Summer Camp 2024 Prep

Even though I created my World Anvil account more than a year ago, I didn't use it that much until now. It's time to do something about it and start to categorize information about Bleakmor (WIP) instead of daydreaming.

Assignment 1

Consider what kind of changes would fit in with your world's themes, genre, and other foundational points.

I want to shift Bleakmor (to be changed) from a Medieval England-inspired setting (to say it's overused in different stories and novels will be understatement) to one influenced by early Kyivan Rus. This means adjusting existing elements or starting from scratch to incorporate elements of ukrainian history and culture. A few days ago, I spent some time reading about one Kyivan knyaz who repeatedly returned to power despite being ousted multiple times and it give a bit of inspiration. It will be an interesting challenge and that's my goal for this Camp.

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!

It's my first time doing something like that and I have a lot of other things in my life, so 8-10 promts will be enough for now. I don't want to burn out after the first week by trying to finish everything. Copper or silver badge will be enough.

My world is still in the early stages of its creation, I have zero experience with World Anvil. I tend to do everything at the last minute (which is kind of obvious since I am almost too late for the Summer Camp homework). I'm not sure if I succeed, but I wish myself all the luck and patience to achieve my goal.

Assignment 3

Get your categories and tags organized!

I will use sc2024 for articles created during this Summer Camp and other relevant tags if needed. As for categories, it's work in progress.

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.

Nonexistent yet :( But I will work on my meta as soon as possible. As for the introduction article or primer, I'm scared even thinking about it.

Assignment 1

Consider what kinds of refuge would fit in with your world's themes, genre, and other foundational points.

Refuge in Bleakmor can be both physical and emotional. Physical refuges might include fortified monasteries or hideouts for mages, while emotional refuge could come from relationships with other characters or inner healing.

The world is dark and unforgiving, presenting many challenges for those who dare to oppose its rules.

Assignment 2

Find a community—whether that’s our Discord server, Facebook Group, your RPG or friend group, or something else.

I've joined Discord server. Hopefully, it will help me stay focused on my goal, find some hints or inspiration. I'm not a talkative person, so it's unlikely for me to participate actively. Still, it's nice to have some sort of community in challenges like this one.

Assignment 3

Find ways to improve styling and layout in your world!

Since I don't have one yet with my barely existing world, I'll skip this assignment for now. Though I want a visually appealing design, my main focus will be on content creation and organization.

Assignment 4

If you’re a CSS wizard, maybe take the time now to give it a polish!

I’m not a CSS expert. I attempted to make a floating sidebar but failed, so I'll revisit this when I'm more comfortable with the basics.

Assignment 1

Consider what kind of beliefs would fit in with your world's themes, genre, and other foundational points.

Beliefs in Bleakmor can be drawn heavily from Norse mythology and ancient Slavic traditions. I would like to focus on two major opposing religions in this world and explore the effects of the indoctrination of religion.

Radiantism is the dominant religion in Bleakmor. It centers around a monotheistic belief in a singular, all-powerful deity known as the Radiant One. This deity is believed to embody the sun's light, bringing order, justice, and life to the world. Radiantism opposes an older pantheon of deities associated with magic. It gained popularity and followers after a catastrophic event that happened a few centuries ago due to the prevalence of mages who considered themselves closer to gods than people.

Assignment 2

Create a bank of inspirations! Quotes, music, description of experiences and shower thoughts, etc.

Assignment 3

Find art and pictures that inspire you, and grab a map if you don't have one (and need one).

Pinterest board with some pictures for inspiration

I began working on a map before deciding to change the setting, so I'll focus on making the relevant region smaller and more detailed.

Assignment 4

Check your inspirations again. Are they still relevant? Can you find any that better represent the current state of your project?

Since I've just started gathering inspirations, I'll skip this for now. I continually work on my inspirations.

Assignment 1

Consider what kind of decay would fit in with your world's themes, genre, and other foundational points.

I'm happy to see that the theme for the last week of the Summer Camp will be decay. Decay is one of the main themes of Bleakmor, encompassing the decay of the world, magic, and humanity. People are miserable and hateful in Bleakmor and it should be reflected by the world itself. I want to explore this theme in a great detail.

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 have three scented candles and a never-ending stock of tea, which help me focus. My biggest challenge is procrastination, but I aim to overcome it by dedicating weekends and a few hours during the week to writing.

Assignment 3

Review your world homepage to hook potential readers!

World homepage is work in progress. I still need to find images and fill it out. Hopefully, I will be able to do it on Saturday.

Assignment 4

Take a look at your author profile and pillar articles on your world and polish them!

I don't have pillar articles yet, but I've filled out my author profile with my interests.