Following are the events Skirmisher Publishing LLC will be running at Comicpalooza 2013, being held May 24-26 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas! We will be providing 49 hours of games, seminars, and other content this year, the most we have ever done at a convention, in addition to hosting the official Saturday night party. Many of our games will be run by their creators, among them artist and author Andy Hopp and game developers William T. Thrasher and John Kadolph. We hope you will be able to attend the best fan convention in the Southwest and participate in some of our great events! 

“As a Texas-based company, we want to support what has become the biggest, best, and most fan-oriented convention in the Lone Star State,” said Skirmisher publisher Michael O. Varhola. “We have run events at major conventions nationwide like Gen Con since 2002 but will be running three times as much programming at Comicpalooza as we have at any other one, which is an indication of the regard we have for this convention.” 

Skirmisher will also be providing substantial prize support for its events and will make sure that everyone who registers for them will receive something nice — and that those who win or play especially well will get something even nicer!  

FRIDAY

War of the Little Orcs, Day 1 (floor game): This huge, ongoing demonstration game will allow many players to participate and involve dozens of models, hundreds of miniatures, and Skirmisher’s unique “Little Orc Wars” combat resolution system — which is based on rules created by H.G. Wells and uses live catapult fire! Attendees are welcome to play for 15 minutes or an hour, and on one day or all three.

            Rules System: Little Orc Wars (taught/provided); Time: Friday Noon - 8 p.m. continuous

Wild Stars (tabletop game, 6 players): The crew of the raider Dying Star are out of luck, out of gas, and out of their minds! Pursued by agents of three warring empires, can this crew of misfits and scoundrels pull victory from the jaws of defeat, or will they go out in a blaze of glory?

            Rules System: Pathfinder; Time: Friday 6 p.m. (2 hours)

"The Bulgenoggin Branch" w. Andy Hopp (tabletop game; 9 players): Ungawdly terrors lurk the streets of Floom. Why is everyone crying? Who's that guy with the crazy hat? What gives? Come play Low Life with artist Andy Hopp, the game's creator! It'll be fun. We promise.

            Rules System: Low Life RPG (Savage Worlds); Time: Friday 6 p.m. (4 hours)

Farces of Darkness (tabletop game; 5 players): Battle the light as a member of a predominantly chaotic and evil party of renegade adventurers in this scenario inspired by the popular Skirmisher Publishing LLC books Nuisances and The Jester Dragon's Guide to Defects! Participants will be able to select from various depraved, erratic, or otherwise defective characters, including a classic Anti-Paladin, a Gnoll priest, and several others.

            Rules System: d20/OGL; Time: Friday 7 p.m. (3 hours)

Swords of Kos: Necropolis (tabletop game; 5 players): This adventure ties in with a swords-and-sorcery fantasy novel released at Comicpalooza 2012! Set on the Aegean island of Kos, it pits a group of adventurers against the hazards of a long-abandoned cemetery and the catacombs that lie beneath it. Dangerous though the hazards and supernatural guardians of this place are, an even greater threat might be the Necropolis itself ...

            Rules System: d20/OGL; Time: Friday 7 p.m. (3 hours)

One Starry Night (tabletop game): On a cold night in early autumn, Professor Derwin Abernathy invites you into his study for an evening of pleasant conversation among polite company. But what sinister motive taints his hospitality, and what horror waits to descend upon the people of Arkham late one starry night?

            Rules System: Call of Cthulhu; Time: Friday 9 p.m. (2 hours)

SATURDAY

War of the Little Orcs, Day 2 (floor game): This huge, ongoing demonstration game will allow many players to participate and involve dozens of models, hundreds of miniatures, and Skirmisher’s unique “Little Orc Wars” combat resolution system — which is based on rules created by H.G. Wells and uses live catapult fire! The second day of this ongoing game introduces more advanced rules concepts.

            Rules System: Little Orc Wars (taught/provided); Time: Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. continuous

Mutant Future Character Creation Tutorial (seminar; 12 attendees): Learn from the experts how to create characters for Goblinoid Games’ Mutant Future post-apocalyptic RPG! This retroclone of Gamma World uses the “Basic” system introduced in the most popular role-playing games of the early 1970s and is easily adaptable to many other games.

