Darran Sims

Con-Quest Lives !






Con-Quest: The Midlands Show is a new gaming convention taking place at the Derby Assembly Rooms on Saturday 10th April 2010.

Formerly known as ‘Dragonmeet Midlands’, Con-Quest is a one day show packed with all manner of gaming activities and trade stands. Whether it’s role playing games, board and card games or miniature wargames, Con-Quest has them all, as well as trade stands offering everything from the very latest releases to collectables and hard to find items. Whatever your gaming needs Con-Quest aims to deliver!

The event will be taking over the majority of the Derby Assembly Rooms, offering numerous areas for demonstration and participation games, artist displays, game manufacturers and designers, trade stands and areas to simply meet up with friends and catch-up on one of the bars or cafes on site.

The event is family friendly and welcomes both veteran gamers as well as those just wanting to find out more about the gaming hobby.

Tickets are on sale now from the Assembly Room box office - http://www.derbylive.co.uk and keep checking back to the Con-Quest web site at http://www.con-quest.co.uk for the latest updates.

For trade enquiries please contact darransims@gmail.com

Long live Con-Quest!

Tickets are on sale from the Derby LIVE Assembly Rooms Box Office.
http://www.derbylive.co.uk
Telephone: 01332 255800

Advance price £6.00 [£7.00 on the door on the day].

This is where my Supernatual HeroQuest games takes place tomorrow at Dragonmeet 2009.
I am in the Upper Foyer right near the lifts.
The game runs from 14:30 until 18:00.

Just who will survive at the end?
The Winchester Brothers? Bobby? Will Ruby get dusted? Will Bela get the loot?

Greetings

I'm delighted to announce that, with effect from tomorrow, 15th November, Continuum 2010 is open for registrations.

The event is to be held at John Foster Hall, University of Leicester, from Friday 2nd July 2010, until Monday 5th July 2010. The registration pricing is as follows:

Early Bird Registration (15th November 2009 - 15th February 2010: £20
Standard Reg (February 16th onwards): £25
En-Suite Room per night: £45
En-Suite for 3 Nights: £120
Twin Room per night: £90
Twin Room for 3 Nights: £240

There are two ways to register:

Via Paypal. Our email address for Paypal payments is payment@continuum.uk.net. Please include the following:

Your name
Address
Number of nights accommodation required, and the nights you'll be staying
Any special rooming requirements (ie, I want be next door to X, Y or Z)

Don't forget that, in addition to the room cost you need to include your registration fee. Thus, a single night would cost £20+£45 = £65. Registration is a fixed fee for the whole weekend - so you don't need to pay a registration fee for each night you need.

Twin rooms are very limited in numbers, but en-suite rooms - and all single rooms are en-suite - are plentiful and comfortable.

If you wish to register by snail mail, a registration form will be made available shortly and we will accept cheque payments. The address to send a paper registration to is:

Continuum
53 Stepping Lane
Derby
DE1 1GL

We look forward to welcoming you to Continuum 2010 - The Year the Con Made Contact!

Here is a listing of the RPG conventions that will take place over the next year or so.
I am quite chuffed as it is top and tailed by two of the conventions I have been heavily involved in organising as well as having another big convention that I am doing in there!
[I am almost a convention listing myself :lol:]

0 Furnace 2009. The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield. UK
Saturday 10th - Sunday 11th October 2009.
http://www.rpgfurnace.com/

0 Game '09. Palace Hotel, Manchester, UK.
Friday 16th - Sunday 18th October 2009.
http://gamecon.game-host.org/apex/f?p=1 ... 1856348190

0 Spiel 2009. Messe Essen, Essen, Germany.
Thursday 22nd - Sunday 25th October 2009.
http://www.merz-verlag.com/spiel/e000.php4

0 GamesFest 4. The Watford Colosseum, Watford, UK.
Saturday 24th October 2009.
http://www.gamesfest.co.uk/

0 Gaelcon 2009. D4 Hotel, Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland.
Saturday 24th - Sunday 26th October 2009.
http://www.gaelcon.com

0 OddCon 2009. Park Inn, Telford. UK.
Friday 30th October - Sunday 1st November 2009.
http://www.oddconuk.org.uk/

0 Chimeriades 2009. Lycée agricole Legta Valabre, Aix-en-Provence, France.
Friday 30th October - Sunday 1st November 2009.
http://chimeriades.googlepages.com/accueils

0 Dominicon N SPAAAAAAAAACE!!! 2009. N.U.I Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland.
Friday 13th - Sunday 15th November 2009.
http://www.dominicon.ie/

0 Indiecon' 09. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Thursday 12th - Monday 16th November 2009.
http://www.indiecon.net/

0 Curious Consequences. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Thursday 19th - Sunday 22nd November 2009.
http://www.ishtari.co.uk/consequences/c/

0 Dragonmeet 2009. Kensington Town Hall, London, UK.
Saturday 28th November 2009.
http://www.dragonmeet.co.uk/

0 Ludicrus '09. Kesgrave Community Centre, Ipswich, UK.
Saturday 5th - Sunday 6th December 2009.
http://www.ludicrus.org/

0 WarpCon XX. University College Cork, Ireland.
Friday 29th - Sunday 31st January 2010.
http://www.warpcon.com/

0 Conception 2010. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Wednesday 27th - Sunday 31st January 2010.
http://www.conceptionuk.org/

0 Conflagration 2010. Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow. Scotland.
Saturday – Sunday February 2010.
http://www.conflagration.org.uk/

0 Leprecon XXXI. Goldsmith Hall, Pearse St. Dublin 2, Ireland.
Friday 5th - Sunday 7th March 2010.
http://www.leprecon.ie

0 CONcrete Cow 10. Old Bath House, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, UK.
Saturday 20th March 2010.
http://www.mk-rpg.org.uk/Concrete_Cow

0 Itzacon VI. NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland.
Friday - Sunday March 2010.
http://www.itzaconeire.com/

0 Conpulsion 2010. Teviot Student Union, Edinburgh University, Scotland.
Saturday 26th - 28th March 2010.
http://www.conpulsion.org

0 Dragonmeet Midlands 2010. Derby Assembly Rooms, Derby, UK.
Saturday 10th April 2010.
http://www.dragonmeetmidlands.co.uk

0 Student Nationals RPG Championships 2010. Heriot Watt, Edinburgh, UK.
Friday 23rd - Sunday 25th April 2010.
http://www.studentnationals.org.uk/index.php

0 Salute 2010. ExCel, London, UK.
Saturday 24th April 2010.
http://www.salute.co.uk/

0 Beer & Pretzels XXI. Town Hall, Burton-upon-Trent, UK.
Saturday 15th - Sunday 16th May 2010.
http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/bnpdetails.php

0 Eternal-Con.de 2010. Castle Stahleck, Bacharach, Germany.
Friday 21st - Monday 24th May 2010.
http://www.eternal-con.de//node/24

0 UK Game Expo 2010. The Clarendon Suites, Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
Friday 4th - Sunday 6th June 2010.
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk

0 Continuum 2010. John Foster Hall, Leicester University. UK.
Friday 2nd - Monday 5th July 2010.
http://www.continuum.uk.net

0 Furnace 2009. The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield. UK
Saturday 10th - Sunday 11th October 2009.
http://www.rpgfurnace.com/

Here are my HeroQuest games I am running at Furnace 2009 later this year.

+



'Street Urchins of Ancient Pavis' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
Mythic Glorantha: HeroQuest 2.0 adventure for up to 6 players.
Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred.

"Abandoned by Family, Ancestors and the City itself, the street urchins have a very hard existence in the shattered remains of Ancient Pavis. They live on the discarded scraps from the city dwellers and *other* denizens of the Rubble, a place where life is very, very cheap.
The only future they have to look forward to is a quick death somewhere in the unforgiving ruins of this once splendid city.
The River Flock has a nice hidey-hole under the Sculpture Garden, a safe haven in this deadly world. Yet many of the street urchins are turning up dead, their bodies discarded.
Now a stranger in red is poking around the upper entrance.
Just what is he after and is he responsible for the deaths of the other urchins?"

+



'Cropcircles and Lights Out' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
Supernatural: HeroQuest 2.0 adventure for 5 players.
Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred.

