1st-level carnival/adventure [Archive] - Wizards Community

1st-level carnival/adventure [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Tibs
04-29-07, 07:46 PM Howdy folks. I'd like to ask for some advice.
Some time ago, I saw a thread about making a carnival as the place to begin an adventure. This idea tickled my fancy a great deal, and (giving it some thought), I came up with the following ideas for things to do at the carnival. Most of them seem okay, but I'd like your collective opinion, plus any additional ideas.
I'm actually very much in need (well, want, anyway) of a first-level mage/magic contest. Something to test and/or challenge the players' critical/creative thinking and problem solving skills without being outlandishly difficult or dangerous. I don't exactly know what my players will be yet (the campaign won't start for a few more weeks, yet, giving me ample time to prepare), so I'd also like to make it as open as possible to all the spell casting classes.
I'd also like some advice on something of a 'capping' event: some large occurrence that pulls the group together and forces them to work as a team for the first time. That is, if it's not too much to ask.

A quick note, though, I'm only using core material, as that is the only material I (or anyone I know) own.
In any case, any help you are willing to give would be most appreciated, with my thanks in advance.

Like I said before, here's what I have already:
Carnival events
Pie-eating contest: DC 10 Con to eat the first pie. Each subsequent pie, the DC rises by two. Failure means you just can’t finish it. Failure by more than 5 means you can’t finish and you throw up.
Every third pie also requires a secondary Con save of the appropriate DC. Failure results in a temporary –1 to Dex. Multiple failures stack. Thus, if you eat six pies and fail both secondary checks, you have a total –2 Dex.
This damage is temporary, lasting until the pie is either digested (4-6 hours), or regurgitated (which results in the regurgitater being sickened for10 rounds). Forced regurgitation is a full round action, invoking a DC 10 reflex save vs. being sickened (and therefore, puking your guts out). This save can be voluntarily failed.

Greased Pig: A greased pig is released in a large muddy pen, and contestants must try to capture it by means of a (successful) opposed grapple check. Being greased imposes a –4 penalty on any grappling check made against the pig. Anyone attempting to move at full speed through the mud (including the pig) suffers a –2 penalty to all related checks (including a balance check, made as though walking on ice).

Mock combat: Regular combat rules apply, except that all combatants are required to use only non-lethal damage (wooden/padded weapons). The tournament involves: single weapon; double weapon (including double-ended weapons); sword-and-board; and the open style (allowing any weapon as long as it’s safe). A smaller, side ring for fighters not participating in the tournament (for those who just want to spar, fight for sport, etc.) is available as well, with an active betting pool.

Pony/hay rides: A pony ride last for three minutes. Children are seated on the pony, and led around in a circle. All ponies are hitched to a central pole around which they walk; these reins (leather straps) can be either slashed through (full round action per pony) or untied (two rounds per pony). The hay ride begins at the entrance to the fair, makes a wide circuit around it, and ends back where it began, lasting a total of 20 minutes. It always stays within view (and earshot) of the carnival, though all listen and spot checks suffer a –2 penalty due to obstruction by trees, tents, and the large (always noisy) crowds.

Battle of the Minstrels: Each contestant plays a total of three sets. Points are earned through a perform check-the higher rolled, the more points. A DC 10 nets 0 points. DC 15=1 points, DC 20=2 points, DC 25=3 points, DC 30=5 points. Anyone who fails a DC10 perform check loses points. DC 6-9=-2 points, 5 or less=-4. The minstrel with the most points at the end of three sets is the winner.

Plays: Plays can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half, though a bad play will most likely be booed off the stage and murdered by bad reviews. These can be glossed over, but if you really want to know how the play is going (and don’t want to write a play), divide it into three acts. For each act, assign a Perform (theater) check. Plays in which two acts fail the check are booed. A DC 10 will result in a bored audience, but no strong reactions. DC 15 will be enjoyable (kinda like a good “B” movie these days), and get some applause and decent reviews. DC 20 results in generally good reviews, and applause by everyone. DC 25=a standing ovation and nothing but good reviews. Dc 30= you’re Shakespeare, baby. A timeless classic adored by all for generations to come.

Other Contests: Produce, art, crafts, etc. can all be judged according to appropriate skill checks (profession:farmer, Craft:art, craft: wicker baskets, etc.), the highest result resulting in the blue ribbon.

