The Minish Cap: Rings of Power

 Rings of Power

Power Bracelets: Wearing these bracelets gives Link the strength of a giant while shrunk down to Minish size. Practically, that means Link has his normal-sized strength while shrunk down to Minish proportions. Link must venture into the Minish sanctuary hidden inside the Hyrule Town Fountain to obtain these bracelets.

This matched pair of gold rings was cast by the last great elven smith during the waning of Elvendom. They were made as a proof of concept for the smith’s true masterwork, the rings that would shake the world to its foundation. While they were made as a stepping stone and given no names, the two amplify their wearers’ innate qualities, making heroes more heroic and villains more villainous.

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This is me shoe-horning more Rings of Power into Tolkien’s Middle-earth. It always bothered me that Tolkien didn’t use the first five prime numbers for his Rings of Power sets, so here I am adding the 2 and just imagining there are five dwarven lords and seven kings of men.

Drewly today is my normal weekly item card post, where I post drawings inspired by all the items in all the Zelda games. I am currently posting the items from The Minish Cap. I’ve got complete sets for the first 11 Zelda games and a bunch of other item sets already posted here: https://thespeakingsquid.blogspot.com/search/label/Collected

What is Drewly?

#Drewly is the month-long art challenge for July, where you don’t have to make any new art. Just post art you’ve already made and celebrate all you’ve accomplished.

Rules:

Share art you have already made.

Share as often as you want.

When you share, tag your art with #Drewly and #Drewly2025

I will be posting art every day of Drewly, so check back in tomorrow for something new.

Check out everything I’ve shared for past Drewly’s here: #Drewly #Drewly2022 #Drewly2023 #Drewly2024

Since you’re here, please consider supporting:

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

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

Buy a sticker: SpeakingSquid.redbubble.com

Thank you for your support.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

Swordtember: Sword of Omens Awakened

 Sword of Omens

Sword of Omens: The awakened sword offers the true lord of the Thunderians great strength and sight beyond sight.

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I never really watched ThunderCats. He-Man was my 80's rerun battle cartoon of choice.

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

Swordtember: Sword of Omens

Sword of Omens

Sword of Omens: The legendary blade of the lords of Tundera sleeps in its retracted dagger-sized shape. Soon it will wake and reveal its true power.

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This is the first of a pair of item cards to represent the Sword of Omens from ThunderCats. See you tomorrow for the full-length blade.

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

Swordtember: Amiri's Ginormous Bastard Sword

 Amiri's Ginormous Bastard Sword

Amiri's Ginormous Bastard Sword: This sword was taken by a young barbarian girl as a trophy after slaying a Frost Giant in combat.

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I'm a big fan of the Pathfinder Iconics and I've been playing Owlcat's Pathfinder: Kingmaker on Steam lately, so this big sword was getting drawn sooner or later.

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 matched pair of bracelets

 A matched pair of bracelets

Power Bracelet: These bracelets allow the Link wearing it to lift up extremely heavy objects. These bracelets are not pedestal items, so they act as a temporary upgrade for the Link that picks it up and lasts the entire level where they are found. The bracelets can be found in chests or given to a Link in exchange for their help solving some problem.

These matched sets of bracelets transfer strength and vigor from one person to another. Originally envisioned as a way for partners to share strength in an emergency, the bracelets are now most often used to steal energy from unwilling victims. It may not sound like much to have the strength of two people, but that is twice as strong as most people.

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I think these bracelets turned out better than the first set I did for the blue bracelet. The black gem on gold is an unnatural contrast, but the black-and-white version of the item looks nice.

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

Wind Waker: Diving gloves from the lost city of Rapture.

 Diving gloves from the lost city of Rapture.

Power Bracelets: Wearing this pair of bracelets gives Link incredible strength. Allowing him to lift and throw boulders, or pigs, with ease. Link earns the bracelets in Fire Mountain by slaying all the enemies in a room in a set time. The chest containing the bracelets will only appear if he can conquer the challenge in the allotted time.

