RPG Blog Carnival: Curses

This month's RPG Blog Carnival is being shepherded on the CMG Blog Triad and the topic is "Convention Gaming."  Folks can keep track this month by following this post.  I'll even add links for subsequent parts in the comments section below where readers will also find links to the many blogs participating this month.  To follow the RPG Blog Carnival each and every month, visit the new topics page and archives for the RPG Blog Carnival on roleplayingtips.com.

This month on the RPG Blog Carnival, the focus is on "Curses, Cursed Items, and Calamities in your Campaigns."  This covers a lot of ground but let me share a few articles on curses from the Medievalists.net with the first being "Who cursed whom, and when? The cursing of the hoard and Beowulf’s fate."  Check it out here.

Also, read about "Curse or Blessing: What’s in the Magic Bowl?"  Find out here.

Finally, discover the "Top 10 Medieval Book Curses" here.

Events & Play Wednesday - Cons & Gamedays for October

Locally, Saturday, October 10th, there is a gameday at the Lake Geneva Games store.  They are located at 918 S Wells St, Lake Geneva, WI 53147 and their phone number is (262) 885-1515.  The event starts at 10 am and goes through the late evening.  There will be lots of board gaming, as well as card games and a bit of RPGing.  You can run out for and bring in food but they will have some snacks available and cook up frozen pizza all day which is all you can eat for five dollars.

The third Sunday this month feature A Gathering of Gamers on Sunday, October 18th, set up by the South Lakes Area Gamers here.  The event takes place at the Pizza Ranch in Elkhorn, WI, and requires a $12 fee for the all you can eat pizza and fried chicken buffet (salad bar, soft-serve ice cream machine, etc.) plus unlimited soft drinks and coffee from 11 am to 8 pm.  There are two Burlington Gamedays schedules for next month, the first on Saturday, October 3rd, and the second on Saturday, September 17th.  They are set up through the Burlington UCC Game Day group on Facebook here.  It will be held both times in Burlington, WI at the Plymouth UCC space, taking place from approximately 11 am to 5 pm.  They sometimes focus a bit on RPGs on the earlier date, since they are mostly a board gaming crowd, but check in to be sure.

Those late month gamedays, however, might lose some attendees to the local Gaming Hoopla held on October 16-18, 2015.  It's a Mini Hoopla (no prizes, auctions, or frills) being held at the Johnstown Community Center located at 9937 E County Rd A, Janesville, WI 53546.  Hours are Friday: 12 Noon to Midnight, Saturday: 8am - Midnight, and Sunday:  8am - 6pm.  Admission is $10 per day or $25 for a weekend pass.  More information can be had here.

Also, coming in early November, don't forget about GameHole Con 2015 held on Nov. 6th - 8th, 2015.  It's at the Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall in Madison, Wisconsin.  Registration for events is already underway so find out more here.

Farther from my locale . . .

You can also find a whole list of gaming events all around the country and beyond on Warhorn.net here.

Some of the events include (highlight and right click/search for more information on any of the below):

