#chosen one's adventures with legendaries

[cielosphere]

Do you like Pokemon or voice acting?

Months ago, several users of the Chosen One's Adventures with Legendaries discord banded together and formed a new server to make it a podfic, with heavy inspiration from Voxus' Lets Read.

Unfortunately, unlike Voxus, the current server doesn't have enough voice actors to cover all the roles --at the current moment we have about 20~ active members, with 50+ legendaries and many others still voiceless.

So if you want a take shot, come join us over here! https://discord.com/invite/Jugr56cBy

And if you haven't read COAL before and want to: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27338626/chapters/66796777

[twainrd]

I made this fanart piece a while ago for the fanfic Chosen One, Adrift with Legendaries, but decided not to post it back then because it was practically a spoiler.

Almost a month and a half has passed since the chapter was published so I felt that it was the time to finally post it in here.

If you're interested on the story, you can read it on AO3.

[sprintingficcommentator]

... Yeah okay, I'm gonna be real that pun was brilliant

Aaand now I feel like a five year old 😂

[dimension-20-brainrot]

THAT WAS FOUR ROUNDS OF COMBAT.

There were lots of legendary actions and reactions and prepared actions but that was FOUR ROUNDS.

24 SECONDS plus a few minutes here and there to answer academic questions?

So IMAGINE that you transfer to a new school where your adventuring party just kills rats in the woods and then you’re the designated cleric for the popular kids in their Big Battle.

They’re crushing it. They’re unstoppable. It’s been 24 seconds of battle and they’ve obliterated every monster that appears. You lock eyes with their cleric, the Chosen One of your god who strayed from the light. Then you die.

[nerdgatehobbit]

I’m aware I’m no artist but I had fun making this based off COAL-verse! :D

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

When I’m trying to create new characters, I often find questionnaires that have questions like “what is your character’s favorite movie?” Or “What is their favorite social media app and why?” However, these questions do not work for creating fantasy characters (like I am). Do you have any ideas for questions to help writers create fantasy characters?

This is a fantastic question, especially for fantasy writers. There aren't many resources dedicated to the creation and development of fantasy characters. I highly recommend exploring Dungeons & Dragons (DND) questions; they can offer valuable insights like this one.

On that note, if you'd be interested in a customized workbook solely focused on fantasy character creation, just give me a heads-up! Meanwhile, I've crafted a concise yet distinctive short questionnaire to get you started. (With unique questions, not the basics.)

Magical Essence 🌟✨:

Source of Power: 🌀💫 What magical abilities or powers does your character possess? How did they acquire or inherit these powers?

Magical Affinity: 🌊🔥 Describe their connection to elemental forces or magical domains. Are they aligned with specific elements or forces of nature?

Otherworldly Origin 🌌🔮:

Realm of Origin: 🏰🌌 Where does your character come from? Describe their homeland or origin realm—its landscapes, cultures, and inhabitants.

Mythical Lineage: 👑🌟 Does your character hail from a line of legendary beings, gods, or creatures of ancient lore? How does this lineage influence their identity?

Legendary Quests and Adventures 🗡️🛡️:

Heroic Exploits: 🏹⚔️ What legendary quests or adventures has your character undertaken? Describe their valorous deeds and encounters with mythical creatures or foes.

Artifacts and Relics: 🏆🔮 Have they encountered or possess legendary artifacts or relics? How do these items influence or aid their journey?

Creatures and Companions 🐉🦄:

Familiar or Animal Companion: 🐾🔍 Does your character have a magical creature companion or a familiar? Describe this bond and its significance.

Encounters with Mythical Beings: 🧜‍♀️👻 Have they interacted with beings like dragons, spirits, or mythical entities? Describe these encounters and their impact.

Destiny and Prophecies 🌟🔮:

Foretold Prophecies: 🔍📜 Is there a prophecy or destiny foretold about your character? How do they perceive and react to this prophecy?

Chosen One or Fate's Hand: 👑🌌 Is your character considered a chosen one or fated to fulfill a significant role in the world's destiny? How do they handle this responsibility?

Interactions with Magic and Society 🤝🔮:

Attitude Towards Magic: 🧙‍♂️🔑 How does your character view magic in their world? Are they a skeptic, a practitioner, or a scholar of magic?

Relationship with Magical Societies: 🏰🌐 Are they part of magical societies, guilds, or orders? How do these affiliations shape their actions and beliefs?

Struggles and Sacrifices 💔🌪️:

Internal Conflict: 🤔💔 What inner struggles or conflicts does your character face? Are there conflicts between their desires, duties, or moral beliefs?

Sacrifices Made: ⚖️💔 Have they made sacrifices or endured hardships in their journey? What are these sacrifices, and how do they impact their character development?

Fate and Free Will 🎭🌌:

Control Over Destiny: 🌟🔗 Do they believe in free will, or do they feel their destiny is preordained? How does this belief affect their actions and decisions?

Choices and Consequences: 🤷‍♀️🔮 How do their choices influence the world around them? Describe instances where their decisions had profound consequences.