These gloves were designed for the transhuman guardians of a city hidden on the bottom of the ocean. These guardians needed to be able to traverse the crushing depths of the seafloor and wield strange mutant powers. With these gloves, the guardians didn’t need to take off their diving equipment to use their abilities, and in time they stopped taking their diving suits off all together.

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This week’s item is brought to you by the fantastic Bioshock and Bioshock 2 and Rapture, its terrible failed undersea metropolis.

I vote in the 2022 elections in the U.S.A. and I hope that you voted if you were eligible to vote. Every vote counts. Many of these races that are still being decided are being decided by a few thousand votes.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

#Drewly: An ancient stone hammer

 An ancient stone hammer

Mignolaverse Mjollnir: Thor’s hammer was discovered by archaeologists at a dig site in Sweden. No member of the dig team could lift the hammer, so they called in the aid of the B.P.R.D.

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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 a normally scheduled post of items from Wind Waker, which is also a Drewly post.

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

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

#Drewly: Bloodlust

Bloodlust

Bloodlust: Shamans of the Horde learn how to instill the armies of the horde with supernatural ferocity in the heat of battle.

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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

Seas of Amphora: Four magic items my players have earned sailing the high seas.

Four magic items my players have earned sailing the high seas.

Shell Armor: This armor was made for a leviathan hunter who risked being swallowed whole by the great beasts they hunted. The edges of each panel are razor-sharp to cut and scrape anything that enveloped the warrior. Unfortunately, the armor did not protect from paralytic octopus venoms, nor did it protect from the flesh-eating swarms of fish that devoured the helpless hunter after an unexpected visit from an octopus.

Poisoner’s Jacket: This slick leather jacket emblazoned with a cobra belonged to a notorious poisoner who was never officially connected to any of their alleged victims. Their secret was a jacket with magical pockets where they could hide the tools of the trade. The jacket’s extra-dimensional pockets can only be accessed by its rightful owner.

Chaotic Grasp: After direct exposure to primordial chaos, your arm has begun to act strangely. Without realizing it, you find yourself flipping switches, throwing levers, and stealing knives. It is almost as if it has a mind and goals of its own.

Swan’s song: A double-barrelled pistol engraved with musical motifs was made specifically to commit murder. Fortunately, the lengthy process of making the gun was long enough for the murderous passion to fade. Now the gun is simply an ugly reminder of a time the gunsmith would rather forget. 

Thank you all for checking out all the work I put into the item cards from Four Swords. Next week is another week of items from my home game and then after that, we will start to explore the items from Wind Waker.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a terrible tragedy of Russia’s making. I hope we can find a way to move past bloody-handed war before we wipe ourselves off the face of the Earth.

Be excellent to everyone.

-Ceph

 

Not an artist: Five totems from Oracle of Seasons channeling the power of the elements.

Five totems from Oracle of Seasons channeling the power of the elements.

Those who seek to harness the energy to the elemental spirits must first commune with the spirits and earn their respect. Novices are sent to a lonely boulder on the edge of the wilderness to make contact with an affable spirit of the earth residing in the great stone. To meet with the spirit, novices must imbibe a sour potion that opens their eyes so they might see the spirits of nature and hopefully convince them to lend their power when called.

I'm not an artist: Six rings from the Oracles games found on the hands of influential crime families.

Six rings from the Oracles games found on the hands of influential crime families.

Power Ring 1: The first level of the power ring increases the damage of Link’s attacks but also increases the damage Link takes when hit. Link must conquer the Explorer’s Crypt in Oracle of Seasons or the Spirit’s Grave in Oracle of Ages to unlock the ability to find this ring in his adventures.

The Sarconni family officially runs a somewhat successful seafood company, but it is a well-known secret that they are also in charge of all organized crime in the wharves. Sarconni officers are given a single pearl on a band of silver and they are expected to wear it at all times. What lower level Sarconni officers may not know, is that the pearl rings subtly push wearers to meaner, harsher, and more violent behaviors.

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: Five masks from Majora’s Mask used in a play for children.

Five masks from Majora’s Mask used in stories for children.

