Michigan's U-Con Starts One Week From Today!

We're now one week away from U-Con Gaming Convention to be held November 20 - 22 in frosty Ypsilanti, Michigan. I enjoyed myself so much last year, that I decided to return to run (and play) in several games. Although I won't be manning a Goblinoid Games / Pacesetter LTD booth in the dealer's hall, Roy Snyder has graciously offered to carry the entire game line in his booth at the convention! So be sure to stop by the Goodman Games/Troll Lord Games/Out Of Print Games and Books booth and toss some gold pieces in Roy's direction!

This year, I'm planning on running several games, as well as participating in the OSR Track as a special guest. I'm all about the "old-school" gaming this year, so be sure to sign up for any one of these amazing events referred by (or attended by) yours truly!

Friday, 9 a.m.
Stuper Powers!: “Apocalypse...NOW?!”
Doctor Dredd and his evil team of villains have taken over Washington DC! They plan to start World War III unless your team of "D-list" heroes are able to stop them. Will your ability to "Induce Slight Headaches" and "Turn Things Plaid" be enough to thwart Armageddon? (Nah...probably not...)

Friday, 1 p.m.
Ghostbusters: “Ragnarok-A-Bye Baby”
Judgment Day may be at hand!  In the center of all the chaos and destruction, one place seems untouched – The Wee Tots Nursery School. Could this be the Antichrist’s day care center? The Ghostbusters are mobilized to save the world (and perhaps change a diaper or two)!

Friday, 6 p.m.
OSR Discussion Panel: Old School City Scapes Roundtable Panel
Come gather round and take part in a round table style panel with the OSR Track's Guest of Honor Bill Webb (Frog God Games), Industry Insider Jim Wampler (Goodman Games), our track's sponsor John Reyst (PFSRD.com), along with Tim Snider (Goblinoid Games) and Michigan's own Bill Barsh (Pacesetter Games). We will discuss cities and their importance in old school gaming from the earliest days to the OSR as it is today. Time permitting, discussion and Q&A will be allowed with the audience. Hosted by Gamers & Grognards' Ryan Thompson and RPG Podcaster Adam Muszkiewicz (Drink Spin Run). Free! 

Saturday, 9 a.m.
Mutant Future: “Thundarr the Barbarian: Warlord of the Sacred Library”
Lords of Light! Drakexx the Unstoppable has established a stronghold in the forbidden Congers Library where thousands of Ancient texts are stored. What use does a warlord have with these tomes, and what secrets does he hope to unlock? The tribal shaman of the village of Linkon has tasked Thundarr, Ookla, and Princess Ariel with stopping and driving out the mindless brute!

Saturday, 2 p.m.
Cryptworld: “Wasted”
It's a raucous Saturday night at "Sweet Oblivion," the roadhouse on the outskirts of town. But this night of revelry will turn to horror when Death stops in for a nightcap. Can you survive The Night of The Living Dead (Drunk)?

And, as always, I'll be live-blogging from the convention, so stay tuned next week for observations, news, and you-are-there coverage from Michigan's U-Con!

What Am I Running At Con On The Cob / U-Con This Year?

The fall con season is upon us, and two of my favorite conventions are just around the corner. Ohio's Con on the Cob will be held October 15-18 at its new digs in Brecksville. And Michigan's U-Con Gaming Convention will be held November 20-22 in Ypsilanti. If you're in the area for either of these great gatherings, make plans NOW to attend.

At Con on the Cob, the Goblinoid Games/Pacesetter LTD vendor's booth will once again be present, offering up the complete line of games and supplements for Labyrinth Lord, Mutant Future, Starships & Spacemen, as well as Timemaster, Majus, Rotworld, and Cryptworld. (And there's a good chance the new Cryptworld supplement Monsters Macabre will be available for purchase too!)

As for the games I'll be running at the convention, lots of horror is on the docket!

Cryptworld: “Condition Critical”
Dr. Howard Eastman has called a press conference at his remote research facility to announce a medical breakthrough that will “eradicate human illness and suffering forever.” But what if the cure proves to be worse than the disease?

Cryptworld: “Unquenchable”
Three days ago, a group of hunters failed to return from their annual deer hunt near Akron, Ohio. Your team of expert trackers and investigators have been brought in to assist in the search. But there seems to be an undercurrent of unease amongst the police who whisper of a disturbing discovery they’ve made. Is there something sinister lurking in the forest?
 
Chill-Black Morn Manor boardgame
Something is loose in Black Morn Manor. Your team of envoys has been dispatched to investigate and (if possible) drive off the unseen evil. Will you succeed, or will you be converted into yet another minion for the creature? Come play this classic Pacesetter boardgame from 1985!

And a month later, I'll be running a bunch of games for U-Con's OSR track, including the following:

Mutant Future: “Thundarr the Barbarian: Warlord of the Sacred Library”
Lords of Light! Drakexx the Unstoppable has established a stronghold in the forbidden Congers Library where thousands of Ancient texts are stored. What use does a warlord have with these tomes, and what secrets does he hope to unlock? The tribal shaman of the village of Linkon has tasked Thundarr, Ookla, and Princess Ariel with stopping and driving out the mindless brute!

