GenCon 2012!

Here's what I was doing end of last week and beginning of this week...in case you were worried.


The bad: Surprise, surprise! The hotel and accommodations again were less than spectacular and extremely overpriced. I got slammed with a valet parking bill that was added to my bill daily for $28.00 per day. Holy crap. Lesson learned the hard way again. Oh, well.

Hey, that's my book!

hey, that's my name!

The good: Everything else!

What can I say? Awesome. That’s what.

I had an incredible time! Aside from my hotel bill…again…which I cannot seem to do anything about.

I met some amazingly interesting people that I must say were very cool. I met Jason Klimchok, (@runnetib on twitter) a fellow author who found me in Author’s Avenue and introduced himself. Very cool of him to seek me out and say hello. Mr. Erik Scott de Bie, he of the Forgotten Realms fame (game designer and author) and Shadowbane fame, made his way over to my table to chat before he went off to sign books himself in the D&D booth. I also had breakfast on Sunday with Mr. De Bie, which I will detail a bit later.

I met and introduced myself to Jeanette LeGault who runs the whole thing and who was responsible for getting me in this year. She was very kind and spared time even though she was constantly busy.

my table at GENCON 2012

Special kudos to my son, who was with me all four days (way to go, Nick!) and who endured the 10+ hour drive both up and back with me. We had a great time bonding, which I will treasure always. Nick was awesome as my ‘booth monkey’ as he so eloquently put it.

I met fellow author Chris Jackson (@ChrisAJackson1 on twitter) and his wife (Anne, I believe) and they were very nice to me as well. I sat across the way from Tammy Blackwell, a librarian and fellow author who is writing an incredibly popular coming of age series about Seers and Werewolves, which I would check out. She can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Tammy-Blackwell/e/B005A9B3XO. Tammy was also kind enough to gift a copy of her book to my wife, who I believe will enjoy it. 

I also gave some books away to librarians, interested book bloggers and a young woman who gave me this 'token of appreciation'.

my token of appreciation

Some of the people that I met come to mind when I write this that made an impact. I met a British fella named Adam that I really enjoyed talking to. Another long-haired college kid I chatted with a few times made an impression, though I cannot remember his name. A woman named Jeanette who purchased the books was extremely nice and she came back to snap a pic of me the next day (very flattering...I think?). I met a couple who chatted with me about Pathfinder for about an hour named Blake? he and his wife are inspiring me to possibly make a Realm of Ashenclaw RPG supplement for Pathfinder... might be coming.

Here are the best two experiences. I met a man named Tony Rodriguez who wanted the books and purchased them from me on Saturday and had me sign them to his son, Alex. He happened to bring Alex in on Sunday and he was happy to meet me, told me he’d read up to chapter 6 that morning and was loving it. Wow! That made my day. And it got better. The second was a man named Scott, who had downloaded Wothlondia Rising: The Anthology (The short story prequels) to his kindle. He went out of his way to come back on Sunday morning to tell me that he was 94% through the book and thought it was amazing…and that he had downloaded the other two books that morning!

I was again completely humbled by their expressions of how I had affected two different people in such a great way. I felt honored that they had chosen me and my writing in order to escape from reality. I was honored that they both entered into my Realm of Ashenclaw with open arms and with an open mind. I cannot express in words how that makes me feel as an author and a human being.

So, on to my breakfast meeting with Erik Scott De Bie on Sunday. I must tell you that it was a tale of mishaps and odd misunderstandings as Erik and I exchanged texts as to where to meet, but after an hour, we finally caught up at a Starbucks there. Interestingly enough, Erik is a rather tall and imposing individual and carries himself very well in conversation. That being said, Erik and I talked about many things. The most memorable to me was his advice. He gave me some constructive criticisms, advice on becoming a better writer and talked to me as a peer. I cannot tell you what his respect means. He not only gave me the critique, but he also made a point to give me the good news, and I am paraphrasing, but, it included the following: My covers were eye-catching and consistent, my branding and logo (Realm of Ashenclaw) was extremely professional and most importantly, that my writing was compelling. He went out of his way to say that I was passionate about my work, that he thought I was on to something and that he was happy to see what I was able to do as an independent author.

