Why I Want to Go-Tournaments of Creathorne XXV

by Lani "Gwen" Jones

Forgive me some nostalgia, but I can’t talk about why I want to go to Tournaments of Creathorne XXV without sharing a story from Tournaments of Creathorne XV. See, TOC was my first event ever, and so it holds a special place in my heart because every year I remember how I felt driving down from Maine to Grafton, New Hampshire not knowing what was in store for me. I was so nervous that I ended up driving back and forth past the event site for almost an hour before I was brave enough to pull into the driveway lined with flags and full of cars. Now I make an equally long drive from Connecticut, because to me, this event is a must not miss, flagship event on the Realms’ calendar. There’s a million reasons why, but today I’ll limit myself to just a few highlights that really show off what makes Tournaments of Creathorne unique.

1. Judging. TOC is the perfect place to go if you want to be judged. Wait, wait, wait...hear me out. This event features a tournament or contest for everyone. This year I’m particularly excited to participate in the campfire dessert contest, but there will be also be a poker tournament, a brewer’s tournament, jugging, bardics, a Chopped tournament, a Magic tournament, a mixed drink contest, and a distance siege equipment competition, just to name a few. This is in addition to all of the combat tournaments that will be run throughout the weekend, including the flagship Nation’s tournament.

2. Atmosphere. This event is one of my favorites because that atmosphere is spot on for Memorial Day weekend. This is one of the events that brings the Realms together, both old and new. There are people I look forward to seeing at this event that I really only get to see once a year. In addition, the mellow, discreetly damp atmosphere is a great way to have some responsible adult fun while swapping stories around campfires. This year, people are really going to be bringing their A-game in terms of garb and regalia based on all of the #TOCvaguebooking posts I’ve seen over the past weeks. I’ve spent this weekend the same way for the past ten years, and I honestly couldn’t imagine it any other way because of the atmosphere. This event really has something for everyone: from epic night quests to dancing around the fire, from combat to camaraderie--I promise you, you won't be bored.

3. Cookouts. If you know me, you know that food is always going to make the list of reasons I want to go anywhere if it’s an option. I love the TOC barbecue on Saturday night. It has never failed to hit the spot when all I want is a great burger, dog, and some delicious sides. But if you nose around enough campsites, you will see that people are always cooking up something delicious, and if you are nice, people might even share with you. In addition, there is nothing like the smells of breakfast wafting around the event site in the mornings before the day’s competition gets rolling again (pancakes anyone?)

4. Kids’ Quest. Now, although I don’t have any myself, I think that the TOC staff does a phenomenal job of entertaining the little ones throughout the weekend. You can't walk through the event site without seeing a posse of wee ones holding adorably sized weapons and beating down monsters. In addition, there are crafting projects to keep all the pint-sized adventurer’s happy throughout the weekend. I love that the event staff embraces the growing community, because these kiddos are the future of the Realms.

I could go on and on, but really, you should be packing. Don’t forget to bring something warm and plenty of extra socks. And maybe a few wet wipes wouldn’t go amiss either, after all, this is going to be a long weekend ;)