Hospitality is a perk and a service that OryCon provides to all members in attendance. When people think of Hospitality they often think of food (and there will be plenty of snacks!) but the core of what the OSFCI Board, ConCom and Staff want to provide is a sense of welcome. We invite you to think of Hospitality as a comfortable retreat within the bounds of the convention – sure, we have snacks to tide you over until your next meal and drinks to keep you hydrated – but the main service we provide is a comfortable place to sit and relax; to read a book, play a game, or engage with someone you might not otherwise get a chance to during the convention!
Friday November 8, 2019 10:00am - Saturday November 9, 2019 2:00am PST
Glisan & Rm 106Glisan & Rm 106
Looking for a particular book? A fabulous piece of jewelry? Curious to know what the latest games are? Come to the Dealer’s Room! Please find us in the Grand Ballroom, at the end of the hotel’s main level, next to the Art Room; right on your way to many of the guest rooms, Hospitality, etc.
Friday November 8, 2019 12:00pm - 6:00pm PST
Salon EastSalon East
Need a break but don’t want to miss the fun? Stop by the Fan Tables located in the main lobby and around the lower level landing. Here you can find a fan group to join, a future event to attend, and much more.
Gaming returns to OryCon 41, sponsored by our sister convention GameStorm (http://www.gamestorm.org). Try your hand at one of the many games in the game library, or try out one of the new ones you just grabbed in the dealers hall. To see the amazing selection of games in the game library, see http://boardgamegeek.com/collection/user/Game_Storm?own=1
Friday November 8, 2019 12:00pm - 10:00pm PST
ClackamasClackamas
Gaming returns to OryCon 41, sponsored by our sister convention GameStorm (http://www.gamestorm.org). Try your hand at one of the many games in the game library, or try out one of the new ones you just grabbed in the dealers hall. To see the amazing selection of games in the game library, see http://boardgamegeek.com/collection/user/Game_Storm?own=1
Friday November 8, 2019 12:00pm - Saturday November 9, 2019 12:00am PST
MultnomahMultnomah
I am Mithrandir, also known as the Grey Pilgrim, Gandalf. To think that I should divulge secrets before you, I can scarcely believe... yet here I am. Wander with your Fellowship to the Creation Station, and you may inquire of my wisdom. (Co-sponsored by TolkienPDX.) Rating: G.
Have you, and/or your characters or personas, lived, loved, worked, volunteered, organized within intentional communities, co-ops, polycules, or other collectives? Share our experiences, visions, questions, suggestions, including about Creation Station as a Collective. Rating: PG for mention of polycule.
Art Show is located in the main ballroom and is open to membership. Please do not bring in any food or drink. No photography is allowed in the Art Show. Want to help run Art Show next year? Meet artists, help with sales, and hang out with the cool kids? Drop a line to artshow@orycon.org and we’ll sign you right up!
Friday November 8, 2019 1:00pm - 7:00pm PST
Salon WestSalon West
The Gaslight-fantastic Explorers, Adventurers, & Romantics Convention (GEAR Con) is Portland, Oregon's annual steampunk festival. Come visit the lounge to share tales, show off costumes, and enjoy the company of other steampunk (Victorian retro-futurism) enthusiasts and lovers-of-the-anachronistic.
The Susan C. Petrey Memorial Fan Lounge is a community area for fans to meet and hold gatherings during Orycon. It is also a room for individual fans to come, decompress, and have quiet conversations. It is a quiet, safe space. If your club/guild/ committee/alliance/ group of friends would like a free area to host a get-together, please sign up on the door of the lounge during theconvention. View orycon41.sched.com for the latest schedule information. Light refreshments will be provided, and the only requirement is that your event is open and welcoming to any fans who might wander in.
The Gaslight-fantastic Explorers, Adventurers, & Romantics Convention (GEAR Con) is Portland, Oregon’s annual steampunk festival. Come visit the lounge to share tales, show off costumes, and enjoy the company of other steampunk (Victorian retro-futurism) enthusiasts and loversof-the-anachronistic.
Teen Lounge is a safe space for people ages 13-21 to be as geeky as they please. The Teen Lounge has a range of games that are both table top and console. There are plenty of snacks, drinks and like minded geeks.
Tolkien once called it "subcreation" - the creating of our own fictional worlds where we the writers are the ultimate authority. How do deal with the power of creation - how to get the readers to buy into your universe and its rules - how, in other words, to worldbuild a world that others will believe in and respect.
Authors of urban/contemporary fantasy set in the Pacific Northwest and California talk about their work and give tips on writing fantasy in real-world, modern-day settings.
Television frequently tacks on a nasal prosthetic and some body paint and calls the result alien. What do you need to think about to make really interesting aliens? Do they roll, slither, or hop? We\'ll talk about how to go beyond actor in a simple costume and make alien things, and how they will alter simple things, like how your spaceship is built.
Want a shirt or another OryCon tchotke? Maybe you'd like a little time off from your children? Come to the Artifacts table near Registration in the main lobby. We can sell you baubles and give you the information you need for our on-site child care.
Friday November 8, 2019 2:00pm - 6:00pm PST
Main LobbyMain Lobby
Bring your inner mad scientists to Flanders! We will take stuffed animals and turn them into New And Improved Customized FRANKENWEENIES! Families with kids of all ages may participate, but adult assistance with scissors, needles, and thread are necessary. All participants must provide the Laboratory Supervisor $5 per Frankenweenie made to cover the crime scene...uh-- I mean costs.