I hope these questions help you start thinking about your story and your character. I mentioned things like dragons and magic to give you a place to begin, but you can totally explore other ideas beyond typical fantasy themes. Use these questions to spark new thoughts for your plot and character development, leading you to create a story that's unique and goes beyond the usual fantasy clichés.

[kaylatoonz]

Context

I have always loved how Amy always has faith there’s good in everyone even if they don’t believe in it themselves. Most of her allies and sometimes enemies view this as a strength, but what about those that view it as a Weakness who would take advantage of it? Surprisingly I haven’t seen that much content that has someone take advantage of Amy’s kindness and compassion. So what if when Amy first arrived on earth in the SCU someone took advantage of Amy's trusting nature?

(Like her origin in the game) Amy does a tarot card reading that leads her to Earth in search of her hero

She arrived a couple of months before G.U.N. Locate and release project shadow

Unfortunately, G.U.N. are the first humans Amy encounters who gladly accept Amy’s offer to aid on their mission

They were even kind enough to gift her a new outfit and high-tech pack that would be more practical for the “adventure” they’re going on.

In reality, the “gift” was Eggman's old tech that they refurbished to keep new intergalactic arrivals in their control (they were originally going to use it on Shadow once they found him).

The pack on her back is meant to send a controlled shock to keep the chosen subject in line

Sadly By the time Amy discovers that these people are up to no good she is already in too deep, experiencing her first shock at her first act of defiance.

Since then, Amy unwillingly works for G.U.N alongside Shadow (and eventually Rouge too).

Despite the circumstances, Amy remains kind and compassionate toward the humans she works with.

She even won the hearts of some of the more compassionate agents who worked at G.U.N (unfortunately they couldn’t help as much as they wanted to).

She still retains hope that she find her hero, and they’ll put their heads together and get her out of this mess.

Until then, she begrudgingly obeys orders and tries her best to wait out the storm (and maybe try to find her way out).

Shadow is the opposite of Amy, he is a lot colder and sometimes even aggressive towards other humans (especially G.U.N. Operatives).

He just works with G.U.N. For his own means to an end ( like the game shadow has amnesia and his memories have been tampered went to exact his revenge on humanity for Maria’s sake).

Despite his cold nature toward those around him, he forms a genuine bond with Amy Rose (and eventually Rouge too).

Amy is one of the few people Shadow finds comfort and peace in despite her sometimes overwhelmingly bubbly and energetic personality.

He can’t help but be reminded of Maria whenever he catches Amy taking in every nook and cranny of what Earth has to offer whenever they’re on their missions.

G.U.N. Takes notice of this and eventually takes full advantage of this to keep Shadow in their control

Shortly after Shadow was released, Rouge arrived on Earth, her sights set on the legendary master emerald.

Fortunately, Rouge was able to keep her distance (and guard up) enough to not let G.U.N. pull something similar to Amy (much to Amy’s relief).

Rouge and G.U.N. Do strike a deal, if rouge works with them the emerald is her’s (at least it is what they lead her to believe)

The team officially form intending to apprehend Sonic and his friends

Throughout their missions and training sessions, Shadow and Amy's bond grows stronger along with their new teammate Rouge.

Shadow and Rouge form a friendship built on trust and respect.

While Amy and Rouge's friendship is rough around the edges (they bicker a lot), they do have some form of respect for each other (they kind of have a sister relationship going on that neither of them would admit).

Rouge eventually gets curious about what is in it for Amy working for G.U.N. Which gets Shadow curious. they both know Amy is not the type to work for these goons to get something out of it.

Amy hesitantly replies that she wanted to help them out, but things got… complicated, so now she’s here.

Amy doesn’t want to worry Shadow or appear weak to Rouge, nor does she want to get them too involved in her problems.

Shadow and Rouge are suspicious that there’s something more going on between Amy and G.U.N that she’s not telling them.

Sadly, their suspicions are confirmed when one of their missions goes wrong and Amy takes the brunt of the blame.

shadow and Rouge witness firsthand what the pack on Amy’s back is meant for, and they both don't like it one bit

Shadow steps in to stop them while Rouge comforts Amy the best she can

with the confirmation that not just Shadow but Rouge cares deeply for Amy, G.U.N. not so subtly threatens Shadow and Rouge that this could happen again if they aren't so compliant on their next mission.

As Shadow comforts Amy, his hatred for G.U.N and humanity has cemented if it wasn’t already. He promised himself that he would stop at nothing to get Amy out of this place and make every last one of these agents pay. Unbeknownst to him, Rouge had made a similar promise to herself (but not to the full extent of ending all of humanity).

Eventually, the team encounters their target Sonic heroes, which leads to a lot of conflict

Amy is certain that Sonic is the hero that she was destined to meet and that they should accept the help they are offering

Shadow disagrees, feeling that Sonic is nothing but an idiot who can’t save anyone (and besides he didn’t need saving).

Amy is willing to take that chance with Sonic and attempts to accept his help but Shadow quickly intervenes when he notices the two warning beeps and her pack starting to activate.

Before the final warning, shadow grabs Amy (unintentionally sending the message that Shadow is taking Amy hostage to the heroes and pissing Amy off).

