CAR-PGa Newsletter November 2018

CAR-PGa NEWSLETTER

Vol. 27, No. 11

An international network of researchers into all aspects of role-playing games

November 2018

David Millians, Editor

Paideia School, 1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia 30307 USA

ARTICLES

Election Results & Email Addresses

by M. Alan Thomas II

We received 1 vote on the issue of the Board's action to elect Mike Tresca as Chair. (Mine.) The board members themselves chose not to vote on the issue of their own action. The Board's action is confirmed by a vote of 1–0.

The "chair@car-pga.org" email address has been changed to direct mail to Mike. If you need to get in touch with the entire board, "board@car-pga.org" will now send to the three of them. If anyone needs to get in touch with me, I'm at "M.Alan.Thomas.II@gmail.com".

I will publish an updated membership list in next month's newsletter after I've finished cleaning it up and handing it over to Mike. If you have any updates or want to make sure that some element of your contact information is withheld from publication, please let me know by the end of the month.

Comics as Pattern for Roleplaying-Games. Part 7:

Berliner Mythen (Myths of Berlin)

Adventures in Berlin

By Cartsen Obst

Our regular readers will surely remember my article about Berlin as a setting for historical and modern RPG-adventures or -campaigns. Basically, this is a realistic background, but like in other cities many myths and urban legends are told about the German Capitol. These stories offer more exciting possibilities for Berlin-adventures or -campaigns.

From 2013 to 2015 the artist Reinhard Kleist published a series of comics in the German magazine “Zitty”, inspired by the ideas of the journalist Lutz Göllner and the lector Michael Groenewald. Under the title “Berliner Mythen” (“Myths of Berlin”) these stories told known and unknown myths about Berlin. Sometimes they are sad, sometimes funny and sometimes adventurous, but always interesting. In 2016 the Carlsen Verlag, a German publishing company for comics, compiled fifteen stories in a book with the same title.

The biography of Reinhard Kleist explains the intentions of the project. Born in 1970, he studied in Münster graphic and design, before he settled down in Berlin. Developing his own artistic style Kleist gained the reputation to be one of the best German comic artists. A good example for his works is the series “Berlinoir”, published since 2003. Structured like a political thriller it tells, how a clan of fascistic vampires rules Berlin in a parallel world. Of course, for fans of the “Vampire” RPG this series is of great value.

Kleist earned his reputation also with his comic-biographies. In 2006 he published “Cash - I See a Darkness” about the country-singer Johnny Cash, followed one year later by “Elvis” about the legendary Elvis Presley. From a journey to Cuba in 2008 Kleist returned with a number of sketches about the street life in Havana. He compiled them in the book “Havanna” (German spelling, of course), published in 2009.

Of special interest is Kleist´s comic-biography “Der Boxer” (“The Boxer”) about Harry Haft, a Polish survivor of the concentration camp Auschwitz, who was forced by the SS to fight against other inmates in deadly matches. After emigrating to the United States in 1948, Haft had a short career as a professional boxer, before he opened a store.

For his works Kleist was honored with several prices. Among other honors he won no less than three times the prestigious Max-und-Moritz-Preis, which you may describe as the German Noble Price or Oscar for comics.

Kleist´s series “Berliner Mythen” is a good source of ideas for GMs, who want to run adventures or campaigns in Berlin. Often these stories are widely unknown to the public. This allows the GM to surprise the players, even if they come from Berlin. All stories are connected by Ozan, a friendly and talkative taxi driver in Berlin, who acts mostly as the narrator by telling them to his passengers. Sometimes he also learns a new myth from his guests. This kind of narration can easily be adopted into an adventure, enabling the GM to give the players background information in an inconspicuous way.

Some of these stories I want to present in this article as examples. For personal reasons - my maternal great-grandfather was imprisoned for two years in a Nazi-concentration camp - I begin with “Rukeli”, the story about the tragic life of the boxer Johann “Rukeli” Trollmann.

Born in 1907, Trollmann was a successful boxer in the late Twenties. But his promising career ended in 1933, because he came from a Sinti-family. In Nazi Germany this disqualified him as an athlete, a citizen - and a human. Nevertheless Trollmann won on June 9th, 1933 the German championship in the light-heavyweight-class. Six days later his title was revoked by the boxing association, which the Nazis already controlled. He married in 1935, but got soon a di-vorce to protect his wife and daughter.

In the next years Trollmann worked on fairs and farms, until the Wehrmacht drafted him in World War II in spite of his “non-Aryan” ancestry. Returning in 1942 wounded from the Eastern Front, he was arrested by the Gestapo and sent to the concentration-camp Neuengamme, where the SS forced him to fight against other inmates. When he defeated a Kapo (an inmate working for the SS-guards), whom the prisoners feared for his brutality, this man murdered Trollmann in 1944. Forgotten for a long time, his title was officially restored in 2003, while in Berlin the “Johann-Trollmann-Boxcamp” honors him.

