The Firebird
@thefirebirdslair.bsky.social
OSR fan. Practical simulationist. Working on Expedition-N and Weather Generation. https://thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com/.
Firebird by rosinka (https://www.deviantart.com/rosinka/art/Firebird-3-925061701). Check out her other work!
Firebird by rosinka (https://www.deviantart.com/rosinka/art/Firebird-3-925061701). Check out her other work!
Really cool story. It's hard not to think of Girard's Violence and the Sacred. We know so little about these people but what we do feels poignant and sad, an acute sense of loss.
November 27, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Really cool story. It's hard not to think of Girard's Violence and the Sacred. We know so little about these people but what we do feels poignant and sad, an acute sense of loss.
I don't think that's right. In Ch 1 the Grasshopper notes that he is special--that he exaggerates the point to show the logic of it, even if in practice its time has not yet come. Until Utopia is achieved there is value to activities which make self-justifying ends possible.
November 24, 2025 at 11:40 PM
I don't think that's right. In Ch 1 the Grasshopper notes that he is special--that he exaggerates the point to show the logic of it, even if in practice its time has not yet come. Until Utopia is achieved there is value to activities which make self-justifying ends possible.
A fun article. I want to push on this--playability and realism are aligned to the extent that realism gives the players unwritten rules. "Gravity" is implemented for realism; without it, gaming is harder because the players don't know how the world works.
November 17, 2025 at 7:44 PM
A fun article. I want to push on this--playability and realism are aligned to the extent that realism gives the players unwritten rules. "Gravity" is implemented for realism; without it, gaming is harder because the players don't know how the world works.
I'm always curious about new weather ideas. I tested it out to get a sense of the distributions. Here is what I came up with after 10,000 moves.
The chances of extreme results are interesting. I got:
d6 ~ 3%
d8 ~ 1%
d10 ~ 0.2%
d12 ~ 0.05%
d6 or d8 seems best for something gameable.
The chances of extreme results are interesting. I got:
d6 ~ 3%
d8 ~ 1%
d10 ~ 0.2%
d12 ~ 0.05%
d6 or d8 seems best for something gameable.
November 9, 2025 at 7:37 PM
I'm always curious about new weather ideas. I tested it out to get a sense of the distributions. Here is what I came up with after 10,000 moves.
The chances of extreme results are interesting. I got:
d6 ~ 3%
d8 ~ 1%
d10 ~ 0.2%
d12 ~ 0.05%
d6 or d8 seems best for something gameable.
The chances of extreme results are interesting. I got:
d6 ~ 3%
d8 ~ 1%
d10 ~ 0.2%
d12 ~ 0.05%
d6 or d8 seems best for something gameable.
Specifically, "remember that the characters should still reach the Isle of Dread. Keep this in mind when balancing encounters, weather checks, and checks for becoming lost".
This approach is now rejected in the OSR, but versions were there early.
This approach is now rejected in the OSR, but versions were there early.
November 7, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Specifically, "remember that the characters should still reach the Isle of Dread. Keep this in mind when balancing encounters, weather checks, and checks for becoming lost".
This approach is now rejected in the OSR, but versions were there early.
This approach is now rejected in the OSR, but versions were there early.
The Isle of Dread--an expedition, an overland hex crawl, a focus on exploration. Does it do anything with weather? Not much. It discusses climate on the island but gives no mechanical effects. And it has some rules for weather on the journey...but states the characters must complete it successfully.
November 7, 2025 at 5:24 PM
The Isle of Dread--an expedition, an overland hex crawl, a focus on exploration. Does it do anything with weather? Not much. It discusses climate on the island but gives no mechanical effects. And it has some rules for weather on the journey...but states the characters must complete it successfully.
G2: The Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl, featured rules for ice and snow. PCs had a chance to fall to their deaths (1-in-6, each turn) while a "howling maze of cold" reduced movement by 50%.
#osr #rpg #simulationism
#osr #rpg #simulationism
November 6, 2025 at 7:29 PM
G2: The Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl, featured rules for ice and snow. PCs had a chance to fall to their deaths (1-in-6, each turn) while a "howling maze of cold" reduced movement by 50%.