Realizing that G.U.N would never let Amy go so easily (assuming that the pack would terminate her if she were to side with the enemy). Shadow decides to take a risk with the heroes.

Before Shadow Chaos controls away with his teammate/hostage, he gives the heroes a good look at Amy’s pack and glares down at the heroes stating “If you’re truly looking for someone to save then pay attention!”

Sonic and Knuckles are enraged by Shadow's cowardly and low action of taking the girl hostage to escape their fight.

That was until Tails showed his brother what unit managed to pick up on Amy.

The brothers are horrified by what could’ve happened if Shadow hadn’t intervened in time. They all agree to take things carefully when trying to help Amy.

Sonic wants to help Shadow reignite after learning what he is willing to do to save Amy (he was just gonna be a tough nut to crack).

Rouge later gives the heroes blueprints on the pack to aid them in safely getting Amy free

Eventually, thanks to the help of Rouge and Tails’ careful planning, they were able to free Amy from their control.

With Amy safe, Shadow finally initiates his revenge against G.U.N and humanity.

Amy isn’t having it, so she confronts Shadow who doesn’t understand why after everything the government/humans have put her through she would still defend them.

She calmly replies that yes, she has experienced the worst of humanity, but she also witnessed the good in humanity with her brief time on earth.

Amy’s heartfelt speech strikes a chord with Shadow, reminding him of his true promise to Maria.

Wanting to make things right Shadow makes a new promise to Amy before aiding Sonic in saving the world.

[bodhrancomedy]

Full Descriptions:

Tocktick - Anxious single father Emmett Askren agrees to enter a prestigious airship race to clear his debts and save his home, but every member of his crew has deadly ghosts on their tail and their revolutionary engine is a time-bomb waiting to explode.

Captain Alaric’s Demise: When exiled wizard, Hywel Nyl, agrees to study an ancient map his only reason is boredom and infatuation with the handsome musician who found it. But when the map supposedly points to a legendary pirate’s lost treasure, he is thrown up against powerful nobles, bloodthirsty marauders, and history itself.

Flies in Amber: Archeology students Flora Beckett and Flora Avery are honoured when they are chosen to embark on the most important expedition in history. If they succeed they could turn back time and bring back the magic that held civilisation together. But the deep caverns at the end of the world hold far more than any of them could have ever imagined…

Soul-Glass: Monster-researcher Helene le Rosan was considering retirement when her “one last job” turned out to be a trap that cost her everything. Reeling from the guilt, Helene takes on a new crew to destroy the evil she unwittingly released. The only issue? That evil is using the bodies of the friends she led into its clutches.

Nostos & the Filigree Lantern: The day the mines burst open, deaf goat herder Nostos was only one to escape capture by the denizens of the underground. With no help forthcoming and the chosen heroes apparently defeated, Nostos descends into the underworld with nothing but his wits and the hope of a fabled light to save his family from eternal darkness.

[yurimother]

Fantasy Yuri Manga 'ROLL OVER AND DIE' Third Manga Volume Out in English

On February 28, Seven Seas Entertainment released the third volume in Kiki and Sunao Minakata's dark fantasy Yuri manga ROLL OVER AND DIE ROLL OVER AND DIE: I Will Fight for an Ordinary Life with My Love and Cursed Sword! (Omae Gotoki ga Maou ni Kateru to Omouna" to Yuusha Party wo Tsuihou sareta node, Outo de Kimama ni Kurashitai). The manga is based on the light novel series of the same name by Kiki.

ROLL OVER AND DIE follows Flum Apricot, a useless girl with zero stats across the board who somehow finds herself chosen to join a legendary party of adventurers to defeat the demon king. One of her companions, believing her dead weight, betrays Flum and sells her into slavery. But, just after being tossed to monsters and left for dead, Flum discovers a cursed weapon and an extraordinary power that gives her a second chance and allows to protect her new companion, Milkit.

The publisher describes the third volume:

After risking her life to obtain a healing herb for a merchant, Flum Apricot is gifted with a house to use as a home base for her and Milkit. Not long after they settle in, Flum is reunited with her former comrade from the Hero’s Party, Eterna, who claims to know the remedy for Milkit’s disfigured face. Flum doesn’t have much time to enjoy this happy turn of events though. The villainous Dein who rules the West District has decided to make his move. But Flum will stop at nothing to protect her home with Milkit!

The ROLL OVER AND DIE manga is based on the webnovel turned light novel of the same name by Kiki. The light novel features illustrations by Kinta. Notably, it includes dark fantasy elements and gore in a Yuri story. Micro Magazine publishes four volumes of the light novel in Japanese. Seven Seas publishes the novels in English.

Sunao Minakata is a Yuri artist known for illustrating Yun Kouga's Akuma no Riddle (Riddle Story of Devil).

You can check out ROLL OVER AND DIE volume 3 in English digitally and in paperback today: https://amzn.to/3ZEJEz2

Reading official releases helps support creators and publishers. YuriMother makes a small affiliate commission from sales to help fund future coverage.

