Chris Arneson
Special Artist Guest of Honor
Chris Arneson is a freelance illustrator who grew up with a love for Dungeons & Dragons, especially its art. He has currently been doing much freelancing for Joseph Goodman, of Goodman Games, including work in many of their OARs, Original Adventures Reincarnated, on such iconic titles as The Temple of Elemental Evil, Castle Amber, Isle of Dread, The Lost City and currently The Dark Tower. Last year he had the honor of illustrating three cards for Luke Gygax and Gary Con's Deck of Many Things as well as the high honor of painting Gary Con XV's 2023 t-shirt design and promotional image. He graduated from UW Whitewater with a BFA in 1996 and has had the pleasure of working on such CCGs as Wheel of Time, World of Warcraft, Legend of the Five Rings, Legend of the Burning Sands, Doomtown, Rifts, and Warlord.
Christopher Clark
Special Guest
I met Gary Gygax when I was 15 at one of their ‘mini-Gen Cons’ at the Horticultural center. He was running a miniatures game of Chainmail (the fantasy supplement) that I played in. We immediately hit it off., so much so that I started running events at Gen Con the very next year. Gary and I saw each other at these conventions, and he always remembered me. He had Harold Johnson offer me a job at TSR in 1979, (which I refused, it was full time and I wanted to finish high school), and we stayed in touch over the years. After we started the Inner City Company, he always made sure that I got an invite to the “TSR Party” at Gen Con, and I got to know several of the crew that way.
When the ‘TSR crash’ hit in 1995-1996, and there was zero production of material for the 2nd Edition, I decided to start writing generic adventures that might fill that void, and I thought I would call Gary and see if he was interested in developing these adventures with me (for a paycheck). I don’t know if Gary was desperate, or just liked me that much, but he agreed. He and I wrote “A Challenge of Arm’s” and “The Ritual of the Golden Eyes with Gary doing these as a ‘work for hire’ developer and writer (which is why I think perhaps he liked me, he could have gotten work anywhere) and we got to know one another and became fast friends. When he could find no investors to underwrite the Lejendary Adventure, he called me, asked if I would form a company with him, and Hekaforge Productions, a Limited Partnership, was born.
Then we REALLY started spending a lot of time together.
By the time 2006 rolled around, my ability to continue pushing the Lejendary line forward had about played its part so I suggested to Gary that we find an ‘angel’ and I approached the Troll Lords with the Lejendary License on Gary’s behalf (at the GAMA trade show that year). Gary then cut his own deal with them; we ended HFP, and were good friends up until his death. He and I still wrote a few things together, but mostly along the lines of,” hey could you take a look and give me your $0.02” rather than anything official. Most of the time we just traded e-mails every other day or so.
From the age of 15 until the day he passed from this Earth, Gary taught me a lot: about writing, design, humor, and frankly, life. I miss him, but carry those lessons with me to this day.
"If you'd like to see what I have been up to since, check out the new Lance RPG at our booth."
When the ‘TSR crash’ hit in 1995-1996, and there was zero production of material for the 2nd Edition, I decided to start writing generic adventures that might fill that void, and I thought I would call Gary and see if he was interested in developing these adventures with me (for a paycheck). I don’t know if Gary was desperate, or just liked me that much, but he agreed. He and I wrote “A Challenge of Arm’s” and “The Ritual of the Golden Eyes with Gary doing these as a ‘work for hire’ developer and writer (which is why I think perhaps he liked me, he could have gotten work anywhere) and we got to know one another and became fast friends. When he could find no investors to underwrite the Lejendary Adventure, he called me, asked if I would form a company with him, and Hekaforge Productions, a Limited Partnership, was born.
Then we REALLY started spending a lot of time together.
By the time 2006 rolled around, my ability to continue pushing the Lejendary line forward had about played its part so I suggested to Gary that we find an ‘angel’ and I approached the Troll Lords with the Lejendary License on Gary’s behalf (at the GAMA trade show that year). Gary then cut his own deal with them; we ended HFP, and were good friends up until his death. He and I still wrote a few things together, but mostly along the lines of,” hey could you take a look and give me your $0.02” rather than anything official. Most of the time we just traded e-mails every other day or so.
From the age of 15 until the day he passed from this Earth, Gary taught me a lot: about writing, design, humor, and frankly, life. I miss him, but carry those lessons with me to this day.
