I’ve just found a few characters from Conquest 2015, a Melbourne based gaming convention. It’s reminded me of the fun had and some silly gimmicky trophies won. Mind you, it’s the first trophy I’ve won based on my own effort and skill. And luck, I can forget that. The thanks for turning up trophies I got as a kid really don’t count. However, the best bit was the fun of the kind of games I really enjoy.

Early on there was this dungeon crawl, a linear adventure with little scope for creative decision making or characterisation. This been said, I watch the boys make havoc with it all which resulted in the party’s barbarian been eaten by a Mimic and the cleric flame striking both to release him. The Mimic died and the barbarian survived on 1 HP. (My son won the “Stay dead” for his efforts as the cleric.)

I did get to play the board game, Doom, which is no longer in print. As expected, we all died without completing the mission. Although we did run around lots shooting stuff and going hand to hand with big nasties.

The Avengers Assemble session was my favourite in playing the Captain in the post Hydra takeover of SHIELD. I was able to keep the party going and survive some stupid heroics. As a team we where able to move through the scenario and to face the challenges presented to us. The GM was able to keep the situation exciting and to keep us on our toes adapting to our ideas.

The best part was when Black Widow, Hawkeye, and myself were in a subterranean laboratory of  the SHIELD base controlled by Hydra. Where we were trying to rescue scientists without alerting Hydra to our presence. The other 3 where on the surface ready to attack the fortified facility. As professional spooks Black Widow & Hawkeye had moved through the room towards the large vault door. While I hung back and concealed my shield under a large jet engine, and move across the room to discover one of the scientists we are looking for. Natasha plants a bug  so that Tony Stark & Jarvis can start hacking the computer systems to copy all their data so we know what they have being up to.

Discovering what they’ve done to Rhodey, Ironman attacks backed up by the Hulk and Thor. The base realising we are there goes on high alert and starts destroying all the records (computer & otherwise). Realising that we will loose the data and in my rough disguise I take the role of a scientist and order everyone out. Most people start moving out, but a guard points at me saying, “That’s Captain America.” My cover blown and acting as a distraction for the others I run across the room sliding to my knees and pull my mask over my face to recover my shield. (This is where the props the GM provided make it, because I was able to pull the mask down to cheers around the room.)

A gun fight ensures, with the villains entering the room, the Baron and a controlled War Machine. Natasha slips through the door to rescue the other scientists. The Hulk was a menace to all knocking out two players. In the end good triumphs and much fun was hand.

Another highlight was my first LAPR event, Dresden Files, run by either Chimera Productions or LARP Victoria (I believe there is a lot of cross over between the groups.) As a fan of the Dresden Files books and the FATE game system I gave this a go as it combined the two in a LARP format. The result was my character, Marcus, was mind controlled and tried to kill a wizard by throwing him off the building. As you can guess it didn’t work, but with some detective work by the others they discovered the plot, and all of this was not even the main event. Hopefully, they will publish the adventure/event for others to enjoy.

Finally, a Harry Potter game where I played Luna Lovegood. I used random sketching to get into character. I know I’m not an artist as my raven looks more like a pigeon.

Overall, it was a small and great event with much fun to be had. It makes one of the four Melbourne conventions each year. I’d like to make next years, but it’s will clash with a major medieval event over Easter. So that is unlikely. That still leaves Arcanacon in January, Phenomenon in June, and Unicon in October.