[sotwk]

🦌 and 💍 for the ask game? *excited giggle* I loooove your headcanons

Hello, dear Callon! Thank you for this ask and for your endless patience! I will combine your two requests of 🦌: "HC about one of Thranduil’s personal likes or dislikes" and 💍: "HC about a family tradition" into one discussion about:

Thranduil and Hunting

Fanart by cudzinec (DeviantArt)

Thranduil has been participating in hunts ever since his youth in Doriath, and received his initial instruction not from his father, but from his uncle (his mother’s brother), the legendary Beleg Cuthalion, Chief Marchwarden of King Thingol.

Thranduil developed an interest in archery from about 10 years old, but only Beleg would agree to take a student so young, headstrong, impulsive, yet extraordinarily gifted under his wing.

Even as a child, Thranduil possessed exceptional physical strength, and could already pull the draw weight of an average Doriath archer.  

Beleg had a special bow designed just for him, measured for a child’s height but with an adult’s draw weight, and trained him using this. 

Thranduil greatly admired his uncle’s famous bow, Belthronding, and hoped to earn it as an inheritance one day. 

Thranduil’s natural-born gifts, which also included horsemanship, keen aim and eyesight, and a relentless pursuit of any chosen target, led to Queen Melian remarking that he would have been a favored companion of Oromë, Huntsman of the Valar, in Aman. This did not exactly please Thranduil’s father, Oropher, who preferred his son not be quite so wild-hearted and adventurous.  

Thranduil was merely 14 years old during the Hunting of Carcharoth, and was very upset at being too young to participate in that great adventure. From that day onward, he insisted on participating in as many hunts as he would be permitted to join. 

As a young hunter, Thranduil was particularly adept at navigating through rough, unfamiliar terrain. He was also fearless at hunting down dangerous predators such as wargs, wolves, wildcats, and bears. 

Fanart by @chicotfp (Note: Check out all their incredible Thranduil artwork!)

However, the arrival of Túrin Turambar greatly affected the close relationship between uncle and nephew. Much of Beleg’s time and attention redirected to King Thingol’s foster son, which made Thranduil jealous and resentful of the human outsider. 

After receiving news of his beloved uncle’s death, Thranduil (then 37 years old) blamed Turin and the curse he carried with him. He was also angry that Belthronding never returned to Doriath, and believed that Turin had stolen it himself. 

From that time on, Thranduil’s interest in archery fell drastically, and he refocused his training towards swordsmanship instead. He stopped going on hunts completely, and did not return to it until his father took the kingship of the Woodland Realm nearly a thousand years later.

Thranduilion Family Hunting Traditions

Thranduil rediscovered his love for hunting some years after he began living in the Woodland Realm. The vast landscapes between Rhovanion and the Rhun provided bountiful hunting grounds for all kinds of game, and he often rode out with the Silvan hunters on long expeditions. He soon became as familiar with those lands as the native Wood-elves who had lived there since the Awakening. 

Thranduil personally oversaw the training in archery and hunting of his two eldest sons, Crown Prince Mirion and Prince Turhir. By the time Princes Arvellas, Gelir, and Legolas were born, he had delegated this task to the elder brothers, wishing for them to become role models and mentors to their younger siblings.

Although all five sons are skilled at hunting and tracking, Prince Gelir is by far the most naturally gifted, and is often bragged about by the Elvenking as the “greatest huntsman across the realms”.

Prince Turhir is noted for preferring to use various-sized spears instead of bow and arrow as his choice of weapon, for game even as small as squirrels. 

The king and princes would sporadically and spontaneously group up to go on their own recreational hunting trips. Southeastern Greenwood, between the East Bight and the Old Forest Road, was particularly rich with game during the autumn through winter months.

They did not use hunting dogs, local guides, traps, or baiting tactics and relied solely on their own stalking and archery skills. 

Hunting was one of the most favorite bonding activities between father and sons, and amongst the brothers, and involved a lot of playful challenges and bets. 

The Hunting of the Rhûn Lion

Every four years during the summer, from about TA 300-1300, the entire royal family (including the Elvenqueen) would assemble a small party and go on an expedition to hunt the Rhûn Lion, the dangerous and unchallenged apex predator of Rhovanion. The hunt would last for an entire month and was celebratory in nature, involving other games and feasting traditions. It was considered a great honor to be invited to this hunt with the royal family, but rarely was anyone invited more than once, since the intention was for every Greenwood hunter in the kingdom to be given a turn at participating. 

The resulting kills were either taken home by the guest hunters, or gifted to the Northmen residing in the area, who prized the pelts and meat. 

Part of the reason why they culled the Rhûn Lion in particular was to prevent their numbers from overwhelming the populations of wild horses and wild kine that roamed the plains of Rhovanion. The Kine of Araw were a valued species of oxen that legends claim descended from the cattle of the Valar Orome. The Great Horn of Gondor was made from one of the Kine of Araw, by Vorondil, one of Boromir’s ancestors who famously hunted them. (A connection that Legolas and Boromir later bonded over.)

