Summer Camp 2024: Homework

Introduction

Recent weeks have seen me add more content, mainly because I was starting to forget things in the D&D 5e campaign that I'm running, but also to provide more of a 'living' world for my players. I've absolutely loved the last couple of weeks, and finding myself falling down 1 rabbit hole after another, whilst also learning about how to use the fantastic World Anvil.

What is Summer Camp?

In short, it's a prompt-based worldbuilding challenge. During July, we'll release four waves of prompts, and your goal is to complete as many as you can or want! If you complete 8, 16, 24, or 32 prompts, you'll get one of the completion badges (copper, silver, gold, and diamond). Each wave will have eight prompts themed around a keyword, which will help you tie everything together—plus two Wild Card prompts not related to the theme, which you can use instead if the themed prompts don't quite fit your world! After Summer Camp ends, there will be a prize raffle among all winners! Tune in to the Awards Ceremony to learn if you won a prize in the raffle or in one of the community-sponsored prompts.

I'm looking at World Anvil's Summer Camp 2024 as an ideal opportunity to push myself to improve and flesh out my current world of Ashein. Oh, and also have some fun!
So June is all about preparation (or Homework) for the July activities, each week has a number of assignments...

Week 1: Change

Tumultuous times are interesting moments to set stories in, whether they be due to natural disasters, sickness, conflicts, or others. Characters face unusual challenges, infrastructure breaks down, and society as a whole can change. Change can be big and small—from the size of a small community or city to the entire universe—, and it can be positive and negative.

Assignment 1

Consider what kind of changes would fit in with your world's themes, genre, and other foundational points.
When I started worldbuilding, I created a map of Ashein with some random towns and geographical locations. My players started in the village of Blasingdell, so I naturally focussed on that first. Very quickly after that, despite me inadvertantly railroading them in certain directions, it became apparent that I needed to build detail on these other 'random' locations I'd created in name only, as the players started ot ask questions about the world.
Therefore, I need to build these locations, at least a basic foundation, then focussing on locations and lore closest geographically to the players.

Assignment 2

Based on this, decide how many prompts you'll go for during Summer Camp. Then, download the pledge document and fill it accordingly!
The prompt categories are as follows:

Level	# Prompt Completion
Copper	8
Silver	16
Gold	24
Diamond	32

I'm pledging to complete the Silver level. I think I'll probably complete more, but it's my first Summer Camp and I don't want to put myself under too much pressure.

Assignment 3

Get your categories and tags organized!
I've spent a lot of time working on this, mainly in my attempt to work out how best to hide content from my players that they haven't discovered yet. What it has led me to understand is that I'll need to upgrade my account from Master to Grand Master at somepoint to get it working how I really want it.

Assignment 4

Take a look at your meta, primer, and any other high-level document and update it according to the current state of your world.
Not really sure the Meta page works for me in driving me to write, but I've populated it and will keep reviewing to see if it's a good toll for me personally.

Week 2: Refuge

Where do you go when everything around you changes? A refuge can be a literal place (like a building or a city), but it can also be anything that keeps you safe or comforts you. The change someone takes refuge from can also be small in the grand scheme of things—sometimes, small changes can have deep consequences on a specific person or group.

Assignment 1

Consider what kinds of refuge would fit in with your world's themes, genre, and other foundational points.
Orphanages are a key thread in this world. The players were brought up in one, experienced a catastrophe, and left with a lot of unanswered questions. Is there a link as they encounter morre? Or is it a red herring?

Assignment 2

Find a community—whether that’s our Discord server, Facebook Group, your RPG or friend group, or something else.
I've joined the Discord server and already had some great assistance. My player group is getting more and more engaged, and I'm looking forward to the time when I can safely add them as authors to add to the world (and not see unpublished articles), requiring the GrandMaster sub.

Assignment 3

Find ways to improve styling and layout in your world!
I've started to work on themes for specific categories and making sure that images are great quality and link to other articles.

Assignment 4

If you’re a CSS wizard, maybe take the time now to give it a polish!
Dragging the depths of my memory of how I use to build websites using html! But I am using the CSS editor more and more and find the BBCcode tutorials invaluable.

Week 3: Belief

Religious belief is a foundational element for many cultures, but belief doesn't have to be about religion! Beliefs can be about superstition, urban legends and myths, people you believe in, and more. Essentially, anything and anyone that inspires people, for good or ill.

Assignment 1

Consider what kind of beliefs would fit in with your world's themes, genre, and other foundational points.
Religion has become more important more that I thought it would. Recent weeks have seen me deep dive into the earlier civilisations of this world, most homebrew but with some links to the D&D deities.

Assignment 2

Create a bank of inspirations! Quotes, music, description of experiences and shower thoughts, etc.
One of my favourite playlists is this Fantasy Ambient list on Spotify. Helps me zone out.
I grew up more of a sci-fi fan (Star Trek, Doctor Who, etc.) rather than fantasy, and have been heavily influenced by post apocalyptic ideas. The thoughts of how a world rebuilds itself ove the millenia, remnants of forgotten civilisations (as seen in The Tripods, the Shannara books), magic and mutations, forbidden areas.

Would love to include these themes in my world.

Assignment 3

Find art and pictures that inspire you, and grab a map if you don't have one (and need one).
Not a natural artist myself, I've been leaning heavily on AI to generate artwork from my ideas and help my players visualise the world. If this was ever something commercial, I'd obviously employ human artists to help felsh it out, but as a hobby and working fulltime, AI has been invaluable.
Maps, ideas and plot have all been my own.

Assignment 4

Check your inspirations again. Are they still relevant? Can you find any that better represent the current state of your project?
Early inspiration has changed over time. I began wanting an oil painting 'look' but now have found myself moving towards a more realistic visualisation.

Week 4: Decay

Most things decay over time, but, just like all other themes, decay can be understood in a multitude of ways. There's physical decay, but there's also moral decay—both often go hand-in-hand with old organizations, and physical decay can be used as a metaphor for moral decay. And decay isn't always a bad thing - an evil empire might crumble so something better can flourish. Think about how people in your world try to prevent decay too!

Assignment 1

Consider what kind of decay would fit in with your world's themes, genre, and other foundational points.
As mentioned earlier, from a literal point of view I'm hoping to include hints at decaying civilisations, those mysteries and relics from past times. There is a dark underlying presence that my players have seen hints of. How far that goes is yet to be seen.

Assignment 2

If you like special tea when you write, stock up for a month. Tidy your office, make a “do not disturb” sign, and think about any other last-minute strategies to optimize your writing space and time!
I spend so much time reorganising my office space, and then reorganising again. I am a huge procrastinator!
I have bought myself a new coffee machine as well. Every little helps! lol

Assignment 3

Review your world homepage to hook potential readers
My original homepage was shocking (standard book images, links not working, etc.). I've tidied it up a bit and a lot happier. Including the main Ashein map helps, including tidying up the TOC and recent articles. I'll keep working on this as it is the front page and needs to be as engaging as possible.

Assignment 4

Take a look at your author profile and pillar articles on your world and polish them!
Have never looked at this before. Now on my list to complete by the end of June.