"Police reports are coming in from Fulton County, Georgia of cars driving at night without their headlights on. When helpful members of the public flash their lights in courtesy to warn the drivers they become victims to the drivers.
All that seems to be left are the abandoned cars with their headlights smashed out. No trace of the occupants have been found. Forensic reports do confirm that the blood found in the broken headlights is canine, not human.
Are these incidents related to the gang tags found in the recent spate of crop circles that also plague the area?"

+

Here is a list of RPG conventions take will take place in the UK and Europe.
Some have yet to have their dates confirmed.

0 AmberCon UK '09. Harben House, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, UK.
Friday 10th - Sunday 12th July 2009
http://www.ambercon.org.uk/

0 PaizoCon UK 2009. Aston University Business School, Birmingham, UK.
Saturday 11th - Sunday 12th July 2009
http://paizocon.co.uk/

0 Sceaptune Games Open Games Day. Shipton Bellinger Sports & Social Club, Tidworth, Hampshire, UK.
Saturday 25th July 2009.
http://www.sceaptunegames.co.uk/news.htm

0 Constitution 2009. New Hall, Cambridge, UK.
Friday 31st July - Sunday 2nd August 2009.
http://www.constitution-con.org.uk/

0 Ropecon 2009. Dipoli, Espoo, Finland.
Friday 31st July - Sunday 2nd August 2009.
http://www.ropecon.fi/2009/index_en.html

0 Confess 2009. Southern Hotel, Sligo, Ireland.
Friday 18th - Sunday 20th September 2009.
http://www.bebo.com/confess09

0 CONcrete Cow '09½. Old Bath House, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, UK.
Saturday 19th September 2009.
http://www.mk-rpg.org.uk/Concrete_Cow

0 Furnace 2009. The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield. UK
Saturday 10th - Sunday 11th October 2009.
http://www.rpgfurnace.com/

0 Game '09. Palace Hotel, Manchester, UK.
Friday 16th - Sunday 18th October 2009.
http://gamecon.game-host.org/apex/f?p=1 ... 1856348190

0 Spiel 2009. Messe Essen, Essen, Germany.
Thursday 22nd - Sunday 25th October 2009.
http://www.merz-verlag.com/spiel/e000.php4

0 GamesFest 4. The Watford Colosseum, Watford, UK.
Saturday 24th October 2009.
http://www.gamesfest.co.uk/

0 OddCon 2009. Park Inn, Telford. UK.
Friday 30th October - Sunday 1st November 2009.
http://www.oddconuk.org.uk/

0 Chimeriades 2009. Lycée agricole Legta Valabre, Aix-en-Provence, France.
Friday 30th October - Sunday 1st November 2009.
http://chimeriades.googlepages.com/accueils

0 Dominicon N SPAAAAAAAAACE!!! 2009. N.U.I Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland.
Friday 13th - Sunday 15th November 2009.
http://www.dominicon.ie/

0 Indiecon' 09. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Thursday 12th - Monday 16th November 2009.
http://www.indiecon.net/

0 Curious Consequences. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Thursday 19th - Sunday 22nd November 2009.
http://www.ishtari.co.uk/consequences/c/

0 Dragonmeet 2009. Kensington Town Hall, London, UK.
Saturday 28th November 2009.
http://www.dragonmeet.co.uk/

0 Ludicrus '09. Kesgrave Community Centre, Ipswich, UK.
Saturday 5th - Sunday 6th December 2009.
http://www.ludicrus.org/

0 WarpCon XX. University College Cork, Ireland.
Friday - Sunday January 2010.
http://www.warpcon.com/

0 Conception 2010. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Wednesday 27th - Sunday 31st January 2010.
http://www.conceptionuk.org/

0 Conflagration 2010. Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow. Scotland.
Saturday – Sunday February 2010.
http://www.conflagration.org.uk/

0 Leprecon XXXI. Goldsmith Hall, Pearse St. Dublin 2, Ireland.
Friday 5th - Sunday 7th March 2010.
http://www.leprecon.ie

0 Itzacon VI. NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland.
Friday - Sunday March 2010.
http://www.itzaconeire.com/

0 Conpulsion 2010. Teviot Student Union, Edinburgh University, Scotland.
Saturday 26th - 28th March 2010.
http://www.conpulsion.org

0 Dragonmeet Midlands 2010. Derby Assembly Rooms, Derby, UK.
Saturday 10th April 2010.
http://www.dragonmeetmidlands.co.uk

0 Student Nationals RPG Championships 2010. Heriot Watt, Edinburgh, UK.
Friday 23rd - Sunday 25th April 2010.
http://www.studentnationals.org.uk/index.php

0 Salute 2010. ExCel, London, UK.
Saturday 24th April 2010.
http://www.salute.co.uk/

0 Beer & Pretzels XXI. Town Hall, Burton-upon-Trent, UK.
Saturday - Sunday May 2010.
http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/bnpdetails.php

0 UK GAME EXPO 2010. The Clarendon Suites, Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
Friday 4th - Sunday 6th June 2010.
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk

0 Continuum 2010. John Foster Hall, Leicester University. UK.
Friday 2nd - Monday 5th July 2010.
http://www.continuum.uk.net

The dates for Continuum 2010 are
Friday 2nd to Monday 5th July 2010.

The Yahoo Group is at:
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Continuum2010/

The Facebook event is at:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=94299599526&ref=mf

More news will follow over the next few weeks!

 Furnace 2009. The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield. UK 
Saturday 10th - Sunday 11th October 2009. 
http://www.rpgfurnace.com/ 

Furance is a small two day convention for 70 attendees held in a former gaolhouse of Hillsborough Barracks in Sheffield, UK. 
Call of Cthulhu, HeroQuest, RuneQuest, Savage Worlds, and plenty of other game systems will be played at this convention. 

A colour Convention Book will be produced and given free to all attendees on arrival. 
As well as information on the convention, venue and games programmes there will be articles on gaming and role-playing. 

The Furnace 2006 Con Book contained articles on convention GMing by Evilgaz, an introduction to Gwenthia by Tom Zunder, a Gloranthian HeroQuest scenario by Newt, 'Hunting the Marsh haggis' by Jane Williams, Serenity:HeroQuest by Darran Sims, a Kallyr story by Jane Williams, an intro to 'Red Star' for Evilgaz's game, along with information about the games, the venue and the favoured charity, Wateraid. 

The Furnace 2007 Con Book contained articles on convention playing by Evilgaz, Aggar Homeland for Glorantha HeroQuest By David Millians, Tal’Vorn a Game World for D&D By Joshua Binks, The Shattered Lands a RuneQuest Setting By Newt Newport, A Gloranthan Story By Jane Williams, ‘Love, Honour & Obey’ a DitV Scenario By Ric Baines, UK Roleplayers - a Brief History By Dave McAlister, Nemesis Madness Meters in Call of Cthulhu By Dom Mooney, Mob Justice Introduction By Iain McAllister, Game Design 101 By Iain McAllister, Kadvalla - A Saintly Order for Mythic Russia By Mark Galeotti, ‘Dragonewts!’ by Darran Sims. 

The Furnace 2008 Con Book had articles on Glorantha in a Nutshell by Jane Williams with art by Terry Whisenant, A Lunar Marriage by Newt Newport with art by Darran Sims, 'Uphold the Yellow Standard' by Newt Newport with art by Darran Sims, ‘Playing Cards’ A Story by Jane Williams with art by Mokkurkalfe, ‘The Everyday Ordeal’ A Jason Calwell Story by Graham Robinson, Monkey in a Nutshell by Newt Newport, UK Role Players Forum by Dave Mcalister with art by Jonny Gray, and a controversial HeroQuest 2.0 Review by Newt Newport. The front cover was by professional fantasy artist Jon Hodgson. 

We are looking for contributions for this year's Convention Book, whether it is artwork, maps, articles, non-player characters, scenarios, encounters, gaming or GMing advice, settings, stories or anything else you can think of. 

We can not pay you but all contributors will receive the heartfelt thanks from the Furnace Committee, the joy of seeing their work in print and a free copy of the Con Book. 

All copyright of any material we use in the book remains the authors or artists, so you can use it again elsewhere. 

