The Minish Cap: Mirror, mirror on the wall…

 Mirror, mirror on the wall…

Mirror Shield: If Link can find his way to the Biggoron atop Veil Falls, he can offer up a small shield to the giant and receive the Mirror Shield in return once he has completed a truly valiant deed. The mirror shield blocks all projectiles and reflects back a searing beam of light. Its mirrored surface is also strong enough to deflect melee attacks easily.

A powerful seer displeased their sovereign so greatly that their spirit was cast into a mirror so their gifts might serve whoever sat the throne. After generations serving the bloodline that cursed them, the mirror can now answer questions honestly, while contriving situations that eventually cause the family to suffer dearly. If the seer was so great, could they not have seen this future and avoided it or did they perhaps choose this fate for themselves?

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This was supposed to include a sad face and a split happy/sad face, but drawing faces is still far outside of my comfort zone. Even if those faces are simplified masks. I got done enough with this item and moved on.

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Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

The Minish Cap: A borrower’s shield.

 A borrower’s shield.

Small Shield: Link’s first shield is a simple affair given to him by Princess Zelda. He can use it to block simple attacks and deflect rocks and arrows.

Dogs, cats, and rats can bother the tall folk, but the same creatures are deadly threats to the borrow-folk. Fights between borrow-folk are almost unheard of, but many still carry shields and buckers to protect themselves from the many dangers of their diminutive world. That button missing from your shirt or cuff might be the difference between life and death to the borrow-folk you unwittingly share your home with.

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I have so much nostalgia for the stories of the Borrowers. Little people living secretly in the unused cracks of your house is the exact sort of semi-plausible fantasy every kid should enjoy. I definitely built houses and left supply caches out just in case my room had borrowers.

Since you’re enjoying 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

Four Swords Adventures: A barbaric spiked shield

 A barbaric spiked shield

Shield: The shield is a passive upgrade that automatically blocks some types of attacks. A Link that has picked up a shield will block on their own unless they are focusing on a task like chagrin up a whirlwind slash or a magic hammer shockwave.

A barbaric shield covered in spikes created by the barbaric warriors of the Highpeak Mountains. Some truly brash warriors have been seen wading into battle with a spiked shield in each hand as a contemptuous display of comfort fighting opponents deemed unworthy to bloody their blades. Perhaps such stories are all rumors spread by shrewd warriors unwilling to leave themselves unprotected in battle.

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That is based on the Diablo II spiked shield model. The game weapon has more curved intimidating spikes, but the straight spikes in perspective were enough of a challenge for me when I drew this.

Since you’re enjoying 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

Drewly: Spell Breaker’s Tower Shield

 Spell Breaker’s Tower Shield

Spell Breaker’s Tower Shield: These massive shields are forged by expert smiths and further enchanted by mages so they might ward off both mundane and magical attacks with ease. Such shields are essential when fighting enemy mages who can hurl a boulder with the toss of a hand or fling a fireball with a thought.

Drewly 27th brings an end to Warcraft universe items. These aren’t the only Warcraft items I have drawn, I’m particularly fond of the Warglaives of Azzinoth I did a while back, but we have more fan art of major fantasy IP’s to get to.

What is Drewly?

Drewly is a month-long art challenge for July where you post art you have already made. No new art just for Drewly.

There are three rules:

-Only post art you have already made.

-Post as much or as little as you are comfortable with.

-Tag your posts with #drewly and #drewly2024

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 soldier’s shield.

 A soldier’s shield.

Mirror Shield: The Mirror Shield of Wind Waker is found in the Earth Temple and is guarded by the dungeon's mini-bosses, three skeletal warriors. With the Mirror Shield, Link can reflect beams of light to solve puzzles and stun certain undead enemies.

This antique bronze shield must be taken down on the first day of every month for cleaning and polishing. The shield is treated with such care as it is the home of the family’s guardian spirit. If the family has not kept the spirit’s home in good order, the spirit will not arise to defend the family.

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Get ready for a few weeks of siege equipment.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Wind Waker: A hero’s buckler.

A hero’s buckler. 

Hero's Shield: This shield is given to Link by his Grandma when he sets out from home to save his sister. The sturdy shield was originally owned by a heroic ancestor of Link and has been passed down through generations as a treasured family heirloom. 

After winning the hero’s sword atop the crumbling tower in the ruins near town you must descend into the castle's dungeons to claim the hero’s shield. Local legend speaks of a great one-eyed spider that has devoured all that sought the shield. If you have what it takes to win both sword and shield, you just might have the spark of a true hero. 

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Lots of blue, green, and orange in the colors of these cards. Brass and copper colors for metals and then cheap complementary color selections to fill in the rest of the illustrations.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

#Drewly: A pacifist’s shield

A pacifist’s shield

Marko’s Shield: A father took up this Wreath-forged shield to defend his daughter, himself, and his family. The magic worked into this gilded shield allows it to block even direct laser fire.

