Category: Conventions

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Origins 2024 – Alpha and Omega

Posted on Keeper Doc

The horror of reality looms large on the horizon. I departed Phoenix last Sunday for a short work trip in Milwaukee before arriving at Origins on Wednesday afternoon. The plaintive cries of obligation now issue forth from my inbox that managed to seal with a protective ward (read out-of-office message) over a week ago. My time is running short to sketch an outline of my most recent journey through the halls of the Columbus Convention Center and surrounding environs. In haste, I shall not wax poetic and lengthy about these adventures but, rest assured, a good time was had and many good companions encountered. Wednesday Early check-in before noon allowed me to drop my luggage,

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Chaosium Con III: The Extended Cut

Posted on Keeper Doc

For more cogent and/or lucid recollections from Chaosium Con 2024,  please refer to the excellent accounts written by JR, Bucho, and Evan. In the words of veteran Detroit beat reporter Morrie Perlman: “It’s better to be fast than good.” With this axiom in mind, I’m trying to bang out this brief after-action report as I settle into my seat outside gate D31 of DTW’s North Terminal. I haven’t much time, but we’ll see what I can manage to recall from Chaosium Con III. Rest assured; it shall not be as long as my wandering recaps from prior conventions.   Pre-Con I spent months debating what I wanted to run. I had some Grindhouse scenarios set aside.

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Survive the Con – Origins 2023

Posted on Keeper Doc

Origins became an annual pilgrimage for me starting in 2019. It feels like a dozen lifetimes have passed since my friend Augur and I enjoyed an assortment of games. Some standouts included Survive the Night’s “Carnage at Camp Ojibwe” with its creator Brian Crenshaw and the now classic Call of Cthulhu con scenario “The Shooting Party” with Matt French. These were the days of yore in the Rogue Cthulhu era, pre-COVID, back before I gave in to the Keeper’s compulsion…back when I actually went to cons and played games. My experiences with conventions and gaming have evolved substantially over the last several years, and this trip to Origins nicely encapsulates those shifts.  Though I wish

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Chaosium Con II: Totally Mad(Re)cap

Posted on Keeper Doc

Disclaimer: Advance apologies. I wrote this on a 9-hour flight after four amazing, sleep-deprived days in the company of mind-blowingly fantastic people.  Thanks to anyone correcting my errors. Last year, even with the pains of COVID and minor first event hiccups, Chaosium Con stood out as my spring highlight. I anxiously awaited the announcement of the sequel. In the meantime, I resolved to spend just a little less time at the gaming table, attend the auction, hit some of the great panels, and slowly peruse the vendor hall next time. The moment the dates dropped, I had my schedule blocked, the vacation requests in, and spousal approval pending review.  As the convention schedule rolled out,

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Necronomicon 2022 – Attendee Highlights

Posted on Keeper Doc

We sent out a call to other NecronomiCon attendees and received some responses that really captured the spirit of the experience and community at large. This is a small, but incredibly representative collection of highlights. Even though we are but insignificant specks in a vast, uncaring cosmos at the mercy of the outer gods, it’s really good to hang out and see people again.   Dave Sokoll: My name is David, I’m 43 years old, and this was my first convention, ever. Providence is my hometown, so it was easy for me to be there. My mom also lives here, and she watched my 4-year-old son during the Con. I wanted to do something nice for

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We are Providence – Necronomicon 2022 Recap

Posted on Keeper Doc

“There is Providence, quaint and lordly on its seven hills over the blue harbour, with terraces of green leading up to steeples and citadels of living antiquity…”  The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by H.P. Lovecraft In 2021, the world continued to suffer from a pitiless contagion while the stars above spun out of alignment leading to the cancellation of the fifth Necronomicon in Providence, Rhode Island. While veteran attendees lamented breaking the odd-year cycle, they happily flocked to Lovecraft’s beloved hometown for the international festival of weird fiction, art, and academia once more this year as it ran from August 18th through 21st. For us at Prospero House, this was our first sojourn to the

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Unspeakably Good – Recapping ChaosiumCon 2022

Posted on Keeper Doc

I learned of the inaugural ChaosiumCon at GenCon in September 2021 and anxiously awaited the official date for months. This would be the first official Chaosium convention and held auspiciously during the company’s 40th anniversary year. The fact that this historic convention would be held in the Ann Arbor area further fired our enthusiasm since we live nearby in the Detroit metroplex. We looked forward to running and playing games just down the road from our house and meeting Chaosium fans from near and far. The week approaching April 8 ran exceptionally slow. Final preparations and home games helped distract us until the day before the convention.    Thursday, Day 0 But we couldn’t hold

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