I'm currently looking into the feasibility of holding a regional Ars Magica convention to complement the Grand Tribunal convention in Cheltenham. It would be in Berkeley, California from the afternoon of Friday, August 15 through the afternoon of Sunday, August 17. It would include Ars Magica tabletop games, games of Grand Tribunal and other Atlas products, and possibly a live-action freeform. We will also attempt to hook up with the folks in the UK by phone or internet on Saturday afternoon, and there will likely be a raffle of interesting Ars Magica swag as well.
My preliminary investigation suggests that it will cost about $20 per person to rent the meeting rooms for the weekend, with accommodation and meals on-site at $120 per person, or $100 per person if you share a double. Before I reserve the space, though, I'd like to make certain that there's sufficient interest. So, I'm posting my plans here, in the hopes of getting responses. Anyone have any thoughts? Sound like something you'd like to do? Let me know if you think I should proceed.
I'm in for sure (which may chase everyone else off LOL )
Seriously though, the UK is way to out of my price range, but I can make it to Cali. If you need, I would be willing to send you a twinski as a deposit towards the space.
Getting there and finding accomodations, well, that's one of those real life type adventures that I enjoy so much
I'll try and talk some other folks I know into going, but I can only promise me.
The bum part of this choice of dates is that it's smack dab on GenCon. A month earlier? Fantabulous! I could probably be there... But as chosen, I think you might run into a bit of a conflict with a lot of gamers.
Yes, I am going forward with this! However, I need people who are certain they would like to come to send me money very soon, so that I can cover the reservation cost and secure lodgings. Here is the email I sent to the Berklist which has the details.
Salvete sodales,
To complement CJ's excellent Grand Tribunal convention held in Cheltenham, UK, I am organizing a Regional Tribunal event in Berkeley, California the same weekend! This is an entirely Ars Magica focused gaming convention in Berkeley, California which will be held this summer. The dates are: Friday, August 15 through Sunday August 17. We will have games of Ars Magica and Grand Tribunal running all weekend, lots of Ars Magica authors and guests of honor signing books and discussing Ars Magica past and present, and a charity prize raffle. I am also hoping to link up with the fine folks at the Grand Tribunal in the UK via webcam.
The event will be held at the UC Berkeley dormitories. Food and lodgings for the entire weekend, Friday evening through Sunday afternoon, will cost each attendee $200 for a shared double room, or $250 for a single. This also includes a ticket in the prize raffle. Early registrants (whose payment I receive before March 7) will only need to pay only $150 for a shared double room, or $200 for a single. I prefer payment through PayPal at this email address (eriktdahl@gmail.com), or you can also write me to ask where to send a check.
I can also accommodate a small number of attendees who do not want to stay on site, perhaps because they live in the Bay Area and will simply go home at night. However, 80% of our total number of guests must stay on site, which means I won't know how many spots I have until I know how many attendees have reserved rooms. If you are interested in this, let me know and I will put you on the waiting list and get back to you (first-come, first-served) when I know how much it will cost and how many outsiders I can bring.
For more information as this event develops, watch the pages on the Grand Tribunal 2008 website:
Well, I have to reserve at least 15 rooms this week to make it happen, but they tell me I can add more rooms up to two weeks before the event, if they're still available. So if you will find out before August 1, 2008, I can probably squeeze you in. If you don't find out until after that, you still might be able to participate, but I don't think you'd be able to stay with us at the university, so you'd need to find other lodgings.
The other thing you could do is reserve a room now at the lower price, and if you find out you can't make it later, we can try to sell your ticket to someone else. There could be local players who won't commit early but who might want to come later, and who might be willing to buy a cheaper ticket if it's available.
Update (March 5, 2008): Players have reserved half of the rooms I need to secure the site!
It also looks like we will be joined by guests of honor John Post, author of Ancient Magic and other upcoming Ars Magica releases, and Niall Christie, author of Realms of Power: The Divine, Blood and Sand: The Levant Tribunal, and maintainer of the Sanctum Hermeticum website. Welcome, John and Niall!
Well, I only received pre-payment for 9 attendees who will be staying in the dorms, but I'm hoping UC Berkeley will allow me to reserve with a lesser number. I sent them a deposit check for 10 attendees instead of 16. I'll post something here when I hear back from them.
I have a horrible cold today, though, so after this it's back to bed for me.
Are there alternatives around, like camping sites? ATM I can't say if I will be able to attend, but in case I do I would prefer not to be forced to sleep under a bridge (my friends might disagree, but I am not a troll... yet)
DOH! Now is when I hit the keyboard with my forehead. I thought this was about CJ's Ars event, not the one on the other side of the pond. I would love to attend, but alas, I find it highly unlikely to happen.
I thought this was about CJ's Ars event, not the one on the other side of the pond. I would love to attend, but alas, I find it highly unlikely to happen.