#the goblin problem

[studiorat]

Shade of My Enemy, Volume 3, Case, page 22

In which arguments are made…

Small worldbuilding note: our three bumbling blin here speak of the sacred spring in the confiscated letter as ‘deathwater’ because canonically, throughout the LoZverse, falling in water more than knee high is deadly to monsters. I imagine the sapient monsters would have taboos and rituals around interactions with water, that it would be both revered and feared. I think the strongest among them demonstrating their strength and courage with public, ritual bathing in contrast to the steamhouses and/or oil and scraping methods they might use for everyday cleanliness. It seems reasonable to me that they would be aware of how water is regarded by human cultures, both mundane sources and holy places.

Of course, here we have the whole side plot around water as well: drought strikes Hyrule before the Twilight, with whole rivers and lakes drying up. It persists until Link’s questing take him into Zora lands, and we are not quite there yet …

Thursday posting continues, thank all the bright little gods. This third of five projected volumes continues in active production and the newest page will post as usual around 3pm CST on my patreon and Discord.

Note that the story will always be free to read online, whether a new page or collected volumes on Patreon, weekly pages here on tumblr, or the prose conversion is available on Ao3 — current prose chapters cover volumes 1 & 2 so if you’re new to SoME, this is an ideal time to curl up with the prose or collected pages to catch up with current plot.

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[studiorat]

Shade of My Enemy, volume 3, 46 days, page 15

In which we contrast two warriors.

Also indulge in a bit of a Frazzetta homage for Reasons.


Thursday posting continues, thank all the bright little gods. This third of five projected volumes continues in active production and the newest page will post as usual around 3pm CST on my patreon and Discord.

Note that the story will always be free to read online, whether a new page or collected volumes on Patreon, weekly pages here on tumblr, or the prose conversion is available on Ao3 — current prose chapters cover volumes 1 & 2 so if you’re new to SoME, this is an ideal time to curl up with the prose or collected pages to catch up with current plot.

Start from the beginning - previous page here - next page here

Thank you for reading, and as always, signalboosting is greatly appreciated.

Transcriptions below cut

Transcription of Zelda’s letter:

Your armies take your pride for their model — your messenger arrived half dead, with two shieldmates lost on the journey, and called it victory to lay your letter in my hand. I detained them as long as possible to encourage healing, for though they affirm the road is treacherous they refused to trade duties. Today despite misgivings I return them because I found in the Memoirs of Gerliche a passage describing the mines in the era of Ambrose V. Though there are no maps, I have marked the pages with red floss. May they smooth your path in the labyrinth…

Link’s letter:

Y.M. -

— wherever these green monsters come from, they make themselves a barrier to assembling the artifact which M believes will empower us to repair the veil between worlds & restore Light to our country & people. These monsters are at best clever thieves — Their weapons primitive or looted , their armour a patchwork of hides & horns & stolen chain. Their tactics begin & end with brutality. Time is not kind to Hyrule & the hesitation you ask of me will cost thousands more lives. [We have secured three surface gates] to the mines & expect to descend into the mountain itself by week’s end. [I will return to the surface when we’ve] found Darbus — it may be some [days. Keep faith in the Light YM.]

[studiorat]

Shade of My Enemy, Volume 3, 46 days, page 12

In which the Princess grapples with a difficult report

Thursday posting continues, thank all the bright little gods. This third of five projected volumes continues in active production and the newest page will post as usual around 3pm CST on my patreon and Discord.

Note that the story will always be free to read online, whether a new page or collected volumes on Patreon, weekly pages here on tumblr, or the prose conversion is available on Ao3 — current prose chapters cover volumes 1 & 2 so if you’re new to SoME, this is an ideal time to curl up with the prose or collected pages to catch up with current plot.

Start from the beginning here - previous page here - next page here

Thank you for reading, and as always, signalboosting is greatly appreciated.

[studiorat]

Shade of My Enemy, volume 3, 46 days, page 17

In which Curls gets involved in the discussion at shiftchange outside the King’s suite…

Thursday posting continues, thank all the bright little gods. This third of five projected volumes continues in active production and the newest page will post as usual around 3pm CST on my patreon and Discord.

Note that the story will always be free to read online, whether a new page or collected volumes on Patreon, weekly pages here on tumblr, or the prose conversion is available on Ao3 — current prose chapters cover volumes 1 & 2 so if you’re new to SoME, this is an ideal time to curl up with the prose or collected pages to catch up with current plot.

Start from the beginning - previous page here - next page here

Thank you for reading, and as always, signalboosting is greatly appreciated.

[studiorat]

Shade of My Enemy, volume 3, 46 days, page 16

In which the guards notice activity in the forbidden tower…

Thursday posting continues, thank all the bright little gods. This third of five projected volumes continues in active production and the newest page will post as usual around 3pm CST on my patreon and Discord.

Note that the story will always be free to read online, whether a new page or collected volumes on Patreon, weekly pages here on tumblr, or the prose conversion is available on Ao3 — current prose chapters cover volumes 1 & 2 so if you’re new to SoME, this is an ideal time to curl up with the prose or collected pages to catch up with current plot.

Start from the beginning - previous page here - next page here

Thank you for reading, and as always, signalboosting is greatly appreciated.

[studiorat]

Shade of My Enemy, Volume 3, 46 Days, page 11

In which the hero’s report continues

Thursday posting continues, thank all the bright little gods. This third of five projected volumes continues in active production and the newest page will post as usual around 3pm CST on my patreon and Discord.

Note that the story will always be free to read online, whether a new page or collected volumes on Patreon, weekly pages here on tumblr, or the prose conversion is available on Ao3 — current prose chapters cover volumes 1 & 2 so if you’re new to SoME, this is an ideal time to curl up with the prose or collected pages to catch up with current plot.

Start from the beginning here - previous page here - next page here

Thank you for reading, and as always, signalboosting is greatly appreciated.