"If you'd like to see what I have been up to since, check out the new Lance RPG at our booth."
dave conant
Special Guest
Dave had the good fortune of growing up in Lake Geneva at just the right time to be one of those geeky high school kids hanging out at the Dungeon Hobby Shop when it opened in the mid-70s. He started playing D&D immediately and didn't go to college, so getting a job at TSR in 1979 was a no-brainer (79-83); there he quickly settled in on managing GEN CON (during the Kenosha years), as well as all the mini-conventions with his good friend Skip Williams. After layoffs, he still ran the GEN CON Auction all through the 80s and eventually returned to TSR a second time in the early 90s to manage their Pre-Press Department until the company moved to Seattle. He finish his career working outside the gaming industry. Dave also has a wonderful wife of 40 years who indulges him in her understanding of the many hours he spends working on both Gary Con and Tom Wham Games.
E. Gary Gygax Jr.
Special Guest
Ernest G. Gygax, Jr. is the first-born son of storyteller and wargamer E. Gary Gygax. As a toddler he literally cut his teeth on a cardboard panzer division from an Avalon Hill game that his father had foolishly left within reach.
At 64 years of age, Ernie is still active in gaming and following through from his father's legacy, running Advanced Dungeons & Dragons with people of all ages. Amongst many other things, he worked at the original Dungeon Hobby Shop, TSR’s flagship game store, and playtested everything Gary wrote or played into the 1990s.
In the early 80’s, Gary Gygax offered Ernie an opportunity to leave his Executive Vice President position at TSR to join him at Dungeons & Dragons Entertainment Corp. as the VP of Creative, where he worked consulting on the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon series from episode 4 forward. Later, he again worked in Lake Geneva’s TSR office as Associate Publisher of Strategy and Tactics magazine. After TSR’s takeover in 1986, he took a decade break from gaming, until returning to his passion working at The Game Guild, a local hobby shop owned by Don & Margaret Weiss, and would once again run his Hobby Shop Dungeon campaign created in 1978.
Ernie, with input from their father, co-wrote The Lost City of Gaxmoor with his brother Luke, and published by Troll Lord Games. Ernie also worked with his brother Luke Gygax and Jason Elliott to put together six issues of Gygax magazine, and published a story written for his grandchildren, Sammy Zowa Vs. The Dueling Dragons.
Most recently, Ernie teamed up with Benoist Poire to create a gigantic boxed set world dungeon and artwork of the Marmorial Tomb, which was released last year from the good folks at Troll Lord Games.
Now, after years of major health issues, Tenser's creator is still running AD&D games at his home, Dragonlands.This September he will be marrying the woman of his dreams, his love and fellow gamer, Donna Jovani.
Heidi Gygax Garland
Event Host
Heidi Gygax Garland is the daughter of Dungeons & Dragons co-creator and father of role-playing games, Gary Gygax. From a young age, Heidi worked at numerous Gen Con conventions even working in the TSR booth in her teens. Later she honed her skills working summers at later full time at TSR in the Gen Con department, Marketing, and at the Dungeon Hobby Shop. She introduced several of her high school friends to a life-long love of gaming, including her favorite teacher, now well-known author and game designer, Douglas Niles.
After 30 years in Hawaii working in upper management for a large fine jewelry chain, Heidi returned to Lake Geneva. She and her husband Erik Garland have published six adventures to date for D&D under GAXLAND (or on DriveThruRPG) and are launching GAXVERSE publishing and a podcast in the works, among several other projects launching in 2024. When not in her office writing and creating with their dogs Duncan and Thor at her feet, and office cat Mittens blocking her monitor, Heidi enjoys traveling, and creating culinary delights for her husband Erik and their daughters, Amelie and Zoe Gygax Garland. Watch for her upcoming projects, including Dining & Dragons – A Gygax Girl’s Cookbook coming soon!
After 30 years in Hawaii working in upper management for a large fine jewelry chain, Heidi returned to Lake Geneva. She and her husband Erik Garland have published six adventures to date for D&D under GAXLAND (or on DriveThruRPG) and are launching GAXVERSE publishing and a podcast in the works, among several other projects launching in 2024. When not in her office writing and creating with their dogs Duncan and Thor at her feet, and office cat Mittens blocking her monitor, Heidi enjoys traveling, and creating culinary delights for her husband Erik and their daughters, Amelie and Zoe Gygax Garland. Watch for her upcoming projects, including Dining & Dragons – A Gygax Girl’s Cookbook coming soon!