As for word count anything from 1000 to 4000 words. A scenario could be a little more at 6000 maximum. 

Formats should be M$ Word 2004 [or lower] or Rich Text Format. If I can copy and paste from PDFs though so they are okay too. 

If you have any accompanying artwork I can include that as well or do my own for your article. Artwork can be in colour as the Con Book will be printed in full colour [that will be good for maps!].

The deadline for the Furnace 2008 Con Book is Monday 28th September 2009


If you can send all submissions to darransims AT googlemail DOT com. 

Thank you for your time.

 0 WarpCon XIX. University College Cork, Ireland. 
Friday 23rd - Sunday 25th January 2009. 
http://www.warpcon.com/ 

0 Conception 2009. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK. 
Wednesday 28th January - Sunday 1st February 2009. 
http://www.conceptionuk.org/ 

0 Conflagration 2009. Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow. Scotland. 
Saturday 21st – Sunday 22nd February 2009. 
http://www.conflagration.org.uk/ 

0 Leprecon XXX. Goldsmith Hall, Pearse St. Dublin 2, Ireland. 
Friday 27th February - Sunday 1st March 2009. 
http://www.leprecon.ie 

0 Itzacon V. NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland.
Friday 6th - Sunday 8th March 2009.
http://www.itzaconeire.com/

0 Travcon 2009. Redwings Lodge Hotel, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, UK. 
Friday 13th - Sunday 15th March 2009. 
http://www.bitsuk.net/Travelling/page33/page33.html

0 Concrete Cow '09. The Old Bath House, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, UK. 
Saturday 14th March 2009. 
http://www.mk-rpg.org.uk/Concrete_Cow 

0 Conpulsion 2009. Teviot Student Union, Edinburgh University, Scotland.
Saturday 21st - 22nd March 2009 OR Saturday 28th - 29th March 2009.
http://www.conpulsion.org

0 Salute Zero Nine. ExCel, London, UK. 
Saturday 28th March 2009. 
http://www.salute.co.uk/ 

0 Student Nationals RPG Championships 2009. Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.
Saturday 18th - Sunday 19th April 2009.
http://www.studentnationals.org.uk/index.php 

0 Dragonmeet Southwest 2009. Swindon, UK. 
Sunday 19th April 2009. 
http://www.dragonmeet.co.uk/ 

0 Beer & Pretzels XX. Town Hall, Burton-upon-Trent, UK.
Saturday 16th - Sunday 17th May 2009.
http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/bnpdetails.php

0 Shadow Con III. Northfields, West London, W13 9SS. 
Saturday 23rd - Sunday 24th May 2009. 
http://www.shadow-warriors.co.uk/Shadow_Con3.htm 

0 Tentacles 2009. Castle Stahleck, Bacharach, Germany. 
Friday 28th May - Monday 1st June 2009. 
http://www.tentacles-convention.de/ 

0 UK GAME EXPO 2009. The Clarendon Suites, Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK. 
Saturday 6th - Sunday 7th June 2009. 
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk 

0 AmberCon UK '09. Harben House, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, UK. 
Friday 10th - Sunday 12th July 2009 
http://www.ambercon.org.uk/ 

0 Yog-Sothoth.CON 2009. University of Bradford, Students' Union, Bradford, UK. 
Friday 10th - Sunday 12th July 2009 
http://yog-sothoth.com/ 

0 Constitution 2009. New Hall, Cambridge, UK. 
Friday 31st July - Sunday 2nd August 2009. 
http://www.constitution-con.org.uk/ 

0 Gen Con UK 2009 or Whatever It Will Be Called. University of Reading, Berkshire. UK. 
Wednesday 2nd - Sunday 6th September 2009. 
http://www.horsemenevents.com/ 

0 Furnace 2009. The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield. UK 
Saturday 10th - Sunday 11th October 2009. 
http://www.rpgfurnace.com/ 

0 Spiel 2009. Messe Essen, Essen, Germany. 
Thursday 22nd - Sunday 25th October 2009. 
http://www.merz-verlag.com/spiel/e000.php4 

0 GamesFest 4. The Watford Colosseum, Watford, UK.
Saturday 24th October 2009. 
http://www.gamesfest.co.uk/

0 OddCon 2009. Park Inn, Telford. UK.
Friday 30th October - Sunday 1st November 2009.
http://www.oddconuk.org.uk/

0 Indiecon' 09. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Thursday 12th - Monday 16th November 2009.
http://www.indiecon.net/

0 Curious Consequences. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK. 
Thursday 19th - Sunday 22nd November 2009. 
http://www.ishtari.co.uk/consequences/c/

0 Dragonmeet 2009. Kensington Town Hall, London, UK. 
Saturday 28th November 2009. 
http://www.dragonmeet.co.uk/ 

0 Ludicrus '09. Kesgrave Community Centre, Ipswich, UK. 
Saturday 5th - Sunday 6th December 2009. 
http://www.ludicrus.org/

 0 Conception 2009. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK. 
Wednesday 28th January - Sunday 1st February 2009. 
http://www.conception...

Here are my games that I'll be running at Conception 2009.

+



Thursday 09:00 – 13:00 Slot 2
'Street Urchins of Ancient Pavis' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims. 
Glorantha: HeroQuest adventure for 6 players. 
Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred. 

"Abandoned by Family, Ancestors and the City itself, the street urchins have a very hard existence in the shattered remains of Ancient Pavis. They live on the discarded scraps from the city dwellers and *other* denizens of the Rubble, a place where life is very, very cheap. 
The only future they have to look forward to is a quick death somewhere in the unforgiving ruins of this once splendid city. 
The River Flock has a nice hidey-hole under the Sculpture Garden, a safe haven in this deadly world. Yet many of the street urchins are turning up dead, their bodies discarded.
Now a stranger in red is poking around the upper entrance. 
Just what is he after and is he responsible for the deaths of the other urchins?"

+



Friday 19:00 – 23:00 Slot 7
'Cropcircles and Lights Out' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims. 
Supernatural: HeroQuest adventure for 5 players. 
Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred. 

"Police reports are coming in from Fulton County, Georgia of cars driving at night without their headlights on. When helpful members of the public flash their lights in courtesy to warn the drivers they become victims to the drivers.
All that seems to be left are the abandoned cars with their headlights smashed out. No trace of the occupants have been found. Forensic reports do confirm that the blood found in the broken headlights is canine, not human.
Are these incidents related to the gang tags found in the recent spate of crop circles that also plague the area?"

+



Saturday 09:00 - 13:00 Slot 8
'Rocks and Hard Places' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims. 
Serenity: HeroQuest adventure for 7 players. 
Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred. 

"Why do my gorram jobs never go smooth? 
So we’re on a scavenger hunt in the biggest scrap yard in the ‘verse.
Gettin’ to the place was slow and troublesome, gettin’ past the guards was a flip and findin’ the needle in the haystack was shiny.
The trouble is we have competition for our prize and our rivals ain’t playing fair. 
Also the boss, a particular Crime Lord with his own Skyplex and a very nasty rep, ain’t happy with us either.
To top that there seems to be another bunch of Feds on our tail and we’re stuck - a certain turn of phase come to mind."

+



Sunday 15:00 – 19:00 Slot 12
'We are the Boys...' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims. 
Dad's Army: HeroQuest adventure for 6 players. 
Newcomers very welcome. [im-]Maturity preferred. 

"Excuse me, er, attention men. If you kindly all fall in, that would be rather nice. Thank you."
"Right men, GHQ has organised a series of military exercises, under the watchful eyes of Colonel Pritchard, to test the Walmington-on-Sea platoon’s ‘fighting fitness’ and to see if we can use diverse tactics and strategies in the field. 
"Well, that is a given of course with my experience, but there is a little nuisance in that we are paired off against the Eastgate platoon. We must deal with their Colonel Blimp mentality..."
"His name is Captain Square, a Rotarian you know?"
"Thank you Wilson!
"Well men, I think that you will not let me down? Corporal Jones get the platoon to fall out. Wilson, WILSON come with me!"

+

What another great convention!
It seems so short but sweet.
For the first time in a few years I didn't run two games back to back only running a single game in the morning slot only.
I spent most of the afternoon attending the seminars or catching up too briefly with people.

