Green Dragon Gamers 2025
A Middle-Earth Dream Brought to Life

For anyone who has ever wondered what it might feel like to embark on a true Middle-earth adventure, Gaming at The Green DragonTM Inn delivered an experience that surpassed even the most ambitious imaginations. On September 13th, 2025, a fellowship of forty enthusiastic TTRPG players from across the film and game industries stepped into the Shire for a very special, invitation-only evening of roleplaying at the iconic HobbitonTM Movie Set.

The event began with a private tour through the winding paths between Hobbit holes—complete with the beautifully crafted interior sets of Bagshot Row. Guides brought the setting to life with stories, behind-the-scenes insights, and perfectly judged pacing, building anticipation as the sun dipped behind the hills and the warm lights of The Green DragonTM Inn began to glow.

Inside the inn, the combination of crackling firelight, rustic wooden beams, and the soft murmur of excited players created an atmosphere ideally suited to storytelling and dice-rolling. Splitting into seven groups, with seven Game Masters to “rule” them, the players embarked on their Middle-earth adventures, all while a generous flow of Hobbit-style hospitality ensured that no cup or plate was left empty as the evening carried on toward its midnight close.

For organisers Paul Tobin and Stacy Longstreet, the event was the fulfilment of a long-held dream, brought to life in close collaboration with Hobbiton’s event coordinator, Megan Friedli. Like many of the attendees, Paul and Stacy first met during the filming of The Hobbit while working at the world-renowned Wētā Workshop in Wellington—Paul as an art director and concept artist in the Design Studio, and Stacy as Product Development Director in Wētā’s Consumer Products division. Now both working in the gaming industry, they needed little persuasion to rally their fellow gamers—including friends who travelled all the way from Australia—for the journey to Matamata and on into Middle-earth.

In the end, Gaming at The Green DragonTM Inn was far more than a themed TTRPG gathering—it was a celebration of community, creativity, and the enduring magic of Middle-earth. For the fortunate few who attended, it was an evening certain to be remembered for years to come.