The Labyrinth: Ye Olde quiet January

So, is January the month that all of YOU get to clearing out old things?

Seeing what is buried beneath the everyday piles of debris =O

I know that I have personally been on an epic quest...

Doing battle with the dustbunny monsters in my room and finding ancient relics from the past!

But the quest is long and tedious so I figure a break from cleaning to blog about it is only natural.

But new things are on the rise!

That is what January is allllll about!

Besides it's the last year on earth, after all, being the year 2012.

Things are meant to come to a crashing end very soon...*nods sagely*

Though I wont be terribly surprised if 2013 sneaks up on us silently and swiftly minus any global tidal waves, fiery chasms, or alien invasions.

Wait personal ramblings?
Right, the store!
What's new at the store?!

Well, the cribbage tournament in January did very well indeed with over 18 attendees. Below I figured we could showcase the two winners Derek and Tony along with Pete who is organizing the events at the store! Is it just me or does the red eye in this picture make the trio of them look all sinister? o.O
*cowers in the face of their cribbagey might*



If you missed out on this last tourney or just want to play again the sign up sheet for the next one February is here at the store if you want to get registered early. Spots went fast last go and it would be a shame to miss out! Other than that, congrats to both winners and a hearty cheer for all those that came out and gave it their all!

Future Myyystery Tournament!:

What with the board game blitz coming up, regular group art shows, cribbage tourneys, and D&D encounters every Thursday there is a lot going on. But why not have more? :O
I figured a poll might be in order to see what tournaments YOU the customers and readers want to have at Minotaur in the near future.

It would be a tournament that I'd run myself ASAP but now all that's holding me back is what something would be to pique everyone's interests. Now this hasn't worked in the past... but mayyyybe just maybe folks might weigh in for a change and hollah back about what they think I should run as an event. If not on the blog then at least on the Minotaur Games and Gifts facebook group so that we can decide what cool stuff to organize.

Munchkin? Settlers? A Card Game? a COLLECTABLE card game? Maybe something GMT/Military strat related or a good old fashion hasbro round robin monopoly editions tourney? *snickers*

You call the shots Kingston!

Lets get some feedback about what gaming arena you want to clash in next and I will make it so!

Also we need a new window display... *muses*

Something valentinish I'm guessin will appear sooner or later...but I'm rather clueless when it comes to windows that don't involve dragons and spells XD

Creative Corner:

Alright back to me!
Story writing?

I did nanowrimo back in November but never ended up pulling it together and proofreading it in December for obvious reasons like...oh how crazy busy we are with Christmas.

I kind of feel like i should be editing my piles of loose pages and pulling together a story from it to make a quasi finished work.
But I keep finding myself addicted to starting something new...it's those first few thousand words XD

Knowing that it's a new path that has yet to fully flush itself out that could develop into anything is a very exciting feeling when writing!
Well either I'll finally put the nail in the coffin and polish up that story or instead I'll finish the work I had already started back in the summer that still beckons to me...

We shall see...maybe another chapter or so will pop its way up onto the blog as personal encouragement.

But that's all for now folks.


This has been the Labyrinth and I'm Henry McCulloch. Game on!

The Labyrinth: 2012! So it has begun...

So the new year has come and gone.
Drifting by like a fluffy drifty thing... that swiftly and silently slips past us...
= /
Look it's the time of year where we ALL reflect on a year gone by, things we accomplished, things we never got a chance to do, and most important of all new years resolutions!
Whether its a promise to ourselves to shave a few pounds, read a few new books, or do something nice for someone else every day it's important to do!
Reflection is an important part of life and it's all too easy to lose ourselves in the day to day without focusing on the year as a whole.
Annual scrapbooks anyone? :D



Cribbage Tournaments!

But with the start of the year already a week old it's time to start telling everybody about what is coming up in the near future at the store!

