Black Skystone of Doom - Recap

The Riddle Ravelers test their plant disguises

A meteor was fast approaching earth and the Dragon's Eye Detectives were on the move--first to the Flight of Mind Travel Agency to find Timedigger and his Tin Lizzy time machine, and then to the Atrocious Period, that little-known end of the Cretaceous Period when the dinosaurs had one last chance to save their world from the Black Skystone of Doom.

We spent the week befriending herbivores and dodging carnivores. The best advice learned along the way: Friends don't eat friends. The most hilarious game of the week? Activating our plant disguises as we ran from tree to tree across the campus quad.

Very special thanks go to Ken Walden, Lou Ensel and Max Middleton for their guest appearances as roaming spinosaurs, searching for something to eat. All they found were strange little plants cropping up across the jungle floor. Where did those Fuzztops go?

Another special thank you goes to Isaac Ensel and Drew Walden, two Mavens of Mystery who played baby quetzalcoatli (giant prehistoric pterosaurs) who turned out to be rescuers--older detectives sent to assist our Riddle Ravelers with their mission.

Humongasaura Regina in shadow puppet replay by J. Jackman

Our Dragon's Eye Adventures Facebook page has some hilarious photos of the plant disguises in the making and then in use as Isaac and Drew led the detectives from tree to tree, avoiding the spinosaurs. They left the spinosaurs so hungry, they seriously considered a vegetarian lifestyle.

The final showdown with Humongasaura Regina (Huge Lizard Queen) was yet another hilarious game of flying yarnballs and a pink purse. Max was a riot as the queen, Rebecca demonstrated her strange ninja skills at interceptions, and the children--well, they won the day! Magic ring captured, escape to 21st century achieved and Black Skystone turned aside -- all in a week's work.

Thank you, Riddle Ravelers! Your courage and determination were second only to your impressive imaginations!

Book of Shadows - Report

Book of Shadows by Mathea Hoy

The final week of the summer 2014 season featured the mystery known as "The Book of Shadows." Eleven detectives traveled to the village of Knockainey in Ireland, to track and trail a mysterious mage known as Mr. Blackthorn.

Trouble plagued the group in the form of bramble traps and false bounty. The detectives lost their Starbowl, their pouch of jewels and four IDs before the week was done, but they managed to overcome all obstacles in their path. Even the Shadow Creatures were no match for our team.

With courage running high, the detectives kept up as Blackthorn moved from one ancient barrow to another, gathering the Book of Shadows and the key that would unlock the portal leading into the Shadow Realms.

Fran Townsend as a squirrel

We were blessed this week with more help that allowed for advanced games. Fran Townsend brought her considerable skills as an arts educator and school teacher, taking on characters like the Shadow Creature and Donn Firinne. She played the Shadow Eye that guarded the artifacts in Blackthorn's tiny briefcase, allowing us to play one of our favorite sneaking games in the halls of Searles Science building.

Mary Melquist as Aine Cli

Mary Melquist also joined us this week, as the Irish sun goddess Aine Cli. She came in glorious regalia, testing the detectives' courage, compassion, wisdom and respect. Aine Cli gave the detectives their Sun Spark Stones, which may be seen in an album on the Dragon's Eye Facebook page.

After a journey into the halls of Donne Firinne, the detectives faced their final magical battle in the shadow realms of the Book of Shadows. Their wonderful Books of Shadows may be seen on the Dragon's Eye Facebook page, along with other albums showing the week's adventure.

Very special thanks go to Fran Townsend and Mary Melquist. Fran's help was invaluable this week and her stamina impressive! The albums are full of her wonderful photos. Mary's performance was full of color and warmth, so fitting for a sun goddess.

Mr. Blackthorn and three shapeshifted detectives,
a moonmage, a blackjack and a Americian saddle horse.

Thank you also to all of the amazing detectives who journeyed with me this week! It was a week of extraordinary courage and heightened imagination.

Take a look at the shadowpuppet album -- each detective chose their magical path as a mage, complete with their favorite transformation. We have chaos, order and balance mages among us who shapeshift into a Shadow Dragon, a Rabbit, a Blue Fire Lion, a Moonmage, a skeletal T-rex, a Phoenix, a Chameleon, a Barn Owl, an American Saddle Horse, a Blackjack and the very rare Mermage.

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.

The Midnight Cat: Report

One of the beautiful shadow puppets
from "The Midnight Cat" This one is
by S. Melquist and M. Hoy.

A jewel thief known as the Midnight Cat led our six detective mages on a mouse and cat chase through the streets of London, the aisles of Les Puces de Saint-Ouen flea market in Paris and even back in time to the darkened halls of Le Chat Noir on closing day in 1897. It was a week full of secrets and ciphers--and this determined team tackled every code by hand! A very impressive display of code-breaking!

Favorite challenges of the week included the zany bird lady who imprisoned the zebra-finched Detectives (yes--zebra-finched is now an adjective describing the state of being turned into a zebra finch) in cages. She tried to sell them at Les Puces, but the birds were too clever. They played dead every time an admirer came to see them. Clever little bird claws reached for the keys, and soon the Detectives were ... de-zebra-finched!

The story took some unexpected turns, as our thief led the Detectives back in time to the closing day of Le Chat Noir. The artist Henri Rivière was able to shed some light on the reason our thief had stolen the Golden Cat amulet and the candelabra from the flea market.

Let's just say it wasn't good news. The Detectives entered the Shadow Realms to talk with the inhabitants of the prints made by Henri Rivière. Their beautiful shadow puppets may be seen in an album on the Dragon's Eye Facebook page along with the prints that inspired them. Their books of secrets and photos of the week's adventure are also on the page.



Sunrise in the Shadow Realms
Photo by Ike Voorhees, 2013

The Detectives found their journey leading to an ancient goddess of the sun, demoted to the status of a moon goddess and doomed to live out her life in the underworld. Fortunately for her, the Detectives had other ideas--and the sun rose again in her heart. All mysteries need not end in battle and even a red star can grow a tinge of gold.



The Midnight Cat - 19th Century France

Drawing by R. L. McNulty

A mysterious jewel thief known as the Midnight Cat leaves a trail of coded messages that leads the detectives on a wild romp through the artworld of 19th Century France. All roads lead to Paris and the studio of an artist known as Henri Rivière, whose famous shadow plays hide a secret known only to a very few. Can the detectives catch this wily thief, or will the Midnight Cat vanish into the shadows?

Ciphers and coded clues abound in this mystery, and our art projects will include more shadow puppet play. Detectives will make their own codewheels and a jeweled Book of Secrets. Games will include treasure hunts for hidden clues and tracking and trailing the Midnight Cat through the landscape.

Trails, Tents and Turtle Trouble

Secret messages were passed back and forth
in this niche within a tree. This message
had the feel of raven's foot magic.

A trail of open-letter and zigzag codes led the detectives into the Turtle Mountains of North Dakota for the August 2012 adventure Turtle Mountain Dreams.  Were the Mavens of Mystery doing the tracking or being tracked? A little of both, as secret messages were passed back and forth. Having a rain and lightning god of unknown origin on one's tail can be a little unnerving, but the detectives managed to fend off the occasional freezing bolts sent their way.

Tenting and nature huts were part of the fun this week--and an album of images may be found on the Dragon's Eye Ventures Facebook page. Shadow puppetry, turtle mountain maps and a rare Book of Secrets from a mysterious shadowmage added some artistic style to the week.