Tolkien Headcanon tag list:

@quickslvxr @laneynoir @auttumnsayshi @achromaticerebus @tamryniel @friendofthefellowshipsnerdblog @blueberryrock @aduialel @glassgulls @ladyweaslette

[legendary-cookies]

https://www.tumblr.com/legendary-cookies/743946175244386304/eternal-sugar-beast-cookie-looks-like-sugar?source=share

Hey! Ummmm...

I'm gonna say what I understand from the lore (both from CRK and CROB)

The Witches created the cookies, but because of spores, probably there's Cookies who were formed from zero without the witches (with what Timekeeper says in the relationship card (specifically for Longan), this makes this the possibility), a cookie that I think that wasn't created by the witches is White Lily Cookie (It is said in her story that she emerged into existence (idk what word to use) by a solitary bean of moonlight), and there's a chance that the actual ancients weren't created by them but actually were chosen by them.

And probably the legends (like Sea Fairy) were created by a concentration of magic.

In my conception, Sugar Swan was created by a concentration of magic and created most of the "wild" cookies (cookies not created by witches or wizards), and it seems like that was it. And Longan says that Cookies didn't exist when dragons ruled the world, so surely Sugar Swan didn't create the world, much less exist at the time of Dragons.

It's hard to say really because I think a lot of the things contradict itself in how Cookies were made

Some were definitely created by the witches and wizards but some were really not

The whole thing is super contradictory to me because they keep claiming that all Cookies were made by the witches or wizards, but there's proof of Cookies not created by them

To name a few, Wind Archer used to be the wind but was given the power to become a Cookie, Pond Dino was birthed from an egg right in front of other Cookies, all the dragons turn into Cookies when weakened (I believe), Matcha was created by Dark Enchantress, etc.

And they keep claiming Gingerbrave was the first to leave the oven which seems as if they're trying to imply he's the first Cookie, but that can't be possible because his adventure involves literally finding other Cookies that have already established a whole society

There's also the whole thing about Cookie relatives

Hollyberry has a son, Dark Cacao has a son, Lord Oyster is an ancestor of Oyster, Custard III literally has an "III" in his name implying he has a lineage, etc., etc.

Timekeeper mentions the existence of Cookies being inevitable, yes, but they aren't clear about how just in that they will exist whether Longan likes it or not

There's definitely a possibility of remnant life powder, magic, etc. creating other Cookies because baking is never a clean process, but it's never stated explicitly so we can't know if that really is a method of Cookie creation and which Cookies were created in such a way

Like I'm not saying you're wrong because I think a lot of that is a good interpretation, but it's hard to say if you're right because nothing is really clear

One thing I can say confidently, though, is it's essentially canon that Sugar Swan created the Cookie world

Her Ovenbreak story states:

However, while Sugar Swan created the world, she did not create the Cookies as seen from this dialogue with Wizard in Kingdom:

It seems to me that the only Cookie Sugar Swan gave life to was Wind Archer (and maybe Stardust? That part of his story confused me because it was either creation or she gave him a push to keep living)

It's unclear what this means in relation to everything else especially with the introduction of the Beast Cookies supposedly being the first ones created, but even throughout Kingdom, they seem to revere Sugar Swan as a celestial being with powers of life

[twainrd]

"Snow Way Out"

Fanart piece for the fanfic Chosen One's Adventure with Legendaries.

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

Black Sails: 13 Facts About The Starz Hit Worth More Than Stolen Treasure

BY ERICH B. ANDERSON/DEC. 31, 2022 1:15 PM EST

With contemporary series like "Vikings" and "Game of Thrones," "Black Sails" may often be overlooked when compared to other epic dramas of the 2010s, which makes it one of the most underrated shows of the decade. Not only is the scale of the pirate adventure immense with many scenes taking place upon impressive naval vessels, but the political intrigue and intimate interactions of the characters make it an entertaining watch for several different audiences.

The show as a whole does a brilliant job of mixing fiction with historical figures like the notorious pirate captains Blackbeard (Ray Stevenson) and Charles Vane (Zach McGowan) whose lives were so legendary that they verge on fantasy. But at its core, the story centers on the complicated friendship between its two main characters, Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and his deviously clever quartermaster, Long John Silver, in the years before their sagas are continued in the later tale of "Treasure Island." For a series devoted to such larger-than-life individuals, the making of it also had its fair share of epic details and moments as well, which you can enjoy reading below.

The series is an unofficial prequel to Treasure Island

Although "Black Sails" is its own story for the most part, from the very beginning it was always meant to show the events building up to the classic work of fiction "Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson. More than anything, the creators of the series wanted to tie up loose ends to the famous tale and give their explanation to who the characters were up to in the years before, as showrunner Jonathan Steinberg explained to Entertainment Weekly: "At the end of the book, it's recounted by other people that Captain Flint died in Savannah alone, which begs a lot of questions."

Flint's origin is certainly not the only one covered with both Long John Silver's and Billy Bones' backstories explained thoroughly as well. For Billy especially, his situation in the finale of the series gives all new meaning to what happens to him later in the novel. Steinberg added: "It is clear we are suggesting he is on 'Treasure Island,' which I think has a number of implications if you go back and read the book."

