Summer Camp 2022 Scrolls
The mind knows alone what is nearest the heart
and sees where the soul is turned
Summer Camp 2022 will be centered around Hybrid Wars — a world created specifically for NaNoWriMo 2021. It's a near future romance about students competing in real and virtual world over a love interest. The main theme of the novel is steganography, i.e. hiding in plain sight. Currently there are 3 Points-of-View: Kali, Zuzka and [HERO].
~~~ THE PLEDGE ~~~
Motivation and goals
General
I plan to get through the muddy middle by getting know my characters and their surrounding better. I don't plan to expand the world more than necessary. The bare minimum to get through a scene/convey a message will be enough. However, since the novel is still a draft and a Work-In-Progress, some articles may be longer and juggling with several ideas, e.g. an object perceived from different Points-of-View. So getting out of the plot hole mess takes priority over the structure.
Motivation
I want to finish the novel! XD
Challenge goal
Aiming for the Copper this time as July may be busy in real life.
Understanding the Themes
Describe the realities of my POV characters
This year's worldbuilding themes provide a good opportunity to know the characters better. At the moment my plan for this is the following:
Expanse
Set out the scene for action that takes place in Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality.
Leadership
Get to know more about Zuzka (leader of the Steganography Student Club) and [HERO] (administrator of a game server and a creator of several VR puzzle games)
Discovery
So many to choose from! Discovery of clues in games, of treachery, of relationship secrets, of one's dark past. This will be a horn of plenty.
Monstrous
The dark side of Kali and [HERO]. These two share some similarities and monstrous is a good way to describe the emotional state of it. If that gets to dark, the dark themed avatars from Augmented Reality game setting (House of Cards) will be used — significant in a few parts of the story.
Inspirations
My chief inspiration and theme for this novel is "Hide in plain sight". Therefore, many of the graphical inspirations consist of illusions. Music on the other hand helps me feel the mood or the dynamics of character's emotions or scenes.
Graphics
Music
The Swarm by Insomnium
General feel of the mysterious/riddle parts of the plots. Dancing around the center piece barely touching it, filled with awe. Apparently ascending but finding at square one, unable to solve the mystery entirely. The journey is sometimes more important than arriving at the destination point.
Ephemeral by Insomnium
Kali is playing this piece with her band. This piece became important to her after the events of the last year of high school — one which got her into hacking and brought her other side to the surface. She plays an electric guitar.
Promaretheme by SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]
This vaguely describes my feeling regarding an unexpected turn of events around the end.
BangBangBUR! ···n? by SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]
Internal chaos and despair after receiving an emotional blow. One describing the crying and screaming of Kali before her internal change.Never give up on your dreams by Two Steps From Hell
Kali's resolve in a nutshell — internal feeling of grandiose and a mission to fulfill. The original song tells a story about a girl chasing her love interest and overcoming all obstacles, even if it means becoming a plague and killing his wife.
Motivation and support
Repetition and consistency
Since I may not have much time in July, every minute counts. When the Summer Camp starts the entries and a short description of what I managed to figure out will be registered in a blog-like fashion.
Schedule
I am aiming at at least 1 hour a day (most probably in the morning), which will be adjusted to fit my daily schedule.
Support
before the Sun and the Moon,
the Anvil and the Hammer,
the Readers and the Writers,
to have fun and chill during Summer Camp 2022
over the month of July.
I vow to pursue the ideas,
word by word, piece by piece,
to uncover the hidden worlds,
to remember the forgotten stories.
Be they bits of pleasure or pain.
Be they shards of bliss or terror.
~~~ Progress ~~~
Over the course of July 2022 I will be monitoring my progress by making short blog-like entries, round-ups and brainstorming sessions.
Entries
Copper prompts — Expanse
Silver Prompts — Leadership
Gold Prompts — Discovery
Diamond Prompts — Monstrous
Brainstorming the prompts
Copper Week
Somewhere in your world setting describe:
- ...an ocean, desert, plane, pocket dimension or other large expanse.
- ...a religion or organization connected to a natural phenomenon.
- ...a species that survives in an unlikely place.
- ...a vehicle or type of vehicle used for long journeys.
- ...a settlement beside or in a great expanse.
- ...a material only harvestable from nature.
- ...a culture who lives by, near or within an ocean, desert or other expanse.
- ...a food that marks the rite of passage for a culture in your world.
Initial ideas for the prompts:
- AR/VR games, a particular part of the game, the Hilbert Hotel (infinite number of rooms)
- Pythagoreans (organization centered around mathematical laws)
- A single orange tree growing on the back of the Old Stadium in the center of Warsaw
- Normal-temperature superconductivity Maglev
- the caffeteria on the other side of the bridge connected to the card game (Bridge), the level of irrational numbers, the Fibonacci numbers
- A special type of crystal used in the optical switching technologies; the crystal is used as a switch by applying different power and coding a different color (type of bit Color Memory Technology®
- A subculture of people spending more time in AR/VR than in real life (case of Kali when she was young — VR, [HERO] — VR about 50% of his young adult life or Zuzka — AR since childhood)
- A fried cicada
Silver Week
Somewhere in your world setting describe:
- ...a settlement that leads the known world in something.
- ...a military conflict resolved through excellent leadership.
