potatocubed
2006-02-14, 08:01 PM
Description
As you crest the rise, you are surprised to see a veritable ocean of tents occupying the next hill between you and the Loch. Temporary dwellings of every shape, size and quality can be seen, and the noise of people shouting and singing reaches you even here. The central area of this gathering is mostly cleared, and what appears to be an auction is going on.
The Loch Daelin potato festival is much the same from year to year - the actual tents may change, but the general organisation of merchants, potato farmers, and others surrounding a central clearing, remains the same. In recent years, people have taken to selling farmwares other than potatoes at the festival, but the serious trade is still reserved for the fine Loch Daelin potatoes and their derivative products.
The central clearing deserves special mention. For the week leading up to the annual fertility rite, a stage is constructed here and used for potato auctions during the day, and various entertainments at night. The actual entertainments depend largely on who manages to fight their way onto the stage first, and how long they can stay there - the truly talented rarely have any difficulty, but amateurs had best be careful since the audience has a ready supply of low-quality potatoes to use as ammunition (1 damage + 1d3 subdual damage, x2 critical, 10 ft range increment). At the end of the week, the stage is demolished and cleared away so that Arealan can perform the fertility ritual in a clear space.
History
The actual origins of the Loch Daelin potato festival are quite difficult to pin down in history, since the fertility rite at the heart of the festival was originally performed by just one woman, the feral elven druid Arealan. Although people had been farming the fertile land for as long as anyone could remember, it was only some hundred and fifty years ago that a group of shepherds happened on the rite in progress and discovered exactly why their land was so fertile.
Being sociable sorts, the shepherds approached the strange magic woman and offered to share their food. Despite having no common language, the elf and the humans got on well. With a bit of work and a lot of sketching in the dirt, Arealan conveyed the message that she conducted the ritual every year.
The next year, the shepherds returned. They brought with them their friends, their families, and people who didn't believe their story. The group camped out overnight and, sure enough, the next morning Arealan was back. The year after that, an enterprising farmer brought the last of his potato crop and sold them as tasty snacks. The next year, several farmers tried the same thing. Since the area around Loch Daelin is perfect potato country - damp, fertile, and cool - all of them brought potatoes to sell, and the Loch Daelin potato festival was born.
Approximately one hundred and fifty years later, the festival is now a week-long event that culminates in a fertility ritual performed by Arealan in the central area. Although all sorts of other entertainments take place in the run up to the ritual, and merchants of all kinds do a roaring trade from their stalls, the emphasis remains firmly on potatoes and the central stalls and tents are devoted to potato contests (largest, tastiest, strangest shape), potato carving, potato cookery, wholesale potato trading, and so on.
Bardic Knowledge Checks
DC 10 - The villages around Loch Daelin hold an annual potato festival.
DC 20 - The Loch Daelin potato festival is based around an old fertility rite.
DC 25 - The Loch Daelin potato festival is actually a very important time for potato buyers in the area, as the villages around Loch Daelin produce the finest potatoes in the land and traditionally they only do major dealing at the festival.
DC 30 - The fertility rite at the heart of the Loch Daelin potato festival actually draws life energy from the people who attend.
Gather Information Checks or Knowledge: Local Checks (in the Loch Daelin area)
DC 5 - The villages of Loch Daelin hold an annual potato festival, which ends with a rite that makes the land fertile for the next year.
DC 10 - the elven druid who conducts the fertility ritual is called Arealan, and has been watching over the area for longer than anyone can remember.
DC 15 - The potato festival is a lot bigger than the villages. Merchants come from far and wide to try and buy Loch Daelin potatoes and/or sell their wares to the villagers.
DC 15 will get the names of the other major NPCs mentioned below.
DC 20 will get the names of other important merchants, farmers, contest winners, and so on, as determined by the GM.
Knowledge: History Checks
DC 20 - The villlages around Loch Daelin have been holding an annual potato festival for about one hundred and fifty years.
Knowledge: Nature Checks
DC 10 - Wild potatoes are mildly toxic. The ones people eat have been specially cultivated and bred to minimise the poisonous bits.
DC 10 (upon interacting with a Loch Daelin potato) - Loch Daelin potatoes are exceptionally large, tasty, low in toxicity and resistant to disease.