Stuper Powers!: “Apocalypse...NOW?!”
Doctor Dredd and his evil team of villains have taken over Washington DC! They plan to start World War III unless your team of "D-list" heroes are able to stop them. Will your ability to "Induce Slight Headaches" and "Turn Things Plaid" be enough to thwart Armageddon? (Nah...probably not...)

Ghostbusters: “Ragnarok-A-Bye Baby”
Judgment Day may be at hand!  In the center of all the chaos and destruction, one place seems untouched – The Wee Tots Nursery School. Could this be the Antichrist’s day care center? The Ghostbusters are mobilized to save the world (and perhaps change a diaper or two)!

Cryptworld: “Wasted”
It's a raucous Saturday night at "Sweet Oblivion," the roadhouse on the outskirts of town. But this night of revelry will turn to horror when Death stops in for a nightcap. Can you survive The Night of The Living Dead (Drunk)?

Stop by and say "Hey" if you're at either of these events!

"Ragnarok-A-Bye Baby" For Ghostbusters Now Available For Download

As this post goes live, I'm running a group of players through a new adventure for the original Ghostbusters RPG by West End Games. If you'd like to run it for your own home group, here it is available for download. (I even included 8 pre-gens for your use!) Enjoy, and let me know if your players were able to stop The End of the World!

Mutants, Monsters, Time Travellers, And Ghosts Coming To Iowa's Gamicon Omega Next Month

In 30 days, the 2015 convention season officially starts for Your Friendly Neighborhood Sniderman! First stop of the year -- Gamicon Omega in Iowa!

Gamicon Omega will be held February 20-22 in Iowa City, IA, at the Downtown Sheraton Hotel. This year's event is the 24th for the longest-running Iowa gaming convention, featuring RPGs, card games, board games,an auction, cosplay, dealer's hall, game library, and more! Dan Proctor of Goblinoid Games / Pacesetter and fantasy artist Tyler Walpole are this year's guests of honor at the event.

Yours Truly will be co-manning the GG booth as well as running numerous games at the convention, so be sure to stop by and sign up! Here's what I have planned:

Postage Due: Timemaster
An undelivered letter in mid-1800 America has thrown the timeline into chaos. What does this single piece of correspondence contain that makes it so critical to future events? Time Corps agents will be dispatched to the point of incursion to ensure the mail goes through!

Condition Critical: Cryptworld
Dr. Howard Eastman has called a press conference at his remote research facility to announce a medical breakthrough that will “eradicate human illness and suffering forever.” But what if the cure proves to be worse than the disease? 

Weed World: Mutant Future
Within the last month, the growth of all forms of vegetation has visibly accelerated, threatening to overrun and choke off your tiny post-apocalyptic village. Does an Ancient children’s bedtime story of “The Devil’s Greenhouse” and the mutated plantlife lurking within hold the key to surviving this floral horror?

Ragnarok-A-Bye Baby: Ghostbusters
Judgment Day may be at hand!  In the center of all the chaos and destruction, one place seems untouched – The Wee Tots Nursery School. Could this be the Antichrist’s day care center? The Ghostbusters are mobilized to save the world (and perhaps change a diaper or two)!

And Dan will be running Mind Masters of Zeta Herculis for Starships and Spacemen 2E as well!

As always, I'll be live-blogging from the event so be sure to stay tuned to The Savage AfterWorld next month for daily "you are there" missives from Gamicon Omega! (And if you're nearby, stop by and toss some dice with us!)

Paranormal Investigations, Underwater Explorations, And Lost Colony Ship Adventures Await!

As we end November and enter the Christmas holiday season, I thought I'd take a moment and point out two nifty Mutant Future supplements that have been brought to my attention as well as an incredible Open D6 game that lets you play paranormal investigators and eliminators like you might find in a previous "frightfully cheerful roleplaying game".

Paranormal Investigators & Exterminators (PIE) -- Ghosts, demons, old gods, and other paranormal entities have been appearing across the world for nearly 30 years. One group staved of the tide for a long time, but as the threat of ghosts and goblins, spectres and spooks overwhelm the planet, they needed help...they needed to franchise! You and your crew are new franchisees of the Paranormal Investigators & Exterminators (PIE), and your job is to capture Paranormal Entities (PE) and make a tidy profit in doing so. A homage to a frighteningly scary roleplaying game, Paranormal Investigators & Exterminators was developed for the Mini-Six roleplaying game system and features new and alternate rules in its lean 12 pages. Also included: Alternate and New Rules and Equipment! Two mini-adventures set in the PIE universe! Three pre-generated Characters so you can jump right in! Five blank character cards if you want to make your own characters! And three paper-minis created and designed by Frank Turfler!

