Session VII: Blackheart's Ruby - Recap

Dragon's Eye Adventures moved to the Landing Y in Brunswick, for the seventh adventure, "Blackheart's Ruby." The story dives into a romanticized world of pirates, where liberty and chaos reign supreme.

The detectives receive a visit from a mysterious man seeking their help. The encounter ends badly, when the man is dragged into a void by red webs and tentacles. He throws a pouch to the detectives, with hasty instructions to destroy the Bone Ruby it contains.

The detectives follow the clues to Wales and then back in time to Libertalia, a legendary pirate port on the island of Madagascar. There, they seek information at Rapscallion's Rootbeer Pub. Their plan was to join Blackheart the Pirate Queen on the final voyage of her long life.

The team disguised themselves as pirates, and undertook Scalawag's Trial of Seaworthiness. A rollicking game of "Overboard" ensued, with seafaring instructions like "Batten the hatches," "Hoist the sails," and "Captain's Coming." By the time Blackheart arrived, the detectives were performing like pirates, which is to say, pretty well, with occasional excursions to the brig. Pirates love the brig.

By now, my experienced readers may sense that I'm leaving out a few details -- a few very important details. Like what happened to one certain detective, whose very life and liberty were threatened in a very significant way. Well, I'm just not going to say more that that right now. I may run this case again. (I've already run it twice in Maine, and about five times in the Boston area.)

I can't tell you where the pirates were going, who they met along the way or why they were going to this place. Let's just say, it was dangerous. Very dangerous. Life and liberty hung in the balance, and the detectives had to keep their wits about them.

Blackheart's Ruby had a good time. A very good time.

Thank goodness the detectives had the fey dragon, the black cat and the moon rabbit with them. They were just a few of the random bits of magic that saved the day. 

We had a wonderful time playing pirates and drinking rootbeer. Pictures of the detectives' wonderful pirate maps and bone amulets are on the Facebook page. So are shots of the adventure itself. Maybe those photos will provide a few more clues about the story!

Summer 2018, Session VII: Blackheart's Ruby

Blackheart the Pirate Queen
RLMcNulty 2018
Micron pen, colored pencil, ink

Dragon's Eye Adventures will be returning to the Landing YMCA for two weeks this summer. Session VII will run from Monday, August 13 - 17, for all ages (6 to 16). The hours are the same: 9 AM to 4 PM for the adventure, with after hours until 5:30 PM.

Session VII will feature an adventure that is among my oldest stories. Red stars abound in this high chaos mystery called "Blackheart's Ruby." It features a magical amulet called the Bone Ruby. The Detectives undertake a quest to discover its origins, trailing the clues back to 18th century Madagascar. This ruby was nonce owned by a pirate queen named Blackheart, and our heroes will have to sign on as her crew if they wish to solve this case. We'll see if they can convince her to take them aboard the Rabblerouser.

Our projects will include our own Bone Rubies with their accompanying pirate maps.

Blackheart's Ruby - Madagascar Pirates

Bone Ruby Compas Rose
by R. L. McNulty

When a magical amulet known as the Bone Ruby shows up at Dragon's Eye Ventures, trouble follows close behind it. The detectives find themselves drawn into the world of pirates and pirate queens of Madagascar at the turn of the 18th century. Before this adventure ends, the detectives must discover the secret location of the legendary pirate utopia known as Libertalia, a place of contradictions where anarchy reigns and slaves walk free.

Detectives will create their own Bone Ruby amulets, pirate maps and flags. Our week will feature new variations of an old classic game called Overboard, along with many other pirate-inspired challenges like Walk-the-Plank.