As you crest the rise, you are surprised to see a veritable ocean of tents occupying the next hill between you and the Loch. Temporary dwellings of every shape, size and quality can be seen, and the noise of people shouting and singing reaches you even here. The central area of this gathering is mostly cleared, and what appears to be an auction is going on.
The Loch Daelin potato festival is much the same from year to year - the actual tents may change, but the general organisation of merchants, potato farmers, and others surrounding a central clearing, remains the same. In recent years, people have taken to selling farmwares other than potatoes at the festival, but the serious trade is still reserved for the fine Loch Daelin potatoes and their derivative products.
The central clearing deserves special mention. For the week leading up to the annual fertility rite, a stage is constructed here and used for potato auctions during the day, and various entertainments at night. The actual entertainments depend largely on who manages to fight their way onto the stage first, and how long they can stay there - the truly talented rarely have any difficulty, but amateurs had best be careful since the audience has a ready supply of low-quality potatoes to use as ammunition (1 damage + 1d3 subdual damage, x2 critical, 10 ft range increment). At the end of the week, the stage is demolished and cleared away so that Arealan can perform the fertility ritual in a clear space.
History
The actual origins of the Loch Daelin potato festival are quite difficult to pin down in history, since the fertility rite at the heart of the festival was originally performed by just one woman, the feral elven druid Arealan. Although people had been farming the fertile land for as long as anyone could remember, it was only some hundred and fifty years ago that a group of shepherds happened on the rite in progress and discovered exactly why their land was so fertile.
Being sociable sorts, the shepherds approached the strange magic woman and offered to share their food. Despite having no common language, the elf and the humans got on well. With a bit of work and a lot of sketching in the dirt, Arealan conveyed the message that she conducted the ritual every year.
The next year, the shepherds returned. They brought with them their friends, their families, and people who didn't believe their story. The group camped out overnight and, sure enough, the next morning Arealan was back. The year after that, an enterprising farmer brought the last of his potato crop and sold them as tasty snacks. The next year, several farmers tried the same thing. Since the area around Loch Daelin is perfect potato country - damp, fertile, and cool - all of them brought potatoes to sell, and the Loch Daelin potato festival was born.
Approximately one hundred and fifty years later, the festival is now a week-long event that culminates in a fertility ritual performed by Arealan in the central area. Although all sorts of other entertainments take place in the run up to the ritual, and merchants of all kinds do a roaring trade from their stalls, the emphasis remains firmly on potatoes and the central stalls and tents are devoted to potato contests (largest, tastiest, strangest shape), potato carving, potato cookery, wholesale potato trading, and so on.
Bardic Knowledge Checks
DC 10 - The villages around Loch Daelin hold an annual potato festival.
DC 20 - The Loch Daelin potato festival is based around an old fertility rite.
DC 25 - The Loch Daelin potato festival is actually a very important time for potato buyers in the area, as the villages around Loch Daelin produce the finest potatoes in the land and traditionally they only do major dealing at the festival.
DC 30 - The fertility rite at the heart of the Loch Daelin potato festival actually draws life energy from the people who attend.
Gather Information Checks or Knowledge: Local Checks (in the Loch Daelin area)
DC 5 - The villages of Loch Daelin hold an annual potato festival, which ends with a rite that makes the land fertile for the next year.
DC 10 - the elven druid who conducts the fertility ritual is called Arealan, and has been watching over the area for longer than anyone can remember.
DC 15 - The potato festival is a lot bigger than the villages. Merchants come from far and wide to try and buy Loch Daelin potatoes and/or sell their wares to the villagers.
DC 15 will get the names of the other major NPCs mentioned below.
DC 20 will get the names of other important merchants, farmers, contest winners, and so on, as determined by the GM.
Knowledge: History Checks
DC 20 - The villlages around Loch Daelin have been holding an annual potato festival for about one hundred and fifty years.
Knowledge: Nature Checks
DC 10 - Wild potatoes are mildly toxic. The ones people eat have been specially cultivated and bred to minimise the poisonous bits.
DC 10 (upon interacting with a Loch Daelin potato) - Loch Daelin potatoes are exceptionally large, tasty, low in toxicity and resistant to disease.