Wind Waker: A thermos of warm soup.

 A thermos of warm soup.

Elixir Soup: A hearty and filling soup made by Link’s Grandma that heals both body and spirit. Link must bring a fairy to his ill Grandma to cure her before she is well enough to make his favorite soup. Once she is better, he can always stop by for a refill of soup in an empty bottle. One bottle holds two servings of soup, so Link can refill his hearts and magic twice before running out of that delicious soup.

This container represents a perfect pairing of the scientific and arcane arts. The flask can keep any fluid hot or cold for ages. As long as the flask hasn’t been opened, the contents are kept at whatever temperature they were when the flask was sealed.

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Many a fantasy adventure includes some version of the ever-chill mug. The frost-ale mug from Planescape: Torment is the only one I can think of right now, but I know there are many more.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: A bottle of distilled wish.

A bottle of distilled wish.

Fairy: Fairies in Wind Waker look far more humanoid than many of their counterparts in other Zelda games. This difference in appearance doesn’t change their general use. If Link has a fairy captured in a bottle when he runs out of hearts, the fairy leaps to his defense and heals some of his hearts. Link can carry multiple fairies as long as he has captured each individually in its own empty bottle.

Not what some would expect when they think of a genie’s bottle, but this decorative glass bottle once held the most famous genie in the west. The genie was rescued from millennia trapped in her bottle by an astral explorer who found her bottle while trying to return home. The bottle is long empty since the genie was given her freedom before choosing to marry her rescuer.

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I dream of Jeanie is a show I only know about because of all the times it gets referenced in other shows.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: An ampule of glowing essence.

 An ampule of glowing essence.

Forest Firefly: These majestic fireflies glow in seven different colors and can only be found in the Forest Haven. This isolated forest is the last vestige of the once mighty forests that covered Hyrule before being drowned under the floods that birthed the Great Sea. In the original release, Link must capture a firefly and give it to Lenzo so that he can upgrade Link’s Pictobox into the Deluxe Pictobox capable of taking color photographs. In the HD rerelease, Link is given the Deluxe Pictobox from the start, so Lenzo doesn’t need a firefly for his research.

Such an ampule of distilled firefly essence requires the lives of millions of fireflies to create. The result of such an insecticide massacre is a fluid that makes any who drink it glow for a few hours. It is also an invaluable reagent in spells conjuring or controlling lights.

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If you don’t know what an Ampule is, it is a type of container for medicines and reactive liquids. The ampule is sealed by melting the glass tip, which means the neck must be snapped off to open them.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: A canteen of pure forest spring water.

A canteen of pure forest spring water.

Forest Water: This mystical water can only be found in the Forest Haven, home of the Great Deku Tree and the Koroks, wood spirits that tend to nature. The water has magical energies that imbue life into the Deku and the Koroks. Its power diminishes if it is ever taken out of the haven, which makes watering eight holy saplings spread across the great sea a difficult task. If Link is able to accomplish the task, he is rewarded with a Piece of Heart.

Survival in the wilderness is almost always about finding drinkable water. If you can find water, you can at least give yourself enough time to starve to death. No explorer worth their salt should go anywhere without at least one canteen or waterskin they can rely on.

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There are so many versions and incarnations of the water of life in myth and legend from around the world. I always found learning about folklore and myth fascinating because you can see how central themes repeat themselves across cultures, places, and times.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Holiday: Pop a bottle to the new year.

 Pop a bottle to the new year.

Champagne: Sparkling wine from Champagne France. If it isn't from France, it isn't officially Champagne.

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2022 is in the bag and we have officially started 2023. I hope this year brings positive changes. We have had many negative notable events in the last few years, so hopefully, some better happenings turn up this year.

Have a happy new year!

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph