Fantastic Initiatives Gord

Fantastic Initiatives Gord is a place where you can get to know organizations, associations, conventions, companies, groups – simply all kinds of initiatives related to broadly understood fantasy!

Here you will find everything from small fan groups, conventions, and LARPs to fire dancing and university courses related to fantasy. Each group offers various attractions to give you an idea of what the organization is about – so you won’t be bored.

There will be a lot going on in the Fan Initiatives Gord at Pyrkon. We’ll not only have groups, but also a slew of attractions!

Choose one of the options below to move to the selected chapter or continue reading from beginning to end.

List of selected attractions:

• The Great Pillow Battle
• LARPs
• Kendo and Jukendo demonstrations
• Quadball
• Learning to howl like a werewolf
• Fire dance workshop
• Comet formation and aging demonstration
• Stress management workshops

List of groups:

• Bykon
• Fantastyczny UAM
• UO Game Studies
• Japońska Sztuka Kontaktowa
• Jugger Rewolucja
• Kapitularz
• Klub Kregulec
• Biblioteka Raczyńskich
• Koło Naukowe HumanTech Wrocław
• Kuglarstwo.pl
• Liga fantasium
• MFFA Animator
• Poznańskie Grupy Narracyjne
• RawiKon
• Scarycon i wesoła kompanija Ścieżki Duchów
• Stowarzyszenie Larpunk
• Stowarzyszenie Mensa Polska
• Stowarzyszenie Topory + Imaginarium RPG
• LARP fighting workshops
• The Brazilian Camp

Ahead of you is an epic journey through the Fantastic Initiatives Gord, where extraordinary attractions worthy of true wanderers await you. Walk through mysterious back alleys, discover secrets and have fun at workshops. Some of the attractions can be found in the Pyrkon program, but here we will list the most juicy ones!

The Great Pillow Battle

Awaken your inner child and come in large numbers to have a pillow fight! Regardless of how old you are, this is an attraction for you.

Pillows are there for you to use to your heart’s content – you just need the strength for battle and the desire to have fun!

Battles will be held 5 times, including 2 times near the outdoor stage – there it is possible to come bearing your own pillows, but they must be anti-allergenic ones. No feathers!

LARPs

If you like LARPs or would like to try them – there will be a LARP Tent on the grounds of the Gord, where sessions will be held throughout Pyrkon. You will find sign-ups at the booths of the groups running these games.

Kendo and Jukendo demonstrations

Wondering what Kendo, Jukendo, short sword fighting techniques, or Tankendo, trainings are like? Or do you have a hankering to watch demonstrations of halberd combat, also known as Naginata? Or is Ishu Jiai, or mixed martial arts with weapons, more appealing to you? If so, you must not miss the shows!

Once you’ve had enough of watching, it’s time to move into action and try your own hand at these martial arts. On this occasion, we invite you to a workshop on the basics of Kendo

Quadball

Do you miss the magic in everyday life? Or are you looking for sports challenges and healthy competition, but no sport appeals to you?

Find a workshop of the Polish Quadball League and discover a world that allows you to combine movement, friendships and travel!

Quadball (until recently Quidditch) is a coeducational sport inspired by the Harry Potter series. It combines elements of handball, rugby and dodgeball, and requires players to have agility and strategic thinking. Have you played team sports? Great! No? No problem, we will teach you everything!

Take part in the workshop, and when the weekend is behind us – join a local team (or create your own!).

Learning to howl like a werewolf

When the moon rises, let your inner wolf speak and drop by for a workshop on howling like a werewolf! They will take place at 1:00 a.m. in front of the outdoor stage on the night of Friday to Saturday. Owooo!

Fire dance workshop

Fire dancing is a hobby for everyone, and it doesn’t have to require setting yourself – or others – on fire at all! If you want to try this art, there will be a field available all the time in the Gord where you can dance with practice versions of fire dancing equipment.