Jousting: Use mounted combat rules. Essentially, each combatant makes a single mounted charge action on the same round of initiative, each making an attack at the other (doing non-lethal damage only). Each rider gets a total of three shields. Whoever is hit is knocked off of his horse and to the ground, essentially breaking his shield and giving the other rider a point. Whoever loses all his shields first is the loser. All combatants are required to wear heavy armor.
Yayhya
04-29-07, 07:51 PM Go rent watch Carnivàle . . . if that doesn't give you many more ideas quite while your ahead.
GoriceXII
04-30-07, 01:29 AM You have jousting there--why not a melee? Basically the people are given blunted weapons that do temporary damage and go to it! Have the people draw ballots for who is on whose team and have the players 'coincidentally' be on the same one, then match them against some interesting opponents. A nice big half ogre teamed up with a little fast guy might be good a la "Beyond Thunderdome"; in fact you could have a few people who are secretly hired by the carnival leaders to be their ace in the hole. The idea as well is that the melee is not necessarily for the more glorious and honored warriors, a chance for the 'lower types' to get a chance. (I know this is not how tourneys were necessarily fought but what the hey)
Heros_Backpack
04-30-07, 07:16 PM For a mage contest, why not have the entrants entertain an audience using Prestigitation? Winner to be decided by acclaim (Caster level check, Base DC 10, highest roll = most entertaining)
Tibs
05-02-07, 06:00 PM Thanks for the replies so far. I'm still open to (and very interested in) any suggestions people may have to offer, so please, don't be shy!

Yayhya: I can't seem to find that movie. Could you give me a rundown of it?

GoriceXII: A large group melee is definitely an option at this point, and will probably end up what I use. Maybe have it be a reenactment of an ancient battle, or something, with prizes for the winning team.

Heros_Backpack: The only problem I have with your suggestion is that it's a lot like the other contests in function; that is, the PC meets a DC in order to achieve a certain result. And while technically sound, I'm afraid it might get a bit repetitive for the players.
I think what I may do is go through the PHB and look at all the 0/1st level spells to see what kind of (non-combat) challenges I can throw at 'em, and make sure that there's more than one way to overcome.

Other than that, I think I'll include wrestling (since hardly anyone is familiar with grappling rules), and target shooting (for ranged weapon buffs).

I think prizes are definitely in order as well. I've already got most of the mundane stuff (like money) covered, and the new crate/barrel/sack generator on the main site had some interesting things in it, too. I was wondering-what sort of other prizes do you think would be appropriate (given that this is A)a peasant's festival; and B) a mid-to-low-magic campaign)?
I think it would be a lot of fun to sneak in a legacy item of some kind, but I'm a little fuzzy on how they work. From what I've been able to gather (off of various posts and examples of legacy weapons given in free adventures/whatnot), the item has a certain number of different abilities that are activated by a character meeting certain conditions, at certain levels. My question, just how powerful should I make this thing? I'd like it to remain useful and relevant all the way up to level 20, but I've never been to good at scaling or balancing powers. Are there any benchmarks that might be helpful?

Sorry for writing such a long post, but I'm really trying to do a good job on this one (being the first actual campaign I've had to put together, instead of a single-shot adventure).
Once again, any and all input would be most appreciated and more than welcome.
Heros_Backpack
05-02-07, 07:03 PM I think prizes are definitely in order as well. I've already got most of the mundane stuff (like money) covered, and the new crate/barrel/sack generator on the main site had some interesting things in it, too. I was wondering-what sort of other prizes do you think would be appropriate (given that this is A)a peasant's festival; and B) a mid-to-low-magic campaign)?

The peasants would probably appreciate some unguent of timelessness (stop the fences etc rotting). Dust of dryness might also be a possibilty, if it isn't too expensive (can't remember the price at the moment).

Otherwise, have you considered stock? A well-bred pig, sheep, cow, plough horse or herding dog all come to mind as possible prizes.
Heros_Backpack
05-03-07, 04:13 AM Idea I just had - why not have a pile of tokens in the centre of the display ring, all the mage entrants round the edge, and on the word go, they must try to get as many tokens into their pile as possible by magical means. Mage Hand, Unseen Servant and Summoned Animal all come to mind.

