Beer & Pretzels XV
Town Hall, Burton-0n-Trent, Staffordshire, UK.
Saturday 15th until 16th May 2004.
This is a delightful, friendly games day organised by Phil from Spirit = Games also based in Burton. See:
Held in Burton=92s Town Hall, which is a two-minute walk from the train =
station, it is a small convention with a nice relaxing and laid-back =
attitude; there=92s no rushing about and no one shouting for you to get =
into games which is a welcome change. Although there are several =
role-playing games going on it caters for mainly card and board games as =
it has a large library of games that you can help yourself to and play =
for free during the convention. =20
We had arrived slightly later than we intended and the registration desk =
told us that we had a few people already waiting to play HeroQuest so we =
quickly set up a table on the stage and put out our notices and book =
displays. After grabbing some pints [arrrh, fine Burton ale!] and =
speaking to follow MiB Eric Ridley briefly about his progress with his =
games, we got a game together.
I decided to run my now infamous =91Dark Heart of the Dragon Lands=92 =
first as it always goes down well. The players that were waiting to =
play were: a long-time RuneQuest and Gloranthaphile, his girlfriend who =
hadn=92t played a role-playing game before and was a little nervous, and =
a twelve-year old boy who was full of enthusiasm. Mick joined in as =
another player to make up the numbers. They chose their characters well =
as each seemed to fit with what they wanted to play. The game went well =
although it took me longer than usual to draw the players out of their =
shells and get them committed to their characters and the action. They =
were suitably confused and mystified by the plot but in the end each =
player was suggesting different possible consequences of their actions =
in the scenario. It was the first time that the players have actually =
ran away from the Fort instead of confronting the opposition at the very =
end and I have ran this scenario eight times before. =20
The game lasted longer as well as it went over five hours so by the end =
of it I was a little tired so we just chilled in the bar for the rest of =
the evening catching up with some old acquaintances, playing some board =
games and then returning home late Saturday evening. =20
The Sunday went just as well. The three previous players from the =
Saturday game joined in again as they had enjoyed it and I had two more =
people wanting to play. One was an earlier acquaintance from other cons =
and demo games we had run and he had brought along his friend. I also =
had the opportunity to get my girlfriend to try and participate in the =
game as she would feel better and less intimidated playing with =
strangers. =20
I ran =91Dark Fall=92 this time, as it is a good clan game that gets the =
players involved in sorting out certain circumstances in Orlanthi =
society. It also allows them to participate in inter-clan raiding and =
some military manoeuvres with extensive magic use. They also get scared =
silly when they discover they are trapped in a crypt with a sealed metal =
coffin at sunset!
Everyone seemed to enjoy it and they were more confident in play. This =
time the game=92s pace was a little quicker so it only lasted just over =
four hours and I did get everyone involved in the scenario.
At the end I gave out the prizes, =91Glorantha Visions=92 for everyone =
who played, =91Glorantha: Introduction to the HeroWars=92 to the two =
newcomers, and =91Wyrms Footprints=92 to the player who contributed most =
to the game and helped his fellow players.
Cheers,
DARRAN SIMS
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End of Glorantha Digest
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