Trollmann is an example for all people whom the Nazis considered to be enemies. Under Hitler´s dictatorship everyone was a potential victim. In an adventure during the post-war-era the PCs can try to bring Trollmann´s murderer to justice, but there is also a small chance that Trollmann survived. According to one source the secret prisoner committee in Neuengame tried to transfer him with the identity of a dead inmate to another camp. In this case Trollmann used this chance for a new life after the war, perhaps even emigrating to the United States. Decades later the PCs - journalists, detectives or FBI-agents - meet an old man with an interest in boxing….

“The Case Elisabeth Kusian” was a big sensation in 1951. Kusian, a nurse well-known for her professional dedication and calm character, became notorious as the “nurse of death,” because in 1949 she murdered two people. Using faked sales ads she lured the victims into her apartment, where she strangled them with a rope. Afterwards Kusian dismembered them with surgical precision, hiding the remnants in the ruins. At that time the border between West and East Berlin was still open, and so she could do that in both parts of the city. In spite of all political differences, however, the police departments in the west and in the east cooperated, when the pieces were discovered, and so Kusian was finally arrested.

During Kusian´s trial the court learned, that she killed her victims to rob them, because she was addicted to Pervitin, a medicine based on Methamphetamine. Used by the Wehrmacht in World War II as a miracle drug to keep the soldiers awake and eager for action, civilians took it also to endure the war. While the military distributed it for free, Pervitin was available on the civilian market since 1941 only by prescription. For civilians this regulation reduced the possibility to get it. Kusian received a life sentence, passing away 1958 in prison.

This case gives a good impression of the daily life in Germany during the post-war period, when the Germans tried to get back to normality, but the remembrances of the war were omnipresent, and so many people used alcohol and drugs to overcome their bad memories. For this reason in RPGs like GURPS German PCs with a wartime background may take between 1945 and 1970 disadvantages like “Alcoholism” or “Addiction: Pervitin”. The cooperation between the police departments in West and East Berlin is also of interest. Even during the Cold War, both worked together when special cases like that of Elisabeth Kusian needed the assistance of the other side.

“The haunted Mansion” is the spooky story about a mansion in Tempelhof, a district of Berlin. When in 1813 Napoleon´s army retreated after the defeat in the Battle of Leipzig, a squad of French soldiers was ordered to bring a chest full with gold safely to Paris. During a rainy night they stayed in a house, where a discussion about the treasure begun. For months the soldiers had not been paid, and so some had the idea to take their pending pay from the chest, explaining the loss of gold with an attack of the enemy. Others pointed to their military honor and duty as well as to a potential date with Demoiselle la Guillotine, if the theft is discovered. Soon the discussion became heated. Fists flew, sabres were drawn, and in the morning there was no one alive in the house.

The bodies of the soldiers were discovered fifty years later, when the house was demolished and the mansion built on the same place. Then the ghosts of the dead men returned, frightening the new residents when they marched through the rooms, singing soldier´s songs and looking for the chest. Where is the gold now? Who took it after the death of the soldiers back in 1813? The chest with the gold was never found.

Today a welfare association uses the mansion. There are no longer any reports about ghosts, but what happens if they return? Ghostbusters, occultists, priests, and exorcists among the PCs can try in a horror RPG to research the ghosts to banish them or to put their souls to rest. In a realistic adventure the PCs may be historians or treasure hunters looking for the gold. Perhaps it is still hidden on the site or even somewhere in the mansion. How can you get it without being noticed by the people who now work there?

The story “Operation Gold” tells about a joint attempt of the CIA and the British SIS to monitor the telephone and teleprinter lines of the Red Army in the GDR. Much information about this operation is still classified, and so the opinions about the results differ. In 1953 the CIA, supported by the SIS, decided to build a tunnel from a depot of the US Air Force in West Berlin to nearby telecommunication cables in the Eastern part of the city, which the Red Army used. With a length of 450 meters passing under the border, the tunnel was finished in 1954. The CIA tapped the cables, recording from 1954 to 1956 six million hours of teleprinter communication and 40,000 hours of telephone calls.

“Berliner Mythen” follows the view that the operation was a failure, because the SIS-agent George Blake, a double-agent for the USSR, informed the KGB about the plans already in 1953. As a result, the Red Army used the lines just for routine communication, resulting in the recording of private chats or the request for several tons of toilet paper. Is this a sign of the troop strength or for a problem in the kitchen? Up to 667 analysts were busy to work on those questions. In 1956 heavy rains partly uncovered the installation, so that GDR-border guards discovered it. Now the KGB decided to stop the operation. As soon as the digging begun, the CIA retreated. The East German propaganda presented the tunnel in a media campaign to the public, complaining about “U$A-infamy” (note the communistically spelling!).

In an espionage RPG, Operation Gold can easily become the background for a long campaign. The different opinions about the events and results allow the GMs to configure them according to their own ideas. Perhaps the operation was actually a success, but the CIA and the SIS tried to cover the true effects to gain advantages against the USSR. The PCs can be CIA agents participating in the operation, journalists investigating the activities of the intelligence services, freelancing spies trying to make a profit, KGB agents fooling their US opponents or SIS agents looking for a mole in their own organization. A prefabricated section of the tunnel is today shown in Berlin´s AlliiertenMuseum (Allied Museum).

