"Downtime" between Burnt Offerings & Skinsaw, and then after that?

[NewJeffCT]

I have the first four modules of the series so far, and the group just finished up in Thistletop last session. The ending of BO and the start of TSM mentions giving the players some time for celebration/relaxation in game so they can enjoy the thrill of victory... plus, it makes a nice cliffhanger ending to a session to have the sheriff come to one of the players and tell him, "We have a murderer in Sandpoint - and he seems to know you." And, then hand him the note from Foxglove.

It took them a month in game to get through Burnt Offerings (I made Thistletop a bit farther out of town, as I did not think it realistic a goblin stronghold would only be a few miles away.)

So, it is one month into autumn in game.

Is there a seasonal timeline I would need to adhere to going forward? (i.e., does Hook Mountain Massacre have to start on the first day of winter, or Fortress of the Stone Giants must start in mid winter or Spring, etc?) I would prefer to be a bit looser with the amount of downtime between adventures, but also don't want to open Fortress of the Stone Giants and find out about midwinter snows when the party just finished up Hook Mtn in early spring.

The three main villains perished - Tsuto, Nualia & even Malfeshnakor. Ripnugget escaped, but the party also offed Bruthazmus & the goblin druid. None of the major NPCs died, either. (I try not to read too far ahead so it won't bias my DMing too much.)

[Greycloak of Bowness]

Hook Mountain is the only one that has a seasonal weather theme - oppressive rains in lower elevations, snow in high elevations. All the other instalments don't really need a specific season. Thus, I think that HMM works as any season other than summer. Spires of Xin-Shalast is wintry as well but that can be pretty easily explained by the Himalayan elevations involved.

Being a dude who lives near the mountains in mid-northern latitudes (Calgary, Ab.), I know that you can have snow any month of the year up high, especially any time from Fall to Spring but it's more believable for anyone who hasn't witnessed the joy of snow in July that that kind of business to keep it out of the summertime. Actually, I think that Hook Mountain works well as a springtime snow-melt adventure so you have lots of time to work with.

[NewJeffCT]

Greycloak of Bowness wrote:

Hook Mountain is the only one that has a seasonal weather theme - oppressive rains in lower elevations, snow in high elevations. All the other instalments don't really need a specific season. Thus, I think that HMM works as any season other than summer. Spires of Xin-Shalast is wintry as well but that can be pretty easily explained by the Himalayan elevations involved.

Being a dude who lives near the mountains in mid-northern latitudes (Calgary, Ab.), I know that you can have snow any month of the year up high, especially any time from Fall to Spring but it's more believable for anyone who hasn't witnessed the joy of snow in July that that kind of business to keep it out of the summertime. Actually, I think that Hook Mountain works well as a springtime snow-melt adventure so you have lots of time to work with.

Thanks - that was pretty helpful. I was hoping to spread it out over a decent length of time in game.