Oct 2-4 Archon 39 Living Campaigns Collinsville, IL
Oct 2-4 ConCeption 2015 DuPage, IL
Oct 2-4 Contraflow V PFS Kenner, LA
Oct 2-4 FalCon 2015 Stamford, CT
Oct 2-4 H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival Portland, OR
Oct 2-4 Nuke-Con 2015 Omaha, NE
Oct 2-4 PFS @ Council of Five Nation Schenectady, NY
Oct 2-4 Rincon 2015 Tucson, AZ
Oct 2-4 SCORPION Lexington, SC
Oct 3-4 Dragon-Fall Naperville, IL
Oct 9-10 PathCon 2.0 Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 9-11 CoffeyCon 1 Cape Girardeau, MO
Oct 9-11 GaMExpo San Antonio, TX
Oct 9-11 OddCon UK 2015 Telford, SHR, GB
Oct 10-11 Queso_Diablo Extra Life Broomfield, CO
Oct 15-18 Con on the Cob Richfield, OH
Oct 16-18 Extra Life 2 Raleigh, NC
Oct 16-18 the Unseelie Court 2015 Philadelphia, PA
Oct 17 Chicago Gameday 42 Mt. Prospect, IL
Oct 17-18 NPC-Con 2015 Prince George, BC, CA
Oct 17-18 ZappCon 2015 Fresno, CA
Oct 22-25 What-Khan 2015 Loves Park, IL
Oct 23-25 Asheville Scarefest 2015 Montreat, NC, NC
Oct 23-25 FlatCon 2015 Bloomington, IL
Oct 23-25 SpaceCon 2015 Melbourne, FL
Oct 23-25 Tyler Rose City Comic Con 2015 Tyler, TX
Oct 23-25 WaCon Game Convention 2015 Waco, TX
Oct 24 Dungeons on the Bayou - Fall 2015 Morgan City, LA
Oct 24 Geek Gala 2015 Game Day Charlotte, NC
Oct 30 - Nov 1 HonorCon 2015 Raleigh, NC
Oct 30 - Nov 1 SNAFUCON 2015 Sparks, NV

Some of this information (and more can be had) is from the excellent lists on upcomingcons.com/gaming-conventions, GameConventionCentral.com, HMGS (the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society), and  as well as many, many gamers on Facebook and Google Plus, to whom I am grateful for the help in this compilation.  Thanks so much and have a great game!

Events & Play Wednesday on CreativeMountainGames.com 

News of Conventions and Gamedays as well as pictures

from those I have attended and games I have played.

Please Like, Share, Plus, Tweet, Follow, and Comment!

Tech Tuesday - Nanoparticles, Vaccine Patches, & Solar Cells

Three from Science Alert this week with the first being "Science has captured the first glimpse of tiny nanoparticles" here.

Also, check out "This dissolvable patch can painlessly deliver vaccines without needles" here.

Finally, have a look at "Scientists figure out how to make solar cells produce fuel AND electricity" here.

Tech Tuesday on CreativeMountainGames.com 

News focused on Technology
as it might interest gamers.

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Media News Monday - Conan, Box Office, & The Martian

Over on geektyrant.com, "Schwarzenegger says Legend of Conan has 'Hideous and Unbelievable Things'" here.

Also, on ENWorld.org, in the Media Lounge, Hand of Evil has been putting together post-weekend reports for the forum for many years.  It's details from elsewhere on "This Weekend at the Box Office" but the conversation that follows is from RPG Tabletop Gamers and often turns in that direction.  Join in this week here and watch for future discussions by bookmarking the forums.

Finally, on the ARES: live YouTube channel, we got a new look just this last week at the upcoming film, The Martian (2015).  The film takes place in the not-too-distant future and stars Matt Damon, Kate Mara, Jessica Chastain.  Also appearing are Sean Bean, Donald Glover, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña , and Naomi Scott.  It opens later this week and I'm very excited to see it.

Media News Monday on CreativeMountainGames.com 

News for Movies, Television, and more
of gamer-relevant Media.

Please Like, Share, Plus, Tweet, Follow, and Comment!

Sunday Funnies - Tortoise, Pandora, & Bad Waiters

Over on thepoke.co.uk, they shared a photo of "a kilted, sword-bearing tortoise pulling a barrel of mead" here.

Also, a single panel comic from speedbump.comv here, took a look at a modern Pandora.

Finally, on the Flippy92 YouTube channel, from the old Dana Carvey, a skit with Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell.  Enjoy!

Sunday Funnies on CreativeMountainGames.com

Humor, often gaming-related,
to start the week with a chuckle.

Please Like, Share, Plus, Tweet, Follow, and Comment!

Saturday Crowdfunding Roundup - 7 Sins, Big Bastards, & Metal Dice

Three from Kickstarter this week with the first being "The Others: 7 Sins" by CoolMiniOrNot, a well-funded horror board game effort from folks that have had a good track record.  Check it out here.