After four seasons, it is clear the showrunner was pleased with how the series handled the continuity, saying: "It felt like we had finished the argument a little bit, in terms of connecting it not just to 'Treasure Island,' but to our contemporary understanding of what piracy was, about what Caribbean piracy was."

2. The opening credits features the hurdy-gurdy

Several aspects of "Black Sails" make it stand out as a particularly fascinating TV series, with one of the top being its unique theme music in the opening credits. Not only is the memorable tune composed by the talented Bear McCreary who is well known for his work on "The Walking Dead" and "Battlestar Galactica," but it also features quite an unusual instrument known as a hurdy-gurdy, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Also known as a wheel fiddle, the hurdy-gurdy is a folk instrument that has existed for around 1,000 years and is played to this day all over Western Europe, from Italy to England. In a 2010 TED Talk, musician Caroline Phillips explained that the complex and bulky device originally required two people to operate it until the design was improved a few centuries later, so it could be used by a single performer. Although a fundamental part of the instrument is the strings, akin to a violin, the sound produced can also be compared to bagpipes.

3. The show was filmed in South Africa

While "Black Sails" takes place predominantly in the Caribbean, that was not the place chosen to film the epic pirate drama. Instead, the Starz network went with the fairly new Cape Town Studios for the production, and needless to say that the South African-based company was ecstatic over the decision. Ahead of filming Season 1, Film Afrika producer Vlokkie Gordon said: "We are delighted to have been awarded ['Black Sails'] and it is further proof of South Africa's international reputation for outstanding production skill and expertise" (via The Location Guide). Gordon continued: "A production of this scope provides not only employment for South Africans, but also skills transfer which is in line with Film Afrika's policy of supporting growth and development of the South African film and television industry."

The swashbuckling series was then added to the growing list of productions shot out of Cape Town, including "Safe House," "Chronicle," and "Mad Max: Fury Road," as per the Cape Town Film Studios website. Plus, another Starz series benefited greatly from the elaborate ship sets built there, with "Outlander" using the Jamaican landscapes in its third season, according to Entertainment Weekly.

4. 300 people worked on the pirate ship

The impressive sailing vessels featured in "Black Sails" are almost as important to the story as the characters themselves. Therefore, a ton of work was put into the construction of the sets in order to make the maritime setting feel real for the cast, and more importantly, the audience. In a behind-the-scenes clip shared by Starz, senior rigger Joel Yates explained: "The carpenters building the boat it took them, I think, four or five months. They want it to look as authentic as possible because what we've built is a very accurate replica of a sailing ship."

The end product, called The Walrus in the show, was massive as well, as Yates revealed that the full ship is approximately 140 feet long. And to pull off such an incredible feat, it took a gigantic crew with various skill sets, as construction coordinator Clive Pollack shared: "There are 300 people working on the boat. There are carpenters, sculptors, painters, riggers, sailmakers."

5. There were no bathrooms for cast and crew on the ship

For as grand as the prominent pirate ship is in "Black Sails," it does have its faults as it also serves as the set of a modern TV production. In a 2016 interview with Den of Geek, actor Zach McGowan revealed the biggest problem for the cast and crew on set: "The hardest thing about the ships, most people don't realize, is just when you're on the ship at the top of the deck somewhere, it's very far to the nearest bathroom. There's no bathroom on the ships."

Even with that minor complaint, McGowan went on to stress that being on the deck of the ship at sea was such a great experience that the actor wished he had more of those scenes. It's also his opinion that most of the cast felt the same way, except possibly the ones who spent the most time on board, such as Toby Stephens.

6. The actors went through pirate boot camp

Like most epic dramas featured on premium channels, "Black Sails" is filled with massive battle sequences, in this case often between rival pirate clans, or against the relentless forces of the British and Spanish empires. While the nature of naval warfare means that a good amount of these conflicts are long distance, yet devastating, as cannonballs attempt to rip enemy vessels apart, much of the brutal combat is at close quarters.

All of the fight scenes in the series are quite impressive, so it makes sense that many cast members received special training. In a Q&A with a few of the main actors, shared by Starz in 2015, Luke Arnold revealed: "We all went through a three-week pirate boot camp. Well, the pirates of the crew did at the beginning of shooting." And it was a good thing that they did because when asked if they could survive the rough conditions of the time period, the general consensus was an adamant no. Toby Stephens then elaborated with a laugh: "The real trouble, I'd be ok on Nasau, it was as soon as I'd get on a boat and I had to sail anywhere."

7. Clara Paget came up with Anne Bonny's distinctive look

From Charles Vane, Edward Teach, and Jack Rackham to Captain Flint, Long John Silver, and Billy Bones, "Black Sails" has all sorts of characters based on either historic people or from the famous fictional tale, "Treasure Island." Therefore, both the writers of the show and the actors who portrayed these popular figures had to work with what was already known about them. But at the same time, there was a lot of creative freedom as well.

