Summer Camp 2023

Gomez: I have seen the unholy maggots which feast in the dark recesses of the human soul!
Morticia: They're at camp.

— Addams Family Values

Even it has been a while since I wrote something, Summer Camp is the perfect moment to come back. For the last couple years I had a lot of things going on: Moving, college, starting a job. But now I have a new stage of life, that I hope includes personal growth with my return to writing and worldbuilding.
I have never managed to create and finish a proper Pledge/Homework in Summer Camp, even on the rare occasions I got my badges. But I have always loved everything about Summer Camp: the creativity, the community, the rush of a clear goal to fulfill... Yes, what is not to love.
And so, it is with nostalgia and the personal goal of going back to my creative roots that I come here. To register my pledge and plan my quest for July.

Week 1: Power

So week one of June is here, and so is homework. First and done, here is an article! (literally, we are here). One down, four to go!

The Pledge

Next is the pledge, this beautiful promisse. I usually go for diamond or copper, an all or nothing kind of mentality. But I am trying to be a bit healthy and realist this year around, and so I will go for gold. With it I will fulfill my inner goblin for shiny badges and achievements while giving leeway to my future self take a short break, for health. Or any other need.

Theme Preparation

Which are the powerful organizations within your world setting? Who are the powerful individuals? What kinds of power do they wield and what are their weaknesses and needs?

— Summer Camp Homework, week 1

Superia is a world of literal superpowers, of superheroes and supervillains that fight together or each other. The Confederative Powers of Emberly is the center stage to supers since Modern times. It is home to Admiral, a powerful hero whose raw power had no match in years and heroics have inspired many. The government funded H.E.R.O. Initiative, while private investment brought foward the independant H.O.A.R.D.
These are a few that have joined on the side of 'good', but they are not alone or unopposed. Admiral's powers seem more of myth and fiction than proper reality, even in Superia. His powers are over oceans all water, but not only it. Rumors say his allies are ten times stronger when fighting alongside him. The rarity of his missions in dry and hot lands give credit to the allegations that lack of water is a weakness of his.
Continuous public critic and government ties are the Initiative's main weakness. Restricted to act on national soil, or with foreign approvance outside of it. Their many singular members are a major source of strength as well as some weaknesses, with divergence of opinion and confliction abilities heading said weaknesses. Public opinion is also something that can be a double-edged blade for them.
HOARD's biggest adversaries is the government, as they depend on one financial benefactor. Balthazar Hamut can be arrested or investigated at anytime and then forced to end the group's contract. As a private organization, they are able to focus on finding individuals that help cohesion.

Tracking Power and Relationship

Admiral

Admiral made several allies along their long career, and mentored others. One such mentee is the Navigator, a former sidekick of the Admiral with reptile appearance and agile combat style. Nightbringer is a reluctant ally with whom Admiral has registered differences of opinion. While the villanous Woenderland is one of Admiral's many enemies. Allman is another enemy, a former hero that has turned villain with an unknown grudge against Admiral.

H.E.R.O. Initiative

Created in the 1970s, by Carracosta Mayor William Mandill, the project became a national program in 1986, in response to the creation of HOARD. It has the endersoment of Admiral and Nightbringer, as well as some public figures.
HERO has enemies in many villanous groups, as well as celebrities, activists and politicians.

Members

Currently Flagman is the Head Director, answering to the President and a unknown Chief Director. In Carracosta and region, their training program is co-run by Sequencier and Golden Squire.

H.O.A.R.D.

The third, and current, structure of the organization came by hand of Balthazar Hamut II. At age of 16, he founded HOARD's parent company and launched the group in 1986. He remains the main financer of the project.

Emberly's Main Team

Acting as H.O.A.R.D main response team in Emberly's, this team led by hero Isaphiel who was part of the original HOARD, in 1939. Other members include:

Jupiter, an eletricity wielding powerhouse;

Black Hare, a speedster with former ties to Woederland;

Cucko, a bird whisperer capable of emiting powerful soundwaves;

Meta!

This is a new world and a new endeavour, as such, the Meta was filled on the first week of June. Check it out here!

Week 2: Frontier

Superia's is a parallel, or alternative, world to our own world. And because geography and history are my main worldbuilding weakness, I can only hope for the best prompts within this theme.

Theme Preparation

Where are the frontiers in your worldsetting? And why would anyone want to go there?! What about metaphorical frontiers, like the “frontier of medicine” or space, the “final frontier”?

— Summer Camp Homework, week 2

The limits of science have been frequently pushed through out Superia's history, as the homo sapiens superia defied and stood above them. After all, a community of underwater people can propel maritime research far beyond its years; and an individual capable of eating metal doesn't exactly follow the normal rules for food poisoning.
Not only research and science, but the application of knowledge and philosophy, are singular in Superia. Ethics and law is also probed by Superiors and Humans alike, after all, does "humanity" extends to winged reptiles and four-armed powerhouses? Is the restriction and registration of powered individuals prelude to segregation or a necessity for the vulnerable homo sapiens sapiens?