            Rules System: Mutant Future/Basic; Time: Saturday 1 p.m. (1 hour)

The Ruins of Woebrook (tabletop game, 6 players): In the Time Before, Willowbrook Mall was a hustling, bustling mecca of conspicuous consumption. But now, nestled deep in the deadly Hugeston swamps, sits the forlorn “Woebrook,” an overgrown, waterlogged, abandoned ruin. Well, maybe not all that abandoned … . Enter the ruins with a party of fellow adventurers in this scenario for Goblinoid Games’ Mutant Future post-apocalyptic RPG. Play with a provided pre-generated character or come an hour early for the "Mutant Future Character Creation Tutorial" and create your own!

            Rules System: Mutant Future/Basic; Time: Saturday 2 p.m. (4 hours)

Rise of the Cult of Nagfa (tabletop game, 5 players): For nearly a century there has not been much to fear in the gloomy swamps around the remains of the dark temple where the vile Troll Nagfa once plotted to conquer the surrounding lands. Recently, however, rumors have begun to spread of evil dealings and long forgotten creatures, and a party led by the Duke’s son has disappeared, bringing fear back to the region. It is up to you and your fellow adventurers to bring peace to the region and find the missing heir — or will the resurgent evil claim your very souls?

            Rules System: Pathfinder; Time: Saturday 2 p.m. (4 hours)

Skirmisher Announcements/Gaming Your Way (media conference): Fans, media, game developers, and anyone else interested are invited to this event at which Skirmisher Publishing LLC will announce the next big thing in gaming and more!

            Rules System: None; Time: Saturday 2 p.m. (1 hour)

Sticks & Stones (tabletop game, 6 players): At the heart of the Valley of the Grasping Stones is an enchanted treasure fit to topple empires and raise kings! Have you the daring, cunning, and fortitude to seek it out?

            Rules System: Pathfinder; Time: Saturday 3 p.m. (2 hours)

Dementalism w. Andy Hopp (card game; 8 players): Alright, smarty buns, here’s your chance to show everyone how smart your brain is. Due to the continuing idiocy of you and your fellow security guards a whole bunch of clones have escaped from the Primordial Soup Kitchen and are now wandering the various countrysides of Mutha Oith. You guys better get your wazoos in gear and recapture them before your bosses find out and you lose your jobs. Dementalism: It’ll take all of your brains, half your luck, two thirds of your charm, a bunch of guts, and a pinch of divine inspiration to survive this fast-paced and exciting original card game by award-winning illustrator and game designer Andy Hopp.

            Rules System: Dementalism (taught/provided); Time: Saturday 3 p.m. (2 hours)

d-Infinity Live! Live! (Radio Show): Be part of a live studio audience for a special convention webcast of d-Infinity Live!

            Time: Saturday 5 p.m. (1 hour)

SUNDAY

War of the Little Orcs, Day 3 (floor game): This huge, ongoing demonstration game will allow many players to participate and involve dozens of models, hundreds of miniatures, and Skirmisher Publishing’s unique combat resolution system — which is based on rules created by H.G. Wells and uses live catapult fire! The final day of this ongoing game brings the War of the Little Orcs to a climactic conclusion in which only one side can be victorious.

            Rules System: Little Orc Wars (taught/provided); Time: Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. continuous

Enter the Jester Dragon’s Lair (seminar): Learn how Skirmisher Publishing has made gaming fun again with the creation of concepts like Defects, Subtypes, and more for the d20/OGL game system! This session promises to be of interest to anyone interested in the d20/OGL system in particular or game design in general. Handouts containing all the rules innovations discussed and free game content will be provided to attendees, so walk in with questions, walk out with free gaming material!

            Rules System: None; Time: Sunday 3 p.m. (1 hour)

Meet d-Infinity Magazine (seminar): Join the editors of the gaming industry’s only multi-platform, multi-publisher game supplement for an informative discussion on the past, present, and future of the publication.

            Rules System: None; Time: Sunday 4 p.m. (1 hour)

R'lyeh Rises (tabletop game, 6 players): Be one of the first to playtest a brand new board game inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos, where the board always changes and you never know who is on your side.

            Rules System: Provided/taught; Time: Sunday 5 p.m. (1 hour)