Update: This realm closed in May 2017 and is no longer available to visit.
Location: Adventure Realm (Downers Grove, Illinois)
This realm is sometimes referred to alternately to as MagiQuest Chicago, but is located in the suburbs.
http://advrealm.com/
Physical Address: 2011 63rd St. Downers Grove, IL 60516
Realm Type: Kingdom Realm
Chronicle: Runes of the Quest Master
Primary Landmarks: Enchanted Forest, Mountains, Cottage, Dungeon/Crypt, Twisted Woods, Piney Path, Dragon's Lair, Pixie's Perch
Magi Runes Available: Lightning, Dazzle, Protection, Ice Arrow, Freeze, Enchant Creature, Distraction, Heal, Portal, Reveal, Master Magi
Grove Runes Available: Music
Master Magi Runes Available: Potion, Fire, Shield, Creativity, Courage, Compromise, Communication, Collaboration
Magi Adventures Available: Red Dragon, Pixie, Goblin, Silver Dragon
Master Magi Adventures Available: Ice Dragon
Grove Adventures Available: Duel Master
Other notes: Unfortunately, this realm will be closing on May 21st, 2017.
The outside of this place doesn't look like much; it appears to be just another storefront in an aging strip mall. On the inside, though, this realm is incredible. It's like a maze, making great use of their space and incorporating multiple different environment styles.
On arrival, I asked for an Ancient Book of Wisdom... and found out they don't use them at this location. Instead they have laminated sheets that have one quest on the front and one on the back - you're supposed to use them as needed and return them. On the plus side, this is definitely more eco friendly as a lot of people just throw their books away or leave them somewhere when they go. The downsides are that this isn't going to please germophobes (though personally I'm not one) and if there happened to be a birthday party group doing the same quest you were on, you sometimes had to wait for a paper.
They offered some alternative, simplified quests for very small children.
Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be subtitles available here for the dialog. This was challenging because there was so much background noise. Sometimes there were character speeches that I just couldn't catch.
One rather unique quest here was the Music Rune. A unicorn awards it.
Another set of runes worth noting is the Master Magi runes of Creativity, Courage, Compromise, Communication, and Collaboration. To earn the Creativity and Courage Runes, you read about real life historical and folkloric figures and answer questions about them to solve a puzzle. To earn the Compromise Rune, you learn about the Great Compromise of the Magi, what each clan gave up and what they gained. (Woodsy gave up weapon-making and gained intelligence. Warrior gave up invading other lands and gained understanding. Trixter gave up deception and gained humor. Shadow gave up night vision and gained insight. Majestic gave up their ability to rule and gained compassion.) For the Communication Rune, you learn about American Sign Language, Braille, and Morse Code, and translate words into each. For Collaboration, you assist another Magi to fight the Red Dragon. These runes were tricky but fun, the puzzles were fair, and there was some educational value.
Although there is no dueling of other magi at Adventure Realm, it seems like there may originally have been an intention to incorporate that feature at some point. There is an adventure where you assist the Gwendolyn the Duelmaster to recover the key to her potions chest, and she gives you some advice in exchange.
The realm has a restaurant/"tavern" on site called the Crooked Crossbow. I ate lunch there and it was pretty good, very basic fare.
This location also has themed laser tag and an arcade, though I didn't personally take part in either one.
If you need any additional information about this location, please leave us a comment and I'll do my best to answer! :)
~Annacat