Geography

The lands of Sun-Protected Forests and the underwater civiliazations in Morphisean Sea rest by the edges of urbanization and, to some, civilization. These are but a few of the many examples of lands and territories outside of the boundaries of the average human. But they are not the only geographical one, nor the most challenged in the last few decades. That title is with a new exploratory interest of humankind for the last 30 years: Space.

Philosophy and Ethics

Superiors have almost exclusively lived at the edges of society, as the numerical minority among humankind. They have been persecuted, venerated, experimented and exiled, all through out history, and their mere existance has raised many philosophical questions while their treatments raise the ethic ones.
Who are the true monster? The majority of humans with no superpower but control over the world or the minority capable of leveling cities? Are Superiors humans? Does the government have to protect them, when they have superpowers? Should they protect people from them?

The New Frontier

While space is still a recurring discussion about the future and inovation, the advance of technology in previous years has brought the Extranet upon humankind. Allowing individuals from across the globe to communicate almost instantly for the sharing of experiences, eerie accounts and unique points of view and much more. This unprecedented distribution of information is slowly changing the world and many speak of the barrier about to be broken between digital and reality.

Week 3: Relics

Didn't I say that history was an weak point for me? Well, it's a challenge for a reason.
It is important to know that Superia is old. Millions of years old with humans existing for dozens of milenia, and there are objects, traditions and more that represent that past. Individuals and events that can be remembers much further in the future and those well interested in them.
Civilizations existed before and alongside humans, civilizations that necessarily are called humans for their uniqueness. Some have vanish without a trace, others left mysterious itens and monuments that inspire awe and fear.

Theme Preparation

What aspects of the past are revered today in your world setting? Which peoples are remembered? And which are forgotten, and why?

— Summer Camp 2023, Week 3

In Embelry, it's said that good heroes are never forgotten. Neither are the wicked villains. During the convoluted period of 18th to 19th century, the Yokene Revolts presented many heroes and villains to be remembered to this day. Museums and story books frequently talk of these revolutionaries and their attempts against the government, sometimes in better light than the contemporanies of such revolts.
Recent disclosed documents from World Campaign brought to light the existence of the 5th Regiment. While there was no dispute that Supers fought the World Campaigns, the 5th Regiment was formed by unsung heroes that fought against the National Despots.
As homo sapiens survive and thrive, it becomes clear through the investigation of the past, that Supers were an integral part of that development. However, many of the documents that survived to present time appear to either hide or not mention their existance and many historians still discuss the reasoning.

Week 4: Communication

Is interesting to think about how people communication and what it means beyond just 'they speak such language'. Which is to say, this theme could bring very interesting prompts, so I don't know how to feel about it.
In terms of means of technology, as an urban setting, Superia has cellphones and the recently commercialized Extranet. As a superhero setting, however, it goes beyond the technology. Telepaths, Zoolinguists, Empaths and many others exist since Pre-History and that makes communication unique in its own way.

Theme Preparation

How do people and organizations from different backgrounds or cultures communicate with each other? How does communication happen over short and long distances? Who in your setting communicates secretly or carefully, and how?

— Summer Camp 2023, Week 4

Cultures have meant that languages developed and was used to segregate people, most are spoken but not only. Living underwater, the Morphiseans communicate with sign language, empathy and/or some degree of telepathy. Many civilizations in the Sun-Protected Forest use iconographic written language and spoken dialects, and are adepts at zoolinguism.
Many secret societies, of heroes and villains, have to somewhat share information in secrecy. Think of it, many cyphers were created alongside the history of these organizations. Some have been discovered to exist and traslated, some have been noticed but not translated and many more have yet to be discovered.

Power of Communication

Some Supers develop powers that facilitate communication. Telepathy and Empathy are the most known ones, however even among themselves these supers have degrees of aptitude and power scale. Some telepaths can read deep into peoples' minds, others can only open a chanel for communications or can broadcast their thoughts over an area. Empaths can also range from readers, to influencers and translators.

Technopaths

Recently, with the advancements of technology, some Supers have become capable of communicating with techonology: computers and machines. These Technopaths bring questions about the ethics surrounding the usage of technology and their powers have been used for confirmation of self-sentient robots.

The Language of the Future

As the world moves into a bright new future, new and old languages have come to be. The language of extranet and numbers, as well as the establishment of a new world order, of a world unified by technology and commerce, has made the language of Emberlee a global language, for bad or good.

