D&D 5E It's Canon - Greyhawk's Sun rises in the South and Sets in the North (or possibly the other way around)

[see]

Oerth's orbit is definitely not wonky, simply because it doesn't have an orbit. Oerth's system is geocentric, so Oerth is stationary and its sun revolves around it...

Spelljammer declared that, but in Gary Gygax's Saga of Old City, it's explicitly stated that the other planets "accompany our world [Oerth] in its circuit of the sun".

 

[Hussar]

However, whether the Oerth revolves around the sun or the sun around Oerth, it doesn't change the fact that in Oerth, the sun rises (or sets) in the north and sets (or rises) in the south.

Note, that Saltmarsh is not on the equator. It is several thousand miles north of the equator. It's not even tropical. Think more along the lines of northern Florida or Georgia.

Anyway, I just thought it was funny. Of course, the simpler solution would be to say that the compass rose on the map is wrong, and should be pointing north, the way it does on virtually all other maps made in the past several centuries.

It's just kinda funny that the artist would draw the rose one way and then forget that his shadows are now all wrong.

 

[Helldritch]

Hey! Artists are not scientists nor cartographers. Nor are the ones checking their works it appears. Costs cuts, costs cuts my friend.

 

[DND_Reborn]

However, whether the Oerth revolves around the sun or the sun around Oerth, it doesn't change the fact that in Oerth, the sun rises (or sets) in the north and sets (or rises) in the south.

Citation please?

Note, that Saltmarsh is not on the equator. It is several thousand miles north of the equator. It's not even tropical. Think more along the lines of northern Florida or Georgia.

I would say about central Florida, think Tampa or maybe St. Petersburg, which puts it about 2000 miles north of the equator. Not quite "several thousand", but a goodly amount.

Anyway, I just thought it was funny. Of course, the simpler solution would be to say that the compass rose on the map is wrong, and should be pointing north, the way it does on virtually all other maps made in the past several centuries.

It's just kinda funny that the artist would draw the rose one way and then forget that his shadows are now all wrong.

With a tilt of 30 degrees, the location of the Salt Marsh area is about 28 degrees N. So, in the summer time the shadows would still be on the south side of the buildings (just a little, but still south... ). FWIW, just north of the Salt Marsh area (at 30 degrees N) the sun would be "directly above" the buildings, casting a shadow neither north nor south.

So, the shadows aren't wrong if the map depicts the longest days of the year. Given the maps are also on the western side, I would say also before noon.

 

[SkidAce]

That map really bothers you.

 

[Hussar]

That map really bothers you.

Yes. Yes it does.

 

[Eltab]

Of course the map is oriented wrong. A correct map would be oriented so the river flows down to the sea. Like in real life.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

Of course, the simpler solution would be to say that the compass rose on the map is wrong, and should be pointing north...

Unfortunately that solution requires redrawing the geography of the coastline to put Saltmarsh on a small peninsula not found on any maps.

 

[Khelon Testudo]

On what continent of Oerth is Saltmarsh?

 

[Coroc]

I am a HUGE fan of the Ghosts of Saltmarsh book. Love it to pieces. All sorts of goodness there. But, one thing that has always bugged me was the Saltmarsh map:

I hate that the map is set with North to the left of the map. It's always been a sort of proud nail thing that just annoyed me. But, I could never really understand why it bothered me. So, I was looking at the map, and it hit me.

Look at the shadows.

All the shadows of the building are to the right of the map. IOW, the sun is on the left - either morning or afternoon, we can't really know which. But, that means that Oerth's orbit is wonky as all hell. The sun rises (or sets - again we cannot know from this map) in the north. This means that Greyhawk's polar ice caps are in the east and west,. All the descriptions of the climate printed before has just been retconned. You can't have a cold north when the planet is tilted 90 degrees to what our Earth is.

This just blew my mind. It's a wonder that no one has twigged to this before.

With you on this and also with @Sword of Spirit on the population, but the only shadows I can see are those of the enumeration circles, and they are rather SW so maybe I got tomatoes on my eyes or it is visible better in the printed map?