All of this was extremely humbling to hear from an author who works for Ed Greenwood and Dungeons & Dragons. After we parted ways, I went back to my booth for the last day and Erik stopped back one more time to gift me a copy of an anthology that he had contributed on for GenCon, which was above and beyond. I highly recommend any fans of fantasy to check him out and follow his writing, as I believe he is worthy of being included in the Forgotten Realms gaggle of writers.

Go buy his stuff! Erik’s site is here if you are interested in seeing what he is up to. http://erikscottdebie.com/

Well, that about wraps up my details. Next post will include pics of all of the scenes and costumes that I was able to get! Stay tuned.

Oh, and all of my books are currently resting at 99 cents on the kindle for a post-GENCON sale! Go download 'em before I come to my senses and raise the price...lol. 

 Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!

All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Review of Gauntlgrym

I have just finished this book (finally!) and a few things jump to mind. First off, Salvatore has done a phenomenal job moving the storyline forward a hundred years. I’ve read some reviews that did not enjoy this transition or the writing in this one and I must disagree. Secondly, I very much enjoy the new characters introduced in this story and hope to see more of them, especially Dahlia.

Drizz’t is much darker and justifiably so. He has endured many deaths in his life, none more so important than Cattie-brie. He is beginning to give himself over to the hunter. His exterior is more callous and his heart torn asunder at the loss of so many of his companions. And with each passing year or event, the drow faces life alone.


*SPOILER ALERT* If you have not read the book and do not want to know pertinent events, turn away now!

Dahlia and Drizz't

It’s hard not to discuss spoilers in this one as many epic things take place in the world of our friends from Icewind Dale. Since the book has been out for almost two years, the discussion should not surprise anyone! A good deal of things happen in this one including many shocking deaths, the destruction of Neverwinter, and Bruenor finally finding his beloved Gauntlgrym

The primordial and the destruction of Neverwinter were defining moments, as was the passing of the mighty Thibbledorf Pwent, who shows up from nowhere to help his king! Alas, the biggest event was the passing of King Bruenor Battlehammer. He goes out in style, going toe to toe with a pit fiend, possessed of the power of the gods, Gauntlgrym itself and the ghosts within, and saving the day from the primordial waking to lay waste to the realm. Also, Drizz’t begins to understand that Jarlaxle is something more than he has ever let on before, even considering him a friend.

All in all, I enjoyed the story, the way it was told and the introduction of many new characters, who valiantly come to the forefront of Drizz’ts world. They will never replace the companions of the hall, but Salvatore has done them justice and given them all a fairly rich background and depth. 

I give the book 5 out of five stars as the story moved quickly, kept me on the edge of my seat and handled the passing of time very well! Kudos! Oh, I almost forgot...who is Barrabus the Gray?!  *wink*

I look forward to reading the next few…just as soon as I finish another stack of books I promised to read first!

 Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!

All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Ashenclaw Studios 2012 Game Plan

With the New Year fast approaching and my new job demanding much of my attention, I wanted to address a post concerning what Ashenclaw Studios has in store for 2012!

Firstly, I have been writing and editing and generally poring over a series of short stories that I intend to release soon, hopefully in the first quarter of the year. I am targeting around April to have at least the first of the six out, with the others to follow shortly after. The short stories will include the happenings of the three High Council members Tiyarnon the High Priest of The Shimmering One, Nimaira Silvershade, the half-elven mage and Rolin Hardbeard, the dwarven warrior, prior to the Prologue to CotFK*. If you read the book, it may explain why they had to go and find help! Then I will add tales (from approximately 12 years or so prior to the novel) concerning our protagonists, which will add to the character building and give a glimpse into their history, describing important events in their past that put them on the paths they currently walk. These will theoretically be ninety-nine cent downloads straight to your kindles, Nooks, iPads and other reading devices.



