A Big Thank You from the Con-Quest Organisers

So Con-Quest 2011 was a great success with plenty of great games running and a busy trade hall. Though numbers were down a little on last years’ event due to the double bank holiday, royal wedding and sunny weather; the atmosphere was great and all the attendees were very enthusiastic.
We had a great line-up of varied games delivered by top class GMs, in our humble opinion one of the strongest game programmes we have seen at any con, and a wide selection of traders and exhibition stalls.
I, personally, enjoyed myself even with all the hard work I had to do and it was great to see everyone happy. :D

First off I would like to thank my co-organiser Dave McAlister, not only for his sterling work in keeping the Con-Quest website and forum ticking over, but for his patience and hard work on the day keeping everything running and covering the Bring & Buy stall for most of the day. His good humour and steadfast demeanour certainly helped me keep working on the day.

We would also like to thank the Con-Quest volunteers for their hard work in making the day a success. Russell, my brother, for his printing of the Con-Quest 2011 Programme Books as well as his help on the day. My Sister, Amy, for helping on the door and Laura for her help on the door and the Bring & Buy stall.

Without all the Game Masters who volunteer their time and creative energy in running some fantastic games for us, Con-Quest couldn’t happen. We would like to thank them all for stepping up to the plate [Gaming Table?] and delivering some magnificent scenarios to the players.
We would especially like to thank the following GMs for the extra effort they went to present and organise their games:
Team 8; John Wilson, Sue Wilson, John Dodd, and Ash Elliott for their great organisation and total dominance of one of the gaming rooms.
Paul Lawrence for his Realms of Cthulhu games with great homemade props and game aids.
Simon Bell for his two Traveller games that transported the player to distant realms.
Jez ‘Jonny Gray’s Brother’ Gray for his entertaining Apocalypse World double-slotter game.
All the Pathfinder GMs for all their organised play.
Chris Tregenza and the 6D6 GMs for all their enthusiasm as well as running games for those players who missed the sign ups.


Alessio Cavatore running his Shuuro game.


Paul Lawrence GMing his game.


More of the 6D6 crew with Chris Tregenza.


The 6D6 Crew


Peter Allan running his Pathfinder game.

We would like to thank all the traders and exhibition stalls/games in making the whole event such a great place to be. We will not name them all here as they were all equally superb.

I would like to thank the Brunswick Inn for hosting our Aftershow party and I would like to thank the Derby LIVE and Kudos Catering staff that were very helpful on the day.


Aftershow Party in the Brunswick Inn.

And finally we would like to thank all the attendees who came to the event and played in all the games and took part in the event. Everyone was happy to be there and created such an abundant party ambience throughout the event. Your feedback on the forms we handed out will be invaluable for our next event and I will publish the results once they are collated.
Here are the feedback results from Con-Quest 2010 for those of you that are interested.

Con-Quest 2010 Feedback Results


See you all we hope in 2012!
Thank You!

Con-Quest Midlands 2012 on Saturday 14th April 2012 at the Derby Assembly Rooms

Continuum 2008 Photographs are up!

My photos are done and posted up! :D

The main set here:
http://www.flickr.com...

The main group collection is here:
http://www.flickr.com...

Tentacles 2008 photos

I have uploaded my photos from Tentacles 2008 up on my Flickr site.

Flickr: Darran!'s Photostream

There's 278 of them to go through!

August's EMD&DMUG Monthly Meet.

The East Midlands Dungeons & Dragons Meetup Group August Monthly Meeting
Sunday 12th August 2007
The Brunswick Inn
1 Railway Terrace, Derby, DE1 2RU.


So this was my first East Midlands D&D Meetup Group monthly meet and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
I know the Brunswick Inn well, having spent my last night of freedom before my wedding there, though I have never played a game or knew that people meet up there for games.

There were a few problems with the original date as it clashed with Derby County’s first match of the season; the pub is one of the closest to the stadium and the railway station and was packed with football supporters. This would have made it very difficult to play games!
I did try to snag one of the small meeting rooms in the Assembly Rooms on the same day but was denied by The Powers That Be. So it was moved to the Sunday instead; nice and quiet but unfortunately the kitchen is closed on Sundays so people had to buy their food from the very expensive café at the railway station.

So I arrived at one o’ clock and sorted out my membership card and handed over my donation to the group of thirty-five badge-holders with neck chains. The membership cards double as name badges having a mug shot as well as the on-line avatar of the wearer – nice touch!
I then set up the table ready for my game in the far corner of the room. Sorting out all the money and other props.

