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Another Winter War has entered the annals of history. Fun was experienced by all, at least I hope so. IMHO, the best one yet. It was our largest turn-out to date and nearly broke the convention's records for single event (Siege of the Diamond City) on Saturday and total attendance for one game system. We were only 16 seats short of what LG did back in the day. If not for bad weather rolling in up north forcing some to leave early, I am confident we would have set the new record. I look forward to the challenge of making PFS bigger and better next year!
There are sooo many people that deserve a HUGE thank you for making it a big success this year.
Don/Susan McKinney, the convention owners, are great to work with and they have both helped me maintain my sanity with the planning of the event and they have been very accommodating to my numerous requests/wants/needs. Don and I had a great conversation on Friday and have some interesting ideas to improve the registration system for next year. He indicated the hotel has some ideas how to expand their space for us to accommodate more growth. It is looking very promising for next year.
The hotel was sooo helpful. They provided a (nearly) never-ending supply of ice water, semi-private restrooms, and a TV monitor so we could use the digital video enhancement that accompanied the Siege of the Diamond City special. They were readily available and responsive to our requests for more tables, garbage removal, etc. And the staff was genuinely happy to help, not just because it was their job. Every year it is one of the very best hotel experiences I have with the various ones I visit during conventions.
Our players were outstanding. I didn't hear of any rules arguments, hurt feelings, etc. and everyone seemed excited when they entered/left the room during breaks. It kept me charged despite working on very limited sleep. I received a number of compliments about our GMs. The only issue we had was keeping the thermostat consistent, but it wasn't bad and didn't seem to negatively impact anyone. And we are honored with six new Venture-Captains thanks to a well-played group of Eyes of the Ten'ers.
As always, the GM pool were rock stars! Their skills are dazzling and players were always interested and eager. Lots of "hoots" and "howls" as enemies were defeated and rewards were earned. When we had to adjust the schedule due to the weather, everyone was very accommodating and willing to pick up a game to cover a GM who had to leave early. I am always amazed and thankful for the level of support I get and their willingness to do anything necessary to provide the players a funtastic experience.
Many of my Venture-Officer cohorts made the trip and were instrumental in Gming the many tables we offered as well as ambassadors of the game. I am proud to belong to such a group of organizers and just flat cool people.
If I was to list the names of everyone who made this convention such an awesome event, it would likely be a wall of text and probably include everyone who attended. However, I did want to mention the efforts of one particular attendee...
Amanda Kline volunteered to help me with HQ and she was AMAZING! You might recall her as the lovely lady that was proposed to at the diamond City special last GenCon. She took on the monumental challenge of mustering the GMs and players to their tables, the logistics of verifying registrations/payments, making adjustments as players decided to change which game they wanted to play, and most importantly having to deal with me as the lead organizer. Too often the lead gets too much of the credit for a great convention and the support staff is over-looked. We could not have had the success we enjoyed without her contributions. Her genuine eagerness to help out anyway she could and tackle every challenge regardless of the stress, is a statement to her character. Thank you, thank you, thank you Amanda. You rock!
Until next year Winter Warriors, I bid you adieu :-)
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Thank you, thank you, thank you Amanda. You rock!
+1
I had a blast this year. Got a second character to 12 after playing through the Echoes of the Everwar series with a great party and a pair of great GMs! Thanks very much to Chris Mortika for running the first two, and Kyle Baird for doing the last two when Chris had to leave the con early!
:D
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Saying Amanda rocked is an understatement. :-)
Agree with Seth about Chris Mortika and Kyle Baird as a pinch hitter (on minimal sleep, I might add). When Kyle's your first bat off the bench, it's fair to say that Winter War had a heckuva lineup. :-D
Also a shout-out to my Siege of the Diamond City table of three, who talked their way through nearly the entire city (and learned enough to make them very interested in playing Traitor's Lodge...), showing the true power of Diplomacy.
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Too many accolades to hand out--but thanks to Bob and Amanda for always being available for Con Qs, Mike Bohlmann and Ben Rislove for crazy fun high tier hijinks, all cool peeps Atavisk and Bruno got to play with and to Garble for being Garble.
Super special thanks to the unnamed stranger on 57 north who Aided Another when Rene Duquesnoy, Jeff Chapman and I pushed our car out of a snowbank in the middle of a hellacious snowstorm in whiteout conditions.
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Super special thanks to the unnamed stranger on 57 north who Aided Another when Rene Duquesnoy, Jeff Chapman and I pushed our car out of a snowbank in the middle of a hellacious snowstorm in whiteout conditions.
As I previously stated (elsewhere), this good Samaritan should henceforth be known as Kcid, since he was in fact the opposite of a dick.
Kudos.
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Mike Bohlmann and Ben Rislove for crazy fun high tier hijinks
A hearty second to this. I had a great time watching in horror as Bruno let Krune slip from his fingers (twice) and facing untold horrors in the Diamond City. Venture Captain T-Rex's absence was more than made up for by a timely Plane Shift from Gaston Gray.
I'd also like to add my thanks to Dick Gilbert for a wonderfully creepy Day of the Demon.
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Mike Bohlmann and Ben Rislove for crazy fun high tier hijinksA hearty second to this. I had a great time watching in horror as Bruno let Krune slip from his fingers (twice) and facing untold horrors in the Diamond City. Venture Captain T-Rex's absence was more than made up for by a timely Plane Shift from Gaston Gray.
I'd also like to add my thanks to Dick Gilbert for a wonderfully creepy Day of the Demon.
That marilith has been stabbing itself every couple of rounds while wandering about a empty mass of white bliss, it'll probably fall unconscious from exhaustion and explode in a week or so :-p.
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Wait a minute Amanda...you're Shadow Lodge?!? I retract my comments
You think she would would be so well organized if she worked for The ten? Pffft.
Torch hasnt been gone for half a year now, and the Society is already in debt up to our eyeballs thanks to this war we're fighting that has nothing to do with us.
Thanks Valsin. :P
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Who is in charge of Farmageddon? I heard about it but don't remember any of the info? Sounds fun.
Not sure who's in charge of running it (other than the troop putting it on), but here's their website.
They do also have the event up on Warhorn to sign up...been debating on working this in or not. Sadly, it'll probably be not =/.
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I received my birthday card signed but a ton of folks at the show, as well as a really cool dice bag today. Thanks very much for the bag and to everyone who signed the card. And yes, Evil Ernie G, I do play PFS ;-)
I was particularly fond of whoever put "Happy birthday, Wil Wheaton' on it. Made me lol