It was an early start with catching the 05:00 AM train to London but I was able to get to Kensington Town Hall without getting swamped in the crowds. Most of the traders got to the venue early so it didn't take long to get them all loaded into the main hall. Pushing a few trollies in and out is one of my ways of giving back to the con. Also stuffing the Goodie Bags with the programme books and other goodies was a big help.


The Main Trade Hall

I then set up my table, located on the upper floor in a little sealed off area, ready for my game. The sign-up sheet was filled in very fast as soon as the doors opened!

I ran the latest episode in my Serenity: HeroQuest saga titled 'Rocks and Hard Places'
It was the first time I had ran this episode and I hadn't really finalised the plot. I was hoping that the players themselves would direct where and when the action would take place as I would follow their lead more.
I started the game in Deadwood, just as in the HBO series of the same name as I think it would fit in the 'verse no problem. Channelling Al Swearengen proved to be a problem, possibly due to the early morning, and the start of the game floundered a bit. Also I did expect there to be a shoot-out in deadwood but the players [with one notable exception] seemed to want to avoid any violence at any cost.
There was a lot of role-playing in character which over-ran a little so I had to rush the ending a little. The addition plot points and distractions worked well with the players getting paranoid over the conspiracies. All the players were very surprised by the big reveal and manufactured their own surprise ending involving the whole crew leaving Johner behind to have a shootout with all the Feds at his insistence.
I did record this game so expect it soon to be podcast on One Man and His Dice.com.

I spent the afternoon attending the seminars.
I walked into John Wick's Seminar halfway through so I was unable to record that one. Very interesting and it seems I share similar GM style and theories. I will have to look up his 'Houses of the Blooded' as only then was it explained to me what it was about despite asking on a few forums.


John Wick

I then spent the next half hour wandering about the whole complex taking photos of the gaming groups. There were some fantastic looking games. The Phoenix Games club had a great looking Dungeon game in action, the Shadow Warriors had a Great War biplane battle game that just simply gorgeous, there was a very detailed Camelot diorama, a BattleStar Galactica board game that looked cool, and many more excellent models and games.

I then went to the Robin Laws and Kenneth Hite seminar that I did manage to record. It didn't have an overall theme, just an open Question & Answer session and didn't suffer for it. Some excellent questions were answered and there was some great discussion that was very interesting.


Robin Laws and Kenneth Hite

That was followed by a Guest of Honour free-for-all seminar. At first there was only Robin Laws and John Wick but then Kenneth Hite and James Wallis each joined later.
A great seminar that by accident seemed to focus on the fantastic work of Greg Stafford.
We also learnt how each guest started off into this hobby of ours with some funny results.
Again I managed to record this and it will be podcast on One Man and His Dice.com.


Kenneth Hite, Robin Laws, John Wick and James Wallis

So a very good convention where I got to catch up with a few people though unfortunately far too briefly and run a good game. I do have a few recordings that I hope to get up over the next couple of weeks.

More photos at:
Dragonmeet 2008 photo set on my Flickr Site

This is where my Serenity: HeroQuest game takes place between 10:30 - 14:00.

I have managed to be upgraded out of the basement!





A brand new episode [though the plot will resemble the others! lol] with a trip to Deadwood and a job in the 'verses biggest scrap yard.
I will also be recording the game for my One Man and His Dice podcasts as I will be hopefully have a room to myself.

An updated list of RPG conventions.
Yeah I know it's quick, I have had a few updates sent me.

A few dates need confirming - hopefully next month's will be complete.

( Full listing under the cut... )

November update for future RPG Conventions in the UK and Ireland.
Some may be subject to change [News about GenCon UK may follow at some point].

0 Bizarre Consequences. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Thursday 20th - Sunday 23th November 2008.
http://www.consequences.org.uk

0 Dragonmeet 2008. Kensington Town Hall, London, UK.
Saturday 29th November 2008.
http://www.dragonmeet.co.uk/

0 WarpCon XIX. University College Cork, Ireland.
Friday 23rd - Sunday 25th January 2009.
http://www.warpcon.com/

0 Conception 2009. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Wednesday 28th January - Sunday 1st February 2009.
http://www.conceptionuk.org/

0 Conflagration 2009. Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow. Scotland.
Saturday 21st – Sunday 22nd February 2009.
http://www.conflagration.org.uk/

0 Leprecon XXX. Goldsmith Hall, Pearse St. Dublin 2, Ireland.
Friday 27th February - Sunday 1st March 2009.
http://www.leprecon.ie

0 Travcon 2009. Redwings Lodge Hotel, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Friday 13th - Sunday 15th March 2009.
???????

0 Concrete Cow '09. The Old Bath House, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, UK.
Saturday 14th March 2009.
http://www.mk-rpg.org.uk/Concrete_Cow

0 Salute Zero Nine. ExCel, London, UK.
Saturday 28th March 2009.
http://www.salute.co.uk/

0 Tentacles 2009. Castle Stahleck, Bacharach, Germany.
Friday 28th May - Monday 1st June 2009.
http://www.tentacles-convention.de/

0 UK GAME EXPO 2009. The Clarendon Suites, Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
Saturday 6th - Sunday 7th June 2009.
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk

0 AmberCon UK '09. Harben House, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, UK.
Friday 10th - Sunday 12th July 2009
http://www.ambercon.org.uk/

0 Yog-Sothoth.CON 2009. University of Bradford, Students' Union, Bradford, UK.
Friday 10th - Sunday 12th July 2009
http://yog-sothoth.com/

0 Constitution 2009. New Hall, Cambridge, UK.
Friday 31st July - Sunday 2nd August 2009.
http://www.constitution-con.org.uk/

0 Gen Con UK 2009. University of Reading, Berkshire. UK.
Wednesday 2nd - Sunday 6th September 2009.
http://www.horsemenevents.com/

0 Furnace 2009. The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield. UK
Saturday 10th - Sunday 11th October 2009.
http://www.rpgfurnace.com/

0 Ludicrus '09. Kesgrave Community Centre, Ipswich, UK.
Saturday 5th - Sunday 6th December 2009.
http://www.ludicrus.org/

 The Garrison Hotel 
Hillsborough Barracks 
Penistone Road 
Sheffield 
S6 2GB 
http://www.garrisonhotel.co.uk/



G( More photos and details under the cut... )

September Update!

0 Confess 2008. Venue ??, Sligo, Ireland.
Friday 26th - Saturday 27th September 2008.
http://www.flatearthsoc.com

0 CONcrete Cow '08½. Old Bath House, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, UK.
Saturday 27th September 2008.
http://www.mk-rpg.org.uk/Concrete_Cow

0 Ludicrus '08. Kesgrave Conference Centre, Ipswich, UK.
Saturday 27th - Sunday 28th September 2008.
http://www.ludicrus.co.uk

0 GamesFest 2008. The Victoria Hall, Tring, UK.
Saturday 4th October 2008.
http://www.gamesfest.co.uk/

0 Furnace 2008. The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield. UK.
Saturday 18th - Sunday 19th October 2008.
http://www.rpgfurnace.com/

0 Spiel 2008. Messe Essen, Essen, Germany.
Thursday 23rd - Sunday 26th October 2008.
http://www.merz-verlag.com/spiel/e000.php4

0 OddCon 2008. Park Inn, Telford. UK.
Friday 24th October to Sunday 26th October 2008.
http://www.oddconuk.org.uk/index.html

0 Gaelcon 2008. Clontarf Castle, Dublin, Ireland.
Saturday 25th - Monday 27th October 2008.
http://www.gaelcon.com/

0 Game '08. New Century House, Manchester, UK.
Saturday 1st - Sunday 2nd November 2008.
http://www.game08.eu/

0 Indiecon' 08. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Friday 7th - Monday 10th November 2008.
http://www.indiecon.net/

0 Bizarre Consequences. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Thursday 20th - Sunday 23th November 2008.
http://www.consequences.org.uk

0 Dragonmeet 2008. Kensington Town Hall, London, UK.
Saturday 29th November 2008.
http://www.dragonmeet.co.uk/

0 Conception 2009. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Wednesday 28th January - Sunday 1st February 2009.
http://www.conceptionuk.org/

0 Tentacles 2009. Castle Stahleck, Bacharach, Germany.
Friday 28th May - Monday 1st June 2009.
http://www.tentacles-convention.de/

0 UK GAME EXPO 2009. The Clarendon Suites, Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
Saturday 6th - Sunday 7th June 2009.
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk

0 Constitution 2009. New Hall, Cambridge, UK.
Friday 31st July - Sunday 2nd August 2009.
http://www.constitution-con.org.uk/

July Update!

