Rana's Events: The annual Tolkien Toast on Laurelin - Wednesday 3rd January 2024

The annual Tolkien Toast 🍺
Wednesday 3rd January 2024

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An invitation to join the Laurelin server Tolkien Toast on Wednesday 3rd January 2024

#TolkienToast #LOTROLaurelin

Celebrating the 132nd birthday of J.R.R. Tolkien, the annual Tolkien Toast is a social RP-lite event, hosted by Ranatuor, on the Laurelin server of LOTRO (The Lord of the Rings Online) MMORPG.

📌 Meeting place: The Bird and Baby Inn, Michel Delving, the Shire, Eriador.

📆 Date: Wednesday 3rd January 2024

⏰ Start time: 8pm GMT | 21:00 CET | 3pm /servertime

📌 LOTRO server: Laurelin

💬 Host/contact: Ranatuor (note the spelling of Tuor, please see below).

If you need help getting there, ask for Ranatuor in World Chat or send an IMS.

Invitations posted on the official LOTRO forums here and here.

📢 Please note: there is a toxic account on Laurelin who uses an alt named Ranatour (misspelling the u) to imitate me. I have only one alt with Rana- as a prefix. Rana means “The Wanderer” in Sindarin (the Elvish name for the Moon) and Tuor is the First Age hero-wanderer who witnessed the fall of Gondolin and also the father of Eärendil, who sailed west and roused the Valar to defeat Morgoth.

📢 Important – Event safety: Laurelin has sadly seen the rise of griefing and other abusive behaviour towards people and events. It’s sad to note that for the first time I am having to put such a warning into the adverts of events I run, because the behaviour of people online is at an all-time low. If you witness any griefing of host or guests, please feel free to report it through the proper channels.

🍺 The event:

I’ve run the Tolkien Toast for many years, following the Tolkien Society’s guidelines (found here).

The event on Laurelin is split into two parts – a short speech about J.R.R. Tolkien then making a toast to him. We then set off fireworks.

After we have done that, I ask the gathered crowd whether they are willing to go off on an adventure. Those who are will hit the road and discover places within LOTRO that are connected to the real life of J.R.R. Tolkien.

My events are often labelled RP-lite – I created this term to signify that whilst roleplaying is part of what we do, especially the storytelling I perform, guests are not expected to roleplay if they do not wish. You join in how you wish, as long as your behaviour is not abusive to others.

For an idea what the event involves, SSG community manager Cordovan (Jerry Snook) attended and live-streamed the 2017 Tolkien Toast. Video here. Note Cordovan did not attend the adventure part of the event.