Don Gero’s Mask: Link earns this mask by lighting all the torches in the Goron Shrine. A Goron will thank Link for the help illuminating the shrine by giving him a mask that allows Link to speak with frogs. While not a universally useful mask, Link needs this mask to tell frogs that the long winter is over, and the choir is reconvening. If Link can get the whole band back together, he is rewarded with a Piece of Heart.

The many adventures of Hoppy the friendly toad are moral tales written to teach children lessons like always look both ways before crossing the road and never pick up the unholy idol you found in a secret chamber in the basement. Hoppy always know the right thing to do, but they are very easily influenced and are pushed to take the ill-advised action by their peers. In “Hoppy Finds the Pirate Treasure”, Hoppy and friends bumble their way through a heavily trapped pirate cave in search of the recently lost treasure of Diamond Beard.

I'm not an artist: Five items from Link’s Awakening a demon hunter would carry.

Five items from Link’s Awakening a demon hunter would carry.

Secret Seashell: If Link is able to find enough of the seashells that are hidden throughout Koholint Island, he can have his sword enchanted by the ghost haunting a mansion. I was surprised to find a gather quest in such an early Zelda game. I don’t remember this aspect of the game at all so there is a good chance I missed it playing the game as a kid.

Every demon hunter identifies their quarry differently. Early in her career, Vasilisa discovered a shell that whispered infernal secrets instead of the soft sounds of the ocean. In time she found she could make sense of the daemonic chittering. Somehow this shell was able to listen in on conversations between infernal entities hiding in the mortal world. Vasilisa has made a name successfully hunting creatures that specialize in hiding in plain sight. Sooner or later, someone will realize the secret to her success. What happens if the demons she hunts learn someone is listening to their private conversations?

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: Powerful forces and an irredeemable object

Five items from A Link to the Past.

Magic Hammer: The last hammer I drew was for blacksmithing. This hammer is a wooden mallet suitable for wood working or head bonking. I know that a knot in the center of a mallet head would probably lead to a broken mallet, but I love the way knots look. 

This could be the mallet used by the hermit monk who built the Temple of the Five Bells. The monk, with their trusted donkey, hiked into the trackless peaks of the Mountains of Heavenly Silence with a vision of founding an isolated temple. The monk and donkey were not seen for nearly a decade. The next time the monk was seen, they were erecting a sign post that directed travelers to the new temple. It is said, that when the first traveling monks arrived at the Temple of the Five Bells, the hermit carpenter welcomed them and then sat down with an elderly donkey and the pair died at the same moment, having seen their life’s' work completed. 

The heartwood of an ancient tree is a powerful material component. That is especially true when the tree is a treant elder that has been bonded with the hamadryad matron of the western wilderness millennia. During a brief moment of privacy, the elder treant pulled this mallet from their own heart and gave it to a group of outsiders while saying, "Swing this at the right moment so that the forests will be there for our children's children." This act of creation claimed the elder's life. The first forest spirits to discover the outsiders with the elder's lifeless body assumed the outsiders slew the treant. In their grief they were unwilling to hear the outsiders’ story. The outsiders managed to escape with the mallet and are now hunted by avenging forest spirits and colonial agents eager to see the untamed forest fall to axe and saw. 

Zelda Items: First five from The Legend of Zelda II: Link's Adventure

Here are the first five items from The Legend of Zelda II: Link's Adventure.

Power Glove: This heavy metal glove could be a powerful gauntlet, part of a set of armor that needs to be reassembled, or an animated hand monster. This could even be a fantasy power fist for those pillaging ideas from the Fallout series. 

I'm not an artist: A piece of the Tri-Force and four other drawings from the Legend of Zelda

We are back with five more drawings of items from the 1984 Legend of Zelda. 

Triforce: Even though the Triforce is such an important part of the Zelda series, I didn't have an  interesting concept. I ended up with a triangular piece of stone with a hole in the middle. Other than being a third of the ultimate power, this could be an alien artifact, a puzzle piece, or a very uncomfortable ring.