UNOFFICAL CHALLENGE!
I'm in a spooky mood, so The Great Tree is proud to bring the community yet another Challenge! Horror, fear, the unknown. What keeps you up at night? What lurks in the dark corners of a quiet house? Is your mind playing tricks on you? You could have sworn you didn't move that chair. You could have sworn you were alone here.
I want to see what you can come up with, I want you to keep us up at night. I want you to flex those creative muscles, and scare the hell out of us. Keep us thinking about it. More info and more here! More unique badges!
#WhiskeyandWildflowers #UnofficialChallenge Guess who still has 14 days until this challenge ends? That's right, its you. Come join me in the feeling of early October with this challenge.
And if you're feeling extra creative, you still have till november for Tyrdal's anniversary challenge
A letter home, written in pride and wonder.
A journal, etched with arcane ink, chasing what should have remained a legend.
Between them lies a decade, yet both carry the same name: Corandrel Smoothsole.
From the markets of Doriande to the shadow of Rolfgar, these tales follow the birth of an obsession and the restless urge to seek what others have left behind.
One voice. One journey. A story told twice.
At almost seven thousand words, this is my largest story yet. A tribute to Tyrdal's second Anvilversary, and an entry for his wonderful Twice Told challenge.
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to write this two-part story. I enjoyed every moment.
Check out the amazing challenge here if you haven't already:
#UnofficialChallenge #WhiskeyandWildflowers The challenge is still open till the 15th of october, with so many cool articles already written; come bring your voice to the bloom.
Hello again beautiful people of WA. Welcome Wilt, the season of change with:
This is my entry for #WhiskeyandWildflowers, an #UnofficialChallenge by Asmo.
Cheers! And keep the challenges coming our way.
We are live folks. Cone sit down with a glass and listen to the rain with me as we plan a journey to the blooming wildflowers. #UnofficialChallenge #WhiskeyandWildflowers
To celebrate Pride Month this year, Rin and I will be hosting the second Show Your Colors Challenge! The challenge starts this Sunday (June 1st), and ends the 30th. Rin and I are looking for worldbuilding made with love for the queer community - articles that trend positive, hopeful, or uplifting, even in the face of conflict and struggle.
There is a minimum of 300 words, but no maximum. It isn't a judged competition either, so no stress! We will share some of our favourite entries after Summer Camp! I hope people enjoy this challenge <3
I just finished a very interesting interesting #unofficialchallenge It's called Dip a Toe in, by Asmo, in short you write story about visiting another person's world. I bugged one of my friends Kranjax with a bunch a questions about Elviria, he kindly pointed me to articles and andswered so I could create a piece of prose that mad me cry when I finished it. I hope you enjoy this piece its not exactly what I even expected it to be but I had fun.
Story Teaser!
“Once a feared sorceress, now a sugar-crazed lich baking penance in a candy prison. But every hundred years, the portals open—and Gramma Nut gets her sweet, short break…”
To find the challenge go here
To visit Elviria
I have extended Unofficial Adventure April! Entries are now due by May 10th. Also, the Play May form is up and running! Let us know your preferences!
(and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know if you mean for the adventure to be read or run by others. thanks! <3 )
Starberry Enchantment is a whimsical tart born from fantasy and folklore—a dessert said to be crafted with love and blessed by the Goddess of Love herself. With layers of almond frangipane, delicate crème pâtissière, vibrant starberry coulis, and marbled cream, it’s a treat that feels like a spell woven into every bite. Sweet, symbolic, and utterly enchanting, it’s the perfect offering for Ambrosia Day—or any day your heart wishes to speak.
This is my entry for Desserts of Devotion! I managed to get it completed in time, It is a full recipe. It can be made in real life!
I have been a tad slower writing this month, I am still working through my 12 in 12 entry and Rituals of Renewal, I have some Ticking Tides episodes to add if you are following Calliope Jade's Journey.
Hi,
some recently added articles in Alana! Cozy articles about bees and flowers (the bee one for the "Insert very creative bee related pun here" challenge, my entry for the "Trans Day of Visibility" challenge and some rules experiments around crafting and item enhancement!
Apart from that: I made the Shadowdark character sheet translatable, it is now available in english and hungarian. If you are interested in having an existing sheet in a different language, contact me, maybe I can help you.
Also remember that my unofficial challenge Adventure MAPril is running!
Happy quacking,
Tillerz
Unofficial challenge combining Adventure April and MAPril is now open!
