It all started as a ridiculous idea based on two things:

  • That Leon is a leatherworker and makes shoes

  • That there is such a thing as edible "leather" and it takes a shape really well

And, because Leon is a farm boy from the Gilnean Headlands, ridiculous tests of... "strength"...were the most common activity he remembered from country fairs and carnivals. It seemed only too fitting to bring a particularly silly part of his culture to the Tournament of Ages!Not even Leon was prepared for the enthusiastic response. This game has returning champions, it has inspired artists, and it has formed an almost cult-like following.

Are you ready to join the Cult of the Shoe?

Hall of Fame

The number of challengers grows every year, but the number of winners doesn't always grow to keep pace. Show some respect to the ascendant few who successfully Out-Gobbled the Cobbler!

Tournament of Ages
2023

Darlain Truthhammer - Dedicated Dwarfmum, First Among Dwarfmums
Anzhin Edralan - Sparkly Scholar & Gentleman Bard
Diu'Khanna - Mysterious Masked Hunter That Death Noodles Didn't Forget
Eleyn Aramore - Food Wizard, Duchess of Disgusting Challenges, Heel-Chomping Monster

Jassabrias - DEMANDS MORE MEAT
Kynri Rainwatcher - Nonchalant Chancla-Chomper, Unsure If It Was Worth It
Robin Erodrayssel - Drunk, High, and All Over It
Michael Ironflower - By One Bite and That's All That Matters
Hortdort Frost-Spear - Silent Devourer of Soles

Tournament of Ages
2024

Lor'anni Ae'da - Survived Another Meeting That Could Have Been An Email
Novrec - Don't Call it A Comeback...Please
Kybervath - Made Mr. Rogers Proud
Bluwick Firegiz - Bites Hard with a Vengeance
Ariandael Songheart - DID IT FOR MOM

Lapaki - Why So Serious? BECAUSE IT GETS RESULTS
Sypher Rosevale - Dunkin' on Her Dad
Sebrak - Regrets Asking Novrec To Do Anything Ever
Cythion - Questioning the Nature Of His Relationship With Leon But Still He Won So That's Nice
Drizztan - By a Minute or By a Mile, Winning's Winning

World's Faire Carnival
2025

Carthal - The Chompinest Dude This Side of the Dam
Sebrak (the third time) - Let's Be Real, Astaroth Rubbed Off On You
Hedan the Himbo - The Big Little Himbo That Could

Astaroth Bloodgazer - Spurred to Victory by the Power of Spiting Your Loved Ones
Astaroth Bloodgazer (again) - Let's Be Real, If You Lost You'd Never Unlive It Down)
Ada Othea - Midnight Repose? More Like Midnight Reaper of Shoes

Tournament of Ages
2025

Coming soon!

Will it be you?

Rules

Well of course there's rules and prizes! If it didn't have those it'd just be two idiots eating a wierd-shaped piece of candy in a really fast, unhealthy manner.You and Leon are presented with one shoe apiece. The goal is to eat your shoe faster than Leon eats his own.Easy, right?

1. Just Eat It

The challenge is in the eating, not in making the shoe go away; you eat with your mouth and your hands. No utensils, claws, or alterations to the shoe are allowed.Disqualifying actions include but are not limited to melting the shoe, breaking the shoe into little pieces and discarding them, or intentionally eating so messily that large portions of the shoe end up on the ground.While it's not against the rules, attempting to eat the shoe whole is strongly discouraged as three people have needed medical attention for trying.

2. Be Sportsmanlike

While Leon is Afflicted and also a druid, he will only ever eat his shoe in human form. By the same token, all challengers must restrict themselves to a form with a reasonably-sized mouth; no forms larger than a Dreamtalon are permitted.((On an OOC note, if your character doesn't taste normally, has a literal void for a stomach, or other things that would otherwise trivialize a contest like this... either pretend otherwise, or embrace the eldritch horror of carnival food and respond to it like mundane folks would in spite of everything. The game is supposed to be fun!))

3. Winning's Winning

No matter how much faster than Leon you are, as long as you eat your shoe faster than he eats his, you win. One bite can make all the difference!((The game itself is a simple roll-off, done in three rounds. Your goal is to beat the secret DC with the total of those rolls; if you do, you win! The closer the number is in either direction, the more dramatic the resulting emotes will be...))

Prizes

The prize for Out-Gobbling the Cobbler is twofold, as befits a victory as majestic and incredible as this:

  • A tailor-made "heraldic" callout to the entire festival at large, assigning you a title and declaring your status as a noble in the realm of shoe-eating

  • The most coveted prize at all carnivals anywhere: a commemorative t-shirt!

(endless thanks to Sonceri for this fantastic artwork)

Your name and title will also be added to the Hall of Fame on this page at the end of the event!