Come join Eric Jackson, host of the Podcast “GM’s Bookclub” as he and other experienced GMs take audience fiction favorites and discuss how they can be made into great roleplaying experiences. Live recording taking place, so come be on the podcast! In this episode, the Author Elizabeth Bear will join the podcast LIVE as we discuss her novel “Karen Memory”.
Friday at 12:00 PM General Seating, Talore
Come join Eric Jackson, host of the Podcast “GM’s Bookclub” as he and other experienced GM’s take audience fiction favorites and discuss how they can be made into great roleplaying experiences. Live recording taking place, so come be on the podcast! In this episode, the Author Trisha Wooldridge will join the podcast LIVE as we discuss her novel “Where Monsters Prey”.
Friday at 1:00 PM General Seating, Talore
Be part of a live, interactive dungeon-building sprint! The Wandering DMs live-stream their Dungeon Design Dash as they craft a classic-style D&D adventure in just 90 minutes. Audience ideas (in-room and online) drive every twist. The finished scenario will be run here at this very convention. Fast, chaotic, creative, fun, and you get to build the dungeon with them!
Friday at 7:00 PM General Seating, Talore
Being an educator is a difficult career, and many of us turn to games like Dungeons & Dragons, Call of Cthulhu, or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to unwind or escape. Leigh Candalino, a Math teacher from New York City, has used gaming strategies to help students change their mindset and improve their study habits. She will be discussing the overlapping strategies and techniques between learning and playing. She is open to questions as well.
Friday at 9:00 PM General Seatiing, Talore
Join Game Designer and Wilkstudio Owner Brian Wilk for an engaging and insightful discussion on the journey from idea to market in the world of board games. This panel will explore the creative process behind designing a game, the challenges of bringing a concept to life, and the strategies for successfully marketing and selling your creation. Bring your questions, creativity, and curiosity as we demystify the process of creating games.
Saturday at 8:00 AM General Seating, Talore
Join Boston Gaymers for an exploration of game design that facilitates understanding the trans experience. What genres and narrative techniques provide a platform for allegorically sharing our struggles? What mechanics drive a deeper appreciation of our social, medical, and emotional obstacles to experiencing gender euphoria and living our best lives? What can we glean from recent RPG and video game titles designed with this in mind?
Saturday at 10:00 AM General Seating, Talore
Come join Eric Jackson, host of the Podcast “GM’s Bookclub,” as he and other experienced GMs take audience-favorite fiction and discuss how to turn it into great roleplaying experiences. Live recording taking place so come be on the podcast! This episode, the Author Scott Lynch will join the podcast LIVE as we discuss his novel “The Lies of Locke Lamora”
Saturday at 12:00 PM General Seating, Talore
Join Boston Gaymers for a panel about dramatic personalities and dramatic personae. From false beliefs to emotional wounds, what decisions do we make about our world’s cast so their decisions can drive the plot? From colloquialisms to belongings, how do we rapidly generate a sense of who someone is, which another person can yes-and, roll, and roleplay with? As writers and gamers, we have an arsenal of tricks and tips to share for these questions.
Saturday at 1:00 PM General Seating, Talore
What transforms a collection of traits and tropes into a living, breathing character? How does a world feel authentic enough that players or readers want to lose themselves in it? Authors Scott Lynch, Elizabeth Bear, Moniquill Blackgoose, and Trisha Wooldridge unpack the creative process behind compelling characters and scenarios—drawing connections between fiction writing and tabletop storytelling.
Saturday at 3:00 PM General Seating, Talore
This is an amazing opportunity to get your books signed by our Guests of Honour for 2026, ELIZABETH BEAR & SCOTT LYNCH. We are excited to offer this opportunity to our attendees to meet and greet the Award-winning Authors in a relaxing and casual environment. Stop by and say “HI!”
Saturday at 5:00 PM General Seating, Talore
An opportunity to have an open, informal conversation with two seasoned (Alex is the old one) GMs and Game Designers, choose any topic that you have questions about, or the Oracles will augury one. Expect banter, wisdom, and profound irreverence!
Saturday at 7:00 PM General Seating, Talore
The principles of Parallel Dimension Gaming offer their expertise in a workshop on designing and writing games for publication and the differences between writing for your own table and writing for Publication. This will begin with a short panel discussion that outlines the full production pipeline from pitch to finished adventure. Then the focus shifts to hands-on work. Bring a scenario pitch of 500 words or fewer with you.
Saturday at 9:00 PM General Seating, Talore
This is a workshop in which we will build 2-3 scenarios from campaigns that people in the audience bring; we will leave people with techniques for quick scenario creation.
