The Minish Cap: The Golden Touch

 The Golden Touch

Tingle Trophy: If Link can complete 100 kinstone fusions throughout his adventures, the man fairy Tingle will give Link a golden trophy to celebrate his commitment to friendship and kinstones.

When a greedy king earned a boon from the gods, they wished that anything they touched would turn to gold. The king eventually learned a bitter lesson when they turned their favored child into a golden statue. The king’s closest advisors learned an even more important lesson when they learned the king’s severed hand still carries the gilded touch, even after the death of the king and the amputation of his hand.

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Midas was not the wisest king, and he was punished for his folly. Don’t make the same mistake Midas made. Make specific wishes with reasonable limitations and safeguards.

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Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

The Minish Cap: Greedy Catfish

Greedy Catfish

Kinstone Bag: This sack stores all the kinstones Link collects during his adventures, swelling to near bursting by the end. Link is given the bag near the start of his adventure after conquering the dangers of the Deepwood Shrine.

This massive catfish is responsible for the disappearance of at least three gold rings. The first, it ate off the finger of an unlucky fisher, and the second and third were lost when the same foolish fisher baited their hook with rings only to lose the lures to the wily fish.  There is now an informal bounty on this big fish, with the reward being all the gold the greedy fish has eaten. 

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Losing a ring in the water only to eat the fish with your missing ring still inside is fairy tale destiny at its finest. 

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Make a one-time donation with Ko-Fi:  https://ko-fi.com/theeasyspeaker

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Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

The Minish Cap: Susan’s last shot

 Susan’s last shot

Quiver: When Link gets the bow, he must get some sort of quiver as he can carry arrows. To upgrade how many arrows he can carry at once, he must find the three large quivers throughout the land to eventually hold 99 arrows. He can buy a quiver, earn a quiver through kinstone fusion, and receive one from a Great Fairy if he is wise enough.

Susan Pevensie was one of the great sovereigns of Narnia during its golden age. She was last seen in Narnia on the day of Prince Caspian’s reclamation of his throne, departing through the portal as a sign of good faith. Susan is never again welcomed into Narnia as she has been deemed unfriendly to Narnia by some unknowable and unimpressive rubric.

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Happy Mother’s Day here in the U.S.A. If you have a mother in your life, even if they aren’t technically your mother, send them some love today. If you don’t have someone you want to send warm thoughts to today, send yourself some love because something happened to you, and you deserve love and support.

Since you’re here, please consider donating:

Make a one-time donation with Ko-Fi:  https://ko-fi.com/theeasyspeaker

Become a sustaining supporter on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ItemCardswithTheSpeakingSquid 

Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Digivolve your champion with this digivice.

 Digivolve your champion with this digivice.

Digivice: A digivice from the first series of the Digimon anime. Digivices allow DigiDestined children to digivole their Digimon. That sentence is all the explanation I need for why Digimon didn’t overtake pokémon in the fight for monster collecting supremacy.

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I think that is it for the monster collector item mini-set. There was a while there where I liked Digimon more than pokémon but pokémon was clearly the IP that endured. Did you have a favorite child collecting monsters show that wasn’t pokémon? Monster rancher? Card captors? An even more obscure one?

If you enjoy my work, please consider donating:

Make a one-time donation with Ko-Fi:  https://ko-fi.com/theeasyspeaker

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Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Catch ‘em All with this Pokeball.

Catch ‘em All with this Pokeball.

Pokeball: Use Pokeballs like this to catch all of the Pokémon to complete your Pokédex. 

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Unless you want to directly reference pokémon in your games, I don’t see these being anything but a funny one-off easter egg item, but it could be a great way to represent a stone of summoning or some single-use summon a monster item. 

I haven’t played any of the Pokémon games after the last Game Boy Advanced games Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. They do have a special place in my heart as one of my first hyperfocuses, but I doubt I’m going back to Pokémon any time soon. I just don't have the time to catch them all or craft the perfect team, especially not with however many pokémon there are now. 

If you enjoy my work, please consider donating:

Make a one-time donation with Ko-Fi:  https://ko-fi.com/theeasyspeaker

Become a sustaining supporter on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ItemCardswithTheSpeakingSquid 

Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Capture all of them with these Pal Spheres.

Capture all of them with these Pal Spheres. 

Palsphere: Use these brightly colored spheres to capture all the pals, and anything else they can grab too. Find an additional collection of Pal Spheres below.

