Activities and Events (CRH)

As forgatherings are primarily intended as social events, rarely are there fixed agendas or schedules. Activities tend to develop spontaneously, continue as long as the rangers show an interest, and end when the participants have had enough. Following are a few of the activities and events most likely to occur:

## Trading

Trading goes on virtually non-stop at most forgatherings, ranging from private transactions between individuals to dozens of rangers peddling their wares in what amounts to an open air market. Merchandise includes both the common (rope, saddles, boots) and the unusual (chainlink leashes, camouflage paint, homemade wine). Weapons and maps are especially in demand, particularly bows and quarterstaves with hand-carved designs, and maps of exotic territories that detail the newest trails. Rangers pay for their purchases in fur, food, and trinkets as well as gold pieces.

Magical items are occasionally available, but many rangers are more inclined to loan them to needy comrades rather than sell them outright. Rangers who borrow magical items are expected to return them at the next forgathering. Being men and women of integrity, the borrowers rarely fail to honor their agreements.

## News and Gossip

Information flows freely at forgatherings, and most rangers are eager to learn about the trials and tribulations their comrades have experienced in the previous year. They hear of marriages, births, and deaths, as well as followers acquired and abandoned. They learn which expeditions resulted in new discoveries and which ended in disaster. Rumors abound of lost civilizations, hidden treasures, and gruesome monsters. An attentive ranger may hear about employment opportunities or new hunting grounds. If he's lucky, an unattached ranger may make contact with a potential mate.

## Training

The typical forgathering attracts rangers with a wide range of skills. Often, they're willing to give instruction to novices for a small fee or as a gesture of friendship. If he locates a willing teacher, a ranger may be able to pick up hunting or tracking tips, acquire cooking secrets from a master chef, or learn how to construct emergency shelters from an elder woodsman. (The optional training rules in Chapter 8 of the *DUNGEON MASTER Guide* can be used to allow rangers to acquire new skills as a result of their forgathering experiences.)

## Contests

No forgathering would be complete without games and contests for rangers to demonstrate their skills and compete for prizes. Conservative forgatherings feature debates, target shooting, and knotting matches (where contestants see who can untangle complex knots in the shortest time). The Glass Eye Concourse and similarly rowdy forgatherings feature contests of a more physical nature, such as head-slamming (contestants butt heads as hard as they can until one passes out), dagger juggling (often done blindfolded), and bear wrestling.

Mountain Men in particular have a tradition of rather intense competition. For example, Mountain Men enjoy a bizarre drinking contest where bitter roots, fish scales, rotten vegetables, and other distasteful substances are mixed with water; whoever consumes the most of this vile brew is declared the winner.

Other contests common to forgatherings include horse races, rabbit hunts, and mock battles using swords and spears bound with thick layers of cloth. Winners are awarded silver pendants, hiking boots, or other prizes donated by the more affluent attendees. If donations aren't available, each participant puts a few coins in a pot before a contest begins; whoever wins claims the pot. Wagering is rampant for all types of contests, with rangers betting everything from animal pelts and dried meat, to arrowheads and leather gloves.