Cribbage tourneys are being run in store by Peter DuChemin and have been happening on an almost monthly basis. The one for January is already completely full but if you are a cribbage fan it's worth keeping an eye out for the next one on Saturday February the 18th!
Sign up sheets will be available at the front cash.
For tournaments with 12-24 participants prizes are being awarded to the winner and runner up in the form of gift certificates! Under 12 players and the winner takes all.
It's 10$ per player to enter and game play is solo pairings in a round robin format with winners advancing to face other winners and losers well... you get the idea.
Each player will play 7 matches in total, so win or lose everybody gets a lotta crib in!
The tournaments are typically in the evenings around 7pm.


2012 Kingston Board Game BlitZZZzzzz!!

That's right folks.
The silly crown of hardcore gaming is once again up for grabs and with it ultimate bragging rights and the title of the best Euro-gamer in Kingston for 2012!
It's a title that has been fought over by dozens of gaming pros in the Kingston circle of gaming from year to year but no matter the level of intensity, dedication, and pure LEET gaming skillz there can be only one...
Highlander style.
Players will face rounds of play in which different predetermined Euro games are handed out to different groups based off a list of potential picks.
This will ensure a wide variety of styles amongst the games to test competitor's skill levels with a wide host of popular titles.
Many shall come but only one shall stand at the end!

The King or Queen of the blitz shall win a free trip to Fan Expo to play in the Championship Tournament of the Great Canadian Board Game Blitz.

The WHAT: Mixed Eurogame Tournament
The WHERE: At the Minotaur's Den! (aka the store)
The COST: 10$ Per person.
The WHEN: Saturday March 24th 2012 10am-7pm
The WHY: Because it's going to be bad ass?

Marc Lanctot should be in attendance at the Blitz and is the man responsible for making this style of Euro-gaming tournament into a Canada wide series of events.

But of equal importance, to those entering the tourney, is another man's potential attendance...
Hailing from the wild western land of Toronto...
An absolute gaming TITAN, who's name is whispered in shady underground gaming groups worldwide...
Game master Patrick McInally may also be coming for a shot at the title!
But...
In the mystical east of Quebec another gaming BEHEMOTH stirs!!
Surely the infamous Dr. J. Dupont craves the title for himself.
There shall surely be a clash unlike any other should these two terrors arrive.
You have been...OFFICIALLY warned.

There is no games list as of yet but one will be announced as soon as the final games are determined.


(The games will definitely be some of the ones in this picture XD)

Settlers of Catan Tournament!

Though we probably wont be hosting the Eastern Canadian Championships this year we will still most likely be hosting a feeder tourney of some sort sometime in April.
Michael White will have more details on when and how much the event will cost as we finalize what this is all actually about XD
Catan shrouded in mystery!
Just know that it is out there and 'looming'
*inserts spooky music*

Paizo Minis!

That's right the new Pathfinder Battles minis from the Heroes and Monsters set are pretty much out.
Jan 10th is the official release date and so you can expect to see these gorgeous new sculpts hit the floor first thing that Wednesday!
I have a few case boxes set aside for myself and the set looks promising indeed.
There are 40 minis in total to collect in both small and large sculpts that are aimed at giving new Dungeon Masters an awesome selection of iconic and everyday baddies.




Here are a few examples of the new sculpts!

Play! Art Show

The flight art show has lingered a little bit longer than originally planned just because many of our local Kingston artists were too busy during December to work on any new projects and let us know that they might miss the deadline.
But the date is now fixed in stone and with an extra month for preparing we are eager to see what the new theme shall bring.

The submission deadline for the new show will be Monday Feb. 20th and the opening night soiree will be two days later on Wed. February 22nd. from 6pm-9pm.
The theme, like the last one, is open to interpretation and anything that is deemed suitable with the word 'play' is welcome in the exhibition!
Artists may chose to sell or to simply display their work.

Book Launch!

While we are on the topic of art I think it's worth mentioning that Nick Csernak is having a book launch for his new work: Essential Dream Jobs For Girls Who Can!
Let's hope to see everyone from the art show and more out at his event a few days later!
The show will be hosted here at Minotaur Games and Gifts on February 25th from 2-4pm.
It shall not only be a great chance to showcase the new coloring book but there will also be plenty of crayons standing by for kids to come out and have a coloring session!

As always...


This has been the Labyrinth, and I'm Henry McCulloch. Game on!