Wind Waker: A friendly blue mailbox.

 A friendly blue mailbox.

Postman Statue: The only way to get this statue is to offer a Hero’s Flag in trade to one of the traveling merchants that deal in these decorative macguffins. With this statue, Link can trade for the final decoration in this seemingly endless quest. He can also just place a statue on a Joyous Pedestal on Windfall Island. Every time Link unlocked a new item in the sequence Zunari, Windfall Island Merchant, began selling the new decoration so Link could purchase duplicates. If Link fills all fourteen Joyous Pedestals with any of the trading sequence decorations, he will earn a piece of heart.  

What might seem like an innocuous Mail Drop box is made suspicious by the fact that it is just standing in the middle of nowhere. You are also pretty sure that you just saw a postal officer pick up mail, but you can’t tell where they came from or where they went. I guess now is a great time to send that letter home you’ve had written but hadn’t sent as you are lost in the wilderness. 

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Alternative ideas for this item card could be a figurine of wondrous power that is just a postal box that allows them to store or retrieve items from their post office box once per day.

If you enjoy my work, please consider donating:

Make a one-time donation with Ko-Fi:  https://ko-fi.com/theeasyspeaker

Become a sustaining supporter on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ItemCardswithTheSpeakingSquid 

Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: A special order from the butcher’s shop.

 A special order from the butcher’s shop.

Father's Letter: This letter was penned by the chieftain of the Rito encouraging his son to be brave as he faces the grief of losing his grandmother and the fear of having to present himself to the island’s guardian dragon as a rite of passage. Link is given this letter to be hand delivered to the chieftain’s son.

This Father’s Day, lean into stereotype with a fine cut of premium meat from your local butcher shop. Each of our premier cuts comes with our master butcher’s seal of approval. If you aren’t feeling so generous, you could also spend a third of the price and just get a regular steak from the store, but do you think he’ll notice?

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I have a complicated relationship with my father which means I have a blind spot for Father’s Day. I never remember when it is or that people do things for it. I know many people also have complicated family relationships, so if this post doesn’t do it for you, that’s okay.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: A horn powder box.

A horn powder box

Triforce Shard 6: In the calamity that flooded the old world and created the Great Sea, the Triforce of Courage was broken into eight shards. This is one of the eight shards that must be reunited to craft the Triforce of Courage. Link can find these shards spread all over the Great Sea. The talking fish can often help him find the shards, though the rumors they repeat are so old that they send you looking for triumph forks instead of the Triforce.

The pirate priest of the south seas left a life of monastic peace to raid the foreign merchant navy invading their home. As their new profession ensures they are no longer welcome in their old temple, this simple calf horn box is their only remaining connection to that pet of their life. That strong emotional attachment made the horn ideally suited to become a nereid key for locking a goddess away.

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The seventh piece of eight belongs to Sumbhajee Angria, Terror of the Arabian Sea.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: You thought you found a chest in the dungeon.

You thought you found a chest in the dungeon.

Giant's Wallet: Just like the first upgrade to Link’s wallet, the second is gifted by a Great Fairy. This Great Fairy’s fountain is on the Northern Fairy Island. There is no obstacle blocking the way to the Fairy’s fountain besides visiting the island. With both upgrades, Link’s total rupee capacity is increased to an awkward 5,000 rupees. 

Ah crap, turns out that chest you found was actually a mimic. Forgot to mention that in the list of possible options. A shame you had to find out the hard way, but we will make sure to have your pension sent to your loved ones when the rest of us get back from this accursed expedition.

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A story in two acts.

This mimic was actually pretty fun to draw. I especially like the goat-inspired wide pupil that probably doesn’t make any sense from a biology perspective, but whatever, it is a made-up monster specifically designed to punish players. 

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: You find a chest in the dungeon.

You find a chest in the dungeon.

Adult Wallet: The two upgrades to Link’s wallet can be obtained in either order. As with most of the bag upgrades in Wind Waker, both are given by Great Fairies upon Link’s first visit to their fountain. One upgrade is given by a Great Fairy in the Fairy Wood of Link’s home Outset Island. The entrance is blocked by a destructible boulder that needs to be bombed to be removed. With the upgraded wallet, Link can now carry up to 1,000 rupees at once.

It is a simple chest left locked but unattended. There could be treasure inside, it could be trapped, or it could be both. I only know of one way to be sure.

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Let’s open this chest up. Tune in next week to find out what’s inside.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: A self-reloading cannon.

