Two Minutes To Midnight

Tabletop / Secret Action Hour / 2-4 players / 1 session1
a spy game by Scott Vandervalk and Lon Teal

The dice clattered in the cup and spilled glittering across the perfect green baize.

'Seven. The house pays.'

Polite applause as the croupier pushed the stack of chips down the table towards the tuxedoed man standing amid a crowd of admirers.

Smiling slightly, he turned and plucked a glass from a passing tray.

It may have been only two minutes to midnight but there was always time for a dry martini.

Adult Content:	PG	Characterisation:	3
Genre Knowledge:	3	Rules Knowledge:	0
Seriousness:	3

A Clear Weather Day

Freeform / Systemless / 11 players / 1 session
by Fi McConachie

An unmanned yacht found drifting off the north Queensland coast had
computers running and even food on a table ready to eat - but no passengers
or crew, puzzled emergency services say.

A Clear Weather Day

Rescuers who boarded the yacht early this morning noted that three life
jackets and the emergency beacon were still on board, but there was no sign of
the yacht's life boat.
It was first spotted adrift on Wednesday evening.

A Mystery Freeform for 11 people by Fi McConachie

Adult Content:	M	Characterisation:	5
Genre Knowledge:	2	Rules Knowledge:	NA
Seriousness:	5

...and then they had ice cream.

Freeform / Systemless / 5-15 players / 1 session
by Alicia Cameron and Adam Raymond
title by Caine Chandler

This is a story about some newly created fae who find this one human and the fae have some fun with the human thingy and then they find this guy called Mr Pancake who has this awesome thing called ice cream and so they eat a lot of it and then they swap the human for the ice cream, then discover that that was a bad idea, then they have to do something for Mr Pancake so as to get the human back, so then they go and do it. Oh and ice cream, they eat a lot of ice cream.

Warning: this game may contain Fresh Whole Milk, Fresh Cream, Cane Sugar, Milk Solids (non-fat), Maltodextrin from maize, Emulsifier (vegetable origin) (471), Vegetable gums (412, 407), Vanilla flavour, Colour (160(b)).

NOTE: If anyone wishing to play this game should not eat ice cream due to being diabetic, lactose intolerant or other such issue, we would ask those people to provide eight servings (a serving being equivalent to 2 scoops of ice cream) of a frozen desert that they can eat so that they can take part in the game.
It is appropriate to elect a champion for the ice cream eating, but it must be someone who is also playing the game.

Adult Content:	PG	Characterisation:	4
Genre Knowledge:	0	Rules Knowledge:	0
Seriousness:	2

A Night in the Death

Freeform / Vampire: The Requiem / 18 players / 1 session
by Aaron Fenwick

To the Immortal Kindred, existence is balanced between two primal responses; fight and flight. The same applies to their politics, something that apes their predatory and territorial nature.
A few of us are able to rise above these bloody instincts and see a larger picture, tonight we try to curb our base instincts and resolve a decade-long feud between two houses that has torn River City in two.
Tonight we either face the future, or flee from its gleam, wretched, into the night.

- Gideon , Kogian of the Ordo Dracul

A night in the death is a one-session Vampire: the Requiem game for 18 players written by Aaron Fenwick, set in the "River City" setting previously seen in The Black Corridor and The Ebony Rose. Knowledge of the previous games is not necessary to enjoy this game.

Noiresque costumes appreciated.

Adult Content:	M	Characterisation:	4
Genre Knowledge:	3	Rules Knowledge:	1
Seriousness:	4

Apocalypse 40K

Miniature / Warhammer 40,000 5th Edition, Apocalypse variant / 60 players / 1 session
Presented by Pedro Silva

After a hard day at the tournament tables, kick back after the barbie with a huge free-for-all battle late into the night. Get ready for Arcanapocalypse!

TOURNAMENT RULES

Detailed tournament rules are available at 40k.arcanacon.org
5th edition Warhammer 40,000 rules, plus all Apocalypse Datafaxes and Codices and Chapter Approved rules variations published by Monday 12 January 2009
Each player may field 1200 points
All miniatures MUST BE PAINTED. Unpainted miniatures CANNOT be fielded.
Players will fight ONE battle SATURDAY 24 JANUARY, from 7:30pm to 11:30pm
There will be prizes and trophies

REGISTRATIONS

Entry is FREE for registered players of the Warhammer 40K tournament or any other miniatures event.
For other players, a $10 entry fee applies
You must be in the 40K area by 7:30pm to secure your place.
Visitors are welcome - a $2 entry fee applies.

Asylum: The Musical

Freeform / Systemless / 12 players / 1 session
by Elizabeth Vinton

From the Director of the cult classic 'All Campers Must Die', comes a new foray into the horrors that hunt us...

ASYLUM: THE MUSICAL

Through the medium of movement and music, horror visionary Von Trippe explores the terrible and tragic themes of the mental health system, as viewed by four disturbed minds trying to survive this nightmarish world.

Asylum: The Musical is a Black Comedy Freeform for 12 filmmakers.

Adult Content:	MA - Horror and Adult Themes
Characterisation:	4
Genre Knowledge:	1 - Knowledge of camp horror cliches welcome
Rules Knowledge:	N/A
Seriousness:	3

Bohemian Rhapsody

Tabletop / Call of Cthulhu / 4 players / 1 session
by Garry Fay

I see a little silhouetto of a man,

Scaramouche, Scaramouche will you do the Fandango

Thunderbolt and lightning - very, very frightening me

Gallileo, Gallileo

Gallileo, Figaro...

...spare him his life from this monstrosity.

A single session 'Swords Against Cthulhu' adventure for four members of the Commedia dell'Art. Featuring sword-play & stagecraft, chivalry & gothic horror, melodrama & mythology, half-masques & mirrors, the Tournament Theatric, a Tatterdemalion, a pool of eels, a circle of cats, the Bridge of Sighs, the Damsel of Sorrows, the Knight of Shadows, the Three Graces and an occasional reference to the music of Queen.

