Britcon 2005

Britcon 2005 is a get together for UK RPGnetters In Birmingham on Saturday 6th August, 2005. This page is a resource for setting out details of the event and helping with collaborative planning.

(I realise it's a bit on the edge of the stated purpose of the wiki. If people disagree with the inclusion of pages of this type, please say so in the attached discussion area. I hope, though, that it can stay up till the event.)

About the event

Being held on Saturday August 6th 2005 1pm-Late

at

The Tap and Spile Inn,

10-16 Gas St

Birmingham

B1 2JT

The Tap and Spile is an oddly old-fashioned English pub - odd because it's only a couple of years old and its nearest neighbours are the ultra new bars of Broad Street. It is an oasis of tranquillity and charm, however, amidst those temples of yuppiedom and its extensive range of real ales, cider and cheerful grub make it well worth a look. It ranges over three floors and must have about six or seven separate rooms, all of which have a quaintly cosy feel. An ideal spot in which to relax and watch canal life drift by.

There will be a fully stocked bar with bottled beers, real ales, draughts, spirits and liquours and plenty of soft drinks and food is availabile for order until 10pm. The management of the pub have asked for attendees to please not bring your own food to the venue. They have a full snack and meal menu at incredibly reasonable prices (most expensive meal on their menu is their mixed grill which is £5.95).

Children are welcome but must be restricted to the private function room at all times.

The room itself has an old-world charm yet offers beautiful views over the recently refurbished Gas Street Canal Basin which now forms the very heart of the restored and flourishing canals of Birmingham.

If you require specific directions to the venue then email me at jona.mod@gmail.com

Depending on attendee numbers there will be a small fee to cover the room hire (the total cost for the room is £100 so I am expecting a fee of £5 (or less depending on numbers) to cover it).

Directions

Don't forget your dice!

Programme

1300 - Doors open officially (although I will be there from midday-ish setting the room up - anyone want to come and help you're more than welcome).

1300 - 1400: Meet and greet.

1400 - 1700: Gaming slot 1

1700 - 1800: Interval period (food can be ordered).

1800 - 2100: Gaming slot 2

2100 - 2200: Interval period (food unavailable at this time for order).

2200 - 0100: Gaming slot 3.

0100 - Close: Farewells, hugs, and the exchange of telephone numbers (except for me who will tidy the room up).

All times approx. I've shoved in the intervals to allow for over-running or even early starting. The three hour slots are the core period but if you want it to be four hours for your session then just ask to start it half an hour earlier and end half an hour later.

What games are running?

If you're providing a game, please give it a paragraph below. Useful information to include is whether it's an offer to run or a definite go, and when it's running if that's known (please arrange these in the right time order).

Not confirmed yet

• Blue Planet - JonA

If you don't know what this game is about then you never will. (Somewhat gritty/realistic frontier sci-fi on a waterworld colonised by humans. - User-friendly Tim) This is a tentative offer to run a BP game either in Slot 1 or 2.

Slot 1 (1400-1700)

• Call of Cthulhu: The Saddleworth Beast - 3rd Level Fighter

It is the year of our Lord 1593.

A group of travellers are making their way across the Pennines from Lancashire into the County of York when ill weather forces them to stay the night in a coaching inn. Thus, these poor unfortunates begin a nightmare descent into violence, madness and horror.

A BRP Call of Cthulhu scenario for up to eight players. Pre-generated characters will be provided.

Players who have expressed an interest thus far are:

Bubbles, Drexel, Elbast, Fer, General_Tangent, JackT, Lee Williams and Son of Kirk.

As you can see, I'm running it twice, so if there are clashes with another game hopefully I can accommodate you. If you have a preference as to which session you wish to play in, if you could let me know? Thanks!

• D02: A Chaptastic Adventure - Aoibhill

There really isn't much to say about this one beyond that it will know no limit. Any number of players taken, but all players will need to have a pencil with rubber and at least 2 coins they are not planning to spend. This is a relatively freeform system and character generation will take place at the beginning of the timeslot.

• Great Ork Gods - Mr Jack

Great Ork Gods is a riotous game of savage and chaotic Orks and the gods that hate them. Character creation takes less than ten minutes (if that!) and the rules are real simple so we should be able to crack straight on to the pillaging and burning! There might even be a sneak preview of the long-rumoured finished version.

