Locations · Establishment · Plains
The Grand Derby
An oval a full mile and a quarter in circumfrence, infield thick with dark grass, surrounded by white fences and stands enough to seat two thousand spectators. The smell of hay, horse sweat, and excitement is strong in the air...
The Grand Derby, the first leg of the Triperfecta race, is located in the heart of Old Keeneland. The land is low rolling hills with a thick carpet of sweet grass and hay. Farms border with horse stables, and the finest horses in all of the realm are stabled here. Some stables make their fortunes supplying the military with fine warhorses, other breed the strong boned draft horses to pull carts, and other heavy loads. The most prestigious breed the long legged, and proud race horses.
Among the stables, and muck, there are young nobles, and men of wealth and power, dabbling in horse trade, wagering on the lesser races, and waiting for the big stakes, and the once a year running of the Grand Derby. Among the stands, the commoners jostle for room, and agood view of the track. Some hold long shot betting tickets, hoping their few pieces of gold will become the boost that turns them from poor tenant farmers, and laborers into members of the well to do burgoise class of merchants and traders.
Thieves sneak in and out of the crowds, looking for their marks while avoiding the constant attention of the thief-takers. Bards are always looking for an epic race to recount in some court, or foreign market, their own betting tickets tucked into their hats. Even mages are not above the excitement, sometimes vying with the noble ladies of the land for the most extravagant dress, hat, or pet. It ranges from the absolutely splendid to the absurb.
Outside of the track, vendors hawk wares of food and drink, race guides printed by primitive gnomish block presses. Others pander souveniers, and scarves in the colors of the racing stables. Deals are made both large and small during this spectacle.
During rare aerial races, massive 100 foot tall poles are raised from the track for the winged racers to circle, flags marking off limits of altitude. These air races bring out everyone as they are rare as there are seldom enough hippogriffs, or pegasi to field a race.
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I like the idea and it's a good setting. Jousts and fairs are commonly used in rpg's, but I've never been to an rpg horse race, which makes this seem neat to me. I've never been to a real horse race either, but this doesn't sound to me like it has much that is original. I take aaway a concept I like 'let's put an adventure in a horse race setting' and it adds an element of reality to the world (townspeople arent always selling swords to passers-by and farming) but I don't get much more than if the whole post had been 'horse race setting.'
Updated: Added Freetext
A day at the races...great idea! So many possible plot hooks!
BUMP...in honor of the Preakness
I think this is an excellent starting location for a campaign. You're PCs could all be involved in some aspect of the facilty during their early career.
Would like to see some plot ideas here though. Perhaps open up the sub as a scroll or codex to add to it :)