Summer 2026, Session 4: Serpent Roads

-

Summer 2026, Session Four:  Serpent Roads 

The Milky Way was often seen as a river, a road, or a serpent – and souls traveled to and from the three realms (Celestial realms, Mortal World, and Underworld) by traveling along this Serpent Road. 

This idea made its way into the most ancient games of Egypt: Mehen, named after the serpent who protects Ra on his daily journey. We'll learn why this board game is laid out in a spiral, with the head of a duck and the head of a serpent. We'll look at why the game pieces were tiny lions, and see how the game was changed to form Senet.

We'll discover how these old games evolved through time and travel, from Egypt into the Middle East and India, and then back to Italy and other parts of Europe, forming the basis of games we know today.

We'll reinvent our own Serpent Road games, and construct tiny game pieces so we can test the games.

We’ll craft our own stories of the Serpent Roads and imagine where we might travel, if we were to take the Serpent Roads. Would our journeys lead into the Celestials Realms or down into the darkness of the Duat?

July 27 – 31, 2026 
Theme: Serpent Roads – Egyptian & Hindu Myths & Games
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
 

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome to The Rookery

-
Image
Welcome to Ravenscrawl Studio's The Rookery: Where Myth and Imagination Come to Play! My name is Rebecca McNulty, artist and owner of Ravenscrawl Studio. From 2012 to 2025, I directed the Dragon's Eye Adventures program in Midcoast, ME. The Rookery emerges from that creative crucible of adventure play, art, and mythology.  My idea is to create a haven where like-minded lovers of mythology can gather to make, game, and write about fantasy and myth. This is the mentoring program for teens and tweens that I would have loved when I was younger -- a place where discussions range from world-building to word-crafting, and practical skills are honed. Participants may focus on art and crafting, gaming, or writing -- or take part in all three branches of the program. I envision a place where multiple activities are happening at the same time. Each day becomes what we make of it. I'll have plans, but they can change or be adapted to individual and group interests. Our themes will set ...
Read more

Summer 2026, Session 1: Gardeners of the Sea

-
Image
Summer 2026, Session 1: Gardeners of the Sea Sea slugs and other intertidal zone creatures will be the focus of this week’s  creations. We'll share our collective knowledge the creatures who inhabit this zone: sea urchins, sea stars, sand dollars, sea slugs and so many more creatures and plants that make a life in this delicate in-between space. I am working on a how-to book about making sea slugs, so participants are welcome to test out the patterns that I have so far. If you made sea slugs or other sea creatures from Dragon' Eye Adventures, please bring them! We’ll look at sea slugs in modern Japanese animé including Pokémon, so this would be a great week for Pokémon players to bring their cards and games. Writers and artists may bring their inspirations from the world of animé and manga from Japan, Korea, or other cultures with bountiful animations about the sea. July 6 – 10, 2026  Theme: Gardeners of the Sea – Seaslugs and Friends in Animé 9 AM to 4 PM, Monday thru Friday ...
Read more

February Vacation 2026, Session A: The Rat Queen's Entourage

-
Image
We will explore the lore of London underground, in particular the legends of the Rat Queen. This picks up on a running theme from Dragon's Eye, allowing us to return to the fun of making more crazy rats. They do tend to proliferate! We'll look at the actual history of Jack Black, Royal Ratcatcher to Queen Victoria, and learn about his connection to a Victorian craze for pet rats in exotic colors (like white).  We will make our own rats, and costume them in Elizabethan costumes as kings, queens, courtiers, pirates or other characters. Gamers will work on a London underground game. Are the rats the villains or the heroes? You decide! Feb 16 - 20, 2026 Theme: The Rat Queen's Entourage -- London Underground Lore 9 AM to 4 PM, Monday thru Friday Current GRades 5 - 10 $350 After Hrs 4 to 5:15 PM, M-F $60/5 days or $15/day Here are some other examples of rats that are possible:    
Read more