Seek the Wolf in Thyself!
July 12-14, 2013 marks the first weekend of a new con in the Carolinas – StormCon. It took place in Summerville, SC and was formed by a group of veteran gamers with a common desire to put on a good gaming con. I attended the full weekend and have to say that it was definitely a great experience.
In 2013, JustUs Productions (the guys behind this web site and gaming cons like MACE in Charlotte, NC) was asked to run gaming at a con in Columbia, SC called RoundCon (RC). RC has been around for 20+ years, first started by a gaming club out of the University of South Carolina. Sean Martinez has been the guy behind RoundCon for several years now. Some time ago, Sean took over the con from the ailing gaming club and turned into his own business.
So I really don’t play very many RPGs anymore, but with the “old school renaissance” happening I’ve found myself checking RPGs out more and more. After much “huzzahs” and “hey nonny nonnies” from my friend about Dungeon Crawl Classics or DCC, I decided to check it out for myself. When you first see the book, don’t let its size intimidate you, although I still wouldn’t recommend dropping it on your foot. The book is basically everything you need to play. It’s player’s manual, bestiary and magic tome rolled all into one. DCC definitely takes its cue from the original D&D and AD&D, but without THACO.
Dates: 7/16/2013 Where: Shylkor As a show of condolence, the barbarian rule of Shylkor called Justinius to meet. It turns out the a trap and the party is caught in the middle.
System/Setting: CoC 6e/USA 1920s From Blood Brother’s supplement. Little modification was made to this adventure. I had a blast running this at a RonCon and StormCon.
PROJECT STATUS: ON GOING. An ongoing contest and project to create a Living campaign exclusively for MACE, set it at least 3 systems (Savage Worlds, Pathfinder, and Bare Bones Fantasy). Phase 1 decided on the specific setting, Emberbright by Matt Holmquist. Phase 2 details the Elven Magocracy Houses and is in progress.
There is a local gaming store that actively supports my efforts in area cons and the Charlotte area gaming community. I met Ryan when he wanted to run Warmachine demos for one of my MACE events. He now runs Above Board Games (ABG) in Fort Mill, SC, one of the best gaming stores in the area. Every year, Ryan buys at least one packet for the Free RPG Day and even though something always seems to prevent me from participating, he still gives me the leftovers from what he bought – which is usually a lot, unfortunately. I use it to give these leftovers out as door prizes and SWAG to my GMs at MACE and other events (depending on how long it lasts), which they do appreciate. I really try to give a little extra to my GMs but with my limited budget and limited donations it’s not always a lot.
PROJECT STATUS: ON GOING, ON HOLD. A Short story I started writing after being inspired by various works I was reading. Primary influences are “Going Interstellar” by Les Johnson/Jack McDevitt, as well as ” Starfall”, Martin H. Greenberg (Editor). Currently on hold and incomplete because of writer’s block. Human progress is slowed due to economic…
Spartacus: A Game of Blood & Treachery is a new Board Game from Gale Force Nine. Most people that know me will tell you that I am a huge fan of this show. I was heartbroken when it ended, although I knew it was coming and the ending was not going to be a happy one. When I had heard there was going to be a board game, I was skeptical. Many board games that tie in to shows like this are just terrible – not a lot of thought is put into the design, and they are simply trying to capitalize on a new fad. Once the show is over, the game will just collect dust and you have no desire to play it again.
The guys of Card Board Stash demo’ed this game for me, despite my reservations. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can tell you now that this game’s entertainment value can outlast the show considerably. It is a fantastic game and in this review, I hope to tell you why.
One of the more interesting and cool items at Origins 2013 that deserves special mention are from the guys at Mechjock.com and Virtual World. Set up in the main hallway in the convention center were 6 (or 7, I can’t recall) pods that just looked awesome. All around it were logos, posters and video screens displaying Battletech ‘mechs and Battletech combat. I thought it was some new Battletech simulator game being released at Origins. However, it turns out that it’s not something new but it is still very cool.