Crypt Openers Storm the Mighty Towering Inferno of Death at Gary Con VII

This is the debut of C-N-C at Gary Con.  There were no trumpets, flower petals or limos.

 

I knew being an unknown would sharply reduce my chances of filling up seats for my adventure.  However, my experience from the day before was comforting as people would scramble on the hour to find a chair before the music stopped.

 

 

I was very surprised when I met my friend Donn (AKA the "Filth") who drove down from an undisclosed location to play.  My game was scheduled to run at 1:00 pm on table 22 in the predominately miniatures room.  At 12:30 table 22 was still choked with a massive model of a castle.  It turned out, putting this beast away would take up an hour, so it was time for "plan B".  I accosted one of the friendly G-Con representatives who found me an open table....in the VIP room.

 

 

I knew this could spell doom for my adventure...I had one person sign up online and I had the Filth, but two players a proper adventure do not make.  They suggested playing two personas each, but well I basically said no.  Being in the VIP room would mean not being exposed to the traffic flow that would allow me to snare a poor sucker(s) to play, so it was time to improvise.  the "Filth" bribed the Bard to sing songs titled "Table seven needs players" and I grabbed the green Players Needed sign and went foraging.  I found one player in the restaurant, another sitting in the hall.  Four bodies....that's all I needed.

 

 

 

And so...here we all are.  Near the fire place is "Gary's" table, to the right J. Ward is running a "Girls Only" game.  (Is that genius or...?).  The "Filth" sits to my immediate left playing Boom Boom the Lohg Yogi-Rabbi.  In black, is my player (who signed up online) Mark playing an Arcanist named Klee Va Va Klee.  The woman next to him is Kathryn, playing Grognarr, a Slashmonger.  On my right is Kevin, playing Jool Smoothbore a Welf Sneak.  (I like how C-N-C) makes my spell checker light up like a summer storm).

 

 

My adventure was profusely embellished with top notch illustrations, like this.  Here you can see the Missive Monks of Murkey.  I went to art school, can you tell?

 

 

Here is an action shot of the adventure.  Not sure what is going on...  I do recall being asked at some point if I had ever drunk my own sweat....

 

 

Another fantastic image from the game, this is a "Teleportal".

 

 

I think the Crypt Openers are reading the Inferno Rhyme to see what this particular room is all about (....shhhh.....I think it's DEATH).  Can you believe, at one point I thought I would be overloaded with 8 players?

 

 

Successful and meritorious completion of the TIoD garners this certificate.  Many thanks to those who played....I know I had a great time, indications were that everyone else did as well!  Hope to see all 4 of you next year.....

 

(Note, the TIoD adventure module will be digitized and added to Swag Product soon....)

 

Do Not Mock the Mock-up: Gary Con VII

Here I will summarize my Gary Con experience:

The road to Gary Con was fraught with possible danger...and......Cheese.

I did stop to go "wee" at some point on highway 50.  Fortunately I did not have any coins on hand...perhaps if I had...well then I could have fallen victim to "Try all 4". 

 

 

I was welcomed by this sign.  (Why is there a dot inside the O?  A confused half-umlaut, perhaps?)

 

I have never attended before.  Literally, as soon as I had my badge, Bruce (the DM in red) asked me to join his game.  We  fought a bunch of lizard guys.  Isn't wearing a red shirt asking for trouble?   Thank you, Bruce! 

 

 

Here are some of the menu options. Obviously, the fruit is fake, bringing organic matter such as this for consumption to a game convention would be utter madness.  The real consumables are shown wrapped in protective plastic.

 

I played Metamorphosis Alpha that evening....we were given this really cool map.  There was a snafu, however.  The GM started an hour early, so when the real players showed, I got bumped.

Gary's typewriter made an appearance.  Well, if you look closely it reads "...used a portable Royal typewriter like this one..."  The Smokes might be his.

Detail of the Parker Bros rejection letter for "Dungeon".  Although, it's not technically a rejection, it talks about how they are just too busy and can't look at anything.  It's a pre-rejection letter.

In the men's restroom Star Wars "Muzak" was been played through speakers above the urinals.  I did not check to see if the urinal cakes had Disney logos on them.

At 8am on Saturday, I joined this group to play D&D 3.5.  I had fun.  Reading all the complex rules was a little like having a spike slowly pushed through my head.

This was downstairs in the miniatures room.  Typical of the event.  The day was billed as "Hawaiian Shirt Day".

 

Another Hawaiian shirt.  Or is it Fez day?  I forget.

 

 

And finally, your Basement Leader mocking a mock-up of Sheldon while a mock Roman centurion looks on.  Looking forward to next year! 

