Celebrate!

from J.W Grace (ArgentWind)

A great way to liven up a campaign is to have a celebration. Holidays, festivals, weddings, or gatherings can allow a group of characters to bond with each other and with the cast of your story. They can take part in games and earn unique rewards. The celebrations also allow you to showcase what makes your world a more lived-in and believable place.

To create a celebration, look to our own world. The changing of seasons is often a time to celebrate as it can be related to a change in weather or the time when days and nights change in length. The equinox, or when day and night are equal length, is often a time to celebrate as the days afterward become longer or shorter. The Fall Equinox could signal the time when darkness and death come to claim the world while the Spring Equinox would be a celebration of life and rebirth. The longest night corresponds to the deepest time of winter and the longest day is the height of summer. In many cultures these events are a time to celebrate.

Other times to have a holiday would be the anniversary of significant events in history: the formation of a nation, the birthday of a famous hero or political figure, or the day a significant advancement in civilization is recognized. These events also have the benefit of adding to the lore of your world and giving the players a sense of depth and connection. Be mindful that many of these celebrations could be specific to a nation, region, or race. Traveling to different places would allow the group to experience new and unique holidays.

Other kinds of celebrations include weddings, coming of age events, births, or even funerals. Each of these events would give the party a chance to connect with people on a more personal level if they are on good terms with them. Conversely, they could even use it as a means of distraction to accomplish a task without being noticed. Many opportunities for good or ill can come from a large gathering of people. It can also be an opportunity to have an exciting encounter where the party can defend the town from a sudden attack or natural disaster.

When planning a celebration, think of the things that would be fun for the party to experience: decorations, music, and costumes. What kind of food and drink are available? Are there games or other forms of entertainment? You can really go wild here with outlandish traditions and exotic sights, sounds and smells. On the other hand, you can bring in elements that are familiar like items from county fairs or amusement parks so the players will instantly recognize the scene. Holiday decorations from the real world will help them picture the images more clearly and evoke familiar feelings. The more descriptive you can be, the more real the celebration becomes.

Another fun way to bring your holidays to life is to show how the same event differs from one region to another. The winter solstice celebration can have a very different look and feel in a small village when compared to a large city or from one nation to another. These changes add a sense of realism to the world as the party travels from place to place. Establishing a holiday and then letting the players see how that tradition changes as they explore the world can help them feel more connected to your setting. It will also provide role-playing opportunities where the characters can have different reactions to the holidays based on their backstories. For a member of the party that is from a far-off land, they could create something that is different in their homeland.

Birthdays can be a fun celebration and a chance for the group to roleplay together. Assuming you have a calendar set up for your campaign, have the players select birthdates for their characters and be sure to let them know when it takes place during the game. Their fellow party members could throw them a party or buy them gifts which gives them a chance to bond in a way that doesn’t involve a life-or-death situation. This can extend to the NPC’s they deal with on a regular basis. Planning a party or finding just the right gift could involve an entire side quest and this will often be driven by the players themselves.

Really, all of these events can lead to fun interactions during your game. They add to your world-building in a way that feels natural and familiar so plan those celebrations and enjoy!

About the Author

Jim “Argentwind” Grace has been playing and running TTRPG’s for almost 40 years in dozens of systems from AGE to Hero and every edition of D&D along the way.  He is the Tavern Owner of the Tumbled Tankard Discord server and a primary content contributor for the Tumbled Tankard YouTube channel.