Comet formation and aging demonstration

Do we have astronomers, astrophysicists, astrologers, and other astro-mages here? Or are you just looking for an interesting attraction that will satisfy your hunger for knowledge? If so, you can’t skip this show. We are about to simulate celestial bodies moving through the planetary system, more specifically, the formation of a comet’s head and its trail, and demonstrate the “aging” of a comet and the changes occurring on it.

As you will see for yourself – it is not so difficult at all. All you need is your own kitchen and simple ingredients on hand.

Stress management workshops

Take part in those workshops to learn effective techniques for reducing tension. We will introduce you to the practical application of relaxation methods such as meditation, breathing exercises and mindfulness. The workshop will also include interactive elements such as simulation scenarios that will help you better understand your reactions to stress and learn new ways to control them.

The heart of the Gord is made up of amazing ventures, groups, associations and even companies that have fantasy at their core. Meet those, who will create this amazing atmosphere with us this year:

At the Fantastic Initiatives Gord at Pyrkon 2024, you will find:

Bykon

Every good story needs its villain. But why limit ourselves to just one…? 

Dare to enter their hiding place, solve the mystery and prove that you are worthy to join the ranks of Bykon. Or go kerplunk in awe of their dark genius.

Fantastyczny UAM

This year, Fantastyczny UAM will take you on a real fantastic journey. You will explore the cosmos with them, to later return to earth and move into a world of historical curiosities and nuances, in which everyone will find something for themselves. 

You will explore the oceans and learn about the mysteries waiting for you in the unexplored depths. 

The Department of History, the Department of Biology and the Astronomical Observatory will provide you with these attractions. Not enough? The Pyrlandia team will help transport you into the world created by J.R.R. Tolkien so you can feel like your favorite characters from The Lord of the Rings.

The Center for Experimental Archaeology will show you how you can naturally dye textiles using methods utilized in the past. There will also be a laser at their booth. What for, you ask? Come check it out!

And for the weary Pyrkon attendees, the Organizational Unit Libraries prepared a special booth with replicas of ancient and medieval games. Hnefatafl, Senet, Ludus Lancantorum or Backgemmon are just some of them.

In addition, they have prepared for you a night reading room, an online library of fantastic science, but also various contests for you to participate in. 

You think college is just sitting in books and cussing through the night for exams? The Fantastyczny UAM crew will show you that you are very wrong!

UO Game Studies

Are you going to college? Think about Game Studies, a major available at the University of Opole. They deal with game studies in general and break down different games to take a good look at their individual elements. They analyze the history of the industry, the key people involved, and the fans themselves, who are the backbone of the industry. They create board and computer games, scripts for paper RPGs, learn to create 2D and 3D graphics, and translate selected titles in translation classes. 

Their booth will focus on a broad presentation of the major, and they will also present and play board games, RPG scenarios and complex computer game projects they have created, including conducting demonstrations in 2D graphics.

Japońska Sztuka Kontaktowa

It is a group of Japanese martial arts enthusiasts affiliated with clubs in Katowice and Warsaw. They practice Kendo, or the art of sword fighting, and more recently have also been practicing Jukendo, or the art of bayonet fighting, Tankendo, or short sword, and Atarashi Naginata, or the art of halberd fighting. With their demonstrations, they want to introduce these martial arts, still little known in Poland, and inspire people to train together.

Jugger Rewolucja

Sports and fantasy meet in many places, but nowhere is it as spectacular, brutal and dynamic as in jugger. Jugger Rewolucja have been passionate about this field for many years, promoting it in parks, playgrounds and at festivals, among other places.

If you have always felt that professional sports would benefit from the presence of shields and lagging weapons, they are waiting for you! The aforementioned shields and weapons will be there as well.

Kapitularz

Kapitularz is a three-day convention of popular culture and fantasy. You will find meetings with writers and scientists, discussions, lectures, workshops, demonstrations and performances there. Their event is organized as a non-profit event – funded by the Fantastyczne Inicjatywy Foundation and a targeted grant from the City of Łódź.

