Trid's distance from Ammonkis allows for five distinct climate bands, while its axial tilt provides seasonal variation by latitude. Given that Trid's civilised societies rely on agriculture, climatic impact on what can be grown and how long before it may be harvested is the primary factor in population migrations and density.
Climate
Five climate bands, each 18 degrees north-to-south, characterise the environmental conditions between the equator and each of Trid's poles.
Tropical
The equator straddles the breadth of the tropical belt. Seasonal variation here is subtle, as the weather remains fairly constant throughout the year. Periods of daylight and night are roughly equal. Areas within this band are generally quite hot, and winter is often characterised by violent rainstorms and hurricanes (in those places where rain does fall). Tropical forests are known as jungles, and grass- and scrub lands do exist, mixed with desert in the most arid regions.
Sub-tropical
The sub-tropical band hosts areas of predominately high temperatures, with long dry summers and short rainy winters. Land is covered by lush forests and grasslands where rainfall is high. Seas are warm throughout the year. In the northern hemisphere, the southern-most border of the sub-tropical belt marks the extreme of the planet’s axial tilt, known as the Northern Tropic (which lies some 18 degrees from the equator; in the southern hemisphere, the opposite is true).
Temperate
Beyond the sub-tropical band lies the temperate belt, where regions of moderate temperature exist. Seasons are highly distinct, characterised by hot summers, cold winters and moderate autumns and springs. The distinct seasonal variation leads to easily predicted periods of growing and harvesting. All manner of vegetation covers the ground; so large standing forests, vast grasslands and plains, and steppe are common.
Sub-arctic
Approaching either of Trid's poles, one crosses through the sub-arctic bands. These regions are quite cold, and periods of daylight and night are skewed by the axial tilt of the planet, depending on the time of year. Thus, during winter months, when Trid's southern hemisphere faces Ammonkis, daylight in the northern hemisphere is drastically reduced as one travels farther north. Sparse vegetation grows in sub-arctic areas: hearty scrub and evergreen dominate the land when the temperature is high enough to melt the permafrost and allow growth. Icebergs are common on the seas while deep snow is common on land, as are ice floes around lakes and rivers, throughout much of the year.
Arctic
The arctic climate bands surround both the north and south poles. These regions are typified by extreme cold and a lack of vegetation. Both land and sea are covered with a mix of ice and snow (and, below the ground’s surface, frozen soil). The non-uniform periods of daylight and night are more pronounced in this region than in the sub-arctic, and depending on the time of year, there are days when the sun never rises or never sets (the point at which this occurs is known as the arctic circle, which is the southern boundary of the arctic band in the northern hemisphere, or the northern boundary of the arctic band in the southern hemisphere).
Trid supports each of the standard terrain types outlined in the core rules. The tables below describe each and the visuals correspond to the world and atlas maps.
Terrain Distribution and Population
Trid has a global land area of 34.2 million square miles, with a total population of 33.9 million, for a rough global population density of one person per square mile. However, not all land is equally habitable, and the table below shows the population by terrain type:
| Terrain | Area (square miles) | Population | Population Density |
|---|
| Barrens / Hills / Mountains | 2,800,000 | 230,000 | 0.08 / sq. mile |
| Clear / Grasslands | 8,800,000 | 5,100,000 | 0.58 / sq. mile |
| Desert | 636,000 | 122,000 | 0.19 / sq. mile |
| Forest | 9,800,000 | 17,300,000 | 1.77 / sq. mile |
| Jungle | 2,000,000 | 3,500,000 | 1.75 / sq. mile |
| Swamp | 3,500,000 | 4,800,000 | 1.37 / sq. mile |
| Taiga (cold forest) | 6,200,000 | 2,500,000 | 0.40 / sq. mile |
| Tundra (cold clear) | 804,000 | 207,000 | 0.26 / sq. mile |
Totals: | 33,540,000 | 33,759,000 | 0.8 / sq. mile (average) |
Barrens / Hills / Mountains
Any rough terrain with sparse vegetation.
