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A week of Gaming

Holiday in the Isle of Wight

A group of friends meet up in the idyllic setting that is a well converted barn in the rural wilds of  the Isle of Wight on the 24th October(already sounds like a Plot from the ICFTLLLS). Instead of roving picturesque countryside that surrounds us  we drag out of dusty bags and carryalls, pieces of paper and dice that have not  seen the light of day for a dozen years and start chattering about characters long not used. Generating new characters and starting to a prepare for the week ahead

Two games a planned for the first weekend with two others in the wings in case there should be a gap in the gaming. 

  • It came from the Late Late Late Night Movie Show
  • Golden Heroes
  • Space 1889
  • Melee,Magic and Maelstrom (my system) 

It came from the Late Late Late show (ICFTLLLS :Saturday)

Is a tongue in cheek role playing game set in the world of American B movies where players play vapid and silly characters through suspect plots with hilarious consequences.  Not at all serious this game resounds of with shouts of “Stunt Double !” as players try to muddle their way through a plot where cinematic treats such and red eyed zombies, EMP Bombs and cursed crystal skulls  try to eat,blow up or possess the characters

The scenario:  The players characters are  attending an audition for a Movie set in the grounds of Rochester Castle which also happens to be the site on an Archaeological  dig when a crystal skull is dug up by the Archaeologists! …. this explodes with an EMP blast  which beside being inadequately explained resulted in black out of Rochester! and most of the population of Rochester being converted into Red eyed Zombies. The characters are then pursued through the streets of Rochester by Zombies…… After a charge up and down the A2 in a double decker  bus the characters are pursued by supernatural forces and the movie climaxes with  the characters detonating the SS Richard Mongonery on Nore sandbank in the Thames estuary near Sheerness  to destroy  the  crystal Skull… A hugely cinematic ending to a days gaming.  

Golden heros

Never a sensible game we played a mixture of eclectic Superheros through a meandering set of encounters where the players failed to deal with two different alien races some mainly marital/martial super villains and failed to stop the end of the world plot that was only saved by one players misspelling of martial meaning they were a marital expert  rather than a Martial Arts expert and therefore could save the day. Far to little alcohol can be used as an excuse. 

Melee Magic and Maelstrom

The climax of the high level parties trip to hell culminated in the return of the high level  characters to the prime material plane only to find the BBEG laying in wait to ambush them  with a fight including dragons and spell jamming space ships bombarding evil nasties with cannon fire.  Suitably apocalyptic with my attempt to run two intersecting time lines where the away teams return from Hell was being intercepted by the BBEG and the characters left behind on the spell Jammer Charging in all guns blazing to rescue the beleaguered away team.

Space 1889

A game set in the Victorian era exposed the whole gamut of Victorian opinions, bigotries and inhibitions. The party, a mixture of minor nobility, anarchists , domestic staff and common tradesmen  foiled a Prussian plot to steal “secrets”  that would tilt the balance  of power. With cameo appearances from Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison. The party followed the trail of breadcrumb clues down the Nile to a mysterious pyramid. 

Unamed

A system that still remains unnamed after more than 35 years of existence. A table top FRP game set in a bespoke medieval  fantasy world with magic and combat with 35 years of player lore and campaigning.  The players were tasked with finding out why NPCs were disappearing from a local community …. A classic and almost traditional trope for a fantasy setting. Resulting in a delve into local limestone caves populated by Bug Bears and Spider themed bad guys.

Nuclear Armageddon !!!

A number of table top board games were played through out the a week:

  • The game Warlord apparently “the Original game” that the Games Workshop game of the 1980-90s previously known to me as   Apocalypse was based on.
  • Nuclear war and Nuclear Proliferation

Bit of a Nuclear Armageddon theme I thought ! These games were played in a tongue in cheek Homage by those of us who grew up in the shadow of the mushroom  cloud and now are nearing retirement. Much to the confusion of the Younger generation players. 

The Little Barn, Dungewood lane, Shorwell IOW

 A great place to holiday with friendly and helpful management, Richard and Susan were fantastic hosts we heartily recommend this venue for your stay on the IOW. They coped very well with our group of eccentric table top game players. Thank you both we had a fabulous time

My only regret was that we didn’t make the  time to visit the stunning local scenery… Please pardon a bunch of philistines who don’t  meet up often enough for not taking advantage of your fantastic local sights. The sunrises thru the patio doors are Epic !