Finished my mega-dungeon on Patreon - will do a table comp next month
will put up a bundle of 3fold adventures on drive-through soon
will put up a bundle of 3fold adventures on drive-through soon
These are for when your in the countryside and come across some villagers. Don't kill them for being weird cultists, It's just a local tradition. Some city clergy might not approve. Locals might not remember why they perform this festivity but also could be clues to some local monster. Feasts, dancing, traders all get involved with enthusiasm. Puppet shows, bards, and other in theme performances are common parts of such event. It can be a problem getting a room in these events.
These are additional to solstices and common holy holidays
Medieval Europeans had far more holidays that modern meeples
- 20% year religious holidays and churches brewed beer
The first 10 are common and most boring
d100 Local Festivals
02 Wedding feast and ceremony all the locals involved, possibly related to elites
03 Building completion feast after months of work d4 1=church improvement 2=bridge 3=well 4=barn
04 Victory party after locals won against trouble makers d6 1=bandits 2=robber knights 3=wild folk 4=monster 5=humanoid 6=abhuman
05 Saints Day where locals spend the morning at special church service dedicated to a saint then feast and drink
06 Hanging party where locals have a victim and are preparing to execute them by noose or axe or burning. They seem pretty sure the victim did some dreadful deed
07 Sporting event as a rival village team visits to competing at some strange ritual game then drink and feast 1=hitting ball with club 2=fight over a pigskin full of peas across a field 3=race 4=boxing 5=wrestling 6=animal fight
08 Militia Day where locals spend day battle-ready and training then have a competitive display like a shield wall or target shooting then slaughter a beast and feast. Honours and awards are given to the most
09 Witch Trial where an inquisitor and local magistrate hold a public trial of an elderly person with no family left but valuable goods and property. Nobles find this gets rid of trouble makers
10 Lords feast where the noble puts on a spread and a bard for the village
11 Frog wedding, locals marry two frogs and have a feast to bring rain
12 Flower festival with song and dance and feast and everyone wears flowers. Many come seeking to meet a lover
13 Dwarf festival where locals praise a dwarf hero of long ago. Any dwarfs visiting will be placed on a throne and proclaimed king of the festival
14 Wild Women festival where men hide indoors while women perform naked rights among a copse of trees. Any men who see this evoke the group to homicidal berserk rage for interrupting the event
15 Vegetable Festival where locals admire each other's huge vegetables and give a prize followed by vegetable stew for all
16 Burn the Traitor day - where locals burn an effigy of an enemy of a past king on a huge bonfire, but some whisper the locals used to burn people as sacrifices. Sometimes a wizard brings fireworks. Children especially love it
17 Tarrasque festival with a wooden tarrasque with eight people inside snaps at locals chasing them until a hero figure slays the beast with a sword and a ring of wishes to finish it. Tomb of the hero has a monstrous skull on display
18 Hobby Horse festival where a pantomime horse-like creature (with two locals inside) go door to door with a gang of fools collecting coins for the church and beating those who will not pay. The "Obbyoss" is quite creepy and not really horse like
19 A coffin of a priest is dug up paraded around town and returned in a parade to keep away evil from town. The body might be displayed and may be decorated and mummified
20 Turnip festival with a parade led by villager dressed as the Turnip King
21 Apple festival with various apple games and frolics and cider drinking by night. Shooting at apples when drunk is frowned on based on bast accidents
22 Blessing of the animals, local holy person blesses all the animals and villagers bring out prize beasts and children bring pets
23 Wizard Burning where a wooden wizard is put on a bonfire to celebrate a local evil wizard punished by village law long ago
24 Hunters festival with a feast for the village with secret sauna ritual for hunters later after which they enter a secret cave and see ancient hunter paintings
25 Locals drag a stone monolith a few kilometres then get drunk and feast, sometimes they place one in an upright position and sacrifice goats or an ox for a feast
26 Drumming festival where locals after a humble meal all play the drums till dawn
27 Soothsayer reading where all gather as elders study the innards of an animal to tell the future. If the news is good they celebrate, if the news is bad they discuss plans
28 Beer festival, created to bring in travellers and money, singing and dancing and drinking, anyone causing trouble gets locked in the sheriff's cell till the next day
29 Great Oak festival where the villages gather to sing and dance under a great oak tree then eat and drink by firelight
