Two Robs, a Jim and a Pirate Stamp : A mini Con

Rob and I went to a convention last weekend. Well, it was more like an organized game day. Four bucks at the door, a room full of tables begging to be used, and many interesting games I’d only heard of. This was the first con I’d gone to in over 15 years.

Initially, I went to check out the vendors and drop off a couple of things to Rob. I’d brought my wife to experience the gaming culture . To see who Rob and I write for and to see it in action. When we got there they put a big red pirate stamp on the back of our hands. She didn’t like that. The vendors turned out to be just one, Jim. I spoke with Jim for a while and he told me he ran a gaming store years ago and decided to try it again. The stores that have gaming products don’t have anyone who knows anything about gaming. Jim is a gamer. When Jim heard Rob was in the business he planned on ordering a few copies of Points of Light so Rob could do a presentation at his shop. I spent double my budget for the show (good thing my wife was distracted by the pirate stamp).

Rob playing a WWI dog fighting game with fantastic model planes glued to antennas. Next to them was a group playing a card game I’d never heard of. Of course there was a group in the corner with their 5000 War Hammer miniatures with a very cool set up of a burned out city block. And I believe I did see a Magic the Gathering duel.

Then there was a table with a guy sitting behind a well-used 3.5 DM screen. The DM, another Rob, invited me to join his game. At first I declined, but after talking to him I found something I’d lost for a while, the excitement of a face-to-face game. After scrounging for a few spare dice and borrowing a pencil I played a half-orc fighter that turned out to be a blast. Rob played a cleric and spouted out his blessings with vigor and a little too much spit at times.

After sticking around three hours longer than I planned and spending more money than I expected, I left tired, broke and psyched. And if that wasn’t enough I had a stack of new gaming products to read. Life is good.