The Field

It is not really a field, but an arena of sorts for local games.

If approached from any direction but the west, it appears to be a huge steep mound. It is four stories tall and too steep to easily climb. The sides of the mound have grass and prickly plants growing upon them. The top of said mound has a number of poles suitable for running up banners and flags.

The Mound is actually a tall "U" shaped pile of Earth.

The West side has a building butted up against the hill (closing the U). It is the Field Hall. In addition to two gates which allow people in and out of The Field, there is an open area on the ground floor where carters can sell their foodstuffs and goods - usually blankets. Runners, associated with the carters, sell things in the crowd and replenish their supplies at the carts and a set of privies (The midden pit is said to be quite deep). The second and third have small changing rooms, Field Offices, the tiny Herald\'s Box (Where they announce the events with trumpets and voice horns), and High Boxes for High People (Noble or Rich). The Storage area under The Field Hall has the various flags, pieces of the stage to re-assemble, and maintenance equipment.

The Field part of the Field is sized for The Game, with some extra distance between the People and the Participants. There is a waist high wall that separates them. The Field Hall hires toughs and off duty watchmen to patrol the Crowd to keep anyone from killing anyone, nor anyone from climbing over the top. (An aside: it is amusing to see the two opposing sides (watch vs toughs) working together. It makes for a friend-foe relationship outside The Field).

The Inside of the U is not as steep as the outside, but it has wood stairs embedded to the dirt. There are long flattened logs serving as benches embedded into U side where the crowd sits. The logs are treated to avoid rot and bugs. It can make them oily to sit on, but that is one of many reason blankets are popular here. (Cold, comfort, and team colors, are the other reasons.)

The Field is where they play The Game. It can also be used for gladiatorial combat, tournaments/ contests, True Bard performances, plays (daytime only), and large public announcements/ meetings. (A good portion of the town can fit in here.) Most events are free, but a few require a coin or two at the gate.

The Church and the Guilds are working the town council to require "entry tokens". Your Work Master would give you a token if you were "proper enough" to attend an event. This keeps workers from sneaking off (good for guild) and keeps people from improper things (like games that the church dislikes). This is unpopular with the Field Hall, as it interferes with pay events and slows down the carter sales.

Note: The Carters have to pay for the privilege of selling here, but the festival atmosphere (and the beer) help make people loose with the crowds' coins.

Second Note: There is a tarp that can be stretched across the flag poles at the top of the U hills, allows for usage in less then clement weather. It is not used very often.