Is the world within the rifts going through an ice age?

[Nymrod]

I may be grasping at straws here and for that I apologize but when we see the world within the rift in http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0672.html there seems to be an extensive ice cap over the northern hemisphere and a smaller one over the southern one. Could that mean that world is going through an ice age?

I'd further posit that perhaps this is the reason the gods created a new world; the followers of those three pantheons all ended up dead and they had to create a new world or perish from lack of followers! The greek gods perhaps had followers in the places outside the ice cap and thus did not need to leave. The Snarl could be the result of their mutual agreement to not interfere with each other from that point on, some sort of defense mechanism to kill anyone trying to travel between the two planes.
The other gods would have lied to the Dark One to prevent him from trying to move his followers to that other world cause they still needed the goblin races as fodder for their followers.
The IFCC wants the gates destroyed so that people end up traveling between planes and a war between the two worlds happens. In such a case there may be an influx of souls in the outer planes which could be their endgame if they had some way to control who gets those souls.

[martianmister]

I think they're just clouds. You can see through them.

[Nymrod]

I think they're just clouds. You can see through them.

But there are also numerous white shadows in the equatorial area that would be clouds. Those around the caps have distinct borders and are much more solid in color.

[martianmister]

But there are also numerous white shadows in the equatorial area that would be clouds.

Smaller clouds?


Those around the caps have distinct borders and are much more solid in color.

They still doesn't look like ice caps.

[fan4battle]

Clouds with different density? :smallwink:

[IrishFast]

I'm with Nymrod. Those do not look like clouds.

Clouds would likely be much smaller and more numerous. Clouds in that panel are drawn as faint wispy things with indistinct borders and with various degrees of transparency. At the sides of the planet, clouds can be seen at various altitudes, but they are all well above the surface.

The white areas in question are two uniformly-drawn masses centered around each pole (I assume centered, but we only see one side of the planet). They have distinct edges and have unvarying opacity. If you look closely, you can see that the white masses are actually on top of the surface at a consistent height. The ability to distinguish geographical features underneath the white masses is a little puzzling, but I can say one thing:

They do not look like clouds.

[With a box]

Few hypotheses about the planet, gate and its solar system.
1. There is no sign of shadow on it.
it means that the gate is in line with planet itself and their sun.
and i think the mass of gate is not that big to interrupt the orbit of the planet(it should be to make stable Biosphere in that.
So, We can assume the locate of the gate is at Lagrangian points L1.
The boundaries between forest and glaciers(= a Latitude lines) is liner at our sight, so it might be the vernal equinox or the autumnal equinox at that time.
I don't have any idea for The absence of cloud and Asymmetric polar regions,
ANYONE has something about it?

P.S sorry for bad english

[Lord Torath]

Well, assuming north is "up," I'd say you could assume it's winter in the northern hemisphere (during a pretty severe Ice Age, if the ice cap reaches the equator) and summer in the southern hemisphere. The seasons are caused by the tilt of a planet's axis, and the more extreme the tilt, the more extreme the seasons are.

I was going to go into how the eccentricity of the orbit could affect the severity of the seasons, but I don't know that the Giant would have put that much thought into it. It's not something most people think about when designing campaign worlds.

[Nymrod]

Still, those white areas are a peculiar detail and one added on a panel that the Giant must know would be crucial to the comic.

[F.Harr]

I've wondered this myself. It may just be a combination of an ice age, winter in the relevant hemisphear and the relevant pole is not on the edge of the disk we see but closer to us.

If that last bit made any sense whatsoever.

[Cavenskull]

Keep in mind that the white regions aren't unique to the world in the rift. There is another (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0639.html).

[karkus]

Keep in mind that the white regions aren't unique to the world in the rift. There is another (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0639.html).

That might be the best comparison in this thread...

[Nymrod]

Yup, same opaque white distinct zone showing the polar ice cap in the order's side. I take that as further evidence for my case:)

[veti]

Few hypotheses about the planet, gate and its solar system.
1. There is no sign of shadow on it.
it means that the gate is in line with planet itself and their sun.
and i think the mass of gate is not that big to interrupt the orbit of the planet(it should be to make stable Biosphere in that.
So, We can assume the locate of the gate is at Lagrangian points L1.