Adult Content:	If required	Characterisation:	Essential
Genre Knowledge:	Minimal	Rules Knowledge:	Minimal
Seriousness:	Player's Choice

The Clean Up Squad

Tabletop / Systemless / 4-6 players / 1 session
by Felicity Harvey

You are the first recruits in what is affectionately called 'The Clean Up Squad'. Blame Celia for that.

You have received special training in many forms of combat, and have all served in the army of your homeland for at least a year. Now it is time to start your new job together - cleaning up after the myriad wars that plague the Earth.

And by cleaning up, we mean killing the leaders and high-ups of the losing side.

...Don't you just love your job?

CAST

Ava - English quartermaster
Celia - English public liaison
Eve - Dutch historian
Gina - Italian medic
Isla - German tactician
Kay - Spanish/American leader

GM note: While all the characters are female, I encourage male players.

Adult Content:	M
Characterisation:	3
Genre Knowledge:	2 - (Watch some military movies, you'll be right.)
Rules Knowledge:	N/A
Seriousness:	3

Deadlock

Tabletop / Systemless / 4 players / 1 session
by Jacob Coughlan

Something went wrong, brutally wrong. One minute the manager was handing over the diamonds, the next there were cops everywhere and the store erupted into bullet-fuelled chaos. But, somehow, you blasted your way out and got away.

So, here you are, at the rendezvous point. Only three of your co-conspirators have made it here, and you can only assume the rest were either captured or killed. You have a lot of questions, and you only hope the other guys have one or two answers.

What went wrong back there? Did we just screw up, or do we have a rat in our ranks? Where are the diamonds? And who, if anyone, is getting out of here alive?

---

Deadlock is a game of accusation and recrimination; a tense standoff with the looming potential for bloody climax. Inspired by the Tarantino classic Reservoir Dogs.

Adult Content:	MA - (Violence, coarse language, adult themes)
Characterisation:	4 - (Roleplaying)
Genre Knowledge:	3 - (Crime genre - heist)
Rules Knowledge:	NA
Seriousness:	4 - (A tense thriller)

Division of Labour

by Random Jones with Travis Hall and Nick Argall

But the Spirit of the Land survived. She breathed new life into the remnants of the dead world, and slowly, painfully, she nurtured new life amongst the rubble.

At first, the survivors lived so primitively that they could not even be called barbarians, but in Her care, they rebuilt, and regrew, and eventually needed Gods once more.

The Spark that can become a God was found again, and three were raised above. Over time more were found, and they too were raised above, in ones and twos, until eventually they numbered 12, each with their domains.

As civilisation became more complex, more domains needed governing beyond Her abilities, so more were raised, 12 in all, to join the 12 already above.

The old ones know this to be true: each of Her chosen must have a domain, and each domain must have a Governor. Time is counting down, and decisions must be made.

A freeform for 24 potential Gods, 12 who have been there for a while, and 12 newly raised to the task.

This game shares themes (but not plots, setting or characters) with Tonight and Into the Darkness. For the full experience, play this one last.

Adult Content:	MA
Characterisation:	4
Genre Knowledge:	NA - (All background information provided)
Rules Knowledge:	NA
Seriousness:	4

Dune - Point of Balance

Freeform / Non-commercial system / 25 - 27 players / 1 session
by 'Batteries Not Included'

Arrakis. Dune. Eighty years ago, it was considered the poorest Fief in the galaxy. Many laughed when House Harkonnen was forced to take control of the desolate world. Then the secret of the spice melange, hidden for so many centuries, was revealed to the public, and the galaxy changed forever...

+++Incoming Message+++ +++Source: House Corrino+++ +++Begin Message+++

By order of His Imperial Majesty, Shaddam IV of House Corrino, and in the custom established by the Throne, a Council of Change has been called to hear the petitions of the Houses regarding control of the Fief of Arrakis. House delegates shall meet on the Spacing Guild starship Order of Destiny on the Third Day of the Annual Celebration of the Ascendance of the Most Wise Shaddam IV, in this, the Year of the Emperor's Most Exquisite Grace, to make their presentations before the Council. One House shall be named Holder of the Fief of Arrakis and shall take possession of said fief immediately, with the Emperor's Blessing. Eligible Houses will receive notice of the Proces Verbal, the Emperor's outline for the proceedings, in due course

+++End Message+++

Join us for a freeform set in Frank Herbert's richly detailed science fiction universe. Players should be familiar with the concepts presented in Dune, but knowledge of the actual plot is not important (this scenario takes place prior to the events described in the book). Point of Balance is a game of political intrigue and focuses on roleplaying instead of rules.

Adult Content:	M
Characterisation:	5
Genre Knowledge:	3 (Cheat Sheets Available)
Rules Knowledge:	NA
Seriousness:	4

The Elevator

Multiform / Systemless / 6 players / 1 session
by 'Batteries Not Included'

It's Friday. It's late, about 9pm. You are in a lift, headed downward, in the Riviera International Building in central Detroit. Your reasons for being here are many and varied. The building is generally closed over the weekend, so if the lift is stuck, it could be stuck for days.

This game is a freeform situation drama presented by 'Batteries not included'. It's the story of some people who get caught in a lift together, between floors, and trapped. Each character in the game has their own story. These stories may or may not be important to the drama.

For Experienced Players Only

Although a freeform event, this event runs frequently through the Con and is for 5 or 6 players each session.
Batteries Not Included is Duncan Harris and Lilly Ludwell.
Previously run at Arc 2006

Adult Content:	MA - (Religious and Sexual Themes)	Characterisation:	5 - (Not for new players)
Genre Knowledge:	NA - (Modern Setting)	Rules Knowledge:	NA - (No rules)
Seriousness:	5

Flames of War

Miniature / Flames of War / Max 16 players / 4 sessions
by Django Upton

Flames of War is a popular and fun set of miniatures rules. Players control a company of World War Two troops in battle using 15mm scale miniatures.