Extranet and Binary

As the Extranet grows in popularity the way one communicates online may change how people communicate in the real world. Not only that, the advancement of the technology brings new means to converse with and program computers and machines, as unmet needs are discussed and this new piece of the future is further explored.

Emberlee

As the pioneer to the internet and a diplomatic power respected around the world, the official language of Emberly has been slowly thought in other countries as the 'language of the future'.

Table of Content

Hooks

Week 1

Superheroes

Admiral
Black Hare
Colonel Shore
Cucko
Flagman
Golden Squire
Isaphiel
Jupiter
Kuarassi Miri
Navigator
Nightbringer
Sequencier

Supervillains

Agonized Hatter
Allman
Arkson
Duchess of Misery
Glitch
Leviathan
Marshal May _and
HEN
Melancat
November Hare
Red Queen
Woodman

Other Characters

Balthazar Hamut I
Balthazar Hamut II
Bog
Headless Master

Kuarassi
White Lady
William Mandill

Misc Articles

Carracosta (Settlement)
Chief Director (Rank)
Deserts of Firstlands (Geography)
Emberly (Country)
Emberia (Settlement)
Firstlands (Geography)
Golden Grasshopper (Species)
Halo (Organization)
Hamut (Organization)
Head Director (Rank)
HERO Initiative(Organization)
HeroCON(Tradition)
HOARD (Organization)
Kuarassi City (Settlement)
Second World Campaign (Conflict)
Sidekick (Profession)
Superhero (Profession)
Supervillain (Profession)
The Kuarassi (Title)
Uba People (Ethnicity)
Woederland (Organization)
Zenith (Material)

Week 2

Ambassador (Profession)
Ambrosia's Delight (Tradition)
Electrum (Material)
Homo Sapiens Superia (Species)
Honey Lily (Species)
Leviathan (Species)
Mancha Sports Association (Organization)
Morphee Seas (Geography)
Morphiseans (Culture/Species)
Narorokh (Country)
Pyhua'aity (Location)
Space Contest (Conflict)
Sun-Protected Forests (Geography)
Uarimanda Kingdom (Country)
Voicemail #01 (Document)

Week 3

5th Regiment (Formation)
Admiral Park (Landmark)
Blackrim Vagabonds (Organization)
Carracosta Heroic History Museum (Building)
Caping (Tradition)
Effigies (Myth)
Gouleth (Character/Myth)
Lights of Carracosta (Tradition)
Machinist (Character)
Revolution Man (Character)
Taianees (Ethnicity)
Taking the Mantle (Tradition)
Taupes (Organization/Myth)
The Shroud (Item/Myth)
Treaty of Drauxxales (Document)
Yokene Revolt (Conflict)

Week 4

Communicator (Item)
Emberlee (Language)
Empathy (Condition/Spell)
Extranet (Technology)
Heralds Worldwide Media (Organization)
Morphisean Sign Language (Language)
Technopathy (Condition/Spell)
Telepathy (Condition/Spell)
Tri-State Spires (Building)
Zoolingusim (Condition/Spell)

Hooks are ideas mentioned on the homework or inspired by Summercamp. Some can become Summercamp articles. Checked articles are published.

Articles Summer Camp 2023

(Check all Prompts here)

01. Woederland

02. Kuarassi City

03. Zenith

04. Golden Grasshopper

05. Uba People

06

07. The Kuarassi

08

09

10. HeroCON

11. Pyhua'aity

12

13. Ambassador

14. Leviathan

15. Honey Lily

16. Electrum

17. Isaphiel

18. Ambrosia's Delight

19. Admiral Park

20. Voicemail #01

21. Caping

22

23. Old Town

24. Colonel Shore

25. Blacksmiths

26. Lights of Carracosta

27

28. Taianees

29. Taking the Mantle

30. Meteor Shower

31

32

33. Morphisean Sign Language

34. H.E.R.O. Initiative

35

36. Machinist

37

38. Tri-Spire Towers

39

40

41

42

Final Considerations (Homework)

This is my first time doing a homework for Summer Camp, and I think I nailed it. :D
It has been good to think abot the world beyond just "Here be superheroes" and whatever that could entail in my mind. I am hoping for a good time more than anything. Any connection, or general exchange of ideas, I can make during July would just be a plus. The badge and robust world would be a double plus.
The homework has brought me joy and ideas, which are the basic needs of a writer. In my opinion (joy might even be sometimes opitional). And I feel way more into Summer Camp, prep and hyped, than in previous years so I think the Homework did what it was supposed to do and now I have itching brain disease (I'm just waaaaiting for the official launch).
That's it. Done. I won't bring myself to keep talking, no more. Done. Yes. Finite... Really, no more...
Maybe I'll come back to put a list of SC2023 articles, but that is it.
Bye.