Sunday at 8:00 AM General Seating, Talore
This is the sequel to last year’s very successful panel of the same name. This discussion will look at handling relationships of all kinds between player-characters and non-player-characters, and how to handle friendships, rivalries, romance, and even intimate relationships. What are the pitfalls and the positives, including tips on making NPCs more connected to the player-characters? (Note: May contain some mature content – adults only)
Sunday at 10:00 AM General Seating, Talore
Come join Eric Jackson, host of the podcast “GM’s Bookclub” as he and other experienced GMs take audience fiction favorites and discuss how they can be made into great roleplaying experiences. Live recording taking place, so come be on the podcast! This episode will feature the author MonIquill Blackwell LIVE as we discuss her novel “To Shape A Dragon’s Breath.”
Sunday at 12:00 PM General Seating, Talore
This seminar is a brisk, all-encompassing rundown of facts and misconceptions when it comes to unconsciousness, injury, death, emergency response, and body disposal, involving some lived experiences from my 11 years as a firefighter and medical responder. Anything and everything a writer or game designer might want to know about the fragile human condition, including a lot of stuff I wish I’d known before I started writing my first novel.
Sunday at 1:00 PM General Seating, Talore
This workshop is an interactive program that explores techniques, strategies, and tips for managing groups at your table or your home campaign through the lens of both managing the players and managing the characters as distinct ideas. You will walk away with a new set of tools to really empower your players and have rich, well-developed characters! The workshop will be led by Iron GM and RPGCon Panel Director Alex Jackl!
Sunday at 3:00 PM General Seating, Talore
Don’t toil overwriting pages of notes with long-term plans, or force your players into a path of your choosing. Life doesn’t follow a pre-set course and neither should your campaign. Learn how to channel the chaos your players bring to the campaign into something truly magical. Oscar Rios, president of Golden Goblin Press, shares his tips and techniques for growing meaningful, organic campaigns from a series of seemingly unrelated adventures. Age Range (+18)
Friday from 5:00 pm to 5:50 pm Critical Chat 1 in Que’chen
Do you dream of writing game material for publication? Join Frog God Games’ published Game Designer Edwin Nagy as he discusses the similarities and differences between writing a game for your home group versus writing for mass Publication. Light snacks will be served. Age Range (+18)
Friday from 5:00 pm to 5:50 pm Critical Chat 2 in Que’chen
Join published author Trisha Wooldridge and discuss Writing and Worldbuilding, the similarities, the differences and the pitfalls! Light snacks and coffee will be served for this personal, candid discussion. Age Range (+18)
Saturday from 12:00 pm to 12:50 pm Critical Chat 1 in Que’chen
Join guest Allen Hammack as he discusses how to adjust Challenge Ratings on the Fly and other advice from the legendary game designer in a relaxed candid conversation over light snacks and coffee. Age Range (+18)
Saturday from 12:00 pm to 12:50 pm Critical Chat 3 in Que’chen
There is so much info about how to be a great GM, but what about being the best player you can. Join Lara Moritz for a casual discussion on how to be a great player. Light snacks and coffee will be available. Age Range (13+)
Saturday from 12:00 pm to 12:50 pm Critical Chat 2 in Que’chen
Scott Legault, Con Chair of Rising Phoenix and Owner of Dark Phoenix Events talks about how he writes games that build immersion for his players before they even sit down. A frank conversation and discussion of why real-life locations and events can add volumes of realism to your games. Light snacks and coffee will be served. Age Range (+18)
Saturday from 12:00 pm to 12:50 pm Critical Chat 4 in Que’chen
Critical Chat with Game Designer and Published Author Ian Eller, How to get the most out of short campaigns. For years, Ian has been running this type of game at Cons across New England with great success, Join him over light snacks and coffee to have a frank, in-depth conversation about his game style. Age Range (+18)
Saturday from 5:00 pm to 5:50 pm Critical Chat 2 in Que’chen
Join Jesse Gorton, RPG Director of Necronomicon Providence and as she opens up about what happens when you are a historical re-enactor, LARPer, Gamer, and entertainer trying to find yourself and end up becoming a better, stronger person through playing the roles of others. An open discussion where light snacks and coffee will be served. Age Range (+18)
Saturday from 5:00 pm to 5:50 pm Critical Chat 3 in Que’chen
Learn how to stop overthinking, toss away the stress and self-doubt to just roll up your sleeves, and create a scenario for Call of Cthulhu. Participants will select the story elements then guest Oscar Rios, author of more than a hundred scenarios for Call of Cthulhu, will demonstrate how they can be quickly tied together to create a playable adventure in less than one hour! Age Range (+18)
Saturday from 5:00 pm to 5:50 pm Critical Chat 1 in Que’chen
Join guest Oscar Rios, president of Golden Goblin Press, for a discussion of some of the most memorable moments from actual games he’s run over the past thirty-five years! Stories of tragic deaths, unexpected victories, horror, humor, and daring do. At the end participants will share their own best story, with the winner (judged by Mr. Rios) receiving a free fiction book from the Golden Goblin Press catalog.
Sunday from 12:00 pm to 12:50 pm Critical Chat 1 in Que’chen