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Honored Attendees:
If there are any other honored attendees you would like to see attend, please email me. Thanks Tami Hotel Info:
The Cove is holding a block of 10 rooms under the name of
"Troll Lord Games".
Winter’s Dark
A Lake Geneva Gaming Convention
Article: Convention Blog
NOTE: This article is an abridged version of an article written for the Crusader Journal, for a new column called the Convention Blog. In each instance that a sentence begins with "Insert" a paragraph has been removed or edited for online blog. For the full article be sure to go to you local retail shop and pick up a copy of Crusader Journal.
The Winter Dark Convention
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
January 20-21
Insert brief history of why TLG did Winter Dark . . . .
At the urging of Gary Gygax we decided to do a second convention (after LGGC) in Lake Geneva, a Winter Con. So I talked to Gary a bit and then contacted our convention coordinators Tami and Fred Key to get the show rolling. I wanted it in January/February and Tami landed us a date at the Cove for January 20-21. We would run the show short for this first year, since I gave everyone such short notice (this was like October) on Saturday and half day on Sunday.
I booked my flight on Soutwest for Midway in Chicago and planned, renting a car, meeting Joe Goodman from Goodman Games for lunch and heading up to the show.
Insert alleged criminal action in the state of Illinois . . . .
I got directions and headed for the highway. I thought better of my directions and decided to head due north on some misbegotten Illinois highway as I knew Lake Geneva was somewhere, sort of right above me on the globe. I drove the straight shot north for awhile until the highway ended in Fox Lake, Illinois and I had to take a left or right. I figured a left would be a good way and headed out. Soon the highway merged with highway 12 and I crossed the Wisconsin state line in a light snow. I stopped and gave the Gygax's a call to make sure I was pointed in the right direction and they informed me that I was 10 minutes out and just south of the house. So off I went.
I enjoyed a pleasant afternoon with Gary and Gail. It's rare that I get to talk to either of them without a small collection of fans near Gary, so it was nice to be able to talk about various projects we are working on without interruption. We also discussed politics, the war (and America's seeming indifference to winning it no matter what it takes) and other various and sundries. Gail had whipped up some delicious roast pork, bread and potatoes and I ate my fill (the Gygax's and Chenault's get along for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is their love of beer and meat is equal to if not greater than our own).
I woke up that Friday, knowing that I had to get my car back to shy town and somehow get myself back up to Lake Geneva. I often do this. Plan poorly for trips, that is. I then headed over to the Gygax's to chat and hang out before my drive. Gary and I talked politics more than anything and that only ended when Ernie Gygax called and told me he would be in Kenosha within the hour to pick me up. I told him I hadn't left Lake Geneva yet and he got a great laugh out of that as did Gary and Gail when I told them I was going to make it to Midway in an hour.
Confused travel arrangements that include a trip back to Chicago, a bus trip, bar and food . . . .
Gail and I got back to the house about 3 p.m. about the time Tami and Fred were beginning set up, since they waived off my interfering hand, I settled in for a bit of a chat with Gary. I made a run for some more drink, stopped off at the hall to see how things were going. Tami and Fred had the place looking good and with promises to bring the ice (which Gail had specifically made me promise to get) I headed back. Of course I showed up with no ice and Gail frowned at me and then Tami and Fred showed up with no ice and the reliability of the Trolls was once again proven! Mike Stewart and Liz showed up and Ben Fialkow (who with Fred eventually got the ice), Elise, Bill and few others. We all settled in for a great meal of stewed meats and some other stuff that might be organic but I thought more of a distraction to all the fine meats Gail had cooked up for us. We all chatted and had a good time until about 10 or there abouts when Gary retired and we headed out.
Bill and I went over to Fat Cats where Ernie joined us with his dog. We sat around to the wee hours chatting and laughing and having a good time as I always do at Fat Cats. Somewhere in the wee hours we followed Ernie home and watched some movies. He was just getting going as his work schedule keeps him up at nights but Bill and I were pretty comatose so we trundled off to the house.
I have no real memory of how I got to Gary's the next morning, or over to the show. Probably Fred picked me up, or Bill dropped me off. At any rate I showed up about 10 in the a.m. and the show had already kicked off. Folks were gaming and others were arriving. I joined Gary, Frank Mentzer and Jim Ward at a table and we shortly set up a game of Ticket to Ride Europe. I tried to get clever and lost, but did have the pleasure to see these stately gentlemen needle and jab each other for several hours. It was great and I had a birds eye view into what it was probably a very competitive time back in the 1970s and 1980s. These guys love to game and they love to win and they love to rile each other up. And it shows. It was great. I think Frank won, but can't remember, all I know is that I lost.
