2021 Yuletide Letter
Oct. 16th, 2021 01:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rynlingDear Yuletide Writer,
Hello, and thank you for offering to fuel my obsession with the lesser-known titles in the Legend of Zelda series. I grew up with these games as a kid but only started getting into fandom as an adult, and now I find myself fascinated by the narrative exploration of the shadowy side stories and hidden corners of the Legend of Zelda universe. Instead of grand tales of heroic triumph, I want to read about the quieter and more mysterious aspects of Hyrule and its inhabitants.
I’m interested in the postapocalyptic environments of the games, as well as how they shape the lives of people and monsters alike. I love adventures, but I’m also a fan of more mundane slice-of-life stories. Light comedy is good, as is horror. I’d love to see minor characters given more expansive backgrounds, or perhaps new and interesting takes on the central characters. I would be delighted to read any story you’d be willing to share, and I’m including some writing prompts that I hope will serve as inspiration.
A Link to the Past
I’m fascinated by the Dark World. What is it like to live there? How do normal people find their way into the Dark World? Is everyone who seeks the “power of gold” as evil and foolish as Ganon? And what does it mean for your outward appearance to reflect the inner secrets of your heart? Were there perhaps some people who were happier in the Dark World than they were in Hyrule? Was there ever a case of someone escaping from the Dark World and then coming back? Alternatively, was there ever a case of someone native to the Dark World becoming trapped in Hyrule?
A Link Between Worlds
There are a lot of interesting and colorful characters in this game, and I’d love to know more about their stories! A Link Between Worlds is silly and cartoonish in many ways, so I think it would be fun to take a more in-depth approach to its worldbuilding, and these prompts are a few suggestions: I’m interested in how Ravio managed to acquire all the items he rents out to Link, and where these magical tools originally came from. Another mysterious and intriguing element of the game is the Masked Followers cult in the Thieves’ Town of Lorule. What is the origin of this religion, and what convinces people to join? I’m also curious about the Devilish Girl who manages the Treacherous Tower on Death Mountain, as well as the all-monster audience watching from the parapets of the arena.
The Wind Waker
Outside of the idyllic Outset Island, the Great Sea seems quite dangerous, not to mention filled with curious and unexplained mysteries. I’d love to look at the Great Sea from a perspective that provides insight into the gaps in the game’s worldbuilding. For example, what was Tetra’s pirate crew doing before they arrived on the Great Sea, and why did they decide to come there? What was it like for Aryll to live in the Forsaken Fortress? What is the relationship between Maggie and Moe the Moblin? Did the salvage divers ever discover anything interesting, and how much do they know? How did Lenzo get pictographs of boss monsters? Where did Zunari and the Goron Traders come from? Do the Bokoblins have their own culture and society?
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
I have to admit that I’m not skilled enough to get very far into the game itself, but I’m intrigued by its backstory, which is absolutely wild. What was going on at the court of the castle when Zelda was put to sleep by a magician? Why did her brother feel the need to resort to such extreme measures? I also find it interesting that the East Hyrule of Adventure of Link has numerous towns and cities despite bordering the Hyrule of the original The Legend of Zelda, which is an uninhabited wasteland. What is it like to live in a stable and prosperous society so close to a cursed and abandoned kingdom? As for the Zelda that Link rescued from Ganon in the first game, where has she run off to?
Two brief DNW notes:
Although I’m interested in the darker side of these games and their stories, I’d prefer not to read prolonged and explicit depictions of gore and violence. My tolerance for horror elements is fairly high, but I tend to shy away from torture porn.
Also, while I respect and appreciate canon divergence, I’m interested in stories set in the universe of the games, not at Hogwarts or Starbucks or an Omegaverse AU. That being said, I’m not a stickler for adherence to canonical lore or timelines, and crossovers between different titles in the Zelda series are perfectly fine.
I love all characters and enemy creatures, so please don’t hesitate to include your favorites. I have no dislikes or preferences when it comes to ships, and I’m okay with mild romantic elements.
Thank you so much for offering to explore Hyrule with me, and I can’t wait to read your story!