I did have three people pre-booked for the game at the EMD&DMU website but I also managed to rope in four more players for the game, giving me a full set of players.
After checking that they all were familiar with the setting of Firefly/Serenity [they were!] I started off telling them that given a choice between doing something sensible but boring or doing something risky and fun always go for the risky option!


The whole group of gamers playing Serenity:HeroQuest.

The players picked their characters; all choosing characters that suited them well and I handed out the small stacks of money to each of them [except Call who only gets a ripped 1 Cred note!] along with their Gun Cards.

The money is used to show how rich [or poor] the characters were and they could use it to buy extra equipment or supplies with it. One player, Chris asked what else it was used for. I told him that you could earn or steal more and I would take some off you if you walked into a bar, brought fuel, weapons or ammo or pay your docking fees. It is part of the Firefly setting – ‘Get a job, get paid, keep flying’.
“Pay Bills? I play these games to get away for paying bills and direct debts and the like!” He stated incredulously. Nice moment that.

The gun cards are a new thing I have introduced to my games. I wanted to give the players more ‘flavour’ for the setting by allowing them to see picture of the weapons they will be using along with the associated abilities and capabilities of those weapons. Also it allows me to take them off them should they lose them or hand them over to someone else or they can trade them between each other. The Captain has the most and he can choose to give them to the other players or not.














I had advertised I was running ‘The Quick and the Dead’ but as no one had played before I decided to run the first game ‘Echoes in the Black’ as that is a better intro to the game I think.

I started the game with the Betty setting down at Eavesdown Docks on Persephone with a cargo of scrap metal in the hold, not worth much but better than dropping into atmo with an empty hold. Straight away as they walk off the Betty they are surrounded by Alliance soldiers lead by Redbone Bright, the officer in charge of the docks. He hit the Betty with a citation for littering as it was leaking oil all over the dock. He also wanted to know who they all are, my trick to get the players to introduce their characters to each other ‘in game’ so to speak. The group bribed him, haggling him down to almost next to nothing. From there they went onto the Palace Saloon to meet their contact, called Rogan Joshi, to whom they should ‘curry’ favour.

The Palace Saloon doesn’t quite live up to the image its name conjures. Located in the poorer area of the docks, the lower port fees being what makes this area so special, the Palace Saloon is a dive. A clean dive but a dive none the less, renowned for it late-night Karaoke and it’s private booths that are ideal for private meetings. Before they could get in through the door though the barkeep, Azcal Breen, made sure they enter his ‘fine’ establishment un-strapped of their iron. Why the gun control? ‘cause the damage done to the décor!’

Rogan had a private booth in the saloon and got to business straight away. The job is simple but comes in two parts. The first part is a legitimate delivery of lug nuts [you can’t have too many lug nuts] to the Highgate Skyplex in the Regina sector. The Highgate Skyplex use to be the HQ of the terraforming operation of the whole sector, but most of it is now dialect, the few functional areas used now as a space warehouse by the eccentric merchant Brian Hammond. Rogan has obtained, at great expense he points out, the Ident cards that allows docking at the Skyplex and will pay the crew for this job to avert suspicion.

The second part happens on U-day at 09:00. By quirk of a computer error all the secure sections of the Skyplex can then be entered, including Brian’s vault, for a two-hour window of opportunity. Also as it is U-day all the feds are away on shore leave just leaving the local guards on duty. It should be easy to deal with the local talent and walk into the vault. The contents of the vault include the payroll for all the Skyplex staff and all of it is for the taking, that’s their payment for the second part of the job. Rogan only wants the seven large black cases all marked with Alliance flags that are also in the vault as they are ‘technically’ his property. Do not open them, shake them up or scan them in any way. Drop them off at the rendezvous point on Angel and the job is done. Simple, huh?

The trouble is that U-day is six days away and the Highgate Skyplex is six days away on full burn so the timing will be tight. There can be no distractions. Rogan leaves after paying them for the lug nut job and giving them the seven ident cards, the ‘Multipass’ name badges I give out as another prop.

The group liked the sound of the job, a whole vault for themselves was good thing. However they were a little suspicious of the seven black cases. Could they be much needed medicine or something more sinister? Seven cases and there are seven of them, could that be something?

Before they left the bar the barkeep, Azcal Breen, came over to them and asked if they would do him a little job for him if they were departing soon. A case in his backroom needs ‘disposing of’ so no trace of it can be found. Just push it out of your airlock and into a sun if you can as long as is gone. And no its not what you are thinking, I have better ways of getting rid of bodies. You can check out the case if you like just lose it.

The group took this job on as well despite Rogan warning them earlier about distractions. They opened the case up and looked inside. It was broken engine parts, all with Alliance holographic serial numbers on.