“The Escape” is the true story of a young woman from East Berlin who fell in love with a student from West Berlin after the infamous Wall was built. While he could still visit her in the east, the laws of the GDR made it impossible for her to move to the west. In spite of the fact that her father was a member of the GDR´s Central Committee and her brother worked for the dreaded Staatsicherheitsdienst (State Security Service), she disliked the communist system, so she filed the application for an exit visa, but the authorities denied her request, while her family reproached her for her anticommunist behavior.

The couple decided, that she would flee to West Berlin. This was a very serious decision, because she had to leave her family and her old life behind. Her boyfriend contacted a professional “Fluchthelfer” (literally “Escape-Helper”), a specialist in smuggling people from the GDR to the west. Hidden in a secret compartment of a car she crossed successfully the border. Reunited, the couple married finished their studies and settled down in West-Berlin, but for this luck she paid a high price, because her family broke with her. When her father died six months later, she could not attend his funeral. The story ends in a bittersweet way, when the woman, who told the story to Ozan, lays flowers on the grave.

Stories like this happened often while Germany was divided. Many people who disliked the GDR could not leave legally, so they tried to flee by hiding in cars, using forged personal papers, digging tunnels, or swimming through the Baltic Sea. These attempts were dangerous, because the security services of the GDR analyzed the escapes and developed countermeasures. Often “Fluchthelfer” tried to help. Humanitarian reasons and anti-communism motivated these specialists but also adventurousness or money. The authorities of the GDR classified them as extremely hostile, even trying to murder some of the most successful. An RPG adventure may be based on the attempt to escape from the GDR, either as citizens from the east trying to flee or as their supporters from the west. In a campaign the PCs can also be “Fluchthelfer” assisting people to leave the communist part of Germany, while they also must evade the pursuit of the Staatssicherdienst.

“The Glade of Blood” is a glade in the Grunewald, a forest in the west of Berlin. During the late 19th century it was a favorite place for weekend excursions, where families enjoyed the peaceful woods, but one glade there became known as the “glade of blood”, because here gentlemen settled questions of honor in duels. Legally dueling was forbidden, but the social conventions of that time made it nearly impossible to decline a challenge. In the story a gentleman who tries to win the favor of a lady challenges a rival for a duel with pistols. Because his opponent is unfamiliar with dueling, he must first explain him the rules.

Duels were a privilege of the nobility, commissioned officers, the higher bourgeoisie, academics, and students. As a student, the rival is worthy to be challenged. To refuse the challenge causes a social disgrace as a coward for civilians, while commissioned officers are dishonorably discharged for violating the military code of honor. So next morning the gentleman and the student meet at the “glade of blood”, where they exchange one shot - the minimum to settle a question of honor. Afterwards they are both unharmed, but the honor is restored. The student admits that he did not aim at his opponent, who tells him the same: it would have been foolish to die just because of a matter like this. Glad to be alive they leave the glade together - perhaps the beginning of a wonderful friendship.

A duel like that in the story causes interesting problems for the PCs in an adventure. They cannot refuse a challenge without serious social consequences, but if they kill an opponent, they may be prosecuted as murderers. It is a really complicated choice. During the 19th century democratic ideas caused a reversal of the previous social acceptance for dueling, while the legislators tightened the laws. Political associations even propagated the abolition of duels. Up to World War One their frequency decreased, and afterwards they were forbidden. The PCs may easily get involved in a duel either as duelists or as seconds, but they can also be members of an association that tries to abolish dueling.

The Kaufhaus des Westens (Department Store of the West) or short KaDeWe is one of the most famous department stores in Germany. Opened in 1907 it became a symbol of the successful West German commerce during the Cold War, because it was located amidst the communistic GDR. After the eunification, the KaDeWe begun to concentrate on luxury goods with the intention to attract a wealthy clientele. Thus, it was a great shock, when in 2009 three burglars committed “The real big Thing”. Successfully bypassing the tight security measures, they stole jewelry and watches worth of more than €4 million.

At the scene of crime, the police found a glove, which one of the burglars had lost. A DNA-sample led to two brothers with police records. The case seemed to be solved, but unfortunately, there was one small problem: they were identical twins. As a result, the DNA sample did not allow a perfect identification of the real burglar, because both brothers claimed that they did not commit the crime. To find a new starting point the police questioned lots of people. All answers agreed on one point: the twins are indistinguishable. As a result, the brothers had to be released. They are still free, while the loot has disappeared. Even a reward of €100000 yielded no results. Nevertheless, the police still hope that the case can be solved before it is barred.

The unsolved burglary in the KaDeWe can be used as an unusua, but interesting idea for modern RPG adventures with a criminological background. Here the PCs may be police detectives, who want to solve the case in spite of the unexpected difficulties, or insurance and private detectives trying to get back at least the loot. Of course, you can also play modern bounty hunters with an interest in the reward. In an adventure with a film noir mood, the PCs may even be criminals who want to get the loot for themselves and who wish to eliminate their rivals in a permanent way. For a price of €4 million, you can accept some risks as well as the violation of several restricting laws. The GMs can use “The real big Thing” for a very versatile plot, perhaps even as a tournament game with different but interacting groups.