If you\'ve been dreaming of writing fiction, but you\'ve struggled to finish your first project--or worse, gotten crushed by rejections!--this is the panel for you. Learn from experienced writers how to get going, keep going, and believe in yourself.
There are lots of different kinds of editors in the publishing business. Come find out what they do, how they got into publishing, and how to make your work appeal to them.
Board? Want something fun to do? Come play a game where you are the game piece. Roll the dice and move your piece. Compete in mini challenges and work your way to the end. Bring your friends, race to the finish. Fun for all ages.
With robots occupying more low and middle-skill level jobs, from warehousing to driving, and AI getting better than humans at reading MRIs and diagnosing disease, how will societies deal with the end of work-as-we-know-it? What can science fiction and fantasy worlds tell us about the real world of the future?
Keep your controller still while trying to jostle others, in this large local, no screen required, party game! 10 players per game, each game is 10 minutes long.
Make little critters out of Play-Doh, then pit them against each other in magical battles, D-&-D style, by rolling dice! Creative, hilarious, exciting gameplay for all ages.
Hands-on, participatory workshop. Learn how to make a square for a quilt, featuring fandom imagery, which you can bring home with you! Taught by a professional, prize-winning quilter, yet open for all ages, with no experience necessary. Kids under 10 must have adult supervision. Rating: G.
How do you begin ?What is the process of publishing your own novels and stories? Exclusivity with Amazon or Wide? What are the advantages of each? How do you find readers? How do you market? What is different in 2019 and what remains the same?
An author building a diverse world needs to include diverse characters. But how do we tackle such projects with realism and sensitivity if we aren\'t part of a minority population?
We\'ve all heard the term, Alternative History. What does it really mean? Do you have to be a history freak to understand it or merely like reading a "what might have been" adventure story? How would you change history to make an engaging story?
In the 1950\'s NASA studied the concept of thermonuclear powered spacecraft called Project Orion. It was estimated that a battleship-sized spacecraft could be routinely accelerated to 1000 kM/second. The FIRST part of this panel will be spent explaining how to determine locations of the planets on a given date and how to calculate travel times between them. The SECOND half of the panel we will be using this information to write progressive, improvised SF space ship stories for fun, and read them back to the group. You can attend one or both or just come for the readings at the end.
Conventions can be overwhelming and difficult for everyone. Flanders is open during this time for sensory-friendly activities and open space for stimming and being yourself. Space and activities are geared toward children and families, but all are welcome.
There\'s paper. There\'s digital. Now, there\'s the option too big to ignore: Audio. If you want to tap into a market that is currently head-to-head with print, join audiobook narrator Matt Haynes for this presentation. You\'ll learn more about the "why" of audiobooks, the easiest platforms to turn your work into audio, what to look for in a narrator and the creation process from idea to publication.
Villains that fall to minor wounds. Heroes that never seem to take damage. How does popular media and stories fail in presenting the reality of death? Talked to our experience panelists about how to present a realistic death scene. Content Warning: discussion includes descriptive violence.
Tesla Coils generate 500,000 volt, 3 foot flaming bolts of man-made lightning, and we will demonstrate these and 12 other High Voltage devices. We will explain the science behind the beautiful and spectacular arcs, sparks and corona discharges.
There are many terms people use to describe individuals who do not reside in the main portion of the bell curve such as being manic, depressive, ADD, ADHD, autistic, color blind or even myopic. Yet these differences have stayed in our population. Could it be that there is a benefit in certain situations where these conditions are actually beneficial to long term survival? Come listen to our panel of experts and find out.
Now that Archive of Our Own, and all the fanworks within, won a Hugo, it is time to step up our game. We will share advice on how to write and how to beta (how to give helpful feedback on the writing of someone else). We will talk about some common considerations, including pacing, canon vs. fanon, grammar, character and plot development, as well as building a fanfic community, and anything else that comes up. Everyone, of all ages and levels of experience, and all genres and fandoms, are welcome. (Except not 18+ content, as that has its own panel.) Rating: PG.
Begin to learn how to hoop weave, crochet, or knit, to make a 4th Doctor scarf, a Jayne hat, or anything else you dream up! All ages welcome; no experience necessary; all supplies provided; bring home what you make! Rating: G.
Contemporary Paganism and science fiction have a long history of interconnection, but what about contemporary Paganism and science? In this workshop we will discuss ways in which paganism and other earth-centric spiritual beliefs and rituals, including magical practice, can harmoniously integrate with science, building on natural human instincts and needs to increase connection with reason and education.
Meet members of the local chapter of the Mandalorian Mercs Costume Clue where they share their love of costuming in the Star Wars universe and their love for working for children\'s charities.
Part 1 of 2. Students will learn to embroider rosebuds, leaves and antique roses with silk ribbon. Participants should be familiar with the following basic embroidery stitches: French knots, feather stitch and stem stitch. Kits will include pre-cut supplies sufficient to complete a needle book for storing sewing/embroidery needles. $10 kit fee to instructor. Limit 10 participants.
Fandom Needle Felting is a panel to teach the basics of needle felting by using a barbed needle to turn roving (wool fibers) into a unique picture made of felt. Rating: G, but kids under 10 must be supervised by an adult.