#AdvMAPril2025 #UnofficialChallenge
I finally finished my entry for 12 in 12! I've also been keeping up with Demongrey's March of 31 Tales. It’s been fun carrying the story along, especially since my plan is to follow the same characters through each challenge. This time, I spent extra time not just on the writing but also on the art—I created portraits for each main character. Day 29 is done, and 12 in 12 is complete. I present A Feast of Fate! #unofficialchallenge
We're up to 8 competition entries, and 3 participation entries, and I am so happy and excited to see all the lovely work :D Thank you to everyone joining in so far, and to everyone else thinking about joining in, or working on their own submission still, you still have a full 7 days left! Plenty of time :D Take a look at some of the fantastic entries and gain that lovely architectural inspiration through exploring their articles as precedent!
Still one week left to earn a lovely participation badge, or compete to win the winners badge version >:D
(Side note, how do you make columns in this editor? Sure would be nice to put these two badge images beside each other...)
(side note V2, wouldn't it be cool if I could grant these badges via WA's stickers? I wonder if there's a good feature-request idea there)
I hope everyone has been having a fantastic March! Mine has been incredibly busy, super hyper focused on Architecture as well. I even managed to get my own little Marchitecture article done, as a "participation entry"! This serves as an example and reminder that you can break the rules in order to gain just a participation badge, the rules only exist for people competing to win :D
Speaking of which, we have 4 competition entries already! From my brief skim they look to be EXCELLENT articles, and everyone should be really proud of them :D I can't wait to dive into them in April and explore these lovely spaces and places that everyone has built.
If you are participating, or want to participate, don't forget to share your articles here with #marchitecture or #marchitecture2025 as a hashtag! And all entries (both participation and competition) can be found on the Challenge page itself :D
It's time to put our creativity to the test!
Demongrey, a very talented and well known Anvilite and member of the chapter I am also in (Articles Anonymous), has launched an exciting challenge: March of 31 Tales. The goal? Write one article per day throughout March!
While I missed the first three days, I’m determined to jump in and do my best to keep up. Challenges like these push us to expand our worlds, explore new ideas, and build consistency in our writing. Plus, the badges created by
Myth Cross and Jon
are an extra motivation to keep going!
If you’re looking for a way to fuel your creativity and challenge yourself, this is a fantastic opportunity to do so alongside an amazing community. Let’s make March a month of storytelling and worldbuilding! Who else is taking on the challenge?
Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a great time!
It's been a while, but that's what happens when real life gets in the way. Yet, I am once again here and I have some exciting news!
The March prompt for 12in12 challenge is ready! This time, we urge you to write about food in any manner you wish.
Do you have a special dish or a unique incredient? Is there a culinary expert in your world worth mentioning or a place with food so good, one must not miss? Or perhaps there is a tasteful memory you want to share with us- food after all is ofter around our happiest memories. These are but examples, of course. Join in and write about whatever inspires you regarding food!
H.B. Bacon once again, thank you so much for giving the opportunity to be a part of this amazing challenge!
CoolG the badge is (as it was expected) beautiful! <3
Over the course of March, join us in this unofficial competition about breathing new life into old buildings. So many buildings see so many people and so many stories pass through them over the ages, changing owners, and often times entirely changing programmed use. Think about what once was, why and how the owners and designers decided to renovate it, and what might be.
Tell us about a pre-existing building in your world that was renovated or remodeled in modern or current times.
Buildings are with us for our entire lives -- we spend the vast majority of our time within them. They are our protectors, our story keepers, and our homes. They provide us shelter, and they also provide us beauty. They age, they die, and sometimes, like in this specific case, they are granted another chance at living.
What story might your building tell?
What's your favourite example of a renovated building?
Don't forget, if you participate, you win a badge :D And, if you win, you get the winners badge! Make sure to share your entries with #Marchitecture or #Marchitecture2025 and #unofficialchallenge
Duckuary 2025 closed!
Congrats to all participants, because you are all winners: you have ducks in your world! And also: each of you gets an ebook version of Structuring Life to Support Creativity by Sandra Tayler.
Wow. Can you all believe it's almost March already? I had so much I wanted to do but so much is happening and it's just a bit XP but, as always, I'm just trying to keep praying and keep going. Today, I have a couple of interesting updates for you all.
I entered the WorldAnvil WorldBuilding Awards this year! If you would like to check out all my entries (and maybe cast a vote or two) check out the webpage here:
I launched a project for ZineQuest and ZineMonth called Rock Paper Scissors Spy. You can find more info and back the project here:
I plan on debuting more art and info for it soon, but things have just been so all over the place for me. If you have any questions about anything, please don't hesitate to ask them! I also made an unofficial challenge for Friendship February that goes hand-in-hand with it. Join if you'd like. It's free!
I've been streaming on Twitch (or at least trying to)! If you'd like to hang out, the best thing to do would be to follow my Twitch channel here: https://www.twitch.tv/wordigirl, or join my Discord server here: https://discord.gg/wordigirl and grab the Watchers role so that you can be notified whenever I go live. I really need to start putting disclaimers on my schedules. Sadly, things haven't been working out for me to stream exactly on time lately.
