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I’ve been sharing all about our Lord of the Rings birthday party and it’s time to tell you about the crowning achievement of the whole party- our Quest to destroy the ring! I put a lot of time and thought into creating an authentic fellowship experience for our party guests, and I’m here to tell you all about it! So get ready to dive into the world of the shire, forming a fellowship, battling goblins and orcs, navigating Shelob’s lair, and of course a visit to Mt Doom. To see a video version of this quest check out my Instagram Reel here.
A Quest to Destroy the Ring
A Letter from Bilbo
Our party started with a hobbit feast, if you missed the details on that you can read all about it here. Once all their bellies were full, our quest started with a letter from Bilbo. I had one for each party guest and it was tied with some leather cord and a golden ring. After everyone had read their letter from Bilbo I played a short clip from the movie The Fellowship of the Ring. I played the scene where Gandalf comes to visit Frodo and they throw the ring in the fire and see the Elven inscription. It’s the moment where Gandalf realizes the power of the ring.
They began the quest as if they were all Frodo, with a request from Bilbo that they safe guard the ring. I printed the letters on this antique paper I ordered from Amazon, and the letter is included in the Lord of the Rings Digital Party Bundle.
Form a Fellowship in Rivendell
After playing the movie clip I presented them with their first quest prompt. In it they learn they must now flee the shire as the Ringwraiths are after them. The prompt tells them to head to Rivendell. I set up a different location for each “stop” on our quest in different sections of our yard. You could do it all inside if necessary and use a different room for each location. The party pack includes signs to hang so that the hobbits can find each location.
Once they arrive at Rivendell they were given their next prompt which tells them that the ring must be destroyed and that they must travel to Mt Doom. But first, they need to form a fellowship! To find out what member of the fellowship they are I created a questionnaire for them to answer. This, and the answer key, is included in the digital bundle. The prompt ends by telling them that they must follow the elven trail to the Mines of Moria.
I made the Elven trail out of those little Keebler Elf fudge cookies. I wrapped each cookie in sarand wrap and laid a trail of them out in the woods from Rivendell to the Mines of Moria. It took them a minute to figure out what it meant to “follow the Elven trail” but eventually they found the cookies and figured it out.
Battle the Goblins in the Mines of Moria
Once they found the Mines of Moria they also found their next prompt. This is where they learn they must figure out the password to enter the Mines of Moria. And that they must battle the goblins (Gimli style) to get out. (FYI the Elvish word for friend is ‘Melon’)
What is Gimli’s weapon of choice? An axe of course! So to complete their task inside the Mines of Moria they got to practice their axe throwing! I bought an axe throwing set off of Amazon and taped a bunch of ugly goblins to a big log. There are also foam axe throwing kits if the thought of real ones is too stressful for you! We gave the kids a quick lesson on axe throwing and then gave them turns trying to hit the targets. Once all of the goblins had been hit, they were able to move on and head for Gondor.
Battle the Orcs in Gondor
In Gondor the next prompt was waiting for them where they learn that now they are being attacked by Orcs and that they need to get help from Legolas to defeat them! Of course this means it’s time for some archery! My son that is into archery gave everyone a demonstration and lesson and then they got to take turns shooting arrows into Orc’s heads. I used a couple bails of hay and again just put some pictures of ugly Orcs on them for targets. You could substitute nerf bows and arrows instead of the real deal!
Have I mentioned that my mother in law made cloaks for them all to wear? Aren’t they awesome?
Once they all had their fill of archery I presented them with Gollum’s riddle. They needed to solve the riddle to figure out where to go next. The answer to the riddle (darkness) led them to their next location: Shelob’s Cave. The riddle is also included in the party pack! What are you waiting for? Buy that sucker!
Escape Shelob’s Cave
Once they find Shelob’s Cave they found their next prompt. This tells them that they must sneak into shelob’s lair and retrieve an egg. Inside the egg will either be cotton or a little plastic spider. If it is cotton it means they escaped without being bitten. If it is a spider…well, their going to get wrapped up because Shelob got to them, just like Frodo! (Shelob, for reference, is the huge gross spider that stings Frodo and almost kills him).
I also included little salt and pepper shakers inside Shelob’s cave that had glow sticks in them. These were supposed to represent the Elvish light that was given to protect Frodo. I got all of those supplies at the dollar store.
To create Shelob’s cave I covered our climbing dome with a big tarp. Inside I hung a bunch of spider webs and hid the eggs (just easter eggs) for the kids to find. I had them go in one by one to get an egg and then once they all had an egg we opened them together to see who got stung.
Then those who had cotton wrapped up those who had spiders with toilet paper. I underestimated how much fun the kids would have with this and that everyone would want a turn to be wrapped, so have extra toilet paper handy! Once they had completed the wrapping their previous prompt had told them to head for Mordor.
Destroy the Ring on Mt. Doom
Upon arriving at Mt Doom they will receive their final prompt which tells them they must now carry a companion up the hill to destroy the ring. (remember how Sam carries Frodo?) If you can position Mt Doom in a place that is higher than everywhere else that will make their task a bit more challenging. We had a big bonfire going at the top and the kids could throw their rings in dramatically. You could use a fireplace or something like that as well.
The last prompt says that once their quest is complete to return to the shire. The shire is where we started so the kids headed back to the dining room for some well deserved cake.
Lord of the Rings Digital Party Bundle
The Digital party bundle comes with all the prompts and printables you need to set up your own quest to destroy the ring! It also includes some fun extras like Tolkein quotes, cupcake toppers, a happy birthday banner and more. Take the stress out of this party, I’ve done the work for you!
Hosting a Lord of the Rings-themed party can transport both fans and newcomers alike to the enchanting realm of Middle-earth. With these carefully crafted party game ideas and captivating printables, your gathering is sure to be an unforgettable adventure. Whether you’re deciphering riddles in a Hobbit-inspired scavenger hunt, testing your knowledge with Elvish trivia, or immersing yourselves in the epic battles of the One Ring, the magic of Tolkien’s world will come alive as you complete this quest!