I love eating at feast events but I feel like sometimes there isn't as much to do at them, especially because I'm not great at being social. How can I fill my day with more fun at a feast event?
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The best feasts I have been to for over- all enjoyment have not been what the feast provided, but the company I kept. I learned early on by this that “making your own fun” and the expectation you bring to an event like that is almost more important than anything the staff may provide beyond good food.
Also keep in mind that a good event will try to provide you with opportunities for engagement and fun, but if you are not in the right place in your mind, you may miss those opportunities.
That being said, bring some easy to transport games ( I tend to carry dice or a deck of cards). Start a round of songs with friends. Bring crafts and make hand puppets. Create some questions you IC or OOC would like to have people answer, then interview people (and possibly publish a View article about the answers). Worst case, ask staff about things to do, or ask others if they know about things to do. Sometimes random plots and “intrigues” will be started. It does not hurt to ask around.
-Steven “Therian” Matuelwicz
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This question is tough for me, because I almost always find my way into the kitchen at a feast event, and that is certainly my favorite way to stay entertained for the day. So I guess I’ll start with, if you want to know where the real fun happens, it is often behind the scenes. If you can’t cook or prep, there is always a need for someone who can wash dishes, or run food, or even clear plates. This gets you meeting new people because you can’t work quietly in a kitchen, and also gives you something to do. If you are planning on staying outside the kitchen doors (what madness is that?) I can tell you most feasts feature quite a bit of entertainment these days. From gambling, to light questing, to tournaments, there is usually plenty of stuff to get involved with if you can muster up the social energy. If you are bored and shy, try whipping out your spellbook and playing a game of hangman or something. I always keep a deck of cards in my pouch so that I am never bored, so if you want to play some cribbage sometime, hit me up. As a last ditch effort, consider talking to the people next to you at your table. We all have things in common in the Realms, so starting a conversation about latest plot you’ve been a part of or the standings in the Stacked Deck tournament is a great way to stay in-character and enjoy yourself.
-Lani “Gwen” Jones
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I relate to this question on a personal level. Feasts can be challenging for me, and it’s not because I don’t have an appreciation for them, but rather because I’m not super talkative, and generally speaking, I don’t gamble.
So what do I do at Feasts?
The answer is usually, business. Honestly I can’t remember the last time I was bored at a feast because of it. And it’s all made up business, whether it’s plot related, like say I need to get into an argument with Torolf about Ragnarok, or its about something to do with one of my knighthoods, or generally the Kingdom of Blackwood, I tend to find that I don’t have much time to sit around and eat at Feasts.
I’m just busy. That being said you might be saying to yourself that that’s all well and good, but maybe you’re not part of a Knighthood, or you’re not part of a kingdom, and you’re not involved in a plot. Well that’s fine, I’m sure your character has goals that they need to work on too. Like maybe you want to learn the secrets of Beast Runes, and you need to talk to someone about that in order to progress your understanding.
I, personally, find I’m a lot less shy about things when I’m working on a project or towards a goal. It works for me. And if you need help figuring out who to ask, come find me, and I’ll do my best to direct you.
-Keith “Saegan” Cronyn
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I tend to follow Gwen on this one, in that more often than not you will find me in the kitchen at a feast - that’s where I have the most fun, helping to prep and cook all the delicious food and bring the feast-o-crat or EH’s culinary vision to life. In the kitchen, I find that I am usually never bored, as there’s always something that needs doing to help the event run smoothly. Not only do I find staffing in kitchens enjoyable, but it’s also one of the ways in which I can give back to the Realms community. If you’re a newer player (or even an older one) looking for something to do at a feast, reach out to the feast-o-crat or EH and offer your services! You never know when they need an extra pair of hands. Plus, this gives you a great behind-the-scenes look at how the food portion of feasts run.
If that’s not your thing, though, fear not. Most feasts will offer plenty of other things to do. Board games, bear pits, fighting tournaments, non-combat tournaments such as drawing or bardics, casinos and gambling (and gambling tourneys), auctions or raffles, side quests, carnival games, in-character shops and vendors - and of course, eating! Even if you’re not the most social person, you can still participate in all of these activities, as well as socialize with your friends at your table. So when in doubt, find an activity that’s going on that looks interesting and jump in!
-Jen “Areni” DeNardis-Rosa