The Worldbuilding Summer Camp is here! This fourth and final prompt wave is themed around Decay, so let’s look at how you can approach this theme and the various prompts!

The diamond theme: decay

Most things decay over time, but, just like all other themes, decay can be understood in a multitude of ways. There’s physical decay, but there’s also moral decay—both often go hand-in-hand with old organizations, and physical decay can be used as a metaphor for moral decay. Think about how people in your world try to prevent decay too! Decay itself implies change, so you have an easy connection with the first theme here, and many people will probably want to take some sort of refuge against the decay!

Summer Camp 2024 Diamond prompts

Decay prompts

These are the prompts that follow the theme of Decay. To answer them, visit the Summer Camp challenge page!

Somewhere in your world, describe…

31. A myth or prophecy about the end of the world [Myth]

Religious apocalypse stories, Mayan 2012 prophecy, Dagor Dagorath (Middle-Earth)

Let’s start from the end! How do people in your world imagine the end of the world? Stories about the end of the world can serve as warnings or moral lessons, or sometimes they can simply come from a misunderstanding of history (like the Mayan 2012 prophecy). For a fictional example, Dagor Dagorath is the final battle of Middle-Earth, as prophecized by one of the world’s divinities. Just like how past history adds depth to your world, so does expanding on your people’s vision of the future! So for this prompt, consider the cultural context and the purpose it serves. Is it a cautionary tale, a promise of renewal, or something else entirely?

32. A material that is resistant to decay [Material]

Stainless steal, mithril, adamantium

In fiction, creating things that go beyond our real-world capabilities is a great way to add a sense of wonder or awe. For materials, this is often related to indestructibility, like Marvel’s adamantium and Middle-Earth’s mithril. Of course, materials don’t have to be supernatural to fit this prompt: regular gold doesn’t corrode, which makes it a lasting symbol of wealth and power. So to start with, consider if the material occurs naturally or is manufactured, as well as its special properties. Finally, think about the cultural impact this would have.

33. A profession that is considered dirty [Profession]

Garbage men, morticians, sex workers

First of all, remember that this prompt deals with subjective opinion! A profession considered to be dirty by many people might not actually be dirty—so consider including something about how the people who practice it view themselves. With that being said, the word “dirty” has both literal and metaphorical meanings, so you can take this prompt in all sorts of directions! For a literal interpretation, look at jobs that deal with dirty or garbage directly (such as garbage men or cleaning staff). For a metaphorical interpretation, consider what taboos exist in your world’s society and go from there! A culture that has taboos surrounding sex and death might consider these fields of work dirty, for example. And, especially with professions that are considered morally questionable, there will be euphemisms to refer to them, such as how sex workers are called “seamstresses” in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series.

34. An organization fighting corruption [Organization]

Military police, mages guild, zombie extermination force

Corruption is another word with many meanings: is it political, moral, environmental, or supernatural corruption? Maybe even something else? In an intrigue-heavy setting, fighting political corruption might be a main focus. But in a world that’s suffering from a zombie invasion (another interpretation of “corruption”!), there will probably be people and organization dedicated to fighting it. So your first step here will be deciding what type of corruption would fit your world’s genre and themes. Based on that, decide the type of organization that you’ll create, as well as the conflict that will inevitably surround it.

35. A tradition that represents moral decay [Tradition]

Roman “bread and circuses”, noble feasts (A Song of Ice and Fire)

What you understand as moral decay is up to you and what your world’s cultures see as moral. So that’s the first thing you’ll need to figure out—but the tradition itself doesn’t have to be about morality, as long as it’s related in some way. For example, throwing a feast is not necessarily immoral, but in A Song of Ice and Fire the lavish feasts that nobles are constantly throwing sharply contrast with the suffering of the common folk. In the Roman Empire, the government famously provided food and entertainment to its citizens to distract them from political issues. To create such a tradition, think about what it reveals about the society. Is it a recent development or an old custom that has lost its original meaning? How do different parts of your society perceive and react to it?

36. An animal or plant that feeds on decay [Species]

Detritivores, scavenger animals, ghouls (Tokyo Ghoul)

Every species has its place in the ecosystem, and that’s true for detritivores and scavenger animals too! That said, especially with larger scavenger animals like vultures, these species tend to be associated with negative symbolism. This is a great place to start; how do people in your world see this animal? Of course, these connotations don’t have to be negative either! In Tokyo Ghoul, most ghouls eat humans by killing them, but there’s a group of “good ghouls” that only eat people who’ve already died for other reasons. If you want your answer to the prompt to be a person, you could use that as inspiration to add depth to their culture.

37. A degenerative disease [Condition]

Alzheimer’s, Shadow Curse (Baldur’s Gate 3)

Degenerative diseases are an interesting type of condition to create because they cause change in whoever is affected by them. And as tragic as this is in the real world, change of any kind makes for great worldbuilding! In fantasy settings, diseases can be part of curses that also affect the land (in addition to people). The Shadow Curse, in Baldur’s Gate 3, is a great example of this, and it can be a great way to have a more visual and impactful representation of the disease. When creating the condition, consider its origin, symptoms, and cure (if any), but also think about how society sees this disease and the people who suffer from it.

38. A piece of tech that prevents decay [Technology]

Cryonic chambers, phylactery jars (Dungeons & Dragons)

Where there’s decay, there will be people trying to prevent or reverse it. So, of course, the first thing you need here is something that’s decaying. Cryonic technology wants to prevent bodily decay after death, hoping that revival will be possible in the future. In Dungeons and Dragons, liches use a jar called “phylactery” to store their life force. So once you’ve decided on the type of decay, consider the principles behind your technology. Is it widely accessible or rare and experimental? What are its limitations and ethical implications?

Wild card prompts

Every week, we also release two prompts that are not related to the theme, so you can answer them instead if you want to take a break from the main theme! Here they are:

39. A storyteller, author, or bard in your world [Character]

Homer, Kvothe (The Kingkiller Chronicle)

Storytellers are a core part of many cultures, as they not only entertain audiences but also bring news from afar and preserve history from times when writing wasn’t widely available. Storytellers can also be incredibly influential; just look at Homer, whose poems are basically the foundation of Western literature. When creating a storyteller or bard in your world, consider their role in society and in the story you want to tell. Are they revered as keepers of knowledge, entertainers, or both? What drives their passion for storytelling, and how do they navigate the difficulties that come from telling stories not everyone might be open to hearing?

40. A geographical region that is expanding [Geography]

Deserts, mountains, seas, forests

Even though, in most cases, our lives are too short to see it, pretty much all geographical features are in constant change. Deserts expand, mountains rise, forests conquer new ground, and so on. Sometimes this change can be quicker, such as the sea level or even the artificial expansion of forests or fields. When you answer this prompt, though, try to focus on the expansion itself. How does it affect the people around it, and what are the mechanisms driving its growth? If the change is quick enough for people to notice it, it will most likely have a negative impact on those who live in the region, who will have to adapt their way of life to this changing landscape.

You’ve got this!

Summer Camp ends on August 3rd—make sure to have submitted all the prompts you want to answer before then! Remember that to get Diamond, you need to complete any 32 prompts (not all 40 prompts!). Tune in to the stream on August 3rd to close the challenge live, and don’t miss the Awards Ceremony on August 31st!

What are your tips for this theme? Share in the comments—and go to the challenge page to answer the prompts!