You will [verb] your [body part] off with these [superlative] MadLibs! [Adjective] moderator Robert Plamondon and his [adjective] co-moderator Karen L. Black will keep you [verb]ing in the aisles! No actual mastery of [pejorative] grammar required!
Filk group from Eugene and surrounding areas, singing about both fandom and the real world. If you come to join us, the Possible Side Effects might include YOU!
Regenerate an episode of Doctor Who by joining our live reading of a script! Be part of the story in your randomly assigned role, or just listen and relive the magic. No experience necessary, as this is just for fun! Allonsy! All ages welcome, but some content may be TV-PG. This will involve the actual episode of Doctor Who, "Parting of the Ways," so... "Spoilers, Sweetie!" Afterwards, celebrate Whovian fandom as we Tiptoe Through the TARDIS! Rating: PG-13.
Open to the public! Come view the Art Show displays and meet the artists of your favorite pieces. Great time to ask questions and learn the story behind the art!
Writing adult material is a skill, much the same as writing any other genre, and adult-oriented slash fanfiction is no exception. This panel examines what makes slash good€”and fun€”for writers and readers.
Board? Want something fun to do? Come play a game where you are the game piece. Roll the dice and move your piece. Compete in mini challenges and work your way to the end. Bring your friends, race to the finish. Fun for all ages.
Bardic Circle - participants and members may request a song, play a song or pass. Songs by C.J. Cherryh or based on the writings of C.J. Cherryh will be featured.
You have spent years, if not decades, on your worldbuilding, your characters, and your plot. Do not falter now that you want to add something more than just a friendly handshake. Get some tips as to how to get hot and heavy or smooth and seductive in your written works. Bonus: After the skill-share part of the panel, there will be a half-hour where panelists and participants may share erotic original or fanworks, in a safe, 18+ environment, inclusive of all genders and orientations.
Gaming returns to OryCon 41, sponsored by our sister convention GameStorm (http://www.gamestorm.org). Try your hand at one of the many games in the game library, or try out one of the new ones you just grabbed in the dealers hall. To see the amazing selection of games in the game library, see http://boardgamegeek.com/collection/user/Game_Storm?own=1
Saturday November 9, 2019 8:00am - Sunday November 10, 2019 12:00am PST
MultnomahMultnomah
Hospitality is a perk and a service that OryCon provides to all members in attendance. When people think of Hospitality they often think of food (and there will be plenty of snacks!) but the core of what the OSFCI Board, ConCom and Staff want to provide is a sense of welcome. We invite you to think of Hospitality as a comfortable retreat within the bounds of the convention – sure, we have snacks to tide you over until your next meal and drinks to keep you hydrated – but the main service we provide is a comfortable place to sit and relax; to read a book, play a game, or engage with someone you might not otherwise get a chance to during the convention!
Saturday November 9, 2019 8:00am - Sunday November 10, 2019 2:00am PST
Glisan & Rm 106Glisan & Rm 106
Want a shirt or another OryCon tchotke? Maybe you'd like a little time off from your children? Come to the Artifacts table near Registration in the main lobby. We can sell you baubles and give you the information you need for our on-site child care.
Saturday November 9, 2019 9:00am - 6:00pm PST
Main LobbyMain Lobby
Looking for a particular book? A fabulous piece of jewelry? Curious to know what the latest games are? Come to the Dealer’s Room! Please find us in the Grand Ballroom, at the end of the hotel’s main level, next to the Art Room; right on your way to many of the guest rooms, Hospitality, etc.
Saturday November 9, 2019 9:00am - 6:00pm PST
Salon EastSalon East
Art Show is located in the main ballroom and is open to membership. Please do not bring in any food or drink. No photography is allowed in the Art Show. Want to help run Art Show next year? Meet artists, help with sales, and hang out with the cool kids? Drop a line to artshow@orycon.org and we’ll sign you right up!
Saturday November 9, 2019 9:00am - 8:00pm PST
Salon WestSalon West
The Gaslight-fantastic Explorers, Adventurers, & Romantics Convention (GEAR Con) is Portland, Oregon's annual steampunk festival. Come visit the lounge to share tales, show off costumes, and enjoy the company of other steampunk (Victorian retro-futurism) enthusiasts and lovers-of-the-anachronistic.
The Susan C. Petrey Memorial Fan Lounge is a community area for fans to meet and hold gatherings during Orycon. It is also a room for individual fans to come, decompress, and have quiet conversations. It is a quiet, safe space. If your club/guild/ committee/alliance/ group of friends would like a free area to host a get-together, please sign up on the door of the lounge during theconvention. View orycon41.sched.com for the latest schedule information. Light refreshments will be provided, and the only requirement is that your event is open and welcoming to any fans who might wander in.
The Gaslight-fantastic Explorers, Adventurers, & Romantics Convention (GEAR Con) is Portland, Oregon’s annual steampunk festival. Come visit the lounge to share tales, show off costumes, and enjoy the company of other steampunk (Victorian retro-futurism) enthusiasts and loversof-the-anachronistic.
Teen Lounge is a safe space for people ages 13-21 to be as geeky as they please. The Teen Lounge has a range of games that are both table top and console. There are plenty of snacks, drinks and like minded geeks.
Love the adventure and camaraderie of Pokémon GO? Come make new friends and enjoy a walk or wheel/stroll, heading to the Poké Stops and a local Gym, as we discuss the fun of Pokémon GO and trade trainer codes, Pokémon, and presents. Rating: G, but because this involves physically leaving the hotel, kids under 10 must have adult accompaniment.