Secondly, Nick Titano (of Infernal Titans & Ashenclaw Studios) and I, as well as the rest of the gang at the studio (Tom, Liz and the others) are working on a role-playing aid that we intend to publish as a supplement to 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons as well. The work has stalled a bit with the holidays approaching, but we plan to accelerate the work after the first of the year. This is requiring quite a bit of work, as we are intending to give the audience a broad and general lay of the land with all of the important towns and hotspots in Wothlondia clearly marked and a brief description of the towns. We figured a general description of the cities and areas might be just the spark that a Dungeon Master might need to spice up his own campaign or even start a new one in the Realm of Ashenclaw setting. We are also working on a brand new character class based on the alchemistic stylings of Elec Stormwhisper in the first novel. He is being designed as Nick describes it as “an At-Will, Encounter, Daily, Utility class,” as well as a few new monsters that we have play tested and are—if I may say so—awesome! We are also working on a shield-bashing Ranger defender essentials build.

As a side note, I will be having a contest shortly to give the potion-popping class of Elec Stormwhisper a name where you can win a signed copy of CotFK if we choose your suggestion! We have a few ideas, but I am not going to give any indication of what we are thinking and leave it strictly up to you.

There are also several themes being worked on as well for the RPG. I am shooting for a midsummer release of this with possibly more supplements to come. I will keep anyone posted that asks. This will certainly be available as a download for sure and we are looking into a possible print version, though I would like more feedback from you gamers out there what you would like to see. Is a download to your laptop or tablet good enough?

Thirdly, I am hoping beyond hope to release the second novel in the Beginnings series by the end of next year. I am leaning again toward an eBook only version of this, but have not decided for sure. I had started writing this late last year with an outline and got about 1/3 of the way through before business decisions tore me away from this and back to getting the first novel published and put together. It is tentatively entitled -- Secrets of the Ebonite Mines.


As always, I would love to hear from any and everyone concerning the stories and the RPG supplement.

*Covenant of the Faceless Knights, my first full-length novel.

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase Covenant of the Faceless Knights and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

Photos from Stock.xchng & Nick Titano's camera @2011 Gencon! 

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios, LLC 2011 unless otherwise noted.

Infernal Titans Battlemaps

I know that fantasy novels and gaming go hand in hand, so I have decided to plug my friend's business who makes Battlemaps for any RPG. They are the 1" square maps that we all have seen if we play any type of table top RPG.

Since I had some traffic coming here from other gaming sites and blogs, I wanted to re-post something here for Nick about his Battlemaps, especially since I talked about them last week here. So. without further ado, here is the post and the link to Infernal Titans TWITTER, BLOG and RPGNOW spot!

 *****

I love maps. They're one of my favorite things about D&D I think. Whether maps of the world, maps of a kingdom, maps of a city, or maps of a dungeon makes no difference. I love looking at them, drawing them, and using them. A good map can be as inspiring as a good book.

A while ago I was talking to a friend of mine who worked in the printing business about having poster maps printed for my gaming group. We love using battle maps. The only problem was there weren't enough of them. Turns out it would be damn expensive to print out individual maps for personal use. The more you print though, the cheaper it becomes. So I figured why not try to sell them. I've seen plenty of threads where people are asking for poster sized battle maps.

The hardest part was finding someone to draw them. I had one artist flake out on me, and one just got too busy. I had limited options, and an even more limited budget. I was stumped, until I talked to my cousin Mark. We were talking about the maps, and he said "I guess it's something you can't do yourself?". To which I replied "I don't know, I never tried." So that evening I opened up Photoshop, and started drawing/painting/photoshopping or whatever. I even downloaded the free 30 day trial of Adobe Illustrator to mess with. 

I figured any artwork is better than no artwork, and at least I was moving forward. Even if it was at a snails pace. And even if it was for nothing, at least I was doing my best to see it through. So after several months of lumbering through Illustrator and Photoshop I had a final product. Was it perfect? Not in my opinion, but we are our own worst critics.

Then came the business end of things: forming the LLC, getting a tax I.D. number from the IRS, starting a business checking account. I was doing things wrong more often than I did them right. But in the end, I got it all worked out. Ultimately my goal is to give as much as I can back to the game that has given so much to me these past twenty four years. I don't even want to imagine what life would have been like if I did not have my fantasy world to escape to. So check out the site, let me know what you think. I look forward to input from my fellow gamers

I love maps. They're one of my favorite things about D&D I think. Whether maps of the world, maps of a kingdom, maps of a city, or maps of a dungeon makes no difference. I love looking at them, drawing them, and using them. A good map can be as inspiring as a good book.

