"Virtual" Gary Con Day 1: Chicken-On-A-Rope And A Paladin Who Fights Dirty

 

My first true day of Virtual Gary Con is coming to a close, and I gotta say, I'm having a blast. I ran my first two online games ever for 9 folks and had as much fun as if I were at a physical table gaming with them. I must say, this online gaming thing might catch on!

As usual with these little convention-related posts, I'll share what I've seen and done to give you a feel for what's going on each day. Although I'm basically in one room, the con runs globally, so there's lots to discuss! Here we go:

• Because it's Saturday, it's traditionally Hawaiian shirt day at Gary Con. So I pulled on my treasured Dogs Playing Poker shirt and settled in to start the day. Sadly, it's very humid in Ohio today and wearing my 100% polyester shirt was like wearing a plastic garbage bag. I was sweating like a dog (ha! pun!) in moments, so I switched into my GC GM shirt for the day's events.
• Well I've tested the system as much as I can, and I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Time to put my online game GMing ability to the test. And here we go...
• I had 5 players join me for FORSOOTH!, my comedy-fantasy RPG at 10 a.m. Highlights included: the bard riding around in a bus-like carriage painted to look like The Partridge Family bus; a hobbit thief who successfully disguised himself as a 6-foot-tall guard ("A wizard shrunk me..."); a druid who swung into a cavern, landed with a superhero landing, and wacked a giant spider with surprise; a magic-user who changed into a centaur so he could be his own mount; and a paladin whose "go-to" combat maneuver was to kick people in the crotch. (All combatants would then complain how that was truly uncalled for.) At the end, they defeated Baron Von Bludstayne and flew off with his dragon mount. Huzzah! Zounds! FORSOOTH! It was a fine game! Thanks for playing Skyler, Ryan, Jacob, James, and Michael!
• After lunch, I had an hour to kill before my next game, so I wandered into the GM's Lounge (the TV nearby) to watch some Dungeons and Dragons cartoons on the big screen. Later tonight, the GM's Lounge will feature Krull!
• I had 4 folks ready to face the perils in "The Desk in Room 8-10", my Mutant Crawl Classics adventure (to be released on DCC Day in May)! A team of Seekers made up of Bjorn, Wendy, Kenneth, and Isaiah ventured into the Terran jungle only to find themselves trapped in a microscopic world! Among many "you gotta be KIDDING me" were Bjorn killing a giant scorpion by using a live chicken on a rope as a bolo (he said he was gonna, and damned if he didn't) and the team actually stopping a horde of ravenous carnivorous insects using only a roll of Scotch Tape. Yes, REALLY, that how they won! It was an amazing game with a group of amazing players. Thanks for the fun, gang!
• Finally, to end the night, I stopped by the DCC Saturday Night Social where folks from across the country (and a few in the UK) were drinkin' drinks, swappin' stories, and tellin' jokes. It was a great way to unwind, blow off some steam, and meet some folks socially. Typically after a long day at Gary Con, it's nice to meet in the hotel lounge or at a local watering hole and throw back a few. This was a fine substitute, and thanks to Jen Brinkman for setting it up for everyone!

And here are a few shots I took during the day:

Even when at home, be sure to wear your ID for Gary Con!

One bonus for this year's con....I can wear my comfy Bigfoot slippers while I game!

Wearing my Dogs Playing Poker Hawaiian shirt as is tradition for Saturday's Gary Con!

FORSOOTH! in progress! Huzzah!

The Dungeons and Dragons cartoon is playing in the GM's Lounge!

Four MCC players find themselves trapped in the microscopic peril of The Desk in Room 8-10!

Play in my games, get some awesome swag!

The DCC Social Mixer had folks across the country and around the globe stopping by for drinks and general camaraderie!

And my Gary Con XII shirts are ready to wear tomorrow on the final day of Virtual Gary Con!