A lot of assumptions there. One, that the gate is stationary, relative to the planet. Two, that there are no shadows (it's hard to tell, the way the lighting works through the rift). And three, that the Giant put that much thought into that panel. We know (from here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0742.html), at least) that astronomy isn't one of his strengths.


Still, those white areas are a peculiar detail and one added on a panel that the Giant must know would be crucial to the comic.

On this forum, every panel is "crucial to the comic". :smallsigh:

[Kish]

On this forum, every panel is "crucial to the comic". :smallsigh:
Can there not be a category which is neither "crucial to the comic" nor "filler"?

[veti]

Can there not be a category which is neither "crucial to the comic" nor "filler"?

You're asking me? I've never used the 'f'-word on this board.

[137beth]

Can there not be a category which is neither "crucial to the comic" nor "filler"?

It would seem the only categories on this board are are "filler" and "deus ex machina"...

[skim172]

One quick question:

How did Blackwing recognize what he saw as a planet?

No, seriously. We recognize it as a planet, because we've grown up in an era when satellite imagery of the entire planet is possible. But prior to spaceflight, we could only guess what the planet might have looked like. We could've made reasonably accurate estimations, but it would've been difficult even for the best astronomer to really envision the Earth and it would hardly have been common knowledge. That Blackwing could see a big blue orb with green and white on it in a black void and immediately know he was looking at a planet similar to his own is a little peculiar.

I'm assuming that the world of OOTS doesn't have spaceflight, satellite images, and photo printers. Of course, they do have magic, so perhaps magic could be used to further knowledge of the Earth. But if they managed to make a magic-powered satellite, surely they'd have come up with magic trains already or something.

[hamishspence]

But if they managed to make a magic-powered satellite, surely they'd have come up with magic trains already or something.

Well, there is Redcloak's comment here:

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0543.html

"I'm the one who has to make the magical lightning-powered trains run on time".

[Amphiox]

One quick question:

How did Blackwing recognize what he saw as a planet?

No, seriously. We recognize it as a planet, because we've grown up in an era when satellite imagery of the entire planet is possible. But prior to spaceflight, we could only guess what the planet might have looked like. We could've made reasonably accurate estimations, but it would've been difficult even for the best astronomer to really envision the Earth and it would hardly have been common knowledge. That Blackwing could see a big blue orb with green and white on it in a black void and immediately know he was looking at a planet similar to his own is a little peculiar.

I'm assuming that the world of OOTS doesn't have spaceflight, satellite images, and photo printers. Of course, they do have magic, so perhaps magic could be used to further knowledge of the Earth. But if they managed to make a magic-powered satellite, surely they'd have come up with magic trains already or something.

The ancient Greeks figured out what the earth looked like to a pretty decent degree of accuracy long before spaceflight. People were making and selling globes of the earth long before spaceflight.

Now the Greeks did not consider the earth to be a planet, but their definition of the word planet was a pinpoint of light the moved in the sky against the background of the fixed stars.

If we allow for the term "planet" to have been arbitrarily defined to mean a world, then within the setting, even if it may not be common knowledge, it is easily reasonable to suppose it to be the kind of thing that well-read scholars would know.

Well read scholars like, say, an elven mage obsessed with studying about arcane power, who talks about bending the laws of physics to her will. (In a world where a well-read Fighter knows about the combustion point of necrotized flesh and is familiar with the proper usage of the term "radius".)

As a wizard's familiar, I am supposing the Blackwing basically has access to all the knowledge that V could have (just being present perched on V's shoulder while V was studying, and gifted with magic with the power of speech and the ability to comprehend writing would be enough). If it is reasonable for V to know what a planet is or looks like, it is reasonable for Blackwing to be able to recognize one.

[Amphiox]

We're also talking about a world where clerics have the power to commune directly with the beings responsible for actually making the world/planet.

All it would take is for a cleric to ask his or her god "what does the world look like", and then draw what he or she was shown, and the word would spread from there.

[rodneyAnonymous]

Well, assuming north is "up,"...

I don't think we can assume that. Perhaps the view is looking down at one of the poles.

[Hopeless]

Three possibilities strike me after reading this thread.

1)That portal is looking down upon the world of the OOTS from a point located somewhere on the otherside of their world,

2)That is the original world and rather than being destroyed it remained intact and being the original any creature slain is obviously being reborn there rather than on the OOTS world since it is the original and where they were supposed to be,

3)Its the other way round the gods sealed themselves inside leaving the Snarl outside unable to break in save through those points each gate once destroyed opens up the gods prison so that when Kraagor's gate is destroyed the OOTS world returns to normal space and we learn what really happened...

