Dziobak Larp Studios Reviews 229

College of Wizardry is a great larp, really good experience! I have participated three times, and it have been amazing experiences!

Excellent events, great social and aestethic experiences! Very accommodating and helpful staff.

This was my first LARP and I didn't know anyone when I arrived. I've now been twice and am going a third time in November! I've made some wonderful friends and it's a lovely community.

The castle is beautiful and feels very magical, it even has hidden staircases! If you want to feel like you're a witch or wizard at magical school then I can't recommend this enough, at the end of it you'll have so many weird and wonderful stories to tell!

I would say that the castle is very old with a lot of stairs so it wouldn't be practical for someone with mobility issues.

College of Wizards (CoW) is what is known as a LARP, which means "Live Action Role Play". I was at the CoW nr. 13, and it was my first LARP ever, To be honest, I didn't know what to expect, and I was a little scared that I'd be unable to let go and really participate. But once I came to the castle and saw the amazing setting, the very professional reception from the Dziobak people and the pre-game excitement of the others, who had been there before, I lost my fears (well, not all of them - I still was a little anxious about how my own character would play).
Three days later, I was much wiser, and I learned a lot about myself in general and LARPing in particular. There were far too many storylines to follow them all, but for me the most interesting subject were the werewolf metaphor, and the ethics discussions this made possible. It felt real.
To all new LARPers: Don't hesitate, just jump into the maelstrom and take the ride of your life. Read the design document carefully, and delve into some of the background material as well. But then again, if you don't have time, just join the ride. There will always come another CoW, where you can apply your dearly earned skills with the same, or a different character.
Looking in, it looks weird and crazy, but once you cross the offgame-ingame border, things look very, very different. In that way, LARP is like sex and rock music - it is nice to watch as a spectator, but it is far better to join in and do it yourself :-)

I attended CoW 1 and 2 as a player and got the role of a prefect for House Molin, it is without question the best larp experience i've had in my life. The full immersion of living in a late medieval castle, pyrotechnics for special effects and not to mention the role play level of some people there...

Sometime later, i came back to CoW 8, as a helper and NPC, i wanted to see whats going on behind the scene and help others experience what i have. There is a whole hidden machinery which you dont see as a player, run by a dedicated crew of game masters supported by volunteers from around the world which left me in awe.

College of Wizardry is an amazing experience for anyone who likes stepping into another world.

The castle, Czocha, in southern Poland, is situated in a beautiful landscape, a forest, gate and river hide it away from the outside world, letting you truly immerse yourself in the experience.
Secret passageways, hidden pathways, stairs going up to the tower and down into the dungeon. Just the location itself will help you step into another world. But the team also decorate the entire place in banners, potions, posters and more, letting you immerse yourself that much further.

A larp is a more sophisticated game of make-believe, often for adults. At this event you take the part of a student or a staff member of a fictional magical school from a fictional universe, dressing and acting as your character for three days on end. And as everyone else participating in the event do the same, you feel like you have been placed into another world.
Your normal outside life fades away, and your house loyalty, your cryptozoology grades and your friends' problems removing the curse from their hand, or finding their enchanted wand, become the most important thing to you for a few days.

Food, lodging at this beautiful castle, and even a book to take home, and a robe and tie to wear during the event are all included in the price. And you gain lasting friends from all over the world at the end of it. Nothing bonds you together like performing a ritual together and almost dying! Even if it's just make-believe ;)

Mind-blowing experiences that have changed my life!
I was there for College of Wizardry 4 and 7, and just staying 4 days at a real castle was awesome! The atmosphere and the surrounding scenery is spectacular, but to be part of the story - like I was part of a movie where I was my own main character - that was even more magical. Even just sitting in a library or participating in class was fun and entertaining!
What really changed my life was the people I met there though - wonderful, colourful people with whom I've shared the experience and who continue to make my life richer. These friendships are priceless, and I wouldn't be without them!
I would definitely go to another event again!

I participated in Convention of Thorns by Dziobak Larp Studios in 2016 and will be attending the event again in 2017. It was a live action roleplaying game played in a Polish castle about vampires who gathered together to try and negotiate about peace after a long "civil war". It was based on White Wolf's World of Darkness but did not require the participants to have any prior knowledge of it. All the important things were explained well in the Design Document given to participants before the game.

