ArCONa, an online convention dedicated to tabletop games and Witchcraft, will be held this coming weekend, April 24th and 25th. A diverse team of practitioners, game designers, and others in the tabletop gaming industry will invite participants to join in conversations about magic systems in role-playing games, hag tropes, tarot-inspired games, and more.
This year’s ArCONa is also a charity event benefiting Bat Conservation International, a globally recognized organization dedicated to conserving the world’s bats and their ecosystems to ensure a healthy planet.
The logo for ArCONa, a virtual Witchcraft-themed tabletop gaming convention being held April 24 and 25 [courtesy]
ArCONa founder Lysa Penrose describes herself as “a storyteller, host, and good witch at the crossroads of creativity and community.” A prolific writer and game designer whose credits include Wizards of the Coast, Kobold Press, and Jetpack7, Lysa also hosts and produces Behold Her, a podcast showcasing diverse, inspiring stories from femme gamers, and streams magical content on twitch.tv/lysapenrose.
TWH’s Lynne Meyer, who will herself participate in a panel on tarot in tabletop RPG design during the event, sat down with Penrose to talk about ArCONa, her spirituality, and her work as a game designer. (This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.)
The Wild Hunt: How do you identify in terms of worldview, and what does that mean to you?
Lysa Penrose: I am a solitary practitioner. What exactly that means to me is ever-evolving and shifting. Right now, it means my connection to this earth, its seasons, and its elements informs all aspects of my life, especially self-care. It’s a journey of seeking that connection, as well as exploring my ancestry and wisdoms hidden there.
TWH: In what way does your practice inform your work in tabletop games?
LP: I’ve created a game called Mundane Magic, which is more about the creative, imaginative sides of witchcraft, but is very much more informed by witches in media and pop culture versus actual practice. Think fun and silly Hocus Pocus vibes. I’m working on another game right now that I think is much more informed by my actual practice. It’s a quieter game, more intimate, more emotional. Participants play ghosts who are constantly discovering themselves and can only interact with each other during “seance phases”. That means the game is literally very quiet too, and when people do speak, it feels very ritualistic. The game definitely captures the vibe of an actual seance!
The cover to Lysa Penrose’s “Mundane Magic” roleplaying game [courtesy]
TWH: What was your inspiration for ArCONa, and what made you decide to do this as part of your birthday celebration?
LP: I’m usually very community-focused, but birthdays are a fun excuse to get a little self-indulgent. I thought it would be so fun to create exactly the sort of event I wish existed – by combining my two loves of tabletop and Witchcraft! I guess in the end I’m still organizing it for the community, but it really started from a greedily excited place of wanting to hear those conversations myself. What do my fellow designers think of hag tropes? Where do they get their inspiration for Witchy games? What does beginner Witchcraft look like through the lens of game lovers? I was really pleased to see others so excited about it; there’s a lot of overlap between the worlds of tabletop and Witches and all the misfits that find themselves in either group.
TWH: Tell me about Bat Conservation International, and why you chose to make ArCONa into a fundraiser for the organization.
LP: I started my career in the salad industry, researching a lot as a marketer, so the role pollinators play in getting all sorts of critical, nutritious foods to our plate has always been huge for me – especially when I became vegan and learned of foods like almonds that 100% rely on pollinators to exist. While I love to champion bees, I worry for bats, who sometimes have a bad reputation, so I wanted to do something for them. I also knew these cute little familiars would resonate with the Witchy community.
TWH: What most excites you about ArCONa?
LP: Gosh, there is so much that’s exciting that it’s hard to pick one thing! In general, I am very excited to be spotlighting this specific intersection of communities. Witchcraft, or anything spiritual, can be a really overwhelming thing for those who feel on the outside, so I do hope it opens some doors for my fellow curious gamers to explore something new and enriching. For that reason, I think the panel “A Discussion For and By Beginner Witches” is one I’m looking forward to the most – though it’s tied with literally every other panel.
Lysa Penrose, dressed in green with a witch’s hat [courtesy]
TWH: What do you hope participants will take away from ArCONa?
LP: I hope participants just come away having learned something, whether that’s about their own spirituality, or a new game they want to try, or inspiration for their own creations. In these times, I also hope the weekend is just a welcome escape and an opportunity for connection that we’re all missing so much.
TWH: How do folks get involved? Is there a cost? Is registration required?
LP: Folks can visit lysapenrose.com/arcona2021 for full details, including the weekend’s schedule and donation links. On and after my birthday, April 21, donation options will include tarot reading rewards, too. All the panels will be streamed on twitch.tv/lysapenrose. While the event is free with no registration required, I recommend donating $10 to our Tiltify campaign if you’re joining us for the weekend.
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