The rules used will be Flames of War Second Edition including any updates and errata listed at www.flamesofwar.com

Play will consist of four rounds of up to 3 hours. Play will start at 9:30am each day.

Players will use fully painted 15mm scale Late War armies of up to 2000 points from any official FOW 2nd edition intelligence briefing. Contact the organiser if you wish to use one downloaded from www.flamesofwar.com

Terrain will be pre-set and defined. Players that provide significant amounts of usable terrain may be awarded a bonus to their Army score, contact the organiser for more information.

The draw will be by swiss chess by accumulated generalship score with the best attempt made to match historical opponents. If necessary the organiser will play byes to make up the numbers. The Allied bye army is US Paras, the Axis bye army is German Panzers.

Missions played will be randomly chosen from the Combat Missions in the 2nd Ed rulebook but not include Roadblock. US and British Paras may substitute Seize and Hold if they would be the attacker in the Free For All mission and may submit a second army list to use in that case.

Generalship will be scored as normal, contact the organiser for details of Army and Sportsmanship scoring.

Trophies and Prizes will be awarded to the Overall Winner, Best General, Best Army and Most Sporting Player.

Army lists and a background not exceeding one page are to be emailed to django@alphalink.com.au by January 16 2009.

The organiser can be contacted by email at django@alphalink.com.au by phone on (03) 9383 4951 or by snail mail at 26 Henty Street, Brunswick, VIC 3056.

Ghostbusters - The Deep

Tabletop / Mutants & Masterminds / 3 - 4 players / 1 session
by Justin Puopolo

Aboard the Cruise Ship, Caribbean Princess:

"Captain, we have another guest claiming to have seen the furniture fly across their cabin."

"How many instances does that make?"

"Nine, if you include this morning's."

"Are you sure it's not just some kind of practical joke, or maybe a hallucination from bad shrimp?"

"I would usually be as skeptical as you captain, but Edna from housekeeping has seen it too and she's usually pretty reliable."

"Sigh... Okay, pass me the phone."

"Why, who are you going to call?"

Ghostbusters - The Deep, a paranormal tabletop for 3 to 4 players using the Mutants & Masterminds system.

Adult Content:	PG - (Supernatural Themes, Some Violence)
Characterisation:	3
Genre Knowledge:	3 - (It helps if you have seen the movie)
Rules Knowledge:	1 - (Useful, but not necessary)
Seriousness:	2

The Habit

Tabletop / Systemless / 4 players / 1 session
by Luke Coughlan

Can you ever really kick The Habit?

A lifetime of regrets, you are constantly making up for. You tell yourself you will be strong this time.

This time will be different. This time I will make it. This time..

An ex-con who believes this time he can change, this time he is doing it for family..

An ex-wife who believes this time she has it right, this time she has found the right man..

A new boyfriend who believes this time he can resist, this time temptation won't win..

An innocent child caught in the middle of The Habits of her elders, her guardians..

Can you ever really kick The Habit?

A game of family and consequences, of the demons faced by those who give in to The Habit, and how it can tear lives apart. A gruelling 2 hour custody battle, with no obvious 'right' outcome, followed by a debrief and time for your emotions to unwind. Inspired by the Australian film Boxing Day

The Habit is a game by Luke Coughlan

Adult Content:	R - Drug References, Sexual References, Violence, Content May Be Offensive to Some Players
Characterisation:	5 - Characterisation is essential
Seriousness:	5 - See Adult Content

Heroes of Rokugan

Tabletop / Legend of the Five Rings 3rd Edition / 3 - 6 players / 1 session
by Leah Bushby & Megan Bushby

Duty, Honour, Sincerity, Courtesy, Courage, Compassion, Honesty

It is the year 1500 of the Imperial Calendar, the nineteenth year of the reign of Toturi XII, the Joyous Prince, sometimes also called the Sapphire Emperor. After the chaotic early decades of the Toturi dynasty, the Empire has in recent years enjoyed an age of stability and relative peace. The threat from the Shadowlands has faded, the Gozoku are a scandalous rumor expunged from the Imperial histories, the ruins of Otosan Uchi have been cleansed, and the terrible trials and struggles of the Four Winds are a tale fading into the mists of the past.
But all such golden ages are destined to end...

A series of samurai adventures set in the world of Rokugan during the time of the 'Sapphire Throne', 300 years after the current card game era.

Heroes of Rokugan is a loosely run international campaign, with both old and new modules avaliable for play throughout the weekend, as well as a freeform style event on Sunday.

Make your own character before the event or get a pre-gen at the table. For character creations guidelines and general information on the campaign see:
www.heroes-of-rokugan.com

Adult Content:	PG	Characterisation:	2
Genre Knowledge:	0	Rules Knowledge:	0
Seriousness:	3

Heroes of Rokugan - Interactive

Freeform / Legend of the Five Rings 3rd Edition / 10 - 100+ players / 1 session
by Leah Bushby & Megan Bushby

Duty, Honour, Sincerity, Courtesy, Courage, Compassion, Honesty

A series of samurai adventures set in the world of Rokugan during the time of the 'Sapphire Throne', 300 years after the current card game era.

Heroes of Rokugan is a loosely run international campaign, with both old and new tabletop modules avaliable for play throughout the weekend, as well as this freeform event.

Make your own character before the event or get a pre-gen at the table. For character creations guidelines and general information on the campaign see:
www.heroes-of-rokugan.com

Adult Content:	PG	Characterisation:	3
Genre Knowledge:	1	Rules Knowledge:	0
Seriousness:	3

Into the Darkness

by Nick Argall

with Random Jones and Travis Hall

It has been lifetimes since the Federation fled from Earth in search of a new home. Their pursuers have shown no mercy, the rigours of space travel have been no less cruel.

The fleet has visited 49 star systems, none of which have proven suitable. Will the journey end in the 50th?

Maybe this time....

A systemless multiform for 24 players.

