Festival Games - Pt. 2
As part 2 of Festival games, these games and based on the mental acuity of participants - instead of just physical skill.
Corn Maze
- Cost 2 sp per attempt
- Ability Wisdom (Insight, Perception, Survival); DC 13
In this game, one must traverse a maze, taking turns and stumbling on to dead ends. While normally such an event doesn't have prizes, as the enjoyment of this is following a confusing maze, mazes have been used in competitions as races or as dangerous dungeons for adventurers to cut their way through. Each maze often features clues or hints left behind by its builders to offer insights to those who are trying to clear it as quickly as they can.
When a maze is created, the GM determines how many checks are required for a contestant, or group, to succeed the maze. For a typical maze, it requires three checks though larger and deadlier mazes may require even more. A contestant can choose from three skills to use to navigate the maze: Insight, Perception, or Survival. Once a contestants succeeds on the check with that skill, that skill can not be used until all other skills have succeeded on their checks. This means that for a typical corn maze, a contestant or group of contestants working together must succeed on three checks; one with Wisdom (Insight), one with Wisdom (Perception), and one with Wisdom (Survival) checks.
For lengthier mazes, the contestant or group may end up making more checks with each skill.
If there is a race, a contestant earns a Moderate Prize if they succeed on all checks the first time they attempt each check and another Moderate Prize if they are the first out of the maze. They may combine the two prizes for a single Great Prize. The runner up in the race earns a Minor Prize.
Guessing Game
- Cost 1 sp per guess
- Ability Intelligence (Investigation); DC 15+
This game is based off the power of observation and deductive reasoning, requiring a contestant to correctly guess the number of beads in a glass jar, the number of eggs in a basket, or any other guessing game focused on counting objects without being able to manually count them out.
A contestant spends several minutes and makes a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check, on a success they successfully guess the number of objects and earn a Minor Prize. If they wish, they can double down and attempt another guessing game and repeat the check. On a success, they earn a Minor Prize, or they can double down and immediately try the game again and attempt the same check. On a success, they earn a Moderate Prize as their reward. If they are wanting to test their skill, they can double down again and attempt a third check. On a success, they earn a Great Prize. If they fail a guess, they forfeit their prize.
Prizes at the Table
To help liven the experience of a festival, and encourage players to participate, you can bring candy or small trinkets to the table to act as real life rewards. For those who are encouraged by candy; small lollipops and hard candies act as Minor Prizes, mini-candy bars or small packets of hard candy act as Moderate Prizes, while full size candy bars or bags of chips act as Great Prizes.
Husbandry
- Cost 2 sp per guess
- Ability Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Animal Handling)
This event concludes typically on the last day of the festival after all guesses have been documented, but can be concluded after a single day or hour depending on the event. In this event, all contestants can spend time judging the animals and then putting in their guess for the best in show, the heaviest, best groomed, and more. A contestant makes an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Animal Handling) check and it is then recorded along with other attempts.
At the end of the event, a d100 is rolled and the result is divided by 4, rounded down. A contestant's guess that is below the result of the d100 loses the event. A contestant's guess that is above the result earns a Minor Prize, if their result is 5 or above, they earn a Moderate Prize, and a if their result is 10 or above, they earn a Great Prize for their guesses picking the best out of the group.
The d100 roll represents the quality of animals, and how difficult it is to determine the best out of all the beasts in the competition. The higher the result on the d100, the harder it is to figure out the best animal to win the many different categories.
Lie To Me
- Cost 2 sp per attempt
- Ability Charisma (Deception or Persuasion); DC 11+
In this activity, the contestant must attempt to fool or trick a keen eyed presenter who attempts to guess their weight, age, occupation, favorite items, or the like after being asked a series of questions. The contestant attempts to befuddle them or lead them astray with their answers by making a DC 13 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check.
On a success, they earn a Minor Prize by successfully deceiving them. If they want to try for a higher prize, they can double down and immediately go through another series of questions and attempt the check against a DC 13. On a success, they earn a Moderate Prize as they continue to deceive them. They can go one last time and attempt the check against a DC 15, earning a Great Prize on a success. If they fail to deceive the presenter, they forfeit their prize.
