Summercamp Pledge - 2023

I, Madame Vera, pledge to complete at least 8 prompts and earn the copper badge.

Then & Now

I've been participating in WA Summer Camps since 2020 and I'm still hyped every time. This time is no different XD! When I first started I got in my own way by being overly ambitious and trying for diamond. I learnt well from that and picked a closer target. But then my perfectionism got in the way and I only got 1 or 2 complete. I'd also keep forgetting the things, when I wasn't too busy organising them to actually put pen to paper. Woops. I can't promise not to forget them but I will continue to pick the lower target, copper, will write them as inspiration strikes rather than once I've got all the weeks' prompts worked out, and will attempt to reign in my perfectionism.
Maybe. We'll see.
This time I'm especially hyped for the Summer Camp because the new format has got me hooked. Not only do we get 4 different theme sets, we also get a variety of themeless wild cards! This is a great idea! Not only do we get variety but I don't have to worry about not really vibing with an overall theme. +1 for multiple theme sets! Nice idea! The wild cards are also like a lucky dip. Nostalgia much? I've already started window shopping for a nice notebook for my prompts. :D
I'm looking forward to huddling away from the chilly winter with my inner world, a blue pen and a notebook.
Hot chocolates for everyone!

Wave 1 - Power

Power in a world can refer to the brute strength of an existence, the potential destruction they hold. But I prefer to refer to power in the terms of absolute controls and general influence over other existences, especially those with a conscious direction. Whether it be the hold of a material over a market, the ruling of an organisation, an especially well-connected individual or the more delicate influence of a culture or technology over a people, economy and society as a whole. The aspect that defines power is dynamics and consequence. As such those interconnecting powers will be focussed on in this first prompt wave.
Right now Vilyiterna is still but a young world in its foundational building blocks stage. Despite this the larger powers that be have already got a good set-up. The continents are made but undeveloped, the top 4 global trade routes have been decided, one religion has taken a top position in the wider world, some notable nations have been founded and a handful of notable figures have risen up. The worlds foundations are set upon ever-shifting tides of power.
As such, I'm hoping to use the power themed prompts to further develop my understanding of these major players and their effect on the world and people.
I'm especially hopeful I'll be able to start development on the Wicksler Continental Union (WCU), a political group similar to the EU with control over the continent of Wicksler, one of the most prominent and influential trade routes, the Wicksler Circuit, and home to a central trade hub city centred on the axis of both the Circuit and Aurora River routes. I also aim to breathe some life into the smaller continents I've done little more than title. The poor things are in dire need of some TLC.

My Prompts

Wave 2 - Frontier

This weeks theme was a tricky one for me as it's not one I've much considered until now. But after some thinking and reading I've come to a slightly better understanding. I'd say it's doable. While technically speaking frontiers are a political border between nations, they are also often known as unexplored or unknown regions and technology. It's what lies at and beyond the edges of the known. In a story frontiers are places for characters to explore, to learn about, to build on or develop. In this prompt wave the physical realm unknown to all people will be the focus.
Vilyiterna is a relatively well-developed world. The people are spread throughout the world via global trade networks and ever growing technological developments. There are few truly unknown regions on the map. Even so there are locations that could be called frontiers such extreme borderlands, vital political borders and unexplored regions of the world. There are hotspots that drive the development of culture and technology and dreams belonging to those both past and present to push these developments ever forward.
I plan on using this prompt wave to further develop these cultural talking points and frontier lands.
I'm especially looking froward to the frontier lands aspect of this. I want to develop an unexplored ancient island off of Leyakizt, Norkeer (a shared territory between Vaianor and Abyssium), the underground caverns of Abyssium, some offshoot zones of an underwater passageway and underground regions in Wicksler. I'd really like to get into how the southern pole is cut off from the rest of the world and how that boundary is a frontier that goes both ways. I might go into how the Bridge acts as a frontier region between the left and right sections of the continent MaiRycia. I may also explore the conflict between the Church of Cliridizaun and other parties regarding the ambition to study and explore beyond their planet. Lastly, I definitely aim to focus on the capital city sitting on the cross-section of the Aurora River and Wicksler Circuit trade routes.

My Prompts

Wave 3 - Relics

Relics, echoes of the past imprinted onto the present. There are many forms a relic can take both physical and abstract, from ruins, fossils, diaries and tools, to cultural concepts glued into society, words from a dead language kept alive in a modern one or stories passed from elder to youth. Relics help people of the present remain connected to past, even those long forgotten. In this prompt wave relics from the pre-apocalypse and the pre-historic eras long before will be the focus points.
Vilyiterna is a prosperous world desperately worked for by its people based millennia after a global apocalyptic crisis. During the pre-apocalypse history, the Night Era (NE), the planet was covered by an unidentified matter called 'The Shroud'. The Shroud made the planet darker, colder, shadowy. It was a beautiful sky with a starry night-like appearance. But one day it disappeared and opened the skies to stars, moons, planetary rings and other sights from the world beyond the earth they stood upon, leading into the Iridescent Era (IE). The planet was brighter, hotter, drier. While the change in temperature and brightness was survivable on its own, it also affected the environment, climates and ecosystems. This alone wiped out entire species, causing havoc among the people. Even worse, the change in weather and a shift in poles caused natural disaster after natural disaster. Societies were ruined, entire histories lost. Society was rerouted forever. Vilyiterna is a world founded upon the mysterious fragments of the past.
I'll be using these prompts to develop these lost histories and the world built upon its fragments.
I'll admit it. I'm so totally hyped for this one! I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if I complete the prompts in a clean sweep. There's so much to go into here! But to start off I should probably pick a few focus points to bounce off of.
I'm planning to develop the continents Manteia and Leyakizt as they are actual living relics from the pre-history long before even the Night Era. The main island off of Leyakizt is practically a natural pre-history museum thanks to unbroken isolation from people and society. I want to develop the ancient trade route between these two continents as well. Away from that region, there's a cave system in Abyssium I want to develop which bears traces of an old conflict. I'd also like to develop ruins and stories from the past, not entirely from the Night Era. It would be a good opportunity to explain the founding of the Church of Clirizidaun as well. I bet I could get some traditions out of this as well.
There's just so much to go into here! I think I could have survived even if 'Relics' spanned the whole month!