- Rynling on AO3 / Pocketseizure on Tumblr
Hello, and thank you for offering to fuel my obsession with the lesser-known titles in the Legend of Zelda series. I grew up with these games as a kid but only started getting into fandom as an adult, and now I find myself fascinated by the narrative exploration of the shadowy side stories and hidden corners of the Legend of Zelda universe. Instead of grand tales of heroic triumph, I want to read about the quieter and more mysterious aspects of Hyrule and its inhabitants.
I’m interested in the postapocalyptic environments of the games, as well as how they shape the lives of people and monsters alike. I love adventures, but I’m also a fan of more mundane slice-of-life stories. Light comedy is good, as is horror. I’d love to see minor characters given more expansive backgrounds, or perhaps new and interesting takes on the central characters. I would be delighted to read any story you’d be willing to share, and I’m including some writing prompts that I hope will serve as inspiration.
A Link to the Past
I’m fascinated by the Dark World. What is it like to live there? How do normal people find their way into the Dark World? Is everyone who seeks the “power of gold” as evil and foolish as Ganon? And what does it mean for your outward appearance to reflect the inner secrets of your heart? Were there perhaps some people who were happier in the Dark World than they were in Hyrule? Was there ever a case of someone escaping from the Dark World and then coming back? Alternatively, was there ever a case of someone native to the Dark World becoming trapped in Hyrule?
A Link Between Worlds
There are a lot of interesting and colorful characters in this game, and I’d love to know more about their stories! A Link Between Worlds is silly and cartoonish in many ways, so I think it would be fun to take a more in-depth approach to its worldbuilding, and these prompts are a few suggestions: I’m interested in how Ravio managed to acquire all the items he rents out to Link, and where these magical tools originally came from. Another mysterious and intriguing element of the game is the Masked Followers cult in the Thieves’ Town of Lorule. What is the origin of this religion, and what convinces people to join? I’m also curious about the Devilish Girl who manages the Treacherous Tower on Death Mountain, as well as the all-monster audience watching from the parapets of the arena.
The Wind Waker
Outside of the idyllic Outset Island, the Great Sea seems quite dangerous, not to mention filled with curious and unexplained mysteries. I’d love to look at the Great Sea from a perspective that provides insight into the gaps in the game’s worldbuilding. For example, what was Tetra’s pirate crew doing before they arrived on the Great Sea, and why did they decide to come there? What was it like for Aryll to live in the Forsaken Fortress? What is the relationship between Maggie and Moe the Moblin? Did the salvage divers ever discover anything interesting, and how much do they know? How did Lenzo get pictographs of boss monsters? Where did Zunari and the Goron Traders come from? Do the Bokoblins have their own culture and society?
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
I have to admit that I’m not skilled enough to get very far into the game itself, but I’m intrigued by its backstory, which is absolutely wild. What was going on at the court of the castle when Zelda was put to sleep by a magician? Why did her brother feel the need to resort to such extreme measures? I also find it interesting that the East Hyrule of Adventure of Link has numerous towns and cities despite bordering the Hyrule of the original The Legend of Zelda, which is an uninhabited wasteland. What is it like to live in a stable and prosperous society so close to a cursed and abandoned kingdom? As for the Zelda that Link rescued from Ganon in the first game, where has she run off to?
Two brief DNW notes:
Although I’m interested in the darker side of these games and their stories, I’d prefer not to read prolonged and explicit depictions of gore and violence. My tolerance for horror elements is fairly high, but I tend to shy away from torture porn.
Also, while I respect and appreciate canon divergence, I’m interested in stories set in the universe of the games, not at Hogwarts or Starbucks or an Omegaverse AU. That being said, I’m not a stickler for adherence to canonical lore or timelines, and crossovers between different titles in the Zelda series are perfectly fine.
I love all characters and enemy creatures, so please don’t hesitate to include your favorites. I have no dislikes or preferences when it comes to ships, and I’m okay with mild romantic elements.
Thank you so much for offering to explore Hyrule with me, and I can’t wait to read your story!
- Rynling on AO3 / Pocketseizure on Tumblr