Riddlemaster
- Cost 2 sp per attempt
- Ability Intelligence (Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion); DC Contested
This duel of words involves two participants: the riddlemaster and the contestant. Each one picks either Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion and then rolls a check utilizing that skill, attempting to roll higher than the other. If they roll the same number, it is considered a draw and they must reattempt the same roll until one wins that round.
Once a skill is rolled, it can no longer be rolled for this game and so each must decide what skills they are going to attempt against the other's skill. Each contestant knows what skill the other is using, but not their skill modifier. If the contestant wins all four games against the riddlemaster, they earn a Great Prize. If they win three, they earn a Moderate Prize; and if they win two games (thus a draw), they earn a Minor Prize. If they only win once or less, they earn no prize.
The riddlemaster typically has the following modifiers: +1, +3, +3, and +5. Once they use one of the modifiers on an ability check roll, they can no longer use that modifier unless they tie the contestant, in which case they must immediately reattempt that check with the same modifier chosen.
Shell Game
- Cost 2 sp per attempt
- Ability Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception); DC 11+
The object of this game is to follow the progress of a ball hidden under one of three cups. The presenter of this game slides the cups back and forth in quick succession, making it hard to judge where the hidden ball is. A contestant can pay the entry cost and then must attempt a DC 11 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check.
On a success, they earn a Minor Prize, or they can double down and immediately try the game again and attempt the same check - though the DC increases by 2 to DC 13. On a success, they earn a Moderate Prize as their reward. If they are feeling very lucky, they can double down yet again and attempt a third check - though the DC increases by 2 to DC 15. On a success, they earn a Great Prize. If they fail during this competition, they forfeit their prize.
Talent Show
- Ability Charisma (Intimidation, Persuasion, or Performance)
During this event, everyone shows off their costume or provides a performance. It is up to each contestant to determine how they participate in this show, attempting to woo the crowd to their side. Each contestant makes a Charisma (Persuasion or Performance) check with a DC based on the size of the festival, typically DC 13. If they succeed on the check, they earn a Minor Prize for competing. If they succeed by 5 or more on the check, they earn a Moderate Prize for putting on a great performance. If they succeed by 10 or more on the check, they earn a Great Prize as they win the competition. If multiple characters are competing, only one can earn the Great Prize and it goes to whoever has the highest overall result.
Example Prizes
Minor Prizes
| d8 | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | A token for a free caramel apple on a stick. |
| 2 | A token for a free temporary paint tattoo. |
| 3 | A free ride on the hay bale wagon. |
| 4 | Single entry in the festival lottery to win a chicken. |
| 5 | A token for a free drawn caricature. |
| 6 | A jar of rock candy. |
| 7 | A wooden toy in the shape of an animal like a dog. |
| 8 | A free slice of apple, pumpkin, or cherry pie. |
Moderate Prizes
| d8 | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | A small, blank book for drawing or writing. |
| 2 | A simple carved wooden ocarina. |
| 3 | Free food for the day at the festival. |
| 4 | A huge scented candle that smells of apple. |
| 5 | Single entry in the festival lottery to win a keg of cider. |
| 6 | A large meatpie in the shape of a chicken. |
| 7 | A huge bundle of sunflowers and smaller flowers. |
| 8 | Three entries in the festival lottery to win a chicken. |
Great Prizes
| d8 | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | A magical dagger that sheds bright light in a 5-foot radius when unsheathed. |
| 2 | An animated stuff toy of an owlbear that growls and roars randomly and can walk short distances before toppling over. |
| 3 | Three entries in the lottery to win a keg of cider. |
| 4 | A small stone that slowly reads out words written in common that it is placed on top of. Wears out after 1 hour and recharges daily at dawn. |
| 5 | A dark cloak that magically repels water. |
| 6 | An intricately carved wooden owl that hoots at the start of every hour. |
| 7 | A dozen large pies with your choice of filling. |
| 8 | One Moderate Prize and three Minor Prizes. |
Lottery
If a character earns an entry in a lottery, at the end of the festival they select multiple numbers equal to the number of entries they have between 1 and 100. A GM then rolls a d100 and, if they roll their number, they win the lottery.
Credit
Created by Dump Stat Adventures.