TEXT:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  The Festival Experience 
   
   
  At some point in time a group of adventurers will stumble into a town/city/settlement 
  setting where they may find a random festival going on. While these celebrations are 
  commonplace for deity, harvest, or general celebration reasons this can be used as a 
  guide for a generic festival. Several standard venues are available at fairs but most 
  notably food vendors will be floating around during all such gatherings. These 
  merchants will usually ply their trades by walking around and “hawking” their wares but 
  can also have a set spot for purchase of their goods.  
  Other encounters are also available at these fairs and can be mobile or set. Perhaps the 
  fair has a mysterious creature such as a captured Troll, Minotaur, or Unicorn present. 
  These items would certainly be confined to a cage-like atmosphere with guards present. 
  While it is possible that these could be real creatures it can just as likely be that they 
  are something that polymorph could have been used to put them into the current 
  appearance. Adventurers who have seen these creatures will likely not be amused but 
  the standard commoner would be thrilled at being close to these wonderful beasts. 
  Aside from the captured creatures each fair would most likely have an “oddity” section 
  such as a bearded woman, a simple conjurer, and artisans that would do face painting 
  or character portraits. Your imagination is the only boundary for this event and this 
  guide is only a starting point for this side jaunt by your party! 
   
   
  1. Ticket Booths 
  These areas are small wooden boxes that are locked with a single person 
  inside. These structures serve as banks for the travelling festival as most 
  items in this fair would require tickets in lieu of money. The tickets are then 
  redeemed by the vendors for money thereby allowing the Festival Master his 
  “cut” of the proceeds. This also helps weed out those who would encroach on 
  the festival’s proceeds. Armed guards make random stops at the ticket boxes 
  to collect the revenue. Most of the time actors would handle this task until 
  their show was scheduled.  
  
  2. Musician's Wagon 
  Decoratively painted in musical symbols, this wagon is the home to the 
  musicians that help with rigging, ticket sales, and event handling when they 
  are not performing for the crowd. Personal belongings as well as spare 
  materials for routine maintenance can be found within the confines of this 
  wagon.  
   
  3. Teamster's Wagon 
  Usually covered in side boxes this wagon belongs to the teamsters that take 
  care of the wagons and mounts. This conveyance still acts as a residence for 
  the teamsters but it is also their portable workshop. All manner of tools can 
  usually be found here as they men and women have to know leatherworking 
  to blacksmithing methods.  This wagon is very important to keeping the 
  festival “on the road”.  
   
  4. Outhouses 
  Just coming within range of these structures gives the casual viewer a good 
  idea what they contain. These small tents may or may not have signage 
  noting them to be lavatories for personal business. A bucket or two outside of 
  the tent allow people to clean up after using these temporary latrines. Some 
  may actually contain a seat in order to do their business better others may 
  simply be a hole in the ground with the tent for privacy. They are covered 
  back up when the festival leaves town.  
   
  5. Oddities Wagon 
  Those festival folk that are considered unusual have this wagon. Human 
  (demi-human) oddities are always a big draw at festivals even if a polymorph 
  spell/potion has been used to “assist” in the appearance. Bearded ladies, fire 
  eaters, flexible people, and strongmen are just a few of the people that may 
  travel in this wagon.  
   
   
  
  6. Treasury 
  This wagon serves the dual purpose of Festival Master’s quarters and 
  treasury. All coinage taken from the booths are removed to this location 
  where it is counted and noted in the book of accounts. At the end of the 
  festival those vendors/participants that have tickets can turn them in here. An 
  unscrupulous Festival Master may hire a thief to skim tickets from the 
  vendors to give himself/herself a bigger cut of the overall take. This wagon 
  will be well decorated and very secure with several guards around it at all 
  times.  
   
  7. Guard Wagon 
  This wagon is fortified with iron bars on it with storage boxes on the sides. 
  This vehicle functions as the guard/prisoner quarters. Those employed as 
  security reside in this wagon which is filled with a small cage and multiple 
  bunks. The cage is usually reserved for drunkards that get out of hand and 
  have to be kept away from the patrons. The locked boxes on the sides 
  contain weapons and armor and each member of the troupe are trained on 
  how to use the weapons in the event the ensemble is attacked. During the 
  festival it is always parked near the treasury wagon (#6). Guards will 
  normally patrol the ticket booths and the festival wagons to deter crime. 
  Inside the festival grounds the performers and vendors keep an eye out for 
  potential problems. 
   
  8. Actor's Wagon 
  Brightly covered with murals of tasteful design, this wagon belongs to the 
  professional actors and artisans of the festival train. With inventive minds 
  these individuals have managed to use the space to the fullest advantage for 
  sleeping, supplies, and costumes. This wagon is decorated inside and out by 
  its crew who have taken great pride in their creative spirit. Textiles and other 
  fabric related items can be found here as well as makeup and props for the 
  performers. 
   