Klub Kregulec

An informal club operating in Silesia, bringing together people who are interested in board and electronic games, fantasy, m&a or pop culture in the broadest sense. They are engaged in organizing board game meetings in the city of Jastrzębie- Zdrój and setting up board and console rooms at various events, such as Magnificon, Ryucon, Tsuru, X-mascon and others.

Biblioteka Raczyńskich

Weary Pyrkon-goers – stop by the Reading Corner for a moment!

Are you tired of running from hall to hall? Despite Thor’s strength, are your knees tired of standing in queues to get autographs? Or do you, like hundreds of other Pyrkon-goers, simply love to read? You couldn’t have come to a better place.

Wading through millions of volumes, Biblioteka Raczyńskich fished out of its shelves and storerooms the Special Pyrkon Book Collection – fantasy books from all corners of the world. If you want a peek at what’s happening in Czech fantasy or Japanese horror classics, this is the place for you!

In addition to the presentation of the international book collection, they will also provide a seating corner for the Weary Wanderers, book sniffing for bibliophiles, the opportunity to sign up for the Library and gossip… I mean conduct very serious conversations with librarians (about books, their profession or just like that).

They are also offering some temporary attractions, so stay tuned. 😉

Biblioteka Raczyńskich – the oldest operating public library in Poland, founded by Poznań’s Indiana Jones, or Count Edward Raczyński. There, you will find out that books are not only a source of excellent entertainment, but also a great means of transportation for travel in time and space!

Koło Naukowe HumanTech Wrocław

High-tech research club Human Tech Wroclaw.

Their slogan:

“The romance between psychology and modern technology.”

Who are they?

• A group of psychology enthusiasts, fascinated by a vision of the future that combines solutions offered by the latest technologies with their practical application in the broad field of psychology. 

What are their goals?

• Spreading the knowledge and skills of using new technologies in the field of psychology;
• Practical use of new technologies in psychological, psychotherapeutic and scientific practice;
• Popularizing the understanding of the impact of cutting-edge technologies on the well-being of humanity and promoting best practices related to human-technology interactions;
• Supporting the development of science and promoting cooperation at the interface of modern technology and psychology;

• deepening knowledge and skills in the psychology of new technologies;
• Development of the members of the club by enabling the exchange of experiences and interests and joint projects (including research projects).

What drives them?

• Promoting knowledge and raising awareness about the impact of technology on humans and humans on technology;
• The need to build a positive vision of the future, where people can achieve their life goals through modern technology;
• The desire for self-development.

If, like them, you want to get involved in research projects and those that promote the use of modern technology in the world of psychology, or just learn something interesting, be sure to visit them!

Kuglarstwo.pl

A group of specialists and a portal bringing together the carnie community in Poland for more than 20 years. They have a blog, an events calendar and a forum dedicated to the topic online. You can also find them on leading social media. 

They help to acquire knowledge and equipment, and are associated with circus pedagogy as one of the elements of modern forms of education. Simply put – crazy enthusiasts of carnie arts. At their booth you will learn juggling, diabolo, poi and play with many other interesting toys.

Liga fantasium

Meet the computer game enthusiasts who are creating a game dev and gaming event in Opole. Road to Hellgames provides space to little-known studios and integrates the entire industry. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit them!

MFFA Animator

In the Animator Zone at Pyrkon, reality intertwines with a disturbing vision of the future. Visit the booth to find out! But beware – before you plunge into the animation world, you will face a test that could change everything…. A TEST CHECKING IF YOU ARE A REPLICANT! Will you pass? Will you become part of something bigger, or will you remain overwhelmed by unimaginable truths?

Join them at Pyrkon and at Animator on June 25-30, 2024, and prepare for a journey whose outcome may change your view of the world!

Poznańskie Grupy Narracyjne

We invite you to the Crescent Rolls Inn, where you will have the opportunity to participate in a unique RPG adventure!

Dark clouds hang over the kingdom, and no crew has been able to deal with the threat. This is where you – the troop of troops – come in! More than a dozen quests divided between different, mutually influencing sessions await you. Every victory, defeat; every action or inaction will affect the final outcome. Together, achieve what would be impossible to achieve separately. Let’s see if the crews from the Crescent Rolls Inn will save the kingdom from the evil Marquis Vilborg.