Many more stories from “Berliner Mythen” could be told here as examples, like that of “Anastasia”, the woman, who claimed to be Grand Duchess Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicolas II, “The Embroidered Pillow” about the famous actress Henny Porten, whose greatest fan was the young Marlene Dietrich, or “Uncle Wiggly Wings” about Colonel Gail Halvorsen, who gave the children of West Berlin hope during the Berlin Blockade in 1948 by dropping candy from his cargo plane. All these persons took part in the history of Germany´s capitol, shaping and influencing its versatile life.

“Berliner Mythen” is a valuable source for GMs who are looking for new ideas. Kleist´s comics offer lots of possibilities for all kinds of adventures and campaigns in Berlin, may they be realistic of fantastic. If you are interested in using the German capital as a setting, then you should study the stories in this book.

Bibliography: Kleist, Reinhard; Berliner Mythen; Hamburg 2016; published by Carlsen Verlag GmbH; ISBN 978-3-551-72815-9; Price: €14,99,--

You can order the comics at this game-store:

Buchhandlung Fantasy Reich

- c/o Peter den Hoet -

Wilhelminenstraße 17

D-24103 Kiel

Germany

Telephone/Fax: [Germany] 0431/9719370 and 0431/5878658; E-Mail: info@fantasyreich.net; Homepage: www.fantasyreich.net/index.htm; Languages: German, English and Dutch

NEW MATERIAL

FROM BILL WALTON

Putnam, Jeremy (2018 October 27) Evermore: a LARP themepark, elaborately themed and filled with costumed actors. boingboing.net/2018/10/27/evermore-a-larp-themepark-el.html/amp. Exciting review of newly-opened fantasy theme park in Utah.

FROM DAVID MILLIANS

Ahmad, Mariam (2018 Oct 20) A Printable Safety Card For Your Table. www.contessa.rocks/blog/a-printable-safety-card-for-your-table. Thoughts on compassionate play at the game table and an example.

Carter, Alexandra (2011 Oct) Using Dungeons and Dragons to Integrate Curricula in an Elementary Classroom. www.researchgate.net/publication/290614869_Using_Dungeons_and_Dragons_to_Integrate_Curricula_in_an_Elementary_Classroom. Implementation of curriculum for third grade.

Coe, Darrin (2018 Jul 6) The Scholar Adventurer: Introduction. www.phdnd.org/the-scholar-adventurer/episode-1. Plans for the podcast.

Coe, Darrin (2018 Sep 27) Methodological Thinking and TRPG’s. www.phdnd.org/the-scholar-adventurer/episode-2. Overview of psychology methods.

Coe, Darrin (2018 Sep 27) Phenomenological Research and Immersion in TRPG. www.phdnd.org/the-scholar-adventurer/episode-3. Developing a phenomenological study of immersion in role playing games.

Darvasi, Paul (2018 Aug 17) Putting It in Context: Using Commercial Video Games in Education. ithrivegames.org/putting-it-in-context-using-commercial-video-games-in-education. Different games for different uses with links.

Darvasi, Paul (2018 Oct 8) Leveraging the Lore of ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ to Motivate Students to Read and Write. www.kqed.org/mindshift/51787/leveraging-the-lore-of-dungeons-and-dragons-to-motivate-students-to-read-and-write. D&D as “gateway drug to reading”.

Darvasi, Paul (2018 Oct 18) How ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ Primes Students for Interdisciplinary Learning, including STEM. www.kqed.org/mindshift/51790/how-dungeons-dragons-primes-students-for-interdisciplinary-learning-including-stem. Up-to-date overview with links.

Dellorfano, Stacy (2018 Oct 8) Building Reusable Convention Adventures Part 3: Safety Tools. www.contessa.rocks/blog/building-reusable-convention-adventures-part-3-safety-tools. Tabletop techniques for safety and inclusion.

Dellorfano, Stacy (2018 Oct 16) Gaming’s White Progressive Problem and the Diana Jones Award. www.contessa.rocks/blog/gamings-white-progressive-problem-and-the-djas. Progressivism in gaming as blindness.

Dellorfano, Stacy (2018 Oct 19) How Tales from the Loop Gave me Back my Hometown. www.contessa.rocks/blog/how-tales-from-the-loop-gave-me-back-my-hometown. Working through personal issues in game prep.

Gillespie, Lucas (2018 Oct 19) Gaming Association of Manitoba Educators - Keynote. edurealms.com/gaming-association-of-manitoba-educators-keynote. Students to heroes using World of Warcraft, Minecraft, and more.

Leach, Chris (2013 May 9) My best ICT lesson: algorithms and binary meet Dungeons and Dragons. www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/may/09/teaching-algorithms-binary-code-dungeons-and-dragons. Teaching IT topics to sixth graders.

McGrane, Clare (2018 October 28) Dungeons, dragons and diversity: How the world’s most influential RPG turned the tables on inclusion. www.geekwire.com/2018/dungeons-dragons-diversity-worlds-influential-rpg-turned-tables-inclusion. Women leaders, conventions, clubs, education, and art.

