How you Skinny Southerns Should Deal With The Cold.

With the frozen summer of the North fast approaching Travance I feel it is only right that us cousins help out you Southerns with staying warm as you are all very skinny and new comers to Travance may not know how to endure the cold like us Northmen. (And women)

First things first, put more clothes on!

It ain't an inferno in Travance anymore and thank the gods for that, but as the Northern chill sets in, all of you need to put more furs on or shirts, whatever it's gonna take to keep the Great Mother's icy grip from your skin.

Also, make sure whatever you're putting on lays tight against your skin. It will conserve the heat of your body, keep it where it needs to be, in your heart.

Second of all, Stay drunk.

Nothing keeps you warm like a nice shot of warm dwaven whiskey, but other hot drinks will help. I suggest tea made by an elf or coffee made by Knight Protector Gideon as he approaches coffee like Goggins approaches things that explode though without all the firey death that Goggins produces.

Do not forget though, that the lifeblood of your thread or lives is water. Keep yourself not thirsty. Water, water, water. Cause all the alcohol in the world is not gonna keep you from feeling sick if you don't get enough water.


Keep an eye out for yourself as well as others. I have seen many a person fall ill to the bite of the cold. Llondywn's have called this aliment hypothermia. Ugh big words, but this aliment can set in quick. Make sure to keep people informed with how you're doing with the cold If you feel too cold, get something hot to drink! Get somewhere warm! Put on more furs! Get under some blankets! You need to stoke the fire in your belly! Body heat is important do not neglect it!

This is mainly for the men of Travance, but grow in your facial hair! Facial fur will keep your face warm, and the bite of winter off your cheeks.

These are just a few tips, I hope my cousins will give more tips and anyone else who wishes to throw in their own tips on how to keep warm during this amazing time of ice and snow.

All of you keep warm and stay safe. We all have seen many an injury due to the creatures that lie in wait in the Proper, but the meanest creature of all is the effects the Great Mother can have on you, but with a little preparation and thought, it will be simple to keep enduring.

Signed, With Truth,
Jack Dimms.

(OOG: A thin piece of delicate parchment is attached to the bottom of this post)

If you are cold, seek me out for spiced cider to warm your belly...and keep your wits about you.

Chesay....

-Cousin Yaya

Ah, yes. Winter. The time where I must encumber my arms with... and I write this with a shudder... SLEEVES.

Also, don't forget the ancient saying: Give a man a fire, and he shall be warm for a night. Set a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.
Dispense this wisdom in the direction of our foes at your leisure.

Mr. Dimms, I applaud your advice on keeping us "skinny southerns" warm; however, I must shed light on one misleading piece of information. While alcohol makes you feel warmer, it actually quickens the rate of hypothermia.

Alcohol makes your blood vessels dilate, especially the tiny ones right under your skin. This increases the amount of blood brought to the skin’s surface, making you feel warm. This overrides one of your body’s defenses against cold temperatures: constricting your blood vessels to minimize blood flow to your skin in order to keep your core body temperature up.

While you may feel warmer from the extra blood warming your skin, where most of your “heat sensors” are located, this blood being brought close to the surface of your skin will cool quickly if you are in a cold environment. This results in a sharp drop in core body temperature, often without you even realizing it, as your skin will feel fairly warm. This makes it doubly dangerous to drink alcohol in extremely cold weather.

Drinking alcohol in cold weather also reduces the body’s ability and tendency to shiver, taking away yet another method your body uses to help keep warm when it is cold.

So, bottom line for skinny southerns, the age old practice of drinking alcoholic beverages to keep the body warm in cold weather is the exact opposite of what you should do. Instead, stick to those teas and alcohol-free mulled ciders.
~Amalthea

I am nae a Northman, but us Highlanders are also well versed in the cold and th' wet as well.

If ye cannae find furs, good wool, sich as found in the highlands is also a guid idea to wear. even wet, which is something ye should avoid, it will keep ye reasonably warm till ye can find a fire tae go to. Layering on sich a great assortment o' clothes till ye look like a great fat trader might sound like a good idea...till ye have to fight and start getting cold after the fight is over. avoid this. dress for your activity level and dinnae be afraid to peel a layer or two off should ye find yourself getting a wee bit too warm. Oh, and EAT! this is nae th' time tae be worrying aboot your figures. worry aboot tha' when it becomes warmer. If you are running aroond like a great git, eat like ye have nae seen food in a month. when ye go tae sleep, strip as many clothes off as your modesty allows and your blankets and sich will warm up quicker. I dinnae know aboot this dilating thing fra drinkin' booze, but I feel better after a nip o' me own highland whisky. Then again, if this dilating thing has nae tae do wi' weapons or fighting th' enemies o' th' Barony, its entirely possible that I hae nae heard o' it.

Respectfully,
Donald MacFhionnlaigh
MacFhionnlaigh Sept, Clan Farquharson

Amalthea,

I thank you for saving me the effort in correcting the norther on the practicality of alcoholic consumption in the cold months.

As for the layers, fur and wool are both useful. Just remember though, when wearing fur; you are going to want to keep that fluffy side facing INWARD. When it is facing inward, it helps trap that heat that escaping from your body.


If you die of hypothermia, I am going to have to thaw you out before reanimating you.

Signed,
Doctor Solvei, master surgeon.

Mme. Meril,

While your analysis of the chemical composition of alcohol does indeed ring true (at least that's along the same vein of talk that Targus always bothered me about), you forget one important factor:

Beer puts hair on your chest, and there's nothing better than a hairy chest to stave off Winter's chill. Except, perhaps, a hairy chin.

Another thing to add to the useful advice posted above.

Armor. It's often useful for keeping blades and the like out of your insides. But it's not always as good at keeping in warmth. If you wear metal armor in winter, be sure you are well insulated from the cold steel (surprisingly, not even meteoric fire armor will help you). Put on the toasty wool underlayers before dressing for battle, and keep your skin well away from your armor. Also, layering a tunic or cloak over chainmail can be a wonderful idea, as the top layer traps the heat in with the metal, and keeps you warmer.

Vast amounts of heat escape because of an unguarded neck. Wear a scarf! However, in these colder months, warmth should come before fashion sense.


--Nalick

From my experience with the cold and snowy conditions this past Feast Day I would also recommend that those of us who burn easily in the gentle months not neglect to find some sort of salve to rub on our faces and any exposed skin that prevents damage from the sun. The snow reflects the very rays of the sun itself and it is possible to find your face even more burnt than you might expect in Summer.

Ltotal(λ)= E(λ)[Ti(λ)*Te(λ)*Ro*cos(i)+PA(λ)]

Hey, now... My fur faces outward and I do just fine!