A somewhat minor, though fascinating aspect of another one of these real characters in the series, Anne Bonny, was thought up by actress Clara Paget. In a 2016 interview with Den of Geek, when asked what she contributed to the role, the actress replied: "I suppose the hat. That came completely organically. I tried on this hat and then I was pulling it down in an almost jokey way, like an old-school Western. Then it became who she is, hiding behind this hat. It really works for the character because, as I said, it shows this vulnerable side at the same time as being a badass through one side or the other. Like schizophrenic, bipolar."

8. Zack McGowan broke a stuntman's jaw by accident

A major reason that the fight scenes in "Black Sails" are so good is because of the enthusiasm of the cast and crew when filming, yet there was one time that may have gone a little too far. When a stuntman on set named Daryl was to be hit with the butt of a rifle by Zach McGowan, the dedicated performer showed no fear and encouraged the actor to strike him square in the face. The veteran stuntman figured it was no big deal since the thing was only made of rubber. Since Daryl seemed more than fine with the idea, McGowan went along with the idea.

In a 2017 interview with Rotten Tomatoes, Toby Stephens recalled the disastrous, though somewhat funny result: "Zach, who's brilliant at this kind of thing, whacked him straight in the jaw, as the guy asked, and totally broke his jaw. It looks fantastic, it actually made the cut, and it looked absolutely brilliant. At the end of it, I just remember Daryl going, 'No, it's fine. It's okay, don't worry about it.'" Fortunately, the stuntman was not seriously harmed, so they were able to joke about it a bit.

9. Zack McGowan climbed the balconies of a building to get rum

"Black Sails" is filled with many incredible exploits of pirate warriors as they battle on the high seas, but a behind-the-scenes achievement by one of the actors was almost as impressive as what was shown on screen. During a break in filming, the cast was having a good time together but needed some rum, so Zach McGowan went to rather extreme lengths to remedy the situation.   

In order to gain access to the prized liquor in a room several floors up, the actor literally scaled the side of the building all on his own. When talking with Rotten Tomatoes, cast member Hannah New described the amazing sight, saying: "He did this like Spider-Man kind of thing where he climbed up these balconies … it's incredible, he does like, God knows how many chin-ups every day. So, he can just chin up these balconies."

After McGowan successfully got the rum and then made the way back down with it in his front pocket, the cast waiting down below were too awestruck to do anything but tensely watch. Fellow actress Jessica Parker Kennedy added: "And none of us videotaped it. I think we were all in such shock, it was so scary, I thought he was going to fall and break his neck and we would have to explain it to our producers the next day."

10. It took all season to film Luke Arnold's underwater scene

In the fourth season of "Black Sails," Long John Silver nearly perishes in the sea as he struggles to escape his sinking ship. Actor Luke Arnold must have been pleased that his character ultimately survived the harrowing experience, but filming the scenes was definitely not easy for the actor. Even though he was confident in the comprehensive training he received beforehand, Arnold still had to overcome a major fear of performing in those conditions.

When asked specifically about those tense underwater moments, he told Collider in a 2017 interview: "That was the beginning of hell that kept getting crazier as it went along. That took all season to shoot. We were in the water tank, from the beginning of the season, stuck underwater, all day." To his dismay, Arnold was right when he assumed it would take longer to finish than the filmmakers first thought, yet it was all worth it, as he added: "Right until the last couple of weeks, I was doing bits of the underwater stuff to make that whole sequence as spectacular as it is."

11. Luke Arnold received a special gift from a producer

Luke Arnold was one of several major cast members of "Black Sails" who was in the show from the very beginning all the way through to the climactic finale. The actor very much enjoyed his time filming the series, so when he found a cherished memento from the early days, it was a big deal. In the same interview with Collider, he revealed: "We were shooting a scene in Season 4 that was back in Eleanor's office, and I found the piece of paper that I was writing the directions to find the Urca de Lima on, which was the very first scene we shot in Episode 103. Nina Jack, who was one of our producers on Season 4, got it framed and gave it to me as a gift, so I've gone away with that. That was amazing!"

On the other hand, there were parts of the series that Arnold did not remember so fondly, mostly from the difficulties that arose in pretending to have lost a leg. In this endeavor, he was able to use a crutch on screen, but the prop caused him so much discomfort that he grew to despise it.

12. Luke Arnold had a legless stunt double

Once Long John Silver tragically loses his leg in "Black Sails," Luke Arnold had some difficulty filming scenes as the character, so he was grateful to have help from a stuntman named Ben de Jager who is also missing the limb. The actor told Collider: "It was great to have somebody who's gone through the experience of losing a leg. He did step in for a lot of stuff, mainly because it was so much easier to have him there. If you're shooting from behind or you're focusing on the foot, it's easier to have someone in who's missing the leg than to do it with me and spend a fortune on visual effects to change things."

Though Arnold certainly got along with de Jager, there also seemed to have been a little jealousy in sharing screen time for the role. The actor admitted that a downside for him was his absence in some major Long John Silver moments of the show.