- ...a building associated with governance, leadership or change.
- ...an organization associated with governance, leadership or change.
- ...a profession associated with leaders in your world.
- ...a title that commands respect from those in the know.
- ...a great leader of their people.
- ...a tradition or ceremony which confers an honor on someone.
Initial ideas for the prompts:
- Suwałki facility in the Colour Memory Tech industry, Geothermal energy center Mokosza
- ...
- Stego Student Club headquarters situated in the basement but labeled with numbers 3301 (4423 in AR)
- Stego Student Club - change the way we think about everyday information by teaching Steganography
- Scientist, Information Researchers (in all fields, not only programming)
- the top 10 of the Hacking board on some competition; Cypherofficer
- ...
- introduction to the Stego Student Club (will work well with the fried cicada)
Gold Week
Somewhere in your setting describe:
- ...a settlement that was lost or discovered.
- ...an astonishing natural wonder.
- ...a recently discovered, or rediscovered, species.
- ...a lost or discovered artifact of significance or power.
- ...a technology lost, forgotten or shrouded in mystery.
- ...a lost or discovered monument.
- ...an Explorer, Researcher or other character motivated by discovery.
- ...a travel log or other document associated with discovery.
Initial ideas for the prompts:
- Biskupin and other ancient Slavic settlements,
- Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza, Dolina Pięciu Stawów, probably mostly mountain sites with waterfalls, colourful lakes or caves. Something in/near Warsaw would be nice, though.
- Matsutake in Poland (thought extinct with only 3 verified places of growth available).
- A key to one of the BitCoin Cryptowallets.
- Handwriting...
- Posąg Mickiewicza on Krakowskie Przedmieście stolen on the night of July 17th by an unknown thief
- The Red Queen from the House of Cards VR game
- the travel/discovery log of Zuzka, when researching a game; Kali performing OSINT on the [HERO]
Diamond Week
Somewhere in your setting describe:
- ...a species considered monstruous by some
- ...a myth or urban legend about a "monster"
- ...a tradition which keeps monsters or bad luck away
- ...a condition considered monstrous or "unlucky" by some
- ...an organization considered cruel or monstrous by some
- ...a person considered villainous or monstrous
- ...an artifact that embodies a hideous or monstruous idea
Daily notes
Day 1
I managed to brainstorm some ideas for most of the prompts but the interconnectivity is still poor. Maybe tomorrow, after a good night's rest?
Not sure about 1, 2 and 5. The rest seems pretty solid and ready for an initial sketch. Some additional side-ideas appeared and a mind-map may help to get a better picture of what is missing/may link the pieces together. Thank you whiteboards!
Day 2
Saturday started with a Mind map with ideas about the first prompts —
Meanwhile almost everything seems to be tied together, although not as tight as I would like.
TO DO:
Day 3
1:23AM CEST
I started writing down some general concepts for two of the prompts: food and material.
11:24PM CEST
The following start to look ok:
Day 4
11:55PM CEST
Not much, but I managed to write a stub about the Augmented Reality expanse. ;)
Day 5
11:35PM CEST
A stubby stub of an organization related to Augmented Reality is done. Well, an almost 300 word stub. XD I plan to write it in more detail once I remind myself of the key signing ceremony and the cyberofficers.
Last on the TO DO list is the settlement, but I'll do Warsaw for that. It's essential for puzzle games my characters will play using geocaching and cryptography.
Day 6
10:41PM CEST
Last and final prompt stubbed — Warsaw Augmented Reality Manifold, a settlement within the great expanse of the Augmented Reality. I'm more tired than I hoped to be, so only a handful of ideas for now. But... With all the stubs done, the writing can finally begin. 300 words is not much and there won't be more for now, unless an inspiration strikes.
Day 7
11:56PM CEST
No writing today, but I talked to my brother about a funny plant anomaly in Old Stadium. It turned out to be not an orange but a pomegrenate. A single tree from Mediterranean survived harsh winters, which should normally be impossible. How did that happen? I shall leave it a secret for the time being. ;)
Day 8
One down, seven to go! I published an article on Lilies — a type of secrets hidden in plain sight. The Silver Promts have been unpacked but it's too late to think about it now, so I'll leave it for tomorrow.
Day 9-15
Hic sunt leones.
Day 16
The Gold prompts announced and unpacked. I unpacked almost all of the Silver ones too, but am not happy with the result. Half way through, but Copper feels doable if I find the time and mindspace to write.
Day 17-23
Hic sunt leones...
Day 24
Diamond Prompts released yesterday and now awaiting for unpacking. I already know it will be somewhat difficult — the ideas around my two initial POV characters don't sprout any initial ideas. :D When time permits I will unpack the prompts and do some brainstorming. For now, the physical reality calls...
Day 25-29
Hic sunt leones
Day 30
Two prompts done! The chances for Copper badge are increasing!
Day 31
Made it in the last moment! I think all prompts should be answered before NaNoWriMo starts. I already have some nice information to make the world more realistic. If only I could say the same for the main characters...
omg those placeholders :D Have an amazing summer camp!!
You are doing a great job! Keep creating; I believe in you!
Luridity: Where love is love and life is lived. Contains NSFW content.
Now with serialized fiction on Ream!!
Thank You, Dani! And good luck to You! :D