At this time I am actively seeking to recruit 2 players for The Caverns
(Formally known as Stile's adventure's and Game's), a RPG game club. We meet
and play every other friday night. We start gathering at 6pm and like to
start play by 7pm. We play until midnight typically, but possibilities of
longer play sometimes exist.



This is both an exciting time and a disappointing time for me. It is an
exciting time because new players is an opportunity to meet new people, get
new ideas, and even form new friendships. It's a disappointing time because
it means old friends have drifted because of life's responsibilities, either
moving away, or focusing their interests on more important activities.



I am seeking players that are semi serious. As a RPG game club, we prefer
the player who wants to play, enjoys playing, and try's to make it as often
as possible. We also try to stress RP vs. hack and slash. While we like a
good mix and a little battle now and then, and getting that new items we
have found that letting your character die in a situation to be true to your
characters personality (role play), is more fun and we try to stress that.
We do NOT want rules lawyers! The gm's have the right to change rules at
whims, as long as they are doing so in the best interest of the game play,
and are fair about it.



Yet I say semi serious, and not serious because we also stress the
importance of having a good time, forming friendships that can last a
life-time, and most importantly life comes first. Someone who is so gung ho
about the game night they jeopardize their jobs or marriage, is not someone
we want! We want people who will be able to make the game the majority of
the time but we realize exceptions will occur where they cant make it. We
just want those to be exceptions and not the rule.



I also have a 21 years or older policy now. There are two reasons for this
that jump to mind. The first is while, in the past I have had some younger
players that I am glad to have known, met, AND have had as players, with a
21 year old player or older I can be more assured of maturity. The other
reason is because the game club does boast a full size wet bar. While we
don't really "party" when we play, it is known to have a beer, or a cider,
or a drink or two. Sometimes on rarer occasion someone may even put on a
good buzz. I wish to avoid any possible legal issues by not having someone
not of drinking age.



Now that you know what I am looking for, let me tell you a little about the
past. This game club has been established for about 7 years now, and I am a
25 year RPG veteran. It originally started with 2 people and expanded. Over
the 7 years we have boasted over 40 different players and at the height of
our fame, we had 4 different rpg campaigns running (bi-weekly, every friday
and saturday, with alternating campaigns and 4 different gms), was a Wizkids
approved game club venue and ran 7 sanctioned tournaments a month, and
Sundays gathered together to paint miniatures, watch movies, create
characters, and evaluate new games (we called it craft day).



Unfortunately as time has progressed, and life has brought on more
responsibilities for myself I have downsized. We now only meet every other
friday and play one campaign. Yet, I have formed some of my closest
friendships from this game club, and members have formed friendships with
each other that will last for their life times. These friendships go beyond
gaming and go into other parts of our lives. My game club is regularly
invited to new years parties, labor day, memorial days, and weekly or
bi-weekly summer cookouts. We have helped each other moving, finding jobs,
with school, and even a time or to I've known of loans to occur.



Additionally as time passed and The number of gaming decreased, some of my
players have went off to form other groups, and I know of 3 other game
groups in this area that where formed from the players of the club I run.



At this point in time, I have 4 players. Unfortunately two of them are about
to have their first child (not 2 as in a couple, but 2 as in 2 different
players with 2 different wives). As a result one of them will not be able to
attend for a while (their baby being due any day), and when they are able to
join us again, we are expecting the other one to be gone for a while in
their footsteps. Also things happen people get sick, go on vacations,
whatever and we sometimes have a player that can not show. Eventually I am
sure all 4 will be regulars again - and for that reason I do not wish to
recruit a bunch of players now and then down the road have to many (I have
had groups with as many as 14 and 15 players in the past, but try not to let
that happen). I find the perfect size is 6 players and 1 GM. Since 1 or 2
people usually can not make it, when you have that many, it tends to mean 4
or 5 players per session. IF everyone shows, 6 is still small enough, yet
not to big to be slow moving. HEnce, why my choice of recruiting 2 players
at this time.



Now lets talk a little about the game club environment. You can go the the
photo album on the web page (www.thecaverns.net) to view recent photos of
the game club, but to give you a few ideas: We boast a 8 foot long game
table (at one time it was a pool table), covered with a Cheesex mat (grid
size up, not hex), and plastic covering (its dry erasable). Thousands, if
not tens of thousands of dice and miniatures. Hundreds of books, and
hundreds of games ranging from RPG, to MTG, to Wizkids stuff, to Monoploy,
Munchkin, Settlers of Catan, and more. Please note we tend to mainly RPG,
but on occasion may bust out a board game or card game. We have a full size
wet bar (I have a large stock, but if people drink regularly, I ask for
money to help restock or that they contribute bottles of liquor. its
expansive to keep a bar stocked). We have a kitchen area with a sink,
microwave, george foreman, toaster oven, and coffle maker. A full size
fridge, and more. The other side of the finished basement is a compute room
with 3 computers , scanners, cameras, printers, and more. The game table
offers power strips on every corner and a wireless network system (lan
parties are not unheard of either). The main game room itself currently has
the means to COMFORTABLY seat 15 people, and If we want to get a little
crowded I can easily make that 20 with some folding chairs.



So what are game club offers is fun times, lasting friendships, fantastic
gaming environment and more. If it seems like I am boasting, i am not. I
speak of my game club with great pride. I have had 40 plus fantastic people
who have supported it and through their efforts has encouraged me to put the
money, time, and efforts into making it one of the best places to game,
party, drink, or hang out that I know of.



What I want to know, is would you like to be one of those people? I hope so,
if you feel you are the right person for the type of gaming we do! Please,
review the different sections of the web page, our discussion boards, and
send me an email after that, if you are interested in joining us. I may ask
a few questions and then I will usually invite you to join us for a trial
session (for both us, and for you).



Finally - feeling awkward? nervous? Wow.. here's a group of 5 people I don't
know at ALL, and a house i haven't been to... I'm going to just join in
and.. will i feel comfortable? I have had 40 plus members over time, and I
can guarantee you EVERYONE of them has felt that way... and every existing
player feels the same nervousness when a new player is showing up (as do I).
But I don't think a single one of those people, have ever regretted the
choice to push that nervousness aside and show up.... I have recruited
players from TMGG, IUSB, The Griffon Bookstore, Allstar Comics and Games,
life long friends, and word of mouth.



I have had women players as well as men, couples, husbands and wifes,
Religious scholars, school teachers. I have people of heavy weight and
skinny. I have had players that come from other countries. I have had gay
players. I have had school teachers, professors, people working on
doctorates, and people that work at mcdonalds. We are an equal opportunity
game club J



Hope to hear from you!!!



Eric Higby

stile@...

ehigby@...

http://www.thecaverns.net



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