GM: Gabriel Bradley (Gryphonstone)

RPG Zone

Three weeks ago, a team of scholars were dispatched by The Order of Nine to investigate a newly-discovered cave system. They have not been heard from since... The Order has offered to pay a vast sum of gold for the safe return of the Mud Sieve, an item of great value taken by the survey team, and the safe recovery of the expeditionary team. Will you answer the call?

Content warning: Cannibalism, Murder, Death, Blood, Corpses

Beginners are very welcome; Cairn Barebones only really has one 'power-level'. The module is deadly, but characters can survive through critical thinking and careful exploration. If a character does die, we can quickly make new ones.

GM: Martin Sharp

RPG Zone

The enigmatic being known simply as The Thane, one of the more powerful denizens of the First World, on rare occasions grows weary of solitude and holds a grand party. Invitations are scattered throughout the planes, and simply interacting with one in any manner will suddenly see a “guest” whisked away to the feast. Further, the Thane warps time in their realm, making each day last a decade. The celebration continues for a week of these decades. Mortals taken find themselves seventy years older with only a week having passed outside, if they even survive decades of partying.

Recently, The Thane has again become bored and sent out invitations. Some citizens of Jol unfortunate enough to have stumbled upon these, were whisked away. It’s up to the PCs to free them—and likely the PCs themselves—before even more years pass in the twisted time of the Thane's realm.

Written by Mark Malcolm

GM: Suresh Ravendran, Role Play Haven

RPG Zone, Beginner Friendly

Beginner Friendly, Wild Blue System (pool of D6)

You're in the crew of The Owl, a notorious Outer Rim smuggling Corellian freighter.

Hired by an Imperial noblewoman fleeing an arranged marriage to her secret lover—a commander in the Rebel Alliance.

As you attempt to cross the galaxy, the mission went sideways...

Intercepted by an Imperial Cruiser, your ship is impounded in the hangar bay, and your crew is locked in a detention cell pending investigations. The Empire has no idea that their high-born prisoner is a dangerous asset, or that her crew is lethal. They think you are common, vile scum.

Break out of the cells. Reclaim your ship. Outrun the TIE fighters into hyperspace…What could go wrong?

Content warnings: this is a pulpy escape game The pre-made characters touch on themes of forced arranged marriage, a history of gladiatorial slavery/human trafficking for one character, and some hidden romantic pining between PCs. This can be adjusted before we begin.

GM: Alec Johnson, Role Play Haven

RPG Zone

Welcome to Spire - an ancient mile-high city-tower of decadence, oppression and occult weirdness. You're a dark elf revolutionary, sworn to overthrow your colonial high elf overlords.

And today, what your revolution really needs is a train. Delve into Spire's twisted, haunted, abandoned train network pursuing rumours of the Last Train, whose electro-demonic engines could transform your city - for better, or much, much worse.

Spire is a fast-flowing game with straightforward rules, hideous villains, unique classes, and powers that can completely change the adventure around you.

Content Warning: Dread, Threat and Body horror

Presenter: Ben Allen, Final Boss Fight

Live talk on the main stage

50 mins incl Q&A

Welcome Adventurer. Are you curious about playing your first DND session?

Or maybe you're more experienced and want some extra insights

This talk is about everything you wanted to know about DND but were afraid to ask!

As well as some useful tips there will be sprinkles of anecdotes and tales of campaign success and fails

Hopefully by the end of the talk you'll be inspired to slay some dragons of your own!

As well as being an experienced Games Master, Questgiver Ben is a voiceover actor, cosplayer, woodcrafter and all round lovely chap. Ben also regularly appears on podcasts with Final Boss Fight and at MCM Comicon.

GM: Herne, The Dungeon Druid

RPG Zone, Beginner Friendly

Learn to play Call of Cthulhu and experience this classic haunted house adventure, set in 1920s America.

A friendly professor has asked you to investigate one of the houses used as student accommodation, and potentially write a fun article for the university newspaper. But what could really be behind the sttange goings-on?

This is an ideal one-shot for new Call of Cthulhu players, and for those with more experience, who'd like to play an old favourite once again.

Characters are pre-generated and you can learn as you play!

Content warning: Cosmic horror, violence, death, character death, undead, drug use, alcohol use, body horror, blood, insects/spiders, psychological manipulation (including gaslighting)

GM: Stephen Fleetwood-Joyce

RPG Zone, Beginner Friendly, Trait System

The tribe of the Bright Cow Men suddenly finds that water no longer slaves their thirst. Clearly an outsider is cursing them and heroes are needed to resolve the issue. Can you find the son which allowed them in and solve the challenge to save the village?

GM: Darryl Harwood

RPG Zone

Every year, the Starfinder Society learns of thousands of newly discovered planets, planetoids, moons, and other stellar bodies, many of which sustain life. Each location is closely catalogued, with the most promising marked for future study. The frigid moon of Luvoth is one such location.