If you aren't already a part of the agency, please consider joining! It will help me a lot. Even if you can't pledge to the Kickstarter or buy merch, signing up for WILLOWISP tier for as little as $1 per month, or even making a one-time contribution can go a long way. I am extremely grateful to each and every one of you who follow, donate, and support me and my work. Words cannot express my eternal gratitude, especially in these tough times. Check this page for all the different ways you can support or join the agency:
We have so much fun in the Discord server! From Questions of the Day to Drabble Prompts, to Role Play games, cool conversations, and more! There are all sorts of things to do and all sorts of wonderful peeps to meet. Plus, Handsome Co-Host is there. If you're already here, say hi! We'd love to get to know you more. We've even started a monthly Talent Showcase to help people get eyes on their work. Join for free here: https://discord.gg/wordigirl
I think that's about all for the free update. If you would like more secrets, consider subscribing, even for as low as $1 per month. God bless and much success with all your plans! Sending prayers, love, and healing hugs your way always. Know that you can reach out if ever you want or need.
#unofficialchallenge #friendshipfebruary #wawa #worldbuildingawards #discord #community #update #kickstarter #news #zinemonth #zinequest
You sit down at your computer to write, and you get halfway into your new article and
You are struck out of the blue with the need, the urge,the compulsion to create something that goes along with the article that you're making. It might be a chronicle to organize several events and locations. It might be a timeline to track your writing progress. It could be a drawing to illustrate an insect's wing. It might even be a map of the island you've dedicated your writing to.
cough.
Whatever it is...in the end, it doesn't count toward your word goal. And that's ok! Because you are still enriching your world, your readers, and the entire universe with your creative spirit! So go forth! Waste WorldEmber writing time! It'll all be OK in the end!
If, like me, you're shopping from your "Stubs" list this WorldEmber season, then claim this snow globe badge with [img:6141332].
The frost has lifted from the fields
and early summer's moonlight yields:
A dewy carpet 'pon the ground
as we sit the campfire 'round.
Deep inside the forest's night,
cast in eerie shadow-light
Summer Campers stir with glee
amongst their spooky family!
If you're like me, then you look for any excuse you can to work a little bit of the spooky, the creepy, the mysterious and unexplained into your world. After all, everybody loves a good story about a monster under the bed, things that go bump in the night, or that weird thing that disappeared into the bushes.
Claim this badge when you submit one (or more) Summer Camp eligible article that also features information about:
This is an honor-system badge, I won't be checking. But I think it's a fun little extra challenge, especially if you're building a spooky world or just like telling ghost stories.
Created by Haly the Moonlight Bard. Snag this with: [imgblock:5648735] or [img:5648735] and drop a link in the comments so I can like your work!
I've had a ton of fun preparing stuff for the Food, Glorious FOOD! Unofficial Challenge. For me, the culmination came on June 1st, when I assembled all the products to make a bread bowl full of sour rye soup. Why not make it before the deadline? I was having so much fun testing new stuff and... got carried away and lost track of time. XD
Here is a special candy treat made by and for the loved ones:
A massive shoutout to Makenzie Turney a.k.a. moonflower-writing, who hosted the challenge and a massive thank you to all participants. You can find the submissions in the comment section -- all 20+ bursting with flavour and an inspiring story to share.
I managed to find a few species of edible flowers and leaves. Even though there were too few rainy days, I started a series of articles with Foraging inspirations. Mushrooms, pt. 1 -- the lookalikes. Plans for next parts include: peculiar looks and unique biology. Stay tuned for more!
Variables, variables, variables galore. This was my favourite this month as I uesd the Food challenge to write down some quantity-related names. Tables and Content trees were in play as well, but admittedly I didn't give them as much love.
A handful of new articles on food, which inspired me to go a bit further into where the food comes from, how it is processed and how it shapes the lives of people in my world.
The map and the short story have to wait. Apparently it was not their time, yet.
The large portion of the experiments is now done and time for actual cooking and writing will start tomorrow. Looking forward to it, since I'll be making one of my favourite dishes, but with a medieval/ancient twist on it.
No good luc with the elderflower lemonade. The flowers withered super fast as I saved them for later (for the lack of time). Wood-growing mushrooms start to appear but there is yet too little rain for typically foraged species (Porcini, Chantarelle) to be found in my neighbourhood. There's news of Chicken of the Woods making its appearance around Poland, so maybe visiting a more remote deciduous wood is an idea.
When visiting my parents I collected grape leaves of 4 different varieties, having some bigger ones (more tanic and hard) and smaller (glistening, acidic and fragile). They are waiting in salted water untill I make a use of them, possibly for something similar to dolmas mentioned by ShadowPoenix. ;)
With Foraging inspirations. Mushrooms, pt. 1 -- the lookalikes I'm starting a series dedicated to #ForagingInspirations. Prepare for a fair dose of nerdy knowledge. Mushrooms are strange but also interestingly strange and can serve as a prop, right next to plants, animals and forces of nature. The article includes some real-life lookalikes, how they can be mistaken and whether the mistake will be deadly or not. I've included a short scene example at the end.
