Con Report: Day One

I got up at 5am to get an early start for the con.  When I woke up I felt horrible.  I'll save the gory details.  I head out at 6:30am.  It's a two hours drive there so that would give me a little time to get the layout of the place.

I got lost.  My Google map said to travel north on 8 for 3.1 miles.  That was a typo.  It was supposed to read 31 miles.  I asked for direction twice which got me lost even more.  I ended going back to the PA border and trying it again because when I looked at the map I saw the problem.  Found the Clarion fairly easy, but finding the entrance took a little time also.  It's a good sized place and the entrance is in the back. 

I was supposed to participate in a Dungeon World game at 9am.  I didn't get in until 9:45am.  I went to the table and they were well into what they were doing so I passed.  I thought I could check into my room and rest a little before the 1pm Savage World game.  I felt lousy.

Went to the desk and this kinda short guy who looks like he should have been an extra on the Godfather talked on the phone for about 10 to 15 minutes (I know this because there is a giant clock behind the counter).  He hung up, ignored me and as I tried to address him the phone rang again and he picked up the phone again...

I'm already feeling sick.  Now I'm sick and getting pissed.  Finally he gets off the phone and acknowledges my existence.  I ask if I can check into my room.  He said no.  Not until 4pm.  It was like 10:15am.  So decide I'll go to the vendor room and check it out.  Not open.  They have a restaurant in the hotel.  I ask them how long are they serving breakfast for, they said 11am.  I was getting very hungry, but wanted lunch instead.    So I come back at 11am thinking that's when lunch would start....nope.  Restaurant closes for lunch. 

So a lot of miscues on my part and not feeling well amplified everything.  So I found a comfortable chair in the lobby, put on my headphone (they had godawful daytime TV on) and worked in my book to pass the time. 

Finally, it hits around 12:45 so I decide to find my Savage World game.  +Jeffrey Rees GMed.  I was the only SW newb.  Jeff explained the system and then I had help from another play, I can't remember his name currently.  It was a lot of fun.  Jeff runs a good game.  He is cruel and vicious.  Fantastic traits in a GM.  He also used some game mechanics I liked a lot.  We were going through the Caves of Chaos, but it wasn't the Chaos Caves we grew up with.  So even if you know the adventure by rote, it didn't matter.  Fun game.  I'm glad I got to play with an experienced group, it helped me understand it better and you could tell they really loved the system.  I've got the rulebook, now I just need to take the time to read it. 

After the game I got to meet imredave from the Forgotten Runes blog.  He got all Manored up.  Unfortunately I was fading pretty bad at that point and didn't have a lot left in me.

After the game I signed up for a game design seminar.  But all I wanted to do was check in and rest.  Plus, I was starving and the restaurant was open.  I got to my room and it was very nice.  cranked the AC because I was hot from a fever.  I resisted laying down.  I'd eaten at 5:30am and now it was 5:30pm.  Went to the restaurant got a burger.  Met two of the managers of the hotel and they gave me the low down on things.  Both were very nice.

Being a glutton for punishment, instead f going back to my room I hit the vendors market.  Some very cool artwork, most of it was too cartoonish for my taste, but done very well.   One guy had statuettes, loved the alien baby statuette.  Kinda wishing I'd gotten it now.

I then got to meet +Chris Bard for the first time.  We've been playing together via internet for months and known him longer through blogging.  We BSed for a while about gaming.  

That's where the first day of the con ended.  Many mistakes on my part.  Being sick.  Being late.  But, still got in some gaming.  Met some good guys and managed to have fun.