“When we say Welcome Home, we mean it – for ALL gamers. The policies of PAX exist at all PAX shows – attendees may use the restroom consistent with their gender. We are needed here, and we aren’t going anywhere.”¹

PAX Unplugged is always a whirlwind weekend, going by far too fast. There’s always fun shows, great games, and even greater friends to be seen. Every badge was sold; it was a fully sold out convention but yet it didn’t feel crowded. It might expand next year (likely) but I’m confident in the people running it. Why? Well, join me for a quick highlights reel or well, article! I thought it important to start with something that really struck me in a positive way and took me down memory lane, certainly contributing to that hope for the future.

You may recall that I got started here on Know Direction Podcast over 5 years with a guest blog about my time at Gen Con 2019. It’s also the last time I saw Critical Role in person, but we’ll get to that. What really inspired me was the welcoming nature of the Gen Con attendees, the staff who were working hard to support ALL gamers, and how wonderful it was to see strangers welcoming one another to their tables to try games, share lunch, or just get a moment to sit, rest, and chat about the con. It’s why I was so happy to see the signs (see above) when I went by the main staff and customer service desk. I’m not here to berate our social and political climate – though I could – but I am here to say I love seeing this open declaration at PAX Unplugged. We need more of that going forward. I also loved that at every bathroom the same message was posted. These conventions are for all of us, friends old and new, and truly ALL gamers.

Unkindness

I spent a lot of time at Games On Demand, as expected. Heck, even before the convention got started a group of us played Monsterhearts 2 at my hotel. I played a Queen, who can be the leader of the popular clique or secretly the head of a hivemind of variable origin. Remember Erika Ishii’s character in the Monsterhearts 2 one shot from 2020, Cinderbrush? I went with the mundane and it was a wild ride; I might’ve been a bit deranged. But it was okay, it was the MC’s first time and she was thankful for the chaos from our group. The first game I played truly at the convention was a quick 2-hour game (it could be longer with more people) called Unkindness, which you can find in the Ultimate Micro-RPG Book. You are a teenage raven. You’ve left the nest and joined a gang of other teenage ravens. It’s your job to cause mischief, collect whatever you want, and be a gang of mayhem with your fellow ravens. But watch out, you might gain maturity while losing points from other stats. If ever your maturity is highest, you become an adult and the gang kicks you out. Well, rather than just fight farmers or steal small trinkets, I encourage my gang to first get a pack of wolves under our control. We got 6. Then we got switchblades and leather jackets for the wolves after defeating a gang. The town was likely terrified of us. Oh and we fell in love, but hadn’t yet become adults. Ah young, impetuous love… 10 out of 10 would play again.

Tattered Capes

I also got to play some of my friend Brian’s Tattered Capes. You’re a superhero, probably, or at least an antihero in a future somewhat dystopian city after aliens decimated a lot of civilization. The superheroes teamed up with villains to defeat the aliens, but now the government in charge is pretty shady and the heroes that work for them are not so good. It’s very corrupt law, feels a bit Watchmen, and allows your PCs to be upstarts truly trying to do good. I played this troubled young rebel with a ton of firepower, who was constantly taunted by the Copycat. We had someone from the future who was warning us of the wrong thing, though we determined after game they probably went corrupt to after taking out the mayor. Brian’s created many fine archetypes (like 12), an amazing base city and story to start with, and characters based on the archetypes. It moves fast, easy to play, and hilarious and action-packed roleplaying fun. It’s still in playtest so no formal book or image yet, but you can join his Discord server here.

Monty Python!

And did you know there’s a Monty Python RPG? Yes, coming early 2025 is the kickstarter funded (that’s one link and here’s the next) Monty Python’s Cocurricular Mediaeval Reenactment Programme! It was absolutely hilarious and while I didn’t play with the creator, he was there at the con running/playing it for others. Basically there’s a meta plot of a producer (the GM) managing a bunch of actors reenacting some part of mediaeval history. Thus as you play your character in whatever plot, you get rewarded for humor (merits) and possibly punished for bad humor and rolls (demerits) especially if the producer’s details read they don’t like puns, which I found out. 