The group then had to pay out for fuel, grenades, ammo, supplies and spare engine parts. The Captain give his second in command 200 Creds to buy the stuff, stuff worth nearly 1000 Creds!
Also Johner managed to find a contact selling a Gatling gun for 600 Creds, a barging!
The trouble is the Captain was a little stingy with his money so said no to the Gatling gun. However Johner asked if he could hire it!
Well that made me laugh so I said they could, the only thing is that it would have a great big ‘HIRE’ sign painted down the sides making it very un-cool.




From there the game went down hill very fast!
Some of the key moments for me were when encountering the distressed engineer adrift in space who pleading to be rescued, the pilot Hillard said “She sounds too needy and is talking too much. Women hate that!”
And when the group had their bar room brawl Johner used the Gatling gun to waste some of the other combatants away!


“Money, money, money!”



“I got the Gatling gun!”


More photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/darran/sets/72157601417033593/

And
http://dnd.meetup.com/700/photos/?photoAlbumId=199663&photoId=1886068



So in all a very good afternoon and a very good game, probably made better by washing down pints of ‘White Feather’ ale.
It is a shame I could stay on after my game and play Paranoia with the rest of the group but I had to get back to wife who was feeling a little neglected.
All being well I will run the sequel ‘The Quick and the Dead’ Serenity:HeroQuest at September’s EMD&DMU monthly meet up.

Accommodation at John Foster Hall for Continuum 2008.

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

I thought I would go through and mention about the accommodation we have at John Foster Hall for Continuum 2008.
The Conference Facilities Building is centred amongst the new and very modern development that consists of several pavilion style accommodation blocks.
Each pavilion block is four-stories high and each floor contains two flats.
Each flat has four or five single occupancy en suite bedrooms and a shared kitchen and lounge.
This means that a group of five friends can share a flat together as they share the communal space together but also five strangers can occupy a flat as each bedroom has its own key.

The kitchen is fully functional with fridge/freezer, microwave, electric oven, electric kettle, iron, ironing boards, vacuum cleaner, mop and bucket, and a selection of cutlery and crockery. There is also a large kitchen table with five chairs as well as plenty of worktop space for food preparation. A full list of contents will be posted nearer the time of the convention.

Just off the kitchen is the lounge area. The lounge has a large window lets in plenty of daylight. There are five comfy lounge chairs and a small coffee table making this a nice place to relax in. There are ten chairs in total in the kitchen/lounge making it very useful for running games in, you can either be in the lounge or around the table in the kitchen. There is plenty of space to move about, even for those of us who are ‘standard gamer size’!
With each flat having this extra space ideal for gaming this opens up the possibility that more games can be ran during the convention. Just book the time and space with your flatmates first. Advertise your game with pavilion name and flat number and your gamers can arrive at your pavilion and ring your doorbell to be let in. Or just run the game for all your flatmates, whether you know them or not, simple!

You will be issued a set of keys when you register at the main reception desk in the Conference Facilities Building. The main key will open the door to your flat as well as your own bedroom door. The little key will open the post box in the pavilion entrance foyer and the key fob itself will open the main door to the pavilion electronically. The flats are numbered 1 to 8 while the bedrooms in each flat are lettered A to E.

All accommodation will be single occupancy bedrooms with en suite bathroom. You will be issued a set of towels and some basic toiletries but you will need to bring with you your own wash kits, bathrobes and other personal hygiene items. The bathroom will have toilet roll and the single bed will have fresh bed sheets, two pillows with fresh pillowcases and a duvet with bedspread.
There is a desk in your bedroom with built-in drawers, shelves by the window, a desk lamp, mini-kettle with a small selection of tea/coffee condiments, two power sockets, a phone, and an Internet connection. We do not currently have a list of the charges for using the phone or connecting to the Internet as yet.
Next to the desk is a medium-sized wardrobe with space to hang clothes as well as plenty of shelves to store folded clothes or other items.
The en suite bathroom, consisting of toilet, washbasin and shower cubicle, is located as you enter the bedroom. It has its own lockable door and is light and airy.

The good thing about this accommodation is that it is brand new. Very little wear & tear would have happened over the two years that it has been opened and even students will treat things better when they are new!

The front of the Pavilion [accommodation blocks]. Each has a wide path to the doorway and has plenty of lush growth between each of the pavilions. There is also plenty of car parking nearby.


The front door of one the pavilions. The main door is nice and wide for easy access.


Door bells to each of the flats in the pavilion. The key fob on your room keys will open the pavilion door electronically.


The post boxes for the flats. The small key on your room keys will open your flat’s post box.