This session shares themes (but not plot, setting, or characters) with Tonight and Division of Labour. For the full experience, play this one second. It is not a 'happy fun Nick and Peter' event.

Adult Content:	R	Characterisation:	4
Genre Knowledge:	2	Rules Knowledge:	0
Seriousness:	4

Iron Kingdoms: Hardcore

Miniature / Warmachine and Hordes / 8 - 32 players / 3 sessions
by Edd Brgoc

Hardcore is a 750 point tournament for Warmachine and Hordes, using the Privateer Press "Hardcore" tournament format.

Players may bring one army list, using the following restrictions:

Both armies must be chosen from the same faction.
750 points per army
Timers will be used - players have 7 minutes to complete each turn.
At the end of each game's allotted time, "dice down" will be called. At this time, all games immediately end if they haven't already done so.
All rounds will use the Assassins scenario

Full rules can be found in the official Hardcore rules pack

Note that this is an unofficial tournament, and does not require 32 players to run. The Arcanacon Hardcore tournament is a good chance for dedicated players to try out Privateer's most gruelling event format. It's also a good warm-up to Australia's next official Hardcore event at GenCon Oz.

Prizes will be available for the overall winner (Champion), highest victory point tally (Executioner), fastest caster kill (Mage Hunter) and best painted army (Master Craftsman).

Adult Content:	PG	Characterisation:	NA
Genre Knowledge:	NA	Rules Knowledge:	4
Seriousness:	4

Iron Kingdoms: It Begins

Miniature / Warmachine and Hordes / 8 - 32 players / 3 sessions
by Ben Leong

It Begins is a laid-back tournament for War machine and Hordes. Games start after lunch on the Saturday, and continue into the evening to take advantage of the convention BBQ...

Players should bring a single army list, using the following restrictions:

400 points per army
All models must be chosen from a single Faction or Mercenary Charter. Faction armies may not include Mercenaries or Minions, though they may use Allies that belong to their faction.
Normal FA rules apply (one Warcaster or Warlock per army)
A maximum of 50 points may be spent on solos and units (note that Warcaster Attachments may not be taken for this event).
All other points must be used to purchase a Warcaster and Warjacks (Warmachine), or a Warlock and Warbeasts (Hordes).

A range of scenarios and terrain types will be used, so bring a flexible list that can handle plenty of different challenges. Prizes will be awarded to the overall Champion, Best New Player, Best Painted Army and Best Sportsman.

Adult Content:	PG	Characterisation:	NA
Genre Knowledge:	NA	Rules Knowledge:	2
Seriousness:	2

Iron Kingdoms: Steamroller

Miniature / Warmachine and Hordes / 8 - 32 players / 3 sessions
by Ben Leong

Steamroller is a 750 point tournament for Warmachine and Hordes, using the Steamroller 4.0 tournament format.

Players may bring two army lists, using the following restrictions:

Both armies must be chosen from the same faction.
750 points per army
Timers will be used - players have 12 minutes to complete each turn.
At the end of each game's allotted time, "dice down" will be called. At this time, all games immediately end if they haven't already done so.
Steamroller scenarios will be used each round

Full rules can be found in the official Steamroller rules pack

Prizes will be available for 1st, 2nd and 3rd placegetters, plus Best Painted Army.

Adult Content:	PG	Characterisation:	NA
Genre Knowledge:	NA	Rules Knowledge:	4
Seriousness:	4

Kage Souju

Tabletop / Systemless / 5 players /1 session
by Peter Strong

In 2025 Japan, Corporations reign supreme, powering a resurgent Japanese economy. In particular two corporations tower above all others: Mishima Heavy Industries and Kumishin Corporation casting deep shadows over the megapolis of Tokyo. It is in those shadows that corporations flex their muscles with shady deals, industrial espionage and corporate black ops.

This is the story of one of those corporate black ops teams...

A 5 player game of corporate covert operations set in the world of the Special Mobile Unit.

Adult Content:	M	Characterisation:	5
Genre Knowledge:	2	Rules Knowledge:	N/A
Seriousness:	4

The Lord of Gorburn

Tabletop / Dragon Warriors / 4-6 players / 1 session
by Shaun Hately

You served as his retainers for a time, but tensions grew and you outgrew his service, and went on to greater things. Now the Baron has called on you to do him one more service. A service that will save the Kingdom itself.

A single session scenario for the recently re-released Dragon Warriors RPG.

Adult Content:	PG	Characterisation:	3
Genre Knowledge:	3	Rules Knowledge:	1
Seriousness:	3

Mind The Bollocks

Tabletop / Systemless / 4 players / 1 session
by Brendan Day & James Wright

Rock n Roll can save the world, but only Punk can save London.

An evil capitalist music company is forcing their bland bubblegum pop and over the counter-culture faux-punk on the kids! Worse yet, one by one someone is buying up the underground clubs and turning them into new-wave electronic nightclubs for trendy posers. Only a group of filthy, angry, stinking youths with bad attitudes and worse teeth can turn the tide and bring Punk back to the kids.

A game for 4-5 Antichrists and Ani-chists.
(Warning: We will insult your and our own taste in music)

Adult Content:	MA - Language, Filth and Violence	Characterisation:	2
Genre Knowledge:	3 - Know some Punk	Rules Knowledge:	N/A
Seriousness:	3

Living Arcanis

Tabletop / D&D 3.5 / 4-6 players / 2 sessions minimum
presented by John Deague

Welcome to Arcanis: The World of Shattered Empires. Here nothing is as it seems, political machinations manipulate the lives of men, ancient evils stir in the darkness, secret societies play games in the shadows, and mighty empires crumble.

Living Arcanis events will run at Arcanacon 2009 - blurbs are coming soon

What's with the scheduling of Living Arcanis and Living Forgotten Realms?

Living Games tend run a little longer than regular sessions, so to accommodate this, you have to purchase 2 sessions to play a single Living Game, or 3 sessions if you wish to play two living games.