Cheating opponents might use a friend with an invisibility potion or take tokens from another mage's pile.
Tibs
05-03-07, 01:25 PM I like that! It's simple enough for first level characters, has multiple solutions, and can even be cheated at...I think I'll use it!
Thanks!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tibs 04-29-07, 07:46 PM	Howdy folks. I'd like to ask for some advice. Some time ago, I saw a thread about making a carnival as the place to begin an adventure. This idea tickled my fancy a great deal, and (giving it some thought), I came up with the following ideas for things to do at the carnival. Most of them seem okay, but I'd like your collective opinion, plus any additional ideas. I'm actually very much in need (well, want, anyway) of a first-level mage/magic contest. Something to test and/or challenge the players' critical/creative thinking and problem solving skills without being outlandishly difficult or dangerous. I don't exactly know what my players will be yet (the campaign won't start for a few more weeks, yet, giving me ample time to prepare), so I'd also like to make it as open as possible to all the spell casting classes. I'd also like some advice on something of a 'capping' event: some large occurrence that pulls the group together and forces them to work as a team for the first time. That is, if it's not too much to ask. A quick note, though, I'm only using core material, as that is the only material I (or anyone I know) own. In any case, any help you are willing to give would be most appreciated, with my thanks in advance. Like I said before, here's what I have already: Carnival events Pie-eating contest: DC 10 Con to eat the first pie. Each subsequent pie, the DC rises by two. Failure means you just can’t finish it. Failure by more than 5 means you can’t finish and you throw up. Every third pie also requires a secondary Con save of the appropriate DC. Failure results in a temporary –1 to Dex. Multiple failures stack. Thus, if you eat six pies and fail both secondary checks, you have a total –2 Dex. This damage is temporary, lasting until the pie is either digested (4-6 hours), or regurgitated (which results in the regurgitater being sickened for10 rounds). Forced regurgitation is a full round action, invoking a DC 10 reflex save vs. being sickened (and therefore, puking your guts out). This save can be voluntarily failed. Greased Pig: A greased pig is released in a large muddy pen, and contestants must try to capture it by means of a (successful) opposed grapple check. Being greased imposes a –4 penalty on any grappling check made against the pig. Anyone attempting to move at full speed through the mud (including the pig) suffers a –2 penalty to all related checks (including a balance check, made as though walking on ice). Mock combat: Regular combat rules apply, except that all combatants are required to use only non-lethal damage (wooden/padded weapons). The tournament involves: single weapon; double weapon (including double-ended weapons); sword-and-board; and the open style (allowing any weapon as long as it’s safe). A smaller, side ring for fighters not participating in the tournament (for those who just want to spar, fight for sport, etc.) is available as well, with an active betting pool. Pony/hay rides: A pony ride last for three minutes. Children are seated on the pony, and led around in a circle. All ponies are hitched to a central pole around which they walk; these reins (leather straps) can be either slashed through (full round action per pony) or untied (two rounds per pony). The hay ride begins at the entrance to the fair, makes a wide circuit around it, and ends back where it began, lasting a total of 20 minutes. It always stays within view (and earshot) of the carnival, though all listen and spot checks suffer a –2 penalty due to obstruction by trees, tents, and the large (always noisy) crowds. Battle of the Minstrels: Each contestant plays a total of three sets. Points are earned through a perform check-the higher rolled, the more points. A DC 10 nets 0 points. DC 15=1 points, DC 20=2 points, DC 25=3 points, DC 30=5 points. Anyone who fails a DC10 perform check loses points. DC 6-9=-2 points, 5 or less=-4. The minstrel with the most points at the end of three sets is the winner. Plays: Plays can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half, though a bad play will most likely be booed off the stage and murdered by bad reviews. These can be glossed over, but if you really want to know how the play is going (and don’t want to write a play), divide it into three acts. For each act, assign a Perform (theater) check. Plays in which two acts fail the check are booed. A DC 10 will result in a bored audience, but no strong reactions. DC 15 will be enjoyable (kinda like a good “B” movie these days), and get some applause and decent reviews. DC 20 results in generally good reviews, and applause by everyone. DC 25=a standing ovation and nothing but good reviews. Dc 30= you’re Shakespeare, baby. A timeless classic adored by all for generations to come. Other Contests: Produce, art, crafts, etc. can all be judged according to appropriate skill checks (profession:farmer, Craft:art, craft: wicker baskets, etc.), the highest result resulting in the blue ribbon. Jousting: Use mounted combat rules. Essentially, each combatant makes a single mounted charge action on the same round of initiative, each making an attack at the other (doing non-lethal damage only). Each rider gets a total of three shields. Whoever is hit is knocked off of his horse and to the ground, essentially breaking his shield and giving the other rider a point. Whoever loses all his shields first is the loser. All combatants are required to wear heavy armor.
