So .... about to send my intrepid characters through the DDAL09-01 with Elturel having a bad day. What I dont understand is that, when I look at the map of Elturel in Avernus (in other words, what "disappeared") with that before hand (like from here ... https://heart-of-the-realms.obsidianportal.com/wikis/elturel), I have no unearthly idea how the crater is not almost immediately filled with water from the river .... anyone else make that happen?
Also, the descriptions I find of the city talk about it being up on a bluff but its got water around a *LOT* of the city .... is it only the central portion of the city that is the bluff or is this an oversight?
Yep - the crater would likely start filling with water from the river but it would take a while. The crater is quite large and the river flow is finite. Downstream flow would drop to a trickle while most of the water from upstream would start flowing into the crater dropping the upstream water level. The initial falling of the river into the crater would be pretty quick but that wouldn't come close to filling a big crater. After that the fill rate is limited to whatever the total flow rate of the river might be ... so depending on that flow and the size of the crater, it could take hours, days or even weeks to fill in.
Since the characters see it as the city disappears, I would say that describing it as just a crater would be reasonably accurate. You could enhance the description by describing the river starting to flow in but it will take some time to fill the hole and the party is probably long gone escorting refugees by that point.
Here's the other reality .... since water would be filling the crater, Baldur's Gate's downstream docks would have issues *if* it was at any significant elevation above sea level ... even a matter of feet ... note that Baldur's Gate is significantly inland from the open sea ....
Here's the other reality .... since water would be filling the crater, Baldur's Gate's downstream docks would have issues *if* it was at any significant elevation above sea level ... even a matter of feet ... note that Baldur's Gate is significantly inland from the open sea ....
Lol :) ... I think that is the point where you surpass the ability of a fantasy role playing game from dealing with physics :)
However, most estuaries near the see have tides so the water level in the estuary/river may not be THAT dependent on the flow of river water into the basin adjacent to the sea. I wouldn't expect the water level to be that much above sea level. However, you would change the composition in terms of salt water vs fresh water.
Anyway, in this case, I think you would be pretty safe in not mentioning any downstream side effects on the water levels in Baldur's Gate (keeping in mind that there may be other tributaries or sources of water between Baldur's Gate and Elturel and these would not flow upstream towards Elturel even if the water upstream stopped flowing). There is a good chance that the disruption in Baldurs Gate could be negligible. However, this is up the DM and how they want to run the world ... the DM could just as easily have the river stop flowing and a water shortage result. :) ... however, I don't think there is any need to change the modules as written to include side effects in Baldurs Gate ... they would be kind of incidental to the plot lines of the module/hardcover.
Probably should have mentioned my MS in Physics LOL - I CANT HELP IT!!!!!!
I think if I offer even rather mundane effects to local water system behavior, I feel like it helps with immersion and generates just that much more of a feeling of scale - thanks for the input!
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So .... about to send my intrepid characters through the DDAL09-01 with Elturel having a bad day. What I dont understand is that, when I look at the map of Elturel in Avernus (in other words, what "disappeared") with that before hand (like from here ... https://heart-of-the-realms.obsidianportal.com/wikis/elturel), I have no unearthly idea how the crater is not almost immediately filled with water from the river .... anyone else make that happen?
Also, the descriptions I find of the city talk about it being up on a bluff but its got water around a *LOT* of the city .... is it only the central portion of the city that is the bluff or is this an oversight?
Hi!
Yep - the crater would likely start filling with water from the river but it would take a while. The crater is quite large and the river flow is finite. Downstream flow would drop to a trickle while most of the water from upstream would start flowing into the crater dropping the upstream water level. The initial falling of the river into the crater would be pretty quick but that wouldn't come close to filling a big crater. After that the fill rate is limited to whatever the total flow rate of the river might be ... so depending on that flow and the size of the crater, it could take hours, days or even weeks to fill in.
Since the characters see it as the city disappears, I would say that describing it as just a crater would be reasonably accurate. You could enhance the description by describing the river starting to flow in but it will take some time to fill the hole and the party is probably long gone escorting refugees by that point.
Here's the other reality .... since water would be filling the crater, Baldur's Gate's downstream docks would have issues *if* it was at any significant elevation above sea level ... even a matter of feet ... note that Baldur's Gate is significantly inland from the open sea ....
Lol :) ... I think that is the point where you surpass the ability of a fantasy role playing game from dealing with physics :)
However, most estuaries near the see have tides so the water level in the estuary/river may not be THAT dependent on the flow of river water into the basin adjacent to the sea. I wouldn't expect the water level to be that much above sea level. However, you would change the composition in terms of salt water vs fresh water.
Anyway, in this case, I think you would be pretty safe in not mentioning any downstream side effects on the water levels in Baldur's Gate (keeping in mind that there may be other tributaries or sources of water between Baldur's Gate and Elturel and these would not flow upstream towards Elturel even if the water upstream stopped flowing). There is a good chance that the disruption in Baldurs Gate could be negligible. However, this is up the DM and how they want to run the world ... the DM could just as easily have the river stop flowing and a water shortage result. :) ... however, I don't think there is any need to change the modules as written to include side effects in Baldurs Gate ... they would be kind of incidental to the plot lines of the module/hardcover.
Probably should have mentioned my MS in Physics LOL - I CANT HELP IT!!!!!!
I think if I offer even rather mundane effects to local water system behavior, I feel like it helps with immersion and generates just that much more of a feeling of scale - thanks for the input!