Free PDF's for the Gencon Deprived

[Ralts Bloodthorne]

I was going to go, but my doctor told me "NO flying or high altitude" till this fall.

That, and I don't really want to go that distance. I'll go to GenCon SoCal, but GenCon is a LONG way away, and my wife couldn't go with me because of work.

 

[maransreth]

arwink, I live in the same city as you! (I think that says it all as to why I cant go)

But seriously, my wife would kill me if we found the money to go to Gencon before going back to Holland as she hasnt been home in just over 5 years and hasnt seen most of her family in that time.

As to cats, I think ours would survive with any cat sitters, they did when we went for 2 weeks up to Cairns last year.

 

[Goblyns Hoard]

Why am I not going to Gencon?

• Cause this weekend I'm seeing my father who spends most of his time in another country.

• Cause I just got back from a business trip and didn't have time to pack (ok - weak I know)

• Cause I live in England and the travel costs are not insignificant

• Cause I'm skint

• Cause my fiance would kill me if she found out the honeymoon planned for this October is to a small camp site down the road cause the money went on Gencon.

 

[Steverooo]

Hey! I downloaded the freebie from Clockwork, Lost Book 9: Longstrider's Journal. It was pretty neat (a spellbook of a dozen or so spells, plus a description, history, DCs for Knowledge skill rolls, etc). While looking at their page (linked to in the first post) check the prices! $0.70 - $0.75/title?! WOW!

 

[skippy_the_witch]

I can't go to Gencon cause I died from radiation exposure last week due to a untimely lava lamp explosion. It was NOT pretty. Apparently, I do NOT have the metagene, or whatever it is that turns ordinary people into super heroes after freak accidents. So I am stone cold dead...pining for the ffords, etc.

But being dead isn't all that bad, except for the not being able to go to Gencon, which has a strict "living only" policy. And who knew that a pulse and at least a room temperature IQ were NOT required for my job, as my boss hasn't noticed the difference.

skippy (who is trying to keep himself together, LITERALLY)
The GM of the Cursed Earth Campaign

 

[mythusmage]

Why am I not at GenCon this year?

It starts with the reason why I'm on disablity; a combination of clinical depression and anxiety disorder. Add in heightened tolerance to the medication I was taking at the time. Which all led to (to be honest) rampant misuse of available funds. Which is another way of saying, I kept spending it all every month and didn't save any. I'm now on new medication and feeling much better, thank you.

Added to that is my need to save up for a new computer. My current iMac is old and needs replacing. How old? You can't install OSX in it. Fortunately, a thousand US bucks will cover a Mac Mini and monitor (already have keyboard and trackball). The trick is saving the kilo note.

Last, but certainly not least is the fact I won't fly. Not these days. Which means a train trip. Prepping myself for such a thing takes some effort, and up until recently I simply wasn't up for it no matter what I did, and since I didn't expect to go anyway I didn't bother with the mental exercises when my new medication kicked in.

(I'll be going to the neigborhood Y for excercise next month, when I have the enrollment and first month's fee. So that'll put a crimp on things. At the same time, exercise is good for a fellow like me. That, complex carbohydrates and dark chocolate. So by 2006 I may be able to make it. (Actually getting a few projects done and published would help.))

OTOH, I'm obese (when you're my weight you have to be brutally honest) and I'm out of shape. But my blood chemistry is normal, as is my serum cholesterol. (This is a fellow who damn near mainlines cheese.) Don't you hate people like me?

 

[mythusmage]

Well, my tale of woe goes like this:

Early '04 I found out that I had a 30cm tumor growing in my lower spine. After four surgeries and four months in the hospital where they removed my L5, S5 verabrates and my sacrum, they released me but I had to move back in with my folks b/c I had partial paralysis in both legs. I'm still doing rehab daily and in Feb was able to start driving again, move back into my own place again and go back to work. At this point going grocery shopping on my own is a fairly daunting task, so right now making the long trip to Gen Con is out of the question. My goal is to be recovered enough to make next years con though.

Oh, and no way I could find a dog sitter... lol

Griff, good luck with that. Never had any part of my spine removed, but I expect I'd be a bit immobile too. And good luck with the dog sitter in the future. (Or you could disguise the bowser as an assistance dog and take him with you.. )

 

[Dragonhelm]

Gather ye around and pull up a pint as I spin you my tale of woe. ‘Tis a tale of friendship – and betrayal!

One friend, who went with me in years prior, could not make it this year due to money. So I searched near and far, high and low, to find someone to travel with and to share a room.

Thus another friend entered the scene, one who had not experienced the wonders of GenCon before. Never had he seen the legends bards sing of, and never hath he been to Killer Breakfast. Thus we planned to go together, two friends on a long quest to the con.

Then forsooth! Enter the friend’s wife and kids. Nay, he could not go with me! He had to go with his family! There simply was no room in the car, and so I could not travel with him.

Betrayal, most foul.

Yet my tale is not finished. I worked hard to find another outlet for the room and the drive. Nay, all of my friends have brought their wives and could not share a room! Another had other plans. And so on and so forth. So it was that if I wanted to go, I would have to go all alone and fork the entire bill, which surely would have indebted me to the First National Bank of Orcus for a lifetime.

Meanwhile, this friend who decided to go with his family (*spit!*) decided not to go. Oh, but wait a minute! Just kidding! He went after all! And now he is in Indy. He at least has gone on a quest to snag me a print copy of True20 to atone for his vile confusion.

And I am at home alone, with only a pint to comfort me. That, and the fact that my car is now paid off.

I think I need a tissue…

EDIT: I should also mention that the in-laws are coming in tonight. :\

 

[Hussar]

I too am not going to Gen Con.

Swimming the Pacific would be a tad difficult. Not impossible for my herculean physique, but, difficult. That, and fending off the sharks, typhoons and hordes of buxom wenches awaiting my arrival in America would be just too taxing. So, I wait here, flexing and watch the awe in the eyes of the passers by.

 

[sjmiller]

Yesterday I received my "swag" from the fine folks at Clockwork Golem. I selected the book "Masterwork Characters: Children of the Fey." It's a fun little addition to my game, and I can tell that I am going to be using several different parts of it. There's a new player race (feyborn), some fey prestige classes, fey related feats, fey related spells and some fey related magic items.

My favorite is the spell "Puck's Curse." As a fan of Shakespeare how could I not like a spell that turns a person's head into that of a donkey? Wonderful! I can also see where I will be putting the feywood armor (armor made from wood prepared from a dryad's tree) to good use.

Thanks again for this wonderful chance to sample your products. I will be looking to see what others I will be buying very soon.