Session V: The Book of Shadows

A book of shadows by R L McNulty

Our summer 2014 season will end with a journey into the underworld realms of "The Book of Shadows." This is an advanced adventure for ages 9 to 13, a story for the brave hearts among us.

A powerful Irish mage seeks “The Book of Shadows” in an attempt to open the portal between the realms of light and shadow. Can the Detectives stop him from releasing the vengeful Shadow Wraiths upon the mortal world or will the dreaded shadowy terrors walk the sunlit paths?

This adventure draws upon old Irish myths of the sun and the dark realms of the dead. Our activities will also focus on light and shadow, with books of shadows and sunspark stones. The books of shadow come alive when light shines through them. The most intriguing shadows are often the ones discovered and not planned.

Session IV: Mask of Dreams

Mask of Dreams
R L McNulty

Session IV features "The Mask of Dreams," a mystery for ages 9 to 13 that draws on Greek myths about Morpheus and Oneiros, two ancient gods of dream.  A mask of unknown origins has some secret powers that unlock the dream world. This story is a tried-and-true adventure guaranteed to augment the detectives' knowledge of Greek mythology. One 4th grade teacher friend of mine uses "Mask of Dreams" every year during her unit on Greek myths.

The activities this week include making our own two-sided masks of dreams. One side represents a happy dream and the other represents a nightmare. Morpheus also challenges the detectives to a shadow puppet duel in the world of dreams--and parents, family and friends will get to see the duel on Friday at our usual 3:30 presentation!

Session III: The Nine Fallen Suns

Moon Daughter
R L McNulty 2014

The third session of the summer involves an adventure inspired by an old Chinese myth about "The Nine Fallen Suns."  Our mystery picks up where the original myth left matters.

Tenth Sun has carried the burden of ten for millenia, and his sunstone needs to be rekindled by his brothers' sunstones. Can the Detectives find them in time to prevent the sun from setting for a final time?

The nine fallen sun ravens is a fascinating myth that is based on the Chinese calendar system. The ancient Chinese reckoned time with both a base five and a base six system. They had a ten-day week based on the sun, and a twelve-day week based on the moon.

This summer, the Detectives will encounter the twelve Moon Daughters on their journey--elusive rabbit girls whose myths have been lost to time. Ten sun raven boys and twelve moon rabbit girls -- a cosmic family in need of a reunion.

It saddens me that while we have the story of the sun ravens, the story of the moon daughters has been lost--I intend to fix that, based on what I know about the myths and calendar system surrounding the story of the sunravens. We'll bring the daughters and the suns home this summer.

Session II: Da Vinci's Dragons

The second session is an adventure for ages 9 to 13 called "Da Vinci's Dragons." This is a more complex version of a recent birthday party adventure, redesigned for the Mavens of Mystery. A mysterious globe is stolen and the Detectives are called in to follow the trail of clues in a classic "whodunnit." Naturally, there are dragons at the base of this story ... and a famous artist.

This week has something for everyone--fairy dragons, old globes with mysterious origins, and a unique combination of Renaissance art, science and magic. Our projects this week will include perspective drawings that explore a little Renaissance magic and fey dragon sculptures.

Session I: Secret of the Gargoyles (Ages 6 to 9)

Gargoyle Globe
from "Secret of the Gargoyles"
by R L McNulty

The summer 2014 season will begin with a four-day adventure for children ages 6 to 9 (entering first through fourth grades). "The Secret of the Gargoyles" involves a wizard and stone gargoyles that don't stay stone for very long ... and that does not bode well for the villagers who live below the castle. Can the detectives learn the secret of the gargoyles before the wizard unleashes his evil plan?  Our art projects for this week include gargoyle masks and snow globes.