A lot depends on how much time and money you're willing to invest. You can use Scene Setter rolls to make your walls into stone castle walls. You could carve and paint foam panels to look like stone walls. You could even go with vacuum-formed panels, but, I'm thinking in this case, that might be pearls before swine... (heehee)
A few random potential elements:
Shackling a skeleton or two, dressed in tattered clothing-- always good for a dungeon area (especially if you can hang them on the walls.) I like the occasional rat chewing on a stray bone in the corner.
If you start looking early you might find a sale on some red, purple, or black curtains, sheets, or other fabric you could drape and pull back beside doorways and windows for a Regal look.
There is some pretty good inexpensive Medieval partyware available at Oriental Trading Co. or Party City-- goblets, plates, banners, etc.
A reaper prop goes well with a Medieval setup, and if it's late Medieval to Ren. (or if you're not concerned about anachronism) plague doctor props-- quite eerie.
Shields and crossed swords hanging on the walls add to the atmosphere. A few Dollar Tree items and a couple cans of spray paint can go a long way there!
Google and Pinterest can be very helpful for planting seeds of ideas, and you can sort through them based on how much you want to invest in your party.
A side note, since you have some pretty reasonable concerns about drunken friends and safety--
I've given 2 Medieval parties and I can say that even modest drinkers love to attack one another with modified pool noodles. We used them for quarterstaffs (knocking one another off slightly raised "bridges"), for jousting lances, and shortened ones for broadswords. No one got any serious injuries, but they definitely got into it.
Have fun!
A few random potential elements:
Shackling a skeleton or two, dressed in tattered clothing-- always good for a dungeon area (especially if you can hang them on the walls.) I like the occasional rat chewing on a stray bone in the corner.
If you start looking early you might find a sale on some red, purple, or black curtains, sheets, or other fabric you could drape and pull back beside doorways and windows for a Regal look.
There is some pretty good inexpensive Medieval partyware available at Oriental Trading Co. or Party City-- goblets, plates, banners, etc.
A reaper prop goes well with a Medieval setup, and if it's late Medieval to Ren. (or if you're not concerned about anachronism) plague doctor props-- quite eerie.
Shields and crossed swords hanging on the walls add to the atmosphere. A few Dollar Tree items and a couple cans of spray paint can go a long way there!
Google and Pinterest can be very helpful for planting seeds of ideas, and you can sort through them based on how much you want to invest in your party.
A side note, since you have some pretty reasonable concerns about drunken friends and safety--
I've given 2 Medieval parties and I can say that even modest drinkers love to attack one another with modified pool noodles. We used them for quarterstaffs (knocking one another off slightly raised "bridges"), for jousting lances, and shortened ones for broadswords. No one got any serious injuries, but they definitely got into it.
Have fun!