Nakamura, Yuji & Lulu Yilun Chen (2018 Oct 23) China Halts Special Approval Process for New Games. www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-24/china-said-to-halt-special-approval-process-for-new-games. More controls amid concerns of health of social and medical ills.

robowist (2018 Oct 20) Ideas for an Actual Play Assignment in an Classroom. adeptplay.com/actual-play/ideas-actual-play-assignment-classroom. Using a resource-management game to teach Beowulf to ninth graders.

Schlosser, Kurt (2018 October 29) First startups, then goblins! Tech CEOs unite around Dungeons & Dragons, embrace their inner geek. www.geekwire.com/2018/first-startups-goblins-tech-ceos-unite-around-dungeons-dragons-embrace-inner-geek. Challenging assumptions and fading stigmas.

Tauriq (2018 Oct 22) Should games get lower review scores for poor labour practices. ineeddiversegames.org/2018/10/22/should-games-get-lower-review-scores-for-poor-labour-practices. “We should care about labour because we care about people more than video games.”

FROM M. ALAN THOMAS

Forum Administrator (2018 ) Thread: New Ban: Do Not Post in Support of Trump or his Administration. forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?835849-New-Ban-Do-Not-Post-In-Support-of-Trump-or-his-Administration. RPG.net bans support of President Trump on its forums “because his public comments, policies, and the makeup of his administration are so wholly incompatible with our values that formal political neutrality is not tenable.”

CALENDAR

New listings this month were provided by Paul Cardwell, others are urged to submit information. If you attend a convention, be sure and check the conventions table and let us have a copy of the fliers (or at very least the when, what, where, and contact information) for upcoming conventions available there. CAR-PGa is international, so this includes anywhere in the world.

Dates, precise venue, contacts' URLs or phone numbers, and other information, where missing from this list, would be particularly appreciated.

"[LARP]" means only LARP events as many RPG cons include at least some LARP, as likewise applies to the mention of specific game systems. The same bracketed information applies as well to game systems when the con will have only those games present.

In an attempt to get more face-to-face meetings of the membership, we list who will be going to what convention, if they will tell us. Get this type of information in at least two months before the convention itself, so we can run it at least once. Support your local cons by helping in the staff. It is a good way to promote RPG and you generally get in free for the brief time spent helping.

A review of any attended convention afterwards for the Newsletter would be appreciated too. These reviews should include demographic data such as attendance, percentage male/female, white/ethnic minorities (or what- ever is the majority/white/others), games in addition to tabletop RPG, and more subjective matters such as unusual events, quality of games and dealers' room, encouragement of new gamers, and whatever seems worth reporting. We need to work to restore CAR-PGa's reputation as the media's go-to on gamer demographics, especially since the media are still citing a study that cut off all those over 35 - at a time when that was the median age of gamers - it is closer to 40 now - which indicates we also need to work on recruiting younger players, although some increase in college age players at conventions has been noted.

Conventions are currently being compiled by archivist Paul Cardwell, 1127 Cedar, Bonham, TX 75418 or plcardwell@gmail.com, so send them there.

                                                             

