Back again for another year of SummerCamp! , one of our favorite holidays of the year. WorldEmber is the other.
Since last SC Ademal moved downtown to live with her partner and Barron got a new job , so neither of us has had as much time to write and we are EXCITED to blow off some steam with some good ol' fashioned WORLDBUILDING.
It was 106°F / 41°C the other day, so we're looking forward to taking shelter in the AC writing our asses off between work and life. Ademal's edge is that she doesn't sleep, but Barron usually has freer weekends.
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Week 1: Love
This year we're theming Summer Camp around the four seasons, and the first theme, based on spring, is Love! Love doesn't have to be romantic, and it definitely doesn't have to be between people (patriotism, hobbies...). Before continuing, take a moment to think about various manifestations of love in your world.
The first step to complete a goal is to set it! So, for your first assignment decide how many Summer Camp prompts you'll aim for.
Ademal
In terms of CSS and other prepwork, I've gone back and identified a few articles I might want to write from scratch for SummerCamp. I've also used this opportunity to restyle the new CSS editor -- an important thing to have when your CSS is over 6000 lines!
Despite all the relationships I've had, I don't often write about love. When I do, I like my romances to be toxic, ill-fated, star crossed, or adversarial. I'm not in the habit of writing happy endings, but I do enjoy a bittersweet tragedy.
I think I'll write about one of the foundational battles of the Aempian Empire -- Snowmane defending Mothelkhan against the Valuserran forces until the Aempian insurgent forces can show up to secure it. It's a fraught battle, full of tragedy and passion.
Barron
I've been working with Dano a lot; you've probably seen a bit of his work if you've been on our Discord or looking through some of our recently updated Articles.
I had him make the little Sheljt you see in the top left here. My little summercamp homework was practice some CSS to see if I could make images hold that upper left.
I'm happy with the results and it helped me get a little bit of learning in on CSS
I plan on hitting love as a theme in Summercamp this year with a couple articles. I'd like to explore some events that Hedon clubs might participate in as a way to flesh out some ideas for my on going book!
I'm hoping I'll get a couple prompts that work out perfect for it!
Oh yeah, we've been doing this for a while.
Week 2: Growth
Where will you focus your worldbuilding? If you don't set boundaries for your Summer Camp worldbuilding now, you'll be jumping all around your world, which will keep you distracted and unfocused.
If you focus on a specific area, you'll find yourself in the flow of worldbuilding, which will make it much easier and satisfying! To choose an area of focus, pick either a geographical area or an area of knowledge (such as magic, factions, etc) that is small enough to be focused but large enough to have a lot of possibilities.
Ethnis as a universe is always growing. Banners and their people seeking new lands and new planets. Many of the planets themselves are alive with countless creatures made by ever-growing corporations and organizations. Some grow out of control, and some maintain order in the ecosystem.
The people grow their status, their wealth, their values, and themselves. How they do it, is an infinite amount of stories within itself.
Growth is a primary focus on Ethnis, figuring out how both the natural and supernatural advance and expand is going to be one of the fun topics we cover as part of Summer Camp.
Barron
I'm going a lot into core lore with my latest couple of articles. I've got quite a few ways to establish elements of core lore. Now it just comes down to finding the right prompt to fit the ideas into. It might require being flexible and writing from a different point of view.
I'm particularly excited to establish some companies and families of weapons; help flesh out the Ethnis logistics and expand the armory for the TTRPG.
And I think both Ademal and I got excited about the idea of universe-wide cryptids, with some interesting theories behind their existence.
Also I'm planning to help establish the evolutionary parent of the Verin! Now I think that ties in pretty dang well!
Week 3: Loss | || || |_
When autumn comes around, leaves turn golden and fall—a symbol of loss, this week's theme! Loss can refer to death, but just like how trees don't die when they lose their leaves, this theme can be about so many other things! A lost language or culture, a forgotten relic, or a ritual honoring ancestors are also related to loss. Spend some time thinking about this theme and how it applies to your area of focus.
If you have other things going on in your life—work, studies, family, plan your worldbuilding schedule now. Summer Camp articles must be at least 300 words long, so spend some time thinking about how long it takes you to write this much.
Then, based on the goal you pledged in Week 1, think about how much time you'll need to complete your Summer Camp goal. Look at your calendar for July and find which days you'll be able to write, If you can manage daily writing sessions, that's the best way to ensure you'll get to your goal—consistency is key!
I think I've had quite enough of loss this year. I commemorate this SummerCamp to Gorkam Worka, who recently passed away. You will be missed, brother. I'll always remember and recite your name, Manu, so that your name may live even though your flesh is gone.
I miss my grandmother and my two great aunts. I miss the people my country has killed. I miss childhood memories and the many pets I've buried since. I miss people in my life who were once there every day but who are now strangers. I miss the inferno I had within me before deaths, and distance, and the steady deluge of life washed it down to a sputtering flicker.
I do not know yet what I will write of loss, but I aim to make you feel it when I do.
Week 4: Family
Winter is a cold season, but throughout many cultures this has created in-door cozy festivals and celebrations with family. Family doesn't have to be biological (what about found family?), and it can refer to a variety of different things! A family of plants or languages, tight-knit communities, pantheons... What do families look like in your area of focus, and which other meanings of "family" can you find in your world?
Let's look beyond Summer Camp for a moment! Why are you a worldbuilder? What do you aim to do with the world you're creating? It could be a tangible product (such as writing a book or a campaign setting) or something more personal. Take some time to think about it.
Then, think about how Summer Camp will help you work towards this goal. This is a very important step to complete the challenge; while we can give you external motivations (prizes, badges, etc), only you can find your own inner motivation, which can often be much stronger than any prize.
Planned Articles
Ademal
Barron
I've been brainstorming on a whole bunch of different articles, trying to keep them open-ended enough to fit into some of the prompts we'll get.
A demon family type of demon that appears in places where obsessive types congregate, embodying their studies. They are treated as minor deities and saints. Some places have issues with the local churches wanting to exorcise them.
Founding member of the Earthen Recovery Project. Paramilitary protector of the Sonoran Desert, first as part of his own family, then under the funding of Aempis. Combats illicit pillaging of the quartz-rich environment. Holds anyone who disrespects 'his' land in immediate contempt.
Cute but fucking fierce, a family of species native to Jhoutai. The ancestor species to the Verin. Wild variants grow to the size of crocodiles while the tamed variants are the size of medium to large dogs.
An excuse to flesh out some summaries of the different banners' military industries, which will help us define weapons and armorers. Thinkin Yamamoto, Victory Corp, Khirmagne Arms Group, Aempian Companies, etc.
Wishing you both the best of luck for this Summer Camp! Can't wait to see what amazing new things you create. <3
Haly, the Moonlight Bard
Author. Worldbuilder. Miscreant. Malcontent. Punk.