CON REPORT: GameHoleCon 11 Day 2

It was a fun second day (here's Day 1). I still don't think I have quite a good handle on how to navigate this con, but I did learn that if you run games, your name goes into a random drawing and you can get an RPG or boardgame prize when they draw your name. Saw some Heroquest stuff and a box of Mothership, that went quick, as well as a lot of other neat stuff. The seminars are something I am missing a lot of, which if I go next year, I'll certainly have to add more of. Apparently, GaryCon is where its at.

The other highlights were shaking hands with Zeb Cook and meeting Chris Perkins who is an incredibly genuine person, I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to chat a little bit more with him.

NIGHTWICK ABBEY #2

The second group to brave the dread halls consisted of fighters Bonzo, Cadoc, Garath, and Arthur-- spiritually lead by Phylys the cleric and visually lead by Gunnar the dwarf (DM NOTE: 60% fighters so weird, but that's the fun of random character distribution).

• This group saved a carved-up "manimal" from the torture/vivisection/butchery of a large group of human skin-wearing maniacs; alas while the PCs staunched the poor souls bleeding (Really you're stoping my bleeding with old skin torn from those things?)  refused to carry the hobbled creature (Really you're gonna save me but not carry me?) so it went howling down the hall (Each step is pain! OoooOOooo! It would be nice to be carried! OoooOooo!) which earned it an axe in the back via Cadoc

  

  The water has a minty taste with maggot notes

  
  
• The PCs were pretty upset they were not finding more silver in the Abbey except for Arthur who became possessed after drinking from a fountain-- he started to become more worried about voices that were not his own; turning south they had to make a quick retreat when they stumbled upon a congregation of eye-less corpses all standing with swords drawn-- cleric welded the light of LAW and turn back those damned souls!
• Wandering around a little more the PCs were ambushed by maybe more manimals and shut into a room littered with pages of blasphemous nonsense and started suffering claw marks and welts on their arms, legs, and backs; they kicked the door violently in (the one not bricked up) and made their way back to the ruined laboratory where their would-be ambushed had left
• PC finally hit gold or rather a gold skull when they investigate another ruined lab, but become very worried when the dwarf Gunnar starts talking to himself after picking up the skull (Look, at least we can sell it)
• After a little more wandering the PC finally made their way to the Great Hall where they find the tied up vicar waiting to be served to four identical quadrupled-horned men; the PCs will have none of that and plan their attack! A pretty epic battle ensues with PC almost getting the upper hand until the monstrous Butcher fell a lead fighter with two chops from a large cleaver and the group is pincered by 5 floating, laughing corpses that got freed from an earlier scuffle.

  

  Begining of the End:
  Shame I didn't get a picture 5 mins after this was taken

  
  
• With 5/6 PC dead, the Butcher offers to spare the cleric and let him walk free from the Abbey-- if he personally blesses this most auspicious and (un)holy meals! The cleric does so-- and with the holy light of law draining out of him walks free from the Abbey haunted by the howls and jears of the laughing cadavers
• SCORE: Silver Ending 0.5 Safe Vicar Ending 0; technically the cleric carried the gold skull out, but I feel if the Abbey's forces kill 5/6 and make a cleric bless such a slaughts-- its an Abbey "win".

This group covered the most ground in a single con session having visited 11 rooms and still having enough in the tank to battle the Butcher. Well done! And with an epic ending! It was also nice to meet another player who had read this blog and was acquainted with Miranda's Nightwick from the session reports over at Mycelium Mischef (which my group has reached 99 sessions!)

INDEX CARD RPG

As someone who does use a lot of index cards, I was curious about this system. So I rolled up Holly Winterleaf (reusing a PC who previously died in OG Nightwick to green slime and an incredibly classic way). 

• PC creation is quick, the game mechanics are very intuitive
• I'm not sure I enjoy the flat target number that escalates as you move through a sorta 3-act structure; This is pretty opposite how I run games so it was the most jarring for me, but I know its a popular style of DMing
• I don't think it a bad rules-lite system, but encourages the DM to improvise a bit more which benefits more experienced DMs-- kinda the opposite of the intended effect I think for new DMs; I'll have to think on this more
• Did like the encouragement to use index cards to lay out a quick map or battlefield (see the picture above)

In total, I am interested in looking into Runehammer's other offerings our of curiosity I do think he does a good job encouraging creativity and DIY ethos. And playing games you normally would not pick up or run is a great use of CON time, especially since they often are run by referees who do love the game!