November 2018 
1-3: Underground Comic Con, Delaware Contemporary, 200 S Madison, Wilmington, DE; undergroundcomixxx.com 
1-4: AmberCon NW, McMehamins Edgefield Bed & Breakfast Resort, Troutsdale, OR; amberconnw.org [Amber diceless and indie games]
1-4: Metatopia, Morristown Hyatt, Morristown, NJ; dexposure.com [game design] 
1-4: Midwest GameFest, Stoney Creek Hotel, Independence, MO; rpgkc.org 
1-4: Yumacon, Detroit Renaissance, 400 Renaissance Dr, Detroit, MI; yumacon.com 
2-4: Carnage, Killington Grand Resort, Killington, VT; carnagecon.com 
2-4: ComiConway, Faulkner County Library, 900 Tyler St, Conway, AR; comiconway.com 
2-4: Shadowcon, Westshore Grand, Tampa, FL; shadowcon.com 
2-4: Thy Geekdom Con, Greater Philadelpha Expo Center at Oaks, Oaks, PA; thygeekdomcon.com 
2-4: Warmachine Weekend, Sheraton Westport Chalet, 191 Westport Plaza, St. Louis, MO; warmachineweekend.com [primarily Privateer Press games]
3: Con Plus, 35 Duncan Close, Moulton Park, Northampton, UK; conplus.live 
3-4: Confuzion, 1000 Gattman Park Dr, Mussel Shoals, AL; confuzion.net
4: Crow Con, Crows Nest Community Centre, 2 Ernest Place, Crows Nest, NSW; crowcon.info 
7-11: Euroquest, Doubletree Pikesville, 1726 Reisterstown Rd, Pikesville, MD; euroquest.com 
8-11: Con on the Cob, Days Inn, 4742 Rrecksville Rd, Richfield, OH; cononthecob.com 
8-11: Gamehole Con, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way, Madison, WI; gameholecon.com 
9-11: AcadeCon, Dayton Convention Center, 22 E 5th St, Dayton, OH; theacadecon.com 
9-11: AetherCon Online RPG Convention, online; aethercon.com 
9-11: ConQuest Avalon, McClellan Conference Center, Sacramento, CA; conquestavalon.com
9-11: Fall In!, Lancaster Host Resort, Lancaster, PA; fall-in.org [mostly mini wargame] 
9-11: GrandCon, DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, MI; grcomicon.com 
9-11: Grogmeet, Mad Lab, 36-40 Edge St, Manchester: eventbrite.co.uk 
9-11: Mace, Hilton Charlotte University Place, Charlotte, NC; justusproductions.com 
9-11: Orycon, Red Lion, Jantzen Beach, Portland, OR: orycon.org 
9-11: U-Con, Marriott Ann Arbor at Eagle Crest, 1275 S Huron St, Ypsilanti, MI; ucon-gaming.org 
9-11: Windy Con, Westin Yorktown Center, Lombard, IL; windycon.org 
9-11: U-Con, Marriott Ann Arbor Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest, Ypsilanti, MI; ucon-gaming.org
9-12: Gamer Comic Expo, Miami Airport Convention Center, 711 NW 72nd Ave, Miami, FL; gamercomicexpo.com 
10: GrogMeet, Mad Lab, 36-40 Edge St, Manchester; thegrognardfiles.com
10-11: Spellenspektakel, Beursgebouw, Eindhoven; spellenspektakel.nl 
12-13: MIGS, Palais des Congrès de Montréal, 1001 lace Jean-Pal_Riopelle, Montréal, QC; mighs18.com
15-18: Chicago Toy and Game Fair, Navy Pier, Hall A, Chicago, IL; chitag.com 
15-18: Conjuration, Hilton Atlanta Airport, Atlanta, GA; conjurationcon.com 
15-18: G-Star, EXCO, Busan, KR; gstar.or.krGame 
16-18: Contraflow, New Orleans Airport Hilton, Kenner, LA; contraflowscifi.org 
16-18: Convencion de Juegos, Cintermex, Ave. Fudidora #501, Monterey, NL; cintermex.com 
16-18: Daisho Con, Kalahari Resorts, Wisconsin Dells, WI; daishocon.org 
16-18: Encuentro Nacional de Juegos de Mesa, callao 360, Hotel Bauen, Buenos Aires; enjm.com.ar
16-18: Karlsruher SpieleTage, NCO-Club, Delawarestraße 21, Karlsruher; thoule.de 
16-18: Memphis Comic & Fantasy Convention, Guest House at Graceland, Memphis, TN; memphiscfc.com 
16-18: Mepacon, Hilton Convention Center, Scranton, PA; mepacon.com
16-18: Philcon, Crowne Plaza Hotel, 2349 W. Marlton Pike, Cherry Hill, NJ; philcon.org 
16-18: SNAFUCon, Grand Sierra Resort, 2500 2nd St, Reno, NV; snafucon.com
17: Glasgow Games Festival, Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchichall St, Glasgow; glasgowgamesfestival.com 
17-18: Darmstadt Spielt, Wissenschafts-und Kongresszentrum darmstadtium, Darmstadt; darmstadt-spielt.de 
17-18: Dreieich Con, Bürgerhaus, Dreieich-Sperndingen, Fichtestr. 50, Dreieich, Germany; dreieichcon.de 
17-18: Istrakon, Spomen dom Pazin, Croatia; istyrakon.hr 
22-26: Lucky Consequences, Naish Holiday Village, Christchurch, Dorset; ishtari.co.uk 
23-25: Stuffed COWS, College of Du Page Student Resource Center, 425 Fawell Blvd, Glen Ellyn, IL; coldironconventions.com 
23-26: LosCon, LAX Marriott, 3855 W. Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA; loscon.org 
25: Gengis Con Cleveland, Lake Erie Bldg, 13000 Athens, Lakewood, OH; gengisconcleveland.com
30-December 2: PAX Unplugged, Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA; paxsite.com 
30-December 2: Yamacon, Smoky Mountain Convention Center, Pigeon Forge, TN; yamacpn.org

December 2018 
1-2: Dragonmeet, Novotel London West, Hammerstead, London; dragonmeet.co.uk 
8-9: HobbyCon, ITCC Penampang, Malasia; hobbycon.my 
8-9: MacquarieCon, Macquarie University, North Ryde campus, Sydney, NSW; maquariecon.net 
8-9: Oddmall Chrishanukwanzmadan, Cultural Center for the Arts, Canton, OH; chrishanukwanzmadan.oddmall.info [free admission] 
14-16: Holiday Matsuri, Marriott World Center, Orlando, FL; holidaymatsuri.com 
22-23: Comic Fiesta; Kualoa Lumpur Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malasia; comicfiesta.org 

