I did manage to get some roleplaying at Games Expo. On Friday I tried the new fantasy RPG from Triple Ace Games, Hellfrost, which is inspired by Scandinavian/Northern Europe cultures. This is set in a world of encroaching winter, and the cold influences all aspects of the game. The scenario I played will probably be available soon, but it can be best described as a tournament, in which the prizes were a village’s best girls. The competition came in three stages, the first being a storytelling session, the second a drinking contest, before ending with an egg hunt.

It was a fun scenario, although it felt not unlike the scenario from the back of The Legend of the Five Rings, which itself ended with a giant egg hunt. I had fun and I was very competitive, doing reason ably well in the storytelling, and holding out in the drinking contest by supping strong ale rather than going for the brandies and other spirits that the others drank in a drunk or glory bid. For the egg hunt, we faced rival competitors, bandits, an enticing ceremony, and a riddle setter. I did well on finding eggs, but decided to buy more from the others, having won various bets in the tavern the night before. These were on two arm wrestling contests. In the first I bet that a weedy elf could beat the champion – and he did! The second, I bet against a soldier against the champion, and he lost!

Armed with a sack load of eggs, I did indeed win the competition. I choose to take the first bride, who was very pretty and vivacious. Unfortunately she was demanding and penniless!

So I lost. I should have taken the alternative cash price.