   
  
  9. Supplies and Kitchen area 
  These two wagons are the source of food and meal preparation for the 
  festival staff. One and a half of the wagons total space is allocated to food for 
  the performers and staff while half of a wagon is dedicated to holding 
  cooking utensils for food preparation. The cook and assistant are always 
  present here to make sure that the staff is well fed no matter how much they 
  grumble about the quality of the food. The sides of these wagons fold out to 
  allow seating and tables. This area is a frequent spot for birds flying 
  throughout the area looking for a free meal. 
   
  10. 
  Wardrobe Wagons 
  These wagons store and house tents, poles, ropes, riggings and other 
  necessary items used for the stands and stages. When the festival is over 
  everything is stored into these two wagons in a nice tight bundle. While the 
  festival is going on a picket line of mounts and animals is here closed on by a 
  rough rope corral. Present here are farm animals used for butchering or 
  milk/cheese production.  
    
  11. 
  Two Stages 
  Two raised platforms separated by several rows of curtains are present here 
  and are used for musical, artistic, acrobatic, and other forms of 
  entertainment. Seating is usually handled in the grassy area although smart 
  festival goers will have brought seats to the event. Shows put on at this 
  location are free with the expectation that good performances will merit 
  copious tips from satisfied spectators. Most of the festival staff have at least 
  one secondary ability that can be showcased on stage so the people are 
  entertained.  
   
  12. 
  Joust Field  
  One area that always draws a crowd is the Joust Field arena. When the 
  festival finds a suitable spot to setup shop the first priority is the Joust Field. 
  While larger festivals feature human-esque jousts the smaller venues 
  entertain the crowd with a joust-like experience. Some of the events will 
  
  include trained monkeys riding pigs in a mock battle that can sometimes go 
  awry. Other events include piglet races where the prize is a tasty cake. The 
  small farm animals are well tuned to that prize and the outcome can be quite 
  entertaining. Some venues will even include a children's donkey race where 
  kids are allowed to race each other on small burros. Eating/drinking vendors 
  are always circulating near this spot as it is populous and centrally located. 
  Events are usually noted by the blast of horns which causes fairgoers to come 
  to the area quickly. 
   
  13. 
  Mysterious Dungeon or Thief’s Challenge  
  This area can be one of two entertaining spots. Smaller venues will have a 
  “Mysterious Dungeon” maze for kids and adults to go through where 
  costumed staff will jump out of corners and scare those brave enough to 
  wander the maze. Those who make it through the maze are given a sugary 
  treat for their bravery. 
  A second option found in larger venues is the Thief’s Challenge. This obstacle 
  course is for adults who wish to test their mettle and acrobatic ability. There 
  is a cost to try this “machine” but the best time during the festival will win the 
  prize. This prize can be a trophy, medal, or a cash prize depending on the 
  DM’s discretion. The entry fee and reward value is also up to the discretion of 
  the DM. The key to success is to make it through to the end with the best 
  score. 
  There are ten stations to the challenge and if a DC check is failed a 
  PC/person has to start that leg of the challenge again and receives no points 
  for that leg. If there are three failures total then the person is eliminated from 
  the event entirely.  
  Scoring is handled by the deviation on DC rolls. If a roll requires a 12 on a 
  statistic and a 12 is rolled the player will get one point and one additional 
  point for every number past that. For every failure the numbers are doubled 
  i.e. a roll of 10 on a needed 12 would cost the player -4 (2 short x 2). The 
  player with a larger number at the end (if they make it) will win the 
  challenge.  
   
   
  
  14. 
  Tent Row 
  This section of four combined tents has several areas that the party can visit 
  for games or purchase items. The first section is a corn hole challenge game 
  which is played for small trinkets and is aimed at youth although anyone can 
  play. Three bags to throw and three holes made will equal a prize. The 
  second booth is a game of chance for money (tickets) and is a large roulette 
  wheel. The third section of this long row is a fabric sales area. Everyone 
  needs cloth and this section offers choices from basic wool/cotton fabric to 
  “rare silks” from the borderlands. The final section is a ring toss. Five rings 
  aimed at sticks poking out of the ground. Four rings on sticks will net the 
  winner a candy treat or small toy. Five rings will earn the participant both.  
   
   
  15. 
  Booth Row 
  While flimsy in appearance this row of wooden booths is quite sturdy. The 
  first section contains a standard 3 card Monte game that is for adults only. 
  The second booth is a dagger throw that is also intended for adults only as 
  the daggers are somewhat sharp. The daggers are thrown at a standard dart 
  board with odds being determined between the PC and the booth operator. 
  This game is played for money (tickets). The third section of the booth row is 
  tossing a pea into a bottle. This game is oriented towards the youth with 
  victors gaining a large lollipop. The final booth is a jewelry and gold chain 
  booth. While the quality is low the standard commoner would not realize that 
  they are getting what they are paying for (low quality = low prices).  
   