30 Rat festival where a flute playing bard leads a mob in rat masks who take what they want and pester people. There are no visible cats here
31 Plague party, people are rutting in street, drinking, fighting. They all have the plague and spending the last possible chance to do as they most desire with nothing to live for
32 Purge day, where sweet locals once every few years go on a violent murder spree living their most vile urges. The nobles fortify themselves and feast like kings. Many just hide
33 Fools day where rival village idiots come to battle the local champ and the crowds watch to laugh then drink and feast and crown the winner
34 Snake day when locals catch snakes and carry them into every home for good luck then have a dance and feast
35 King pig day when a pig is crowned and carried around the village then spitroast for feast
36 Roof bird day when locals put glue on roof knowing migration of roofbirds will land for a rest get trapped and rests cut them off by the legs with a saw then butcher and feast on them and collect feathers
37 Madman day when locals dress as idiots to remember when they made the king not visit by spreading rumours of madness outbreak to avoid village being incorporated into the king's highway and more tax
38 Goat day when locals treat their goats and dress them in ribbons and flowers.
39 Gifts of the waters day when villagers dine on fish then at night put on robes and a lantern and march into a normally flooded cave to sacrifice to a cave kraken, guests are always invited and promised sex and gifts to join in (but as food)
40 Tree test day when locals sing and dance and squeeze between a split tree with laughter from all then feast. Some of the children bring elf dolls and locals will try and sell them to visitors
41 Noisy pot day when locals bang pots and make terrible noises to drive away faeries from their houses, iron is especially valued and said to scare elves the most, after everyone eats and drinks and dances
42 Bath day when locals are dunked in water by holy person and inspected for signs of witchcraft or lycanthropy. Strangers will be ordered to get in line. After the holy fplk put on beer and bread for all
43 Family game day where locals compete in sports, poor performers are mocked for a year. The village is notoriously prejudiced to high standards. They welcome guests spending money and betting but are a bit mean to outsiders. Anyone flirting with a local will get tarred and feathered
44 Flower day where locals scatter flower seeds in the belief vampires will be delayed counting them. After the dance, they have a meal. Not a good day to arrive by night if you look mysterious
45 Victory over the deep day where locals feast celebrating when they beat back a horde of humanoid monsters from a cave one night. The cave is still sealed up and everyone drops a rock on the pile every victory feast day. Some wonder if the monsters remember
46 Light day when all dress best and act serene, solemnly eating a ceremonial meal in silence remembering when the age of darkness ended and tell tales of the dark lords of the outer void
47 Tree day where locals water trees, cleaning away branches then mourning over a tree stump where a magic tree was cut down by an evil overlord in the time of troubles
48 Mans day where local men meet for a great feast where they eat and drink till they vomit and beat their chests howling at the full moon. Womenfolk gather in various homes and keep away
49 Gnome day when visiting gnomes are treated to a feast and various goods are traded symbolically commemorating some ancient alliance
50 Witch day is a feast where locals burn effigies of witches and children get sugar plums and nuts. They tell the story of how they trapped and killed a witch generation ago. The locals seem to still fear her return despite the celebration
51 Saints day when church rings bells all day and acolytes sprinkle holy water on the doorsteps of locals. Everyone stays indoor in prayer and shun meat and grog
52 All fools day where the local fool is king for the day and people cross-dress and act lewd and gamble in church. All get drunk and play games
53 Hags day where old women are given sticks and allowed to beat who they please which often gathers crowds as certain persons get more extreme beatings. If they strike a woman they lose a hand. Anyone taking revenge on an old woman risks being torn apart while alive by a mob
54 Shepherds day where sheepherders and sheep jump over a fire for a blessing then all ear lamb roast and drink wine
55 Maidens day where beasts are set free for the day and girls dance around throwing flowers. Prostitutes from a bigger town come for business and are treated as honoured gu
56 All dead day where graves are left with bread and locals mourn in solemn silence. They feat if the dead angry will arise
57 Drunken feast day where all get hideously drunk till they pass out around the church. The next morning all are awakened by drums and a big salty greasy breakfast is served