Insert show turn out and observation . . . .
My C&C game was moved back to 2 and then to 4 and I at last sat down with a bunch of folks to run a game of Castles & Crusades. The whole point of the game was to run a show in the world of Winter Dark, before the overthrow of the horned one. I put them in the Gelderland, on the doorstep of the Troll Lords domains. Their target was to go to the Castle of XX and retrieve the magical XX. Brian Miller and his daughter joined us as did Mike and Liz and some other folks. The game was a riot. After some quick set up and role playing they plunged into the wilderness with a halfling guide. They were soon accosted by some ogres who Brian blasted to smithereens with a variety of spells. The ogres were actually an advance scouting party for two troll lords who they encountered, one at a time, shortly thereafter. The battle was hard fought and filled with some surprising descriptions (the troll lords are horribly fat creatures, with jowls that hang the lengths of their chests and pencil thin legs, they stink, are hairy, and covered in their own filth). Brian, not wanting for courage, charged the first troll lord and gained the ground before his comrades did. He had an AC of 12, 5 hitpoints and no spells. He had only one magical item that he hoped would bind the troll. He won initiative and cast the item and missed. The troll lord proceeded to grab him with his mittens, lift him off the ground and tear his character into two pieces, upending his kicking lower torso and pour his entrails into his mouth. Brian died, but his mangled corpse provided such a distraction for the hungry troll that Mike and Brian's daughter pounded the creature to death in short order. The game went to ground after that as I had mistakenly let Brian's daughter have a magical mace that turned her evil and she attacked Liz and all hell broke loose. The game ended on a bit of silly note, but was a fun game nonetheless. I hope that the constant laughter and relaxed table means that few will forget the description of those trolls and Brian's unfortunate demise.
Insert Dinner with Tami . . . .
When we returned, most of the games had wound down. A few brave souls still gamed on, but as most of the honored attendees had long drives to make they had headed home. The weather was promising snow and cold and folks needed to get where they are going. I have to say, if I have not said this before, that it is really nice of Gary Gygax, Ernie Gygax, Frank Mentzer, Tom Wham, Jim Ward and Chris Clark to take time out of their busy schedules to support these little shows. It means a lot to us and of course their fans and it something they do out of kindness. So, my hats off to you gentleman! We chatted for awhile and then retired to Fat Cats to meet up with Ernie.
Insert keen observation about Winter, D&D Cartoon and youth . . . .
Insert wonderful breakfast served up by my more than wonderful hosts Elise and Bill.
We gamed some more (another Ticket to Ride where Tom joined and began to correct us on our misplaying the rules LOL, that lead to many great comments) and I think a Jim Ward victory. We had a better then expected turn out and folks seemed to have a good time so when break down began at 2 p.m. we were all satisfied. I was hitching a ride with Tami and Fred and we left out to Gary's at about 2:30, just after the super bowl game between the Bears and Patriots began. Gary is a bears fan so watch out! Gail treated us to some chili and brew and we ate and relaxed before hitting the road. But soon thereafter Fred and Tami carted me home in a very comfortable pickup truck and we came in about 5 in a.m. after an uneventful and relaxing ride.
(Tami and Fred are the unsung heroes of these little cons as they do all the work with little direction from me or Davis or any of the trolls for that matter).
Though the show had a small turn out, I was very pleased. We almost made a little money, and that means with only a little effort we could turn it around and make it even more fun. I had a great time and enjoyed the company of the old TSR crew tremendously. And Lake Geneva is a friendly town, with great food and beautiful weather (whether snow or sun) and one should make the trek for that if for no other reason. This convention, much like its sister con LGGC, is the way I think conventions should be. Lots of gaming with good friends in an easy environment.
Hope to see you at LGGC III in June (we have bathrooms now!)
Steve
2-27-07
Important Dates:
Please have your schedule of games you'd like to run to me by Dec. 30, 2007
Pre-registration: Now till Con
$20.00
Con Hours:
Saturday 8:00 am to 2 a.m.
Sunday 8:00 am to 2:00 pm
Important Number:
Tami Key - Con. Coordinator
479-243-0350
tamitroll at yahoo.com
Troll Lord Games
501-680-6597
Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002 Chenault & Gray, LLC, d/b/a Troll Lord Games. All Rights Reserved. Castles & Crusades, the Castles & Crusades logo are Trademakrs of Chenault & Gray, LLC. Troll Con and the Troll Con logo are trademarks of Chenault & Gray, LLC.