The organization of the event was handled very professionally. The accommodation and food were included in the price and were of good quality. The event was very welcoming to people who had not done any such games in the past and at the same time "deep" enough for those with more experience about games such as these. The location and costuming were excellent and it truly felt like being on film set. They even had a team where you could order the costume from if you did not wish to make / buy one yourself.

Personally I had not taken part in such games for almost 10 years and I was worried before signing up that I would be too old or would not find it fun anymore. It ended up being one of the best experiences I have had in gaming and I strongly recommend it.

This was my first larp abroad so also my first time travelling to one of these "blockbuster" polish castle larps. I was already familiar with the organisers but had not previously played in games they had ran but I did have regrets of not signing up to a previous game of this magnitude and knew that if I passed this one I would end up regretting it afterwards.

While the relevant information about the characters played is presented beforehand by the game organisers it is a good thing to know that the experience is much better when some time is taken by players to contact each other online and expand on the inter-character backgrounds more than what is laid out by the game masters.

With flights, one night hotel, bus trip there and back from Berlin, tickets and clothing rental the game was expensive but I would still consider worth the money because the setting is rather unique.

I participated at College of Wizardry I, at Zamek Czocha. It was to date one of my best LARP experiences, not least because of the beutiful and lifelike surroundings.

They arranged a top-quality event where one could experience the Convention of Thorns as described by the sourcebooks released by White Wolf.

The location was beautiful and nicely accessible by the bus transportation provided. Room and board was included in the price, both were on par with a generic medium-class business hotel.

The costume rental option made it easier for me to attend. Costume itself was of excellent quality.

This event is one in which I intend to participate again when time allows. There definitely are more than one experience to be had in the Convention of Thorns!

Without reservation, these guys are awesome! I jumped into my first ever LARP just because the event was something I couldn't resist, and, well, I've been hooked ever since. The organizers are stellar, that they can arrange multiple events, and keep track of the wishes of 100 people at each one (I can hardly keep track of 2 characters at once). They are kind and patient too, amenable to feedback and changing characters to make a fun and unforgettable experience! If you have ever been a fan of anything (Wizardry, Jane Austen, Vampires, Pirates...), and something like that is offered as a LARP, go and live it!! And let these guys help :)

Fairweather Manor has given me a new experience of being able to travel in time instead of endless travels to big European cities. The combination of the authetic castle, the storyline and roles, the costumes and the crowed of engaged and expectageous people from all over was indeed very special. It was my first Larp and I even brought my 1,5 year old son. Whenever I have to recommend a cultural experienxe, I find nothing that beats this.

The College of Wizardry was my first larp ever. I really didn't know what to expect. I felt very much out of my comfort zone so I was more of an observer. I wish I had known about the larp where you go to Wizardry school to learn about potions, spells, etc. I would have participated more if I had known what I was doing. I was amused and surprised at how seriously some people take it. I saw people's feelings get hurt and tempers rise. Having said all that, I did enjoy myself and met some interesting people. I even bought a ticket for a future larp which I hope I will be more prepared for.

The best LARP I have ever attended. Because of the beautiful castle this LARP is held at, it is easy to image you stepped into a different world filled with magic. Your day is filled with classes on several magic subjects that you can teaches or attend as a student. Delicious meals are included and because you eat during the game with fellow students you stay immersed in the fiction pretty much all the time (of course you are free to withdraw and get some time to yourself whenever you need it). The setting is light hearted but you can create as much drama for yourself as you want.

If staying in a beautiful 13th century castle wasn't enough. How about being your own witch or wizard at a prestigious magical college? The team at Dziobak will help! You and other students will get the opportunity to fight for the title, cheer for your school, complete dark rituals or simply party.
Not only will you be playing along side other students but Dziobak have a team dedicated to making the magic happen.
This was a block buster LARP I couldn't miss. Trust me I flew over from Australia to attend.