You have to register online before the Con, or at the registration desk at the Con for either the Living Forgotten Realm Double or Living Arcanis Double to play two games, or Living Forgotten Realms Single or Living Arcanis Single session to play one.
Once at the con and before the session starts, you'll need to speak to the organisers of the Living Game you want to play, to organise who you'll be playing with, and what game you'll be playing. You can find them at the Living Games table in the registration hall. We recommend doing this as soon as you are able to ensure you don't miss out.

If you can't organise a game for a session, we'll be happy to organise a refund for you. Just get a Living organiser to sign on your registration sheet and bring it to the registration desk.

Living Forgotten Realms

Tabletop / D&D 4E / 4-6 players / 2 sessions minimum
presented by Chris Hirst

Living Forgotten Realms

What is Living Forgotten Realms?
Living Forgotten Realms (or LFR for short) is a new regionalized RPGA Living campaign, and the first to utilize the new 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules. Players create characters and assign them to a specific region set in the Forgotten Realms. Characters can be played in any LFR adventure that supports their levels of play, anywhere. All non-special LFR adventures will be available for play no matter where you live in the world. As your character plays adventures, it earns experience points, gold, and magic items which stay with you from game to game. There are dozens of unique adventures each year!

Each character in Living Forgotten Realms comes from a region in the world of Abeir-Toril - a place they can call home. The region you select for your character may define some of your roleplaying elements - how the character feels about the world, what kinds of clothes the character wears, and even the character's reason for adventuring. In addition, being a part of a region gives you a game benefit for selecting that background. Once you're off on grand adventures, you might also find that playing your region's adventures might give you an edge over travelers from other lands from time to time!

Dragon Coast

Visit www.rpga.com for details of character creation, LFR regions (Australia is in the Dragon Coast region), and for any information on the RPGA and Living Forgotten Realms.

Living Forgotten Realms events will run at Arcanacon 2009 - blurbs are coming soon

What's with the scheduling of Living Forgotten Realms and Living Arcanis?

Living Games tend run a little longer than regular sessions, so to accommodate this, you have to purchase 2 sessions to play a single Living Game, or 3 sessions if you wish to play two living games.

You have to register online before the Con, or at the registration desk at the Con for either the Living Forgotten Realm Double or Living Arcanis Double to play two games, or Living Forgotten Realms Single or Living Arcanis Single session to play one.
Once at the con and before the session starts, you'll need to speak to the organisers of the Living Game you want to play, to organise who you'll be playing with, and what game you'll be playing. You can find them at the Living Games table in the registration hall. We recommend doing this as soon as you are able to ensure you don't miss out.

If you can't organise a game for a session, we'll be happy to organise a refund for you. Just get a Living organiser to sign on your registration sheet and bring it to the registration desk.

Monsterpocalypse: Uprising

Minature / Monsterpocalypse / 4-24 players / 3 sessions
by Liam Merlot

Monsterpocalypse brings the kaiju (loosely translated from Japanese as "giant monster") genre - a pop culture favorite - to the tabletop in the form of a fast-paced, action-packed CMG. This will be Melbourne's first Monsterpocalypse tournament, so please turn up to support this new system.

The format will be "Constructed", whereby players can bring one list consisting of any monster and a corresponding hyper form (megas are legal if you have them), up to 15 units, 2-12 buildings and a map or two. There are no restrictions on your force apart from the standard ones.

This event will be registered on the Privateer Events website in the near future (http://www.privateerevents.com) so if you are thinking of attending please pre-register there as well at least 2 weeks in advance (which will hopefully get you some nice free stuff and allow us to get the official prizes from Privateer).

More info and discussion will be found on WargamerAU (http://www.wargamerau.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=62433)

Adult Content:	G	Rules Knowledge:	2
Seriousness:	2

O'Hallorans Heroes

Tabletop / Mostly Systemless / 4 players / 1 session
by Michael Butler

"... and at the top of the hour its the news from KHPG radio. Wayne Bruce of Bruce Enterprises has been indicted on multiple counts of tax evasion and embezzlement. Forewarned somehow both Wayne Bruce and his ward Dick Green are believed to have fled to a country that with no extradition treaty with the United States.
Fear not however, good citizens of Hotham City for our greatest crime fighters, Ratman and Bobbin, have sworn to track the two criminals to the ends of the earth and bring them back to face justice.
And in other news the election..."

Coming to your television this January. Hotham city has been left open to crime. Who will step forward to stop the forces of evil? Join O'Halloran's Heroes as the newest force for good in the city.

A 4 player game/tv series in the Mystery Men style of superheroing.

Adult Content:	PG or above	Characterisation:	0
Genre Knowledge:	0	Rules Knowledge:	0
Seriousness:	0

Pathfinder Society

Living Campaigns / 3.5 Edition (D20 / Dungeons & Dragons) / 4-6 players / 1 sessions
presented by Stephen White

Welcome to Pathfinder Society Organized Play!

On Golarion, the world of the Pathfinder Chronicles campaign setting, the Pathfinder Society is an organization of explorers, vagabonds, sages, and treasure hunters determined to plumb the depths of the darkest tombs, and collect relics and lore from bygone ages. They travel the world braving traps, monsters, assassins, dangerous natives, and worse, all in order to preserve the secrets of the past and to advance understanding of Golarion's many cultures. Some Pathfinders are dedicated explorers who risk life and limb in the pursuit of ancient lore, or lost historical relics. Just as many Pathfinders are little more than feckless mercenaries, glory hound adventurers, and gold hungry tomb raiders. Regardless of their intentions, every member shares one common dream: to contribute to the Pathfinder Chronicles, printed editions of secret lore coveted by the Society wherein only the most impressive finds and bravest exploits of the Pathfinders are immortalized. Pathfinders also follow a loose code that governs their actions: Explore, Report, and Cooperate.

