MichiCon and WinterCon tournaments • Collecting General

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MichiCon and WinterCon tournaments
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Mars
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:28 pm

I have composed a bit of a list of WinterCon and MichiCon tournaments but was wondering if anyone can fill in the gaps:

WinterCon
1974 WinterCon III -
1975 WinterCon IV -
1976 WinterCon V - Lost Caverns of Tsojconth by Gary Gygax
1977 WinterCon VI - 100 person D&D tourney?
1978 WinterCon VII - The Quest for the Fazzlewood by John and Laurie Van De Graaf
- Don Leiber - "short beginners level D&D tournament based on Tolkienesque fantasy"
1979 Wintercon VIII - The Ghost Tower of Inverness by Allen Hammack
- Judges Guild The Maltese Clue by Paul Karczag
1980 WinterCon IX -
1981 WinterCon X -

MichiCon
1974 MichiCon III -
1975 MichiCon IV -
1976 MichiCon V -
1978 MichiCon VII -
1979 MichiCon VIII - Blackmoor Dungeon by Dave Arneson
- Dungeons & Dragons: MDG's Russ Stambaugh tournament dungeon for teams of 2 players
- Judges Guild Escape from Astigar's Lair by Allen Pruehs, Ree Moorhead Pruehs
1980 MichiCon IX - Uncle Ebenezer's Will by Jim Moir
1981 MichiCon X - The Tarot Quest by Tri Tac Inc

Last edited by Mars on Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:17 am, edited 1 time in total.

Mars
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:49 pm

I don't have a copy of Escape from Astigar's Lair but could someone check if the description used as MichiCon VIII by Pruehes and Moorhead matches this module? Could easily be that the module was run multiple years.

bbarsh
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 9:54 pm

Kobold Hall was Michicon 12 (which also happened to be Origins 83.

I wrote and ran a small AD&D tourney at Wintercon 82. I still have a copy of it buried in storage. Can't recall the name for some damn reason. But we had 6 DMs with groups of 8 players. Ran two sessions and one finals.

And I could've bought these damn modules off the 1$ rack!!!

New modules for your Old School game http://pacesettergames.com/

Everything Pacesetter at http://pacesettergames.blog.com/

Mars
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:07 pm

Ever think about publishing a limited number of copies? I would be interested in a copy.

bbarsh
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:15 pm

Mars wrote:Ever think about publishing a limited number of copies? I would be interested in a copy.

Wasn't really thinking about that one. But I am publishing one I, my gaming group, did at Gen Con in 1993 (or 92, I get the year confused). We had six DMs and we each ran the first round three times per GC rules with 10 players each. It was sold out. Final round with six teams.

That one was called Storm over Skyreach. It will be available at the end of this year.

Part of my determination get off the couch and actually pubish.

The Wintercon adventure was less of an actual adventure but more of a situational tournament ala White Plume Mountain.

And I could've bought these damn modules off the 1$ rack!!!

New modules for your Old School game http://pacesettergames.com/

Everything Pacesetter at http://pacesettergames.blog.com/

grodog
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:19 pm

I had it as MC V and my data is still bad: I rec'd a note from the authors, with several illuminating tidbits:

I was dinking around with Google searches and found your site about Greyhawk tournament history.

"Escape from Astigar's Lair" was written by Allen V. Pruehs and Ree Moorhead Pruehs. I'm not sure where the date of MichiCon V, June 11 to 13, 1976, at the Univ of Detroit, MI came from -- but that's absolutely not right since Al and I didn't meet until January 1977 (his second D&D game and my second as DM). Astigar was definitely post-Greyhawk and used the first edition of the hardcover AD&D books. It was run as a tournament dungeon at MichiCon VIII, in 1979 -- "created and approved for use with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons."

From there we sold it to the Judges' Guild, during our honeymoon later that year. The copyright date on the published editon is 1980. It has cover art by Kevin Siembieda, printed on a hurt-the-eyes magenta background. It was Judges Guild item #124 and retailed for $2.00.

We were both amused and amazed to find out that Astigar is still out there, remembered fondly and even being used at the occasional tournament.

Allan Grohe ([email protected])
Greyhawk, grodog Style

Editor and Project Manager, Black Blade Publishing
https://www.facebook.com/BlackBladePublishing/

Mars
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:18 am

grodog wrote:I had it as MC V and my data is still bad: I rec'd a note from the authors, with several illuminating tidbits:

I looked at your entry and dismissed it

Looking over the JG subweb, I think I misread the number of IIIs so I've updated the list.

mbassoc2003
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 2:43 am

Mars wrote:Ever think about publishing a limited number of copies? I would be interested in a copy.

I'd be interested in a copy for my collection too.

This week I've been mostly eating . . . The white ones with the little red flecks in them.

bbarsh
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:29 am

mbassoc2003 wrote:I'd be interested in a copy for my collection too.

