Tuesday, April 26, 2011

UPCON 2011, awesome here we come.

So the long adventure is drawing to a close. And by that I mean we're about to hit the longest stretch. With just under 2 weeks to go I'm starting to become a hermit, and by that I mean running around and yelling, actually politely speaking, to many many people.

The fact that UPCON is happening this year is actually close to a miracle, since there have been a substantial list of problems Old blog post on UPCON problems but in the end we managed to sort most of the problems out. Keeping in mind that post was back from January, so would be correct in assuming that at least a few more bugs came around for squashing.

So now all that is left to do is pull off an awesome con, and some stuff along the way.

Now I'll blather about some people who deserve more praise than can ever be said.

Firstly Herman and Shaun, our MTG and Wargaming reps respectively. These guys have been organising some massive stuff. We are hosting the Magic pre-lease at UPCON so that adds a lot to the Magic organisation. And this year we have had the largest registration for WH40K, ever! So big that we will in all likelihood have to find a larger venue for next years UPCON.

Marie for her continual tracking of module writers for the con, oh ye module blurbs here.

Grant for his continual support of gaming, UPCON, and general geek culture in South Africa. Ashley our treasurer for running around and pricing everything, as well as doing our shopping and making sure we have what we need.

Gordon and Mellisa, for their continual help and support of crazy ideas and help in keeping the TKV running.

Last but not least is Dina, she is very much the life blood of UPCON, if we renamed it to DinaCON I don't think anyone who has worked with the con for the past decade or so would mind. She has always come through and helped pulling us out of the dark and making sure the con happens, and happens correctly. This is especially so this year with the bugs that we have encountered.

And those who I surely have not forgotten, our dedicated and new UPCON goers. They, and very potentially YOU, are the reason we run around like loons, go prematurely grey, and various other weird and horrid things that happen to us. It is all for them and we think they rock.

To those who have and do contribute to UPCON, but have been omitted, from this post I offer my sincere apologies. But if you get in contact with me I shall make sure you are included when I do my next post about the con.

Thank You :)

UPCON 2011 RP Blurbs

Ok so here are the Blurbs for UPCON 2011. Please excuse them being on my blog, UPCON has kept me substantially busy to set up a proper website for the TKV. Also these are not all the blurbs, module writers are fickle, and untimely, creatures. But we love them :3

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The Reef City:
By DD Mullany

Sometimes fools rush in where Angels fear to tread. This is perhaps more true than you would like to admit, adrift in time, thousands of years in the Past. The one benefit of this whole situation is that you now know why it is that you have never been able to detect any sign of your comrade Math Cuchen, these last five years. Somehow, he has been stranded in aeons past for all this time.

Still, his existence all these thousands of years before your present day is sending out ripples in the time/space realm and all of you must return before these very ripples become disastrous for the future that is your own. As it is, all of the warnings from the Agents of the Veil of Time that has sent you on this journey have been dire indeed.

But your Bard is a slippery customer and someone that falls foul of all manner of chance. Finding him is one thing, getting all of you back safely might be another thing entirely… Still, all of you are inventive, successful and experienced adventurers, what could possibly go wrong? A Greyhawk Module written for 3.x D&D Fantasy rules, using a modified D20 lite system for ease of play, for 4 or 5 experienced players of TPL 80.


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The Veil of Time:
By DD Mullany

It has been a slow year in Dullstrand, the stark dusty hills and valleys soaking in the light rains that now seems something to depend on. The winds have dropped their relentless year-round onslaught and people are busy being… people.

Into this season of pleasant surprises, It seems nothing could spoil it for anyone… except something has. An old friend of yours, one Arlan Verba has come forth with a fairly remarkable tale, one so impossible as to be unbelievable. While you have often suspected Arlan Verba of being someone’s spy, all you have known up until now about this delicate subject is that Alan has never denied this.

So, not only does Arlan Verba drop a bombshell on you by finally revealing who he does report to, he also asks for assistance on a very private diplomatic matter, one which affects all of you and the whole of Dullstrand. After hearing what it is, never mind the Dullstrand Diplomats… this is personal!

The 4 or 5 experienced level PC’s will play in the Greyhawk World using a modified T20 system for D&D V3.x with a TPL of 70.


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Ses van die Bestes 3 – Slag van Kuduvlei
Date/Time:
System: Pokethulhu (D12)
Players: 5 - 6
Author: Jacques “Gork” de Jager

Thanks to the heroic actions of the Ses van die Bestes the world is safe once more! Now three years have passed since the end of the EGO wars. Mega corporations and governments have joined forces to battle the effects of the nuclear fallout that is ravaging the planet. Also new superheroes are being trained to thwart any new super villains and to prevent all out war from happening again!

But deep beneath the surface of the world slumbers a great evil and a mysterious group of people are moving in the shadows to awaken it. Only one man has discovered the truth of what is going to happen... And how to use the Ses van die Bestes for his own diabolical schemes. Will the Ses van die Bestes prevail once more? Find out in this exciting episode of Ses van die Bestes!


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Complex 8472

By Gregg

System: Gamaworld 4E

Blurb:

Life’s been hard enough since the great disaster. No one knows exactly how or why it happened, but reality fractured, suddenly overlapping thousands of parallel universes all onto one. The result was “messy” to say the least, but you’ve been eking a living off what little talents you have had since the change. Now, to make matters worse, some nutcase in a giantrobot showed up and scooped you into his servo claw, cackling manically whilst ranting about some grand master design. Oh well, it could be worse. At least he hasn’t shoved you in some bizarre underground facility with five other mutants…


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 A sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises

By Leslie Longman

“Blessed Celestial Hierophant, the power of Kiamast has swept away the shroud of Kasdual over the Valley of Narguz and the Eye of our Divine Master Surastrid can and has now revealed to us what transpired there.”
“Yes, Watcher?”
“Narguz perverted the usual Midsummer ritual and virtually all the people of the Valley died to fuel his ascent to godhood. Narguz has been removed from this plane by Kiamast and adventurers have slain Kasdual’s servant, the lich Lirgan, whose phylactery seems to have been destroyed. But there are some survivors who are being held by other worshippers of Kasdual for some fell purpose.”

“They must be rescued! It is only the second night after Midsummer and all six moons have waned little from their fullness. Alert the temple’s Brethren of the Moons and send them to Hadruun immediately.”
“As you command, Celestial Hierophant.”

A D&D 4ed module for six player characters (paragon tier).


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It Takes One to Gnoll One.

by Rodney Sloan

It just takes one bad element to move into the village and the whole vale goes to the gnolls!

The sleepy town of Willowton never gets visitors, and they like it that way. So when a family move in from out of town and livestock starts disappearing, it doesn't take much of Mrs Lottie's rumor mongering to raise suspicions that the new comers are in fact gnolls. That begs the question... what the dark is a gnoll?

Play the part of would-be-heroes in a town where nothing ever happens, and then suddenly decides to. A slightly quirkier Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition game for one GM and 6 not so serious players.