HAROLD JOHNSON
Special Guest
Harold Johnson was born in Evanston, Illinois. Johnson attended Northwestern University and got his B.S. in Biology in 1977. Johnson played his first game of Dungeons & Dragons in 1976.
He was hired as an editor by TSR in 1978 and over the years he took on many different roles there.
Johnson was responsible for hiring many new game designers during his tenure with TSR, including Frank Mentzer, Jon Pickens, and Tracy Hickman. His co-creation of the concept for the Dragonlance line is among his credited roles in many projects.
Harold Johnson designed the modules The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan (1980), and Secret of the Slavers Stockade (1981), and also wrote the IJAC1 Judge's Survival Pack, and IJ4 The Golden Goddess for the Indiana Jones role-playing game. He was part of the design team for several early Dragonlance modules and products. He also worked on other product lines, such as Forgotten Realms, Spelljammer, and Ravenloft, and worked as an editor and project coordinator on numerous D&D products throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and provided some design contributions early in the game's third edition.
Johnson was responsible for hiring many new game designers during his tenure with TSR, including Frank Mentzer, Jon Pickens, and Tracy Hickman. His co-creation of the concept for the Dragonlance line is among his credited roles in many projects.
Harold Johnson designed the modules The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan (1980), and Secret of the Slavers Stockade (1981), and also wrote the IJAC1 Judge's Survival Pack, and IJ4 The Golden Goddess for the Indiana Jones role-playing game. He was part of the design team for several early Dragonlance modules and products. He also worked on other product lines, such as Forgotten Realms, Spelljammer, and Ravenloft, and worked as an editor and project coordinator on numerous D&D products throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and provided some design contributions early in the game's third edition.
Pat Kilbane
Special Industry Guest of Honor
Pat Kilbane was bitten by the roleplaying bug in 1979 with the Holmes D&D Basic Set and has been playing ever since. He has a penchant for the science behind RPG rule mechanics (which led him to create the web series RPG Science) and is the director of The Dreams in Gary’s Basement, a documentary film about Gary Gygax and the creation of Dungeons & Dragons.
Beginning his career as an actor, Pat spent three years as a series regular on Fox’s Mad TV. He also played the Anti-Kramer in the Seinfeld episode “The Bizarro Jerry” and guest starred in films such as Evolution, Semi-Pro, and Day of the Dead.
Now a writer/director, Pat penned the zombie book The Brain Eater’s Bible (St. Martin’s Press), wrote and directed the Discovery Networks series Dark Secrets and spent two years under contract with Dreamworks developing science-fiction concepts for television.
Beginning his career as an actor, Pat spent three years as a series regular on Fox’s Mad TV. He also played the Anti-Kramer in the Seinfeld episode “The Bizarro Jerry” and guest starred in films such as Evolution, Semi-Pro, and Day of the Dead.
Now a writer/director, Pat penned the zombie book The Brain Eater’s Bible (St. Martin’s Press), wrote and directed the Discovery Networks series Dark Secrets and spent two years under contract with Dreamworks developing science-fiction concepts for television.
Frank MENTZER
Special Gaming Guest of Honor
Frank Mentzer is best known for writing the Dungeons & Dragons game in the 1980s, the international "Red Box" edition in a dozen languages. He worked at TSR from 1980-86, started the Role Playing Game Association, and worked closely with the founder and publisher of TSR, E. Gary Gygax.
MICHAEL MORNARD
Special Guest
Michael first became involved in wargaming back in early 1972. A friend of his in Boy Scouts invited him to join a tabletop battle game at Don Kaye's house. That Saturday they played Chainmail on Gary Gygax's original sand table that had been moved from 330 Center St. into Don's garage. Sometime in late 1972, while outside of Don Kaye's garage, one of the other players, Rob Kuntz, mentioned that Gary Gygax had a new game called Greyhawk and invited him to a game.
During his college days Michael was a member of the University of Minneapolis Conflict Simulation Association. The faculty advisor for this club was none other than Professor Phil Barker. The good professor had long been developing his Far-East/Far-Future world of Tekumel and its languages. Michael introduced Prof. Barker to D&D and eventually to Gary Gygax in 1974. This would ultimately result in TSR's publication of Tekumel as a D&D world.
