The Story Behind KublaCon

Ethics & Conduct

Any of the following will be grounds for expulsion from the KublaCon without refund:

• Violating any federal, state or local laws, facility rules or Con policies
• Failure to comply with the instructions of KublaCon Event Staff or security personnel
• Using anything in a threatening or destructive manner against person or property
• Endangering the safety of oneself or others
• Threatening, stealing, cheating or harassing others

If at any time during our show you feel unsafe or feel you were subjected to harassing conduct, please locate a staff member (always in maroon vests) and your concerns will be addressed immediately.

KublaCon’s Code of Conduct applies in all physical spaces within KublaCon’s control. This includes, but is not limited to, event venues and KublaCon social media pages. Occasionally KublaCon is made aware of behavior by participants (or potential participants) that has occurred outside of KublaCon—either online or offline—and is a gross violation of our Code of Conduct. These actions need not occur in KublaCon-affiliated spaces to be considered for sanctions by KublaCon. These include, but are not limited to:

1. Individuals who have not attended KublaCon but have a history of abusive behavior and/or known incidents that took place outside KublaCon that may cause risks to a participant’s safety, or which may contribute to a hostile or non-inclusive environment at the convention.
2. KublaCon participants who have been reported for outside incidents, including, but not limited to, conduct at other conventions, threatening or abusive behavior online, or assault

We understand that, at times, participants will have disagreements or interpersonal conflicts that do not necessarily escalate to the point of harassment or abuse. KublaCon will not arbitrate such disagreements—we ask that you please leave these conflicts at home.

Anti-Harassment Policy

No Harassment Policy

KublaCon is dedicated to providing a harassment-free and positive experience for everyone. All persons are expected to follow the code of conduct and work to provide a great convention experience.

KublaCon will not tolerate harassment, and reserves the right to revoke badge privileges, remove from the premises, and/or contact law enforcement regarding anyone found to be contributing to an unsafe or hostile convention environment. We ask you to remember that boundaries and comfort levels vary from person to person. Do not assume that a behavior you would find acceptable is therefore acceptable to another person. It is each individual’s responsibility to obtain definitive consent from another person for anything that involves that person. The absence of expressed consent must be treated as refusal. It is likewise every individual’s right to dictate their own boundaries and be respected.

What Constitutes Harassment?

Harassment is generally any behavior that alarms, threatens, demeans or excessively annoys another person or group. Harassment includes offensive verbal comments (related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion), sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome sexual attention, and false accusations of harassment. Attendees asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately.

If you feel that you are being discriminated against or harassed, or if you notice anyone behaving inappropriately (such as violating convention or hotel policies), we respectfully suggest the following:

1. If you feel comfortable doing so, calmly point out the inappropriate behavior to the person(s) involved. Often this will solve the problem immediately.
2. If you do not feel comfortable doing so, ask a friend or fellow gamer to speak to the person(s) involved on your behalf.
3. If you do not feel comfortable talking with the person(s) involved, if talking to them does not resolve the issue, or you are still uncomfortable with the situation please report the situation immediately to any staff member OR
4. Text KUBLAHELP to 484848 and a member of our ORLOCK security staff will discreetly contact you for your location and situation via text.

If possible, when reporting please provide a name, and/or physical description of the person(s) involved when reporting an event. Remember that we need information so we can act on any unfortunate incidents during the event to make everyone’s experience a positive one! If you feel that you are unsafe or being harassed, please approach any KublaCon staff member. Your safety and comfort are important to us.

COVID-19 Policy

KUBLACON 2023.

KublaCon wants all its attendees to feel safe while at the convention. As producers of a large indoor event, we must take precautions to provide maximum possible safety and comfort for our staff and attendees. If nothing worsens regarding COVID-19, we will be implementing the following policy:

We will require proof of vaccination for all attendees ages 5 & up. There will be no exceptions due to medical, religious, or personal preference. You are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 if you received your primary series. However, we recommend all attendees receive a bivalent booster. A bivalent booster is one that covers not just the original COVID-19 virus, but also the OMICRON BA.4 & BA.5 variant. People who are immunocompromised should consult with their physician for vaccine requirements to fit their individual needs.

In 2023, we will NOT be accepting test results as an alternative to vaccination.

The wearing of masks will be 100% voluntary and we will not tolerate harassment of anyone for wearing a mask at any time. We will also allow GMs and Game Hosts to require masking for their games if they feel it would be best. All players are required to follow the rules set forth by their GM/Game Host or withdraw from the event.

COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon. As such, the events that unfold in the coming winter months could affect what is required of KublaCon come May. We only will make more stringent changes to this policy IF health officials deem it necessary. We will not be lifting the vaccination requirement.

This is not a decision we take lightly. If you cannot join us for KublaCon 2023, we will miss you. We hope to see you at a future KublaCon.

Refund/Credit Policy

Refunds are permitted until May 1, 2023. 

Refunds of badges & tickets will be self-serve until May 1, 2023.

After that, you will need to email registration@kublacon.com to request a refund. There are no guarentees that a refund will be issued so please email a complete reason for the request. 

