Summer Camp 2019 Journal

Another July, another Summer Camp. This year, I'll be working on my vaguely steampunk, generally nineteenth-century wish-fulfilment, low fantasy world. Like last year, my scope comprises of the whole continent of Tamaris. It's not very big, and all the countries could use some more filling out. Last year, I proved to myself that I could answer all 30 prompts. They weren't very clean, and I had no idea what I was doing for half of them, but I did it. This year, I'm approaching things a bit differently. I still have my eyes set on finishing all the prompts, but rather than just writing out a 300-word summary, I want to write full articles averaging around 1000 words each. By the end, I'll have an extra 30,000 words to my world, doubling what I've written so far.
Something new for this year is that all my summer camp articles will be presented by Talia Hrynvar. She's a journalist from Retland and is currently travelling around the continent experiencing new things. Along the way, she'll be meeting new people and offering her insight and opinions on what she encounters. For any location she visits, there will be a quick guide to that place which serves as a travel summary for anyone interested in visiting. Though she doesn't have a character page yet, it's something I'm working on as I learn more about her.
I will not be focusing on visuals for my articles. While I know that they can really enhance the appeal of an article, I'm not very artistic, and trying to find a bunch of graphics will only take away from time for developing content. Also, since I intend to write more fleshed out articles this year, I will only be able to publish about one per day. I got really burned out last year trying to finish them all quickly, so I will take my time and enjoy the journey. After all, it's a marathon, not a sprint. This article will be updated daily as I finish each prompt going mostly in order.
My final goal for summer camp is to feel more comfortable sharing my articles. I've recently joined The Good Cookies chapter, and already I can tell that they are an amazing supportive bunch of people. I also plan on talking to people in the summer camp Discord channel and sharing my articles there. World Anvil really has a great community, and I'd like to be more a part of it.

So what is Tamaris?

Tamaris is the name of the continent where my world takes place. It resides on an earth-like planet, though the continent itself is smaller than any continent on earth. There is more to the world than just Tamaris, but it's unknown territory. The world falls into the low fantasy category as humans are the only sentient species, magic used to exist but is now dead, and there are still some fantastical animals and plants. Steam engines dominate the technological landscape and have done so for centuries. However, older technologies are still present, and electricity is new within the past fifty years. Thematically, the world is focused on the relentless march of industrialization, class divide, the strength of the underdog, enlightenment and romantic thinking, and political change. The world is holdings its breath, but no one knows how the cards will fall.

Describe a lush and fertile location in your world.

Write about an important plant in your world and what it is used for.

Describe a settlement that is famous (or infamous) for its industrial activities.

Write about a ceremonial building in your world and what takes place there.

Describe an inhospitable area in your world and what its environment is like.

Write about a constructed or natural landmark in your world.

Describe an isolated or frontier settlement and how it survives in your world.

Write about a creature that is used as a beast of burden or transport animal.

Describe a country in your world, including its political structure and history.

Write about a typical house or dwelling in one of your cultures or countries.

Describe a culture in your world which has particularly warlike traditions.

Write about a tale surrounding a mythological creature in your world.

Describe the tenets or precepts of an organised religion in your world.

Write about an influential woman in your world and what they achieved.

Describe some common idioms and sayings from a culture in your world.

Write about a conflict that shaped the political climate of your world.

Describe the tales in your world designed to make naughty children behave.

Write about a great thinker in your world and the impact they had on society.

Describe a physical condition associated with old age in your world.

Write about a mental illness in your world and how people respond to this.

Describe the culinary traditions that are unique to an ethnicity in your world.

Write about a material which is extracted, mined or quarried from the ground.

Describe the functions and uses of a commonplace item in your world.

Write about the history surrounding a unique artefact or work of art in your world.

Describe a major technological breakthrough and the impact it had in your world.

Write about a popular card, dice or board game in your world and how it is played.

Describe the functions of a vehicle used for military practices or conflicts.

Write about the properties of a material which is used for clothing in your world.

Describe a commonly used vehicle in your world and who its used by.

Write about a collection of culinary recipes from a particular culture in your world.