Uses for Entertainment Blocks

In Alexis' block model, each block needs to have some benefit for characters who spend the day there. Some of these benefits are fairly straightforward, such as healing faster by the beach. Some are perhaps less so. Entertainment blocks, those centered around arenas, casinos, or theatres, don't obviously provide a function not shared with relaxing blocks like the careenage or a bathhouse. If we combine them with Alexis' rules for art, something pops out rather immediately: spending a day in an entertainment block grants experience of some sort.

As I don't use traditional leveling and experience totals, preferring my own system, I need a little more specificity.

In case you didn't click the link, each skill in Prodigy has its own experience track, measured in notches. Proficiency with a skill increases based upon the number of notches possessed. Characters normally gain notches through training, by they can also gain them in the heat of the moment via a 'Flash of Insight'. Each critical (success or failure) gives the character one tally. When the number of tallies exceeds the number of notches, the character gains a notch (although this cannot be how the character gains their first notch in the skill).

Each skill has at least one descriptor, mental, physical, or social, based upon the way(s) it is used - fighting skills are physical, speechcraft is social, etc. Spending a day in an entertainment block grants a tally in a random skill with the appropriate descriptor. Places like arenas, sporting fields, or the construction sites of large buildings grant physical skill tallies. Casinos grant social skill tallies, while theatres and music venues might grant either social or mental skill tallies. Storytellers and libraries grant mental tallies. Traveling jongleur troop performances (akin to stereotypical Roma shows) offer a flash of insight in any skill.

It is important that the tally gained is random, but I'd allow players to pick the descriptor if more than one is available.