Ecclesicon

I wanted to take a moment to explain why I’m such a fan of Ecclesicon, a special and unique event.

I started playing D&D in the early 80s, then dropped out for several decades, until 2024 when I joined a group online playing Pathfinder. I soon realized how much I missed the hobby. I wanted to play more, but didn’t know how to find groups. I considered Meetup, but my introverted personality quailed at the thought. I needed some kind of connection to feel comfortable.

Then my husband stumbled across a Facebook advertisement for a small event called Ecclesicon, which was very reasonably priced and not too far a drive.
But I was still worried that I’d be lost at sea in a room full of experienced players who might not have patience for someone holding up the game by asking questions, getting confused about which dice to use, and decision paralysis.

“There’s an email address,” my husband pointed out. “Why don’t you just ask for more information?”

“No one ever responds to emails,” I said.

But I sent the email anyway.

To my surprise, Wes wrote back to me within the hour. Not just a plain, business-like answer either – but an enthusiastic, “of course beginners are welcome!” That was all I needed to know.

On the first day of the event, who was the first to greet me, but Wes himself! He told me how happy he was to see me. He treated me as if I was…important? And not just me – he treated everyone like they were important, as if the event couldn’t be a success without them.

The GMs running the games were fantastic and were happy to help me get my bearings.

Not only did I have a blast playing games, but I also met new friends. Including Ron Meischker who told me all about his event, PAGE (Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo), which I attended this year.

The point of my story is, small gaming cons like Ecclesicon are important. They are a manageable size, not only for the organizers, but also for players who may feel lost among hundreds of people in a big convention center. The badge price can’t be beat, either. And we all know how expensive the big cons can be.

So for anyone who is on the fence about going, hop off the fence and get your badge!