0 Continuum 2008. John Foster Hall [also known as New Hall], Leicester University. UK.
Friday 1st - Monday 4th August 2008.
http://www.continuum.uk.net

0 Grand Tribunal 2008. Venue ??, Cheltenham, England
Friday 15th - Saturday 16th August 2008.
http://gt08.ekkaia.org/page/About

0 Gen Con UK 2008. University of Reading, Berkshire. UK.
Thursday 28th - Sunday 31st August 2008.
http://www.horsemenevents.com/

0 Confess 2008. Venue ??, Sligo, Ireland.
Friday 26th - Saturday 27th September 2008.
http://www.flatearthsoc.com

0 CONcrete Cow '08½. Old Bath House, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, UK.
Saturday 27th September 2008.
http://www.mk-rpg.org.uk/Concrete_Cow

0 Ludicrus '08. Kesgrave Conference Centre, Ipswich, UK.
Saturday 27th - Sunday 28th September 2008.
http://www.ludicrus.co.uk

0 GamesFest 2008. The Victoria Hall, Tring, UK
Saturday 4th October 2008.
http://www.gamesfest.co.uk/

0 Furnace 2008. The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield. UK
Saturday 18th - Sunday 19th October 2008.
http://www.rpgfurnace.com/

0 Spiel 2008. Messe Essen, Essen, Germany.
Thursday 23rd - Sunday 26th October 2008.
http://www.merz-verlag.com/spiel/e000.php4

0 Gaelcon 2008. Clontarf Castle, Dublin, Ireland.
Saturday 25th - Monday 27th October 2008.
http://www.gaelcon.com/

0 Game '08. New Century House, Manchester, UK.
Saturday 1st - Sunday 2nd November 2008.
http://www.game08.eu/

0 Indiecon' 08. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Friday 7th - Monday 10th November 2008.
http://www.indiecon.net/

0 Bizarre Consequences. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Thursday 20th - Sunday 23th November 2008.
http://www.consequences.org.uk

0 Dragonmeet 2008. Kensington Town Hall, London, UK.
Saturday 29th November 2008.
http://www.dragonmeet.co.uk/

0 Conception 2009. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Wednesday 28th January - Sunday 1st February 2009.
http://www.conceptionuk.org/

0 Tentacles 2009. Castle Stahleck, Bacharach, Germany.
Friday 28th May - Monday 1st June 2009.
http://www.tentacles-convention.de/

0 UK GAME EXPO 2009. The Clarendon Suites, Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
Saturday 30th - Sunday 31st May 2009.
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk

0 Constitution 2009. New Hall, Cambridge, UK.
Friday 31st July - Sunday 2nd August 2009.
http://www.constitution-con.org.uk/

So here is the update of RPG conventions that are confirmed and upcoming.

0 Q-CON XV Queen’s University, Belfast, Ireland.
Friday 27th - Sunday 29th June 2008.
http://www.q-con.org.uk/

0 Continuum 2008. John Foster Hall [also known as New Hall], Leicester University. UK.
Friday 1st - Monday 4th August 2008.
http://www.continuum.uk.net

0 Grand Tribunal 2008. Venue ??, Cheltenham, England
Friday 15th - Saturday 16th August 2008.
http://gt08.ekkaia.org/page/About

0 Gen Con UK 2008. University of Reading, Berkshire. UK.
Thursday 28th – Sunday 31st August 2008.
http://www.horsemenevents.com/

0 Confess 2008. Venue ??, Sligo, Ireland.
Friday 26th - Saturday 27th September 2008.
http://www.flatearthsoc.com

0 CONcrete Cow '08½. Old Bath House, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, UK.
Saturday 27th September 2008.
http://www.mk-rpg.org.uk/Concrete_Cow

0 Ludicrus '08. Kesgrave Conference Centre, Ipswich, UK.
Saturday 27th - Sunday 28th September 2008.
http://www.ludicrus.co.uk

0 GamesFest 2008. The Victoria Hall, Tring, UK
Saturday 4th October 2008.
http://www.gamesfest.co.uk/

0 Furnace 2008. The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield. UK
Saturday 18th - Sunday 19th October 2008.
http://www.rpgfurnace.com/

0 Spiel 2008. Messe Essen, Essen, Germany.
Thursday 23rd - Sunday 26th October 2008.
http://www.merz-verlag.com/spiel/e000.php4

0 Gaelcon 2008. Clontarf Castle, Dublin, Ireland.
Saturday 25th - Monday 27th October 2008.
http://www.gaelcon.com/

0 Game '08. New Century House, Manchester, UK.
Saturday 1st - Sunday 2nd November 2008.
http://www.game08.eu/

0 Indiecon ‘08. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Friday 7th - Monday 10th November 2008.
http://www.indiecon.net/

0 Bizarre Consequences. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Thursday 20th - Sunday 23th November 2008.
http://www.consequences.org.uk

0 Dragonmeet 2008. Kensington Town Hall, London, UK.
Saturday 29th November 2008.
http://www.dragonmeet.co.uk/

0 Conception 2009. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Wednesday 28th January - Sunday 1st February 2009.
http://www.conceptionuk.org/

0 Tentacles 2009. Castle Stahleck, Bacharach, Germany.
Friday 28th May - Monday 1st June 2009.
http://www.tentacles-convention.de/

0 UK GAME EXPO 2009. The Clarendon Suites, Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
Saturday 30th - Sunday 31st May 2009.
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk

0 Constitution 2009. New Hall, Cambridge, UK.
Friday 31st July - Sunday 2nd August 2009.
http://www.constitution-con.org.uk/

 0 Beer & Pretzels XIX. Town Hall, Burton-upon-Trent, UK.
Saturday 17th - Sunday 18th May 2008.
http://www.spiritgames.com/bnpdetails.php

0 Tentacles Deja Vu. Castle Stahleck, Bacharach, Germany.
Friday 9th - Monday 12th May 2008.
http://www.tentacles-convention.de/

0 UK GAME EXPO 2008. The Clarendon Suites, Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
Saturday 31st May - Sunday 1st June 2008.
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk

0 Q-CON XV Queen’s University, Belfast, Ireland.
Friday 27th - Sunday 29th June 2008.
http://www.q-con.org.uk/

0 Continuum 2008. John Foster Hall [also known as New Hall], Leicester University. UK.
Friday 1st - Monday 4th August 2008.
http://www.continuum.uk.net

0 Gen Con UK 2008. University of Reading, Berkshire. UK.
Thursday 28th – Sunday 31st August 2008.
http://www.horsemenevents.com/

0 Ludicrus '08. Kesgrave Conference Centre, Ipswich, UK.
Saturday 27th - Sunday 28th September 2008.
http://www.ludicrus.co.uk

0 GamesFest 2008. The Victoria Hall, Tring, UK
Saturday 4th October 2008.
http://www.gamesfest.co.uk/

0 Furnace 2008. The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield. UK
Saturday 18th - Sunday 19th October 2008.
http://www.rpgfurnace.com/

0 Game '08. New Century House, Manchester, UK.
Saturday 1st - Sunday 2nd November 2008.
http://www.game08.eu/

0 Indiecon ‘08. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Friday 7th - Monday 10th November 2008.
http://www.indiecon.net/

0 Bizarre Consequences. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Thursday 20th - Sunday 23th November 2008.
http://www.consequences.org.uk 

0 Dragonmeet 2008. Kensington Town Hall, London, UK.
Saturday 29th November 2008.
http://www.dragonmeet.com/

0 Conception 2009. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Wednesday 28th January - Sunday 1st February 2009.
http://www.conceptionuk.org/

 0 Warpcon XVIII. University College Cork, Ireland.
Friday 25th - Sunday 27th January 2008.
http://www.warpcon.com/

0 Conception 2008. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Wednesday 30th January - Sunday 3rd February 2008.
http://www.conceptionuk.org/