A while ago I was talking to a friend of mine who worked in the printing business about having poster maps printed for my gaming group. We love using battle maps. The only problem was there weren't enough of them. Turns out it would be damn expensive to print out individual maps for personal use. The more you print though, the cheaper it becomes. So I figured why not try to sell them. I've seen plenty of threads where people are asking for poster sized battle maps.

The hardest part was finding someone to draw them. I had one artist flake out on me, and one just got too busy. I had limited options, and an even more limited budget. I was stumped, until I talked to my cousin Mark. We were talking about the maps, and he said "I guess it's something you can't do yourself?". To which I replied "I don't know, I never tried." So that evening I opened up Photoshop, and started drawing/painting/photoshopping or whatever. I even downloaded the free 30 day trial of Adobe Illustrator to mess with.

I figured any artwork is better than no artwork, and at least I was moving forward. Even if it was at a snails pace. And even if it was for nothing, at least I was doing my best to see it through. So after several months of lumbering through Illustrator and Photoshop I had a final product. Was it perfect? Not in my opinion, but we are our own worst critics. 

Then came the business end of things: forming the LLC, getting a tax I.D. number from the IRS, starting a business checking account. I was doing things wrong more often than I did them right. But in the end, I got it all worked out. Ultimately my goal is to give as much as I can back to the game that has given so much to me these past twenty four years. I don't even want to imagine what life would have been like if I did not have my fantasy world to escape to. So check out the site, let me know what you think. I look forward to input from my fellow gamers!

*************

I've got poster maps for sale on my website. We're doing a pre-print sale to see what kind of interest there is in the community. Four full color 36"x24" battlemaps for $10. They'll be available at that price until we go to print. I know I want more battle maps, hopefully many of you do also.

Check out the pics in my photos for a preview, and check out the website HERE

*****

Thanks all for checking this out and I will see you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase Covenant of the Faceless Knights and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios, LLC 2011 unless otherwise noted. 

Which version of D&D do you play?

I was going to do a post about different gaming attractions and such, but then I decided to break it down into different versions of Dungeons & Dragons specifically. Reason being is that I have several friends who play older versions of Dungeons and Dragons as well as the more current 3.0, 3.5 and 4^th editions as well as the DDO MMORPG. (Eberron? Really?!)

I have been staying current, albeit reluctantly at first, as I generally fear change! Actually, not really, but, I saw no good reason to move forward as I thought that 3^rd edition was pretty good and advanced D&D as far as it could go. I may have been right! Current 4^th edition D&D is a far cry from your older versions and really mirrors the feel of an MMORPG, which I assume it feels as its competition.

Again, these are my opinions, so feel free to disagree. I love a good debate.

I think each of the versions has 'good' and 'bad' characteristics and I wanted to touch on a few of the good and bad. Let me preface also by adding that I think all of them have their place and they are meant for you to have fun in whatever form that may take.

Older versions of D&D were fun, simplistic and a bit generic. Role-playing was the key as well as the imagination of the DM and players both. Managing your inventory is another factor as it added a ‘realistic’ quality to the game. I personally did not enjoy this as I felt it detracted from the overall game-play and felt more like homework than actual fun! In addition, I felt that there was nothing heroic about an average guy picking up a sword and shield to go adventuring—it’s just silly. Add in the fact that all classes were basically the same. (ie. all characters have the same statistics, hit points, etc, like your fighter is made in a production line like a car or a piece of equipment), detracted from it further as more modern versions became available. But, it was an older representation and sometimes classic is the way to go. It was very dependent upon the story and the environment to move the game along. I personally enjoy the character that I play and want him to be a bit more…heroic? But, I digress--to each his own--que sera sera.

