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Message: <blockquote data-quote="WizarDru" data-source="post: 2636557" data-attributes="member: 151">...and here's <a href="http://www.livejournal.com/users/wizardru/50647.html#cutid1" target="_blank">the second installment</a> on LJ.  Of three, apparently. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />  It's recreated right here, so you don't need to go there, though. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />So, where was I?  Oh...yeah.  The Con.<img src="http://www.wizardru.net/img/se2005/se2005_09.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />The Dealers Room! Here's a picture of the beast in question.  It was virtually the same size as last year, though I think the game selection might have been a bit bigger.  You can't see one of the vendors over on the left, who had the entire corner and a table opposite to make a triangular area.  Also not visible is the zip-zap raceway that one vendor had set up, much to my confusion.  I mean, it's not that they were bad or anything...but is there a significant micro-RC car fan-base among gamers I was unfamiliar with?  Apparently not, I'm guessing, as I didn't see him clear many of these.After closing the room out, we headed out to the Silver Dollar Diner for supper, and then trolled for more games.  [info]komochiko headed for a late night Apples-to-Apples game, while  Scorch and I played Hamster Smash, an Unreal Tournament 2004 conversion where you throw a Hamster in a clear plastic ball and turn it into a bloodsport.  We might have enjoyed it more if vgabb wasn't present.  Mind you, Valanthe had her own irritant with Crazy Medicated Lady (tm), a player who was older and dragging the game down with 5 minute side-tracks whenever she was the judge.  It was bad enough for the Judge to start hurrying her along.  [info]gm_scorch then headed for some sleep, while [info]komochiko and I headed for the board-game room for a midnight game of Alhambra...quite possibly my favorite board-game of the convention, which was saying something.  I managed to maintain my winless run of games, but had a blast, nonetheless.  We made it to be by 2 AM.  Which brings us to....DAY THREE: SATURDAYWhile I was camped out in the video game room, others were making good use of their time.  Valanthe was busy playing Carcassone and enjoying it enough to play a second game later.  When I found her, she informed me that she had discovered that one of the dealers in the Dealer's Room had Alhambra, and I should hurry and get it, since it was the only copy he had.  Proceeding straight there, I nabbed it and Carcassone.  It would not be the last game I purchased.  I was pleasantly suprised to discover that Alhambra was only $22....although I'm sure even that was marked up.<img src="http://www.wizardru.net/img/se2005/se2005_10.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Here we see Scorch locked in a life-or-death Settlers of Catan game, taking on who I thought was Crazy Medicated Lady (tm), but turned out to be some very nice ladies who were both great players and not crazy at all!  I understand she was less disruptive this time out.  Where was I at this time?  Locked in a life or death struggle for the Old Kingdom in the Nile river valley, of course.  Here we see the god Amun-Re, his chosen one and the game named in his honor.  This guy would be the pharoah for all but the final round of the game.   While I was playing, the Irrefutable One (that's Dylan-Who-Makes-LiveJournal-Cry, btw) arrived, with tales of Serenity and stuff.<img src="http://www.wizardru.net/img/se2005/se2005_11.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />This game was close.  I mean, CLOSE.  During the final scoring round, everyone thought I had Victory.  During the final round I became Pharoah, and hence had the blessing of Amun-Re, who came to me!  My camels made me a force to be reckoned with...but the last place player managed to upset the balance, inadvertantly knocking me down to second-place by not using hoarding his gold and getting the first player with most money award, breaking our the first place tie.  Oh, well.<img src="http://www.wizardru.net/img/se2005/se2005_14.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />While I was losing the New Kingdom to HEATHENS, Dylan (WMLJC) and [info]gm_scorch signed on with the Emperor for a bug-hunt in Space Hulk!  I honestly don't know if it was first or second edition.<img src="http://www.wizardru.net/img/se2005/se2005_12.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />  The scenario?  Lead two teams of Space Marines into the Gene-Stealer infested derelict, self-destruct it and escape.  Each squad of five got one special weapon unit: Scorchie's team got the Chain Gun, while Dylan got the flame-thrower.  A bloodbath was to ensue.  The Lady in question was the GM, acting for the Tyrannids.Meanwhile, nearby....Dark mysteries were being explored.....that's right, Dark Tower was turned on and battle was joined!  We were a little busy elsewhere, but it's siren song sang loud and clear.  Sweet, sweet pestilence....how I remember your sound.  For some reason I had forgotten about the peg boards, though.<img src="http://www.wizardru.net/img/se2005/se2005_13.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Meanwhile, back in the wargaming room....bad things were happening to the Space Marines.  They were getting their asses handed to them by the Gene Stealers.  Scorch's squad ran smack dab into a nest, and was devastated, leaving only two members of the squad.  Dylan's squad (WMLJC) fared better, but both lost their commanders.  Only with the liberal use of the flamethrower for battlefield control were they able to contain the enemy, trip the destruct mechanism and escape.  Scorch cut loose with his two remaining marines, who escaped...now that the mission was complete, it was every man for himself! Although Dylan (WMLJC) had four surviving marines, only one managed to escape before the ship blew up.  But Victory is victory!<img src="http://www.wizardru.net/img/se2005/se2005_15.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />While waiting outside the dealer's room, the staff member activated this little fellow.  Yes, he crawled along on his own;  very Ghost-in-the-Shell, if you ask me.  Yes, those are ping-pong balls on the ends of its legs.<img src="http://www.wizardru.net/img/se2005/se2005_16.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Phew.  This is a long one.Up next, Part III: The Final Chapter, with the ENWorld Gathering and other silliness.</blockquote>

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