so i was just messing around with this sketch i made while studying his armor, and then accidentally switched the shading layer from multiply to overlay and HOT DAMN
An excerpt of the story I co-wrote with Sam about the Hero of Time for The Legend of Link zine @2023legendoflinkzine! Very happy to participate to this project whose benefits will go in their entirety to Doctors Without Borders.
I worked with Aza on this piece (excerpt above) for the Legend of Link zine!!! I really enjoyed working with Aza, and overall working on the zine has been a great experience going to a great cause. The art and writing I've seen going towards this zine has all been amazing, this is one you'll want to keep your eyes on!!
Like Aza mentioned, pre-orders are live on March 25th, don't miss it!!
An excerpt of the story I co-wrote with @kuriboo about the Hero of Time for The Legend of Link zine @2023legendoflinkzine! Very happy to participate to this project whose benefits will go in their entirety to Doctors Without Borders.
Hello, everyone! Seeking here. I know that most of you havenāt heard from me in a while, especially those in the Linked Universe/Legend of Zelda fandom, but I have a super exciting announcement to make!Ā
You might be expecting an announcement regarding an upcoming LU Artist Appreciation project, but my plans this summer are a little bit different. Instead, I would like to share with you all a formal interest check for the 2023 Legend of Link Charity Zine!Ā
The goal of this project is to raise at least $1000 dollars for Doctors without Borders through a Legend of Zelda fanzine! Physical and digital copies of the zine will be sold, as well as tons of extra goodies to help cover production costs and maximize the amount we can donate to charity!Ā
The fanzine will be focused on the 10 mainline Links and their respective games.Ā The Links will be depicted in the zine in chronological order in terms of their first game release date:Ā
Hero of Hyrule: The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: Adventure of Link
Hero of Legend: A Link to the Past, Linkās Awakening, Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons
Hero of Time: Ocarina of Time, Majoraās Mask
Hero of the Winds: Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass
Hero of the Minish: Minish Cap
Hero of Twilight: Twilight PrincessĀ
Hero of Spirits: Spirit TracksĀ
Goddessās Chosen: Skyward Sword
New Hero of Hyrule: A Link Between WorldsĀ
Hero of the Wild: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the KingdomĀ
Should there be enough interest, a final section may be dedicated toĀ āBonus Linksā such as the Hero of Warriors (Hyrule Warriors) and the Hero of the Four Sword (Four Sword Adventures) and the First Hero (prequel hero of the Skyward Sword manga). Each Link will have 4 pages in the zine (with the front and back of one sheet being counted as TWO pages), meaning that the zine will have 4 cover pages (front and back of the front cover = 2, front and back of the back cover = 2, 2+2 = 4) and 40 interior pages.Ā
More information about the theme, timeline, and production schedule of the zine can be found in the proposal document below!Ā
If this project sounds interesting to you, and you can imagine yourself purchasing and/or participating in the zine, please please consider filling out the form below! This project can only happen if there are enough people interested in buying and contributing; Iāll only be able to get this project off the ground with your help!Ā
The form is open all this week and next week. It would mean the world to me if you fill it out!Ā Ā
https://forms.gle/uQ5GNf7eGpp33vF18
This project will be entirely volunteer-based and volunteer-supported. As such, no one, including myself, will be paid, as 100% of proceeds will be going to charity after production costs have been covered. I still want to acknowledge everyoneās hard work, however, so I will provide certification of volunteer hours for any high-school or college students who are interested in participating, as well as anyone else who would benefit from formal documentation of their hours. Furthermore, there will be a page in the zine with each contributorās social media links, and said links will also be included on all social media pages of the event.
Hope it sounds interesting! Consider filling out the interest form if it does, or boosting this if you think this is a good idea!Ā
Itās been noted that thereās been a steady uptick in Warriors content in the fandom recently. Although not all of it has been flattering. Fanonization of a character is pretty normal; once a characteristic has been identified it tends to get thrown around the fandom echo chamber until itās permeated through most of the fandom. So thereās nothing unusual there. Itās happened with Skyās sleepiness, Timeās mystique, and Wildās angst. But in the case of Warriors it gets a little strange. See, his canon character didnāt really translate over to fandom so cleanly.