This is an arts and crafts panel, where you can draw/create creepy, crawly, and spooky creatures, and we will share our designs at the end. This is a kid-created, kid-led panel and is entirely kid-friendly, open to all ages. Rating: G.
Dragons in early art tended to be smaller than a horse. A look at dragons in art and an open discussion about why there would be such a discrepancy in sizes.
MeCards is a collage process based on the work of Seena Frost SoulCollage.® The process of making the cards is simply tearing or clipping images from magazines, books and gluing them against a new background image into a collage. Using stimulus questions the children develop stories based on the characters they have chosen. This enables the children to connect to their inner lives, teaches them language to express about it, and accesses their own creative potential.
Have questions about the Masquerade on Saturday night? Last chance to drop in and ask! Entry forms will be there, as well as people to answer your questions.
When can space settlements become essentially independent of Earth. Will they? What do we have to know to answer this question and how can we find out?
Need a break but don’t want to miss the fun? Stop by the Fan Tables located in the main lobby and around the lower level landing. Here you can find a fan group to join, a future event to attend, and much more.
Gaming returns to OryCon 41, sponsored by our sister convention GameStorm (http://www.gamestorm.org). Try your hand at one of the many games in the game library, or try out one of the new ones you just grabbed in the dealers hall. To see the amazing selection of games in the game library, see http://boardgamegeek.com/collection/user/Game_Storm?own=1
Saturday November 9, 2019 10:00am - 10:00pm PST
ClackamasClackamas
An all-ages meet-up and discussion about veganism. For those already vegan/vegetarian, and for those interested in the futuristic, plant-based life-style, whether for health, compassion, or reducing carbon footprint. We will provide samples of vegan food and beverages. Bring your favorite recipes! Ingredient lists will be available, but potential allergen alert: soy, almond, hazelnut, coconut. Rating: G.
We will talk about different aspects of game design, what makes a game, and rough drafts of the games we want to create. This is a youth-created, youth-led, youth-friendly panel for all ages. Rating: G.
Many promising writers don\'t enjoy interacting with publishers and other writers and dislike attending conventions because, despite modest success, they experience something called imposter syndrome. What is it? Can you avoid it? If you -- or your writer friends -- experience it, what should you do? Come discuss with our panel.
An inspiration to many, CJ Cherryh has stories to span lifetimes. We honor CJ as our Lifetime Achievement Guest of Honor and hope you will find her stories as wonderful as we do!
Robin Hood, Katniss Everdeen, Hawkeye and Howard Hill; they\'re all amazing archers who do some crazy stuff with a bow. If you\'ve ever wondered where the line between Hollywood and reality is for the craft of archery, come learn about the history and reality of archery. We\'ll debunk some Hollywood BS, and show you some stuff that\'s even more amazing because it\'s really been done.
Reconstruct a parody like a jigsaw puzzle. This workshop deconstructs the parody-writing process by presenting pieces of lyrics to paste over the original in the correct places so as to rhyme, scan, make sense, and replace the original words.
AI is here and it is in the drivers seat! How do pilot-less vehicles work? What do they mean for the future of transportation and how we interact with our world?
The primarily dystopian approach toward climate change in fiction and the entertainment industry can leave the public paralyzed. In an era where immediate action is necessary to tackle this looming issue, how can climate fiction contribute toward engaging the public without scaring them into hiding.
Witches and Wizards, earn points for your House in a full day of Hogwarts Homework, as follows: (A) Herbology; Divination; Potions; Quidditch (Make a Golden Snitch) (B) Writing Wizardry (Make Quills & Wax Seals). Rating: G
Rob Carlos teaches us how to draw a dragon with letters and numbers. This is an all ages workshop, where everyone leaves with a dragon drawing unique to them!
Climate change is the dominating issue of our times. SF&F are uniquely suited to explore it. From solarpunk futures to symbolic engagement with climate grief, how can we explore climate change in our writing?
Who are the best and worst pirates of all time? Using our unprecedented and wholly unfounded ranking system (and audience input, of course), the pirates of PDXYAR debate the best of the best buccaneers in both history and popular media. Fashion: who wore it best? Which pirate had the best death? Who was really the wealthiest pirate of all time? Come learn and laugh with your favorite Portland privateers!
Ever wanted to design a RPG or Card Game? Our panel of game designers will draw on their experiences in the industry to walk you through the initial design stages for your game.
Avengers: Endgame cleaned up at the box office -- but among fans, reactions have been sharply varied. Some say the film nails the climax of Phase One; others argue that it broke the MCU beyond repair. Come watch as our panelists take sides and offer their views. Controversy welcomed, superpowers must be checked at the door.
Just Role With It is a D&D 5th edition podcast playing Adventures in Middle Earth. Four heroes are running around Mirkwood Forest 5 years after the Battle of the Five armies, and action and drama ensues.
So...the genres of science fiction and fantasy are pretty racist. They are steeped in white supremacy and are constantly skewed toward white audiences. But it doesn\'t have to be this way! In this presentation I would like to touch on some of the major racist tropes that permeate sci-fi and fantasy, show some examples of how BIPOC creators have stood these tropes on their heads, and discuss how we as creators and fans can be more cognizant of how not to support these racist approaches.
