The Sari Diaries- 7/27/26

Dear Chippies, Parents, Family and Friends,

It is Realm X The Awakening here at CRC and it is wild in the best way possible. Beginning with the insane hype during Selections last night and going all the way through Night Life ending tonight, it is hard to believe the energy this camp has for this game…or this way of life as it might be better described.

Each summer I do my best to explain Realm in this TSD post. And each summer I am told that while the posts are highly entertaining, they mainly leave people even more confused than before they read my explanation. And that’s quite honestly one of the underrated cool parts about Realm. We have 350 people at #TheRanch2026 who mostly understand what’s going on…or at least they know exactly what they are doing to help their team. But beyond these grounds, Realm is somewhat of a mystery. I think I mentioned this the other night but Chippewa campers and staff feel a sense of pride surrounding this program- they are on the inside of one of the coolest camp games ever invented…and they get to live it for two days (and a night) each summer.

So here’s what happened today…or at least some of what happened…

Campers arrived at breakfast decked in their Realm gear- for most campers that meant in their Tan & White shirts, but the Hunters were dressed in all black in preparation for their roles as spies. A unique feature of Realm is breakfast cheering…while campers are normally so tired at breakfast, they didn’t lack any spirit today…the cheering was loud and proud! Following Cabin Clean-Up, we gathered at the volleyball court for the Cornucopia where the Sachems strategically raced to gather supplies for their teams. And then it was time- teams headed to their castles to strategize before reporting for duty at their designated posts.

The afternoon is when it got real…Tans started the game with a turn, Chippendel was hopping and spies were roaming the woods for clues, dragons and more. Houses exchanged hands multiple times thanks to some very successful army attacks…it was intense! Rumor has it the Tan Beekeeping House has been crushing- they were the first house to go public. In other exciting news, Olivia W (A-Frame) found the Yellow Dragon…something she did quite a bit of research to find…research well worth it for the tan Team- 7,000 Twills (Realm Currency) later, they are happy! Daniella B & Amelia E (Copper Stripes) found the Red Dragon. For better or worse, the hospital and jail saw a lot of action- apparently Knights have been using their Red Knight Balls to take care of business. Annabelle K (Bowed Legs), Amelia F (Bowed Legs) and Maddie Z (C-C) all became a Long Bowers after a very rigorous training. Basically, the afternoon was full of Realm things…and we loved it all.

We did go ahead and break for dinner- some very delicious tacos- and then we resumed game play. The madness continued with the White Apothecary House going public and attacks galore. An interesting trend is that when a house is being attacked, the Braves occupying that house screech to a level that is heard across camp…it is quite obvious when and where an attack is occurring…it is definitely special.

Throughout the day and night, campers could be found hanging out in Chippindel (the Realm Town that takes over Main Street). Campers enjoyed many snacks from the “Grossery Store,” indulged in delicious baked goods from Jen’s Beckery and bought and sold all sorts of industry specific items from Cannon’s Are Us, Wild Stock Trading Co and Dragon’s Nook. As the night progressed, there was a lot of chatter about Night Life- the new Realm X feature. Campers were worried they may lose Morality Points if they stayed out after hours, they were eager to see what special treats Jen would be serving and they were quite curious about what the Night Life scene would look life.

Once Game Play concluded for the night, there was a pause- a chance to shower, relax for a few minutes and prepare for our very first Realm Night Life. While campers were back in their cabins, the staff turned Chippindel over- the whole face of town changed…it was mysterious and fun…picture an age appropriate night club all down Chippewa’s Main Street…it was rocking! Eventually it was closing time- everybody headed back to their cabins exhausted…ready to hit the hay…and prepare for tomorrow- another exhilarating day of Realm X The Awakening.

So now you understand- right? I mean it’s a simple turn-based game with an economy, armies and spies. I am not even scratching the surface of the details that are involved in this game…I mean there is a 200+ page guidebook that details every nuance. We have campers who have read it front to back, and some who are just learning as they go. Either way, they are enjoying this very special experience.

I will conclude this post by sharing my personal favorite part of Realm. This is an event that brings Chippies together. All Braves are split into houses…twelve between the two teams…and each house has two House Neutrals who are counselors. These houses are randomly generated so inevitably campers are in houses with others who they may not know so well going into Realm. But after spending full days together, working as a team, they get to know and appreciate each other in a meaningful way. To raise chickens, mine, build a stinger cannon, and do a bunch of other crazy tasks together is to grow together…and that is what campers are doing throughout Realm. As campers get older, this looks different…spies are randomly paired together to search in the woods, help with army attacks and defenses and collect info on the other team. And the Chiefs are either sitting at the Round Table making a game plan or heading out on army attacks and defenses with a smattering of other Chiefs. All of this provides our campers with an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and really get to connect with those they may not otherwise.

I’ll have more to share tomorrow after the conclusion of this magnificent game, so get excited .

Happy Camping and Love,
Sari

P.S. Shout-out to Emmy L (Timber Walk) for celebrating her 12th birthday during Realm…quite a birthday party!