Spectacles

One of the primary diversions is storytelling. There is no stringent separation of fact and fiction in these tales, which are told around the hearth or campfire, in the nursery, at the bedside, in the marketplace or even at court. Fairytales are popular, these are often set "A long time ago, in the age of the wizard-lords..." These often involve sly young people who outwit wizards and monsters and defeat them with potent magical items, living happily ever after. The liberal retellings of historical events are also popular.

Another popular diversion is music. Anybody who can play or sing decently is sure to have some popularity in a village, and skilled musicans are very popular. The most popular instruments among commoners are flute and fiddle, while the upper classes favour the harp and lute. The most highly esteemed musicans are the troubadours, who can sing, play and recite. They tell chiefly of love and valour, are welcome guests at any noble's court, and are often of noble blood themselves (they may claim to be bastards, if nothing else).

Theatre is very popular, but thespians are considered disreputable and low-ranking people (Status -1). This does not keep certain actors from gaining a great reputation. Plays are much like the tales of storytellers, except that they are acted out, and the dialogue is usually in verse.

Beastfights pit beasts against one another for entertainment. The most common kind is doubtlessly cockfights, which are routinely held even in villages. The winner's gets to keep the loser's rooster, and usually his wife cooks it for dinner. Dogfights are slightly less common, and are usually not to the death. More expensive beastfights are held at fairs and festivals. Bearbaiting and bullbaiting pits a single bear or bull (respectively) against half-a-dozen fighting dogs.

Illusionists are popular but also feared. They are, after all sorcerers. Nonetheless their audience are quickly overcome with admiration for the fantastic images the illusionst creates, though he had better pray that nothing abnormal happens in an area he passes through.

Prizefights are another popular entertainment. Bouts of pancratium are popular among commoners in all areas. In rural areas, one bets on matches with staves, while the urban commoners favour singlestick matches - prize fighting with wooden weapons.

Knightly tournaments are perhaps the most entertaining and beloved spectacles of all, many of the spectacles mentioned on this page may be enjoyed around a tournament as well.

Court trials, punishments and executions are also fairly popular entertainments, especially so for charging no price to the entertained.