 

A review of the Towering Inferno of Death will follow.  Stay tuned.

 

Preparation for Gary Con:

Gary Con Presents: The Towering Inferno of Death!

So...are you pithy?

Is that a pick up line, or what?  The dreaded day(s) fast approach.  This teaser is meant to entice you to sign up and play Crypts-N-Creepies, a FRP that no one has heard of.  It's Ok, my feeling isn't hurt.  Unfortunately, It is not an "all girls" event (what's up with that?) but I welcome boys, gals, and everything in between.  I dare you to unleash your inner girl, or boy or whatever.  The event is designed for all types of players, from the most advanced to the freshly minted. Your doom:

 

Here be the Inferno Rhyme:

(as related by the one legged barbarian)

Ahem:

Way worse than Chernobyl be the Towering Inferno

Suck up yer last breath and welcome death

Discover the twisted spire in a pit of fyre!

Journey forthwith, if only you have (burp) pith!

Arr say I!  Charred you will become like a caviar filled czar!

Get your asbestos shirty and greet the Monks of Murkey

Unless your an aviator you'll need the skillet elevator

Down into the slag pit there be swag.....

But heed this disclamer, watch for flamers!

Next you'll find a gimmick that's lectric

then fiery twins, guess their names to quench their flame

Next, these warriors are part of Her Majesty's few, place them in the right queue

I do swore...goodies galore....I shall say no more!

Almost at the endy is EmBeeArrEm, there is almost no defendy

To win the final score grasp the football of Gor!

To find it after the fight....(burp) well...choose right!

Look to the bright side, if you live, you live, or not and be fried!

Here be the 8 Crypt Openers that will be available for play.  First come first serve.  Anyone who signs up should (read as won't) read/become familiar with the rules (under SWAG).  Or not.  Whatever.  If you have any questions....contact your local Basement Leader.

Towering Inferno of Death at Gary Con VII

It's official (until they figure it out), Crypts-N-Creepies is "Legit".  For four long hours on Saturday, March 28th, at 1pm - 5pm up to 8 hale cheaters of death will attempt to survive the flaming spire of doom!  I will be the man behind the curtain, assuming I am not apprehended at the border.  I invite you all, verily I dare you to best me in a deadly game of frivolous banter, off-brand snack consumption and rolling the highest random numbers with platonic solids!  No one is my Master!  Arrrrr!

Postscript: Did anyone notice that the old pic said "The Towering Inefrno of Death"?  Goes to show that you (all 3) are either 1) not on the ball, 2) distracted by anything orange, synthetic and powdery and 3) are indeed siwne.

Crypt Lord Nugget #3: Look Into The Eyes Of Tom Baker........

Last night I watched the Golden Voyage of Sinbad.  It opens with them at sea.  A mysterious winged creature hovers above the ship.  One guy says it's a "seagull", even though it's black, leathery and has bat wings.  (There is one in every crew).   Somebody shoots an arrow and it drops a golden goodie onto the deck.  Another crewman says "it's cursed", but Sinbad quickly picks it up and beholds a vision of a sorceress and beautiful girl with (a badly) painted eye on her palm.  Sinbad immediately tells the crew they are going to solve the riddle of this mystery.  All this in the first 4 minutes!  Quickly enough they meet the evil Koura, a man in a golden mask, a lazy boy and slave girl. 

Oh yes!  Sinbad never thinks to check for traps, he just moves forward through the door...sword in hand.  He catches up to Koura in a temple lit by colored lights and challenges him.  Koura throws his sword to Shiva, who sprouts a sword in each hand and attacks in Koura's place.  There is no explanation....Sinbad hurls himself into the fight even though it is pretty clear he has no idea just how he will defeat such a formidable foe.  Bravo!  The hungry maw of doom widens!  GO!

Crypt lord Nugget #2: Rope Bridges

When creating an adventure, think rope bridge.  Sure, every setting needs a plethora of mundane junk, hallways, blood encrusted idols, caves, anterooms, doors and moldering tapestries.  This basic stuff is the spongie yellow material that is the cakey part of every Twinkie.  Does anyone care if the oak in your doors comes from the Zillbilly forest in upper Gretchenstien?  Nope.  They are here to ride the Swartzpunk double ferris wheel hanging from the bottom of cloud city.  Or ride on the back of the giant Shai Halood into battle against 12,000 Dhark Omens.  Or rocket line into the flaming battlements of the Iron Towering Inferno (of death).  I call these rope bridges.  They are areas of concentric wowmania.  They are fantastical and can be manipulated by the players for exponential excitement.  Like that rope bridge scene in that movie.  What idiot cuts the rope?  (Answer, the one across from you with their hand in the bowl of Funyuns).