Return of Reckoning

So, like many new players I just recently found RoR and when I began running around I saw a few people with this neat looking backpack. Come to find out it's called the "Battle Brew Backpack" and was from an event that myself and many of these new players missed. What're the chances of getting it ...

Any reason I have to use a VPN to connect from the U.S.? Is there something I can do to fix that?