Mepacon 25.... the rest of the story

When I wrote my blog post on Saturday from Mepacon, I was sitting in a comfy chair in the hotel lobby with my buddy Brian, waiting for the second half of the Nebraska-Michigan game.  No more than three minutes after posting that entry, an older gentlemen, with far more salt than pepper limped into the lobby and headed towards the con in the ballroom

I dragged Brian back into the con.  For the first time in 15 years, Mike Griffith, godfather of the one day con in Eastern PA, was setting foot in a convention.

Mike Griffith with Mepacon Con Director, Ed Lehman

The addition of Mike made a great auction even better with a table of Old Guard fellas, making bad jokes and trying to bottom feed at the same time.

If there was one thing that threw Mike off, it was the small hordes of children having waaaay too much fun at the con.  They dominated the paint and take, the computer moderated Starfleet game, and a heavily attended session of coloring.   In fact, it looks like the awards for the coloring contest has earned a spot alongside the dice guess, raffle, and auction.

The coloring contest entries

Raffle:  I spent my $10 donation to the con in raffle tickets.  If I get in for free for running a game, the least I can do is give ten bucks directly to the cause.  I hit twice, snagging a demo copy of Dino Hunt and an Unknown Armies book.

Auction: There have been better auctions, but this one was a long Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1st Edition in great shape.

• Top Secret 1st Edition Boxed Set, with the 2nd published module included.
• Some miscellaneous D&D softcovers (a Companion Set, part of the Masters and Immortals boxed sets)
• Sword & Sorcery d20 City State of the Invincible Overlord HC
• Orcs at the Gates boardgame
• Ace of Aces w/ Balloon Busters
• Harpoon: Battle of the Third World War
• Ghostbusters RPG Training Manual out of the original boxed set
• Buffy: The Vampire Slayer - Directors Screen.
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures! (Palladium for those who didn't know)

There were a few other minor things, but everything was cheap. 
Despite no one signing up for Burning Plastic, I brought my stuff in to play, shot the breeze with a few people, and snagged some t-shirts for wife and kids.  In the midst of my transactions, I glanced over and some of the younger gamers had rummaged through the box o' army men and had set up a zombie scenario.  As kids 4-8 are wont to do, they would rotate in and out, depending on their whims.  Sometimes one fella was playing

Add caption

... other times six kids would be there.  We used an drastically abbreviated version of Burning Plastic, with a dominating dose of youthful imagination.

We will be playtesting a zombie robot scenario for the game shortly.

Despite missing a few familiar faces (most noticeably author CJ Henderson), it was a great time for everyone involved.  Most games were full, organized play was back to a packed room, the dealers were well stocked, and any con where you can buy an official con bumper sticker and a properly weighted pirate sword prop is a good one. 

Mepacon 26 (Spring 2014) is April 4-6 at the Ramada in Clarks Summit yet again.  My work schedule might allow a full weekend with the wife.  Samoans, Mouse Guard, and Zombie robots are all possibilities.