Grogmeet 2023

What a weekend it was! The best Grogmeet yet? I reckon it was, a delightful blend of games, great conversation and company, fine food and beer and many more steps on the fitness tracker, no bad thing.

Friday 10th November

In the lead-up to Grogmeet I’d struggled to concentrate on anything other than Grogmeet, so it was with some excitement and giddiness I arrived in Manchester mid-morning and met up with some of the best Grogs in the kingdom. Coffee was drunk, plans were shared and the excitement grew.

This year the Friday afternoon session theme was old White Dwarf and Imagine Magazine adventures, split across two venues, Fanboy 3 and Northern Monk. I was running For the Honour of the Tribe from Imagine #2 which is a great one shot adventure, very focussed and highly dangerous. As always the players were great, approaching the challenges cautiously and strategically – until the penultimate encounter when caution was abandoned and they charged into the room! That and the dice turning against them lead to a TPK. It was great fun!

I love the Friday evening session of Grogmeet, I can’t put my finger on it, but I’ve always felt like it’s the real start of the event. This year I played in a Vaesen adventure GMd by Mike Watson who had crafted a fine horror tale set in Bedlam, the infamous sanatorium of victorian times. Some of the best handouts I’ve seen with character sheets on fine paper with wax seals.

Then it was on to Northern Monk for the first night of boozing. A great opportunity to catch up with more folk and enjoy the rather delicious stout on offer.

Saturday 11th November

The main day of Grogmeet started with a fine breakfast in Moose Coffee before heading to the new venue of Whitworth Locke, a rather nice hotel a bit of a walk from Fanboy 3. I was running Index Card RPG in the morning slot, a game I’m quite keen on right now. The adventure used the Bearcats setting, a system neutral mini-campaign that’s Red Dawn vs V where the party had to save their colony from alien invaders. Once again great players made the game with cunning play and clever strategies.

In the afternoon session I played Liminal with Jonathan Cockram at the helm. I’ve heard great reports about Jonathan’s Manchester based Liminal games so it was one I wanted to play. A cracking mystery with strange occurrences and uncanny events in a Manchester brought to life through fantastic handouts, great scene setting and colourful NPCs. Loved it.

I was pretty knackered come the Saturday evening but had a great time in the Lass’O’Gowrie, despite moving on to water after my third pint! What have I become?

Sunday 12th November

A leisurely start to the day with a fine breakfast from Ezra & Gil hit the spot followed by Dirk the Dice’s interview with Mike Mason. These Sunday morning interviews are always a treat with great insights into the guests and the games they love. It was great hearing Mike go into the origin and evolution of Call of Cthulhu, a game that’s been a constant across 40 years of gaming. As always there are serious notes but plenty of humour.

Of course the next bit is always a little sad as many folks start to head home and Grogmeet is over for another year.

For those with the time and inclination there is a Brucie bonus as the MORPCon event followed straight on from Grogmeet. I’d signed up to play Mythic Bastionland, the latest game from Chris McDowall now in Kickstarter. Jim McCarthy was running it, so I knew I was in good hands. This is a game that is bursting with style and flavour, that very clearly sets out the goals and purpose of the PCs, all knights. I loved the adventure, our pursuit of one of the many myths which lead us to strange encounters and interesting NPCs and creatures. A great way to wrap up an amazing weekend.

So that’s it. Grogmeet over for another year. Goes without saying, huge thanks to Dirk the Dice and Blythy for their amazing organisation of the event and making it go so smoothly for everyone involved, and big thanks to Steve and Rick for putting up with my grumbling about my dodgy hip. Thanks must also go to Roderick Hamilton for organising MORPCon.

Just 360 days until next Grogmeet, I’m counting the days already…