The Speaking Squid

Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Sunday, September 13, 2026

The Minish Cap: The Sword in the Stone

The Sword in the Stone

Bound Chest: In a time lost to myth, the small folk, known as the Picori or the Minish, gave the people the blade that seals the darkness and the goddesses’ light force so they could conquer and contain the evil plaguing the land. All the evil vanquished by the hero of myth was locked away in a great chest, and when all the land had been cleansed, the blade that seals the darkness was thrust through the chest to seal it for the good and safety of the big and small folk. This bound chest is still a royal treasure, but in the long ages since the time of legend, the knowledge of what it contains is only remembered as a powerful force, forgotten is the truth that it is a great force of evil. The chest is presented to the champion of the annual festival tournament, but no one has yet been foolish enough to try and remove the blade.

When a greybeard druid appeared in the central city square with a shining golden sword, most people expected a declaration of war by the followers of the old way. Then the druid drove the sword through an anvil into the stone below and offered this challenge, “Whoever draws this sword from the stone and anvil can use its power to claim the throne and seize the crown.” The Regent, ruling in the absence of a royal heir, has forbidden any touch the sword, but that hasn’t stopped would be rulers from trying.

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Come for the item cards, leave because the blurbs are too long.

How to support me:

Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Sunday, September 6, 2026

The Minish Cap: The Greedy Man’s bag

The Greedy Man’s bag

Wallet: Link’s simple wallet for storing treasure at the beginning of his journey. This small bag can only hold 100 rupees, but he can find bigger and bigger wallets during his adventures.

During a great storm, the people uttered a desperate prayer for the winds to ebb, and suddenly the winds stopped howling and the storm was over. That was many days ago, but the winds have not returned, so the people cannot hide their scent from prey nor can they fill their sails to fish. The kindly god did not calm the storm, the Greedy Man stole away the wind into his bottomless bag, and now a hero must find a way to get the wind back before the people starve.

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The Skaal of Solstheim tell tales of the Greedy Man who takes more than he needs and leaves the people without what they need during the long cold winters.

This could also be a stinky bag, which is my all time favorite trading quest item from any Zelda game.

How to support me:

Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Sunday, August 30, 2026

The Minish Cap: A braid of golden hair.

A braid of golden hair.

Small Key: Small keys can only be found in dungeons and can only be used in the dungeons in which they are found. Generally they unlock doors to open new pathways for Link to explore as he navigates the dungeon.

Having extremely long, nearly unbreakable, magical, sometimes glowing hair makes one stand out. This isn’t much of an issue if you live along atop a lone tower in the wild woods. It becomes an issue if you have escaped that tower and are now on the run from the wicked prince who kept you as a trophy and oddity.

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Rapunzel used her hair to escape the tower, so her hair was the key to her leaving, that is how you get a blond braid as a small key.

How to support me:

Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Sunday, August 23, 2026

The Minish Cap: A pie cooling on the windowsill

A pie cooling on the windowsill

Slice of Pie: The bakery sells pie by the slice. Eating a slice only heals a single heart, but, like most baked goods in the Minish Cap, there is a chance the treat has a kinstone baked inside.

Stealing a pie cooling on a windowsill is a transgression, but it doesn’t warrant a curse mark appearing on your face. Such signs are reserved for dire sins like kin-slaying, oath-breaking, or cannibalism. You’ve got no family, and swear no oaths, so what was in that pie, and who lives in that big house at the end of Smoke Street?

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I wonder what a world would be like if there were objectively wrong transgressions, and enacting a transgression made a visible mark upon your body. Would the virtuous be as nude as possible? Would the wicked and wealthy pay to have their marks removed or hidden?

Did American Pie make up the idea of warm apple pie, or was that actually part of some people’s teen discovery discussions?

How to support me:

Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Sunday, August 16, 2026

The Minish Cap: Wedding Cake

Wedding Cake

Slice of Cake: Link can buy delicious slices of cake from the bakery, but they aren’t very good for him and only heal one heart when eaten. There is a chance a kinstone piece has been baked in as a special surprise.

Royal weddings are affairs of state, not romance, The binding of two families together concentrates power and influence. As such, there are often rival families who would be eager for the wedding to go awry and the two families be put at odds instead of aligned.

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For our wedding, we went with two cakes from a local bakery known for amazing cake. Now, whenever we want to celebrate our marriage, we can go to that bakery and get a slice of the same cake we celebrated with on that special day. Also, you can just buy a cake topper and make any cake a wedding cake.

How to support me:

Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Sunday, August 9, 2026

The Minish Cap: Heiress’ tiara

Heiress’ tiara

Red Rupee: These crimson gems are worth 20 rupees on the open market. Link can find these rarely as random drops from slain enemies, slicing grass, digging holes, or breaking pots, but more often these rupees are found in treasure chests or given as rewards.

The lost heir to the now deposed royal family would be a woman grown if she survived the royal purge. Their grandmother, who was away during the bloody coup, has almost given up hope that her missing grandchild will ever be found. You can’t remember your childhood before the workhouse, maybe she is your missing family.