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If you haven’t read Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, go read Saga.

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

#Drewly: More loot from a storm samurai

More loot from a storm samurai

Rod of Silent Spells: I can’t think of a great in-world reason why the storm samurai has a rod of silent spells. It was a random loot roll, these things happen.

Fearsome Visage: This highly reflective shield is inhabited by a bound oni that can be commanded to animate the shield in defense of its current master.

Great Armor of the Soaring Heron: The samurai’s ō-yoroi was lost in the cataclysmic explosion that ended the warrior’s life.

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Drewly day two is in the bag. Tomorrow we will be celebrating Drewly with a normal post of items cards for the Wind Waker set.

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.

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

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Four Swords: A sacred shield from Four Swords.

 A sacred shield from Four Swords.

Shield: At the beginning of every level in Four Swords all the Links are equipped with a sword and a trusty shield. As Links only have one item slot in Four Swords, they must surrender their shield if they want to pick up any of the other item podium items we’ve discussed thus far. Raising their shield, Link can protect themselves from attacks as well as stand their ground against reckless charges from monsters and other Links.

Emblazoned with the holy symbols of the goddesses, anointed in sacred oils, and blessed by the three high abbesses, this shield is a sacred ward intended to protect the greatest champion of the faith. Unfortunately, the shield never made it to the abessess’ intended champion. Instead, it was lost when the ship carrying the shield collided with a small vessel off the coast of an uncharted island during a violent storm.

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In stories, fate has a funny way of placing things where they need to be to be found by who really needs them. I like the implication that the intention was to create a stout shield for the greatest warrior of light and the creators of the shield didn’t realize that when the shield was lost it was actually finding its way to the true champion of light in a world of darkness.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Holiday: A shield for pride

 Holiday: A shield for pride.

Pride Shield: Let shield be a reminder that we each have the responsibility to use whatever privilege and power we have to protect and empower others to live their best and truest lives.

LGBTQ+ individuals often cannot rely on the comfortable structures of society to protect them from harm. In fact, many societal norms do harm to LGBTQ+ individuals and communities.

It is everyone’s responsibility to stand up to hate, intolerance, and apathy whenever it appears. Those of us with privilege and status have to do the work to listen to and raise up voices that have been oppressed and ignored.

LGBTQ+ rights are human rights.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Not an artist: Five items from Oracle of Seasons you can find on a long voyage

Five items from Oracle of Seasons you can find on a long voyage

Master Sword: Just like in Oracle of Ages, the master sword can only be obtained by passing a secret in a linked game. Link’s sword is upgraded upon passing the secret from King Zora of Labrynna to the Zora in the Hero’s Cave in Holodrum. If Link has not yet obtained the noble sword, he receives that and then sets up the finding of the master sword in the hazy lost woods at the conclusion of the trading quest.

I should note that this is obviously not a sword, and isn’t very reminiscent of the master sword in any obvious way. My inspiration was that the weapon’s sprite was blue and blue is often associated with water. With that in mind, I drew the first water weapon that occurred to me.

This harpoon belonged to the captain of a whaling ship that had become obsessed with slaying the greatest whale in the seas. The captain’s obsession doomed the ship and all of its crew, save one sole survivor. The harpoon was last seen buried in the flank of the behemoth whale as it pulled the captain and their ship down into the inky depths of the ocean.

I'm not an artist: Five items from Oracles of Ages used by gladiators fighting in an intergalactic arena.

Five items from Oracles of Ages used by gladiators fighting in an intergalactic arena. 

Iron Shield: In a reference to the opening of Link’s Awakening, Link is caught in a storm while sailing in the open sea and washes ashore a strange island. When he wakes up, he finds that he has lost all of his belongings to enterprising gecko-folk thieves. To recover his things, he must chase down the thieves who went to ground all over Crescent Island. When he confronts the thief who took his wooden shield, they give Link a more durable iron shield instead of the wooden shield he actually took. 

Nomad scavengers are credited with the first use of the duranium bulkhead as an improvised battle shield. As duranium is nearly indestructible these shields are able to survive almost any hazard in the arena. A few of the shields in circulation are among the first few brought to the arena by nomad champions eager for glory. 

I'm not an artist: The first five items from the Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages that are artifacts of a secret human history.

The first five items from the Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages that are artifacts of a secret human history.

Wooden Sword: This is the sword Link begins his adventure with in Oracle of Ages. It is given to him by Impa while she is being possessed by Veran while she is trying to get close enough to Nayru to possess her. 

Modern understandings of the evolution of humanity have entirely missed the greatest civilization humanity has ever established. In the time before what is known as the Stone Age, humans living in the most northern extremes established an advanced civilization using secrets stolen from a murdered celestial. With the forbidden secrets, the Hyperboreans could forge blades that would never dull or rust.

I'm not an artist: Five items from Majora’s Mask owned by dark spirits.