0 Son Of Ramsdencon. Ramada Hotel, Colchester, UK.
Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th February 2008.
http://www.sorcon.co.uk/

0 Leprecon 29. Goldsmith Hall, Pearse St. Dublin 2, Ireland.
Friday 29th February - Sunday 2nd March 2008.
http://www.leprecon.ie

0 K2 2008. Killarney Country Club, Killarney, Ireland.
Friday Friday 7th - Monday 10th March 2008.
lir@lspace.org

0 CONcrete Cow '08. Old Bath House, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, UK.
Saturday 8th March 2008.
http://www.mk-rpg.org.uk

0 TravCon 08. Redwings Lodge, Sawtry, UK.
Friday 14th - Sunday 16th March 2008.
http://www.bits.org.uk/

0 Conpulsion 2008. Teviot Student Union, Edinburgh University, Scotland.
Saturday 22nd - Sunday 23rd March 2008.
www.conpulsion.org

0 Beer & Pretzels XIX. Town Hall, Burton-upon-Trent, UK.
Saturday 17th - Sunday 18th May 2008.
http://www.spiritgames.com/bnpdetails.php

0 Tentacles 2008. Castle Stahleck, Bacharach, Germany.
Friday 9th - Monday 12th May 2008.
http://www.tentacles-convention.de/

0 UK GAME EXPO 2008. The Clarendon Suites, Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
Saturday 31st May - Sunday 1st June 2008.
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk

0 Q-CON XV Queen’s University, Belfast, Ireland.
Friday 27th - Sunday 29th June 2008.
http://www.q-con.org.uk/

0 Continuum 2008. John Foster Hall [also known as New Hall], Leicester University. UK.
Friday 1st - Monday 4th August 2008.
http://www.continuum.uk.net

0 Gen Con UK 2008. University of Reading, Berkshire. UK.
Thursday 28th – Sunday 31st August 2008.
http://www.horsemenevents.com/

0 Ludicrus '08. Kesgrave Conference Centre, Ipswich, UK.
Saturday 27th - Sunday 28th September 2008.
http://www.ludicrus.co.uk

0 Furnace 2008. The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield. UK
Saturday 18th - Sunday 19th October 2008.
http://www.rpgfurnace.com/

0 Game '08. New Century House, Manchester, UK.
Saturday 1st - Sunday 2nd November 2008.
http://www.game08.eu/

0 Indiecon ‘08. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Friday 7th - Monday 10th November 2008.
http://www.indiecon.net/ 

0 Bizarre Consequences. Holbourne, Naish, Christchurch, Dorset, UK. 
Friday 20th - Monday 23th November 2008. 
http://www.consequences.org.uk

0 Conception 2008. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Wednesday 30th January - Sunday 3rd February 2008.
http://www.conceptionuk.org/

These are my games that I am running at Conception 2008.

HeroQuest:Heroes
Using some of the cast of the TV show Heroes as player characters set right after where season 1 ends this game debuts at Conception 2008. This setting was voted the winner in a poll here, beating Ultraviolet [the Channel 4 TV Series], The Shield [The channel 5 TV series], Battlestar Galactica [the new TV series], More and newer episodes of Sereinty/Firefly, and some old fashioned Glorantha gaming.




Slot 3 - Thursday 10:00 - 14:00
'Double Ascension' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
A Heroes HeroQuest adventure for 5 players.
Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred.

With Nathan’s self sacrifice to save the city, Peter gone for good and Matt taken to hospital in an ambulance; the survivors look to one another amongst the aftermath of Kirby Plaza. With the remnants of the nuclear explosion drifting down on New York City, in the sudden dark after the brightness of day, there hangs a question.
A blood trail leads to an open manhole cover and the body of the boogeyman is missing.
All that is left in the wake are a few scribbled sketches of what has past, what is and what is yet to come.
So why does everybody feel that they are being watched?

+


Serenity/FireFly: HeroQuest
These are games based on the series FireFly and the film Serenity by Buffy's Joss Whedon. The player characters will be the crew of The Betty from Alien: Resurrection; Joss Whedon's first stab at a misfit crew of smugglers onboard an old, broken-down ship.



The first game, 'Echoes in the Black', has been run twenty times now at various conventions and has always been over-subscribed.

The sequel, 'The Quick and the Dead', has only been run seven times and has now been extended with extra dilemmas.

The second sequel [or is that threequel?] debuted at Conception 2007 and has only been ran once more at Dragonmeet 2007. I am running it again especially for Conception 2008. 'Dead Reckoning' is the third in the series of Serenity:HeroQuest games and is completely brand new [though certain parts of the plot my be similar to the other games!]. It still uses the crew of The Betty but puts them in more perilous and immoral situations. Included with more silly props!

Debuted at Furnace 2007 and only ran once so is completely new is the fourth in the series called 'No Power in the 'verse'. This is payback time and the Alliance and Blue Sun will suffer when the crew of The Betty discover the darkest secret yet and will try to bring an end to their evil plots.

Due to the popular demand of these games a seventh player character has been added to all games. The games can be played in order to experience the full epic narrative arc but each game is also complete in itself and can be played as a one-off.

+

Slot 6 - Friday 10:00 - 14:00
'Dead Reckoning' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
Serenity: HeroQuest adventure for 7 players.
Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred.

"Feh Feh Pi Goh! This job should have been shiny!
Here we are floating in the black about to make a move on the 'verse's easiest mark, a Research & Rescue vessel doing 'science' well away from civilisation. The Guay Tuh Guay Nown patron said it would be like taking candy from a baby. "Just don't use sensors as you approach," he said, "use dead reckoning to get in close."
Not only have we just seen what they are actually doing the 'science' on but we have just learnt who the Lao Buhn is who is bankrolling this caper.
A certain Crime Lord with his own Skyplex and a very nasty rep.
Dead Reckoning indeed!"

+

Slot 12 - Sunday 10:00 - 14:00
'No Power in the 'verse' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
Serenity: HeroQuest adventure for 7 players.
Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred.

"Well, they have hurt me jobs, hurt my pay, hurt my ship, hurt my crew and now they are hurting my head.
Well I say 'no more!'
I ain't sitting back on this one, no sir. I am goin' to take it to them. Hurt them hard. See how they like that! I coming at them straight and true.
No power in the 'verse can stop me!"

+

'We are the Boys...'
This is a new game based on a very popular TV series in the UK. This will not only stretch my scenario writing ability and my GM style but the HeroQuest games mechanic as well. Very much a 'beer & pretzel' game played for some laughs. I hope that it goes well.



+

Slot 9 - Saturday 10:00 - 14:00
'We are the Boys...' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
HeroQuest adventure for 6 players.
Newcomers very welcome. [im-]Maturity preferred.

It is the dark summer of 1940 and the storm clouds of war still hang over Europe. Nazi Germany is poised to do Hitler's bidding and invade this green and pleasant land. The Local Defence Volunteers will be the last bastion of England when the invasion comes; if they fail then the country will be under the Nazi jackboot and all freedom lost.
And where will the Nazi vanguard attack?
Walmington-on-Sea!

+

0 Dragonmeet 2007. Kensington Town Hall, London, UK.
Saturday 1st December 2007.
http://dragonmeet.co.uk

These are my games that I am running at Dragonmeet 2007.

Serenity/FireFly: HeroQuest
These are games based on the series FireFly and the film Serenity by
Buffy's Joss Whedon. The player characters will be the crew of The
Betty from Alien: Resurrection; Joss Whedon's first stab at a misfit
crew of smugglers onboard an old, broken-down ship.



The first game, 'Echoes in the Black', has been run twenty times now
at various conventions and has always been over-subscribed.

The sequel, 'The Quick and the Dead', has only been run six times and
has now been extended with extra dilemmas.

The second sequel [or is that threequel?] debuted at Conception 2007
and has only been ran once. I am running it again especially for
Dragonmeet 2007. 'Dead Reckoning' is the third in the series of
Serenity:HeroQuest games and is completely brand new [though certain
parts of the plot my be similar to the other games!]. It still uses
the crew of The Betty but puts them in more perilous and immoral
situations. Included with more silly props!