Also, have a look at "Big Bastards:80mm Troll Miniatures for 28mm scale games!" by John Popson.  These trolls look wonderful for tabletop use in old school or new.  The perfect size for 28mm to 32mm gaming.  See more here.

Finally, already funded, there is "Pathfinder & Q-workshop Metal RPG Dice Set" by Q-workshop.  These look like they will be weighty dice and sharp, so better get a solid dice tray to protect the family room table.  Have a glance here.

Saturday Crowdfunding Roundup on CreativeMountainGames.com 

Keeping an eye on those Kickstarter & IndieGoGo
projects plus other crowdfunding efforts.

Please Like, Share, Plus, Tweet, Follow, and Comment!

The Friday Grab Bag - D&D Players, Wargaming, & Erol Otus

Over on io9.com, Ed Grabianowski explains "How to Find People to Play D&D With" here.

Also, on telegram.com, they tell us "Wargaming attracts many to tabletop fields at Fort Devens Museum" here.

Finally, on the Armchair Demiurge, they share "The Erol Otus Coloring book" here.

The Friday Grab Bag on CreativeMountainGames.com 

Essentially, a clearinghouse for topics not covered

elsewhere or needing a particular focus.

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Throwback Thursday - Dragon #48 Adverts

Looking back to April 1981 and issue #48 of TSR's Dragon Magazine, here's a glimpse at what advertisers thought would stir the imaginations of gamers on the inside front cover, inside back cover, and back cover respectively.  The first was bold, in that it left a great deal to the imagination.  The second used colors meant to grab the reader.  The last of the three was, in fact, upside down.  Enjoy!

Throwback Thursday on CreativeMountainGames.com 

A look back at early tabletop hobby gaming

 or gaming-adjacent topics of the past.

Please Like, Share, Plus, Tweet, Follow, and Comment!

Events & Play Wednesday - Lake Geneva Gaming, August to September

Great fun gaming in and around Lake Geneva, as per usual, here are some pictures taken on various occasions.  Check out the pictures on my Facebook album here and a Google Photos album here.

Events & Play Wednesday on CreativeMountainGames.com 

News of Conventions and Gamedays as well as pictures

from those I have attended and games I have played.

Please Like, Share, Plus, Tweet, Follow, and Comment!

Tech Tuesday - Barbarian Gauntlet, Cookie Cutters, & Challenge Coins

Over on geekalerts.com, check out the "+10 Electronic Dice Barbarian Gauntlet" here.

Also, on mentalfloss.com, they share "15 Geeky Cookie Cutters" here.

Finally, on maxchallengecoins.com, the MAX Challenge Coins team can make your custom challenge coins in seven to ten days here.

Tech Tuesday on CreativeMountainGames.com 

News focused on Technology
as it might interest gamers.

Please Like, Share, Plus, Tweet, Follow, and Comment!

Media News Monday - Potter, Con Man, & Conan

Over on nerdist.com, they herald some Harry Potter House-themed book covers here.

Also, on ew.com, go watch as "Firefly stars Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk spoof themselves in exclusive Con Man trailer" here.

Finally, on the Midnight's Edge YouTube channel, they discuss "Legend of Conan – Production Delay and Story Synopsis."  Watch and learn.

Media News Monday on CreativeMountainGames.com 

News for Movies, Television, and more
of gamer-relevant Media.

Please Like, Share, Plus, Tweet, Follow, and Comment!

Sunday Funnies - Potter Clock, Simple Wargame, & Dumb Guards

Over on the nerdist.com website, they let us know a "Real-Life Harry Potter Location Clock Proves GPS is Magic" here.

Also, floating around on Facebook and elsewhere is this Steve Jackson Games funny on wargaming.  Laugh it up.

Finally, from YouTube and the Monty Python gang, this scene from Holy Grail with the dumb guards is one of my favorites and an inspiration for GMing guards in any era or setting.  Enjoy!

Sunday Funnies on CreativeMountainGames.com

Humor, often gaming-related,
to start the week with a chuckle.

Please Like, Share, Plus, Tweet, Follow, and Comment!