In fact, I found that many of his supposedly āwell-knownā traits donāt actually have any canon basis. Even the ones you think are rooted in canon are actually fandom constructed on some small misconceptions.
First, let's get the basics out of the way: Warriors is not a flirty pretty boy. In fact, Iād go so far as to say heās not flirty at all. I can see where this idea started but upon closer inspection it's actually way more complicated than youād expect. In āDoodles 6ā on the archive weāre treated to this:
Where we see Wars hiding from a few women. Now, weāve all been kinda taking this to mean that he was flirting with all the women in the tavern. But when you look at it objectively it actually appears to be the opposite; women are approaching him. And not only are they flirting with him but he doesnāt seem to be enjoying it. Jojoās notes below actual lend this this idea too:
āHero of warriors has so many ladies after himā¦ you know, for his heartā¦and soulā¦and his head šā
Thereās nothing there about Warriors being a flirt. The whole pretty boy thing is a reference to his game where the main conflict started when Cia fell in love with the hero's spirit, thus causing the whole war. So him being desirable has nothing to do with a playboy personality and everything to do with his appearance.
And speaking of his appearance, heās not all that concerned about his. Again, another misconception. In āmirror shieldā heās examining his black eye, yes, but itās nothing egregious. Itās only natural to check on your injury. And in āRegroupā he doesnāt seem to have a problem with a scratched up face; heās smirking and joking as usual. So heās clearly not that bothered.
Moving on, his core personality. I donāt know where anyone got the idea that he was a jokey/comical character but heās not. When it comes down to it heās right up there with Twilight in seriousness during battles. Heās usually the one helping Time to come up with plans (āthe shadow pt1ā & ānew time new placeā) and in situations where Time isnāt there Warriors steps up and takes charge (āDivine Dark Reflections pt8ā and āSunset pt4-5ā). In Sunset in particular we see him displaying a huge range of his leadership abilities; he stays with Twilight when Time and Sky are speaking, convinces Twilight to leave the battlefield, fills in the group upon return and send Four and Hyrule ahead once he learns about Life, takes control of the battlefield and comes up with a plan. Even when Wild deviates from the plan, Warriors again demonstrates his leadership abilities by putting aside the lecture and focusing on solving the problem of the leftover monsters.
And even when heās not in battle heās able to take things seriously and read the room. In āMemories pt1ā Twilight and Time subtly try to move the group along to spare Wild when the champion gets stuck in his head. Warriors picks up on it immediately, even without knowing the specifics, and helps herd Wind away. And in āHeroes Legacyā he notices Time being quieter than normal and asks about it. Heās so much more emotionally intelligent than he gets credit for.
Thereās also this thing in the fandom about him thinking titles are important? Like, respecting someone more if they are a knight or something. And thatās baloney, actually, because Wars canonically does not give a shit. He doesnāt care about formalities (āDoodles 6ā) nor that Hyrule isnāt officially a knight (āDivine Dark Reflection pt8ā). He doesnāt seem to care about any titles, actually, based on his discussion with Legend in āThe Betā:
He readily admits titles can be given out freely; it doesnāt matter where you come from, only what you do. Which is probably why he doesnāt care that so many of his fellow heroes arenāt officially knights or even soldiers.
Heās also really respectful despite some people making him out to be an asshole for literally no reason. Seriously, thereās been a lot of fics that use him as a stand-in antagonist when heās canonically the opposite of an asshole. In āMemories pt1ā he acknowledges Wildās sacrifice and praises him. He doesnāt think any less of Wild for dying and even commends him for overcoming death. In āDivine Dark Reflections pt9ā he follows Hyruleās lead when they chase after Twilightās statue, even though both he and Sky are hesitant. But he still follows because he respects Hyruleās decision and even urges Sky to do the same.