Pathfinders are a diverse bunch of scoundrels and wanderers. Their loyalties lie on all shores of the Inner Sea, and beyond their adventures as Pathfinders, they often find themselves mixed up in the murky politics of Absalom and the five nations who seek to control the City at the Center of the World from behind the scenes. The campaign centers on the sprawling city of Absalom, where five factions engage in a shadow war for control of the city's politics and economy (more on Factions in Chapter 3.) As you play, the outcome of your adventures, your actions, and your deeds affect events on a global scale turning the tide of secret wars between some of Golarion's most powerful nations.

In Pathfinder Society Organized Play, you play a member of the Pathfinder Society, seeking fortune and glory all over the face of Golarion. At the same time, your character works for one of the five competing nation-based factions, all with their own motivations and secret agendas.

Pathfinder Society Organized Play is a constantly evolving mega-campaign played by thousands of players and the adventures you experience are shared by players around the world. Play is organized into Seasons, throughout which the actions and achievements of you and your fellow Pathfinders create an ongoing storyline. Season 0 launches at Gen Con in 2008. Season 0 is Paizo's playtest season, a chance for us to explore possibilities and determine the best structure for our organized play system. This allows us to perfect Pathfinder Society Organized Play for Season 1 launch in August 2009, when we will begin using the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game as the official roleplaying game of the Society. For more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, visit paizo.com/pathfinderRPG

We've built this campaign for you - we hope you enjoy it!

- Paizo

Creating a character

Creating a character for Pathfinder Society is not much different from creating a PC for your regular home campaign, with a few minor alterations. Here's a quick preview of what you'll see in the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play:

Faction:
Every Faction has its own unique history, culture, style and specialty. Each has their own modus operandi in the ongoing shadow war for control of Absalom, and each offers the Pathfinders in their service different boons. Choosing your Faction is as important as choosing your character class or race; it defines your character in the campaign, and ties your Pathfinder to one particular nation's destiny. Before you choose your Faction, peruse each carefully and pick the most exciting one. Once this choice is made, it cannot be changed until the end of Season 0 (June of 2009), so choose wisely:

- Andoran [paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/factions/andoran]
- Cheliax [paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/factions/cheliax]
- Osirion [paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/factions/osirion]
- Qadira [paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/factions/qadira]
- Taldor [paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/factions/taldor]

Are you born and bred in Cheliax and a firm devotee to the cause of Asmodeus, or are you a former slave of the Chelish regime who escaped to Andoran and now you serve your adopted homeland in their struggle for freedom? You don't necessarily have to be from a nation to be a member of their faction (for example you may play an Ulfen barbarian from the Land of the Linnorm Kings in the service of Taldor's empire). The majority of loyal faction members are most likely patriots born and raised in their homeland with family ties and at least some sense of nationalism, but anything is possible.

Race and Class:
All of the core races and classes in the PHB are available in Pathfinder Society Organized Play. Yes, even gnomes.

Abilities:
In Pathfinder Society Organized Play, all characters are created equal. No dice are used to generate your Pathfinder. Instead, every character's ability scores are generated using a point-buy system similar to the one featured in the Pathfinder RPG Alpha Release [paizo.com/pathfinderRPG]. You shall tailor your PC's abilities to best suit your vision of who they are, and to best fulfill your favorite tactical combinations.

Skills:
All of the skills in the PHB are available to your character�even the Craft and Profession skills.

Feats:
All of the Feats in the PHB are available to your PC with one notable exception: Item creation does not exist in Pathfinder Society Organized Play, therefore the item creation feats are not available. In place of Scribe Scroll at first level, wizard PCs may choose Spell Focus instead.
In addition to the feats in the PHB, characters in Pathfinder Society Organized Play also have access to special Faction Feats that further tie them to their nation of choice and offer them unique abilities catering to the flavor of these diverse cultures.

Alignment:
You cannot play an evil character in Pathfinder Society Organized Play. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 gp. All good and neutral alignments are allowed though (EXCEPT NEUTRAL EVIL... nice try, buddy).

Character Background, Physical Features, and Beliefs:
Above we've crafted the mechanical skeleton of your character. Now it's time to flesh them out. Let's give your character some personality and some fun quirks to roleplay. Make them a real person with motivations, distinctive physical and emotional traits, and a unique and interesting personal history.

Items and Equipment:
After completing all of the above, your Pathfinder is alive! He or she is a whole person dedicated to a faction hailing from a distinct racial background, with a chosen class, abilities, skills, and feats, not to mention a rich character background, distinctive physical traits and personal beliefs. The only thing missing is their clothes. That's right. Your character is naked right now! They are also completely unarmed and have no food.
Every character in Pathfinder Society Organized Play begins the campaign with 150 gp of spending cash. All the armor, weapons and equipment in Chapter Seven of the PHB are available for purchase as well as a bevy of items and special weapons from the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting hardcover. (Sorry, folks, no firearms for now.)

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Stay tuned to paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for further Pathfinder Society information as it becomes available.

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A preview of some Pathfinder Society adventures:

Pathfinder Society Scenario #1: The Silent Tide

When strange reports of misty undead spread through Absalom, you and your fellow Pathfinders are dispatched to the half-drowned district of Puddles Notoriously rough, the drooling addicts, flesh panderers, and quick-handed knifers of Puddles are the least of your worries. The night's tide brings with it an ancient armada of some long-forgotten war and you are the only thing between their mist-shrouded ghost fleet and Absalom's utter oblivion.

Pathfinder Society Scenario #2: The Hydra's Fang Incident

After an Andoren village is razed by the Hydra's Fang, a renegade Chelish slaver-ship, outrage threatens the stability of both nations. You and your fellow Pathfinders are sent to capture the Fang before the Inner Sea is pitched into political frenzy. You're not alone: the Fang is hunted by Chelish dragoons and the deadly children of the Entropic Kraken. If someone else seizes the Fang before you, nothing can stop the war on the horizon.

