Introduction
It is late April, and my convention calendar has flipped over into a new year. With this turnover comes the visit to where it started for me: Cheyenne Gaming Convention. Taking a long weekend away from the humdrum of work to recharge the social batteries is excellent. Each time I have visited, there are old faces to meet and new faces to make acquaintance with. So then, let’s pull back the curtain.
Day 1: Friday
For this year, I fell into the FOMO phenomenon and bought myself a VIP ticket. I arrived around noon to check into the Red Lion Hotel. The gentleman at the reception desk was kind enough to adjust my reservation when he learned I was there for the convention and managed to lower my rate per day by about $30-$40. Excellent experience. I made haste to my third-room room, deposited my bags, and returned down to the lobby.
Friday was more of a half-day for the convention. Some of the vendors were still setting up in the early afternoon. Crystal Sully, Strange Fate Crafts, Amatas Kaden, HenkelMade, Sloth Panda Creations, and Castle Bravo were the familiar faces I saw attending the con. The Castle Bravo guys started me off colorfully with a round of Oscar’s Hot Night Out before I set out to peruse the other vendors and rooms.
The day’s finale was a one-shot for an RPG known as Pirate Borg title, “Buried in the Bahamas.” Me and my fellow scurvy dogs started off fending for our lives against a skeleton boarding party, which led to us getting shipwrecked on a sandy island and having to fight aggressive, nocturnal crabs. After deciding not to stick around, we made a makeshift raft and paddled to a nearby island. One of our crewmates had come into possession of a treasure map with this same island, so we battled our way to the booty—just another weekend in 1700s post-apocalyptical Caribbean.
Day 2: Saturday
Saturday morning started free and clear. I left the hotel to collect some take-out breakfast, then returned to browse the craftsmen and craftswomen who came to sell their wares. With some prodding from the Castle Bravo gentlemen, I collected my first and second interviews from a pair of Wyomingites: Mr. Justin Johnson of Narfox, and Mr. Peter Sieler of Yub Nub Games.
Special Event: Flight of the Talonfire
My afternoon was dominated by participation in a Hazard Quest-sponsored game called, “Flight of the Talonfire.” The premise was that the land’s beloved king had been murdered and his daughter was the prime suspect. However, she claimed innocence. Our party, who had previously worked for the deceased king, was hired to break her out, steal a brand-new airship–the namesake Talonfire–and set off for an underground city called Death’s Hold.
My evening was taken up by a unique DnD Adventurers League epic called “Blood Above, Blood Below.” It involved three groups in a three-pronged attack, with the end goal of stopping a blood sacrifice to a demon lord. Conceptually, it’s not a bad idea. However, because of the special ruleset required by Adventurers League and that I play so little of it, I often find myself handicapped whenever I participate in public games. I either need to find an Adventurers League game near me or stop playing them at conventions. But Blood Above, Blood Below was an enjoyable to cap off the con’s second day.
Day 3: Sunday
Sunday was the convention’s final day. The only thing on my schedule was a session of Savage World’s Deadlands RPG at 10:00 a.m. This game me a final chance to browse the vendors. I stopped in front of Dryad Tea from Colorado and immersed myself in a 30-minute icebreaker conversation ranging from music to tea to literature. After all was said, I was given my third and final interview of CGC.
My Deadlands session started a little bit late but was extremely enjoyable. The total group size was 12 people split into to factions. Our goal was to cooperate and unravel a big web of political intrigue with the climax involving a rescue mission on a train. I was greatly immersed in the setting of Deadlands, which chronologically set in the American Old West but is infused with the supernatural. I am considering getting the core rulebook for myself.
Closing
My visit to Cheyenne Gaming Convention was a full success. In addition to merchandise from my interviewees, I collected mementos from Crystal Sully, the Wyoming Gaming Library, and Amatus Kaden. For now though, it is time to go silent. There is a convention in my alma mater town of Laramie WY on May 11th and 12th, but I don’t know if I’ll do a story on that. The next convention that I am confident I will cover is Fort Collins Comic Con in August. Until then, stay safe everybody.
James Meyer 