  16. 
  The Big “L” 
  The largest row of sites is called the Big “L” and is a collection of tents and 
  booths. At one end of the strip is a booth that sells turkey haunch to hungry 
  festival goers. There are three spice levels but each cost the same. For 
  younger patrons there “chicken haunches”. The next area is a fried corn patty 
  in a biscuit form. Buyers can choose from a choice of berries that will be 
  added into the mix to flavor the small cakes. The next area is a canvas booth 
  that sells small metal necklaces and inexpensive rings as well as hinges. 
  Another wooden booth is next and it sells blueberry and cherry pies that are 
  suitable for two people to consume. The fifth booth sells bricka brack for the 
  
  average commoner. Items can be marbles, twine, rope, fishing lures, back 
  scratchers, small bottles, and other assorted items including spell 
  components. The final leg of this building is a tent with an unusual aroma 
  that belongs to the fortune teller. While she has no real powers she is quite 
  perceptive and will be able to guess PC history with relative accuracy using 
  vague statements but appear quite believable.  
   
  17. 
  Circular Arena  
  This roped off circle will have three different functions depending on the size 
  of the audience. One option for this area will be a bear wrestling area. The 
  small black bear will be muzzled and have its claws cloaked in large padding 
  but will still be quite a difficult opponent to defeat in melee.  
  Another option will be an exhibition (staged) fight of two great knights. While 
  the armor and weapons appear real they are thin replicas and make loud 
  noises and sparks when the fighters attack each other. This is more of a 
  staged event but the food/drink vendors hawk their wares to a very 
  cooperative audience.  
  A third option could be the area being used as a greased pole with a prize at 
  the top of the pole. This challenge would be a DC19 vs. dexterity and DC15 
  vs. strength in order to win the prize. Both DC would need to be successful to 
  climb to the top and claim the prize. Those wishing to attempt such a 
  challenge would be required to put an entry fee up to offset the costs of the 
  prize. There should be a large line for this challenge with a prize that is 
  desired by the fair goers. One example would be a gold-like crown which 
  looks more expensive than it is. The hawker would give it a significant 
  backstory such as it belonged to a lost queen or similar story.  
  A final option for this arena would be a kid-friendly greased pig competition 
  with the winner getting a small bag of candy. There could be several heats 
  for the winner. The piglet will be non-threatening although it will squeal 
  loudly as it is chased around the arena.  
   
   
   
  
  18. 
  Showpiece Canvas Tent 
  This long brightly colored tent usually has flags adorning the main poles that 
  can be seen at greater distances indicating that the festival is open for 
  business. Contained within the tent are four stalls for vendors. A spicy cider 
  vendor is usually located here for its central location in the fair. Next to that 
  stall is a salty confection known as a giant pretzel. These items are paired 
  together for obvious reasons. Next to the food vendors are small shops that 
  specialize in kids toys. One is a noise maker booth that makes a loud 
  ratcheting noise that can tend to be annoying to adults. The last booth is a 
  toymaker that also makes trinkets. Each of these stalls are quite large with 
  several points of purchase and tend to be bigger draws than the other stalls 
  within the festival. 
   
   
  Along with the stationary items listed above there can also be wandering encounters 
  that can be chosen from this grouping: 
  Wandering merchants: Sugar treats, Turkey Haunch, Fried corn, small pies, 
  Cider  
  Roaming attractions: Bearded woman, Bendy man, sketch artist, face painter, 
  juggler, fire eater  
  Crowd Participants: Along with the workers at the festival no celebration 
  would be complete without a crowd. If your PCs are curious about who is 
  present at the festival you may create your own characters or choose some of 
  these to give depth to your event: 
   
  1. The willowy, grouchy man who seems to blend into the crowd.  
   
  2. The scrawny, exuberant old woman who just left a tent/booth.  
   
  3. The freckled, wide-eyed young woman who is feeling her way with a cane.  
   
  4. The very tall, bored old woman who is carrying a baby.  
   
  
  5. The copper-skinned, sullen old man who is chasing after a cat.  
   
  6. The cute, confused young man who is carrying a strange staff.  
   
  7. The half-naked, indecisive boy who just left a tent.  
   
  8. The fair-haired, sweaty young man who just tossed a coin to a child.  
   
  9. A Pickpocket is wandering the crowd grabbing tickets from people.  
   
  10. The oddly dressed, terrified young man who is pushing his way through 
  the crowd.  
   
  11. The expensively dressed, grinning man that is wandering.  
   
  12. The slightly plump, melancholy woman who is having trouble controlling 
  her child.  
   
   
   
  
   
  A festival layout <above> 
  Sights from a typical festival <next page> 
   
  
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/1e, OSRIC Generic/1e, OSRIC Adventures & Settings/Adventures in Filbar (OSRIC,1-2e, 5e)/FA9 The Festival Experience (Filbar; 1-2e).pdf