Rather like the idea that its the OOTS world we're seeing rather than another world inside the Snarl's prison I wonder would that mean the MITD is actually the Snarl but noone knows?

[martianmister]

Yup, same opaque white distinct zone showing the polar ice cap in the order's side. I take that as further evidence for my case:)

Apparently there is green lands and blue seas beneath an ice cap? :smallyuk:

[F.Harr]

One quick question:

How did Blackwing recognize what he saw as a planet?

No, seriously. We recognize it as a planet, because we've grown up in an era when satellite imagery of the entire planet is possible. But prior to spaceflight, we could only guess what the planet might have looked like. We could've made reasonably accurate estimations, but it would've been difficult even for the best astronomer to really envision the Earth and it would hardly have been common knowledge. That Blackwing could see a big blue orb with green and white on it in a black void and immediately know he was looking at a planet similar to his own is a little peculiar.

Because Blackwing is a character in a story written by a rather sophisticated person. It would take too long and be too boring to have Blackwing be ignorant and, as this is a parody, it wouldn't add to the realism of the world Mr. Berlew is creating.


I'm assuming that the world of OOTS doesn't have spaceflight, satellite images, and photo printers. Of course, they do have magic, so perhaps magic could be used to further knowledge of the Earth. But if they managed to make a magic-powered satellite, surely they'd have come up with magic trains already or something.

They may very well. They're just not that common, yet as they were just invented a little while ago.


The ancient Greeks figured out what the earth looked like to a pretty decent degree of accuracy long before spaceflight. People were making and selling globes of the earth long before spaceflight.

Now the Greeks did not consider the earth to be a planet, but their definition of the word planet was a pinpoint of light the moved in the sky against the background of the fixed stars.

If we allow for the term "planet" to have been arbitrarily defined to mean a world, then within the setting, even if it may not be common knowledge, it is easily reasonable to suppose it to be the kind of thing that well-read scholars would know.

Well read scholars like, say, an elven mage obsessed with studying about arcane power, who talks about bending the laws of physics to her will. (In a world where a well-read Fighter knows about the combustion point of necrotized flesh and is familiar with the proper usage of the term "radius".)

As a wizard's familiar, I am supposing the Blackwing basically has access to all the knowledge that V could have (just being present perched on V's shoulder while V was studying, and gifted with magic with the power of speech and the ability to comprehend writing would be enough). If it is reasonable for V to know what a planet is or looks like, it is reasonable for Blackwing to be able to recognize one.

We're also talking about a world where clerics have the power to commune directly with the beings responsible for actually making the world/planet.

All it would take is for a cleric to ask his or her god "what does the world look like", and then draw what he or she was shown, and the word would spread from there.

Yeah, that too.


I don't think we can assume that. Perhaps the view is looking down at one of the poles.

Hey! That's part of what I said!


Three possibilities strike me after reading this thread.

. . . I wonder would that mean the MITD is actually the Snarl but noone knows?

I've wondered that, too. But the Giant has stated that the MitD is not a homebrew and can be guessed. So, unless like Nathan Brazil, he assumed the form and life of an "ordinary" D&D monster, it's very unlikely.

[Nymrod]

Plus, for those who have not read SoD, Redcloak knows what the MitD is.

[Lord Torath]

One quick question:

How did Blackwing recognize what he saw as a planet? Spelljammer. Not saying it's definitely (or even remotely) the case, but if they have airships, they could possibly have spelljammers as well.

There's also the question of how "close" Heaven is, and what Roy saw as he looked down through the gap in the clouds. If it's sufficiently "far," he could have gotten a full view of the world.

[Sethala]

[QUOTE=With a box;15528676]Few hypotheses about the planet, gate and its solar system.
1. There is no sign of shadow on it./QUOTE]

It's a stick figure comic. There are no shadows. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0229.html)

[Hopeless]

[QUOTE=With a box;15528676]Few hypotheses about the planet, gate and its solar system.
1. There is no sign of shadow on it./QUOTE]

It's a stick figure comic. There are no shadows. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0229.html)

So no lycanthropes then?

[martianmister]

It's a stick figure comic. There are no shadows. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0229.html)

Not anymore, thanks to Cerebus. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0242.html)