Tenkar's Tavern

Sunday, June 4, 2023

NTRPG Con - Its a Wrap!

It's pretty much a wrap here at NTRPG Con. All that is left is the final goodbyes, to be said at the hotel bar in a few, after a few drinks and then heading off to bed. We need to catch the 7 am shuttle to the airport in the morning.

To say NTRPG Con was amazing this year would be an understatement. It broke attendance records - 517 attendees if I recall correctly - and more first-timers than I can ever remember.

A reoccurring note from the new attendees? Even for first-timers, NTRPG Con is like being with family. The environment is relaxed, the people are welcoming, the OSR vibe is strong as hell, and the weekend went by way too fast. Isn't that always the way.

As an aside, I met well over a dozen attendees that told me not only was this their first time at NTRPG Con, but that they learned about the con due to The Tavern's YouTube Channel. Now THAT is a good use of one's influence ;)

If I have one regret, it's that I didn't get pics with all of the people I wish I had. James Raggi and Courtney Campbell are at the top of my "missed pics list", but there are others. Still, I got some quality time in with both, so my complaints are minimal. Heh!

So glad I finally caught up with Kelsey Dionne of ShadowDark fame and fortune today, after a weekend of the two of us constantly missing each other. Just as awesome in person as she is online, if not more so. Her wife is pretty cool too! Look for more ShadowDark coverage on the blog and the YouTube Channel, and hopefully a return of Kelsey for another Talking Crit Live. There is simply so much for us to talk about.

Got to meet Aaron Koelman face-to-face for the first time. Simply an amazing man. I truly appreciate everything this community has done to support Aaron and his family in these difficult times. We connect on many levels, and for that, I consider myself blessed.

Alright, time for a mini-photo dump:

Saturday, June 3, 2023

NTRPG Con Day 3 - Top Secret With Merle Rasmussen

This morning at 8 AM, Rach and I played in a Top Secret: New World Order session with Merle Rasmussen. Too early to normally be awake and fed, but worth it to play with Mr. Top Secret himself.

Our team was sent to recover a nuclear bomb lost in the Aussie Outback over 60 years ago, a Broken Arrow mission. Needless to say, we went off script in unexpected directions as a group, but Merle handled us well.

As is usual with Merle, Legos were involved ;)

Afterward, there was a Small Publishers seminar by Zach Glazar and Skeeter Green. Well done and informative.

Did I mention Steve Marsh and I caught up after the seminar? Note, the pic is from earlier in the con ;)

Next up - Awards & Auction

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DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern. You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar

Friday, June 2, 2023

NTRPG Con - MCC Did a Job on Me, Now I am a Real Mutie!

Today is Day 2 of NTRPG Con, and it started early for us. There was a podcaster breakfast at 7 am (ungodly time if you ask me), but we made it by around 730. Great bunch of folks and always great to get some Facetime in with other casters in the community.

After breakfast, Rach and I napped until our noon MCC RPG session - Hail Ceaser Salad! run by Ian McGarty. It was an extremely entertaining and fun funnel. Funnels work well as convention sessions - character death becomes part of the fun.

We had well over a dozen character deaths among the players - Rach and I only had one death each time for (pure luck), but others burned through their sheets and had to grab a second ;)

We have another livestream tonight!

https://youtube.com/live/ZtuSIRdZGQg?feature=share

Why "Swords & Wizardry?"

Believe me when I say I have them all in dead tree format. I have OSRIC in full size, trade paperback and the Player's Guide. I have LL and the AEC (and somewhere OEC, but I can't find it at the moment). Obviously I have Basic Fantasy RPG. Actually, I have the whole available line in print. Way too much Castles & Crusades. We all know my love for the DCC RPG. I even have Dark Dungeons in print, the Delving Deeper boxed set, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. BOTH editions of LotFP's Weird Fantasy and some dead tree copies of the Greyhawk Grognards Adventures Dark & Deep

I am so deep in the OSR when I come up for breath it's for the OSR's cousin, Tunnels & Trolls

So, out of all that, why Swords & Wizardry? Why, when I have been running a AD&D 1e / OSRIC campaign in Rappan Athuk am I using Swords & Wizardry and it's variant, Crypts & Things, for the second campaign? (Actually, now running a S&W Complete campaign, soon to be with multiple groups)

Because the shit works.

It's easy for lapsed gamers to pick up and feel like they haven't lost a step. I can house rule it and it doesn't break. It plays so close to the AD&D of my youth and college years (S&W Complete especially) that it continually surprises me. Just much less rules hopping than I remember. (my God but I can run it nearly without the book)

I grab and pick and steal from just about all OSR and Original resources. They seem to fit into S&W with little fuss. It may be the same with LL and the rest, but for me the ease of use fit's my expectations with S&W.

Even the single saving throw. That took me longer to adjust to, but even that seems like a natural to me now. Don't ask me why, it just does. Maybe it's the simplicity of it. At 45 52, simplicity and flexibility while remaining true to the feel of the original is an OSR hat trick for me ;)

Swords & Wizardry Light - Forum

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