A self-reloading cannon.

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Biggest Bomb Bag: The second and final upgrade to Link’s bomb storage is given to Link by the Great Fairy of the Southern Fairy Island. The entrance to the fairy’s home is blocked and can only be opened using a fire arrow or a bomb. With the upgraded storage, Link can now hold up to 99 bombs at once.

One of the limiting factors for the effective use of cannons is needing to have well-trained teams of gunners to operate them efficiently. After years of being pestered by the Grand Marshall of Artillery, the Chief Artificer of Inish finally used their considerable skills to create a cannon that can reload itself. Bound spirits of smoke, flame, and metal allow the cannon to magically load in charge and shot after every firing.

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Welcome back to our normally scheduled programming.

I hope you enjoyed Halloweekend. Let me know if there is any special Halloween item you want to see and it just might be your treat next year.

If you are a citizen of the U.S.A., make sure you vote by election day Tuesday, November 8th, 2022. Your vote is important.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: A “light and mobile” cannon for the siege gunner on the go.

A “light and mobile” cannon for the siege gunner on the go.

Big Bomb Bag: The first upgrade to Link’s bomb storage in Wind Waker is earned by visiting the Great Fairy living on East Fairy Island. The entrance to their home is blocked by a boulder that can only be moved with the power bracelet’s magical strength or destroyed by setting a bomb. After earning this upgrade, Link can hold up to 60 bombs at once.

The smallest ship’s cannon also happens to be the largest cannon a mortal person could hope to use alone. This cannon can be moved and fired by a single gunner of incredible strength, or a small team of regular well-trained people. Reloading the beastly weapon takes so much time and focus that one could only hope to fire it once before being swarmed by the enemy.

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One of my players is a siege gunner in a naval campaign I am running, and getting them the chance to use their cannon skills off the ship was the inspiration for this ridiculous weapon. I imagined it to be held like the Heavy’s guns from Team Fortress 2.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: A Trebuchet that you can fit in your pocket?

 A Trebuchet that you can fit in your pocket?

Large Quiver: This second and final upgrade to Link’s quiver increases the amount of arrows he can carry to a towering 99. Link is given the upgrade by the Great Fairy that lives on Thorned Fairy Island. The entrance to the fairy’s home is blocked by thorny vines that Link can only clear using the Magic Hammer.

Want to stay out of trouble but still rain down terror? Pocket Siege’s Trebuchet is just the thing for you. This magically miniaturized trebuchet can be enlarged to its original size without needing to establish complex logistics and long baggage trains. With a Trebuchet from Pocket Siege, you can go from scouting the enemy’s defenses to firing your first barrage in as little as one hour.

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What else would you like to see from the industrious folks at Pocket Siege? Let me know what you’re hoping to see from them next.

Be excellent to each other.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: A catapult you can fit in your pocket!

A catapult you can fit in your pocket!

Big Quiver: This upgrade to Link’s original quiver allows him to carry up to 60 arrows at any time. Link is given the upgrade by the Great Fairy that lives on the Western Fairy Island. The entrance to the fairy’s sanctuary is blocked by a wall of fire that can only be cleared by using the Magic Hammer. 

The product that started it all here at Pocket Siege was the Pocket Catapult. This magicallly miniaturized catapult is easy to store and carry while in its diminutive state, and can be returned to its normal size by completing the conveniently included de-minitiarizarion ritual. Here at Pocket Siege we believe you should enjoy catapults where you need it, not just where logistics make it feasible!

Ammunition, crew, and reminiaturization ritual not included.

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Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

#Drewly: A bag of the hydra

A bag of the hydra

Bag of the Hydra: This bag of holding is one of many self-similar bags connecting to the same extradimensional space. It is great when every member of your party can access the same space, but what happens when someone else gets a bag without you knowing?

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Drewly is all about posting art that you have already made. Post as often or as little as you’d like. It is a “challenge” to let you celebrate what you have already done. If you post for Drewly don’t forget the tag #Drewly.

See you tomorrow for more Drewly posts. 

If you appreciate my effort, consider a donation at my ko-fi.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: Messenger bag with a mission from Wind Waker.

 Messenger bag with a mission from Wind Waker.

Delivery Bag: The delivery bag is worn by postal officers in the Island Postal Service. Link is given his delivery bag from Quill, the grandest postal officer of the Great Sea. It is first given to Link so that he can deliver a letter from the chieftain of the Rito to his son. Link uses the bag to deliver letters and to hold items to be traded around the Great Sea.

