Summer 2026, Session 5: Book of Secrets

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Summer 2026, Session 5: Book of Secrets

The word mage has roots that travel back in time through England and France to Rome and Greece, and finally to the ancient Persians with their deeper roots in India. The Greek term referred to the fire priests of the Zarathustrian religion, who were astronomers and scholars known for their learned studies of sky and earth.

We will learn about Zarathustrian beliefs and mythology, and look at the way this old idea of a scholar priest has morphed into our forms of wizards in D&D and fantasy. We'll look at the ancient Persian tradition of sharing knowledge and see how great kings like Darius I brought different ideas together to form libraries and centers of knowledge.

We will make our own Books of Secrets – and fill them with matters that matter from our own life stories.

We'll consider what type of mage we might be at heart, and how that affects our choices within the ordinary world. Are we elemental mages like the druids or do we work with arcane magics from the ethereal realms? 

Our choices will affect the direction our personal Book of Secrets takes. We might build pockets into or books, with elements of shadow and light. Our books may unfold secret worlds, or unlock portals into other realms. This is the mythic imagination on a bookwyrm's tour of the serpent roads that connect one book to another and another, forwards and backwards in time. 

Aug 3 – 7, 2026 
Theme: Book of Secrets – Ancient Persian Lore of the Mage
9 AM to 4 PM, Monday thru Friday
Rising Grades 6 - 11
$350
After Hours 4 to 5:15 PM, M-F
$60/5 days or $15/day

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