SoulCollage® (by Seena Frost) is an intuitive process that uses images collaged together on 5€ x 8€ cards. The new images created by collaged pictures represent facets of the self and internal influencers. These cards call upon your inner wisdom to explore the many parts of self, the wise council that guides you on your path and the animal spirit that joins in your growth. In this workshop you will learn to make your own cards, learn how to find meaning and work with your cards through journaling, reflection, card consultation, and community building.
Witches and Wizards, earn points for your House in a full day of Hogwarts Homework, as follows: (A) Ollivanders Wandmaking (B) Defense Against the Dark Arts (learn to play Wizards Unite). Rating: G, but as Defense Against the Dark Arts will physically leave the hotel, kids under 10 must have adult accompaniment.
Feeling brave? Want to see how your work-in-progress holds up in a cold read? Submit the first page of your manuscript for the chance to have it anonymously read aloud and critiqued by a panel of pros. (Pages will be selected randomly; we cannot guarantee all submissions will be read.)
Science fiction and fantasy like to explore aliens, goblins, and everything in between. In recent years authors have gotten more comfortable writing outside of heterosexual binary terms, but there is so much more than making a character gay or straight. This panel will cover, in both simple and scientific language, what the social and biological definitions are to gender, sex, sexuality, and expression. Ample time will be given for audience questions, and a discussion will be had about how these four elements must blend together to make believable characters.
Gaming frequently shows up in the news attached to negative headlines: violence, health issues, anti-social behavior, and more. Even so, there are tons of positive communities and influences that gaming of all kinds helps to create: fundraisers for charity, friend groups cemented through roleplay, relationships and marriages found through MMORPGs, etc. Our panel will talk about the ways our virtual worlds (both digital and analog) are influencing our physical world, for better and for worse.
The Internet as we know it today seems inevitable, but it could have evolved very differently. Panelists will tackle some critical moments in its development and consider networks that might have been.
Heritable human genetic engineering is becoming a reality, maybe sooner than expected. Can and should governments attempt to stop or authoritatively control this development? Why and how?
Evil is often portrayed as easy to spot in a crowd. What do sociopaths really look like? How does our image of evil make it easier for sociopaths to prey on unsuspecting victims?
Witches and Wizards, earn points for your House in a full day of Hogwarts Homework, as follows: (A) Dumbledore\'s Army (play Wizards Unite) (B) The Quibbler (learn to make field recordings of Nargals). Rating: G
HAMMERCRAWL! is a brutally hilarious dungeon crawl experience. In this Actual Play RPG podcast, your host and Dungeon Master N. Phillip Cole (aka NPC) guides a group of randomly-generated characters to their inevitable demise within a completely procedurally-generated dungeon of horrors and comedy. HAMMERCRAWL! uses a game system inspired by €œclassic€ older games to make an experience both enjoyable by veterans and complete newbies alike. Everything involved is 100% spontaneous, using a collection of random generators to create a completely unique and unexpected dungeon romp. Join us for a pure meat grinder experience just like the days of yore, with stacks of nameless characters to burn through, and a rip roaring good time doing so!
Careers of Tomorrow! The Golgafrincham were all wiped out for lack of a telephone sanitizer. If we end up living in space stations and on space ships, who are we really going to need to keep civilization ticking along?
Conventions can be overwhelming and difficult for everyone. Flanders is open during this time for sensory-friendly activities and open space for stimming and being yourself. Space and activities are geared toward children and families, but all are welcome.
I want to make a costume, but I can\'t sew. I want to be my favorite character, but I can\'t act. I want to compete in costume contests, but I get stage fright. Speak with cosplayers about how they got started, and how easy and inclusive the whole thing can be.
Senior editor for Tor books, Susan Chang has a passion for the success of children and young adult novels. Come meet OryCons Editor Guest of Honor as she shares her experiences in publishing!
Definitions of "being civil" span a range in communities with wide world views. How does the idea of "civility" influence writing, art, and media in the sci-fi/fantasy creation community? Does "being civil" limit free expression, or expand it?
Whether your vision of the apocalypse involves zombies or tsunamis, it is wise to be prepared. Preparedness professionals and practical thinkers will guide you through considering essentials and comfort items you might want to pack, and other realistic steps you can take on an individual, household, neighborhood, and municipal level toward preparing for the worst. Rating: PG.
reinventing and retelling traditional fairy stories sometimes in vastly different contexts - were they entertainment, cautionary tales, teaching tales? What are we using them for now? How much damage did the Disney saccharine coating do?
The idea of playing *wholesome* and cozy video games has become more prominent and - dare we say - normal? From Animal Crossing to Calico, titles are allowing players to take a break, relax, and enjoy a gentler side of life, as well as provide more opportunities for inclusivity within the gaming community. Let€™s get comfy and discuss why cozy games are an upcoming force in the industry, share examples of our favorites, and discuss why we shouldn€™t hide the fact we want kinder, gentler titles to enjoy!
The merging of science fiction stories drawing on the current political climate is growing. How do you write political science Fiction without crossing the line.
Hear and share tips for local food and water sustainability, including protecting watersheds; composting; food reclamation; gleaning; planting orchards and raised beds; and humanely raising laying and frying poultry. Watershed protection documentary footage provided courtesy of Matt Kellam and Freshwaters Illustrated. Rating: G.
What makes you come back to a game for hours on end? Whether it\'s your favorite MMORPG, an idle clicker on your phone, or that tabletop game you pull out with your friends every week, there\'s facets about those games that makes them stick with you. Let\'s talk about \'em!
