Summer Camp 2025

Shaped by the Past

Aravu is a unique case study for this prompt! It is host to the oldest culture and longest-lived species in the world of Babikiye, the Aravun Yashelin. None of them have ever died (of natural causes). That means all of the old guard is still there. I love this prompt because I love to talk about how their culture has evolved over time (or not), considering their society's special circumstances. The past is, of course, sometimes a tragedy, but my favorite moments are when someone from a younger generation realizes that the society they inherited was built by a bunch of goofs.   I'll probably focus on the Yashelin for the most part, but I haven't forgotten that Aravu is also home to the shortest lived sophont species as well. I don't know much about the Fas as a whole, so they're a great source, too.  

Earliest Projects

My earliest traceable project comes from '10, but the original version would've been made in '08 or '09 and is lost to history. I admit that I'm not devastated by its loss, but it's also a shame because it's amusing to look back on what I know were the earliest seeds of Babikiye. I also found an old world from '11, which I love for its simplicity. Maybe I'll revive it as a Kivrian nation?   I also found a forum I used in '06 to create Naruto OCs. I didn't read anything because I'm still too busy laughing at my reply to a critique of my grammar: "i am 10 what do you expect me to be, perfect?" Bless the folks who watched me learn to write in real time, since for some reason no one ever questioned a literal child on the forum.   In reflection, my past creations confirmed for me that the stories I love to write are usually character-driven first. Also, I envy the confidence of 10-year-old me and I wish I could channel some of that energy into my chaotic life right now.

Metamorphosis and Babikiye

Different cultures and regions have undergone some serious transformations over the course of Babikiye's history. For some reason, however, the top two that come to mind are:  

The Aravun Yashelin have a whole system designed to govern their language, Ivu, and safeguard it from excessive changes. It's incredibly rare, but sometimes a piece of generational slang or grammatical oddity manages to slip through the cracks.

Deus ex machina is a real risk that folks face in Babikiye, whether from actual deities or perceived supernatural forces. The Aravun Yashelin are especially susceptible to the Ida's meddling, whether they like the resulting changes or not.

Although it would detract from my focus on Aravu, one example I've pondered a lot lately is when Nanatu begged the Ida to intervene on Kivria's invention of weapons of mass destruction. The Ida listened, and while millions benefited from the Ida's solution, there are more than a few Kivrians who hate that they can't commit mass murder as easily.

I really love this theme! I almost wish it wasn't scheduled for the end of Summer Camp, since I have a feeling this is going to be filled with prompts I enjoy and my goal is to achieve completed-to-satisfaction articles. Gah.  

Nanatu is at the center of current events that will significantly impact Babikiye's future, whether anyone likes it or not, in part because of how she is but also because she's the literal deity of evolution.

I have an old WIP titled "Give Nana a Gun Already" and I would love an excuse to use it.

Her article is so severely outdated and I'm so dissatisfied with its general quality that I took in down sometime last year. If there's a character prompt and I'm inspired enough, she may make a fresh comeback. I'll note that it's an overhaul in the author's notes if I do something like that, though.

I'd want to meditate on her ideas for the future and how it differs from others, especially those whose desires directly oppose hers.

The The Advancing Frost is an ongoing event that will significantly impact the future. I assume everyone has an opinion on what they think should or will happen, but who is at the forefront of the thinkers and doers on the subject? 

Two unlikely folks at the forefront are Maran and Pio. Although Maran is still preoccupied with his life on Kivria, he can't resist the call of the Aravun oceans he had dreamed of exploring in his youth. When he has the time, he joins Pio and his crew on expeditions which reveal new and exciting discoveries every day.

There are a sizeable number folks who don't think the climate will change all that dramatically and a handful are actively working to slow the others down, if not stop them entirely.

I want to integrate tarot cards into my world, since at least one Kivrian culture I know of has a tradition of divination, and I love tarot cards in real life! On one hand, I feel weird trying to integrate something rooted in real life into my world. On the other, maybe its best to simply name your Fantasy!Pear a pear and leave it at that.