Third edition was pretty unique in that it diversified from the norm and really brought old school D&D into the modern age. It felt like an amazing leap in game mechanics while still keeping the familiar names, spells and abilities we all knew and loved. You could custom build your fighter, rogue, barbarian, etc. so that he or she was different from the others. Multi-classing, prestige classes and customizations were its strengths. Third edition was also ground-breaking in that they opened the game up to the community and made it essentially an open-source product (think Linux) which enhances the overall game experience as the consumer has a vested interest in the end product. However, as supplements became more and more available, power-gaming eventually put an end to this version and the market was saturated with over-the-top classes/variations/prestige classes. Sometimes, we experienced that a player accidentally created an overpowered character! Yikes! 

In 4^th edition, I kind of miss the skill selection or separation as I think they may have lumped too many of the individual skills into one overall skill. That being said, simplification has its place, I suppose. DM’ing has seriously gotten easier, encounters can be extremely easy to prepare and balance and the monsters are quite easy to manage now. As opposed to third edition where a significant monster may have two pages of spells, abilities and powers of which would send your head spinning when it was the monsters turn to go! Balance I think is the key to 4^th edition and it is very clear that they wanted combat to be very gripping and encapsulating to the point of making the battles a bit more epic. It certainly has become a tabletop game for the most part.

I have also heard grumblings on the internet that 4^th edition loses the RP feel, which I disagree with totally. This is completely up to your DM as it is his or her job to add that element. I have also heard that 4^th edition isn’t deadly enough. Wrong again…I have gotten my derriere handed to me several times and have been in one TPK (total Party Kill.) It was vicious! 

I am the DM! Whatever I say-goes!

All in all, I think you can take each framework of the game and add whatever style you like to it as they all have their own charm and ambiance. The bottom lines is that we are having fun, exploring dungeons and slaying dragons…After all, this is what it’s all about!

My question to you is: What version do you like best and why?

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit my HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase Covenant of the Faceless Knights and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios, LLC 2011 unless otherwise noted.  

Interview with an Avid D&D Gamer

 

 A very good friend of mine is a HUGE Dungeons and Dragons gamer. He has played since 1987 to present. He has played alongside your truly as well, but most of the time without. That being said, I wanted to do a brief interview for all of you gamers and D&D players who have played over the years and thought it would be cool to ask him a few questions. He was kind enough to take the time to answer my questions.

The interview is with Nicholas Titano of Infernal Titans, a company that he established this year in an attempt to provide gaming maps (at first) to the gaming community as he felt there were very few to choose from. Check his website out here...go now! And then come back here to see what Nick had to say!

We here at INFERNAL TITANS have been avid gamers for over two decades and as such, have had our finger on the pulse of the gaming community the entire time. Being mindful of your income, our goal is to not only provide the gaming community with quality products at an affordable price, but to satisfy what our own players have been clamoring for in the past few years: new gaming products! We strive to produce the highest quality role playing supplements that we can and look forward to producing many more in the future. These products are the first in a line of what we hope will be MANY products that make your game (and ours) a more enjoyable experience.

INFERNAL TITANS

What drew you to Dungeons & Dragons?

I was always a fan of swashbuckling sword and sorcery stories. My favorite toys as a child were the castle themed Lego sets, and anything Star Wars. So Dungeons & Dragons was a natural progression.

What is the most important element of the game in your opinion?

The social element. Dungeons & Dragons is inherently a group activity, if you don't like the people you play with, you are not going to enjoy yourself.

Did anyone ever ask you if you won or lost a game of Dungeons & Dragons?

Yes, on several occasions. It's usually a waste of time to try to explain the game to them, so I usually just say "Yes, yes I did."

How would you attract new gamers in the video game age?

Make a video game. If the game accurately simulates the tabletop experience, that would generate interest in the tabletop game. Then couple the video game experience with an in depth online community that caters to the video gamers, and the tabletop gamers. Thereby creating an interconnected community of gamers.

Making the game more dynamic, accessible, and user friendly is also a good idea.

What do you like best as a player in Dungeons & Dragons?

Being a part of a team. I generally lean towards characters that fill more of a supporting role when I play.

What do you like best in the role of Dungeon Master in Dungeons & Dragons?