How much will future governmental enforcement be done with contractors? Does it matter as long as they are trained? Why does the accounting "make sense".
Part 2 of 2. Students will learn to embroider rosebuds, leaves and antique roses with silk ribbon. Participants should be familiar with the following basic embroidery stitches: French knots, feather stitch and stem stitch. Kits will include pre-cut supplies sufficient to complete a needle book for storing sewing/embroidery needles. $10 kit fee to instructor. Limit 10 participants.
Virginia Woolf said "a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction; and that, as you will see, leaves the great problem of the true nature of woman and the true nature of fiction unsolved." What is it about a dedicated room that is important? If a room is necessary, how do we create the space?
What is most important to a good story: a fast moving and/or engaging plot to carry you away, or characters that you can identify with, or at least care about? You can have one without the other, but when should you? And, does
Northwest Independent Writers Association (NIWA) members and friends welcome you to join this friendly, mutually supportive, regional group of writers and editors, for fun, to further your own professional pursuits, and/or to discover new paper or audiobooks for your collection. Rating: G.
Want to make a quality game? Narrative Designer PeachyAenne and her panel will analyze different aspects that make great digital game experiences, then take those qualifications and pit famous games against each other to see which ones reign supreme.
How do we script violence into writing, art, and media in a realistic way? Discuss with our experts on the reality of violence, both during and the after effects, and discover the details that are often left out. 18+ please, some content may be offensive or disturbing.
The Overcast is an audio fiction podcast producing Breathtaking Speculative Stories from the PNW and Beyond. Join us for a special live recording of The Overcast featuring live audio play adaptations of the works of local PNW. Performed live by a cast of voice actors featuring the authors themselves!
Cloud seeding on a massive scale? Orbiting umbrellas? Sucking CO2 from the air to make fuel or carbon nanotubes? There are a number of technologically feasible approaches to geoengineering solutions to GHG pollution causing runaway climate change. Which are the most likely? Are we ready to try terraforming on the only habitable planet we have?
The difference between sex and gender, to Sexuality in Science Fiction, and even a queer science panel that talks about diversity on Earth and what we could expect on another planet in terms of gender and reproduction.
With advances in technology, corporate control growing, and political unrest, are we becoming Shadowrun? Discuss how game dynamics influence and seem to predict our world.
Saturday November 9, 2019 8:00pm - 9:00pm PST
PendletonOryKids
The PDX Broadsides write nerdy music for nerdy people by writing about things we all love: science, space, Shakespeare, and Nathan Fillion\'s bum. The PDX Broadsides have played around the country in venues large and small. They\'ve performed at conventions including Dragon Con, OryCon (as musical guest of honor), Conflikt (as Toastband) and Emerald City Comic Con, or you may have seen them play in shows with The Doubleclicks, Marian Call, or Molly Lewis. They have received two nominations for the Pegasus Awards for Excellence in Filk. Currently, the band is touring in support of their fifth studio album, €œRelatable Content€!
It\'s time to steal some honey! Join Ash, Jas, Price, Rik, from Stumpt Gamers and Narrative Designer/Streamer PeachyAenne as they stage a raid in the tabletop RPG Honey Heist! Watch this live-play event as they take on the roles of criminal bears scheming to steal all the honey. It\'s gunna be sweet!
Could You Survive a Journey Into Space?!...the final frontier. These are trivia questions. Their 2-hour mission: to entertain with strange sci-fi stuff; to geek out on pop culture references and new franchise reboots; to boldly quiz where no live, interactive, stand-up-comic-led crew has quizzed before. Prizes awarded! Rating: PG.
Keep your controller still while trying to jostle others, in this large local, no screen required, party game! 10 players per game, each game is 10 minutes long.
The Eagle landed 50 years ago, and we\'ve been singing about it ever since. This is a circle for all of those songs about the past, present, and future of space exploration.
Coming back after standing-room only panels at RCCC, ECCC, and OryCon, its everyones favorite Ask The Scientists About The Media panel! Were here for you through every physics flub and technology trip-up. This panel of real scientists will discuss their expertise, from medicine to astronomy to engineering, take your questions, and talk about some of the moments in media that made them scream...in good ways and bad.
Time Warp? Tina Turner? Prince? Celine? Rasputin? Who knows! It's all music and we LOVE it. Come join us while we relish the noise and move rhythmically.
Saturday November 9, 2019 9:15pm - Sunday November 10, 2019 12:15am PST
Main BallroomOryKids
Make Time for Haste! A game of Dum-Dums and Dragons. Meet the creator of Haste, a new quick-play, cooperative, improvised, comedy-based RPG. And the debut of a new RPG podcast of the same name. Win a copy of the game in our Character Creation Contest! Rating: 18+.
This pagan ritual circle is open to all con-goers, of any faith, creed, or lack thereof. We ask that all who attend participate respectfully. The ritual will be beginner-friendly and eclectically Pagan in its practices and symbolism. Ritual runners wish to overtly welcome all adult and mature minor con-goers regardless of race, gender, orientation, and ability, and we will seek to create an atmosphere that includes everyone. Only intolerant or abusive behaviors and words are unwelcome. Wear clothes that make you feel comfortable, spiritual, or both!