58 Kings day when locals remember the first civilized ruler in these parts who drove away the wild people and goblins here long ago. Sometimes they execute any kobolds or goblins they catch for the event
59 Blessed child day where a child is crowned as bishop and they are carried around and visit houses and distribute treats
60 Scarecrow day where locals bring scarecrows for a blessing and a feast is held for them with a table setting in the village and they are treated as guests. Everyone else eats and drinks and dances
61 Bleak feast all dine together in solemn feast representing the old days of starving in winter. Guests are invited to the miserly feast of hearing the water and leftover horse chaff bread. Scary stories of the long winter are told including warnings of cannibalism
62 Goblin day where a captive goblin or child in costume runs around the village stealing treats. The children hunt and beat the goblin and divide up the treats
63 Goblin feast when locals lock up children and meet goblin merchants for trade to gain all kinds of strange goods. Leaders of both eat each others food grimacing and gaging then shake hands to begin
64 Day of the Phallus where all eat phallus-shaped cakes on sticks blessed by the clergy and later a parade with giant phallus floats and phallus costumes feature
65 Day of darkness when a local event is commemorated when a crack in an ancient rock opened and out came strange demons that local adventurers stopped and drove away sealing the rift. Locals eat and sing the tale and will show guests the eldrich sign scribed rock with a holy symbol over the crack. A few relics of the adventurers are displayed and their graves of the dead heroes have treats left on them
66 Water festival where they commemorate the well and tell of the thing that came from the well and had to be killed. Children splash water on everyone and the priest blesses the
67 Death day commemorates the end of the golden age, locals let slaves and servants play together as equals and execute a criminal who they allow to get drunk first to represent chaos. Prefer to select a person notorious for trouble and violence
68 Idols feast when statue from church taken outside to join villagers in a meal where they are all on best behavior and priests bless all
69 Song festival where villages sing ancient songs of heroism of some older social order now frowned on. Its the only way locals maintain their old ways and they get a bit touchy during festival. Feast and drinking follows
70 Donkey day where a maid with a baby on a bejeweled donkey with a procession with a fake church ceremony where peasants bray like donkeys, eat grass and sing about the brave and beautiful Sir Ass
71 Solace night feast, a night of prayer, blessing doors and windows, hanging wreaths of garlic, checking graves for vampires and church service warning all of vampires. Once was a vampire outbreak and people still wary especially by night
72 Redoubt feast where locals with torches go to a hidden place through a tunnel a drill for when attacked. They refresh supplies there and eat the old ones when back in the village. They sing on the way back a song of gratitude to a past hero
73 Plague night feast where the locals commemorate plague victims who died includes singing in the graveyard and a sombre meal of bread and water, not much fun really
74 White rock day where priest leads the village to deface old scrawls and carvings found on cliffs and rocks in the region. WIzards and others recognise prehistoric wizard signs that could offer spell research. After the priest puts on beer and a roast sheep
75 Fishwife festival where locals scrawl strange signs on wax tablets and hurl into the water with food for fish leftover from a lunch feast of mostly bread. Locals have no idea where custom came from but say if they don't bad luck will follow for fisherfolk and the fish brides will kidnap men with magic to be there under the sea lovers forever
76 Judgement day when a criminal is chosen and placed in a gibbet hung near the village to warn away criminals. The previous few years of victim's remains are close. After the criminal locked in gibbet, everyone gets drunk. Often they will keep a criminal for months for this festivel
77 Folk festival where peasants revel in contests with farm produce and animals and sports and wear strange folk costumes and hats of a long-gone age. Some tell stories of the first settlers and the strange things they found in this land
78 Giants day where locals meet by some giant footprints in stone to eat and tell stories of giants versus the gods
79 Dragons feast where locals celebrate when a hero killed a dragon menacing area and demanding sacrifices of food and highborn virgins. Some of the bones are brought out from hiding in church or lords crypt along with a statue of the hero who is an ancestor of the local lord
80 Hope day where locals celebrate driving a snake cult in the hills away forever with a feast and they kill a snake cook it and share its meat to the whole village. A snake folk wizard once was caught visiting the festival and it has been extra tense the last few years so strangers require a test not knowing serpent folk can easily duplicate a local
