On Saturday December 2nd, the Novotel in Hammersmith, London will open its doors for a day of tabletop delights that is Dragonmeet!
If this is the first time hearing of Dragonmeet, it is a one day tabletop gaming convention filled with shows, panels and a whole load of independent traders. This’ll be my first time attending after being recommended to me by gamers and industry professionals alike, who spoke of its warm, inclusive atmosphere, and its well deserved reputation as Britain’s friendliest Games Convention.
To find out what I was in store for, I caught up with Dragonmeet’s Operations Director, John Dodd to have a good talk about their upcoming event. I’ll also be sharing some of the events and features I’m most looking forward to checking out!
What Is Dragonmeet?
When I asked John about what made Dragonmeet unique, he had this to say. Dragonmeet is a safe and inclusive space where anyone can attend and find belonging in a community of like minded gamers and creatives. John spoke of growing up and not having conventions to go to where he could interact with the rest of the gaming community. He spoke of how vital he believes conventions to be in fostering this sense of community and combatting isolation.
Dragonmeet achieves this through facilitating friendly and cozy gatherings in the form of seminars, exhibitors, enclosed game sessions and live shows. It comes across as a place where everyone can find something their speed. Unlike the open floor plans common at larger conventions, Dragonmeet spreads out their offering across smaller rooms and multiple floors. This gives attendants a huge variety of options in a less sensory-intensive way. They also have dedicated members of staff who manage each of the different areas and a ‘choir’ of 50 volunteers. Their mission is to make sure things run smoothly, assist attendants and help them find what they’re looking for.
Welcome to the magical world of Dragonmeet, where games and adventures await!
A big part of Dragonmeet’s ethos is supporting independent creators. Aside from the UK Games Expo, they boast the largest collection of independent Tabletop traders of any games convention in the UK. Talking with John, it was clear that supporting their traders was a massive priority to him and his team. One of the chief considerations in planning the event was giving traders as much cost effective publicity as possible. With Christmas around the corner, it’s the perfect time for traders to get their products out and for you to get perfect gifts for your nerdy friends and family!
Trade Meets and Shopping
The choice of independent traders to check out at Dragonmeet is incredible! Looking at the floor maps, you could easily spend the whole day wandering the lower and upper trade halls whilst discovering a whole host of new creators! You can find the full list on the Dragonmeet website or by getting hold of a map on the day. However, if you’re after a few recommendations, here are the traders I’m going to be making a beeline for on the weekend:
Modiphius Entertainment
Lead sponsor of Dragonmeet and producer of a wide range of TTRPGs, war games and board games. I am currently obsessed with their Star Trek Adventures journaling game and am looking forward to talking their ear off about it!
Cubicle 7
Co-sponsor and producer of great Tabletop titles, including Warhammer 40K, the Dr. Who Roleplaying Game and Uncharted Journeys.
Rowan, Rook and Decard
Associate sponsor and maker of ‘strange games for curious people’. Titles range from epics like DIE: The Roleplaying Game, to wonderful one-shots like Grant Howitt‘s Honey Heist, which I got to try out at MCM London last month.
Pelgrane Press
Associate sponsor and publisher of TTRPGs like 13th Age and The Fall of Delta Green as well as many fiction books from their imprint, Stone Skin Press.
The perfect place to do your Christmas shopping!
The Dice Shop Online
Associate sponsor and the best place to go for an amazing range of playing dice including gem & stone dice, metal dice and a whole host of other gaming accessories.
Hatchling Games
Associate sponsor and a family friendly tabletop publisher for players of all ages. Their games include the stunning solo journaling game: Dragon Dowser and the innovative RPG, Inspirisles, that teaches players British and American sign language.
Tabletop Dominion
A brilliant provider of dice and other gaming accessories, including jewelry, clothing, dice towers and dice that somehow look at you while you roll!
Montford Tales
Creators of incredible journaling games such as Dead Letter Society and The Almanac of Sanguine Paths, which is currently crowdfunding. Their games also come with stunning illustrations and accessories.
Bring and Buy
As well as getting new games and merchandise first hand, you can also pick up, and sell, second hand gaming items at Dragonmeet’s Bring and Buy. Whether you’re looking for budget friendly gifts or looking to retire some well loved games, it’s a feature well worth checking out.
Talks from Professionals in the Field
Dragonmeet has 3 seminar rooms featuring rare opportunities to attend talks with industry professionals and ask them questions in a relatively informal setting. Here are some of the talks I have my eyes on:
The Ian Livingstone Prize for Innovations in Games 2023
9:30am, Seminar Room 3
Sir Ian Livingston, CBE, fantasy author and entrepreneur will be choosing from a long list of entries the one he feels has most benefitted the world of games and gaming this year. This event will be happening first thing to allow shortlisted entries and the winner to display their awards on their stands. Access will be allowed from 9am to prepare for a 9:30am start.
RPGs and Mental Health
11am, Seminar Room 2
This is looking to be a very interesting talk on how Tabletop Role-Playing Games can benefit your mental health. Daniel Hand, the RPG Therapist and Guiseppe di Martino of CareQuest Gaming and Research will be presenting and taking questions from the audience.
Designing the Ultimate Nemesis
12pm Seminar Room 1
If you want to get better at making compelling villains for your players, this looks like the perfect seminar for you! Guy from the YouTube channel, How to be a Great GM, will be here to talk you through making villains you’re going to love to hate!
If you want to learn from the best in the business, get your seat at the Modiphius Update seminar.
Modiphius Update
2pm Seminar Room 3
A review of Modiphius’ success in 2023 and a look ahead at their plans for 2024. Chris Birch and Samantha Webb, Founder and Head of Brand at Modiphius Entertainment along with a panel of designers and producers will be presenting and taking questions.