Gaming returns to OryCon 41, sponsored by our sister convention GameStorm (http://www.gamestorm.org). Try your hand at one of the many games in the game library, or try out one of the new ones you just grabbed in the dealers hall. To see the amazing selection of games in the game library, see http://boardgamegeek.com/collection/user/Game_Storm?own=1
Sunday November 10, 2019 8:00am - 2:00pm PST
MultnomahMultnomah
Hospitality is a perk and a service that OryCon provides to all members in attendance. When people think of Hospitality they often think of food (and there will be plenty of snacks!) but the core of what the OSFCI Board, ConCom and Staff want to provide is a sense of welcome. We invite you to think of Hospitality as a comfortable retreat within the bounds of the convention – sure, we have snacks to tide you over until your next meal and drinks to keep you hydrated – but the main service we provide is a comfortable place to sit and relax; to read a book, play a game, or engage with someone you might not otherwise get a chance to during the convention!
This miniatures-painting panel will be a quick show-and-tell from the panelists, followed by an open painting session. Paints, brushes, and instruction will be provided for use within the panel. Use our minis, or bring your own to paint in our suite during this session. Allergy alert: Paints will actively be in use. Rating: G.
An open classroom laboratory art lesson, which will explore texture tactics to elicit wild and expressive visuals from watercolor paintings. Join us in our weird experimentation with salt, frisket, bubbles, paper, pigments, and a generous dash of adventurous artistry. All ages welcome, no experience necessary. Allergy alert: Paints will be actively in use. Rating: G.
Art Show is located in the main ballroom and is open to membership. Please do not bring in any food or drink. No photography is allowed in the Art Show. Want to help run Art Show next year? Meet artists, help with sales, and hang out with the cool kids? Drop a line to artshow@orycon.org and we’ll sign you right up!
Sunday November 10, 2019 9:00am - 1:00pm PST
Salon WestSalon West
The Gaslight-fantastic Explorers, Adventurers, & Romantics Convention (GEAR Con) is Portland, Oregon's annual steampunk festival. Come visit the lounge to share tales, show off costumes, and enjoy the company of other steampunk (Victorian retro-futurism) enthusiasts and lovers-of-the-anachronistic.
Want a shirt or another OryCon tchotke? Maybe you'd like a little time off from your children? Come to the Artifacts table near Registration in the main lobby. We can sell you baubles and give you the information you need for our on-site child care.
Sunday November 10, 2019 9:00am - 2:00pm PST
Main LobbyMain Lobby
The Susan C. Petrey Memorial Fan Lounge is a community area for fans to meet and hold gatherings during Orycon. It is also a room for individual fans to come, decompress, and have quiet conversations. It is a quiet, safe space. If your club/guild/ committee/alliance/ group of friends would like a free area to host a get-together, please sign up on the door of the lounge during theconvention. View orycon41.sched.com for the latest schedule information. Light refreshments will be provided, and the only requirement is that your event is open and welcoming to any fans who might wander in.
The Gaslight-fantastic Explorers, Adventurers, & Romantics Convention (GEAR Con) is Portland, Oregon’s annual steampunk festival. Come visit the lounge to share tales, show off costumes, and enjoy the company of other steampunk (Victorian retro-futurism) enthusiasts and loversof-the-anachronistic.
Teen Lounge is a safe space for people ages 13-21 to be as geeky as they please. The Teen Lounge has a range of games that are both table top and console. There are plenty of snacks, drinks and like minded geeks.
Queer and nerdy and young? This is your place! Make friends, talk about issues in the community, socialize, and eek and geek over your favorite fandoms! Light, vegan refreshments provided. Rating: PG (because there might be mention of bullying).
Come learn about the Orchard Mason Bee, and other pollinators in the Pacific Northwest. We will talk about their unique life cycles, and how you can raise them, yourself! Rating: G.
Keep your controller still while trying to jostle others, in this large local, no screen required, party game! 10 players per game, each game is 10 minutes long. (This game time is for ages 10 and under)
Wheel of Time fans meetup for this excellent podcast! We will be doing a chapter by chapter deep dive into the Wheel of Time book series. Join Seth and Patrick as they go full into the spoilers, foreshadowing, and connective threads of this epic fantasy series.
Deepfakes and similar AI-based media creation have a lot of promise and a lot of risk. Almost anything imaginable, from falsified video to false news reports made at scale, are on the horizon. How do the most modern technologies work? Can they be detected? Can they be thwarted? What will a future where no media can be fully trusted look like?
Gaming returns to OryCon 41, sponsored by our sister convention GameStorm (http://www.gamestorm.org). Try your hand at one of the many games in the game library, or try out one of the new ones you just grabbed in the dealers hall. To see the amazing selection of games in the game library, see http://boardgamegeek.com/collection/user/Game_Storm?own=1
Sunday November 10, 2019 10:00am - 2:00pm PST
ClackamasClackamas
Looking for a particular book? A fabulous piece of jewelry? Curious to know what the latest games are? Come to the Dealer’s Room! Please find us in the Grand Ballroom, at the end of the hotel’s main level, next to the Art Room; right on your way to many of the guest rooms, Hospitality, etc.
Sunday November 10, 2019 10:00am - 4:00pm PST
Salon EastSalon East
Need a break but don’t want to miss the fun? Stop by the Fan Tables located in the main lobby and around the lower level landing. Here you can find a fan group to join, a future event to attend, and much more.
Leather is a hugely versatile material, with unlimited potential in costumes. Panelists will share some of the ways they use leather in costumes, along with tips and tricks for sourcing these materials.
