Charmingly Shallow's Con Report

[CharminglyShallow]

Been a couple of years since I've been back to Conception, and whilst there were a few differences, there was still that nice vibe you get as soon as you enter the park. Loads of half-crazed, black clothed lunatics stumbling out into the light occasionally, muttering obscure core rulebook formulae like a warding against the effects of sunlight on their preternaturally pale skin. It's like an Arkham Asylum Holiday Park.

Anyway, my interesting titbits from the con:

1. Due to a delay in new furnishings on site, our lodge was replaced with two caravans in the furthest corner of the Hobourne Naish empire. Fantasy roleplaying is one thing, but having to trek from your accommodation to the central building on a daily basis is taking things a tad too far. We knew what the weather was going to be an hour before the rest of the park. Heating in the bedrooms was non-existent; we came close to building a fire with old D&D and WOD books picked up from the bring & buy.

2. Played Living Pathfinder for the first time. I was rooming with the DigitalMage again, and since he was GMing this I decided to give it a go. Since I had none of the books and precious little preparation before my first game, he kindly gave me a pre-gen character, an elven rogue, plus lending me one of this little minatures that had long, blond, flowing hair; I decided to call him Timotei the elf as a result. One withering look later and a warning to take it seriously, I decided against that name. I played two games in all, and in both I was surrounded with Pathfinder experts. On the one hand you get to see the variety of characters and their powers/abilities in the game, and on the other you get to witness 5 minute group arguments about rule 56, subsection 28b on the distance you can walk whilst wearing dwarven boots that have a 2inch heel in a light drizzle. You also get some weird character class combinations as they try to pick and choose their favourite abilities – I think there was a wizard/paladin/barbarian/tree surgeon in one game, but I might be mistaken (anyway, by the end of it he was a wizard/paladin/barbarian/tree surgeon/corpse, so it didn't really matter). All in all, I very much enjoyed Pathfinder, and I'll probably be playing it again next time I go.

3. Went to the Wednesday night Quiz for the first time. The DigitalMage went as the Matt Smith incarnation of the Doctor, and so I went as Amy Pond. I don't know what women moan about – took me a couple of minutes to get ready, and that included a wig! Enjoyed the quiz and the 20p charity questions (I still think Tom Hank's middle name is Adolf, and demanded an investigation to this end).

4. Played Doctor Who: Adventures Through Time and Space with the DigitalMage GMing again. Despite my initial disappointment that Davros could not be a member of UNIT and therefore I would not be allowed to play him (I think there is a serious case for disability discrimination here), had a lot of fun as usual. Lots of people with dangerous plastic implants in their chests – either it was a Dalek master plan or french PIP silicon breast implants – I think we have more reason to fear the french though personally.

5. Last game of the con for me was a game of Traveller. Incredibly easy rules and dice throws (always a big plus for me). Saved an alien, named him Dave, only for him to be killed at the end. Shame.

6. Flimsey Towers LARP. Not that many LARPs this year (I did get into Come Hel or Hiawatha as well, but poor planning on my part meant I had to fall out, mores the pity). Got to play Cecil Flimsey, a Basil Fawlty clone. Dug out an old copy of the Fawlty Towers scripts and pretty much worked out you just start off petty, vindictive, sycophantic and xenophobic, then just add increasing tinctures of madness as the night goes on, so basically played myself but smartly dressed for a change. Had a wonderful time: suffered third-degree burns & smoke inhalation, a concussion, and being arrested by the police before the hotel finally blew up. Shame Lenny Henry wasn't staying there at the time, but you can't have everything.

7. Purchases. Bought t-shirts for my daughters, and then went mad and bought the Traveller core rule book, Judge Dredd rule book, Dark Heresy rule book, Cthulhu Gloom card game and Hollowpoint. I like the look of Hollowpoint – reminds me of the old 'Ba$tard Squad' RPG I used to play.

8. Saw Paul & Fi of 'Mystery in Mind' LARP fame, who came down on the Saturday to show off their new prop – a baby. Personally I would've stuck with a plastic one from a shop, but you know how these 'serious' LARPers get when they're costuming. It must be annoying to have to put up with something that just eats, drinks, sleeps, sh*ts itself and demands attention all day long. And then there's the baby for Fiona to contend with as well.

Anyway, all in all, I had a ruddy good time and was depressed to be leaving back to the real world as usual. Massive thanks to the organisers for a wonderful con, and I hope the majority of you stay out of prison long enough to organise next years.

Be seeing you,

C.S.

[Grinnen Baeritt]

Since several of us "organisers" might be classified insane already, I expect the men in white coats to be arriving any moment now... as for the rest, well, they are smart enough to go "on the run" rather than serve time, although it seems Jules is attempting both.



p.s. Sorry for the walk...

[DigitalMage]

p.s. Sorry for the walk...

Walk? Ha, we lazy gits drove down each day

In my defence it was more due to lack of time between slots and lugging about a heavy bag of Pathfinder books that encouraged me to drive rather than a lack of energy for a walk

[gwaunquest]

The exchange between the Deaf Lady and Cecil should have been filmed it was hysterically funny.

[CharminglyShallow]

p.s. Sorry for the walk...

Not a problem - it was nice and quiet where we were. That and the fact the DigitalMage drove everywhere (he would not deign to have alcohol pass his lips, though his coke habit is a wonder to behold), it was very relaxing.

[DigitalMage]

That and the fact the DigitalMage drove everywhere (he would not deign to have alcohol pass his lips, though his coke habit is a wonder to behold), it was very relaxing.

Ah yes, the benefits of being a tea totaller