Five items from Majora’s Mask owned by dark spirits.

Kokiri Sword: This is the same sword that Link earned during his adventures in the Ocarina of Time, but it has had some work done since it has a different hilt than the one seen in Hyrule. 

A well-respected chef, Enid had hit a plateau in her art. For months she struggled to create something new or exciting, growing more and more frustrated with every dish that was good but tragically uninspired. In her desperate search for inspiration, Enid discovered an encyclopedia of taboo recipes that were begging to be created by Enid’s willing hands, but their main ingredient would be murder for her to find. 

I'm not artist: Six items from Ocarina of time made by Turtle Shell Ablatives, a ProtecCo company.

Six items from Ocarina of Time made by Turtle Shell Ablatives, a ProtecCo company. 

Deku Shield: I think the Deku Shield is the game’s most thematically interesting shield as it is made from the bark of the Great Deku Tree and inscribed with the Kokiri symbol. Those two facts really ground the shield in the lore of the world. It's only usable by child Link and is extremely vulnerable to flame so it is often relegated to being a basic or starter shield rather than a memorable item.

I remember really liking how this came out when I drew it but looking at it now I'm not impressed. I guess that is the march of progress. 

For the holy warrior more concerned with venerating the gods of nature then personal protection there is the Ironwood Buckler. Bark harvested from sanctified ironwood trees is inscribed with the symbol of your choice and then treated with resins and holy oils to keep it as hard as iron. Don't let prohibitions against metal armor keep you from safely spreading the will of the gods to even the most hostile of audiences. 

I'm not an artist: Five items from Link’s Awakening you could find in the Grand Bazar.

Five items from Link’s Awakening you could find in the Grand Bazar.

Magic Powder: Link is by no means an accomplished mage so he needs this magic powder to cast even the most basic feits, such as lighting a torch without a spark. 

The Grand Bazaar is a major nexus for the wealth of many countries and even a few planes. Many people come to the Bazaar looking to make their fortunes. Of course not everyone find their fortune. In fact, many people lose everything and end up having to find creative methods to earn their next meal. Some of those methods involve earning a living through pickpocketing and purse-cutting. Visitors to the Grand Bazaar are often warned to never carry all their coin at once and to always make sure to bind their purse with a stout cord or sturdy chain.

I'm not an artist: Five items from Link's Awakening a burglar would have.

Five items from Link’s Awakening you can find in a cat burglar’s bag.

Mermaid's necklace: These pearls replaced the mermaid’s bikini top in the american releases of Link’s Awakening. It was clearly a reflection of the values of the time to censor the implication of a topless mermaid. 

The Pearls of the Empress are a string of flawless pink and white pearls held together by gossamer strands of translucent kelp. It was the prize of the undersea exhibit in the Royal Museum of Imperial Expansion. The museum houses the spoils of the many expeditionary crusades that pushed the empire to its furthest extent. News of the theft has been kept from the public. Those with knowledge of the theft believe it to be a political statement. After many years of stagnation, the empire’s control has begun to wane. Official fear news of the theft would be seen as a symbol for the reclamation of power back from the empire by the peoples that have been absorbed by its expansions. Seeking to avoid widespread rebellion, the Imperial Police have abandoned official protocol in the search for the pearls.

I'm not an artist: Shields from A Link to the Past

Three shields and two jewels from A Link to the Past.

Red Shield: This shield is an upgrade from Link's starting shield. I think the way Link obtains the shield is the most interesting part of the item. If Link throws his original shield into a lake, the fairy that lives in the lake will appear holding an upgraded version of the shield. She will ask Link if the shield she is holding is his and remind him that she likes honest people. If Link is honest and answers no, the fairy rewards his honesty by giving him the upgraded shield. If Link is dishonest, the fairy punishes Link by keeping the shield he threw into the lake. This is a direct reference to the tale of the Honest Woodcutter in Aesop's Fables. Aesop's fables are full of great stories to pull out and use almost entirely whole cloth in your games. Since they are almost as old as dirt, you can also read them for free because they are in the public domain. 

One could also have this shield be dropped by mask raiders that abandon all honor and attack a village in the dark of night. When it is discovered the shield bears the colors of an allied clan, the village elders send a small party to discover the reason for the attack. Hopefully they can discover the truth before the prospect of all-out war is inevitable.

I'm not an artist: Five(ish) more items from The Legend of Zelda

Here are six more drawings inspired by items appearing in the 1984 The Legend of Zelda. I included six because the two hourglasses are effectively palette swapped.

 

Clock: These two hourglasses could be twin magical items that each bestow one important power over the flow of time. 

I'm not an artist: Five items from The Legend of Zelda.

These are five drawings inspired by items from the 1984 game The Legend of Zelda.

Heart: I imagined this strange pulsing fungal pod growing out of a dead body. It could be harvested for its healing properties.