2024 is the 50th anniversary year of Dungeons & Dragons, so I'm running the game that gave me my first taste of role-playing games: Basic D&D, 1981, right out of the pink box.

A dungeon has been discovered beneath the keep's guild house. There's treasure in there! Also monsters and traps and who knows what else. You're a party of brand-new 1st level adventurers, and you're at the entrance to the dungeon. Good luck.

(You can bring along your own character if you like, or make one when you arrive!)
(I have some personal rules changes and additions, that's how you do it old school style. But they're pretty minor. Moldvay, Morgue's Way.)

A lone warrior watches in a wasteland as far as can be seen, his idling trike’s v8 ticking over slowly. A small lizard nearby licks his eyes, scampers forward and is brutally cut in two by the lightning fast reaction of the warrior.

His eyes squint behind dark aviator sunglasses as he pulls up a set of binoculars to focus on a distant dust cloud, blurry forms at first, but then into focus three vehicles in convoy. A vw microbus, a Toyota ute and a v6 mustang.

“Fresh meat” grumbles the warrior and then he lets out a loud whistle. Hidden in the ruins beside him emerge more warriors, some on bikes, others on makeshift carts and a whole pile on a ramshackle truck. The warrior mounts his trike and whistles a second time as the war party rolls out.

A game for a troop of 5 scavengers using the atomic highway system, battling to survive in a harsh post apocalyptic world. Expect intense chases, brutal violence, tough choices in an environment of illogical scarcity. Mood of the game is silly fun (beer and pretzels), but due to mature content R16. Triggers for violence and body dismemberment.

As we are all aware, Covid is still a factor in our lives and as such, we'd like to lay out a few rules and guidelines to mitigate potential risk.

Do not attend if you feel unwell, have any cold/flu/covid symptoms, or have tested positive for COVID-19. If you attend while symptomatic, you will be asked to leave. Please don't make us do this, because it will be uncomfortable for everyone involved. If you are sick, stay home.

Don't worry about money or GMing - please don't spread Covid. We will refund you if you have to drop out due to illness - just flick us an email and let us know. If you are GMing a game, let us know, and we will cancel it and find some way to make the timetable work. People's health is the most important factor!

We encourage people to do a RAT test before attending KapCon, especially if you think you may have been exposed.
We won't be enforcing or monitoring it but appreciate the effort of attendees who do this this, as this reduces risk. You can still get free RAT tests here.

You are most than welcome to wear a mask and do what you need to feel comfortable. We won't be enforcing or monitoring mask use. You can be assured that anyone wearing a mask is doing so as a precaution, as anyone who is sick will not attend (or will be asked to leave).

If you become symptomatic after the convention, please let us know so we can let other people know.

We recognise that this may not meet everyone's risk threshold. If it doesn't, we look forward to seeing you in the future when you feel safe to do so.

It's a few years after the fall of the Soviet Union.
You're in a helicopter flying towards an old mine in Svalbard, far in the north.
A middle-aged white man with a midwestern accent is explaining that he works for an acronym agency you've never heard of and your team is needed to solve a problem.
A womans voice pleads in Russian in a recording.
You jump out of the helicopter, and run towards trouble.
Something goes wrong...
And you're in a helicopter flying towards an old mine in Svalbard, far in the north...

The Setting:
The time of hoomans is long gone, leaving behind evolved cats that live in cities of their own making as the alpha species. Mommy Nurtur has bestowed upon the cats the ability to wield Meowgic as well as mundane weapons, stand upright on their hind legs, and wear the latest fashions. The world's cities are now comfortable and full of catnip, although there is still plenty of adventure to find in the great outdoors - especially around the ancient ruins full of dangerous Miasma that feed the vile rats, toads, snakes, and other villains.

The Game:
Players will each be playing a pre-made character that is part of the inner circle of King Clawdius IV in the great city of Clawford; sent on a mission into the wilds to retrieve something very precious to him that has been stolen. It is not a task he feels he can entrust to anyone else.

The System:
CATaclysm is an RPG that utilises a single d10 for any action that has a chance of failure. Health is tracked by a colour coded dial with four phases - Healthy, Stressed, Injured, and Dead. As the characters will be cats, Death is only temporary... until you've used up your ninth life! Puns will be encouraged and welcomed.

Arcane Crimes Division brings light-hearted buddy-cop style action to a fantasy city bursting with magic and thick with scheming villains and ruthless scoundrels. The focus of the game is the relationship between detectives, as they crack cases, engage in thrilling chases, and confront criminal masterminds.

During each shift, teams of detectives battle the clock, pursuing leads across the city to unravel crimes, and bring the guilty to justice, before it’s too late. While the detectives always crack the case eventually, should time run out, the villains receive an advantage in the final confrontation. At every juncture, detectives must decide whether to trigger their special abilities to boost their success, potentially risk causing collateral damage, that could see them both consigned to paperwork hell.

Play as a Siege Automaton, powered by magic and steam; a Spell-Runner, skilled at navigating deadly dungeons, a Crimson Court Vampire, ageless and unnaturally attractive; a Blade, acrobatic and fearless and many more. This game works best when detectives riff off their partners, so be prepared to collaborate and lean-into the genre.

Polarity Pandemonium

The dead are restless and threatening to leave the Necropolis, a rogue swordsman is slashing the careful topiary of the Garden District and a toxic spill has disrupted traffic in Three Points. The Arcane Crimes Division is mobilised to get the situation under control, before things get out of hand.

Your team of Colonial Marshals are going to arrest a cult leader on a backwoods colony world and bring him to justice. Obviously these fanatics are dangerous, so you'll need to play it nice and diplomatic to pull this off without... difficulties.

Sure hope nothing unexpected goes wrong on the way!

"Glorious" is my in-development game of Napoleonic naval adventure. If you want to jump into the boots of Aubrey, Maturin, Hornblower, or Bolitho I have you covered.

You'll be on a mission to stop a French ship causing havoc amongst British shipping—a vessel that's rather more powerful than your own. Only by exceeding expectations will your heroes be able to stop these republicans and preserve the kingdom. And maybe earn a pile of glory for yourselves in the process!

This is a playtest, so there will be some rough edges in the rules. Some of you may have encountered the system before under the previous working title "Devil & the Deep".

When yet another water pipe explodes under the streets of Wellington, your crew of misfits can't help but investigate. Very much a "Wellington Paranormal" style adventure.

Greetings troubleshooters. Welcome! You slimy, newly synthesized clones, to Alpha Complex!

Your best friend and benefactor is the omnipotent, omniscient omnivore AI - Friend Computer. As a hyperintelligent AI, naturally he has better things to do than to solve the issues plaguing you troublesome remnants of humanity, so...

That’s where you come in, troubleshooter! You have been stuck with the important job of bringing a Hallowed Programmer to fix an issue with Friend Computer’s master terminal. Where is this located? Well that’s classified, above your clearance level. And what are you so interested for? Next you’ll want to know how to get there, and who you’ll be going with. Why do you want to know so much information? Sounds like something a communist spy would do! Know your clearance. Anything above your clearance is none of your concern. Anything below? Well that’s up to you to decide.

Paranoia is a classic RPG from 1984. A relic from a world still recovering from the red scare and the cold war. Filthy traitorous communists are your enemy. Treachery is all around. It’s as much a game of you versus the environment as you versus the other players. After all, how would it look to Friend Computer if you let them steal all the glory?

No prior game knowledge is required, but useful (And also illegal, how did you get a copy of that knowledge? That’s beyond your clearance!) Prior roleplaying experience preferred, though a willingness to betray each other and argue profusely will do. Not to be taken seriously!