10/10/2026
CharCon started in 2006. Nick & I partnered on the idea, along with some dedicated friends. At the time we were eager and anxious, so we did a lot of traveling to all the game stores in the area to meet people and promote the upcoming event. We also tried to find and meet as many like minded groups of gamers who might want to run events.
The Charleston RPG Guild (someone correct me if I have that name wrong) was one such group. They used to meet at the old Kanawha Mall in the food court and play games. We knew some of the people in the group, and went to meet with them and discuss the idea of them running games, which they did. They ran a huge full table dungeon where groups tried to delve as deep as they could before losing to monsters.
That is when I first met Corey Lake. He was part of that group and helped run that dungeon. After that, he was just part of CharCon.
He was always smiling, easy to laugh, and kind to everyone. It led to him making friends so easily. He is one of, if not the only friend of mine, who probably introduced me to more people than I did him. Everyone seemed to know, and like Corey.
Over the years he helped us grow CharCon into what it has become. He was the driving force behind CharCon Bonus Round that took place in Flatwoods for years, and anyone who attended can tell you it was distinctly different from our main show, and every part of it reflected Corey’s involvement.
Corey also managed to combine his love of gaming with his passion for music by creating CharCon Out Loud. It was a music event that took place on Friday nights of CharCon for several years, featuring lots of great local bands. It floated from venue to venue, and eventually venue issues were the end of it. We discussed reviving it several times. Maybe that will happen someday. His band, Violent Convictions, recently released an album. You can check it out on Spotify.
When Nick stepped away from CharCon, asking Corey to be a director was an easy choice, and he has held that position ever since. Balancing all the things he had going on was challenging to say the least, but he was always there, even when he probably shouldn’t have been. I don’t see how I can even begin to think about replacing him, and probably won’t even try.
As with any long lasting friendship, partnership or relationship, we had our share of head butting. Corey used to do our print program, which was a crucial part of our partnership with game publishers and local businesses for years. We had many late night spats related to art being turned in by sponsors after the deadline but none of that mattered when we saw each other. Smiles and laughs all around.
We shared a love of good Stouts, barrel aged preferably, and good wh***ey. So many memories of sitting, laughing, telling stories (mostly true) and sipping beverages. This weekend we are at Tsubascon sharing games with their attendees and promoting CharCon, and I am staying at the Holiday Inn Express. Being back in the Civic Center and that hotel after all these years reminds me of the many late nights (early mornings) we shared with friends.
The last time was a CharCon cookout at my house. He and Bekah came a little late, and we sat around the fire. I distinctly remember sharing a 2019 Bourbon County Proprietors stout which I had saved for us to drink, and finished off a bottle of Blackened bourbon (funny how I remember that, but can’t remember what I had for lunch yesterday). We talked and laughed until it was way too late. Hard to believe we won’t have the chance to do that again.
Like so many of our attendees, our kids grew up with CharCon, and I look forward to Abi, Atticus and Bekah being part of the CharCon family for years to come. I miss my friend, and his loss hurts, but it pales in comparison to what they are dealing with. I am glad I was able to spend a few moments with him before he was gone. All of us at CharCon are so sorry this has happened.
I am sure Corey is in Valhalla, rolling dice, flipping cards, drinking mead and laughing at us all.
If anyone wants to share your own tales with Corey, please put them in the comments.
We will definitely be commemorating Corey at CharCon next year and beyond. Watch for more on that, or reach out to us if you want to be involved.