The Convention of Thorns was an epic experience, the most ambitious and successful LARP I've ever attended. Held in the beautiful mediaeval Zamek Ksianz near Wroclaw in Poland, the location, costuming (including rental), transport, logistics and play experience was off the charts. This was a LARP with nearly 200 participants, its own piece of classical music composed specially for it, a video and photographic crew wandering around documenting, over 40 invaluable support staff including a crew of NPC's who could be requested for scenes and 4 floors of play space.

I played Avery the Duke of Amber, one half of an monstrous couple, the Duke and Duchess of Amber, joint Princes of Wessex and Mercia, Ventrue Elder and first children of Prince Mithras the near godlike ruler of the British vampires. We represented the ultra conservative Albion wing of the Ventrue Clan- staunch Mithras loyalists (if not outright cultists) they were too old, arrogant, decayed nobility who now existed only to torment each other and to thrill in the hunt for the most dangerous game- younger vampires (though never Ventrue to date). Old age had taken its toll and Avery was falling into the ennui and boredom of life eternal. Still the Convention was the first new concept in Vampiric society for millennia, so Avery had mustered one last burst of energy and activity. As the game progressed it became clear that the Duke embodied the Pride of Mithras but his wife was the Patience of Mithras.(and our sorta ally/advisor Lord Camden was a duplicitous Wormtongue to Mithras)

In many ways we were precisely the sort of monstrous Elders that the Anarchs were revolting against, but we didn't have much of an Anarch problem in London Domain(which we renamed Albion Domain since it covered 5 cities) so much as an ongoing conflict with Ireland Domain which led to some choice conflicts and quotes. We were the creaky old Establishment embodied who challenged Hardestadt for primacy of the Ventrue (ensuring my wife got the throne chair in the Ventrue Clan room to his chagrin. At one point Kjell mentioned that every time Hardestadt tried to build bridges, the Ambers would burn it down behind him). I was happy to play that role as villain and conservative so that the rest of the clan had something to react against and progress beyond. Apparently more than a few of the clan were unnerved by my hungry, constant smile in our meetings that I even went full Heath Ledger on the final night when all the monsters revealed their true face.

I haven't done much Nordic LARP, but I tried to embrace playing to lose (literally, the most suicidal Dominate command ever: "Eva the Red, you have insulted the honour of my wife so I really, really, really want you to fight me right now!" - reasoning Avery was proud, overconfident and none of us walk around with our Duel numbers floating above our characters heads). Heck I was probably the best friend Eva could have had in shoring up her support- telling the Fighting Friar of Fermanagh that "I have met God and His Name was Mithras!", and even pushing away her interrupting lover which led to confrontation with Eva and then seconds later a face off with an outraged Tyler whom I taunted for having failed to kill Hardestadt.

I loved the day play concept - semi-improv LARPing in which you can zoom in on internal questions, crystallise and vocalise quandaries or explore backstories. I had several great scenes (falling from Mithras' trust and confessing a new found sense of fear to a confessor before ripping out his throat) and really enjoyed seeing into other people's stories and backgrounds. Particular thanks to German facilitator Oliver who was great. I also pushed hard for Albion Domain play and managed to even arrange a joint Dublin/London session on the Saturday which gave great insight to each side in the conflict to the others positions and relationships and the internal Domain debates on whether to join the Camarilla. (And the ever-warming memory of Avery condemning Lord Camden as just a "jumped up little grave-robber!" with all the spite and class privelege I could muster- it crystallised the hatred I'd been nursing and led me to later agree to try to assassinate Camden (who very much was like Julius Caesar wandering through the Roman Senate, so many knives were out for him).

Another memorable experience that could only happen at this incredible game was when we basically staged a horror movie on the spooky, ruined 4th floor of the castle- we had 4 blonde peasant girls from the invaluable NPC team fleeing in terror from us and hiding as our hunting party of vampires stalked, tormented and preyed on them. We were horrible, terrible monsters, exulting in our bullying and terrorising, but it was a form of physical play - my movement becoming a loping stalking quite unlike the 2 hour Council debates that had preceded it that proved a LARPing palate cleanser and reminded us about the core horror of vampiric nature. My thanks to the whole team and Miika Saynervita for organising.