Wisdom From the Wastelands Issue 47: Underwater Rules -- Water covers over 70 percent of Earth’s surface, so it is likely that many adventures will take the occasional aquatic turn. This could happen in the wilds, on the open ocean, or down in inky subterranean depths. Mid-exploration, an evil game master might even open the water valves in an underground tunnel or inundate some ruins below a destroyed dam. A naive player could believe the worst thing about a water encounter is getting wet, or maybe that something large, toothy, and cold-blooded might try to take a friendly little nibble. But any watery environment is an extremely hostile place: the hazards are many and varied, and death can lurk within the most placid of pools. To enhance adventures on the water or below the surface, this issue introduces a plethora of new Mutant Future rules, ranging from water-damaged equipment, to deep-diving pressure, to the ever-present danger of drowning. Just be warned, your players may never go swimming again!

Cave of the Cybersteed -- In the quiet and unsuspecting village of Ek-Wyne, the residents go about their daily and mundane tasks, not realizing that a terror from above has come to call. One by one, the frightened mutant inhabitants disappear in a flash of light. Will those who remain pick up the pieces and carry on, or will they seek out and discover who or what is behind this sinister act? Enter the Cave of the Cybersteed! This is a Mutant Future "Lost Colony Ship" adventure for 4 to 6 players.

PIE and Wisdom are both around $1.00. Cybersteed will run you $6.00 as of this posting.

Replacment Ghostbusters RPG Cards, Ghost Die Available At Nerdy Show

 The Nerdy Show Ghostbusters Roleplaying Hub has announced the release of newly released equipment cards and laser-etched Ghost Die for use with the classic West End RPG "Ghostbusters!" The cards come is a sweet tuckbox that looks like the containment unit too! This nifty little package features new art on the cards, as well as new equipment featured in GBII and the animated series. (And the Ghost Die is impossible to find, and the etching ensures the face will never wear off). The cards and die in the GB Starter Kit are $10 plus shipping.

And for $20, you can get a Franchise Kit that includes the above as well as more dice, Ghostbusters character cards, and an official Ghostbusters Franchise Owner's Certificate! (And if you have trouble finding the game to play, Nerdy Show has that covered too.) Everything you need to run your own paranormal investigations and eliminations games!

WE'RE READY TO BELIEVE YOU

Sneak Peek At Sniderman's 2014 Convention Game Offerings

I'm getting my events lined up for the 2014 convention season. Here's what's on the docket this year:

The Scourge From Beyond Infinity
Dungeon Crawl Classics
The natural flow of time is running amok across the lands, causing every living thing to spontaneously deteriorate, wither, and die of old age. Even the PCs can feel the icy grip of time sapping their youth and vitality. Immune from the ravages of aging, Hyzelsia the Eternal approaches the group for assistance in dealing with this threat. Is the danger magical or natural…or both?

Three Hours ‘Til Armageddon
Villains & Vigilantes
Twenty-four hours ago, a madman promised to detonate a hidden anti-matter device in Washington D.C. unless his demands were met. The city has been evacuated, and the Guardians superteam has been summoned. In three hours, the nation’s capitol will be reduced to rubble. Can your team locate and neutralize the threat in time? (Note to players: This game will be played in REAL TIME.)

Tangled Threads
Cryptworld
In 1901, the gold-mining boomtown of Weaver, Arizona, was suddenly abandoned by its citizens after a series of unexplained disappearances, and the town was left to crumble in the desert sands. Recently, however, tourists are flocking to the former ghost town, which has been revitalized as a historical attraction. Is history about to repeat itself?

Seen Through Dead Man’s Eyes
All For Me Grog
Avast, ye scurvy hounds! You’ve been summoned before the cap’n of The Midnight Vulture who has need of your particular “talents.” He knows the whereabouts of a vast treasure that he’s willin’ to share with ye, but it’ll take The Dead Man’s Eyes to reveal its final restin’ place. The cap’n’s waitin’ in his quarters to parlay about this task. And bring a shovel, mates!

Ragnarok-a-bye Baby
Ghostbusters
Judgment Day may be at hand! Violent earthquakes have been shaking the area, and an eclipse of the sun has lasted far longer than normal. In the center of all of this chaos and destruction, one place seems untouched – The Wee Tots Nursery School. Could this be the Antichrist’s day care center? The Ghostbusters are mobilized to save the world (and perhaps change a diaper or two)!

Thundarr the Barbarian: “The Wizards’ Graveyard”
Mutant Future
Demon dogs! The evil wizard Thraxx has discovered an Ancient weapon that will allow him to destroy The Cleaved Lands! Thundarr, Ookla, and Princess Ariel must journey to the legendary “Wizard’s Graveyard” where the key to his downfall is said to lie! Lords of Light!

RIP "Egon Spengler" AKA Harold Ramis

Sad news today as actor/director Harold Ramis passed away at the age of 69. His body of comedic work is legendary: directing/writing Caddyshack, Groundhog Day, National Lampoon's Vacation and appearing in many movies including Stripes...and one other famous film role....

In my eyes, he will always be remembered as brainiac parapsychologist Egon Spengler from Ghostbusters. And Mr. Ramis' photo actually appears on the cover of one of my favorite RPGs of all time.

Thanks for the laughs, Mr. Ramis.