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The animated Anastasia film may not be historically accurate, but it is one of my favorite films from my childhood. You can do some pretty good estimating of my age using just that clue.

How to support me:

Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Sunday, August 2, 2026

The Minish Cap: A unique form of identification

A unique form of identification

Piece of Heart: Link can gather four pieces of heart to form a new heart container and increase his total life by one heart. They can be found as hidden treasure, given as rewards, and, of course, unlocked by fusing kinstones.

This single crystal slipper is the only proof that the mysterious beauty from the ball even existed. Finding her has become a royal obsession, and every royal servant has been charged with finding out who this girl might be. What if the girl is a servant in the royal household, and doesn’t want to be found?

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I know that isn’t the classic story of Cinderella, but I’ve been through enough retellings of classic fairy tales to know you can change whatever you want, however you want.

I spend July clearing my backlog of unpublished art with Drewly, the art challenge all about celebrating yourself. I spend the rest of the year posting item cards I’ve drawn every Sunday.

Right now I am sharing item cards based on the items in The Minish Cap, and I’m drawing a set of item cards based on the items in The Phantom Hourglass. I don’t know what I’ll draw after I finish drawing all the items in every Zelda game, but I also don’t know how long it will take me to finish every Zelda game. Especially the items in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

Come back next Sunday for another item fit for royalty.

How to support me:

Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Sunday, July 26, 2026

The Minish Cap: Hey kid, wanna fuse stones?

Hey kid, wanna fuse stones?

Kinstone: Collecting and fusing kinstones takes the place of the more traditional trading quest in The Minish Cap. Link collects Kinstone pieces of many colors and shapes to match perfectly with various citizens of Hyrule. Fusing kinstones unlocks treasures, areas, and opportunities. Kinstones can only be made by fusing to matching pieces.

The two halves of this stone were passed down as cherished heirlooms for generations. Eventually the families lost touch, forgot their history, and eventually became rivals. Now the youngest scions of the girding houses have found that their stones fit together perfectly, as do their hearts.

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Romeo and Juliet can be read as a tragic romance, or it can be read as two foolish lovers go way too far in the tumultuous inflation stage.

What is Drewly?

Drewly is the month-long art challenge where you don’t make any new art. Just celebrate all the art you’ve already made, finished or not.

How do I join?

Share whatever work you’d like, however you’d like to share. Tag your posts #Drewly #Drewly2026 #Drewly26.

You can see posts of Drewly’s past here.

You can also join me on reddit at /r/Drewly

Get your official Drewly stickers here.

How to support me:

Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Sunday, July 19, 2026

The Minish Cap: We are gonna stay BFFs forever!

We are gonna stay BFFs forever!

Kinstone Piece: Kinstone fusion is a mighty force for change in the Minish Cap and Link needs the right piece to fuse kinstones at the right time. Kinstone pieces come in four different colors and various different shapes. Link is gifted pieces, finds pieces, buys pieces, and sometimes earns new pieces for fusing Kinstone pieces.

Others might say they are going to be best friends forever and mean like a really long time. I mean forever when I say forever. These charms link two souls together permanently, or as long as they are intact.

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Being a BFF is a serious commitment, but sharing art for Drewly doesn’t have to be.

What is Drewly?

Drewly is the month-long art challenge where you don’t make any new art. Just celebrate all the art you’ve already made, finished or not.

How do I join?

Share whatever work you’d like, however you’d like to share. Tag your posts #Drewly #Drewly2026 #Drewly26.

You can see posts of Drewly’s past here.

You can also join me on reddit at /r/Drewly

Get your official Drewly stickers here.

How to support me:

Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Sunday, July 12, 2026

The Minish Cap: Azure Transformo

Azure Transformo

Joy Butterfly: These rare butterflies can only be discovered after Link fuses Kintstones with the three traveling oracles visiting Hyrule. Fusing Kinstones with each unlocks a unique breed of butterfly that confers a speed bonus to a specific skill when caught. Link must go out into the Castor Wilds and catch the butterflies to gain the bonus.

The only reason this butterfly is rare is because it was hunted to near extinction for its lustrous blue wings. The butterflies’ iridescent blue wings have no special properties, but were a fashion must have for a few seasons. Tastes change and fads fade, but the astronomical demand for butterfly wings was an almost permanent end for the delicate creatures.

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Getting heavy handed with my save the planet subtext. Go read the Lorax, but make sure to get it used, there are enough copies out there for you to find one.

Drewly continues, but so does out normal Sunday posting. I post an item card representing an item from a Zelda game every Sunday. Right now we are working on The Minish Cap. Come back tomorrow for more Drewly posts and check in next week for more Zelda items.

What is Drewly?

Drewly is the month-long art challenge where you don’t make any new art. Just celebrate all the art you’ve already made, finished or not.

How do I join?

Share whatever work you’d like, however you’d like to share. Tag your posts #Drewly #Drewly2026 #Drewly26.

You can also join me on reddit at /r/Drewly

See all my Drewly posts here.

Get your official Drewly stickers here.

How to support me: