D&D 5E 101 events at a gathering to choose a chieftan

[Olive]

So my players are participating in a gathering organised by druids to select the new king of a long oppressed nation (there's a long backstory if any one wants to hear it). They're working as agents of the empire to the south and want to influence the choice of King. So the PCs will be meeting with people in power to influence the choice of king and to generally make things happen. The other kingdom to the north (doing the oppressing) are sending their own agents in and there are people gathering from all over the area to see who will take the crown.

What are some ideas for events that may happen in the camps in the lead up to the formal event? Drinking and carousing? Random violence between different groups? Encounters with enemy agents? But what else?

 

[Quickleaf]

Tribal gatherings are, historically and currently, an opportunity to address grievances, broker treaties/deals, plan marriages, test/show off the skills of youth, and so on. Contests/challenges would be appropriate as well; in a European culture something like medieval hastiludes would fit.

 

[Voort]

So my players are participating in a gathering organised by druids...

Do those Druids have any enemies who can crash the party?

Shunned dark side Druids infiltrating to wreak havoc?

Overly enthusiastic gnome inventors looking to show off their wares!

Deranged vegetarian protestors?!?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Druids organized this?

Stag party.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Yeah, some kind of Althing to address grievances and make rulings.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Caber tosses
Drinking contests
Livestock auctions
Crafts contests & sales

Think of your local state fair.

 

[Krachek]

Some fights with casualties. if a barbaric society. Reason: Drink, cheat, women, etc..
A bard or artist attracts all attention by making outstanding performance.
A ritual hunt. Can fit in a druidic society.

 

[Rhenny]

This kind of reminded me of when I ran Caves of Chaos with my group during the playtest.

Have the kingdom of the north clan steal an important totem from the leader of the south. Make it a suspicion, not blatant. Have the kingdom of the north clan, come to the PCs in secret to discuss their suspicions and how they need to get the totem back or they cannot call for leadership of all the clans. (It is the leader of the south's intention to expose that the leader of the north has lost the totem thus he is undeserving of being the great leader...of course he could do better.).

I ran this kind of a political, espionage game when I ran the Caves of Chaos in the playtest, but it was orcs instead of druids. The PCs had to work with one clan and infiltrate the other to find the missing totem before the clan leader was discredited and overthrown. It was really fun to have the PCs interact with the factions and come up with plans to get a chance to investigate in the caves of the other clan while most of the clan was busy partying before the vote.

 

[aco175]

There can always be a kidnapping where the PCs need to investigate, or be one of the parties sent to retrieve the prince/princess of some tribe.

 

[Gardens & Goblins]

What happens in the stone circle, STAYS in the stone circle..