All of this is not to say he doesnāt have flaws. Heās still overconfident sometimes and still has a bit of immaturity to him (him calling Timeās wedding ring a āpretty shackleā still makes me laugh). But just because he likes to banter doesnāt make him an asshole or a joke. Thereās a lot to him that has yet to be explored
AAAAAAAAAAA THANK YOU FOR THIS!! I still have a draft for a Wars post but you did it so much better than I would have. I remember Warriors joking around about his success with the ladies, but the one instance I recall off the top of my head could actually also be interpreted as him getting unwanted attention...
Anyway those are all great points and I agree wholeheartedly!! More emotionally intelligent/leader Wars please! Iāve held that for his main character trait for a while tbh. Heās just so good at reading a room and reacting accordingly.
Idk if the rest of our Discord Wars angst squad is on here except @a-little-bit-of-ravioliā this seems right up your alley.
You know Entish that the trees speak in LotR? And to the average (human) listener it sounds like wind whistling though their branches, or old wood creaking. But elves with their enhanced hearing- they can understand the language of the trees, and can relay messages/warnings the trees may carry. HC that Hylians can do the same thing w their sharp hearing + pointy ears: Anytime you hear boss/fight music in a game, itās the trees warning Link of nearby danger, and vice versa for peaceful music.
if you're fine with taking this request, maybe twilight talking about his adventure for once with wild? i always see fics of twi offering comfort to wild for what happened in his journey but very rarely the other way around. thank you so much!! šš
Of course! Thanks for sending in this prompt <33
Twilight has a lot of quirks to his personality that Wild has never really questioned. He growls when heās angry (even in human form), he fiddles with his shadow crystal through his tunic when heās nervous, he likes his meat rare, and he disappears at twilight.
All of them have oddities about them, like how Four covers the mirror in every room they stay in, how Time will stare trancelike for hours at the moon, how Hyrule separates from them sometimes because being around people too long makes him overwhelmed. They all have their secrets and they respect each other enough not to judge or pry.
But Wild canāt deny that heās curious. Heās known Twilight the longest of all of them, nearing on two years now, and never once has he divulged where he goes when the sun sets.
Now, as he stalks silently through the woods, following glimpses of Wolfieās tail as it weaves through the trees, he tells himself heās justified. This area of Hyrule is particularly dangerousāHylia, theyāve been ambushed three times todayāand he tells himself his tailing Twilight is not fuelled by his own petty curiosity, but a need to make sure heās safe. Itās concern for his friendās physical safety, nothing more.
Wolfie emerges from the trees at the top of a steep hill, a bald island peaking from a sea of trees with a view right over the horizon. Wild watches from the edge of the treeline as his silhouette, stark against the last embers of the waning sun, shifts from wolf to man and sits on the grass atop the hill.
Heās still for a while, simply watching as the sun disappears and the light turns from gold to murky dusk, and thenā¦
āI know youāre there, Cub. I can hear you breathing.ā
Wild startles so hard he has to steady himself against the nearest tree trunk. Twilight doesnāt sound angry, though; in fact, he sounds faintly amused.
āAh,ā says Wild. āSorry.ā
Twilight looks at him, his expression unreadable in the advancing darkness, and pats the ground beside him. Wild takes the invitation to climb the rest of the way up the hill and sits beside him, shoulder to shoulder.
āI was just checking you didnāt run into any monsters,ā Wild explains. āI didnāt mean to follow you all the way toā¦ wherever we are.ā
Twilight chuckles, though Wild is a little concerned to hear it carries none of his usual energy or cheer.
āIām sure,ā he says. āThank you for looking out for me. And this is nowhere special, just a place to watch the sunset.ā
Wild hesitates.