81 Faith day where locals reject old ways in favour of the current church teachings. Locals bring some trinket of the old faith, certain herbs or a live snake which they burn in a fire. AFter the priest offers beer and bread for all and blessings
82 Light feast where all celebrate the faith of light overcoming a curse on the land long ago and paying tribute to a heroic priest who banished a demon. The local priest has a collection of the priest's relics and a journal detailing where they found a secret cult temple under the village which everyone assumes is long gone
83 Bounty of the earth festival where locals throw food and other goods into a sinkhole and find quality items left by unknown beings from the deep. Often include coal, ore, semi-precious stones, flint and ochre. Locals celebrate with a feast displaying the items for all to see
84 Honey festival where all drink mead and eat honey cakes and sell honey. Good times had by all except that time bears attacked or giant bees came
85 Fire night festival where all men in militia arms and armour hold burning torches and chant while burning effigies, dates back to before people settled here. Beer and a meat feast after
86 Donkey cart race day where local peasants race donkeys then get drunk. Many donkeys are bought and sold and those in need of work beast visit here
87 Masquerade festival were all wearing strange costumes and masks and refuse to give real names which confuse visitors. Song and dance is enjoyed and bards visit
88 Wrestling festival where visitors come for about to earn a fancy belt. Most wear only a loincloth and are lathered in oil
89 Ogre night where locals scare children with ogre costumes to keep them obedient. Wicked children are carried away by faux ogres then rescued by parents
90 Cow fight festival where locals bet on cows asserting dominance over each other which sometimes is brief or uneventful or may last hours
91 Fish festival where contestants try and catch fish by hand in a muddy bog and other fishing related contests. The winners are said to have good luck finding love
92 Cheese festival where experts judged the best cheeses of the region and hold various cheese-related games like chasing a cheese wheel downhill or cheese lifting
93 Blood feast where locals slaughter animals, make blood sausage, and throw cups full of blood at each other. Later there everyone gets cleaned up then feast
94 Greenlight festival where locals have a solemn meal and sing hymns awaiting the green dancing lights to appear as they do in the distance. Stories say any who get too close vanish
95 Ghost Festival where locals dress as ghosts and march around the village demanding sugar beet candy. Some say there are more ghosts than villagers which is a bit odd
96 Hells bells day where locals ring bells and search the area for gateways to hell which was a problem once apparently. After they meet for a blessing and then a feast
97 Goat throwing festival where a boy on verge of manhood throws the biggest goat he can carry off a roof and the villagers catch the goat. The goats don't approve but rarely do they get hurt as it is bad luck for the goats to be injured. In recent years the goats have staged an escape before the festival which was upsetting to the locals
98 Bleak night where village all go to bed for early curfew leaving out food (meat) for some mysterious creature nobody has ever seen. The custom is very old and locals "have always done this" and dare not question it. Seeing the beast is certain death so all cover their windows and secure curious children
99 Scapegoat feast where a goat is crowned and paraded like a king then left out on the edge of the common and some creature snatches it. All hear the goat cries for help and hide under their beds (if possible) in fear of the thing in the night
100 Spirit night where all seal windows and priest blesses homes and all cook garlic and affix holy symbols and chalk anti witching signs. All doors are locked and all prey till dawn. Strange howls and winds and mists lash the village and none dare go outside. Apparently, the night began when villagers drowned a witch. Some say she hides somewhere close still
53 Hags day where old women are given sticks and allowed to beat who they please which often gathers crowds as certain persons get more extreme beatings. If they strike a woman they lose a hand. Anyone taking revenge on an old woman risks being torn apart while alive by a mob
54 Shepherds day where sheepherders and sheep jump over a fire for a blessing then all ear lamb roast and drink wine
55 Maidens day where beasts are set free for the day and girls dance around throwing flowers. Prostitutes from a bigger town come for business and are treated as honoured gu
56 All dead day where graves are left with bread and locals mourn in solemn silence. They feat if the dead angry will arise