Conflict Resolution

No one should tolerate any conduct of this type. Should you experience or witness harassment, you may choose to take any of the following actions:

1. If you feel safe and comfortable doing so, ask the offender to stop. Whether the offending behavior is intentional or unintentional, expressing your discomfort to the offender directly often puts a stop to that conduct. Oftentimes, the offending behavior is unintentional, and the accidental offender and offended will resolve the incident by ceasing the behavior and/or apologizing.
2. Leave the area. While this may be unfair to you, it is sometimes best for your safety and well-being if you to choose to leave the area, especially if you feel uncomfortable around the offender or their conduct. After separating yourself from the conduct, you may still choose to take additional actions.
3. If the offender insists that he/she did not offend, or if the offender continues the harassment after being asked to stop, then you will need a third party to step in. Find a KublaCon staff member (orange shirt) and let them know about the incident. Or, please email us at contact@gameholecon.com.
4. Contact the police or other appropriate authorities. Your health and safety is our most important concern. If you require immediate assistance from law enforcement, medical services, or other governmental entities, please do not hesitate to contact such services directly.

Investigation

Based on any informal or formal complaint or report of harassment, KublaCon may take the following steps. Note that this list is not exhaustive, and other appropriate action may be taken as necessary. That said, KublaCon staff (maroon vests) will investigate thoroughly any reported incidents of harassment, seeking private accounts of the incident from all concerned parties.

Read and investigate all reports. Reporting parties may be contacted for further clarifying information, unless they have submitted a report anonymously or asked to not be contacted further. Note that KublaCon will not share the results of these reports with anyone, including the person who filed the report, unless required by law.

Intercede if and when appropriate. KublaCon staff may take immediate action to address harassment concerns, including but not limited to, escorting participants to a location in which they feel safe, refunding tickets, cancelling events, moving event locations, requesting participants leave a specific area, removing offenders from the event, or banning offenders from the show. Bans and removals may be on a temporary basis, for the duration of the show, or permanent.

Contact police and medical authorities when appropriate. If, upon review, KublaCon finds that relevant local government officials should be notified, KublaCon may contact such entities and/or share confidential information as required by law.

Sanctions

KublaCon participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, staff may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender, expelling the offender from KublaCon, or banning the offender from the KublaCon gaming community.

Specific sanctions may include but are not limited to:

• Warning the harasser to cease their behavior and that any further reports will result in other sanctions
• requiring that the harasser avoid any interaction with, and physical proximity to, their victim for the remainder of the event.
• Requiring that the harasser immediately leave KublaCon without refund and not return.
• Not allowing a person who violated the policy to attend future KublaCons.
• Ending immediately any gaming events or other event responsibilities and privileges the harasser holds and requiring that the harasser not attend future KublaCons (either indefinitely or for a certain time period) publishing an account of the harassment.
• Permanent ban from any KublaCon sponsored events or online services.
• Reporting of the incident to the appropriate authorities.

KublaCon staff (maroon vests) will help participants contact hotel/venue security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the event.

We expect participants to follow these rules in all KublaCon venues, KublaCon-related social events, and online communication channels.

We value your participation in the KublaCon community, and your efforts to keep KublaCon a safe and friendly space for all participants!

Privacy Policy

We are the sole owners of the information collected on this site. We only have access to/collect information that you voluntarily give us via email, tabletop.events, or other direct contact from you. We will not sell or rent this information to anyone.

We will use your information to respond to you, regarding the reason you contacted us. We will not share your information with any third party outside of KublaCon, other than the below.

*Please note* By acquiring a game ticket to any specific gaming event at our show, you are giving us the express permission to share your contact information with the GM or organizer of that event, should they request it. GMs/organizers often want to contact their players before their event in order to share information about that specific gaming event.

Fire Arms Policy

Real firearms are not allowed at KublaCon. This includes those attendees who maintain a conceal carry weapons permit from any state. (Sworn law enforcement are excused from this policy.) Attendees who choose to ignore this policy may be asked to leave the convention and may have their badge revoked. 

Lost or Misplaced Badges & Event Tickets

We cannot replace lost, stolen or forgotten badges and/or event tickets. Please be responsible with your KublaCon materials. Lost, stolen or forgotten items must be re-purchased at full cost. It is recommended you check with the KublaCon Registration Desk to see if your materials have been turned in to Lost & Found. Convention Academy, LLC assumes no responsibility for lost, stolen or forgotten materials. We are not sending anything through the mail. All badges and tickets will be Will-Call.

Waiver of Liability

The purchase of a KublaCon badge admits one person to all basic activities and exhibits at KublaCon during regularly scheduled hours for the day(s) it is purchased. Some designated activities may require payment of a separate, additional fee. In accepting a badge and in consideration for being admitted to KublaCon, the holder consents to being recorded (by audio and/or visual means) for exhibition and exploitation by any means in all media, including without limitation the Internet, worldwide in perpetuity. The badge holder releases KublaCon & Convention Academy,LLC from any liability for loss or damage to persons or property, infringement of any right, or any other claim or course of action of any kind; authorizes and permits Convention Academy, LLC and its designees which includes but is not limited to all sponsors, exhibitors and contractors to use and authorize the use of his/her name, voice, likeness and all reproductions thereof by any means and in all media now and hereafter known, including without limitation the Internet, for all purposes worldwide in perpetuity; and agrees to comply with all the rules and regulations of the Event. Convention Academy, LLC reserves the right to deny entry or remove from the Event facilities any person who in its sole and absolute discretion is behaving or threatening to behave in a manner which it reasonably considers to be disruptive of the KublaCon.