Creating memorable experiences for my friends.

Why do you still play after 20+ years of playing?

Because I still enjoy it. As I grow and change, so does the game. That's the beauty of a tabletop RPG, it can be anything you want it to be. There are no constraints.

What is your favorite edition of Dungeons & Dragons?

4th edition is my favorite. Its elegant mechanics are far easier to work with than any previous edition. At the same time it brings back the feelings I had as a 12 year old back in 1987 paging through the old Red Box Basic Edition- "Anything is possible in this world".

What is your most memorable event in Dungeons & Dragons as either a player or a Dungeon Master?

 

Surprisingly my most memorable events occur away from the table, as opposed to at it. The fact that my wife named her cat after an NPC from one of my campaigns is awesome. Obviously that campaign, and that NPC in particular, had a profound impact on her. That's just one of many. My players remembered minute details about a minor NPC whose purpose was purely comic relief. The party was close to Epic levels, so I figured one of the "famous" heroes should have a stalker. They remembered that his "spirit companion" (The PC he is stalking is a 4E shaman) was a plush badger attached to a string. Things like that stand out to me more than anything specific that happens at the table.

What do you think of the internet wars of Pathfinder vs. Dungeons & Dragons?

I don't, and neither should anyone else. Internet "Wars" are a waste of time.

Nick can be reached here:

customerservice@infernaltitans.com

Oh, before I forget, go like Nick's facebook page found here. It is so easy! Follow the link here, click the 'Like' button! It is super simple!Thanks in advance for you assumed compliance and cooperation in this matter. :-)

NICK'S FACEBOOK PAGE

Also, I would encourage any of you who are interested to take one of the questions, copy it and paste your answer in the comments!

See you in Wothlondia! (And maybe at the gaming table!) Cheers!

Please visit: www.ashenclaw.com to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase Covenant of the Faceless Knights and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios, LLC 2011 unless otherwise noted. 

GENCON 2011 experience...

Well, as you all know by now, my favorite part of gencon is not a surprise. I must say that we had our fair share of mishaps, disappointments and all around frustrations. The trip out was an excruciating 11.5 hour journey from the Philadelphia area to Indianapolis. We arrived at the Days Hotel and were immediately disappointed by their lack of knowledge…not only about gencon, but about the surrounding area. We asked them if they had a map and the attendant said no, when there was one right on the end of the counter (which we found shortly after.) 

Then, after eating and sleeping on Wednesday night, we managed to catch a shuttle to the convention center. This was a miracle as well as we later found out that the shuttles were all done basically by one guy and he was servicing two hotels. You do the math.

We arrived at the convention center and were greeted by a line that must have been close to a mile long. WILL CALL! Argh! Next time, we take the cab the night before and get our badges. After that, it took us a little time to get acclimated and before I knew it, the day was gone and we had played our first two sessions of the Living Divine in the 4^th edition D&D game room. The games were fun.

 

Then we spent the next few hours waiting and calling for our shuttle, which did not arrive until 1:30ish in the morning. That sucked! Nick and I then arrived back to the hotel to find that our linens had not been changed. Strike Three, Days Inn! Next! And on top of that, one of our guys had to fly home Saturday morning as his wife went into the hospital. Turns out that she is OK (phew!) but it sucked, nonetheless. So, other than little sleep, which I had counted on, we got more than we bargained for in the way of fun-detractors.

Things did get better after that (despite the hotel’s numerous attempts to blemish my trip) and we managed to visit the amazingly vast dealer rooms, eat @ Loghmiller’s pub (our favorite eatery in Indy) and meet some amazing people! I met Jay Babcock, who was responsible for the 4^th edition Living Divine Event and the mods were fun. Our DM, Dave, was a pretty cool guy and so were all of the DM’s and marshals at the event. 

Then there were of course, the costumes and the statues…pics below. People at gencon are some of the coolest people I have ever met.

And despite all of the problems with the hotel, the travel and the expenses...I would do it 100 out of 100 times again.

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit: www.ashenclaw.com to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase Covenant of the Faceless Knights and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios, LLC 2011 unless otherwise noted.