Cubicle 7 Update
3pm Seminar Room 1
A talk with Cubicle 7 Founder, Dominic McDowall, about the company’s leading games and upcoming titles complete with a live Q&A session.
Podcast Zone Live Shows
There are some brilliant podcasts in the world of tabletop role-playing games and audio drama. You can find some of my favorite picks in this previous article. To celebrate the UK’s tabletop podcast scene, Dragonmeet has a dedicated Podcast Zone where you you can catch live shows of some of your favorite podcasts. You also have the chance to meet some of the people behind these amazing podcasts as well. This year it’s being organized by Fiona KT Howat of What Am I Rolling and the DM’s Book Club. There is a lot of great stuff on, but here are my four favorites.
Head to the Podcast Zone to meet the people behind some of your favorite podcasts and discover some new favorites!
Paranoia: Simulacrum Supergroup
11:30am, Room 2/Beaujolais
A dystopian Sci-Fi game hosted by Naomi Clark of The Kilda, Realms of Peril & Glory and Who Lives Who Dice. Naomi is joined by Nathan Blades, Laura Girling, Jess Jewel, Emily Bates, Chloe Mashiter, Dan Thompson and Edward Spence. All these players will be playing clones doing their best to avoid being vaporized by the ominously named: ComputerFriend.
Theatre Macabre Presents: The 3 Nightmares of the Cthulhu who Stole Christmas
12:30pm, Room 1/Pouilly
Mörk Borg aficionado, Hamilton, will be hosting another one of his twists of this iconic horror TTRPG. This promises to be a classic Christmas caper mixed with eldritch horror and comedy! Hamilton is joined by Chloe Elliot, Taylor van Biljon, Daniel Matthews and Will Nyford, all veterans of his Mörk Borg adventures!
Realms of Peril & Glory’s Liminal London
3:30pm, Room 2/Beaujolais
Having seen Realms of Peril & Glory live at the London Podcast Festival, I’m very excited about seeing them live again. This time they’ll be performing a new episode of their Liminal London series, set in the TTRPG, Liminal by Paul Mitchener. The series is all about the hidden world of vampires, werewolves, ghosts and the like living in among us. This show will feature Zack Fortais-Gomm as the Game Master along with regular cast: Liz Campbell, Pip Gladwin, Naomi Clarke and guest player, Grant Howitt.
Knights of Potcedonia
5:30pm, Room 2/Beaujolais
This 3 Black Halflings TTRPG adventure is set in the land of Potcedonia, a tiny civilization on the edge of a kitchen sink! This game was featured and played on Not Another D&D Podcast and promises small world, big problem antics! Jasper William Cartwright of the 3 Black Halflings will be the show’s GM. The show will also feature fellow Halfling, Liv Kennedy as well as Taylor Navarro, Shamini Bundell and Paul Foxcroft.
Dedicated Places to Play All the Games
Dragonmeet also features a whole host of game sessions for you to join. There are specific game sessions that you can book on to or meetup games where you can book a space to meet up with fellow gamers for a wide variety of games. You can find the full selection on the website but here are a few sessions I’ve got my eyes on:
Fancy a game? You’ve come to the right place!
Servants of the Lake
9am – 1pm
This game will use the Call of Cthulhu system with John Coffield as the GM. This game is advertised for newbies and veterans alike and seems to have classic Lovecraftian horror written all over it. It’s the 1920s, a young man has gone missing at a strange motel and there are strange clues that make so sense. You’ll be playing investigators looking into this disappearance and uncovering horrors that put their lives, and their sanity, in danger.
DIE D36
2-6pm
DIE is an innovative TTRPG created by Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans, and published by Rowan, Rook and Decard. It’s a multi-layered game where you play as characters who have become trapped in the TTRPG they’re playing. The fantasy world they find themselves in is made up of their fears and other dark parts of their psyche, allowing for an intense and introspective narrative. This D36 event will feature a whopping 36 players and 7 GMs, including Kieron Gillen himself! This promises to be an incredible roleplaying experience if you can commit the time and dare to join the adventure!
Dedicated POC Lounge
9:30am – 4:30pm, Room D8
This year, 3 Black Halflings will be hosting a dedicated space for People of Color (POC) in the gaming community. The lounge will be available to all POC to take up space, exchange ideas, play games and chill out together. On the day, Jasper William Cartwright and Taylor Navarro will be overseeing things. Jasper will even be running a networking mixer from 12:30pm – 2:30pm to encourage connections across the community.
3 Black Halflings are hosting a place for POC games folk to unwind and connect.
The Future of Dragonmeet
As well as talking about this year’s Dragonmeet, me and John also spoke about potential plans for future Dragonmeets. The Novotel in Hammersmith has served them well, but the team are looking for alternate venues to accommodate greater numbers. They are considering other London venues such as Wembley Arena, the O2 and the ExCeL Centre. Of course, this will only be possible if these spaces can be made financially viable and if the cozy feel of Dragonmeet can be kept.
It was clear to John that keeping Dragonmeet’s character was the most important consideration going ahead. It seems that the best way that Dragonmeet can grow and continue its vital service to the tabletop community is through the support of volunteers, partner organizations and fans alike. By attending their events, supporting traders, running events and bringing fresh ideas, the gaming community have made Dragonmeet go from strength to strength in the 23 years it has been running.
If you would like to take part in Dragonmeet 2023, tickets are still available for just £15 through tickettailor. There will also be tickets available on the day, but it may be best to book ahead to avoid disappointment.
For more on Dragonmeet and the world of gaming, keep an eye out for future KeenGamer articles.
