Blood and Banners | Gloucestershire D&D Holiday
15 - 19 April 2026 | From £225 per night
Book your ticket
Play D&D in St Briavels castle: a medieval border fortress and royal hunting lodge on the edge of the Forest of Dean.
Join one of seven parties in an innovative and collaborative Adventure. Work to defend the castle from evil, while navigating conflicting ambitions and allegiances.
Take a break from the table with activities including fencing, archery, country walks and candle dipping.
Eat, sleep and roll within the castle walls: enjoy a cooked breakfast, packed lunch and cooked dinner every day, and a three-course medieval banquet on our final evening.
Come by yourself or with friends and join a welcoming community.
A range of ticket types
We now offer ‘no accommodation’ tickets, for folks who prefer to find their own accommodation or who live nearby, which include all D&D, food and activities.
There are also limited discounted spaces for non-players available. You’ll get accommodation, meals and activities - just no D&D.
Reserve your spot today
Reserve your tickets today with no money down. We’ll process your reservation and send you an invoice. Once you’ve received your invoice, you’ll have 24 hours to pay a 40% deposit to secure your place.
When you checkout it will register as a £0.00 purchase. This is to help us manage our inventory - you will not be charged. Find out more about our payment process.
Book by the end of the year to pay in instalments
If you book before 31 December 2025 you’ll have the option to pay in four monthly instalments.
Half your deposit will be due upon booking, with the other half due in January, and the remainder split across February and March.
16-20 hours dedicated to D&D
Locally-inspired original story
Meals taken care of, including medieval banquet
Choice of activities included
Exclusive use of 12th Century castle
Images used with permission from St Briavels Castle YHA
Indicative Itinerary
Friday 10 April
8pm (online) - session zero
Wednesday 15 April
Check-in, dinner and informal activities
Thursday 16 April
Breakfast
D&D session 1
Packed lunch and activities
Dinner
D&D session 2
Friday 17 April
Breakfast
D&D session 3
Packed lunch and activities
Dinner
D&D session 4
Saturday 18 April
Breakfast
D&D session 5
Packed lunch
D&D session 6
Medieval banquet and awards
Sunday 19 April
Breakfast
Check-out
The Story
Stand Firm, Stand Together
A haggard group of rebels, the last survivors of a terrible battle, take refuge in a crumbling fortress. Nowhere to run, here you will make your stand.
Work together to defend the castle from evil, while navigating your own conflicting ambitions and allegiances. Explore your surroundings, gather your allies and put your life on the line to defy the odds.
Play with several of our talented game masters, as each party rotates between tables to explore the castle and its surroundings, before coming together for death or glory…
Game Masters for this Adventure
Eve Byers (She/They)
Zack Fortais-Gomm (He/Him)
Adam Taylor (He/Him)
Lou Fryer (They/Them)
Maddy Searle (They/Them)
Liv Kennedy (She/Her)
Michelle Kelly (She/Her)
Questions? Join our live Q&A
Interested in this event but need a bit more information first? Something not quite clear on our webpage? Or just want to speak to a human before you book?
Join us on Discord at 8pm on Thursday 18 December for a live Q&A. Sign up using this form and we’ll send you details on how to join by email.
Try before you buy: join a taster one-shot
Experience our original world, inspired by St Briavels Castle and its Forest of Dean surroundings, and meet our fabulous GMs. A Wild Hunt is our online taster one-shot for Blood and Banners, which is a prequel to the story we’ll play at the castle in April.
And If you book Blood & Banners after joining our one-shot, we’ll discount your £10 ticket price off your deposit.
Details
The Adventure
Game system: Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition (2024)
Age limit: 18+ or 16+ with an accompanying responsible adult
Accommodation: St Briavel’s Castle YHA, Gloucestershire
Session Zero: Friday 10th April 2026, 8pm, online
Check-in: Wednesday 15th April 2026
Check-out: Sunday 19th April 2026
Nights included: 4
Meals included: Daily cooked breakfast, packed lunch and cooked dinner. Three-course medieval farewell banquet.
Game hours: 16-20 hours
Capacity: 42 players (7 parties of 6)
Minimum player count: 24 players. We’ll cancel or reschedule the Adventure if the minimum player count is not reached 30 days before check-in.
Suitable for persons with reduced mobility? There are major obstacles to physical access in this property, including uneven floors and steps. Please read the YHA Access Statement, contact us, or request an accessibility conversation when you book for more information.
Payment
A deposit of 40% is due within 24 hours of your reservation being processed. Full payment is due 60 days before Check-in. We’ll send details of how to pay along with your booking confirmation, and a reminder when your payment is due. If you’re booking less than 60 days before Check-in, full payment is due within 24 hours of your reservation being processed.
You can also pay in monthly installments (0% interest), as long as you’re booking at least 120 days in advance. Pay half your deposit now, the other half in a month, and the rest in equal monthly instalments, with the final balance due 60 days before the beginning of your Adventure. Let us know when you reserve your place if you’d like to pay this way.
Cancellation
You can cancel your booking within seven days* for a 100% refund. For full cancellation terms, see our Booking Conditions.
Financial protection
We’re a member [X8144] of the Travel Trust Association. You can book your Adventure secure in the knowledge that there are arrangements in place which will protect you in the unlikely event of us becoming insolvent.
We strongly recommend you purchase travel insurance as it provides crucial financial protection against unexpected events like medical emergencies, lost belongings, and events outside our control.