I am going to dig it out of storage this weekend. It is two-part adventure (though more like a traditional tournament rather than story-based scenario).

I was 14 when I wrote that one so no expectation of literary greatness.

And I could've bought these damn modules off the 1$ rack!!!

New modules for your Old School game http://pacesettergames.com/

Everything Pacesetter at http://pacesettergames.blog.com/

mbassoc2003
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:36 am

bbarsh wrote:
I am going to dig it out of storage this weekend. It is two-part adventure (though more like a traditional tournament rather than story-based scenario).

I was 14 when I wrote that one so no expectation of literary greatness.

Yes, but those things we wrote when we were in highschool were just the best, weren't they? Don't we collect in part so that we can hold onto those days when we had nothing else to worry about, and life was just character sheets, dice and soda cans?

This week I've been mostly eating . . . The white ones with the little red flecks in them.

bbarsh
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:46 am

Mars -

Where did you pull your information from. Various sources, con programs...

And I could've bought these damn modules off the 1$ rack!!!

New modules for your Old School game http://pacesettergames.com/

Everything Pacesetter at http://pacesettergames.blog.com/

Plaag
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:48 am

grodog wrote:I had it as MC V and my data is still bad: I rec'd a note from the authors, with several illuminating tidbits:

Cool bit of info, shall have to get that on the site eventually.

ShaneG.

I reject your reality and substitute my own

Mars
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:25 am

bbarsh wrote:Where did you pull your information from. Various sources, con programs...

Most of the obscure info is taken from a couple of programs that are listed on the Tome and some of the discussion that was done here years in the past.

Mars
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:33 am

Heres the thread where a bunch came from:

viewtopic.php?t=713

bbarsh
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 11:15 am

bbarsh wrote:Wasn't really thinking about that one. But I am publishing one I, my gaming group, did at Gen Con in 1993 (or 92, I get the year confused). We had six DMs and we each ran the first round three times per GC rules with 10 players each. It was sold out. Final round with six teams.

Looking back, it most probably somewhere in the 1988-90 range.

I need to dig out my GC programs and try to find it.

And I could've bought these damn modules off the 1$ rack!!!

New modules for your Old School game http://pacesettergames.com/

Everything Pacesetter at http://pacesettergames.blog.com/

stratochamp
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:37 pm

all details from the michicon 8 (which was held 6/1-3 1979) program guide: michicon 1: 7/9/72 w/40 attendees WC1: 12/30/72 50 attendees MC2: 7/15/73 w/80 WC2: 1/5/74 w/55 MC3: 7/21&22 1974 w/110 WC3: 12/8/74 w/150 MC4: 6/13-15 1975 w/200 at U Detroit for 1st time WC4: 12/5-7 1975 w/275 MC5: 6/11-13 1976 w/over 400 WC5: 12/3-5 1976 w/425 at Oakland university & first guests of honor (gary & ernie gygax & brian blume) & a 100-plus person D&D tourney MC6: 6/3-5 1977 w/725 one RPG event had 120 entrants WC6 12/3-5 1977 w/1100 d&d reached 200 players origins78/michicon7 7/14-16 1978 w/3600 at UMichigan; in addition some events held thursday night for first time WC7: 12/1-3 1978 w/1500 Quest of the Fazzlewood became the second MDG dungeon product. [ I tried to use the wording that was used in the booklet to describe things-I am making no claims as to the accuracy of the descriptions-I wasn't there...] WC8 was going to be held 11/16-18 1975 & MC9 6/6-8 1980 both at Oakland University in Rochester Michigan

stratochamp
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:54 pm

from the same Michicon 8 booklet under Role-Playing: Blackmoor Dungeon Dave Arneson, author of Blackmoor and co-author D&D will take a party of 12 into the infamous Blackmoor Dungeon. "HI-HO, HI-HO, into the dark pits we go, To fame, to death, to glory we go, HI-HO, HI-HO"- A runic message found under a table at the Comeback Inn in Blackmoor. Lasts $ hours. Sunday 10 AM-2 PM $1.00 There was a tournament dungeon for teams of 2 players with a 1hour limit (20 teams/hour 160 total players) and an extra added treat for those who can't get enough D&D (their words, not mine): A Druid & a ranger have been taken captive by their best friend who has been possessed by an evil wizard. Can they escape in time-and rescue their friend as well? You have 1 hour to escape the deadly dungeon of designers Al Pruehs and Ree Moorhead. Saturday 5-8 PM. There was also a CSIO 15 player/team event run by Judges Guild.

grodog
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:27 pm

Plaag wrote:Cool bit of info, shall have to get that on the site eventually.

It's definitely content that's on-deck. I just don't know when I'll be cleaning that deck off yet

Allan Grohe ([email protected])
Greyhawk, grodog Style

Editor and Project Manager, Black Blade Publishing
https://www.facebook.com/BlackBladePublishing/

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