OOC THREAD

[Eclecticon]

I am doing some research on games of field and strength that would have been played by such people. Also what events might have been at fairs.

Canonically, there are 'tournaments of arms, foot races, and archery'.  This probably means a free-for-all melee where (given that blunting an axe doesn't make it significantly safer) the object is probably to score points by smashing opponents' shields rather than attacking them directly.  There are probably also spear-throwing contests, where the winner is judged both by distance and accuracy.  The same goes for the archery tournament, which I'm thinking is probably the most prestigious event, given how important it is to the Woodmen both for hunting and warfare.  The foot races probably include a straight sprint and a longer thing more like a steeplechase, both of which involve lots of audience participation (hurling encouragement, insults or clods of earth at contestants). 

For added fun, I'm going to say there are events involving catching food - there's a greased pig chase and an event where women and children pursue a barrel of butter down a nearby hill, with the clan that catches it getting to take it home.  There's apple-bobbing, informal football games played with inflated sheep bladders, and there's a tradition of different bands of young men who ought to know better picking a particular sheep to steal, and steal back again.  The clan elders disapprove, and try to stop them doing it.  The elders have been trying to get the young men to stop doing this for hundreds of years. 

There's bound to also be plenty of music, dancing and various people effectively showing off their party tricks.  It's worth bearing in mind that neither the Beornings nor especially the Woodmen have a lot of wealth to spare, so there probably aren't too many traders coming to take advantage.  The ones that are there are probably locals who buy various portable trinkets from the River-folk, or lately from Lake-town and Dale, specifically to bring to the Field. 

If you guys get a chance, maybe name some competitors that you know from your clans in your character narrative/dialogues - Paul is great for coming up with names of people for our game! That will give flavour to the story, too.

Woodmen
- The Badger (Rigunth)
- The Night-hawk (Adosinda)
- The Spear-shaft (Lucan)
- The Stone (Udele)

Beornings
- Gerold Thrice-eyed
- Faran the Debtor
- Wanda Fair-tongue
- Imnachar Split-hair

[tomcat]

I can see wood-splitting contests, tree-climbing, and chopping; log carrying or throwing, maybe even the game where you balance on logs in the river.

Definitely like your stuff up there, Paul, and will include brawling and wrestling matches. There will also be baking contests and maybe some fair type activity for livestock - although it is usually in the fall that farm produce and livestock are judged.

Keep the thoughts coming if you have more.

[GandalfOfBorg]

If you don't want to limit yourself to physical feeds then you can look to county fairs for inspiration such as pastry contests, animal husbandry/showings, arts and crafts, etc.  Storytelling and musical contests too.

[Telcontar]

This is a seven year event so I'm guessing there are also some things that dont happen every year.

Some quick thoughts:
- a marriage market
- a shield wall scrum between village teams
- clan pavilion areas where extended families gather
- renewal of oaths
- a reciting of the laws
- a council meeting to discuss the River Maidens
- wood cutting competition
- ale judging

[tomcat]

I like it all!

I will start adding narrative about this shortly.

Like I said, I am going to set up a series of events and leader boards that we will determine with simple skill roll competitions just to add flavor.

I am also going to leave a lot of the visual creativity to you guys in your own narratives and dialogues. If Grimbeorn sits in a counsel, what is it about? Land border obligations? Clan rights? Etc. You guys can help make the vale more your own by directing how the people are moving and making new pacts.

We can have a barn raising, or longhouse renewal works along with the other multitude of events. I like Tom's thinking that there will be quite a few things going on because it is a seven year event. That said - I do not want it to be a Folk-moot, per se. It is a fair and it is there to bring smiles to the people.

[Telcontar]

Grimbeorn needs a wife, discuss.

[Eclecticon]

It's not a matter of political necessity.  But it will be eventually.  He's probably getting introduced to a bewildering number of coincidentally un-betrothed young ladies any time he goes outside.

[GandalfOfBorg]

Hahaha poor guy

[Eclecticon]

It looks like we're done with the current scene.  Does anyone have a different view?

[GandalfOfBorg]

I've had my say, we can continue.

[tomcat]

I will have a post up tomorrow.

[tomcat]

Just to keep you guys apprised -

I start my vacation tomorrow and most of the weekend is going to be spent doing some painting in my house (Yay!), but the latter half of next week I am off to North Carolina. It is time for our annual gathering in Mt Airy where me and my friends spend a four day 'Guys Weekend' of nerding it up and playing some RPG's!

So, I will keep the game rolling over the next week as I can, but there might be some quiet days as I am busy actually getting to play at a table and throw some real dice.

[Eclecticon]

Cheers for the heads up.  What are you looking at playing?

[tomcat]

Our itinerary includes:

Operation Dark Harvest - we continue our Star Wars Saga Clone Wars game with me running a one-shot operation where our Clone Trooper squad have to destroy a CIS science lab that is exploring ancient Sith alchemy.

My friend Ivan is running a one-shot Call of Cthulhu game set in 1970 North Carolina. I know little else except that I created a bookish character who has a weird mystic shop.

My friend Carl is running a Twilight 2030 game - not sure what is happening in it.

And finally, with the time we have remaining we will either run our ongoing D&D 5e campaign that I GM on Roll20 or our Star Wars Saga game.

I also am bringing War of the Ring board game and Axis and Allies deluxe, in case we get the mood to play a board game.

Or we come up on the fly with something new. I have never been at a loss to create a story.

[Eclecticon]

Sounds awesome!  At this end, I've finally got my long-awaited Dracula Dossier campaign off the ground, and it's proving to be something of a hit.  It's the first thing I've ever run where I've had to institute a wait list for a spot at the table.