Over the years, our community has developed some unique traditions.
The Regents of the Con
One of our most beloved is the annual crowning of the “Regent of the Con” who gets to rule over the SnowCon minions until the next Regent is named (usually the reign is a year.) They are given regalia to hold and pass down to their successor.
Regents by Right of Naming
- 2025 – Donald Sprague, who started up the SnowCon Minis painting, with additional love to the whole Sprague family of Ray, Barbara, and Ryan, who have been part of the community since its inception.
- 2024 – Gibran Graham, SnowCon co-founder is recognized as Regent for his early faith and continued faith in the project
- 2023 – Amanda Kahl, illustrator, GM, and game designer becomes Queen of the Con
- 2022-2020 – Zachary Smith, dedicated Star Wars XWing minis GM, was crowned and remained so for two years, and thus is also known as the Plague Emperor
- 2019 – Angel Caron, devoted Bangor Area Gaming Guild and SnowCon volunteer, is proclaimed Queen of the Con
- 2018 – Chris Michaud, GM, developer, and amazing game show host
- 2017 – Jared Hunnefeld, tireless SnowCon volunteer and GM, but especially for his work with the Extra Life Foundation, which raises funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, through gaming
- 2016 – Carl Ducky White, the most dedicated of SnowCon attendees and enthusiastic sharer of games
- 2015 – Chris Pierce, “GM That Guy” two time national winner of the Iron GM Game Master competition at GenCon, and crowd favorite GM
Regents by Right of Ticket Purchase
(This is a little hazy.)
- 2014 – Roger Brasslet (again!)
- 2013 – Flip Florey, who later would be host of the popular tabletop podcast, Flip the Table
- 2012 – Roger Brasslet, gaming advocate and dedicated Bangor Area Gamers Guild volunteer
- 2011 – Derek Porter (we think) was the first to reign, quietly, as Flip Florey and Roger Brasslett smack talked each other about it.
- 2010 – still ruler-less and in utter anarchy! Fortunately, someone suggested that the first ticket buyer become King of the Con…
- 2009 – First SnowCon – ruler-less and utter anarchy
Back in the beginning, we used to sell tickets for the next convention starting some time on Sunday, at the lowest rate that they’d be. A couple of attendees had a light-hearted competition to be the first person to purchase a ticket for the next year’s event. The winner was declared KING OF THE CON.
However, over time, we realized that the person who really wanted to be first was also a person committed to making a positive impact in our gaming community, so eventually we decided to take matters into our own hands and recognize the Regent of the Con formally during the day on Saturday.
The Masters Challenge
The Masters Challenge is SnowCon’s Role Playing Championship, established in 2024 by Drew Bouchard, and organized by our once and future IronGM, Chris Pierce with the help of the previous winner.
Game Masters are provided with three words or plot elements they must meaningfully incorporate into the one-shot game they create for their players, who, at the conclusion of the game, judge their skills against the rubric. GMs have one hour to prepare.
The highest scoring Master’s Challenge GM is presented with the Sword of Mastery. The sword is the winner’s to carry this until the next SnowCon, when they assist in running the contest to choose the next Master of Game Masters. It has its own history with SnowCon, having been given to Monique, one of the founders, by early attendee Sax Carr, who
SnowCon Masters Challenge Winners
- 2025 – Greggory Hauger
- 2024 – Shane Perry was the first dubbed with the Sword of Masters
SnowCon Iron GM Winners
For many years, SnowCon had a relationship with the IronGM, a competitive game mastering tournament. Organized by Drew Bouchard, SnowCon’s winner would go to compete at TotalCon, for a chance to compete at the national level at GenCon.
Our own Chris Pierce took that event all the way, winning the national championship twice. Even after the program ceased at the national level, we continued to host a contest using the IronGM format.
In 2024, we retired Iron GM and founded the Masters Challenge. Drew Bouchard presented Chris Pierce, SnowCon’s last IronGM, with the the Iron Bracers in recognition of his true and eternal prowess as our own Iron GM. These handcrafted leather bracers bear the alchemical symbols for iron, made some years ago as a symbol of the office by Lance Case.
It is similar to, but fundamentally different from, Iron GM, for which SnowCon was a feeder tournament for many years. Chris Pierce, who won the national Iron GM challenge twice at Gen Con, assisted in running this new challenge.
SnowCon Iron GM Winners
- 2023 – Gabe O’Brien (Bears, Betrayal, and Blossom)
- 2020 – Chris Pierce (the Plague GM)
- 2019 – Ed Edwards
- 2018 – Chris Pierce (Worldwide Iron GM Champion)
- 2017 – Ed Edwards
- 2016 – Billy Brown
- 2015 – James McGuinness IV
- 2014 – Chris Pierce (Worldwide Iron GM Champion)
Pajama Sunday
In spite of some noble attempts to make it A Thing, this is Still Not A Thing Chris. 😉