January 2019
3-6: Magfest, Gaylord National Hotel, National Harbor, MD; magfest.org 
4-6: Evercon, Central Wisconsin Convention Center, 10101 Market St, Rothchild, WI; evercon.org
4-6: Sac Anime Winter, Sacramento Convention Center, Sacramento, CA; sacanime.com 
4-6: Winter Stabcon, Britannia hotel, Dialtone Ln, Stockport; stabcon.org.uk 
4-6: Wizard World Comic Con New Orleans, Morial Conference Center, 900 Convention Center Blvd, New Orleans, LA: wizardworld.com 
10-13: Anime Los Angeles, Ontario Convention Center, 2000 E Convention, Ontario, CA; animelosangeles.org 
10-13: Midwinter Gaming Convention, Hilton City Center, 509 W. Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI; midwintergamingconvention.com
11-13: AniMore, Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD; animorecon.com
11-13: Anonycon, Sheraton Hotel, 700 E. Main St, Stanford, CT; anonycon.com 
11-13: Ohayocon, Hyatt Regency Columbus, Columbus, OH; ohayocon.org 
11-13: OrcaCon, Hilton Bellevue, Bellevue, WA; orcacon.org 
12-13: Congress of Gamers, Rockville Senior Center, 1150 Carnation Dr, Rockville, MD; emsps.com/cpg 
12-13: GenghisCon Perth, Air Force Memorial Estate, 2 Bull Creek Dr, Bull Creek, WA; genghiscon.org 
17-20: Bastion, YHA Conwy, Conwy, N Wales; bastionwales.com 
18-19: Redemption, Royal Victoria Hotel, Sheffield; redemptioncon.org.uk 
18-20: Albuquerque Comic Expo, Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque, NM; abqcomicxpo.com 
18-20: Handycon, Holliday Inn, Manor Lane, Berkshire, Maidenhead; handycon.co.uk
18-20: MarsCon, MarsCon, Ft. Doubletree Hotel, 50 Kingsmill Rd, Williamsbuurg, VA; marscon.net 
18-20: PAX South, Gonzolez Convention Center, 200 E. Market St, San Antonio, TX; south.paxsite.com 
18-20: Protospiel, Best Western Plus, Bloomington, MN; protospiel.org [game design workshop] 
18-20: Siege of Augusta, Augusta Doubletree, Augusta, GA; siegeofaugusta.org [mainly mini wargaming] 
18-20: Vermincon, University of South Dakota, 414 E Clark St, Vermillon, SD; vermincon.wordpress.com
18-21: Arisia, Westin Waterfront Hotel, 428 Summer St, Boston, MA; arisia.org 
18-21: BryceCon, Ruby's Inn, 26 S. Main, Bryce Canyon City, UT; brycecon.com 
18-21: HexaCon, Ramada Plaza Denver North, 10 E 120th Ave, Denver, CO; hexacondenver/org
18-21: Scarab, Medallion Convention Center, 7309 Garners Ferry Rd, Columbia, SC; s-c-a-r-a-b.com 
19-20: Kapcon, Wellington High School, 249 Taranaki St, Mount Cook, NZ; kapcon.org.nz 
19-20: Dallas Games Marathon, 930 W Parker Rd, Suite 530, Plano, TX; dallasgamesmarathon.com
19-20: SnowCon, Cross Insurance Center, Bangor, ME; snowconmainee.com 
23-27: ConTingency, Searles Leisure Resort, Hunstanton, Norf; con-tingency.uk
24-27: Whose Turn is it Anyway?, Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC; whoseturn.org 
25-27: Chattacon, Chattanooga Choo-Choo, Chattanooga, TN; chattacon.org
25-27: GCOM Winter Games Fest, VFW Glen Burnie, 2597 Dorsey Rd, Glen Burnie, MD; winterquest. Gamesclubofmd.org 
25-27: Platypus con, Centennial Hall, Juneau, AK; platypusgaming.org 
25-27: Rocket City Gamefest, Holiday Inn, University Dr, Huntsville, AL; rocketcitygamefest.com 
25-27: WarpCon, University College, Cork, Ireland; warpcon.com 
25-27: Winter War, Hawthorn Suites, 101 Trade Centre Dr., Champaign, IL; winterwar.org 
25-28: Polar Vortex, SRC Bldg, College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL; polarvortex.games 
26-27: Arcanacon, Melbourne Convention Centre, Melbourne, Vic; arcanacon.org 26-27: Pow! Con, Best Western Gregory, 8315 4th Ave, Brooklyn, NY; 
26-28: Cancon, Exhibition Park. Flemington Rd, Mitchell, ACT; cgs.asn.au/cancon
30-February 3: Spielwarenmesse, Münchener Str 33, Nüenvweeg; sielwarnenmesse.de [trade show]