Saturday Crowdfunding Roundup - Inserts, Basing, & Fantasy Maps

Three from Kickstarter this week with the first being "TTM: Board Game Inserts and Storage Solutions" by ThinkerTinkerMaker here.

Also, have a look at "Wargaming Basing Accessory Molds" by Tracey Hampson here.

Finally, check out "Dungeon Studies: Fantasy Map Series by The Adventurers Atlas" by Matt Francella here.

Saturday Crowdfunding Roundup on CreativeMountainGames.com 

Keeping an eye on those Kickstarter & IndieGoGo
projects plus other crowdfunding efforts.

Please Like, Share, Plus, Tweet, Follow, and Comment!

The Friday Grab Bag - Cafes, Comedies, & the BPA

Over on okcfox.com, they tell us a "Group in Norman wants to create café centered around gaming" here.  Personally, I think it is great that more and more of these types of places are opening up all over the place.  They might not work in the busiest locations where turning over the tables is a must, but locally we play at Culver's weekly and enjoy adding tot he atmosphere.

Also, on cleveland.com, a slightly confused account of a comedy stage show centered on gaming is titled "Dungeons & Dragons and beers and laughs? Yes, this weekend at The Side Quest in Lakewood."  The author seems to be a little off on his terms but seems to have enjoyed the show nonetheless.  Find out more here.

Finally, on boardgamers.org, check out the Boardgame Players Association here.  "The Boardgame Players Association is a non-profit corporation established to support the shared interests of board game players everywhere. The BPA wishes to serve as a portal for boardgamers to enjoy their favorite games. If you enjoy historical simulation games, euro games, racing games, train games, any type of board game, you’ll find thousands of people here that share your interests. We sponsor annual tournaments, organize play-by-email games, and help establish global player ratings."

The Friday Grab Bag on CreativeMountainGames.com 

Essentially, a clearinghouse for topics not covered
elsewhere or needing a particular focus.

Please Like, Share, Plus, Tweet, Follow, and Comment!

Throwback Thursday - Spaceship Evolution, D&D Movie Script, & 1981 D&D Advert

Over on space.com, check out the "Evolution of Video-Game Spaceships Traced in 'Guinness World Records 2016 Gamer's Edition'" here.

Also, on escapistmagazine.com, glimpse "Inside the Lost 1980s Dungeons & Dragons Movie Gary Gygax Loved" here.

Finally, on battlegrip.com, enjoy a "1981 “Dungeons & Dragons Adventure” Ad from Boys’ Life" here.

Throwback Thursday on CreativeMountainGames.com 

A look back at early tabletop hobby gaming

 or gaming-adjacent topics of the past.

Please Like, Share, Plus, Tweet, Follow, and Comment!

Events & Play Wednesday - Gathering, BrigadeCon, & the Dwarven Tavern

Just a reminder that, locally, A Gathering of Gamers is not being held at the Elkhorn Pizza Ranch as per the norm but rather at Lake Geneva Games 918 S Wells St, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. (262) 885-1515.  That's this Sunday for those of you with some free time and an interest in boardgaming.  The even is run by the Southern Lakes Area Gamers  (S.L.A.G.) on Facebook here of which you have to be a member to see the events like this one created through the group.  But just show up and play, if you like.  There's plenty enough room for everyone.

Also, on brigadecon.org, you can find out about Brigade Con 2015, "a free, online tabletop gaming convention that will take place on October 10th, 2015. There will be 24 hours chock-full of roleplaying games, workshops and prizes."  Find out more here.

Finally, on dwarventavern.net, check out the Dwarven Tavern, "an independent media company that publishes original stories, reviews, news, covering the gaming world. Currently publishing printed books and ebooks, online content, social media, blogs, and more for the last 22 years."  It's a good source for event information and other gaming goodies.  Learn more here.

Events & Play Wednesday on CreativeMountainGames.com 

News of Conventions and Gamedays as well as pictures

from those I have attended and games I have played.

Please Like, Share, Plus, Tweet, Follow, and Comment!