Mini-Games (& then some)!

[TonyTron]

My players are about to partake in a much anticipated RP event -- the ridiculous wedding of our Half-Orc barbarian's parents -- at the PC's farm/homebase.
Also, the nearby town happens to be celebrating the anniversary of a great war (where our last campaign ended) by throwing a festival.

What I need are ideas to give my characters an interactive sandbox to run around in for a game-and-a-half:

Festival Games - I'm taking some inspiration from this blog (http://nicolaigrunnet.blogspot.com/2011/07/d-festivals-and-you.html), but would appreciate anything FUN & ENGAGING that can be added.
Wedding Complications - I've got the beginnings of a "lost ring" fiasco, a bachelor party during the festival, and tons of Orc cousins... I could still use some more brains on this one.

[AmberVael]

Races of Stone has a few games listed in its chapter on Goliaths that could probably be adapted or at least used for inspiration. I played in a session a long time ago in which Goat-Ball featured prominently, and it has since been seared into my mind forever (the DM's impression of the goliaths was distinctive and those guys played a mean game). The relevant section starts on page 57.

[(Un)Inspired]

Depending on how large your party is you could field a side for a game of Sevens against the orcs.

I bet that could come out incredibly fun in DnD with spells like telekinesis and expeditious retreat.

[Honest Tiefling]

I've been reading a lot of Etiquette Hell, so, here's some idea for wedding complications:

The people who were supposedly paying for the wedding are not. Vendors are going to be pissed.
Someone didn't control their Animal Companion. So when the happy couple are about to exchange vows, a dire wolf runs past everyone with the pig that was roasted for the feat dragging behind it.
Someone gets drunk and starts a fight. Perhaps over who gets the best food at the feast.
Someone macks on the wrong person...Let's say that someone hits on a party member, except that person is already married and their spouse is not pleased.
Someone is airing out old grievances...Are these two from the same tribe? If not, perhaps their tribe has some bad blood and some people are itching for a fight. Could also be outsiders coming in to stir up some trouble...
An old flame drops by. And they were invited by a family member who doesn't approve of this match! Why won't you get back together with them?
Someone forgot to get nice clothes. Eh, an old wolf pelt thrown over the shoulders is enough clothes.
Someone tries to steal the wedding gifts!

[AmberVael]

Imagine the competition over the bouquet toss in an orcish wedding. That could be a scene all on its own. Better yet, maybe orcs have a similar tradition but it doesn't involve just gently throwing a bunch of flowers. Flowers aren't durable enough to skirmish over anyway. :smalltongue:

[TonyTron]

I played in a session a long time ago in which Goat-Ball featured prominently, and it has since been seared into my mind forever (the DM's impression of the goliaths was distinctive and those guys played a mean game).

Goat-Ball is a fantastic idea, and can easily be adapted to an Orc'ish game! Thanks :smallbiggrin:

[AmberVael]

Glad to help!

Also, I just remembered a peculiar wedding tradition that could be used for all kinds of fun: Ritual abduction. Its a symbol with a lot of different ideas behind it, but the basic idea is to prove your worth by taking your spouse from their family by "force" (generally its rigged to let you win, of course, and no one is in any real danger).

There are all kinds of ways you could spin this to provide fun to the party. Perhaps rather than overcoming the challenges personally, the spouse in question might appoint champions- call in one party member to win a fight, another to make a way over an obstacle, that kind of thing. Or maybe the orcish cousins decide everyone should get in on the fun, and instead of just kidnapping the spouse they make off with practically half the wedding party (who may or may not be at all familiar with the custom).

[TonyTron]

I just remembered a peculiar wedding tradition that could be used for all kinds of fun: Ritual abduction. Its a symbol with a lot of different ideas behind it, but the basic idea is to prove your worth by taking your spouse from their family by "force" (generally its rigged to let you win, of course, and no one is in any real danger).

I feel like this could be incorporated with the bachelor party idea...
A misunderstanding of what an event like that is supposed to entail could become the ritual abduction of the human husband to-be. Or -- I'll work on it, haha!

[TonyTron]

Someone tries to steal the wedding gifts!


I get a strong impression the the barbarian is intending to do this himself...

[Honest Tiefling]

I get a strong impression the the barbarian is intending to do this himself...

Someone beats him to it, and then frames him for it.

[(Un)Inspired]

Someone beats him to it, and then frames him for it.

+1

Great idea

[Rainshine]

Glad to help!

Also, I just remembered a peculiar wedding tradition that could be used for all kinds of fun: Ritual abduction. Its a symbol with a lot of different ideas behind it, but the basic idea is to prove your worth by taking your spouse from their family by "force" (generally its rigged to let you win, of course, and no one is in any real danger).

There are all kinds of ways you could spin this to provide fun to the party. Perhaps rather than overcoming the challenges personally, the spouse in question might appoint champions- call in one party member to win a fight, another to make a way over an obstacle, that kind of thing. Or maybe the orcish cousins decide everyone should get in on the fun, and instead of just kidnapping the spouse they make off with practically half the wedding party (who may or may not be at all familiar with the custom).
To elaborate slightly: the version of this I am familiar with, oftentimes the husband was not aware of what was coming up. Sometime around the wedding day, usually when the two of them were together, a band of masked people would come and abduct her by force. The husband would have to track them down and defeat them alone in combat.
Also, although this was more of a pre-proposal ritual, basically a riddle game between the mother of the bride-to-be and the groom, where he would have to prove his cunning, resourcefulness, and intelligence in answering her riddles -- usually with physical objects.

[AmberVael]

To elaborate slightly: the version of this I am familiar with, oftentimes the husband was not aware of what was coming up. Sometime around the wedding day, usually when the two of them were together, a band of masked people would come and abduct her by force. The husband would have to track them down and defeat them alone in combat.
Also, although this was more of a pre-proposal ritual, basically a riddle game between the mother of the bride-to-be and the groom, where he would have to prove his cunning, resourcefulness, and intelligence in answering her riddles -- usually with physical objects.

...suddenly I get the feeling that we both learned about this from the same source.

[Honest Tiefling]

Where the heck did you two learn that ritual? I would imagine it would cut down on cold feet, but...Man. What happened to just going to City Hall and waiting 4 hours?

[Jeff the Green]

To elaborate slightly: the version of this I am familiar with, oftentimes the husband was not aware of what was coming up. Sometime around the wedding day, usually when the two of them were together, a band of masked people would come and abduct her by force. The husband would have to track them down and defeat them alone in combat.

Both that and the other version (groom "kidnapping" the bride) exist. The mock kidnapping at the wedding appears to be Romanian, while the groom kidnapping the bride has been a tradition around the world, a sort of ritualization of the more horrific practice of men actually kidnapping women to forcibly marry them.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by TonyTron
Wedding Complications - I've got the beginnings of a "lost ring" fiasco….

Watch Tangled Ever After and let the silliness unfold.

:smalltongue:

[Mr.Sandman]

Someone didn't control their Animal Companion. So when the happy couple are about to exchange vows, a dire wolf runs past everyone with the pig that was roasted for the feat dragging behind it.


Or the now undead roasted pig runs past with the dire wolf chasing after it.