Events
Our Speakers
The Wise and Legendary Speakers of AärdCON!
Prepare yourselves, adventurers, for a gathering of master artisans, sages, and creators who will share their wisdom and skills with all who seek it!
AärdCON will host a gathering of storytellers, painters, makers, and more, each bringing their unique craft and knowledge to the stage. These esteemed speakers will unveil their secrets, whether in the realm of art, game design, or miniature painting, offering insight to inspire and elevate your own craft.
Join us, for the chance to learn from the best and become a legend in your own right!
Our current list of speakers:
Sean
Aardnor Minis
“From AärdCON to Hintondale to Dark / Light!”
Come hear Sean talk about his journey creating AärdCON and his "this way that way' module: The Dwarven Halls of Hintondale as well as his brand new TTRPG system: Dark / Light - launching at the show!
More on Sean:
He is a maker of handcrafted, hand-painted small scale, playable D&D / RPG environments, terrain, dioramas, props and fantasy displays.
A local Calgary, Alberta artist who has been playing D&D for over forty years. He began making custom terrain pieces for his game encounters to add a heightened level of excitement and understanding to the sessions. This has lead to a full-time career making terrain sculptures and game pieces. Sean is also the founder of AärdCON.
Jon
Tale of the Manticore
“Is It Really Possible to Play RPGs Solo?”
Listen to Jon talk about the origin of Tale of the Manticore and his ultralight solo game: One Shot in the Dark.
More on Jon:
He has been putting out his ENNIE-nominated hybrid audiodrama/actual play podcast for five years. His world building tool Pendulum has achieved Gold status on DriveThruRPG and One Shot in the Dark has achieved platinum.
A Torontonian who left the hobby for thirty years and then came back with a vengeance, Jon is now a full time podcaster with bottomless love and energy for the best hobby in the world.
Havoc
Red Kitten Productions
“Worldbuilding for TTRPGs”
Whether you're crafting a single city or an entire realm, learn the ins and outs of how to make a memorable world for your players. Join Havoc from Red Kitten Productions as they dish on developing a remarkable realm.
More on Havoc:
Havoc spent many summers as a young geeklet hanging out at the theatre. After studying costume design at University, they quickly utilized the skills he learned into their cosplay.
These days, you can find him traumatizing their nerdlets in a weekly TTRPG stream on Twitch, staying up until 4 am working on the next cosplay, or running the gang around the latest convention and keeping everyone on task.
Bee
Red Kitten Productions
“Cosplay on a Dime”
Glean some budget-saving tips from Bees n Roses Cosplay, one of the cosplay models for Red Kitten Productions. We talk about where your dollars are best spent, how to maximize your look and minimize the wallet drain! Tips on repurposing materials, where to put the bucks, and how to make your look memorable (in the good way).
More on Bee:
Bee has been a cosplay model since her very first Otafest in 2012. As a closet cosplay "Fluttershy" they wholly embraced the character, suppressing their bubbly, energetic personality to espouse the shyness of the timid character. She has followed this trend at every opportunity: Make the character be you, not just a costume, but a cosPLAY.
As a fine arts student at U of L, she has a keen interest in the manufacturing of Red Kitten Productions art, as well as squeezing in the downtime to snuggle with their pups. These days, they attend several conventions with RKP, rock the floor looks, and binge-watch numerous anime series.
