An 25th international convent of fantastic, tolkienistic and role play games “Zilantcon” took place in Kazan (Russia) from 2nd to 5th November 2012.
The program was very rich, and often up to 20-25 events were carried out simultaneously.
The events at the Zilantcon are carried out within thematic grounds and areas: there are concerts, dancing, table games, writers’ master-classes, word games, tolkienism, etc.
The events at some grounds were at a non-stop basis during the convent days. For example, at the “Dance here!” ground there were 4 balls, 2 discos and 20 dancing master-classes.
A section of fantlab.ru (Laboratory SF&Fantasy) is the youngest and was in this year represented by three projects:
– “A living classifier” – a quiz on genres and plots of the fantastic literature. Each of the attendants could feel as a “living classifier” of works. The winners were awarded with diplomas and memorable prizes.
– “How to raise from of a game: a presentation of Alexandra Davydova’s novella “An evening at Whiyets”. The author told how a role play game may be transferred to the paper, which faults one can make and which difficulties may arise. Moreover, the RPG implementation is an artistic one, not a simple description of personages’ actions. The attendants got to know what PRG it should be, how it should be organized, what will the generalized personages characters look like.
– Setting and plots: fantlab.ru as an instrument for play creation. Using fantlab.ru for creation and preparation of a role play game. For which games and situations a site may be of use. Which sections should be used to “get to the audience” so that the play is for the players and not for the master.
About 2000 persons have attended Zilantcon. Many were costumed: elves and steam-punk cities residents, cosplayers, Middle Ages re-enactos, pirates of the Karibean (or some other) sea and… Despite the differences in styles and epochs, all were looking right and naturally.
I will stop a little bit more on the events I have personally visited and got impressed with:
– Archery tournament. Some dozens of people were competing in a few contests. There was an accuracy contest with a time limit, as well as a contest with the hunters: while an archer tried to hit the target, two hunters tried to prevent by shooting at him/her with “soft” (not making any harm) arrows. The archer was defended by an assistant with a shield. I was really amazed that the girls participating in the contests shot no worse and even better than most of men. Moreover, there was a fair to look at.
– Songs tournament. A minstrel contest took place within the frameworks of the convent, based on the results of this contest four best have acquired the right to participate in a songs tournament. Each year the organizers come with a scenario of this event which is almost always an surprise for the spectators. In this year Good and Evil contested for the treasure, buried a long time ago by Maya. Four young minstrels were for the Good army, while for the Evil there were professional singers, who have long ago conquered love and respect of the public. The participants should have developed a random theme in one’s song as well as possible. Eventually the Good has won and Apocalypse hasn’t happened.
– Concerts. Yes and yes! The living concerts emotions are unspeakable.
– Fair. Rings, trinkets, bows, swards, mail, years of elves and not only (I’ve bought a set), corsets (sold and on girls, wonderful!), dragons, dragonets, shirts with Totoro, shirts without Totoro, elvish diademets, steam-punk glasses, eared caps and a mad quantity of other mad things.
Memories of these beautiful days in far and snowy, though at the same time close and warm Kazan make me think of my plans for the next year.
Photo by Igor Avilchenko
English version by Olesya Shestakova