Due to the popular demand of these games a seventh player character
has been added to all games. The games can be played in order to
experience the full epic narrative arc but each game is also complete
in itself and can be played as a one-off.

+

Saturday 10:00 - 14:00
'Dead Reckoning' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
Serenity: HeroQuest adventure for 7 players.
Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred.

"Feh Feh Pi Goh! This job should have been shiny!
Here we are floating in the black about to make a move on the 'verse's
easiest mark, a Research & Rescue vessel doing 'science' well away
from civilisation. The Guay Tuh Guay Nown patron said it would be like
taking candy from a baby. "Just don't use sensors as you approach," he
said, "use dead reckoning to get in close."
Not only have we just seen what they are actually doing the 'science'
on but we have just learnt who the Lao Buhn is who is bankrolling this
caper.
A certain Crime Lord with his own Skyplex and a very nasty rep.
Dead Reckoning indeed!"

+

'We are the Boys?'
This is a new game based on a very popular TV series in the UK. This
will not only stretch my scenario writing ability and my GM style but
the HeroQuest games mechanic as well. Very much a 'beer & pretzel'
game played for some laughs. I hope that it goes well.



+

Saturday 14:00 - 17:00
'We are the Boys?' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
HeroQuest adventure for 6 players.
Newcomers very welcome. [im-]Maturity preferred.

It is the dark summer of 1940 and the storm clouds of war still hang
over Europe. Nazi Germany is poised to do Hitler's bidding and invade
this green and pleasant land. The Local Defence Volunteers will be the
last bastion of England when the invasion comes; if they fail then the
country will be under the Nazi jackboot and all freedom lost.
And where will the Nazi vanguard attack?
Walmington-on-Sea!

+

 

A quick post just to say the Furnace 2007 Con Book is now completed.

Contents
Welcome to Furnace! By Graham Spearing
About the Venue By Darran Sims
Furnace’s Charity - WaterAid
Top Ten Tips For Convention Players By Evilgaz
Aggar Homeland for Glorantha HeroQuest By David Millians
Tal’Vorn a Game World for D&D By Joshua Binks.
The Shattered Lands a RuneQuest Setting By Newt Newport
When the Snow Lay Round About By Jane Williams
‘Love, Honour & Obey’ a DitV Scenario By Ric Baines
UK Roleplayers - a Brief History By Dave McAlister
Nemesis Madness Meters in Call of Cthulhu By Dom Mooney
Mob Justice Introduction By Iain McAllister
Game Design 101 By Iain McAllister
Kadvalla - A Saintly Order for Mythic Russia By Mark Galeotti
Saturday Timetable
Sunday Timetable
Scheduled Games Tabletop
Collective Endeavour
Furnace Committee
Dragonewts! By Darran Sims

Here is the cover:

 

September Update of RPG conventions.

Can you let me know of any I have missed please?

0 CONcrete Cow '07½. Old Bath House, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, UK.
Saturday 29th September 2007.
http://www.mk-rpg.org.uk

0 PSYCHOCON 2007. The Regent Suite, Golden Lion Hotel, Leeds, UK.
Friday 12th - Sunday 14th October 2007.
http://www.psychocon.co.uk

0 Spiel 2007. Messe Essen, Essen, Germany.
Thursday 18th - Sunday 21st October 2007.
http://www.merz-verlag.com/spiel/e000.php4

0 Furnace 2007. The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield. UK
Saturday 20th - Sunday 21st October 2007.
http://www.rpgfurnace.com/

0 ODDconUK '07. Quality Hotel, Walsall, UK
Friday 26th October – Sunday 28th October 2007.
http://www.oddcon.org.uk/

0 Gaelcon 2007. Clontarf Castle, Dublin. Ireland.
Saturday 27th - Monday 29th October 2007.
http://www.gaelcon.com/ 

0 Gamesfest 2. New Mill Social Centre, Tring, UK.
Saturday 10th November 2007.
http://gamesfest2.blogspot.com/

0 Consequences 2007. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Friday 16th - Sunday 18th November 2007.
http://www.consequences.org.uk

0 Dominicon 2007. N.U.I Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland.
Friday 16th - Sunday 18th November 2007.
http://www.dominicon.ie/

0 Grand Tribunal 2007. Cheltenham. UK
Saturday 17th November 2007.
http://sagalocator.myfreeforum.org/forum12.php

0 Dragonmeet 2007. Kensington Town Hall, London, UK.
Saturday 1st December 2007.
http://www.dragonmeet.com/

0 Warpcon XVIII. University College Cork, Ireland.
Friday 25th - Sunday 27th January 2008.
http://www.warpcon.com/

0 Conception 2008. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Wednesday 30th January - Sunday 3rd February 2008.
http://conception.modus-operandi.co.uk/ 

0 K2 2008. Killarney Country Club, Killarney, Ireland.
Friday Friday 7th - Monday 10th March 2008.
lir@lspace.org

0 TravCon 08. Redwings Lodge, Sawtry, UK.
Friday 14th - Sunday 16th March 2008.
http://www.bits.org.uk/

0 Tentacles 2008. Castle Stahleck, Bacharach, Germany.
Friday 9th - Monday 12th May 2008.
http://www.tentacles-convention.de/ 

0 UK GAME EXPO 2008. The Clarendon Suites, Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
Saturday 31st May - Sunday 1st June 2008.
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk

0 Continuum 2008. John Foster Hall [also known as New Hall], Leicester University. UK. Friday 1st - Monday 4th August 2008.
http://www.continuum.uk.net  

0 Gen Con UK 2008. University of Reading, Berkshire. UK.
Thursday 28th - Sunday 31st August 2008.
http://www.horsemenevents.com/ 

0 Game '08. New Century House, Manchester, UK.
Saturday 1st - Sunday 2nd November 2008.
http://www.game08.eu/

 

August Update of RPG conventions.

Can you let me know of any I have missed please?

0 Gen Con UK 2007. University of Reading, Berkshire. UK.
Thursday 30th August - Sunday 2nd September 2007.
http://www.horsemenevents.com/

0 Confess 2007. The Southern Hotel, Sligo. Ireland.
Saturday 15th - Sunday 16th September 2007.
http://www.flatearthsoc.com

0 CONcrete Cow '07½. Old Bath House, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, UK.
Saturday 29th September 2007.
http://www.mk-rpg.org.uk

0 PSYCHOCON 2007. The Regent Suite, Golden Lion Hotel, Leeds, UK.
Friday 12th - Sunday 14th October 2007.
http://www.psychocon.co.uk

0 Spiel 2007. Messe Essen, Essen, Germany.
Thursday 18th - Sunday 21st October 2007.
http://www.merz-verlag.com/spiel/e000.php4

0 Furnace 2007. The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield. UK
Saturday 20th - Sunday 21st October 2007.
http://www.rpgfurnace.com/

0 ODDconUK '07. Quality Hotel, Walsall, UK
Friday 26th October – Sunday 28th October 2007.
http://www.oddcon.org.uk/

0 Gaelcon 2007. Clontarf Castle, Dublin. Ireland.
Saturday 27th - Monday 29th October 2007.
http://www.gaelcon.com/

0 Consequences 2007. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Friday 16th - Sunday 18th November 2007.
http://www.consequences.org.uk

0 Dominicon 2007. N.U.I Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland.
Friday 16th - Sunday 18th November 2007.
http://www.dominicon.ie/

0 Grand Tribunal 2007. Cheltenham. UK
Saturday 17th November 2007.
http://sagalocator.myfreeforum.org/forum12.php

0 Dragonmeet 2007. Kensington Town Hall, London, UK.
Saturday 1st December 2007.
http://www.dragonmeet.com/

0 Warpcon XVIII. University College Cork, Ireland.
Friday 25th - Sunday 27th January 2008.
http://www.warpcon.com/

0 Conception 2008. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Wednesday 30th January - Sunday 3rd February 2008.
http://conception.modus-operandi.co.uk/

0 TravCon 08. Redwings Lodge, Sawtry, UK.
Friday 14th - Sunday 16th March 2008.
http://www.bits.org.uk/

0 Tentacles 2008. Castle Stahleck, Bacharach, Germany.
Friday 9th - Monday 12th May 2008.
http://www.tentacles-convention.de/

0 Continuum 2008. John Foster Hall [also known as New Hall], Leicester University. UK.
Friday 1st - Monday 4th August 2008.
http://www.continuum.uk.net

Well we will have a brand spanking new venue for Continuum 2008 on the Friday 1st to Monday 4th August 2008.
The New Hall [also known as the John Foster Hall] Manor Road, Oadby, Leicester, LE2 2LG, is part of the University of Leicester’s halls of residence. 