Pathfinder Society Scenario #3: Murder on the Silken Caravan

Volunteers are needed to escort the body of a deceased venture captain across the parched Qadiran desert to Katheer. The Silken Caravan offers passage, hauling exotic treasures across the perilous sea of sands. You'll brave bandits, spies, and unwelcome mourners hell-bent on paying respects to your dead companion. Worse still, the caravan's mistress, a satin-swathed Qadiran princess, has designs of her own on you and your cargo.

Pathfinder Society Scenario #4: The Frozen Fingers of Midnight

Skelg the Ripper, envoy from the Land of the Linnorm Kings, lies wasting in his villa on the outskirts of Absalom. A frigid curse followed Skelg from his northern homeland and grips his bearish heart in its frosty embrace. As the bizarre freezing ailment begins to spread among Absalom's summer populace the Society dispatches you and your fellow Pathfinders to uncover the secrets of the freezing curse before Absalom falls to its icy grip.

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Pathfinder GM's wanted

I'm seeking assistance from other D&D 3.5 Edition GMs available to run additional Pathfinder Society sessions, particularly GMs already familiar with Pathfinder and the Golarion setting.
Also seeking assistance from anyone available to help organise on the day.

Adult Content:	PG	Characterisation:	2
Genre Knowledge:	2	Rules Knowledge:	2
Seriousness:	2

Peace Talks

Freeform / Systemless / 15-18 players / 1 sessions
by Ben Leong & Louise Zanon

For generations the Varn nation has been at war.

For centuries the Sarl diplomats have been global advocates for peace.

How can the pride of a divided nation stand against the promise of prosperity?

Adult Content:	PG	Characterisation:	5
Genre Knowledge:	0	Seriousness:	0

ROBO RALLY: WALL-E: What Happened To The Other Robots?

Board / Robo Rally / 12-15 players / 2 sessions
by Tarquin Murnane

A Security Robot ran down a corridor after the malfunctioning Massage Robot following the red line, dodging round humans in their Hover Chairs. There where rouge robots all over the Axiom because of that Wall-E unit breaking out of the Robot Hospital

No matter how many times you said "Halt" in a firm voice they kept running, all very against The Rules. The Massage Robot dodged right and down into a waste disposal chute, the Security Robot came to a halt itself. It didn't have the processing power to wonder why the rouges were all jumping into the chutes. It had even less to wonder why this one was carrying a B&L lunchbox and a big green flag...

Seen Wall-E? No? Don't worry. If you have, ever wondered what the other Robots got up to? This is their unknown Story....

* * *

This is the first time Robo Rally will be run at Arcanacon. A staple at Conquest it's a lot of fun to play. Because of Pixar it will have a Surprise Guest about the place. Standard rules with a point system, 100 pts for a checkpoint, 50 for a direct kill, 25 for an assist, -10 for each time you die. First person to a check point gets hurt, last gets a toy. I have Wall-E mini's available, first in first served. Play one to three sessions, the last is the important one, top eight aggregate points gets the top table.

Adult Content:	MA - Apologies to Pixar?
Characterisation:	4 - Robot Costumes?
Genre Knowledge:	2 - Wall-E Flavored
Rules Knowledge:	1 - Learn in 10 mins
Seriousness:	4 - Subject to whether you're winning

Spaghetti

Tabletop / Systemless / 4-6 players / 1 session
by Daniel Rehorek & Mark Philp

Pointless Mental Cruelty present a simple tabletop for 4-6 players set in the Wild West.

"Spaghetti" e gioco di sparatorie, in puro stile "Spaghetti Western".

A group of skillful but English-language challenged greenhorns fresh off the boat are hired to protect a poor mexican village from a band of rapacious international bandits.

Using an amalgamation of the BANG! card games rules as well as a cliche-resolution engine, the heroes will need to dig deep into the mythic legends of the Western tradition in order to understand how to protect the innocent in their new homeland.

An Italian vocabulary list will be provided.

Adult Content:	M
Characterisation:	3
Genre Knowledge:	1 - Watch some good Cowboy films first
Rules Knowledge:	1 - Watch some Cowboy films first
Seriousness:	3 - It's the Wild West - it can change from comedy to tradgey in the drop of a... hat.

Tonight

by Travis Hall with Nick Argall and Random Jones

It’s cold on the streets tonight. The rain has stopped for now, but it’ll be back just as soon as wind-chill has done its work. Nobody walks Melbourne’s streets on a night like this, not if they have a choice.

Yet some don’t. We hide from the killing cold as best we can, making our way through a world as empty as loneliness, as despair.

Hope will return, in the morning. The pale sun will bring a little warmth, humanity with jangling change will reclaim the streets, and the workers in the welfare office might seek some excuse to mark a client as eligible for assistance. During the day, there’s at least the chance of finding work that will turn a life around, or a relative come looking for the lost.

Not now. Things won’t get better tonight. That slim hope lies beyond nine more hours of darkness. If we can keep warm. If we can endure the emptiness.

If we can just get through tonight.

A freeform for 20 people with no place else to go and 4 with only a little to give them.

This game shares themes (but not plots, setting or characters) with Into the Darkness and Division of Labour. For the full experience, play this one first.

Adult Content:	R	Characterisation:	4
Genre Knowledge:	0	Seriousness:	5

Torta Inoperante Da Coisa

Multiform / D&D 3.5 / 5-25 players / 3 sessions
by Caine Chandler

The last of the Magi, his Knight Protector, and a rougish merchant search the land for the lost heir to the throne so that he may reclaim the sword that will prove him King.

A young, naive wizard and his friends dabble in magic too powerful to control, unleashing a dark shadow into the world.

A legendary powerful red dragon awakens in his volcanic lair to swoop down upon an unwary city to kidnap a beautiful princess.

A diamond tipped tool cuts through the delicate glass of the King's Tower, where within rests the Crown Jewels.

Five priests discover a secret within their own religion that will change the face of their faith forever.

Honra, Fate, Poder, Riqueza, Amor.

Everyone hungers for something...