During his college days Michael was a member of the University of Minneapolis Conflict Simulation Association. The faculty advisor for this club was none other than Professor Phil Barker. The good professor had long been developing his Far-East/Far-Future world of Tekumel and its languages. Michael introduced Prof. Barker to D&D and eventually to Gary Gygax in 1974. This would ultimately result in TSR's publication of Tekumel as a D&D world.
Paul Stormberg
Special Guest
Paul's company, The Collector's Trove (www.thecollectorstrove.com), is the world's most successful online auction house of role-playing game (RPG) collectibles. He has featured the collections of role-playing game industry designers, artists, and insiders. As he built professional and personal relationships with these individuals, he quickly became an expert in the history of TSR, Dungeons & Dragons® (D&D®), and the RPG industry. Owing to this unmatched perspective he has been interviewed and featured as an expert game-historian in digital media, books, print, podcast, and film.
Stephen D. Sullivan
Special Guest
Stephen D. Sullivan is the award-winning author of more than sixty books. But before he turned to writing novels, he worked on DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Basic & Expert, TOP SECRET, and countless other TSR products. He also helped found Pacesetter, creators of CHILL, WABBIT WAMPAGE, and more. He still dabbles in game creation—DR. CUSHING’S CHAMBER OF HORRORS RPG supplement being his latest—and comics, while writing new novels and stories.
Visit Steve & his work at: www.sdsullivan.com
TOM WHAM
Special Guest
Tom Wham is best known for creating whimsical board games that feature his unique artwork. However, his first design credit is actually a miniatures wargame called "Ironclad", with Don Lowry, in 1973.
Tom worked for Guidon Games when Gary Gygax asked him to run the auction at Gen Con IV. A few years later, in 1977, Tom came to work at TSR, Inc. Tom held many positions with TSR over the years, from general office support, to manager of the Dungeon Hobby Shop. He contributed to many projects, including artwork for the AD&D Monster Manual, and published several games in Dragon magazine.
His game design credits include: Snit Smashing, Snit's Revenge, Awful Green Things from Outer Space, Kings & Things, Dragon Lairds with James M. Ward (a game much enjoyed by Gary, Ernie, and Luke Gygax), and most recently, Feudality.
Tom Wham served honorably in the United States Navy for 4 years. He is a Vietnam War veteran that served aboard a communications vessel in the Gulf of Tonkin. After many years as an informational technology specialist at the Lake Geneva Library, he retired in 2003. Tom continues to design games today.
Tom worked for Guidon Games when Gary Gygax asked him to run the auction at Gen Con IV. A few years later, in 1977, Tom came to work at TSR, Inc. Tom held many positions with TSR over the years, from general office support, to manager of the Dungeon Hobby Shop. He contributed to many projects, including artwork for the AD&D Monster Manual, and published several games in Dragon magazine.
His game design credits include: Snit Smashing, Snit's Revenge, Awful Green Things from Outer Space, Kings & Things, Dragon Lairds with James M. Ward (a game much enjoyed by Gary, Ernie, and Luke Gygax), and most recently, Feudality.
Tom Wham served honorably in the United States Navy for 4 years. He is a Vietnam War veteran that served aboard a communications vessel in the Gulf of Tonkin. After many years as an informational technology specialist at the Lake Geneva Library, he retired in 2003. Tom continues to design games today.
Penny Williams
Special Guest
A long time ago, in the mythical land of Ohio, a nerdy young woman named Penny played role-playing games and dreamed of working for the company that made them. She helped out at conventions and made many friends, both famous and not. Eventually her dream came true, with an offer to work for TSR, Inc. as their Games Questions Expert. So she lived the dream for several years at TSR, where she became a Marvel superhero and head of the RPGA Network, among other achievements. Eventually she moved on to New Infinities Productions, Inc., and then to Wizards of the Coast, where she continued to work on Marvel games, as well as D&D, Star Wars, D20 Modern, and many more. During her tenure at these companies, she found her primary joy as an editor, and was honored to work alongside the legendary Kim Mohan at all three companies, and the one and only Gary Gygax at two of them. In addition, she occasionally co-authored adventures and short stories with the love of her life, Skip Williams. After they moved back to Wisconsin, she pursued her other passion—teaching high school science. Of course, she still games, attends game conventions, edits RPG material, and shares her love of gaming with new generations by serving as Game Club advisor at her school. Say hello to Penny and her favorite playtesters—the kids from the Adams-Friendship High School Game Club—if you see them.