#osr #rpg #simulationism
#osr #rpg #simulationism
This motivated my search for a system that was easy to run but matched reality. Something that is practical, simulationist, and algorithmic. To match the weather of any place on Earth with a table.
I lay out the problem below #osr #rpg #simulationism
thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com/2025/11/weat...
I lay out the problem below #osr #rpg #simulationism
thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com/2025/11/weat...
November 5, 2025 at 6:37 PM
This motivated my search for a system that was easy to run but matched reality. Something that is practical, simulationist, and algorithmic. To match the weather of any place on Earth with a table.
I lay out the problem below #osr #rpg #simulationism
thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com/2025/11/weat...
I lay out the problem below #osr #rpg #simulationism
thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com/2025/11/weat...
Love this section. The dungeon environment balances a world that is too open (hard to referee) vs too constrained (board games).
It's just enough structure to cause an explosion of creativity. That's why they're timeless.
It's just enough structure to cause an explosion of creativity. That's why they're timeless.
November 5, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Love this section. The dungeon environment balances a world that is too open (hard to referee) vs too constrained (board games).
It's just enough structure to cause an explosion of creativity. That's why they're timeless.
It's just enough structure to cause an explosion of creativity. That's why they're timeless.
Honorable mention here goes to the Delta's D&D blog, the only one I've seen use real data. The author is interested in a very simple system but informs it with real data. Practical simulation at work.
deltasdnd.blogspot.com/2017/05/oed-...
deltasdnd.blogspot.com/2017/05/oed-...
November 5, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Honorable mention here goes to the Delta's D&D blog, the only one I've seen use real data. The author is interested in a very simple system but informs it with real data. Practical simulation at work.
deltasdnd.blogspot.com/2017/05/oed-...
deltasdnd.blogspot.com/2017/05/oed-...
The most creative attempt at weather generation is the hexflower. This reimagines the weather table as a 2d object and allows for transitions explicitly. The whole thing looks great and is easy to use.
goblinshenchman.wordpress.com/hex-power-fl...
goblinshenchman.wordpress.com/hex-power-fl...
November 4, 2025 at 9:50 PM
The most creative attempt at weather generation is the hexflower. This reimagines the weather table as a 2d object and allows for transitions explicitly. The whole thing looks great and is easy to use.
goblinshenchman.wordpress.com/hex-power-fl...
goblinshenchman.wordpress.com/hex-power-fl...
Another example uses two tables for 'good' or 'bad' weather. Each day, you have a 75% to stay on the current table and a 25% to jump between them
copperpieces.blogspot.com/2021/09/is-r...
copperpieces.blogspot.com/2021/09/is-r...
November 4, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Another example uses two tables for 'good' or 'bad' weather. Each day, you have a 75% to stay on the current table and a 25% to jump between them
copperpieces.blogspot.com/2021/09/is-r...
copperpieces.blogspot.com/2021/09/is-r...
Post 1980s attempts at weather either i) take advantage of computers or ii) try to use tables in a clever way to combine ease with state information.
Here, for example, a system with lots of little dials to tune.
www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindT...
Here, for example, a system with lots of little dials to tune.
www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindT...
November 4, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Post 1980s attempts at weather either i) take advantage of computers or ii) try to use tables in a clever way to combine ease with state information.
Here, for example, a system with lots of little dials to tune.
www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindT...
Here, for example, a system with lots of little dials to tune.
www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindT...
More on Cabala's weather algorithm.
For each of 30 days:
-roll for temperature
-roll for precipitation chance
Then roll once for worst precipitation that month
Finally construct a 'logical weather pattern', including wind, by hand
If you need help, you can roll for wind strength
For each of 30 days:
-roll for temperature
-roll for precipitation chance
Then roll once for worst precipitation that month
Finally construct a 'logical weather pattern', including wind, by hand
If you need help, you can roll for wind strength
November 4, 2025 at 5:10 PM
More on Cabala's weather algorithm.