My Prompts

Wave 4 - Communication

The final waves' theme, Communication, is an interesting one for me. This topic covers not just everyday languages or hidden codes, but also the technologies, methods and cultures that make it and hold it up. Communication can cover everything from speech to sign language to iconography to the written letter. From morse code to floriography to light signals to signal flames. From telegraphs to bird carriers to the printing press to emails. Communication not just upholds interpersonal and societal relationships, but also covers logistical issues, intelligence gathering and the storage of information such as in the case of a library or the internet. The nature and development of communications technology affects more than just the method of contact, but also the timing to and from the sources, divisions between people due to accessibility, the culture around socialisation and the efficiency of logistics. It's an absolutely vital foundation of any place, any governance, any people, any culture anywhere around the world in any era. In this wave I'll be focussing on communications technologies and the resulting impacts on the related cultures and intelligence groups.
Vilyiterna is a well developed and diverse world whose stories cover many eras. I could easily cover any era of the world to develop its histories and cultures. There have been many pressures on communications development from disasters both natural and human, the creation of nations, changing societies and increased international travel. You can see the influence of these needs in every last stretch of Vilyiterna. There's not a thinking head in this world who managed to escape this. But in order to keep myself on track I'll break it down to three basic focus points.

1. Archiving - The global apocalypse in the turning of eras created a people devoted to learning, storing and sharing stories and information. The storage and sharing of priceless histories is a trait found in every corner of the world. This bit is about locating and preserving information.
2. Culture - The ability to communicate on several scales has affected the culture of society and socialisation in general. This will talk about the sharing aspect of information including the arts, languages, cultural traditions and education.
3. Technology - Chaos formed from brutal wars, natural disasters and shifting societies formed the need for fast and accurate communication on both the organised and personal scales. Ever evolving cultures from the development of several international trade routes created a need to be able to quickly share and learn information from others for logistical, safety and social purposes. This section covers the methods, systems and equipment used to develop and support communication technologies between groups and individuals.

I'll be using this last wave of prompts to develop communications technologies to uphold the logistics of long distance trade and travel, to explore the different ways cultures chose to protect and share their histories, to build the prominent educational institutions of this world and to delve into how and why different groups have developed vital communications technologies. I was uncertain at first, but this theme vibed with me and Vilyiterna extremely well. I'm really looking forward to this set of prompts.
Following the above three sections there are several articles I'd like to develop this camp. Starting with archiving, I'd like to explore textile storytelling in Wicksler via woven tapestries, develop oratory traditions in various corners of the world, set-up a massive public library and go into the value and collection of information by the Church of Clirizidaun. In culture, I hope to develop an international language for the global trade and travel routes, explain the importance of the arts in the common world, build a few international educational institutions and museums, and develop a culture around socialisation between individuals. Lastly in technology, I would like to set up telegrams along the Wicksler Circuit route by Ferrivierre, oceanic sonar technologies in the Southern Pole, paper and embossed lettering in Kalreem and iconography in Wickslan clothing. Some sort of printing technology would be really cool too but I've no solid plans for that just yet. We'll see. :D

My Prompts

Wild Cards

I know I said it earlier, but I am so damn hyped for this set! It's like a lucky dip! Free prompts! We win!
I'm hoping to use the wild cards to fill up my world and to keep my motivation up. I'd really like to build up the continents of Belryde and Humdélee. Right now they're basically empty. We'll see how it works out. XD

My Prompts

Now What

(To be filled after event)
Take a look at the final results! All my prompts in one! https://www.worldanvil.com/community/challenge/summercamp-2023/homepage/Madame%20Vera

Badges

Camp Feral Badge by Strixxline

Nnie's Camp Chill Guidelines

Camp Chill (ID 4574878) by Rin Garnett

- Remember the prompts are suggestions, not requirements.

- Write what you're passionate about, leave what you aren't.

- Relax when you feel tired.

- Fight off any pesky brain-squitos trying to make you doubt your work.

- Don't abandon your non-summercamp goals! Write that article you're itching to write, even if it doesn't fit any prompts.


(Shared with permission from Annie Stein. Read her thoughts on 'Camp Chill' on her Camp Pledge.)

To use this block on your own camp pages: [block:1050823]