57 Drunken feast day where all get hideously drunk till they pass out around the church. The next morning all are awakened by drums and a big salty greasy breakfast is served
58 Kings day when locals remember the first civilized ruler in these parts who drove away the wild people and goblins here long ago. Sometimes they execute any kobolds or goblins they catch for the event
59 Blessed child day where a child is crowned as bishop and they are carried around and visit houses and distribute treats
60 Scarecrow day where locals bring scarecrows for a blessing and a feast is held for them with a table setting in the village and they are treated as guests. Everyone else eats and drinks and dances
61 Bleak feast all dine together in solemn feast representing the old days of starving in winter. Guests are invited to the miserly feast of hearing the water and leftover horse chaff bread. Scary stories of the long winter are told including warnings of cannibalism
62 Goblin day where a captive goblin or child in costume runs around the village stealing treats. The children hunt and beat the goblin and divide up the treats
63 Goblin feast when locals lock up children and meet goblin merchants for trade to gain all kinds of strange goods. Leaders of both eat each others food grimacing and gaging then shake hands to begin
64 Day of the Phallus where all eat phallus-shaped cakes on sticks blessed by the clergy and later a parade with giant phallus floats and phallus costumes feature
65 Day of darkness when a local event is commemorated when a crack in an ancient rock opened and out came strange demons that local adventurers stopped and drove away sealing the rift. Locals eat and sing the tale and will show guests the eldrich sign scribed rock with a holy symbol over the crack. A few relics of the adventurers are displayed and their graves of the dead heroes have treats left on them
66 Water festival where they commemorate the well and tell of the thing that came from the well and had to be killed. Children splash water on everyone and the priest blesses the
67 Death day commemorates the end of the golden age, locals let slaves and servants play together as equals and execute a criminal who they allow to get drunk first to represent chaos. Prefer to select a person notorious for trouble and violence
68 Idols feast when statue from church taken outside to join villagers in a meal where they are all on best behavior and priests bless all
69 Song festival where villages sing ancient songs of heroism of some older social order now frowned on. Its the only way locals maintain their old ways and they get a bit touchy during festival. Feast and drinking follows
70 Donkey day where a maid with a baby on a bejeweled donkey with a procession with a fake church ceremony where peasants bray like donkeys, eat grass and sing about the brave and beautiful Sir Ass
71 Solace night feast, a night of prayer, blessing doors and windows, hanging wreaths of garlic, checking graves for vampires and church service warning all of vampires. Once was a vampire outbreak and people still wary especially by night
72 Redoubt feast where locals with torches go to a hidden place through a tunnel a drill for when attacked. They refresh supplies there and eat the old ones when back in the village. They sing on the way back a song of gratitude to a past hero
73 Plague night feast where the locals commemorate plague victims who died includes singing in the graveyard and a sombre meal of bread and water, not much fun really
74 White rock day where priest leads the village to deface old scrawls and carvings found on cliffs and rocks in the region. WIzards and others recognise prehistoric wizard signs that could offer spell research. After the priest puts on beer and a roast sheep
75 Fishwife festival where locals scrawl strange signs on wax tablets and hurl into the water with food for fish leftover from a lunch feast of mostly bread. Locals have no idea where custom came from but say if they don't bad luck will follow for fisherfolk and the fish brides will kidnap men with magic to be there under the sea lovers forever
76 Judgement day when a criminal is chosen and placed in a gibbet hung near the village to warn away criminals. The previous few years of victim's remains are close. After the criminal locked in gibbet, everyone gets drunk. Often they will keep a criminal for months for this festivel
77 Folk festival where peasants revel in contests with farm produce and animals and sports and wear strange folk costumes and hats of a long-gone age. Some tell stories of the first settlers and the strange things they found in this land
78 Giants day where locals meet by some giant footprints in stone to eat and tell stories of giants versus the gods
79 Dragons feast where locals celebrate when a hero killed a dragon menacing area and demanding sacrifices of food and highborn virgins. Some of the bones are brought out from hiding in church or lords crypt along with a statue of the hero who is an ancestor of the local lord