Each postal delivery officer is charged with the sacred duty of ensuring the packages and letters in their care reach their final destination. It may sound ridiculous to call the role sacred, but remember that mixed among the bills and advertisements are letters written with love and presents between soul mates. Looking at it that way, those regular postal delivery officers are really everyday heroes.

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Not all bags of holding or handy haversacks need to look like drawstring pouches or hiking backpacks. This could also just be a nice bag that you need to steal in your urban thief game.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: Great sticks from Wind Waker for people living on the move.

 Great sticks from Wind Waker for people living on the move.

Bait Bag: The bait bag does what you think it does. It is a bag to hold bait. Link can purchase the bag from the merchant Beedle who also sails the Great Sea. The bag holds hyoi pears and all purpose bait that Link can use in his adventures. Stay tuned for what those pears and the bait do when those item cards appear on the blog.

Some people stay in one place their whole lives without ever looking to see what’s over the next hill. Those people fill their lives with so much stuff that, if they ever feel like starting over someplace new, they are too weighed down by all their material goods to really enjoy the change. Not so for the modern nomad, living with their whole life tied up in a sack slung over their shoulder, ready to jump a train to the next opportunity.

Hangool: Nomads in the horn of Africa use this simply looking stick in a variety of helpful ways. Cane, hook, driving switch, club, and so much more all in one everyday stick. One ritual of becoming an adult is going into the wild and finding the perfect stick to be honed into a hangool, so each hangool is unique to its owner.

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Hangools are real things from Somalia. In trying to research this post, I was shocked at how little information about traditional Somalian tools there was online in English. Makes me sad, especially because of how expansive the Wikipedia article on wrenches is.

Vocab fun fact: Sticks with sacks tied around their end are called bindle sticks. Now you know that.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: Antique diving equipment from Wind Waker.

Wind Waker: Antique diving equipment from Wind Waker.

Magic Armor: The magic armor in Wind Waker is an arcane barrier that drains either Link’s magic bar or his rupees, original game and HD release respectively, when activated. Link is protected from harm while the barrier is maintained. If Link’s magic bar or rupees run out, the barrier drops. The magic armor is an optional item and can be obtained from Zunari the merchant after completing enough of the trading sequence.

The thrill of being the first person to discover the ruins of a sunken city that could be Atlantis was greatly diminished in discovering a derelict submarine and an antiquated diving suit in the entry of the city’s central temple. While you may not be the first person to rediscover the lost city, it seems you will be the first person to tell the tale, as the diving suit contains the skeletal remains of the sunken city’s first visitor. With your modern diving equipment, you are sure to have more luck than that poor soul.

Spoils Bag: This bag is used to hold the various minor treasures dropped by defeated enemies across the Great Sea. With the spoils bag, Link can hold up to 99 of each of the different treasures to be traded or sold. Link must pass the rope swinging challenge aboard Tetra’s pirate ship. If Link can finish the course, Niko awards him with the spoils bag.

It will take time to prepare before you are able to explore the vast interior of the main temple, but you were able to explore the submarine during the preparations. Unsurprisingly, the vessel had experienced significant mechanical failure which left it to drift to the bottom of the sea. Searching through the contents of the submarine, there are no human remains, so you are left to piece together the final story of the ship from the journals, letters, and baggage left by the long-dead crew.

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This week’s item mini-stories were inspired directly by The Temple by H.P. Lovecraft. It sort of satirizes nazi self importance, but, knowing H.P. Lovecraft was super racist even for his time, I’m not 100% sure where the satire ends and the author’s voice begins. Read or listen at your own risk.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Not an artist: Five things from Oracle of Seasons you can hide the evidence.

Five things from Oracle of Seasons you can hide the evidence.

Ring box L-1: Holding with the elements theme of this item set, the brief I arrived at for the green ring box was an earth themed container.

As a sign of friendship, and a sound business strategy, Vasu the Jeweler gives Link this small ring box upon their first meeting in his Horon Village shop. The box only holds one ring, limiting Link’s options while out adventuring and forcing Link to stop by the store if he wants to swap the ring he is carrying.

For a thief on the go, a fallen log can be an excellent place to stash your questionably obtained goods. Be wary that others don’t see your hiding spot and always know that a badger may just take up residence atop your payday, forcing you to risk limb if not life to recover the package.