Fun, Frolic, and fighting at a Fair

[Ry]

My first session is coming up in 1.5 weeks, and it features a fair just outside a small city.

The PCs will either be at booths, just wandering around, or escorting groups of orphans around the fair.

At the fair, two rival gangs (the Last Laugh and the Alleybashers, guess what's under city?) are in danger of getting into a big bash, and of course when that breaks out the orphans will run off and have to be found.

But can someone suggest stuff that will be seen at this fair? What can be going on, things that are exciting before the gang fight ruins it all? Also, any ideas on how to get the gang fight started would be much appreciated.

 

[Merkuri]

There will probably be lots of crafsmen showing their wares. You'll have food for sale (pies, cakes, bread, sweetmeats), pottery, leather, if it's a well-off city you'd probably see rare cloth (like silk), miscelaneous art items, and jewelry. Farmers from the nearby villages will also probably be selling their crops or livestock.

There might also be fortune tellers (real or not), people who scam you by shuffling balls under shells, healers selling potions (once again, real or not) or offering to look at that boil on your foot, maybe a traveling menagerie with all manner of strange animals in cages, perhaps a small play will be put on, and, of course, there will be prostitutes and beggars (but they might not be as obvious).

As far as what starts the gang fight, take a scene from Shakespeare. One group of gang members subtley gives another goup a rude gesture, then denies it ("Do you bite your thumb at me, sir?" "I do bite my thumb, sir, but I do not bite my thumb at you,sir."). They start fighting with words, then out come the swords, and their fellow gang members jump in to defend their brothers/sisters.

 

[ScardPtori]

When I think of a fair, I think of games and competition. A few of the things that first jumped to mind is an archery contest, jousting (finally give that guy who took all the riding feats something to do with them), bare-fisted boxing (with gambling going on in the audience), for a unique fantasy twist, maybe a cooking contest with things like BBQ cockatrice, manticore chili, and stuff like that.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Other staples of fairs:

The game booths: e.g. Knife throwing, arm wrestling, "Test Your Strength" contests.

The freak show: "Only 2 silver to see the half-man, half snake!" "Enter, if you dare, the Lair of the Basilisk, but beware the gaze of the beast! 3 silver gets you entrance and use of a mirror to safely look upon it."

 

[el-remmen]

I recommend getting a PDF copy of "Tournaments, Fairs and Taverns" by Natural 20 Press.

 

[Peni Griffin]

Catch the greased pig! Test your strength! The Tunnel of Love! Calf roping! Barrell riding! SEE GOLIATH, WORLD'S BIGGEST STEER! The man-eating chicken! Dancing all day behind the stock tent! Don't miss the evening show, where the beautiful bard will melt your heart with her rendition of "Stars Fell on Eberron!"

Seriously, if you've seen it at the rodeo or the county fair, you can put it in the game. Focus most on the things your players would have the most fun with - foot races, mount races, archery contests, open mike singing - and pitch the rest as background. Be ready to improvise anything your players show an unexpected interest in, and have a lot of random low-level NPCs on hand to plug in if needed.

Gang fights don't have to be about anything, but there will probably be alcohol involved.

 

[Ry]

Oh, the gang fight will start after a game of Drunken Daggers (from TOurnaments, Fairs, and Taverns).

 

[jefgorbach]

Faires are primarily open-air markets where tradesman/farmers sell their wares with the occasional bard/low level wizard entertaining the crowds, hoping to find a few coins in their hats afterwards. Modern Renaissance Faires would provide a decent starting place for ideas.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=renaissance+faire&spell=1

 

[Merkuri]

The Big E, a New England fair I've been to quite a few times in my youth (well, my more-youth-than-now), is also probably a good model, though you'd have to find medieval equivalents for a few of the things (like the rides).

 

[Slife]

Get ready!
Get ready!
Get ready!

For the event of the century!

Watch dragons fight, in a frenzy of fearsome fire!

Cower from the terrifing Dismemberer and his fists of fury!

Experience the powers of the mystifying Dr. Mysticator, and his ursine comrade!

SEE THE EGRESS!

You'll pay for the whole seat, but you'll only need the edge!



(OK, so it's more circus/monster truck rally. Whatever)