I am a newer DND player, so I don't have too much experience. But long story short, I am part of a campaign where our characters are going up the social ladder in the kingdom and we were just given the titles of Baron after doing a job for the king. However, as part of that, we must now throw our own individual parties for the upper class of society due to our new social titles. The king probably won't be there but there will be high society there. I have no idea how to go about this or what even may be available. It doesn't have to be so extensive to take up an entire play session, but we are obviously competing with the other players to throw the best party so that we could be looked at best by the upper class. Any ideas for a party for high society would be amazing. Thanks.
PS. I don't have infinite money for the party but I did just complete a job for the king so I would be able to afford some of the finer things.
Before answering in more details, are there any limitations on what type of party you have to throw? Generally speaking, society parties can fall into a number of different categories. You have your traditional dinner party, where folks gather for an elegant meal; you have balls, which would have been at the most extravagant end; you have garden parties, which would have been a fairly elegant outdoor affair; you have soirées, which are smaller social gatherings, usually designed more around the conversation than the extravagance.
Personally, I would likely aim for a soirée given what you have here - they would have been expected for a new noble who might not have as much cash, and you have a greater ability to focus your money and make it last longer. The downside would be that, by being smaller and more intimate, you have to pull it off perfectly, mostly in terms of who you invite and the conversation you foster. The smaller size also makes them exclusionary by nature, meaning you could make potential rivals by not inviting them.
Ask some questions such as: What is the social structure like? What is the social environment like? (a dinner for an underwater race is going to be different then a group of people in a series of wagons), what has been done before?, How much time do you have to put on the big event? Do they like big events or would a series of small events be better?
From most peoples culture (our), you can look to dances, mascaraed balls, circus events, trained animals, gladiator events, etc. And the decide if you want to do something special for food you have to put more thought into it.
How about a masquerade ball? Those are pretty elegant. Or like one of the other posters said maybe an intellectual salon like Madame de Pompadour irl (a salon and a soiree are the same thing).
I do love a masquerade myself, but I think the DMs idea might be to have each player put a spin on what they do and that would attract certain nobles who want different jobs done (I'm guessing, but it sounds like something I would do get player engagement / stall for a week while I work on the next arc). So, a druid might have a garden party with local wines and wild game and that might bring ins some "Hey, could you go hunt Owlbears who have been raiding my farms?" A rogue might have a mini casino party and a noble might need some money moved later and think of them. Bards could hold a concert, and a patron of the arts could ask for help with writing a love poem that could lead to ties to a few noble houses.
Define “I don't have infinite money for the party” … “I would be able to afford some of the finer things.”
What’s your budget for the party?
Like 1K Gold? 10K gold? Just 100 gold?
The budget, in any world is very important.
With a very lavish budget you can hire spellcasters and do really cool things:
Illusions, evocations, invocations of dancing globular lightnings… you can hire dancers, sex workers, musicians, you can have elvish drinks or whatever…
For a lower budget I suggest: if there is a river, lake or sea nearby rent a ship for one day, adorne the ship with flowers and other forest theme decorations. Invite your guests for a daily cruise (from launch to late evening). Hire for one day a good chef and waiters to help them (basically catering). As an additional thing organize a contest so that your guests can fish their own dinner and have it cooked by the chef. It is something that you can do for free on a ship.
Hire a Sorcerer or a Wizard or a Druid, even low level: they can be really entertaining.
A bard would be cool, but even a cheaper non magical music performer is cool.
Be equipped with water proof velariums, just in case it rains.
People could also dance.
Buy one or two barrels of Dwarven beer (I’m all in favor for red ale)!
You can also organize games for the evening, like a treasure seek (maybe something you found in your adventures).
Renting the ship should be less than 50gold.
With performers, food and everything you should be able to do it with 200gold (depending also on the quality of the food, of the chef, performers, drinks, decorations).
