can change to the Lobster and the Shark for the years as the signs of Zodiac are older, dating back to Babylonian times, so should take precedence over the new-fangled year names.

My guess is that it will actually the Zodiac proper names that will be in common use instead of their translations just the way it happened with the Julian month names on our world.

General Discussion » background music for Hyperborea » 3/23/2020 7:23 am

Rhebeqah
Replies: 9

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"Sinfonia Antartica" by Vaughan Williams for doomed marches through the Hyperborean winter. Sibelius' "Tapiola" while traversing primeval forests. Actually, the work of Sibelius is just right for Hyperborea. He was steeped in the influence of his Finnish homeland and Hyperborea is, landscape wise, Finland writ large.

Rules Discussion » XP for places and new things » 3/23/2020 6:59 am

Rhebeqah
Replies: 26

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XP for distance travelled was a thing in "Rolemaster". We got a lot of XP that way.

Hyperborea » Winter is coming » 3/23/2020 6:57 am

Rhebeqah
Replies: 27

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I suppose it doesn't really matter how humanity survives the Hyperborean winter, be it hard work, true grit, sorcery or handwavium. Just enjoy the grim horror of the Hyperborean climate.

Literary Inspirations » Lin Carter » 3/23/2020 6:51 am

Rhebeqah
Replies: 17

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Never read any of Carter's stories but I'm indebted to him for getting Clarke Ashton Smith into print. I have Ballantine's edition of "Zothique" which I love.

Literary Inspirations » Time lost and style changed. The story of a recovering Tolkein-holic » 3/23/2020 2:52 am

Rhebeqah
Replies: 15

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I didn't really read Smith until my mid-thirties when I acquired a copy of "Zothique". It blew my socks off. So strange, so beautiful, so horrific. I can see a lot of Zothique in Talanian's Hyperborea setting.

A bit later, I acquired Smith's "Hyperborea" which most definitely had an influence on the setting of AS&SH.

I came to Smith last because as a general rule, apart from the odd anthologised tale, his work is still not as accessible as it should be whereas Tolkien's work is readily found in bookshops and has dedicated fanfiction sites.

Bestiary » Realisation About The Transmundanes » 3/22/2020 11:29 am

Rhebeqah
Replies: 3

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Cool! I love the Easter eggs I keep finding in AS&SH

Bestiary » Realisation About The Transmundanes » 3/22/2020 7:46 am

Rhebeqah
Replies: 3

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Was rewatching "Angel" and I realised summat. The Oracles that Angel occasionally consults are almost exactly like the Transmundanes. Am I right, Ghul?

Rules Discussion » What Is Star Metal? » 3/20/2020 9:00 am

Rhebeqah
Replies: 5

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Thanks, Rhialto! It's a big book. Things get missed.

Rules Discussion » What Is Star Metal? » 3/19/2020 10:29 pm

Rhebeqah
Replies: 5

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This material gets referenced on the Jewellery Table but is not defined in the main text. What is it, please?

Hyperborea » Where Does Helios Rise? Where Does He Set? » 3/19/2020 7:16 pm

Rhebeqah
Replies: 5

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It's tricky to visualise Hyperborea sometimes.

Hyperborea » Raiding For Crops » 3/19/2020 7:15 pm

Rhebeqah
Replies: 2

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Winter is the most perilous NPC on Hyperborea. It most probably is the biggest killer in the setting.

Hyperborea » Winter is coming » 3/19/2020 2:39 pm

Rhebeqah
Replies: 27

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The summers on Hyperborea are four years long. That's a very long growing season. That might offset the long winters somewhat.

Hyperborea » Where Does Helios Rise? Where Does He Set? » 3/19/2020 2:34 pm

Rhebeqah
Replies: 5

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I think I worked it out. As an observer faces north they will see Helios appear in the NE. During the morning, Helios will move in a SW direction until at noon he is due south of the observer. Then he will move in a NW direction towards sunrise. My head canon does assume a convex Hyperborea which contradicts scholarly opinion in-universe but scholarly opinion may be incorrect in this instance.

Hyperborea » Raiding For Crops » 3/19/2020 2:23 pm

Rhebeqah
Replies: 2

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I've noticed that the coastal mainland can support crops but the mainland interior is just too cold for that. Most barbarians live in the interior. The corebook notes that barbarians tend to raid Khromarium during the winter. My conclusion is that they're after the food stores. It's also a good way of thinning out the weak among the barbarians without resorting to a formal cull.

Rules Discussion » Dying Of Starvation And Thirst » 8/03/2019 8:27 am

Rhebeqah
Replies: 4

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What I would suggest in lieu of official rules is have the PCs make a Test of Constitution for each day the PC goes without water after one day of deprivation. Each failure of a Test of Constitution temporarily reduces the PC's constitution by one point. A similar mechanic is in effect for each day the PC goes without food after three days of deprivation. You make TWO tests per day if you're out of both food and water. Constitution returns to its normal level after one day of adequate hydration and nutrition. When Constitution hits zero you're dead.

General Discussion » Weather in Hyperborea (°Celsius) » 8/03/2019 8:14 am

Rhebeqah
Replies: 5

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That link worked. Thank you, Kane!

General Discussion » Weather in Hyperborea (°Celsius) » 8/02/2019 2:55 pm

Rhebeqah
Replies: 5

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The link doesn't appear to work. Sorry.

Rules Discussion » Dying Of Starvation And Thirst » 8/02/2019 1:58 pm

Rhebeqah
Replies: 4

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Are there any rules for this? I couldn't find any but then it's a big book.

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