In between sessions, join us for a chat about RPGs! This is an opportunity to talk about all things role-playing games. If you’ve always wanted to try out a system, but don’t know if it’s worth it – or are looking for something with a specific vibe, you’re welcome to come talk to them! Share with them the most interesting stories from your sessions. Also look them up if you’re interested in RPG-related initiatives – open gaming, conventions, fan meetings… They’ll tell you what’s up, listen to what’s out there. All this in the atmosphere of the Crescent Rolls Inn.

And when you’ve had enough of sitting around – stop by to play one of their two LARPs!

RawiKon

RawiKon – Rawickie Dni Fantastyki 2nd Edition of the event at the Rawicz Public Library. At their booth you will learn what this year’s edition has in store.

Scarycon i wesoła kompanija Ścieżki Duchów

The first ever in Poland and the largest such event, where participants walk through a dark forest and monsters from the best horror movies, legends and regional folk tales appear on a route marked out with red candles. 

The event takes place on the grounds of Alfred Nobel’s legendary World War II-era dynamite factory in Bydgoszcz, where dark halls, underground tunnels and cramped, damp rooms add to the dark feel of the entire event. Every year 1,300 daredevils try to survive this horror, and not everyone manages to reach the end of the route. 

For the 10th anniversary edition, their 2.5 km haunt route will be open for as many as two weekends, and you will have the opportunity to win tickets in their haunted graveyard contests at Pyrkon. Pass the fear test and get a chance to win a bloody ticket to the 10th edition!Want to learn more? Stop by their website.

Stowarzyszenie Larpunk

Larpunk is a group of LARP enthusiasts, founded after Kola in 2019, they are people who want the Polish LARP scene to grow. Their goal is to grow, and to teach new fantasy lovers about their passion.

Larpunk is a grassroots initiative that brings together passionate role-playing game enthusiasts. They create the Punkon convention, the LUFA festival, run mentoring programs and create LARPs and run RPGs themselves. They strive to grow the Polish LARP scene and make LARPs as accessible as possible. That’s where registration for most of the LARPs you can participate in will be held at this year’s Pyrkon.

Stowarzyszenie Mensa Polska

Mensa is an international association of people with an intelligence quotient (IQ) that qualifies as the top two percent of the population.

Mensa’s charter defines three goals:

• discovering and nurturing human intelligence for the benefit of humanity
• supporting scientific research that determines the nature, type and application of human intelligence
• creating a favorable intellectual and social environment for its members

They currently have about 2,600 members nationwide.

Stowarzyszenie Topory + Imaginarium RPG

The largest RPG association in Poland invites you to take part in lectures, sessions and contests! Be sure to check out the Pyrkon Program, but also their booth, as many surprises await you there!

LARP fighting workshops

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to stand in the midst of battle hustle and bustle, amidst the clash of steel and the groans of wounded comrades? Or does the term “Battle LARP” sound interesting to you?

The group is eager to satisfy your curiosity. They will tell and show you what battle games are all about, where to start, what fighting with LARP weapons is like. They will share their experiences and stories. 

Go fight there using LARP weapons – both duels and group fights. There will also be opportunities to shoot a LARP bow with them, as well as to see fantastic costumes.

The Brazilian Camp

Capoeira enjoys a 20-year history in Poznań. It is one of the first cities in Poland to welcome this extraordinary martial art with open arms. What distinguishes Capoeira in Poznań today is the creation of a community of friends who, despite the fact that they train in different groups and locations on a daily basis, regularly meet together to exchange experiences and build relationships. The meetings are also attended by friends from all over Poland. It is this group of friends from the capoeira groups Alecrim, Associação de Capoeira Mestre Bimba, Grupo Capoeira Brasil, International Capoeira Raiz and UNICAR who cordially invite you to familiarize yourselves Brazilian culture at Pyrkon! They are looking forward to meeting you!