I think that the mini cruise is an original idea and you could beat your party-mates :)
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I am a newer DND player, so I don't have too much experience. But long story short, I am part of a campaign where our characters are going up the social ladder in the kingdom and we were just given the titles of Baron after doing a job for the king. However, as part of that, we must now throw our own individual parties for the upper class of society due to our new social titles. The king probably won't be there but there will be high society there. I have no idea how to go about this or what even may be available. It doesn't have to be so extensive to take up an entire play session, but we are obviously competing with the other players to throw the best party so that we could be looked at best by the upper class. Any ideas for a party for high society would be amazing. Thanks.
PS. I don't have infinite money for the party but I did just complete a job for the king so I would be able to afford some of the finer things.
Before answering in more details, are there any limitations on what type of party you have to throw? Generally speaking, society parties can fall into a number of different categories. You have your traditional dinner party, where folks gather for an elegant meal; you have balls, which would have been at the most extravagant end; you have garden parties, which would have been a fairly elegant outdoor affair; you have soirées, which are smaller social gatherings, usually designed more around the conversation than the extravagance.
Personally, I would likely aim for a soirée given what you have here - they would have been expected for a new noble who might not have as much cash, and you have a greater ability to focus your money and make it last longer. The downside would be that, by being smaller and more intimate, you have to pull it off perfectly, mostly in terms of who you invite and the conversation you foster. The smaller size also makes them exclusionary by nature, meaning you could make potential rivals by not inviting them.
Befriend or hire a social maven.
Someone who knows who to invite and how to throw a party like the one you need.
Ask some questions such as: What is the social structure like? What is the social environment like? (a dinner for an underwater race is going to be different then a group of people in a series of wagons), what has been done before?, How much time do you have to put on the big event? Do they like big events or would a series of small events be better?
From most peoples culture (our), you can look to dances, mascaraed balls, circus events, trained animals, gladiator events, etc. And the decide if you want to do something special for food you have to put more thought into it.
Good Luck
How about a masquerade ball? Those are pretty elegant. Or like one of the other posters said maybe an intellectual salon like Madame de Pompadour irl (a salon and a soiree are the same thing).
I really like D&D, especially Ravenloft, Exandria and the Upside Down from Stranger Things. My pronouns are she/they (genderfae).
I do love a masquerade myself, but I think the DMs idea might be to have each player put a spin on what they do and that would attract certain nobles who want different jobs done (I'm guessing, but it sounds like something I would do get player engagement / stall for a week while I work on the next arc).
So, a druid might have a garden party with local wines and wild game and that might bring ins some "Hey, could you go hunt Owlbears who have been raiding my farms?"
A rogue might have a mini casino party and a noble might need some money moved later and think of them.
Bards could hold a concert, and a patron of the arts could ask for help with writing a love poem that could lead to ties to a few noble houses.
*insert the yo dawg meme here*
You cam make a gaming evening where the guests play (a real life) rpg (a murder mystery maybe)
Define “I don't have infinite money for the party” … “I would be able to afford some of the finer things.”
What’s your budget for the party?
Like 1K Gold? 10K gold? Just 100 gold?
The budget, in any world is very important.
With a very lavish budget you can hire spellcasters and do really cool things:
Illusions, evocations, invocations of dancing globular lightnings… you can hire dancers, sex workers, musicians, you can have elvish drinks or whatever…
For a lower budget I suggest: if there is a river, lake or sea nearby rent a ship for one day, adorne the ship with flowers and other forest theme decorations. Invite your guests for a daily cruise (from launch to late evening). Hire for one day a good chef and waiters to help them (basically catering). As an additional thing organize a contest so that your guests can fish their own dinner and have it cooked by the chef. It is something that you can do for free on a ship.
Hire a Sorcerer or a Wizard or a Druid, even low level: they can be really entertaining.
A bard would be cool, but even a cheaper non magical music performer is cool.
Be equipped with water proof velariums, just in case it rains.
People could also dance.
Buy one or two barrels of Dwarven beer (I’m all in favor for red ale)!
You can also organize games for the evening, like a treasure seek (maybe something you found in your adventures).
Renting the ship should be less than 50gold.
With performers, food and everything you should be able to do it with 200gold (depending also on the quality of the food, of the chef, performers, drinks, decorations).
I think that the mini cruise is an original idea and you could beat your party-mates :)