Torta Inoperante Da Coisa is a 25-player D&D game written for strictly 5 teams of five players. It is a 2-session table top game culminating in the third session in a multiform environment. All teams must play three sessions. The third part of Torta Inoperante Da Coisa must be played during session I (Sunday 4pm).

Single entrants are welcome, but all preferences are given to team entries.

Adult Content:	MA	Characterisation:	2
Genre Knowledge:	1	Rules Knowledge:	2
Seriousness:	2 and a bit...

Trolz In Da Hood

Tabletop / Shadowrun/Systemless / 5 players / 1 session
by Michael Bonsall

Ten years ago, Tiny, Buff, Tinkle and Tank left The Bronx and their gang lives behind them. They moved to Seattle and became Shadowrunners. Now they've retired and opened a bar. Everything was going real well until Buff's nephew, Death On Legs turned up. Someone's been killing Trolz and their families. Hitting friends and contacts from the old days. The Trolz are scared. Whatever's doing it is able to kill trolls and not leave any trace. The only thing they know is Faceripper Jack wrote Tinkle's name with his own blood on the wall he was pushed through, before having his head torn off.

Now, the bar is shut.

Someone's past is catching up to them.

Someone's future is waiting in the wings.

This is about territory. This is about power.

This is about Family.

***Warning***
The subject matter in this game may not be suitable for some players. Please speak to me if you have any concerns at rego.

A five player game by Mik Bonsall.

Adult Content:	R	Characterisation:	5
Genre Knowledge:	1	Rules Knowledge:	0
Seriousness:	4

Warhammer 40,000

Miniature / Warhammer 40,000 5th Edition / 150 players / 6 sessions
Presented by War All The Time

Arcanacon 40K is a Games Workshop Premier Event, and Australia's largest independent Warhammer 40,000 competition. Come along for a rockin' good weekend of 40K, death metal and beer!

TOURNAMENT RULES

Detailed tournament rules are available at 40k.arcanacon.org
5th edition Warhammer 40,000 rules, plus all Codices and Chapter Approved rules variations published by Monday 12 January 2009
All miniatures MUST BE PAINTED. Unpainted miniatures CANNOT be fielded.
Players will fight SIX battles each of 3 hours duration, at 10:00am, 1:00pm and 4:00pm each day on SATURDAY 24 JANUARY and SUNDAY 25 JANUARY.
If you can provide a 6x4 table of quality terrain, please contact the organiser.

REGISTRATIONS

There are 150 places. We expect the competition to fill quickly.
Once the event books out, there will be 30 places on the Reserve List.
Subsequent bookings will go into the Emergency List.
Army Rosters MUST be emailed by midnight on Monday 12 January 2009. If you fail to do so, you will be demoted to the bottom of the Reserve List. Reserve players who send their roster will earn a place if one becomes available.
You must be at the venue and registered by 9:30am sharp on Saturday. Latecomers will forfeit their place. If there are extenuating circumstances, you must contact 0411 238-427 before 9:30am.
If you have to cancel, please contact the organiser as soon as possible If you fail to turn up or give notice, you will be banned from registering in future events

FUN STUFF

Our special guest this year is Matt Weaver from Australian White Dwarf.
On Saturday night, stick around for the famous Arcanacon barbie, followed by a free Apocalypse game with prizes (see separate event) and open gaming.
There will be trade stands on both days.
If you have stuff to sell, bring it along for Secondhand Sunday.
Visitors are welcome - a $2 entry fee applies.

WORLD WAR Z: Alpha Teams

Tabletop / All Flesh Must Be Eaten / 3-4 players / 1 session
by Tarquin Murnane

The chopper flew in low, whisper quiet. In over the lake, up the river to the falls. Skip over the low hills, hover over the woods and down to the ground...

The plan was meant to be easy, go in, secure the target, find the contagion of what the briefing referred to as 'rabies like'...

Trained to be the best they could take anything on and always come out clean.

Why here of all places?

Where did this come from?

It all went wrong though.

The moan started close - closer than he liked. One clip left and he didn't know where or if the team was alive.

The moan was outside.

Time to go he guessed.

* * *

A one session game set in the World War Z Universe using the All Flesh Must Be Eaten system this game is for four special ops commandoes dealing with rabies - right? Knowledge of the book may help but set in the early stages of the book and if you must use it please keep this in mind. The Zombie Survival Guild has not yet been written in this world (that was in year three or so!). Knowledge of Zombie movies in general allowed. Seriousness will be attempted at least.

Adult Content:	PG - We shoot things
Characterisation:	3 - Marines, we are being EATEN!
Genre Knowledge:	1 - Know a Zombie movie?
Rules Knowledge:	0 - You can pick it up pretty fast
Seriousness:	2 - Will vary group to group

Two Minutes To Midnight

A Clear Weather Day

...and then they had ice cream.

A Night in the Death

Apocalypse 40K

Asylum: The Musical

ASYLUM: THE MUSICAL

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Clean Up Squad

CAST

Deadlock

Division of Labour

Dune - Point of Balance

The Elevator

Flames of War

Sponsors

Ghostbusters - The Deep

The Habit

Heroes of Rokugan

Heroes of Rokugan - Interactive

Into the Darkness

Iron Kingdoms: Hardcore

Iron Kingdoms: It Begins

Iron Kingdoms: Steamroller

Kage Souju

The Lord of Gorburn

Mind The Bollocks

Living Arcanis

What's with the scheduling of Living Arcanis and Living Forgotten Realms?

Living Forgotten Realms

What's with the scheduling of Living Forgotten Realms and Living Arcanis?

Monsterpocalypse: Uprising

O'Hallorans Heroes

Pathfinder Society

A preview of some Pathfinder Society adventures:

Peace Talks

ROBO RALLY: WALL-E: What Happened To The Other Robots?

Spaghetti

Tonight

Torta Inoperante Da Coisa

Trolz In Da Hood

Warhammer 40,000

WORLD WAR Z: Alpha Teams