Slot 2 (1800-2100)

• SLA Industries - JonA

A game of dark violence in an nightmarish urban city known as Mort. A place that for 900 years as been building higher and higher and pushing the older parts of the city into decay and down under ground. From the gleaming skyscrapers of Mort Central, through the high class residences of Uptown, down through the uniformly grey and depressive surburbia. Beyond the world of Downtown exists where all of societies dregs eek out an existance of desperation. Amid a world of horror, darkness, crime and violence. But under the streets of Mort lurks a darkness. From gangs of youths roaming the walkways and collapsed streets and buildings to terrorist cells planning the fall of SLA from the sewer hideouts. Not to mention the horrific mutated creatures from the Cannibal Sectors who penetrate the lowest levels of the city to feed. Monstrous creatures of a dark foul nature - Carriens, Cannibal Pigs and other foul creatures - some native to Mort. Others from worlds far beyond.

The players are "Operatives" (piece workers) for SLA Industries. A Big Brother-esque megacorporation that controls everything. Or at least that's what they tell everyone. Mr Slayer runs the show and has done for 900 years. He tells you he will provide for you if you serve him well. Your job is to serve and protect SLA Industries by rooting out traitors, subversives, criminals and those that Slayer wants silenced. Don't ask questions though. You wouldn't understand the answer anyway. Just do your job, do it well and you will be rewarded. Fail and you will disappear.

And of course your aim is to make money and acheive fame - by appearing on SLA's 1001 TV channels, to opiate of the whole society of Mort and Slayer's World of Progress (the universe).

Ascendance – Wraith Raider (Kick Murder)

Elbast – Human (Scout)

Son of Kirk - Stormer (Death)

Fer – Chargin (Strike)

Yermum - Shaktar (Kick Murder)

Chris (my friend) – Brain Waster (Death)

Bubbles – Undecided

One extra empty slot available.

Available character options:

HUMANS (nuff sed)

FROTHER Frothers, an offshoot of the human race - they destroy themselves with drugs but live for the moment.

EBON Ebons, a race who can use the Power of the Ebb to heal, to protect, to change. The use of Ebb seems magical to humans.

BRAIN WASTER Brain Wasters, a race who are an offshoot of the Ebon race - they destroy, tarnish, kill. They are the dark side of the Ebon race. Also use the Ebb although merely for it's more destructive properties.

WRAITH RAIDER Wraith Raiders, a race of cat-like hunters from an ice world. They have fur all over their bodies as a reaction to their homeworld but when on MORT they need cooling suits to keep them cold.

SHAKTAR Shaktars, a race of warriors who are extremely honourable - to the point of dying rather being dishonourable.

STORMER Stormers, a bio-genetic race produced by KARMA Laboratories, a department of SLA Industries. The strongest race yet the least intelligent, they have inbuilt loyalty to SLA (sub-classes of Stomer are - Xenos (chameleon ability), Vevaphons (shapeshift ability) and Chagrins (super strong - super stupid).

As for careers - it's based on your chosen Training Packages (only choose one).

Scout, Investigation & Interrogation, Business & Finance, Kick Murder (assassins), Deathsquad (combat specialist), Medical, Technician, Pilot, Strike (basic infantry) and Media.

As you can see the game is rather combat orientated, violent and nasty.

As for the adventure itself? It's called The Beckoning Darkness... and that's all I'll tell you.

• Warhammer: Arrows of Outrageous Fortune - Whymme

Being experienced bowmen, you have gathered at the monastery of Saint Lucas for the bi-annual archery tournament. The weather is fine, the ale tastes good and all is going well until you find the body ...

A WFRP II game for about four players. Pre-generated characters in their second or third careers will be provided. This game might move to the second slot, if that fits better. You can register at the day, I'm not accepting earlier registrations.

Warning: this game has been played before, at TimCon 1, at Easter last year. If you played this scenario back then, you might not want to do so again. I might not let you, anyway. I will probably run the same scenario a week later, at ConSternation, and, if I'm not tired of it by then, at KaasCon as well.

• Call of Cthulhu: The Saddleworth Beast - 3rd Level Fighter

It is the year of our Lord 1593.

A group of travellers are making their way across the Pennines from Lancashire into the County of York when ill weather forces them to stay the night in a coaching inn. Thus, these poor unfortunates begin a nightmare descent into violence, madness and horror.

A BRP Call of Cthulhu scenario for up to eight players. Pre-generated characters will be provided.

Players who have expressed an interest thus far are:

Bubbles, Drexel, Elbast, Fer, General_Tangent, JackT, Lee Williams and Son of Kirk.

As you can see, I'm running it twice, so if there are clashes with another game hopefully I can accommodate you. If you have a preference as to which session you wish to play in, if you could let me know? Thanks!

Slot 3 (2200-0100)

• D02: A Chaptastic Adventure - Aoibhill

There really isn't much to say about this one beyond that it will know no limit. Any number of players taken, but all players will need to have a pencil with rubber and at least 2 coins they are not planning to spend. This is a relatively freeform system and character generation will take place at the beginning of the timeslot.