Adventure & Tavern

In fantasy, the tavern or inn is often the link between the normalcy of medieval life and the adventurous heroes and champions who travel the world in search of adventure.

It is a safe haven, a place where common folks, artisans, shopkeepers, inebriated peasants, and grumpy old storytellers can meet adventurers and travellers, the mundane mixing with the extraordinary. These places are also the birthplace of common fantasy figures such as the innkeeper, the quest giver and the bard, with the latter being the most iconic of them all, for they are part of both worlds.

The Adventure and Tavern inspiration address this aspect of the medieval fantasy genre, moving away from the grit of battle and adventure to connect with what happens in the downtime.

It gives room to all these small benign moments that bring soul and authenticity to a character, and moves the focus from the mighty heroes to the regular folks inhabiting these places. Without a dose of ordinary, there is nothing to put the adventure in perspective, or to ground the epic into the context of a breathing and living world.

The mundane breathes life into an adventure, and sometimes, the most heroic of them all are the ones who first appear to be the least likely champions, characters like Samwise Gamgee or Hodor, simple ordinary folks thrown into incredible situations...

Stepping back from the forefront of the adventure to focus on a support character or even a simple commoner can be an amazing experience in LARP. Taking the time to perform the life of an ordinary person in the context of roleplaying allows for interesting reenactment possibilities, such as cooking historical meals and serving beverages and foods that increase everyone’s immersion, or performing a trade or classic occupation.

Similarly, the presence of non-heroic characters can improve the whole community’s experience by providing ordinary folks that can be saved, or crushed by repressive nobles and tyrants. A threat will always feel more real and more dire if some characters react with fear instead of stoic bravery, and people of importance are glorified when met with reverence and submission by some players.

There is a lot of fun in playing someone that is utterly overwhelmed by the events taking place, and at the mercy of the powers in play. Such character can take many forms, like worried shopkeepers and lowly artisans trying to make a living, pragmatic innkeepers playing the information game, easily fooled village idiots or naive maidens, old wizened townsfolks full of tales and stories, groveling peasants, diseased beggars, superstitious farmers, opportunistic minstrels, lumbering drunks, and grumpy bigoted country folks.

Life in the downtime between adventures is often marked by rest and festivities, with feasts and revelries between companions being the high moments of any inn or tavern. To be well prepared for such occasions, one should always have a cup or tankard at hand, as well as utensils, plates, and other eating accessories. Dice, cards, and other board games are also very welcomed for those special occasions around the table, with candle light sometimes providing the perfect ambience.

As drinks flow in abundance, money changes hands and bards get tipped well, rewarding those with deep and robust pouches to carry their coins. Bags are also important for supplies and other feast items when gathering at the tavern.

In terms of clothing, common folks have few things to distinguish themselves but the simplicity of their attire.

A dress or tunic paired with a belt and a pouch are often enough, with a cap or a hat to complete the set of any peasant or lowly artisan. Some professional accessories like a servant’s or a blacksmith’s apron or some tools can be added to distinguish the character from the masses. If this character even sees combat, clubs, daggers, and more importantly improvised weapons are probably the first self-defence items used in a brawl.