The entrance foyer of the pavilion. Note the lift for easy access to the higher floors avoiding all those stairs.


The inside of the lift. Plenty of space to get your luggage in and up to your room.


The inside of one of the bedrooms. A single bed with a bedside table unit and light. A set of towels with basic toiletries will be waiting you on arrival.


The desk in one of the bedrooms. There is a desk lamp, a phone, mini-kettle with tea/coffee condiments, an Internet connection, and two power sockets.


The mini-kettle and tea/coffee condiments on the desk. Just bring extra if you drink many a cuppa.


The inside of the wardrobe in the bedroom. Plenty of space for all your clothes [and all those frocks for the freeforms!]


The en suite bathroom with shower. The shower cubicle is large with a modern shower unit.


The kitchen and lounge area in one of the flats. Perfect area to socialise with your fellow flat mates as you cook, clean, iron your clothes or have a drink. This is also big enough to host a game in either at the kitchen table or in the lounge area or both! Just reach over to the fridge to get a cold drink or put the kettle on to make a brew.


The kitchen area of the flats as seen from the lounge area. A nice large kitchen table, with five chairs, to eat your meals from or play some excellent games!


The lounge area as seen from the kitchen. Five comfy chairs with a coffee table in the centre. Ideal for a nice and relaxed game?


The fridge/freezer, microwave, kettle, and electric oven. Plenty of worktop space to prepare your meals and lots of cupboard space for storage.


Everything including the kitchen sink!

New Elric Film?

With the new Elric role-plaing game coming out from Mongoose Publishing there has been some talk of the Elric film that is in the works. Universal own the rights and are working with Michael Moorcock and with The Golden Compass being released soon the romours are they are still interested in another Fantasy Noir film.

An Elric film could actually happen!



So here is my guess on who will play the doomed Melnibone emperor with his Black Sword.



Jonathan Rhys Meyers was excellent in Gormenghast and certainly looks the part!

New venue for Continuum 2008

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. Completed in October 2006, this is a brand new building with modern conference facilities.


The amphitheatre in front of the main Conference Building

The Continuum Committee have a site meeting this weekend where we will have a good look around at the venue to check its suitability for our needs.
The good thing is that we will have a greater number of en suite bedrooms to offer our membership along with more conference space to use for gaming rooms.

The conference organisers at the University of Leicester have sent us these publicity photos of the venue and they do look fantastic!
I am certainly looking forward to seeing the new venue so expect more photographs as I snap away.


The Conference Building entrance foyer. Note the plasma screen.


The Swithland & Tilton conference room. Note the sliding partition that makes it two rooms.


The Oakham & Rothley conference room. Note the sliding partition that makes it two rooms.


The Main Dining Hall.


The Bar!

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

[Sheffield UK] Furnace 2007

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


The venue from outside.


Furnace's very own bar!

As we reflect on how brilliant the coming summer will be this year, I thought it was timely to remind you to take a look at Furnace, tabletop roleplaying game convention set in a converted gaol house amongst the hills of Sheffield. It is almost very castle like.We're running the convention over the weekend of October 20th/21st 2007.

Main website: http://www.rpgfurnace.com

Many familiar tentacles will be there and some new tendrils too. Our game line up so far includes:
Call of Cthulhu 'Dr. Zugsmith Leaves for Cairo' Classic 1920s.
Call of Cthulhu 'The Legacy of Deacon's Wood.' Gaslight.
Call of Cthulhu 'Slapton Sands' Modern Day.
Savage Worlds 'Mission Arcturus' set in the 2300AD sci-fi universe.
Mythic Russia 'Party like its 1381!' run by the game's author Mark Galeotti.
'In search of the King' set in the First Age of Middle Earth and using a new game system.
Monkey 'The Bag of Wind' a new storytelling game based upon this much loved Chinese Classic.
Blood and Sand 'Enter the Arena' epic swords and sandal action using the MRQ SRD
'Bullet Cop Against the Mob' hardboiled 70s cop action.
RuneQuest 'She dreams of Empires' set in Michael Moorcock's Elric setting.
Plus expect more great games to be added to this list.

Five game sessions, Twelve tables, seventy gamers, one gaol. Will you be allowed home?!


Tabletop game of Serenity - I think they got into some trouble?


One of the gaming tables.


Evilgaz runs his games in one of the four cells.


A game played in the 'basement cell' - note the clever use of the screen.


A Gloranthan miniature wargame.


Me at Furnace's very own bar! - I was there a lot.

Signup here: http://www.rpgfurnace.com/?page_id=13

To see photos of the venue and last year's event:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/furnace/pool/