Yayhya 04-29-07, 07:51 PM	Go rent watch Carnivàle . . . if that doesn't give you many more ideas quite while your ahead.
GoriceXII 04-30-07, 01:29 AM	You have jousting there--why not a melee? Basically the people are given blunted weapons that do temporary damage and go to it! Have the people draw ballots for who is on whose team and have the players 'coincidentally' be on the same one, then match them against some interesting opponents. A nice big half ogre teamed up with a little fast guy might be good a la "Beyond Thunderdome"; in fact you could have a few people who are secretly hired by the carnival leaders to be their ace in the hole. The idea as well is that the melee is not necessarily for the more glorious and honored warriors, a chance for the 'lower types' to get a chance. (I know this is not how tourneys were necessarily fought but what the hey)
Heros_Backpack 04-30-07, 07:16 PM	For a mage contest, why not have the entrants entertain an audience using Prestigitation? Winner to be decided by acclaim (Caster level check, Base DC 10, highest roll = most entertaining)
Tibs 05-02-07, 06:00 PM	Thanks for the replies so far. I'm still open to (and very interested in) any suggestions people may have to offer, so please, don't be shy! Yayhya: I can't seem to find that movie. Could you give me a rundown of it? GoriceXII: A large group melee is definitely an option at this point, and will probably end up what I use. Maybe have it be a reenactment of an ancient battle, or something, with prizes for the winning team. Heros_Backpack: The only problem I have with your suggestion is that it's a lot like the other contests in function; that is, the PC meets a DC in order to achieve a certain result. And while technically sound, I'm afraid it might get a bit repetitive for the players. I think what I may do is go through the PHB and look at all the 0/1st level spells to see what kind of (non-combat) challenges I can throw at 'em, and make sure that there's more than one way to overcome. Other than that, I think I'll include wrestling (since hardly anyone is familiar with grappling rules), and target shooting (for ranged weapon buffs). I think prizes are definitely in order as well. I've already got most of the mundane stuff (like money) covered, and the new crate/barrel/sack generator on the main site had some interesting things in it, too. I was wondering-what sort of other prizes do you think would be appropriate (given that this is A)a peasant's festival; and B) a mid-to-low-magic campaign)? I think it would be a lot of fun to sneak in a legacy item of some kind, but I'm a little fuzzy on how they work. From what I've been able to gather (off of various posts and examples of legacy weapons given in free adventures/whatnot), the item has a certain number of different abilities that are activated by a character meeting certain conditions, at certain levels. My question, just how powerful should I make this thing? I'd like it to remain useful and relevant all the way up to level 20, but I've never been to good at scaling or balancing powers. Are there any benchmarks that might be helpful? Sorry for writing such a long post, but I'm really trying to do a good job on this one (being the first actual campaign I've had to put together, instead of a single-shot adventure). Once again, any and all input would be most appreciated and more than welcome.
Heros_Backpack 05-02-07, 07:03 PM	I think prizes are definitely in order as well. I've already got most of the mundane stuff (like money) covered, and the new crate/barrel/sack generator on the main site had some interesting things in it, too. I was wondering-what sort of other prizes do you think would be appropriate (given that this is A)a peasant's festival; and B) a mid-to-low-magic campaign)? The peasants would probably appreciate some unguent of timelessness (stop the fences etc rotting). Dust of dryness might also be a possibilty, if it isn't too expensive (can't remember the price at the moment). Otherwise, have you considered stock? A well-bred pig, sheep, cow, plough horse or herding dog all come to mind as possible prizes.
Heros_Backpack 05-03-07, 04:13 AM	Idea I just had - why not have a pile of tokens in the centre of the display ring, all the mage entrants round the edge, and on the word go, they must try to get as many tokens into their pile as possible by magical means. Mage Hand, Unseen Servant and Summoned Animal all come to mind. Cheating opponents might use a friend with an invisibility potion or take tokens from another mage's pile.
Tibs 05-03-07, 01:25 PM	I like that! It's simple enough for first level characters, has multiple solutions, and can even be cheated at...I think I'll use it! Thanks!