Do you love to cook?... to eat? ...and geeky things? ...We at Creation Station do, too! We invite you to join us for a fandom food potluck. We will bring our favorite geeky dishes, recipes, cook books, measuring cups, and cake pans; sample geeky tea blends made by Friday Elliot, of Friday Afternoon Teas; and have an open discussion on food, ranging from Klingon to Hobbit and everything in between. FOR SAFETY, INGREDIENT CARDS ARE REQUIRED. Rating: G. Allergy Alert: Read ingredient cards before sampling!
You may Wander alone or in Fellowship with one or more other fanworks creators. You will be given a Quest (fanwork prompt) and have 30 minutes to complete your quest (write a fanfic; illustrate fan art). You may bring allies (crossover/modern fanworks welcome). Then regale us with your tales (share your creations)! Cosponsored by TolkienPDX. The reference library of Tolkien scholarly books and art books belonging to Micah will be on hand to aid in your quests. Rating: G
Horses are amazing animals that have been bred to fill a variety of transportation needs over the millennia. They have a range capabilities, strengths and weaknesses. They have good days, bad days, and get sick. Join us for insights into the reality of horses.
Before we contact extraterrestrial civilizations, we can practice communicating with alien intelligence right here. Researchers are trying to create a lexicon of dolphin vocalizations in the Caribbean, elephants communicate in frequencies that humans are just learning to €œsee€ with spectrograms and, as programmers inch their way toward a general AI, the question is if it will €œthink€ in a way we can fathom.
While we make cat toys, we will share anecdotes, photos, and videos about our favorite cats from our lives and works of fiction. All supplies provided free in this all-ages, kid-welcoming, adorable hands-on craft and open mic. From memes to animagi, feline kind dominate the internet and prevail in films, shows -- and our lives. Give them the homage they deserve :) Rating: G.
This is a chance for OryCon members without concert slots to perform on stage for two songs or ten minutes, whichever comes first. Newcomers welcome! Interested in a two-shot? Sign-ups are in the Timberline Room.
Sunday November 10, 2019 12:30pm - 1:30pm PST
TimberlineMusic
Leather is an incredibly versatile material, with huge potential for costuming and geeky crafting. Learn some basic leatherworking techniques on a small leather scrap that could be a pendant, hair clip, or belt buckle. We will be using very sharp knives - younger fans are welcome at the discretion of their parents. Tools provided. Limited to 20 participants.
Coming to you straight from the inebriated wildlands of Portland, Oregon (USA), Bikers, Dice, and Bars takes you out to the road with discussions on the many intersecting themes of bike life, geek culture, and dive-bar appreciation. Join NPC, Just Jacob, and Dr. Xander Gerrymander every two weeks as they talk about their experiences with these topics both in Portland and beyond, and stick around afterward for special downtime content such as Ride Reports, Game Sessions, Dive Bar Reviews, Industry Interviews, and more!
Sunday November 10, 2019 12:30pm - 2:30pm PST
LovejoyLovejoy
Art Show is located in the main ballroom and is open to membership. Please do not bring in any food or drink. No photography is allowed in the Art Show. Want to help run Art Show next year? Meet artists, help with sales, and hang out with the cool kids? Drop a line to artshow@orycon.org and we’ll sign you right up!
Sunday November 10, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm PST
East BallroomEast Ballroom
This is an informal meetup, a "con debrief" and a helpful-supply show-and-tell, in Creation Station\'s accessible suite with an accessible restroom, during neurodivergent-friendly, sensory-friendly, mostly quiet time. Come relax with each other, share survival tips for enduring how hard it can be to navigate conventions when you, your kids, your companions may have visible and/or hidden disabilities. Share suggestions as to how events can improve accessibility, inclusivity, comfort, safety, empowerment, and fun. Intended panelists include a member of the OSFCI Inclusivity Committee and the OSFCI Ombudsman. Rating: G
Sign up here if you want to participate as a performer in the band scramble at OryCon this year. If you sign up in the survey with any ranking 1-5 and it fits your schedule, you will be placed in the Band Scramble. Participants will be randomly assigned to a band with their fellow enthusiasts and given about a day to pick a song to perform on stage during the Band Scramble on Sunday. Not sure yet? Sign ups will also be available at OryCon on Friday. (But if you sign up now it will show up on your con schedule.)
Aliens are not going to invade Earth to steal our water and other silly invasion tropes. There are plenty of legitimate reasons for an invasion, let\'s see those!
Businesses around the country are declining cash for credit or debit cards. Is it legal? Is it a good idea? What are the ramifications of switching to a cashless economy?
Representation matters, and there's been an increase in the number of LGBTQ characters in Science Fiction and Fantasy. Sadly, the presentations don't always work as well as they could. What are some of your most memorable examples of representation, and how would you improve them?
Sunday November 10, 2019 1:45pm - 2:45pm PST
White StagWhite Stag
You found the costume you want; but how do you attach that piece of armor? What is it even called? We have your answers. Come join us for a bit of history, as we talk you from pauldrons to sabatons, and teach you the best way to attach your armor for long-term wear. Rating: PG (for mention of historic, re-enacted, and fictional battles and wars)
Chasing frequencies: the low-down on live sound. Introduction to how to run a soundboard, by an academically trained, professionally employed sound technician. Includes a live demo, featuring vocal performance artists. Rating: G