This week I experimented some more with Variables. While I have previously started small with variables for placenames:
The above examples are "Type Simple", which means you get two fields: ey (which you see above) and Value (which appears as a tooltip). What gives even more flexibility is the "Type Rendered", which permits the use of BBcode, containers, etc. With containers it gets very powerful, since I basically get a segment, which can be CSS tailored in a thousand and one ways. But even with the ability to fit "aloud" boxes, tables and such, this gives quite an edge and enables one to have a big portion of information to be maintained in a single place. I have used these for content warning boxes. More on that in the next update.
More stubs and notes on which flavour pairings worked and which did not. Finally getting down to writing, after the foraging article is published. So now all hands on deck with the Food, Glorious FOOD! Unofficial Challenge.
I'm happy to announce, that this week was very productive! The kitchen has officially been reestablished as my laboratory to experiment with flavour, shapes and texture. I particularly loved the desserts and some of them will likely appear more often in real life. This challenge started off as an experiment to add some cooking traditions to Ædeos but inspired me to look more into "I wonder how this ingredient could be transformed into something new and interesting?" The battle continues and this week will mark some recipe wrap-up in the form of drafts of articles.
I made a first run of elderflower lemonade! The taste is almost there but needs some acidity to balance the swetness. The elderflowers are in full bloom, so this week will go under the flag of flavoured syrups. The robinia flowers were good in pancake dough, but not great. It's gave them a bit of that flowery fragrance but not enough to be truly memorable. Some other recipe called for a paste made of petals and sugar, so I may try that as well.
This week I'll be visiting my parents and the grape vines I planted a couple of years ago. Young leaves can be stored in salted water and used as a wrap for any type of filling (meat and or rice is the one I stumble upon mostly). Beech leaves are getting tough, but some still have some tartness to them, so I'll get a buch as well.
And last, but not least, my foraging-inspired article no.1 is aaaalmost finished. I will be focusing on wild mushrooms and their lookalikes, what makes them similar and different and how can you include them in a story. To get you started, here are some of the stars of the upcoming article. Can you recognize some edible mushrooms? How many are edible when raw? Which one is fermented and eaten?

Saved energy for this week. ;)
Stubs for the Food, Glorious FOOD! Unofficial Challenge have been prepared, as were th first runs of recipes!



I had a long week of pondering how to tackle Food, Glorious FOOD! Unofficial Challenge to expand my worldbuilding and came up with several ideas. It sprouted with both, something sweet, and savory. Some products had to be purchased (I don't have my own source of bacon nor honey), but thankfully, the some could be foraged in the nearby forest. First tests will start this week with articles being published some next week or so.
Hot and cold, hot and cold. With early spring came earlier summer and the elderflowers and robinias are already blooming. Time to prepare some wild lemonade and flowers in pancake dough. Bird eye cherry is almost done blooming and I may be late for foraging flowers for oxidation and almond-like flavoured tea. Pine cones are green and tender and soon will be ready to make a pine-cone syrup. Little to no mushrooms, though... Let it RAIN!!!
I made a good progress with the article about taking inspiration from mushrooms but it's getting too big, so... I'll have to think of ways to break it down into smaller, easily consumable portions.
Categories got some love and with that a new thing learned -- each category has a page of its own. They can be customized via a drag&drop design tab. The default is Table of contents | Articles (blocks) | Maps/Timelines but unneeded fields can be dropped altogether. There are 5 custom content fields + the usual ones:
Still playing with it to logically navigate the readers and make browsing through the world much easier. But since for that I'll need index Tags, the changes are not implemented yet, and probably won't until a week or two (I fear that even more, but we'll see how it plays out).
No progress in this field, though the preparations are set up and aligned with the Food, Glorious FOOD! Unofficial Challenge.
Definitely taking part in Food, Glorious FOOD! Unofficial Challenge by moonflower-writing. Foraging wild plants gave me some ideas on how to cook something quirky and tasty. Fingers crossed I will be able to find something wild. If not, I'll just grab something from the market. A wild idea would be to chain several prompts together to make something delish. We'll see, we'll see.
Despite a fairly dry spring, there was enough rain for mushrooms to appear, so spring/summer mushroom foraging is likely to be on my list of "MUST DO" for the upcoming weeks.
An article or two about using plants and their toxic lookalikes for spicing up a story is under way!
May will be a good time to put Content Trees, Tags and Variables to good use. The plan is to focus more on Variables and prepare some standardized content, especially for the geographical regions. I have a plan for Generators as well but that's lower on the priority list.