See some more photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/darran/sets/72157600421716341/

0 Q-CON XIV Queen’s University, Belfast, Ireland.
Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th June 2007.
http://www.q-con.org.uk/

0 Game '07. New Century House, Manchester, UK.
Saturday 23rd - Sunday 24th June 2007.
http://www.game07.eu/

0 Summer Stabcon 2007. Britannia Hotel, Stockport
Friday 6th - Sunday 8th July 2007
bookings@stabcon.org.uk

0 Ludicrus '07. Rushmere Sports Centre, Ipswich, UK.
Saturday 7th - Sunday 8th July 2007.
http://www.ludicrus.org/.

0 AmberCon UK 2007. Renaissance Hotel, Reading, UK.
Friday 13th - Sunday 15th July 2007.
http://www.ambercon.org.uk/

0 Recombination, New Hall, Cambridge, UK
Friday 10th - Sunday 12th August 2007.
http://www.recombination.org.uk/

0 Gen Con UK 2007. University of Reading, Berkshire. UK.
Thursday 30th August - Sunday 2nd September 2007.
http://www.horsemenevents.com/

0 Confess 2007. The Southern Hotel, Sligo. Ireland.
Saturday 15th - Sunday 16th September 2007.
http://www.flatearthsoc.com

0 CONcrete Cow '07½. Old Bath House, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, UK.
Saturday 29th September 2007.
http://www.mk-rpg.org.uk

0 Spiel 2007. Messe Essen, Essen, Germany.
Thursday 18th - Sunday 21st October 2007.
http://www.merz-verlag.com/spiel/e000.php4

0 Furnace 2007. The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield. UK
Saturday 20th - Sunday 21st October 2007.
http://www.rpgfurnace.com/

0 ODDconUK '07. Quality Hotel, Walsall, UK
Friday 26th October – Sunday 28th October 2007.
http://www.oddcon.org.uk/

0 Gaelcon 2007. Clontarf Castle, Dublin. Ireland.
Saturday 27th - Monday 29th October 2007.
http://www.gaelcon.com/

0 Consequences 2007. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Friday 16th - Sunday 18th November 2007.
http://www.consequences.org.uk

0 Dominicon 2007. N.U.I Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland.
Friday 16th - Sunday 18th November 2007.
http://www.dominicon.ie/

0 Grand Tribunal 2007. Cheltenham. UK
Saturday 17th November 2007.
http://sagalocator.myfreeforum.org/forum12.php

0 Dragonmeet 2007. Kensington Town Hall, London, UK.
Saturday 1st December 2007.
http://www.dragonmeet.com/

0 Warpcon XVIII. University College Cork, Ireland.
Friday 25th - Sunday 27th January 2008.
http://www.warpcon.com/

0 Conception 2008. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Wednesday 30th January - Sunday 3rd February 2008.
http://conception.modus-operandi.co.uk/ 

0 Tentacles 2008. Castle Stahleck, Bacharach, Germany.
Friday 9th - Monday 12th May 2008.
http://www.tentacles-convention.de/

0 Continuum 2008. New Hall, Leicester University. UK.
Friday 1st - Monday 4th August 2008.
http://www.continuum.uk.net

Tentacles Untapped 2007 Con Report.

0 Tentacles Untapped. Castle Stahleck, Bacharach, Germany.

Friday 25th - Monday 28th May 2007.
http://www.tentacles-convention.de/

Well I had a complete blast!

What a fantastic con. And the usual problems that have plagued this con in the past [things not under the control of the convention organisers] have been resolved.

All the guests were approachable and very talkative, the freeforms just looked amazing with almost every player being in costume, and all the games I ran had international players of very high standard.

The Friday went well and did seem to start earlier with the Opening Ceremony going well. The Moon Design Seminar was good, Rick Meints and Simon Bray explained about the new products and about the completed manuscripts they have lined up. Authors Greg Stafford and Jeff Richards also added further insight.



There was plenty of new product released at Tentacles, ‘Blood over Gold’ the 154 page trader princes campaign book, ‘Champions of the Reaching Moon’ the Lunar Hero/Hero Band book and ‘History of the Heortling Peoples’ one of the Stafford Library unfinished works. All look fantastic and it is good to know that Rick will stick to doing the larger page counts rather than splitting books down that has been done in the past.
Interesting to hear that they have a number more books in the pipeline, an Elf Book, a Prax pack, two books about the West, the Great Argrath Campaign by Greg Stafford, and of course the new setting-less HeroQuest core rule book.Though there are plenty of works ready to come out there was a call for more.
Any idea will be considered though there will be a contract issued with deadlines and a project leader will be required – any interest contact Mark Galeotti.

The rest of the evening was more of a social gathering, drinking beer and chatting with friends new and old. Also had a good talk with the 'Smart Party', a group of players from Nottingham who were Tentacles Virgins though regular convention goers. We even played the pub quiz as one of the teams and didn't do too badly considering the other teams had the creators and writers of the games we were being asked questions on!



All day Saturday I ran my Serenity:HeroQuest games for 12 hours and had a good time. The first game was with the Smart Party and a couple of others joined in as well. A very good game though I did have problems putting on the blue rubber glove under the table, which spoiled the surprise some what. The players managed to get me in a fit of giggles at one point. I was annoyed with myself that I didn’t take a photograph of the group though.
The second game was also a hoot with the players really got into the characters and hammed it up a little even though some did not know the setting that well. All the players were surprised by the big reveal at the end.



The last game ended up being a player verses player as the player of Johner accepted the bride and turned on the rest of the team. All the players were up for this, all played like they weren't expecting the double cross and we did run with it; putting us all on the spot as I had to make it up as we went along.



One thing I do love about running games at Tentacles are the international players. I had English, German, Dutch, French and American players in my games and was a nice mix to have. I am just sorry they had to struggle with my Derby mumble.

On the Sunday there was a little mix up with where the group photo would be taken due to the rain. The tried to fit everyone into the main hall but due to sheer numbers they wouldn’t all fit in! Luckily the rain had stopped in time for us all to file out and get into position. I wore my silly Jayne hat that is bright orange so that I would be stopped easily. The mess about with the group photo delayed the set up for the freeform so that ended up starting a little later than hoped.

The Serenity/Firefly freeform 'You Can't Take the Sky from Me!' that I helped to write and run went very well. I was very nervous as this was the first freeform/Larp I had run and GMed and I wasn't sure if it would go well. Once we started the game none of the GMs were need for about the first hour; all the players just carried on playing and staying in character, getting twisted deeper and deeper into their plots. So good to see.
I think part of the reason it went well was the support of Simon, Colin Driver and Bazz Hoftijzer as the GMs and the quality of the players.
I think I will do another again now that I have caught the bug!







Sunday ended with sitting in the auction and the closing ceremony where I had won a prize [and a cool tentacles badge] for running games. It is good to have a convention that rewards the GMs.
I did witness the ‘Daughters of Darkness’ book burning that I am always in two minds about though it was funny to see Daniel Fahey spill a drop of his drink on the burning ashes to see them explodes in a great gout of flame! 



 

So the highlights were winning a set of duck miniatures on the tombola, being declared having the loudest snore, getting excellent players in all my games, laughing so much over the whole weekend and meeting old friends and making new ones. The lowlights were being declared having the loudest snore, going up and down the stairs of the castle and the fact that the weekend is over.

So special thanks to Fabian and all his team for organising such a fantastic convention. I do appreciate all the hard work that goes into running a convention from my experience with Continuum and Furnace but I do not think that I could do it each year!





Cheers and here’s to Tentacles 2008, Friday 9th to Monday 12th May 2008.

To see photos of this year’s Tentacles go to my Flickr Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/darran/

Tentacles Untapped photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/darran/sets/72157600285540891/

Nick's Tentacles Untapped Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23016277@N00/