I'm surrounded on all sides by mountains. Can anybody with a horizon tell me how far away the PCs should be able to spot the central plateau?
Is it a looming feature visible from day one of the PCs arrival on the IoD or do they have to find their way to it through barely there jungle trails?
As I remember it, on the ocean or flat terrain, the curvature of the earth allows approx 16 miles of visiblity. without trying to resort to math, I would say that since the plateau is at a raised altitude that it can be seen from a greater distance. At least 20-25 miles would be my estimation and maybe up to 40 miles. These are just guesstimates, if someone wants to break out the calculus I'd be glad to read it.
This article may be of use for those calculations.
Isn't the plateau shrouded in clouds tho?
YMMV.
Cheers!
While the plateau might be visible for about 20 miles - my guesstimate/experience for coastal mountains app. 1 mile in height ( based on the visibility of Corsica's solid mountain range from a boat in the Mediterranean) - from sealevel - that range is actually going to be much lower, because of obstacle in the line of sight.
Treetops etc... jungle really tends to get in the way and haze, especially over a hot tropical steaming rainforest, with blinding glare, will cut down visibility as well, rather severely. Wind born dust or moisture has a similar effect. The cooler and especially drier the air, the better the visibility. Which, for the Isle of dread means... rather low ?
Say a couple of miles, four or five, from a position with a clear point of vantage.
And that would only be the outline of the plateau, no detail on it, even with a spyglass. If it isn't encircled by clouds
Depending on how tall the mountains of the central plateau are, you might be able to see them from quite a ways out to sea. Even 50 or 60 miles, or even more if they are really tall. The problem is that you don't have any way of seeing over the mountains, so unless you actually explore on foot or by air, you've no real way of knowing that there is a large lake basin surrounded by relatively flat land up in there. And for at least half the year, tall mountains in a moist tropical island won't be visible at all--you'll know they are there because of the clouds gathered around them. You might not even find the central plateau by air during the rainy season, on account of the clouds.
|
My understaning of the plateau was that you could make it out depending on you point of view. But that it was obscured by trees mountains and most often by huge amounts of mist and fog that seems to constantly shroud it and provide a feeling of mystery and forboding. But I never imagined that you could actually make anything out on top of the plateau unless you traveled onto or above it.
Fair enough. I didn't know if the intent was to have the plateau be an ominous shape a la Skull Island or if it was to be a hidden plateau in the heart of the island.
Hidden Plateau...check.