āIāve noticed you disappear a lot around this time of day.ā
Twilight nods. āAnd you got curious.ā
āNo! I mean, well, yes, but itās none of my business. Itās always been something youāve done alone, soā¦ā
He trails off into silence, and Twilight makes no move to continue their conversation. Theyāve always been able to speak relatively freely with each other, and the pregnant pause starts to make him nervous.
āI can go if you want,ā says Wild, ābut you seemā¦ sad.ā
Twilight is always there for him when he feels lost and alone, when he feels the guilt from his failures so strongly it feels like itās tearing him up inside. Wild has never been good with words, but the least he can do is be there for him in return.
āRusl used to say dusk is the only time when our world intersects with theirs,ā Twilight says quietly. Wild is confused at first, then remembers some of the tales Twilight has told him about his adventure. Heās never heard the whole story, but heās been given enough fragments that he can work most of it out, and he knows Twilight well enough to know who in particular this is about.
āI go out everyday to watch the sunset,ā Twilight continues, āhoping Iāll feelā¦ something, any connection to her at all, but thereās always justā¦ silence.ā He sighs, shaking his head. āItās stupid, I know. I donāt know why I would ever expectāā
āItās not stupid!ā Wild interjects, blushing slightly at the accidental abruptness of his interruption. āI mean, I understand what itās like to miss people; itās not stupid to want to feel closer to her.ā
Twilight gives him a strange look, a small, sad smile playing on his lips. Itās so unlike him, so different to the cheerful, tongue-in-cheek personality he normally conveys, that Wild wonders if he condenses all his sadness, all his pain to this one point in the day. Lets himself feel it all at once so he can bottle it up the rest of the time. The thought makes him very sad.
āShe was with me through the worst time of my life,ā Twilight says, looking back over the horizon. āShe was there, by my side, for so long and then she was justā¦ gone. Sometimes I wonder if she even cared about me at all. I mean, surely there was another wayā¦ā
With a pang in his heart, Wild shifts closer and rests his head on his mentorās shoulder, hoping to provide comfort with sheer proximity.
āI think anyone would be hard-pressed to spend that much time with you and not care. I bet wherever she is, sheās watching the horizon and thinking of you too.ā
Twilight sniffs. The first of the stars have appeared, twinkling against the dark blue sky.
Iāve been seeing a lot of amazing posts lately thanking fanfic writers for that good, good content that weāre all disappearing into right now. And I love these posts, and FUCK YES, the healing power of art during these rough times, it canāt be said enough. But I feel like thereās something missing from these posts, and thatās the readers.
A lovely friend of mine recently shared something with the caveat that they ācontribute basically nothing to fandomā and I was fucking floored. Like. This person has made playlists for fic, and shared art, and reached out to me to talk about my stories and other stories and like - that is the Work. They made me feel like my shitty writing was good enough to share, and that made me write more, and connected me with more people, and that sort of contribution doesnāt get acknowledged enough. I donāt write fiction because I have to, or for the likes or hits or whatever; I write it because I have a story I want to tell. On the days when my brain is cooperating, writing is a pleasure. On the days when my brain isnāt cooperating, comments from readers make my words feel meaningful anyway. This isnāt a one-way street, a producer/consumer situation. Or at least, it doesnāt feel like that to me. Ā AndĀ my best writing has been done when people are holding me accountable, or are pushing me to do betterĀ and Iām so grateful for that. And so grateful for you.
So. To the readers who comment on every chapter. To the readers who leave thoughtful essays in the comments and the readers who leave šā¤ļøš± or keysmashes. To the readers who are inspired for the first time to make art or write something themselves.Ā To the readers who leave kudos. To the readers too anxious to comment (Iāve been there, sat in a space where I had no idea how to express how a story made me feel) and the fandom ghosts who dip in and read and vanish.
To readers who like or reblog or share or rec or send messages or donāt do any of these things.
Thank you for being here. Thank you for building this community.
jbbartram-illu
stormborns
andulkaphoto
tangentwithtanner