One cool out of Clan connection I'd come up with paid off- my characters mortal background was Prince of Wessex (and I'd married Darlene of Mercia and we'd had children) but I spotted that the Brujah Ancilla Gytha of Wessex was also a princess of Wessex from post 1066- and having met Nur on the bus we'd agreed to be related and would recognise the family resemblance when we encountered each other in game. We didn't see each other on the first night. Missed each other on the second night. Then finally we spotted each other in the ballroom on the last night and we had a heartfelt moment of dawning reunion, realising that I had a long lost grand daughter returned to me. Even though she was a Brujah, I admired her strength and ambition to seize the Praxis of Moscow and called her a true heir to Wessex and Nur was fantastic in portraying Gythas heartfelt tumult of emotions at reconnecting with the family she thought long dead still existed and asking to call me 'Father.' It was tender, emotional and unlike much of my more monstrous play.

Denouement came on the last night when as our slowly fraying relationship between my wife and I abruptly tore apart in an argument with Lord Camden who we were casting out of the Ventrue even as he ordered us to bodyguard him from the countless enemies he'd amassed. Suddenly 500 years of repressed married bile rose up between us and we had a shouting match behind the ballroom over past bitterness and mistakes that led to the Duchess (putting Albion first) bodyguarding Camden even as I (putting my hatred of Camden and love for Mithras first) vowed to kill him.

Our last confrontation was proper telenovela melodrama. Lured into the Ventrue clan room by my confederate Gytha, I called Camden a duplicitous snake and was about to rip out his heart when my wife burst through the door and we fought back and forth trading long nursed slights and wrongs till she smote me down, slumped on the Ventrue throne. Gytha, seeing her just-rediscovered grandparents battling emotionally begged the Duchess to spare me,and then fed me her blood to recover. A recovering Camden was about to order my death when Darlene put her foot down, stopping him before he could finish the sentence and demanding that for Albion's sake, neither one of us would die. Having cowed us both, she left, and Gytha turned to me and declared "That is the strongest woman I've ever met. I'm proud to be her daughter!"

After that, Avery was a broken man, like Samson his strength had been shorn away by the woman he'd loved who'd chosen Camden (or loyalty to Mithras) over him so he settled down at the back of the ballroom, watched approvingly as Gytha somehow turn a dance with the Baron of Moscow into the smoothest seizure of power imaginable, and declare herself Prince, and the as the party ended and noise quieted down, he slowly slid into Torpor...

Overall an awesome game- I'd come hoping to play the villain even in a game full of monsters and mostly succeeded from the reactions I got. I experienced such a wide range of emotional and play experiences and always had something to do. The experience was immersive and powerful and I would certainly come back again next year for more of the similar but different. Perhaps a character with a redemption arc this time?

"College of Wizardry - The Challenge" was my first bigger larp.
It was a great experience!
The event was well organized and I felt save and welcome throughout the whole weekend.
"College of Wizardry" is the perfect larp for beginners. There are a lot of plots you can participate in or create your own little plots if you wish so.
You will always find people who will help in case you should have trouble with playing your character or if you feel overwhelmed by anything (which I didn't, but it was good to know).
So I would totally recommend this experience if you are thinking about trying out larping for the first time. Go for it, you won't regret it!

I went to College of Wizardry. Not once, but twice and I didn't have any experience with larping before. However my role and the framework for playing was explained in documents and a thorough briefing by the organizers before start.

Actually I was not expecting much from my part and I didn't know any of the other participants, but I decided to try my best to become involved in the gameplay and very quickly I found myself in the middle of the most thrilling, funny, educating and amazing adventure of my life. It was so intense and the ancient Polish castle was the perfect setting. Also the other role players and the staff were doing a fantastic job to make everything seem realistic. It felt like being on a movie set with live action in every part of the castle and its surroundings, however the story was unfolding with no planned dialogue and no fixed storyline or happy endings... Bravo!!!

My second trip to College of Wizardry was equally rewarding. I played the same character and my role this time was involved in a spectacular twisted side story...

I have played both College of Wizardry and Fairweather Manor and really enjoyed both of them. They take place in actual, real Polish castles. The rooms are nice, you may be sharing with people, but they will be nice and friendly people. The games are fun, the food is good.
The games are great. You play a character all weekend and deal with their problems and successes, their hopes, dreams and fears and have the time of your life.