| Terrain | Description | Hex Symbol |
|---|
| Barrens | Dry and bare land covered with a mix of rock and soil; sometimes referred to as rocky deserts. | |
| Glacier | Thick sheets of hard-packed ice and snow that move slowly under their own weight; typified by wide snowfields, crevasses, steep inclines, and ice caves. | |
| Hills | Rocky and uneven heights, often with caves, canyons, and plateaus, usually ringing mountain ranges. | |
| Mountains | Essentially hills rising above 1,000 feet. Altitude makes mountains colder by one climate band (e.g., a sub-tropical mountain range has a temperate climate). | |
City
In the context of terrain, "city" refers to any settlement. Certainly, this includes cities, towns, and villages, but also strongholds, monasteries, and fighting orders.
| Terrain | Description | Hex Symbol |
|---|
| Village | Population: 50–1,000 (1d20 x 50) | |
| Town, Small | Population: 500–5,000 (1d10 x 500) | |
| Town, Large | Population: 4,000–15,000 (1d12+3 x 1,000) | |
| City | Population: 13,000–24,000 (1d12+12 x 1,000) | |
Port: Any settlement that engages in trade via river or sea. Port settlements support an additional population of 20–50% (1d4+1), consisting of dock labour and security, merchants, trade guilds, and travellers.
Capital: Any settlement that serves as the seat of government in a wider territory. Capitals are outlined in red on the map and support an additional population of 30–80% (1d6+2), consisting of bureaucrats, noble families, diplomats, security, merchants, and travellers.
Clear / Grasslands
Generally flat land covered with abundant, low-lying vegetation.
| Terrain | Description | Hex Symbol |
|---|
| Clear | Typically lightly wooded and relatively easy to convert to arable acreage. | |
| Grasslands | Characterised by short shrubs, tall grass, and the occasional stand of trees. As with clear terrain, soil is rich and fed by plentiful sources of water. | |
| Tundra | Clear terrain in cold areas with low grasses, shrubs, and scattered trees | |
Desert
Arid regions that receive little to no annual rainfall. Plants and animals survive in deserts through specialised adaptations, adding to the danger of this desolate terrain.
| Terrain | Description | Hex Symbol |
|---|
| Cold Desert | High-altitude desert with rocky soil. | |
| Hot Desert | Usually sand-filled with dunes formed by wind; the occasional oasis exists where fed by a natural spring. | |
Forest
Any predominately wooded area where trees provide a tall canopy.
| Terrain | Description | Hex Symbol |
|---|
| Forest | Deciduous trees that can withstand the extremes of hot summers and freezing winters. Undergrowth may be sparse if a dense canopy prevents sunlight from reaching the ground. | |
| Taiga | Cold forests dominated by conifers extending to the treeline at the arctic climate band. | |
Jungle
Limited to tropical climes, jungles are "multi-story" forests, with tall and medium-height trees whose canopies are thin enough to allow thick undergrowth.
| Terrain | Description | Hex Symbol |
|---|
| Jungle | Generally thick undergrowth and tall trees that provide the basis for a vibrant and inimately connected ecosystem. Jungles are hot, humid, and teeming with predators. | |
Lake / River
Bodies of fresh water.
| Terrain | Description | Hex Symbol |
|---|
| Lake | A standing body of fresh water; lakes may be of any size, depth, or altitude. They are often fed and/or drained by rivers. | |
| River | A flowing course of fresh water; rivers may be of any length, width, or current speed. Generally, rivers start in higher altitudes with swift and narrow currents that slow down over distance, invariably flowing into another body of water (i.e., another river, a lake, or the sea). | |
Ocean / Sea
Bodies of salt water.
| Terrain | Description | Hex Symbol |
|---|
| Ocean | Vast stretches of open water, separating continents. | |
| Sea | A smaller part of an ocean, partially enclosed by land. | |
Settled
Land surrounding an established settlement, considered "civilised" and made safe by armed patrols and satellite occupants (homesteads, industial centres, etc.). The larger the settlement, the larger the area of settled terrain around it:
| Settlement Type | Settlement Area | Settled Radius |
|---|
| Village | Current Local hex (0.9 mi2) | |
| Town | Current Regional hex (31 mi2) | |
| City | Current Atlas (779 mi2) | |
Swamp
Any wetland area where poor drainage allows standing water.
| Terrain | Description | Hex Symbol |
|---|
| Swamp | Wooded wetland, though other wetlands may be represented: marsh (shallow wetlands dominated by low vegetation and grasses), bog (acidic wetlands fed by rainwater, rich with decomposing vegetation, or fen (alkaline wetlands, usually fed by underground springs) | |
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