The internet can be a harsh, hyper-critical place that’s quick to judge and low on thoughtful, considered analysis. This article is a bit of a reminder that passion runs deep in all fandom cultures, and to totally steal a quote from Gandalf, and mangle it a bit, we shouldn’t be too eager to tear other folks down.
They have arrived at long last! Tested to the edge of their endurance by the hard, unforgiving road, they rest in the rooms of the Marriott inn. The next morn they set out from their rooms in search of the sages of Middle-Earth knowledge.
First off was the panel featuring the players of the re-telling of the Hobbit. Graham McTavish, the Blustery Dwalin, Sylvester McCoy, Radagast of the Woods, and Manu Bennett, that Evil Pale Orc Azog.
Then the sights and sounds of the gathering overwhelmed them, and DragonCon had them in it’s sharp talons. They visited Ed Asner, the Patriarch of the floating balloon house. They tarried among the different different vendors, (noticing that The One Ring’s booth was VERY busy, way to go Ringers), and eventually ended up at “An Evening in Bree” — where there was a marriage proposal!
Bree, City of Men and Hobbits! All the free peoples of Middle-earth had traveled from the corners of the realm to bless this rustic city with their culture and kin. There were hobbits a plenty, men in shining mail, elves in cool thought, and dwarves grumbling into their mugs. Even the closely guarded female dwarves were there, taking a break from their merchant duties among the mountain paths.
There was song and dance, after which the guests of honor arrived to inscribe mementos, well wish followers, and judge the varied garments of the festival based on cut and craftsmanship. There was even a mockup of the dreaded fire drake Smaug! So real it had mothers grasping their children, and armed folk clutching their hilts in angry remembrance.
Last on the list was picking up a tabletop re-telling of the beloved Hobbit story from the fine storytellers at Cryptozoic. Tis a fine game that the company will play without ceasing.
They have arrived, but the true adventure is just beginning.
Tune in tomorrow for the next installment of “Cryptozoic’s Lost Tales” on The Road To Dragon Con!
The companions awoke refreshed in the last Homely House before Dragon Con. Once they gifted their gracious hosts with a bust of Mirkwood resident Legolas, they saddled up into Shadowfax and headed off into the horizon!
Twas a long ride filled with much entertaining and lore-banter via the crystal slab. They talked of the rings of power and heir respective fates, the Line of Durin and what sealed their doom, and of the secret greed of Sauruman, coveter of the One.
As the sun set below middle-earth so did they set down in the bustling metropolis of Atlanta, City of the Sweet Fruit. The company unloaded their precious cargo of outerwear and delved into the fabled convention.
Cryptozoic Entertainment and TheOneRing.net bring you LIVE streaming coverage from DragonCon! For the first time, catch 2 roving cameras walking about day and night covering the coolest Tolkien, Whovian, and gaming panels DragonCon has to offer. Learn to play the new Two Towers Deck Building Game from Cryptozoic, live from the gaming tables, then chat with Dwalin, Bifur and Azog themselves at a panel. Between panels, we’ll be walking around all day showcasing DragonCon vendors like Badali Jewelry, then bringing you epic cosplay for #TORnAfterDark. [Cryptozoic]
As you’ll know, if you’ve been following the Road Trip to DragonCon, that fabulous and fun convention is taking place in Atlanta, Georgia this weekend! And TheOneRing.net will be there in force!
We’ll have a table in the ‘fan tables area’ – please come by and see us! Staffers deej and greendragon will be running the table, with expert help from staffer Thorongil. We’ll have awesome t-shirts and posters for sale, as well as trivia to play and prizes to win! Plus we love meeting fellow fans – so please swing by and say hello! We’ll be in the Hyatt, Exhibition Level, across from the entrance to the Art Show.
TORn will also be presenting two panels at DragonCon: on Saturday, 5.30pm in the Hyatt International South will be The Hobbit: One book, three movies; and on Sunday, 1pm in the Hyatt Centennial 1 we’ll be Previewing The Desolation of Smaug! Staffer MrCere will be joining deej and greendragon – and maybe a few others! – on those panels. Otherwise, catch MrCere very busily running the Tolkien Track at the con this weekend!
Billy Boyd at TORn’s booth, DragonCon 2012
Justin and the Road Trip gang will of course be covering events and streaming from the Con! Other exciting happenings include the Evening at Bree party on Friday night, 8.30pm in Hyatt Centennial 1, where The Tolkien Track have their annual shindig with costume contest and with our faves, Emerald Rose, rocking the house! On Saturday night The Tolkien Track have a new event – a late night ‘Middle-earth goes retro’ dance party! 80s music all night long – come on down and party like it’s the Third Age! 80s attire optional but encouraged – what did elves wear in the 80s, anyway? Come party with fellow fans and denizens of Middle-earth, as TORn’s own professional dj (hey, that’s why we call her deej!) spins the discs – 10.30pm Saturday, in the Hilton Grand Ballroom East.
And let’s not forget, of course, that there are some fabulous celebrities at DragonCon this weekend! Already scheduled on panels are William Kircher (Bifur), Graham McTavish (Dwalin) and Sylvester McCoy (Radagast). Manu Bennet (Azog) is also at the con, so we hope to see him on a panel or two, as well! And our good friends from Badali Jewelry will have a booth in the dealers’ hall, in the AmericasMart Building 1, so say hi to them and maybe treat yourself to a gorgeous piece of jewelry!
It’s all happening; it’s going to be a whirlwind of a weekend! We always look forward to meeting fellow Tolkien lovers at all the conventions and events which TheOneRing.net attends – so we hope to see YOU this weekend at DragonCon!
The internet can be a harsh, hyper-critical place that’s quick to judge and low on thoughtful, considered analysis. This article is a bit of a reminder that passion runs deep in all fandom cultures, and to totally steal a quote from Gandalf, and mangle it a bit, we shouldn’t be too eager to tear other folks down.
They have arrived at long last! Tested to the edge of their endurance by the hard, unforgiving road, they rest in the rooms of the Marriott inn. The next morn they set out from their rooms in search of the sages of Middle-Earth knowledge.
DragonCon: There And Back Again – the adventure continues next week! Meet our fearless Company of Dwarves as they return to the western lands. Join your local event on 