Known to the Starfinders only as Vast-723-Arctic-Moon, or VAM-723 for short, Luvoth is one of four small moons in orbit around an unexplored gas giant in the Vast. Initial scans of the moon indicate there’s no sapient inhabitants, but there are some artificial structures—an intriguing mystery! Believing VAM-723 could be the perfect jumping off point to explore the local stellar bodies and surrounding system, the Starfinder Society dispatches a team of agents to perform initial surveys of the moon and investigate the structures.

GM: Rob Hardy

RPG Zone, Level 5 pregens provided

DND 5.5 & 2024 Homebrew

Embark on a classic lost treasure adventure as you traverse the dangers of the Dagger Island. You and your companions were all individually scouted by a group of “privateers” to search for a mysterious treasure but just as you near the island you discover you’re searching for the lost city of the sea, a legendary tale of an advanced civilisation that was mysteriously wiped from existence!

With the specialist skills of you and your companions, can you uncover what happened to this great society, find its treasures, or do you succumb to the same fate as the lost city and be lost from history forever?!

GM: Suresh Ravendran, Role Play Haven

RPG Zone, Beginner Friendly

You arrive as aspiring heroes at a frontier keep, a beacon of safety where fortune and glory beckon. However, darkness looms nearby, threatening all who live here. You must traverse the wild and dangerous Borderland and contend with unpredictable threats…but the true test lies in the notorious Caves of Chaos. The labyrinth of caverns is sprawling with hostile creatures and rumours of an ancient god continue to stir. But where does the true enemy really lie? Steel yourselves—danger awaits!

This adventure is tailored for up to 5 new D&D players, offering an exciting and accessible introduction to tabletop gaming. This will be a trimmed-down version of 5.5. Dice and pre-gens will be provided. Expect fantasy violence

Join Ben Allen of Final Boss Fight, for live woodburning.

Front Garden, approx 60 mins

Drop by for a relaxing introduction to woodburning.

Enjoy the dulcit tones and creations of our very own "Bob Ross of woodcraft"

Feel free to ask questions. Commissions and personalised pieces can be requested

Presented by Emesh De Zoysa, Absolute Ascendancy

Main Stage Presentation: 50 mins incl Q&A

Have you ever wondered how to bring a board game to life?

Follow the journey of the board game lifecycle with independent creator, Emesh De Zoysa

As well as being a successful games designer and author, Emesh is also a mathematician, pianist, athlete and sensei

GM: Martin Sharp

RPG Zone

During the exploration of an ancient Jistkan ruin in Katapesh, the automaton Star goes missing, leaving the archeologist companions worried for their friend's safely. The head archeologist calls upon the Pathfinder Society for assistance, but warns the agents that arrive that the ruin is filled with dangerous creatures and traps and that they should be careful while exploring.

Written by Mark Malcolm.

GM: John Gotobed, Final Boss Fight

RPG Zone, Beginner Friendly

With your friends life hanging in the balance, you are sent looking for something that might provide the cure.

Content warning: Trauma, undead, death, sacrifice

GM: Ben Allen, Final Boss Fight

Open Gaming Area, Beginner Friendly

A heist based RPG, in which players will gather as a crew to rob, steal, or do whatever they need to do to get the job done! Rules light, quick, fun, chaotic and easy to play 

GM: Michael Langan, Role Play Haven

RPG Zone

An RPG set just a short horse ride from Bardscon, 650 years ago...

The year is 1376. Half of England’s people are dead from plague. You are a peasant among those who remain. And you’re about to become an outlaw!

GM: Will S

Open Gaming Zone, Beginner Friendly

Content Warnings: Death / Religious Undertones / Mild horror

The last thing you remember is dying..._
Your eyes snap open and it feels as if you’re trying to see for the first time. As your eyes adjust, you see nothing but darkness. The musty smell of dust and death fills the air. You reach out into the darkness, and your fingers scrape against a cold stone surface. Your senses continue to wake up as you realise you’re laying down in what feels to be a smooth box, a coffin. Whatever you may be thinking right now, you can’t get past the feeling that if this is the afterlife, it doesn’t feel right._

GM: Will Beard

Open Gaming Zone

The streets of New York run red with blood. Vampire clans move to finally push out their old enemies, while human hunters move, to finally cleanse the city of the undead horrors that hide in the shadows. By sunrise, only one faction can claim total victory.

Content warning: Stress, Trauma, bloodlust, scenes of graphic content.

Live on the Main Stage: We are thrilled to welcome the chaotic geniuses, IRPG to Bardscon.

est. show run time, 90 mins

Prepare for a tale like no other!

Forget pre-written scripts and predictable outcomes—this is an improvised role-playing game experience where anything can happen.

The IRPG team will weave a legendary adventure right before your eyes, driven by your suggestions and the unpredictable roll of the dice.

Will our heroes find glory or a hilarious demise? There’s only one way to find out! Grab a drink from the bar, find a seat by the stage, and get ready to be part of the story.

Witness the magic of live storytelling! 🛡️📜

Think you know how the story ends? Think again! This improvised role-playing show brings:

✨ High-stakes hilarity
🎲 Live dice rolls that change everything
🛡️ An adventure fueled by YOUR suggestions

It’s unrehearsed, unpredictable, and undeniably epic