For each of 30 days:
-roll for temperature
-roll for precipitation chance
Then roll once for worst precipitation that month
Finally construct a 'logical weather pattern', including wind, by hand
If you need help, you can roll for wind strength
For each of 30 days:
-roll for temperature
-roll for precipitation chance
Then roll once for worst precipitation that month
Finally construct a 'logical weather pattern', including wind, by hand
If you need help, you can roll for wind strength
We have a chance of rain, so I go to the precipitation table. On my 2d6, die 2 was greater than die 1, so I get column C: Light precipitation. Rain or snow? The book says:
>36" F Rain
30-35 F 50% chance of sleet, else snow
<30 F Snow
We're at 20-40 F; I rolled and got snow, so we get 1" of snow.
>36" F Rain
30-35 F 50% chance of sleet, else snow
<30 F Snow
We're at 20-40 F; I rolled and got snow, so we get 1" of snow.
November 3, 2025 at 11:15 PM
We have a chance of rain, so I go to the precipitation table. On my 2d6, die 2 was greater than die 1, so I get column C: Light precipitation. Rain or snow? The book says:
>36" F Rain
30-35 F 50% chance of sleet, else snow
<30 F Snow
We're at 20-40 F; I rolled and got snow, so we get 1" of snow.
>36" F Rain
30-35 F 50% chance of sleet, else snow
<30 F Snow
We're at 20-40 F; I rolled and got snow, so we get 1" of snow.
We roll once on the weather table; I got a 3, so move down two steps. Tomorrow is 15-35 F: no rain, increased wind (from 0 mph?) by 15 mph from the North. Easy.
November 3, 2025 at 11:15 PM
We roll once on the weather table; I got a 3, so move down two steps. Tomorrow is 15-35 F: no rain, increased wind (from 0 mph?) by 15 mph from the North. Easy.
Notably, Cabala asks the user to roll 30 days of precipitation in advance and then to 'construct a logical weather pattern', building up to storms. DMs are given brief advice about doing this in certain environments.
The result relies on user skill and isn't just a purely random generation system.
The result relies on user skill and isn't just a purely random generation system.
November 3, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Notably, Cabala asks the user to roll 30 days of precipitation in advance and then to 'construct a logical weather pattern', building up to storms. DMs are given brief advice about doing this in certain environments.
The result relies on user skill and isn't just a purely random generation system.
The result relies on user skill and isn't just a purely random generation system.
A second go at weather was Lisa Cabala's article in Dragon #137. An extensive set of tables, this first gives a 'climate category'. Then you have rolls on temperature tables (12, by climate), a second for precipitation/clouds and a third for wind.
November 3, 2025 at 2:16 PM
A second go at weather was Lisa Cabala's article in Dragon #137. An extensive set of tables, this first gives a 'climate category'. Then you have rolls on temperature tables (12, by climate), a second for precipitation/clouds and a third for wind.
Based on the second roll, you'd get a chance of precipitation and some changes in wind. For precipitation, you'd go to a third table and again cross-reference by terrain and time of year.
Comprehensive--but is it practical, or a precursor to computer-aided techniques?
Comprehensive--but is it practical, or a precursor to computer-aided techniques?
November 2, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Based on the second roll, you'd get a chance of precipitation and some changes in wind. For precipitation, you'd go to a third table and again cross-reference by terrain and time of year.
Comprehensive--but is it practical, or a precursor to computer-aided techniques?
Comprehensive--but is it practical, or a precursor to computer-aided techniques?
One of the most comprehensive attempts at historical weather generation was the Wilderness Survival Guide. First you check terrain and month to get a temperature range--that's what the letters give you. (A is -40 to -20). Then, you get a daily 2d6 roll to move the range up or down.
November 2, 2025 at 5:11 PM
One of the most comprehensive attempts at historical weather generation was the Wilderness Survival Guide. First you check terrain and month to get a temperature range--that's what the letters give you. (A is -40 to -20). Then, you get a daily 2d6 roll to move the range up or down.
Here I do practical simulationism: rpg mechanics that match reality and work at the table. An example--a weather table for Chicago in the Fall based on the last 80 years of data.
It produces seasons which are as statistically likely as the real thing (including transition probabilities).
It produces seasons which are as statistically likely as the real thing (including transition probabilities).
November 1, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Here I do practical simulationism: rpg mechanics that match reality and work at the table. An example--a weather table for Chicago in the Fall based on the last 80 years of data.
It produces seasons which are as statistically likely as the real thing (including transition probabilities).
It produces seasons which are as statistically likely as the real thing (including transition probabilities).