I did have a hilarious time playing Enchanthim the Enchanter! I was a mighty sorcerer and damn fine druid, but unfortunately I fell in lust with half a bee that was much like the One Ring. Yeah, it had the table buzzing! Ha, see, demerit for Rob! I also had my homonculus Thardiax-Yz totally Ratatouille a guy we killed on a horse so we could play cricket for God in London. Yeah, there were aliens there too, but they were like jello. Not that we knew they were really aliens? Why would it matter! Everyone at the table knew what kind of game this was and just really leaned into the humor. It was such fun, and our producer/GM certainly agreed we killed it! I’m getting a copy. It’s way too much fun!

Oops All Himbos

On the first night it was time for the Himbos as Jay Foster led Oops All Himbos through Himbowood, sponsored by Humbledwood: Beyond the Canopy from Hit Point Press. Check ‘em out as I gave any company with creative anthropmorphic animals who sponsor Himbo games a lot of joyful credit. Before we got to game, the badass Anya Combs and Matt Breuer opened us up with a few performances of some recent hits. These two got star power, let alone musical chops! 

Himbos started at 10 p.m. so the game was definitely mature, especially with some hilariously risque adult references by folks like Critical Bard and Jesse Jerdak! Oh yeah, finally got to meet Jesse and indeed he rush hugged me as he said he would on Bluesky. Laura is of course a vision of loveliness. The whole crew was hilarious, just introducing the characters and taking up Jay’s plot time. It’s such great viewing, and adorable character crafting. Kyle Shire of Critical Role was adorably seeking out his husband. Critical Bard was quite the inventor (artificer?). Sandeep was a very respectful, consent-educating skunk. Johnny chose to be quite the erotic dancer, which proved quite helpful in combat. And Danny was adorable, sticky tongued lizard that Sandeep was certainly helping educate that you have to be careful with that tongue, especially when grabbing at good berries in someone’s mouth! Truly we need more than 1.5 hours next time. As one friend expressed to me: “If they streamed that show, we’d totally watch it!” And another: “They were all funny and it doesn’t hurt they are attractive.”  Indeed, perhaps my favorite part was half the stage noticeably reacting when that friend called out “Yes Sir” in response to them.

Dodecadonuts

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDPkHBtxMXn/

In the expo hall, I made my way over to Dodecadonuts after I was certain I’d eaten enough lunch! Can’t eat the dice containers, even if I wanted to. I got to chat with Andrew and his team for a bit, though they were quite busy so I couldn’t stay too long. It was time to make the donuts after all! They’re another company that started on kickstarter, partially inspired by Jester (Laura Bailey’s blue tiefling on Critical Role S2) and her love of pastries. I may have purchased some donuts, but I can’t go into too much detail. Though well, I guess my brother won’t be surprised if he actually reads my articles. I guess this is the test, eh? Huh Corey? Do you read my articles? Hm?

Gone to Gaia

Also in the expo hall, I was walking along, minding my own business when I saw the table for Gone to Gaia from Rose Gauntlet. I’m looking at one of the tablerunners and I’m like, “I know her. I’m pretty sure we met at Dogmight!” Indeed it was Lindsey Rode who I met right before my first PAX Unplugged. Lindsey created Labyrinthos, which I’d pledged for, and I got to meet Sawdust too (picture of that adorable pup in the article). Lindsey recognized me and we hugged and I came back later to get the details on the Gone to Gaia game. I got to take all the pictures, but bare in mind these are playtest and not final materials! It might look a little intimidating but it was remarkably easy to pick up, and moved so fast, even with Lindsey and I both playing. 

You level up quick, get to play the cards (see above) for your actions, get tokens and level ups for killing monsters as you move around the board (also above), and can use those tokens to possibly get your action cards back. Goal is to kill those monsters before you run out of action cards! The story is that we are far in the future and living in perhaps the last city atop a mountain. A dangerous mist has risen up, causing the death of many and mutating creatures into terrible beasts! You have to go out to get resources and fetch metal to make the suits that protect you, all while hoping you can discover what can stop the mists from rising from beneath the ground! I’ll be investing in more Gone to Gaia for sure. And thank you again Lindsey, was so good to see you! Here’s a shot of one of the possible suits you might have!

