Cierra with a sword...shaped bookmark 📚
@tricierratops.bsky.social
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They/Them Very much into: books, art, making friends with nerds, dungeons and dragons, Jurassic Park, pets, puns, and human rights 👋 Oodles of Toodles
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Reposted by Cierra with a sword...shaped bookmark 📚
After the staggering lack of sales at Wirral Pride, I've finally gotten around to adding The LGBTQIArmoury to my Ko-fi store. If you're looking for Pride-themed #TTRPG magic items in physical zine form, look no further! Free PDF copy with every order! UK-only unfortunately ko-fi.com/s/894a78f37f
The LGBTQIArmoury: 14 Pride-themed Magic Items for Fantasy TTRPGs - The Moonlit Bard's Ko-fi Shop
A zine containing 14 magic items inspired by various Pride flags. Each item is presented with a gorgeous piece of art from Alex Louring and includes v...
ko-fi.com
Once Upon A Con: Deleting posts doesn't erase what happened. We have the receipts. We're asking for refunds where they're due, explanations for missing funds, and real accountability. If you were affected, please add your voice so this doesn't get brushed under the rug.(21) #onceuponacon #booksky
Once Upon A Con: We aren't nitpicking about first year con mistakes. The chairs marketed themselves as con veterans. People paid real money and trusted organizers to keep us safe, deliver on promises, and treat staff/vendors fairly. Instead, we got the opposite.(20) #onceuponacon #booksky #ouac
My Once Upon A Con experience:
I am mad at how much it cost me to attend this Con. The ticket price alone did not represent the quality or quantity of events provided. No hate to authors or vendors, they were fighting for their lives. EACH PERSON SHOULD GET A REFUND(19) #onceuponacon #booksky #ouac
My Once Upon A Con experience:

The con lacked the immersion promised. No decorations except for what vendors and authors provided at their booths. The Ball was a bad joke. The DJ tried, but it gave boring middle school dance vibes; no badge check or dress coding.(18) #onceuponacon #booksky #ouac
My Once Upon A Con experience:
Many of the panels/workshops I wanted to attend had no panelist. I was looking forward to the writing sessions, especially for ttrpgs, and constantly disappointed. An attendee led panel is a crazy to have happen once, let alone a dozen times.(17) #onceuponacon #booksky
My Once Upon A Con experience:

The only signs through the con we cardboard/sheets of paper and sharpie. Again, no bag or prop checks. I was so off put by the lack of security that every Con I've ever been to has. The only badge check was for the VIP market door.(16)
#onceuponacon #ouac #booksky
My Once Upon A Con experience:

The OUAC website didn't have the schedule, map, or updates. I didn't know Guidebook had that until the last minute, so it was impossible to plan or know what cost money. We could never find the D&D play rooms again b/c of lack of signage.(15) #onceuponacon #booksky
My Once Upon A Con experience:

I immediately noticed the lack of signage at the Gaylord; it was hard to find where registration was without following someone. The fact that my ticket was only glanced at, not scanned, and no security check was done was horrifying.(14) #onceuponacon #ouac #booksky
Once Upon A Con Leadership Behavior:

-Instead of addressing concerns, the chair deleted posts and refused to take accountability
-Almost zero communication from leadership during the con, even though they were posting in the discord about other, delegatable tasks (13)
#onceuponacon #ouac #booksky
Once Upon A Con Leadership Behavior:
-A co-chair took over attendee-led panels and turned them into personal showcases
-The chair drank during events, including a NSFW panel where IDs weren't checked
-Co-chair focused more on cosplay than event management(12)
#onceuponacon #ouac #booksky
Once Upon A Con Mismanagement:

-Promised perks (staff rooms & meals, contact bands, low-stim area) never appeared
-The money doesn't add up. Attendee paid things never happened, staff got no accommodations, but the organizers have not explained where the money went(11)
#onceuponacon #ouac #booksky
Once Upon A Con mismanagement:
-Staff and volunteers promised hotel rooms, meals, or crash space were stranded for hours or told to pay out of pocket
-Vendors faced last-minute changes, surprise fees for basics like power and parking, and had no secure vendor hall(10)
#onceuponacon #ouac #booksky
Once Upon A Con miscommunications:
-Questions and concerns in the Discord or Facebook group were deleted instead of answered.
-How and when authors would be paid for the doubloon vouchers wasn't explained, which made them uncomfortable and unwilling to participate. (9)
#onceuponacon #ouac #booksky
Once Upon A Con miscommunications:
-Panel cancellations and changes weren't announced. Attendees found out before staff did and then hosted the panels themselves.
-No signage or accurate schedule info; the website and Guidebook didn't match what was happening on-site (8)
#onceuponacon #ouac #booksky
Once Upon A Con ⚠️Safety⚠️ Issues:

-No ID checks at 18+/21+ events. One of the co-chairs drank straight from an alcohol bottle while running a NSFW panel
-Wristbands for 21+ events were just handed out, not put on wrists so could be given to someone under 21.
(7)
#onceuponacon #ouac #booksky
Now let's talk the Once Upon A Con safety issues:

-No Security
-No prop, weapon, or bag check
-Tickets/Badges weren't scanned or checked, so anyone could walk in
-Staff sign in had no verification
-No consent wristbands or low-stimulation/quiet spaces as promised
(6)
#onceuponacon #ouac #booksky
Once Upon A Con missing content:

Without the panels happening, lack of direction or proper scheduling, there was an obscene amount of empty time to fill. War Room, burlesque show, and the cosplay competition were never happened or were wildly underdelivered. (5)

#onceuponacon #ouac #bookcon
Once Upon a Con missing content:

Paid panels canceled or left for attendees to run when panelists didn't show. Some were charged fees panelists didn't even know about.

I went to multiple panels Saturday where no panelist showed, and no staff came in to check on the room.

#onceuponacon #ouac
Once Upon a Con missing content: VIP: dinner, lounge, swag bags, cocktail hour, bar crawl-either canceled, half-delivered, or missing with no explanation.

Friday ball was cut short to 1 hour.

The PAID CaFaes were mostly bare: no decor, food, games, or pictures. (3)

#onceuponacon #ouac #bookcon
What happened shows a bigger pattern of broken promises, bad behavior, and financial mismanagement (Looking at you, Second Star Events). I wanted to get this down in one place so people can see the bigger picture. First: all the missing content that was promised. (2)
#onceuponacon #ouac #bookcon
This past weekend at Once Upon a Con, a lot of us experienced things that go way beyond first year con hiccups. These are more than small mistakes or high expectations. These are serious safety oversights and behavior from leadership that don't belong at any event. (1)
#onceuponacon #ouac #bookcon
When creating your own ttrpg homebrew world, what do you wish you did differently? What would you have added? What did you think was important, but wasn't?

#ttrpg #homebrew #dungeonsanddragons #d&d
I miss when mainstream books had good writing. So many "viral" or popular books have bad writing with forced dialogue. What are publishers even looking for these days?

#booksky #tbr #recommended #books