Summer Camp Reading Challenge 2025
Summer Campy 2025 Wrap-up Thoughts
And with that, I am officially done with the 2025 Summer Camp. Shockingly, I completed all 40 article prompts, despite having deep reservations about my desire and/or ability to do so.
Even though I have fully completed Summer Camp every year for years now, I always seem to doubt my abilities for some reason.
Imposter Syndrome is a real thing, and I have been trying to work on being better about it this year. Overall, I have been successful, but other stresses in my life, particularly work, have been a major roadblock this year.
Summer Camp 2025 Reading Challenge
Goals for the remainder of the year
Bronze Articles
Article 1 - The Wine that Fueled the Mountains by Oceania Orchid and BedrockCoffeeGaming
Prompt - A myth about a legendary food or beverage
The mystery of the giants and how people don’t know why they cry was what caught me about this particular piece. The twist that their emotions affect the qualities of the “wine” was well done and a compelling bit of lore. The entire piece had a poetic quality to it that I really admired.
Article
World
My Favourite Bronze Submissions:
Article 2 - Vampiric Butterflies by MintySloth
Prompt - A species that feeds through a symbiotic relationship
The very concept of a vampiric butterfly is so very unsettling, and I love a spooky and somewhat grotesque bit of worldbuilding. Despite not being a grotesque horror fan, I do quite enjoy writing in that manner. So, this article attracted me because of that. I can’t imagine how traumatic a swarm of these butterflies would be, probably appealing at first until you feel their fangs sink into you.
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World
Article 3 - Caramel Copperbacks by ThePunkGM
Prompt - A delicious staple found on every dinner table
I can’t ignore a good food-related article, especially one with plausibly written recipes. It is fantastic stuff, it's as if you had access to those world's ingredients, you could plausibly cook what was described in the article. And the quote, “If it ain’t hummin in the bucket it ain’t fresh,” at the beginning of the piece really set the tone for what followed.
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World
Silver Articles
Article 1 - Reconquest of Egypt by Tynen_TM
Prompt - A war that resulted in the creation of something new
Alternative reality histories are absolutely fascinating to me, and it is a skill that is completely beyond me. I don’t think people realize how strong a grasp of real-life history is required to create some that is engaging and believable. This piece has clearly had good research put into it, and it is very compelling in part because of that.
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World
Article 2 - The Language of Chocolate by Moonlight Bard
Prompt - An ancient tongue from which many common idioms spring
This was a very funny read, and a lovely little language-using confectionery as a sort of medium or frame of reference. I liked it because it's believable that people would use these sorts of phrases in real life. It reminds me of those phrases you use, but you have no idea what the origin of the saying is, and everyone still uses it anyway. And it was all laid out very concisely and felt very rich despite its brevity.
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World
Article 3 - The Royal Mathmeticians Headquarters by Amélie I. S. Debruyne
Prompt - The place of origin of a people in your world
A lovely article with a lot of hidden details and connections to its own world. The article itself was written in-fiction and was presented as if a guide to the location in question, spoken as if the receptionist there was the one giving the information directly. And the lovely multi-floored map with the tiny cat on it was outstanding; you could really tell they put a ton of effort into it. And I really appreciated how the author linked to and referenced other articles and information from the rest of their world. It's something I myself do, and I really appreciate it when others do the same.
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World
Gold Articles
Article 1 - Astrilune, the Village That Would Not Drown by StillnessandSilence
Prompt - A settlement that has been rebuilt several times
This one really struck me for how profound and personal it was. Before I read the additional context of the article being a tribute to the author’s grandfather, I had already started reading it in my head in a slow, hushed, and reverent tone. A few sentences in particular struck me as quite powerful. "Astrilune was stained—not just with ruin, but with memory" was one such sentence; it feels mournful but defiant in a way. Truly a beautiful article that should be admired.
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World
Article 2 - Nibbler by RPGDinosaurBob
Prompt - A species that feeds through a symbiotic relationship
The first of two articles I read from the same author, something I rarely do when highlighting articles in the summer reading challenge, but I couldn’t help myself in this case, as the two articles just lifted each other up so well. This first article had a great description of the creature’s first form, and the way it moves really impressed me as unique and descriptive. And its second form felt terrifying in nature and dangerous to those around them. The whole article felt like it was describing a more violent, less jovial form of Gremlins.
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World
Article 3 - Petmesh 260 by RPGDinosaurBob
Prompt - A technology invented to prevent or delay a transformation
The second of two articles from the same author. This article not only did a good job of describing a genuinely interesting piece of new technology, but also did a great job of expanding upon the Nibbler article. It goes on to describe a serious flaw in the technology that has already been proven to be catastrophic. And that if the issue continues, things could get much worse, and a few incidents of Nibblers turned Shredders could become widespread. Again, the expansion on the previous article, the description of the technology, and the introduction of another shady corporation really impressed me here.
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World
Diamond Articles
Article 1 - The Roofless Tavern by Laura
Prompt - A building that hasn't been finished yet
This was a simple article, in the best way possible, and it really hit me as a great piece of world-building on a small level. I find world-builders focus on the large often, and occasionally forget about the small and the mundane. And something like this article describing how something as non-consequential as an inn’s roof construction going awry so many times that it's become a part of local folklore and superstition is just wonderful, cozy, and relatable. These sorts of articles make a world feel inhabited by more than just grand concepts and events.
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World
Article 2 - The Temple of ??? by Soul Sorbet
Prompt - A building that hasn't been finished yet
There is nothing quite like a mystery on a foggy island lost to time and decay. The description of the temple highlighted here made me want to know more. It made me question things, like what was the strange shimmering material used to construct it, who was being worshipped there if anyone, and what was its purpose, if any at all. And of course, what happened to bring it ruin and cease its final construction. Very intriguing, and getting people thinking is a great thing to accomplish with an article in my mind.
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Article 3 - Necrotic Depression by Jarhed
Prompt - A new condition unknown in olden times
This was one of those articles where you slap yourself in the head and think, “Why didn’t I think of this?” Like, of course, necromancers would be more prone to depression. How couldn’t they be when they are so close to death themselves all the time? The descriptions of depression in this article felt very relatable, and yet they felt like something so unique to the experience of a necromancer in this world. A very interesting but respectful approach to mental health in a fantasy setting.
Look at all these great articles So many pieces to read!. Thank you so much for your kind words
Always happy to shout out other wonderful writers! Great job!