[1]: The Hooded Man and something from Wages of Sin for Mothership, but using Neon City Overdrive as the rules.
Like most GMs, I have a list of games that I’d like to run. This is usually sparked by a specific campaign or adventure, but the best games give me what I describe as ‘the GM tingles’ where there’s just something about them that makes me want to run them. Campaigns are challenging in this way; practically, I know that I can – at most - run two campaigns at once, and perhaps a third mini-campaign like A|State at LongCon. My time is limited by work and family commitments, and that’s okay.
I use gaming conventions to get the opportunity to run one-shots of games that fascinate me. If I’m lucky, I may get to run the scenario in advance with friends, but often it’s first outing for me at the convention. Fortunately, attending Garricons for two decades means that there’s a wide group of people that I would consider friends and who often sign up to play if I’m running; it’s like an extended gaming family. Running a game for the first time at a convention is more risky than using a system you’re really familiar with [2], because there’s more chance that you may not know a specific rule immediately. Fortunately, I mainly go for lighter game engines these days, but does mean I need to properly prepare, often building a cribsheet to make sure I have the rules down well.
Like most GMs, I have a list of games that I’d like to run. This is usually sparked by a specific campaign or adventure, but the best games give me what I describe as ‘the GM tingles’ where there’s just something about them that makes me want to run them. Campaigns are challenging in this way; practically, I know that I can – at most - run two campaigns at once, and perhaps a third mini-campaign like A|State at LongCon. My time is limited by work and family commitments, and that’s okay.
I use gaming conventions to get the opportunity to run one-shots of games that fascinate me. If I’m lucky, I may get to run the scenario in advance with friends, but often it’s first outing for me at the convention. Fortunately, attending Garricons for two decades means that there’s a wide group of people that I would consider friends and who often sign up to play if I’m running; it’s like an extended gaming family. Running a game for the first time at a convention is more risky than using a system you’re really familiar with [2], because there’s more chance that you may not know a specific rule immediately. Fortunately, I mainly go for lighter game engines these days, but does mean I need to properly prepare, often building a cribsheet to make sure I have the rules down well.
[2]: For example, if I was running Traveller, I wouldn’t think twice about the system, and I could cope happily without the rules in front of me in most circumstances.
Getting back to the bridesmaids. There are several game systems that I keep on getting really close to running as a one shot, but they always fall away just before the convention. Pelgrane Press’s The Dying Earth Roleplaying Game was one of these for a long time. I’ve loved Jack Vance’s Dying Earth books ever since I found them on my dad’s bookshelf, and the roleplaying game is beautifully written. However, I found it incredibly intimidating as it captures the sly quick wit of the books and I just felt that I wouldn’t be able to deliver as a GM so I kept on planning to run it, and then bottling it at the last minute, finding something else instead. However, I finally ran it a few years ago at Furnace using the Revivification Folio version of the rules and one of the pre-written scenarios. What I’d forgotten was that advertising a game in the Dying Earth would attract players who loved it and people who owned the book but had never ran it or played it - perhaps for reasons similar to mine - but wanted the chance to try the game. We had a really fun time, and I’d definitely do it again.
So who are my current bridesmaids?
There are other bridesmaids, but these are the ones that I keep on circling back to at the moment [3].
Getting back to the bridesmaids. There are several game systems that I keep on getting really close to running as a one shot, but they always fall away just before the convention. Pelgrane Press’s The Dying Earth Roleplaying Game was one of these for a long time. I’ve loved Jack Vance’s Dying Earth books ever since I found them on my dad’s bookshelf, and the roleplaying game is beautifully written. However, I found it incredibly intimidating as it captures the sly quick wit of the books and I just felt that I wouldn’t be able to deliver as a GM so I kept on planning to run it, and then bottling it at the last minute, finding something else instead. However, I finally ran it a few years ago at Furnace using the Revivification Folio version of the rules and one of the pre-written scenarios. What I’d forgotten was that advertising a game in the Dying Earth would attract players who loved it and people who owned the book but had never ran it or played it - perhaps for reasons similar to mine - but wanted the chance to try the game. We had a really fun time, and I’d definitely do it again.
So who are my current bridesmaids?
Godbound
Kevin Crawford’s game of playing semi-divine beings. Reality was shattered when heaven was stormed, only to find the throne of God empty. The characters all possess some of the words of creation and will chew through lesser opposition with little effort. It’s cleverly put together, and looks like it could be a fantastic convention game with the right scenario. I keep on meaning to prepare one, but I always remember too late. Perhaps I should consider reading the material immediately after Furnace and make a decision on what I want to do with it when the pressure is off.Outgunned
This is a game I played at North Star, and have picked up everything for it. I reviewed it previously, but I’ve yet to get it to the table. I really need to do this (if only to justify the amount of books I’ve bought). When I played it, I found it slick, fast and effective. I almost feel like I have too much choice thanks to the multiple genres. Perhaps the craziest thing in my head was to use the Superheroes rules and some of the ‘Action Flicks’ (nutshell expansions) to do Carthaginian Heroes taking revenge on Rome, partly because I was reading Eve MacDonald’s excellent book.Dragonbane
Another game I have far too much of, but I have yet to get to the table or even play. I’ve read it, I know it will be my kind of hot beverage, but I’ve either missed getting into a game or gone for something else. First Age keeps saying he’ll run a session, but it never seems to quite happen. I may just bite the buillet and go with it because it’s another game I’ve bought a fair few things for.There are other bridesmaids, but these are the ones that I keep on circling back to at the moment [3].
What are yours?
[3]: And in the end, none of them made the final cut for Furnace as I opted to go with only The Hooded Man for simplicity.
[3]: And in the end, none of them made the final cut for Furnace as I opted to go with only The Hooded Man for simplicity.
26 September 2026
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