80 Hope day where locals celebrate driving a snake cult in the hills away forever with a feast and they kill a snake cook it and share its meat to the whole village. A snake folk wizard once was caught visiting the festival and it has been extra tense the last few years so strangers require a test not knowing serpent folk can easily duplicate a local
81 Faith day where locals reject old ways in favour of the current church teachings. Locals bring some trinket of the old faith, certain herbs or a live snake which they burn in a fire. AFter the priest offers beer and bread for all and blessings
82 Light feast where all celebrate the faith of light overcoming a curse on the land long ago and paying tribute to a heroic priest who banished a demon. The local priest has a collection of the priest's relics and a journal detailing where they found a secret cult temple under the village which everyone assumes is long gone
83 Bounty of the earth festival where locals throw food and other goods into a sinkhole and find quality items left by unknown beings from the deep. Often include coal, ore, semi-precious stones, flint and ochre. Locals celebrate with a feast displaying the items for all to see
84 Honey festival where all drink mead and eat honey cakes and sell honey. Good times had by all except that time bears attacked or giant bees came
85 Fire night festival where all men in militia arms and armour hold burning torches and chant while burning effigies, dates back to before people settled here. Beer and a meat feast after
86 Donkey cart race day where local peasants race donkeys then get drunk. Many donkeys are bought and sold and those in need of work beast visit here
87 Masquerade festival were all wearing strange costumes and masks and refuse to give real names which confuse visitors. Song and dance is enjoyed and bards visit
88 Wrestling festival where visitors come for about to earn a fancy belt. Most wear only a loincloth and are lathered in oil
89 Ogre night where locals scare children with ogre costumes to keep them obedient. Wicked children are carried away by faux ogres then rescued by parents
90 Cow fight festival where locals bet on cows asserting dominance over each other which sometimes is brief or uneventful or may last hours
91 Fish festival where contestants try and catch fish by hand in a muddy bog and other fishing related contests. The winners are said to have good luck finding love
92 Cheese festival where experts judged the best cheeses of the region and hold various cheese-related games like chasing a cheese wheel downhill or cheese lifting
93 Blood feast where locals slaughter animals, make blood sausage, and throw cups full of blood at each other. Later there everyone gets cleaned up then feast
94 Greenlight festival where locals have a solemn meal and sing hymns awaiting the green dancing lights to appear as they do in the distance. Stories say any who get too close vanish
95 Ghost Festival where locals dress as ghosts and march around the village demanding sugar beet candy. Some say there are more ghosts than villagers which is a bit odd
96 Hells bells day where locals ring bells and search the area for gateways to hell which was a problem once apparently. After they meet for a blessing and then a feast
97 Goat throwing festival where a boy on verge of manhood throws the biggest goat he can carry off a roof and the villagers catch the goat. The goats don't approve but rarely do they get hurt as it is bad luck for the goats to be injured. In recent years the goats have staged an escape before the festival which was upsetting to the locals
98 Bleak night where village all go to bed for early curfew leaving out food (meat) for some mysterious creature nobody has ever seen. The custom is very old and locals "have always done this" and dare not question it. Seeing the beast is certain death so all cover their windows and secure curious children
99 Scapegoat feast where a goat is crowned and paraded like a king then left out on the edge of the common and some creature snatches it. All hear the goat cries for help and hide under their beds (if possible) in fear of the thing in the night
100 Spirit night where all seal windows and priest blesses homes and all cook garlic and affix holy symbols and chalk anti witching signs. All doors are locked and all prey till dawn. Strange howls and winds and mists lash the village and none dare go outside. Apparently, the night began when villagers drowned a witch. Some say she hides somewhere close still
these are excellent and i've rolled a bunch to add to my campaign.
ReplyDeletei decided to add some festivals to various city quarters, too. this table worked but some had to be rerolled - they were just too rural. a similar table of neighborhood festivals would be equally great!
awesome - im always cheered by hearing this
Deletepreindustrial people still pretty connected to primary production
i might do one about local urban celebrations. Lots would be religious specific though - 20% of year in medieval england was religious holiday but will give it ago - i like more ideas like this thanks