Howie's Speakeasy - "Come on in"

[Inferno]

Thanks Dads. Appreciate the thorough reply. Sounds amazing!
Were you there for 3 days?
How was the vendor room?

Hopefully the suspense won't kill you. As to what other stuff may, I can't say.

[DadsAngry]

Yes Frank unleashed The Wretched Swamp on us. I played Blondie the fighter and never got to use my sword once or make an attack. We managed to get past the "elephants", pass the next couple of obstacles to make to the Devil's Forest and to the center of the swamp where we ran out of time.

Were you there for 3 days?
How was the vendor room?

It was amazing and I encourage anyone who grew up playing in the hayday of TSR to make it out before it loses it's intimate feel.
I retold my Con experiences to my in-person players and they looked at me with blank stares because they are all children of D&D 3.5 and have never heard of anyone I mentioned or the games I played.
The Con started officially Thursday with scheduled games but I arrived late Wednesday night and there were already pick-up games going on. The con ended Sunday and I flew home the next day. So I was there for 5 days.

There were a lot of Vendors. Frank, Tim, and James Ward had a booth sell their Eldritch Enterprises materials. Goodman Games had a lot DCC, MA, and Judge's Guild stuff and T-shirts that are only available at Cons. Castles and Crusades had a booth with great deals. Lesser Gnome, and several other OSR companies were present with product. We had two used books vendors. One had every D&D module (or it seemed like it) and multiple copies all at fair market price with room to negotiate. The second had a wild collection of other materials and as the bins got low more stuff was added. I picked up the Top Secret booklets that came in the original box in almost new condition for $20. I shamelessly got it signed by Merle Rasmussen, Diesel, Jeff Dee, Allen Hammack, Erol Otus, & Darlene. Larry Elmore had a booth set up where he was selling poster size prints. Jeff Dee was selling his products. Doug Kovacs had a booth where he was selling prints and original artwork. Lloyd Metcalf had a booth and was selling some great stuff. I bought a set of greeting card sized adventures from him. His idea was instead of sending someone a boring birthday card send them a adventure card. The Con had two auctions. The first was filled with high ticket items like an original white box. The prices were two high for me so I didn't watch. The second auction was the midnight auction which was filled with the bottom of the barrel stuff but great funny odd items or pieces to make things whole. Prices started a $1 and didn't break your wallet. The midnight auction got a much larger audience and it proved to be an event in itself.

One thing I forgot to mention is that the whole Con was streamed online. They had web camera's all around covering special events like the auctions and some games I played in. I'm glad that my wife didn't know because I'm sure I would have gotten a call on my cell as I approached the dealer section.

[Inferno]

Thanks again! I'll have to try to attend next year!

[SocraticLawyer]

Harold Matthers
OOC: Quick question for Socratic Lawyer. Is Reg's plan 1) to go straight for the one at the bar and go over the bar to get him or 2) is it to go around the end of the bar and come up at him that way?

Reg's plan is to jump over the bar and get whomever is back there. I want to avoid a Mexican standoff type situation with the guy in the booth; it never ends well. Plus, based on the shouts we heard, we really are pinned down and potentially sitting ducks from our current position.

Also, Baines is about to head to the basement by himself, and I don't want anybody going down there alone. I think this plan gets Reg and Harold to the basement quickly.

[Grognardsw]

To clarify, as Regimald and Harold can see it, Isaiah was with Baines. They went left upon entering, and Garrett Holmes/Re/Harold right through the right side music rooms. Technically you won't see Baines go in the basement, though it is safe to assume he did so since you don't see them around.

[thesniperknight1]

Don't worry, Baines has a gun and he is not afraid to use it

[SocraticLawyer]

Don't worry, Baines has a gun and he is not afraid to use it

Exactly my point. Having a gun and using it against the enemies we face is not always a wise strategy, particularly when the party has split up the way we have.

[SocraticLawyer]

To clarify, as Regimald and Harold can see it, Isaiah was with Baines. They went left upon entering, and Garrett Holmes/Re/Harold right through the right side music rooms. Technically you won't see Baines go in the basement, though it is safe to assume he did so since you don't see them around.

I don't think this changes Reg's actions, unless it is clear that the patron in the booth can get a shot off before Reg makes it over the bar. Hopefully Agent Holmes can give Harold and Reg enough cover to make it there in time.

[thesniperknight1]

Don't worry, Baines has a gun and he is not afraid to use it

Exactly my point. Having a gun and using it against the enemies we face is not always a wise strategy, particularly when the party has split up the way we have.

But the huge guy is running away, he might destroy sme evidence that will lead us to the cult or find an alternate escape route that we didn't know about.

[Grognardsw]

Tense moments in Providence and Turkey!


I saw this ad in a business magazine. It carried very different connotations for me.

[SocraticLawyer]

But the huge guy is running away, he might destroy sme evidence that will lead us to the cult or find an alternate escape route that we didn't know about.

Of course he's running away, we're raiding the club. That doesn't mean it's a good idea to confront him one-on-one. He might be destroying evidence, true. He might also be leading us/you into a trap. He might be doing any number of things. The question is how to minimize risk while investigating.

Either he's part of the cult or he isn't. If he is, you don't want to confront him alone. If he isn't, we don't care about him. Either way, exploring the basement alone is far riskier than exploring with other investigators and a band of redshirts NPC BOI agents.

That's why Reg wants to meet up down there ASAP, with backup.

[thesniperknight1]

Alright then, I will try to slow down a little bit at least, even though Baines is a little bit anxious about catching the guy and possibly find Carcosa

[Grognardsw]

We shouldn't use player-only knowledge to effect character decisions. If Baines is truly motivated to rush, he'd do so. He doesn't know where Reginald is at the moment so they can't time things. If they meet up they can of course coordinate.

[SocraticLawyer]

We shouldn't use player-only knowledge to effect character decisions. If Baines is truly motivated to rush, he'd do so. He doesn't know where Reginald is at the moment so they can't time things. If they meet up they can of course coordinate.

My bad, we should have discussed this IC before the raid. Sorry!

[thesniperknight1]

sorry then, Baines is way too motivated not to rush to the basement, I will edit my post if that is alright with you Grognard

[Fulci]

Super busy, will answer tomorrow
Sorry!

[Grognardsw]

Thesniperknight1 will be returning to play as another character (a former NPC), to be revealed...

Agent Baines death is doubtless troubling, particularly the ramifications of why he did what he did... something the investigators and BOI will ponder after the raid...

[DadsAngry]

My condolence on your loss Thesniperknight1.

[Inferno]

Sorry, Sniperknight.

[Fulci]

Sorry for killing your character... But it was either Baines or Isaiah, and he was not ready to die yet!

Thesniperknight1 will be returning to play as another character (a former NPC), to be revealed...

Are we taking bets?

My money's on Agent Holmes, or *gasp* CARCOSA!

Agent Baines death is doubtless troubling, particularly the ramifications of why he did what he did... something the investigators and BOI will ponder after the raid...

Yes. This is true to Lovecraft's style, in some sense - the truth might never reveal itself.