February 2019 
6-10: Winter Fantasy, Courtyard Marriott, Fort Wayne, IN; wintfan.baldmangtames.com
7-10: Rapier, Jacksonville Airport Doubletree, Jacksonville, FL; rapiercon.com [mostly board and miniature] 
7-10: Game-o-Rama, Atlanta Marriott Alpharetta, Atlanta, GA; game-o-rama.com 
8-10: Ambercon Northern Ireland, Belfast; ambercons.com 
8-10: Captain Con, Crowne Plaza, 801 Greenwich Ave, Warwick, RI; captaincon.com
8-10: Farpoint, Delta by Marriott, 245 Shawan Rd, Hunt Valley, MD; farpointcon.com 
8-10: Running GAGG, College Union, SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo, NY; geneseo.edu/gagg
8-10: Seishun-Con, Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center Atlanta, Atlanta, GA; seishun-con.com 
14-17: Capricon, Westin Chicago North Shore, 601 N. Milwaukee Ave, Wheeling, IL; capricon.org 
15-17: Anachrocon, Hilton Airport Atlanta, 1031 Virginia Ave, Atlanta, GA; anachrocon.com [alternate history7
15-17: Anime Milwaukee, Hyatt Regency, 333 W Kilbrne Ave, Milwaukee, WI; animemilwaukee.com 
15-17: Bashcon, University of Toledo Student Union, 2801 W. Bancroft, Toledo, OH; bashcon.com 
15-17: Boskone, Westin Boston Waterfront, 425 Summer St, Boston, MA; nesfa.art/boskone 
15-17: Con DFW, Radissdon Fort Worth Fossil Creek, Fort Worth, TX; condfw.org [literary] 
15-17: Con of the North, Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West, Minneapolis, MN; conofthenorth.org 
15-17: DunDraCon, San Ramon Marriott, San Ramon, CA; dundracon.com 
15-17: London Anime & Gaming Con, Rocket Complex, London Metropolitan University, London; londonanimecons.com 
15-17: RadCon, Red Lion, 2525 N 20th Ave, Pasco, WA; radcon.org 
15-18: OrcCon, Hilton Los Angeles Airport, 5711 W. Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA; strategicon.net 
16-17: Expedition Elsewhere, Oddmall, Canton, OH; oddball.info [Free Admission] 
16-19: New York Toy Fair, Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York, NY; toyfairny.com 
20: Trashfest NW, 1148 Heffley Cres, Coquitlam, BC; fortressat.com/trashfest-nw 
21-24: Dreamation, Morristown Hyatt, 3 Speedwell Ave, Morristown, NJ; dexposure.com 
21-24: GenghisCon Denver, Hyatt Regency, 13200 E 14th Pl, Aurora, CO; gengiscondenver.com 
21-24: Hoop and Stick Con, Ravenwood Castle, 65666 Bethel Rd, New Plymouth, OH; ravenwoodcastle.com/hoopandstick
21-24: Total Confusion, Best Western Royal Plaza, Marlborough, MA; totalcon.com 
22-24: ConDor Con, Handley Hotel, 950 Hotel Cir N, San Diego, CA; condorcon.org
22-24: ConNooga, Chattanooga Conventiuon Center, 1 Carter Plaza, Chattanooga, TN; connooga.com 
22-24: Festival des Jeux, Palais de Festivals, Cannes; festivaldesjeux-cannes.com
22-24: Fire and Ice Convention, Manitowoc County Expo Center, 4921 Expo Dr, Manitowoc, WI; fireandiceconvention.com
22-24: Gamicon, Cedar Rapids Marriott, 1200 Collins Rd NE, Cedar Rapids, IA; gamicon.org 
22-24: Kami Con, Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, 2100 Richard Arlington Blvd N, Birmingham, AL; kamicon.net
22-24: Marmalade Dog, Bernhard Center, Western Michigan University, 1903 W Michi Kalamazoo, MI: marmaladedog.org
23-24: Midgard West Con, Jugendherbrge, Burg Blankenheim; mitgard-westcon.de
22-24: Mysticon, Holiday Inn Tanglewood, 4468 Cathrey Rd, Roanoke, VA; mysticonva.con 
22-24: OwlCon, Rice Memorial Center, Rice University, Houston, TX; owlcon.com 
22-24: Pensacon, Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E Gregory St, Pensacola, FL; pensacon.com 
22-24: Wizard World Comic Con Portland, Oregon Conventrion Center, 777 NE MLK Blvd, Portland, OR; wizardworld.com
23: Dudley Bug Ball, Station Hotel, Castle Hill, Dudley; dudleybugball.org.uk
23-24: Concord, Holiday Inn Bristol Centre, Bond St S, Bristol; concordgamingconvention.com
23-24: Revelation, Garrison Hotel, 635 Penistone Rd, Sheffield, S.Yorks; revelationgames.org.uk 
24: Spieltag, Kulturbüro Südstadt, Hannover; spielekultur.de
25-March 3: PrezCon, Doubletree Hotel, 990 Hilton Heights Rd, Charlottesville, VA; prezcon.com 
28-March 3: Salt Con, Davis Conference Center, 1651 N 700 West, Layton, UT; saltcon.com

© Copyright 2018 by the Committee for the Advancement of Role-Playing Games (CAR-PGa), ISSN 1071 7129. The CAR-PGa Newsletter is a monthly publication. For more information contact David Millians, Editor, Paideia School, 1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia 30307 USA, phone (404) 808-1070, fax (404) 377-3491, e-mail millians.david@paideiaschool.org. Back issues are available. Contributions of material from the membership are urged, and the byline is responsible for content. Deadline is the last weekday of the month, email preferred. Permission is granted to copy anything in the Newsletter, provided we get a credit line in the publication copying it, and it doesn't have someone else's copyright on it. Information, including details on joining CAR-PGa, can be obtained on the Internet at car-pga.org.