Paizo and the Impossible Playtest

Paizo of course had a glorious presence, in part to allow many to play games including some Pathfinder Society and Starfinder Society for respective playtests. I, and many others, were thrilled to get our hands on the Impossible Playtest! The Necromancer and Runesmith were very exciting, with two options for each so if you had two people wanting to go Necro (as my table did) you could! The thralls being easily summoned to help you attack or use your focus points for special attacks is especially fun. They’re minions with 1 hit point but they help flank, can attack, and they have varied abilities as you can now see by downloading it. 

I played the gnome Spirit Monger and felt I had a ton I could do atop of my spells and it was fun to describe my bone-cracking spellcasting or the creepy spirits rising to aid us. The other Necromancer player said they felt the same, despite the low level. Thrall creation as a cantrip is very useful. I chatted with another table who had runesmiths and they really appreciated being able to both buff their allies and create utilitarian help. I’m excited to see their final versions and in use in whatever book they end up coming out in… It’s called the Impossible Playtest so is it something like Howl of the Wild but focused on the Impossible Lands and their magic? Geb has plenty of Necromancers and you know the Mana Wastes must have Runesmiths, maybe who got their start in Nex! Oh, I and another at our table also won a discount coupon for paizo.com! That was a great touch. I’m so glad to have Paizo at PAX Unplugged now. It’s truly the convention of tabletop roleplaying and board games!

It’s Critmas!

Capping off our Saturday night was the Critical Role Daggerheart Critmas special, which others will be able to watch next Thursday. Sadly, even though we had early access for the preshow, somehow our whole group missed the start time. Heck, we thought we were early but apparently the early start time was posted on Beacon and we missed it. Still, we saw a bit of the preshow and the cast reading through suggestions from those who’d come in early. The set was beautiful – my picture not doing it justice – and the hilarity of the characters while balancing a bit of Holiday Horror was great. We all agreed Laura’s character was the naughtiest, which she clearly proved quickly. You’ll see! I was also thrilled how well everyone knew the new Daggerheart rules. We got to see the modern rules blending into a bit of fantasy, and I think seeing that versatility of how you can use these rules is important. It was a packed stadium and all were enjoying the holiday feels, with the occasional cool breeze too. I’d forgotten how much heat the lights would throw! I won’t give out any details – so you can enjoy watching it – but certainly my favorite part was seeing the players react to the transformations happening to the others that they weren’t aware of. If you watched the Session 0 you’ll know what I’m speaking of, but if not, you’re in for a ride!

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas!

I hope you’re all having a good holiday season. No article for me on the 2nd as I try to enjoy some vacation with friends and family (and even a little training for work). Maybe I’ll finally finish Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dragon Age Veilguard! Keep investing in games, great people, and keep the light of hope alive as we head into this dark winter! There’s awesome folks out there like yourself. Hopefully next year you can join the wonders at PAX Unplugged. It’s earlier next year (see below)! ALL gamers are welcome!

Investing In:

I wasn’t quite sure what to name my article series when I first started but the idea of showcasing or discussing things that make me excited, that I find new and interesting, or maybe I’m otherwise passionate about seemed to fit with the idea of Investing In something like the Pathfinder 2E mechanic. To use some magic items you have to give that little bit of yourself, which helps make these things even better. I like the metaphor of the community growing and being strengthened in the same way!

I also want to hear what you’re Investing In! Leave me a comment below about what games, modules, systems, products, people, live streams, etc you enjoy! You can also hit me up on social media as silentinfinity. I want to hear what excites you and what you’re passionate about. There’s so much wonderful content, people, groups (I could go on) in this community of ours that the more we invest in and share, the better it becomes!

Sources

Banner – PAX Unplugged 2024 logo, modified

1. Excerpt from “Message from PAX Unplugged” signs, PAX & Staff & Volunteers & hopefully everyone
2. Photo of “Message from PAX Unplugged” signs, PAX
3. Monty Pyton’s Cocurricular Mediaeval Reenactment Programme character sheet, Exalted Funeral
4. Oops All Himbos photo
5. The amazing Anya Combs and Matt Breuer photo
6. Gone to Gaia, Rose Gauntlet
7. Gone to Gaia playtest cards, Rose Gauntlet
8. Gone to Gaia game board, Rose Gauntlet
9. Gone to Gaia example suit, Rose Gauntlet
10. Paizo Booth
11. Impossible Playtest Necromancer photo, Paizo
12. Critical Role’s Daggerheart Critmas photo, Critical Role
13. PAX Unplugged 2025 next year, PAX