13. The writers gradually decided to bring back Flint's lover, Thomas

For as dark as "Black Sails" can be throughout the series, it ended on a fairly happy note as the main character, Captain Flint, is finally reunited with the love of his life, Thomas Hamilton (Rupert Penry-Jones). Both men are sentenced to imprisonment on a plantation, yet all that matters to the pair is that they are together again. Viewers may have been somewhat surprised that Thomas had returned to the show given the fact that he was thought to be dead, but over time the writers decided that was not going to be his fate.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2017, Jonathan Steinberg explained: "We had a sense in Season 2 when he died off-screen, that any character who dies off-screen, you're taking the word of the messenger as to whether or not it actually happened. We knew we weren't finished with him. And then at some point in Season 3, we realized it would be reasonably late in the series when he came back, so in Season 4 it felt right."

Source: Looper

[disneytva]

Disney Europe Animation Gives New Previews To Dragon Striker and The Doomies In Annecy Film Festival Panel

Serialized Animation at Disney has a new home at Disney+ and Disney Europe Animation has joined the fun with new concept art from DRAGON STRIKER and THE DOOMIES slated to debut 2024 only on Disney+.

“DRAGON STRIKER”

Creator/Producer: Sylvain Dos Santos

Produced by: Cybergroup Studios and La Chouette Compagnie for Disney Europe Animation

When the world’s most popular sport combines with magic, awesomeness escalates quicker than a dragon-powered strike! In this action-packed adventure full of comedy and high-stakes sports drama, elite players have magical signature moves they can use on the pitch. Twelve-year-old Key is a farm-boy fanboy who can only dream of entering the famous school where the greatest players train before joining the big leagues — until he discovers he has his own ultra-powerful spell and may even be the legendary “Dragon Striker.” Key joins a team of hapless underdogs who band together to take on the school champions, all the while fighting to prevent an ancient evil from resurfacing.

THE DOOMIES

Creators: Andrès Fernandez & Pozla (aka Rémi Zaarour)

Produced by: Xilam Animation for Disney Europe Animation

When best friends Bobby and Romy mistakenly open a gateway to another world, they turn their sleepy coastal town into a hotspot for terrifying creatures of doom. Roped into an epic supernatural mystery, they will cross paths with the so-called “Chosen One” and do battle with both literal and inner monsters. “The Doomies” is a spooky comedy that combines thrills, chills and surprises with character-driven comedy from an odd couple of ordinary teens engulfed by extraordinary circumstances. Its fast-paced humor and high-stakes action take place in a quirky French town in the heart of Brittany, imagined with moody flair and graphic style.

[kingarthurtournament]

The Once and Future Contestant: Revival Round 2-D

The top 2 characters will go to the next round!

Simon Snow (Carry On)

"He's a chosen one, he's Welsh, he has a magic sword that manifests only for him "because it trusts him", he grows red dragon wings (Welsh x2!), and he swears like so: "Merlin and fucking Morgana.""

Richard Campbell Gansey III (The Raven Cycle)

"Very noble, very quaint; utterly obsessed with legendary Welsh kings; constantly called "a king" by various narrators; dies tragically young in accordance with prophecy, but comes back to life..."

Flynn Carson (The Librarians)

"He’s best friends with excalibur. Like actually. They play fetch with dangerous artifacts together. "

Arthur Pendragon (The Mechanisms' High Noon Over Camelot)

"He's a cowboy. He lives on a space station that's slowly falling into the sun. He's in a poly relationship with Lancelot & Guinevere. He's got a trans son. In the end, he's the sole survivor. Hes even got a great song about his tragic fate."

Magnus Burnsides (The Adventure Zone)

"has a magic-using friend named Merle who would vouch for him. That’s almost like being chosen by Merlin I think"

Sailor Venus (Sailor Moon)

"The leader of the Sailor Senshi who protect the moon princess. Died and was reborn like Arthur and has a Holy Sword she pulled from a stone"

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Have some Babysitter Fierce Dadity snippets because why not

The fierce deity was sprawled on the floor on his belly, head propped on a fist that dug into his cheek. His eyes were settled on the little wiggling bundle in front of him as Navi tried to crawl and instead flailed her arms while grunting. She pushed on the ground to elevate her torso a little after failing to actually move anywhere, and Fierce extended a hand towards her.

His finger got within a hair’s breadth of her face and then he gently booped her on the nose.

Navi squealed in absolute delight, rolling onto her back and giggling, and Fierce’s smile glowed nearly as brightly as his eyes.

XXX

Navi usually fell asleep with humming. The fierce deity could oblige with some tune or another, dredged from vague memories mixed with those of his little hero. Sometimes Link and Malon recognized the tune, other times it was completely foreign.

Today, though, no tune would satiate the little infant. Nor would food. Fierce rocked her gently and decided to speak to her gently instead, at first with words of assurance and care. When the little baby's attention was latched onto the soothing, smooth voice rumbling over her, the cursed deity switched tactics and started telling her a story instead.

"There, there, little one," Fierce soothed, pacing in the nursery, his head bowed over the infant. "I would offer to tell you a story of your father and his many adventures, but I imagine he will be the better author of that narrative than I. Instead, I will tell you of the hero I know of, the original Hero of Time."

Navi watched Fierce with fascination as the deity gazed off into the distance, eyes looking beyond the walls of the house. "Long ago, the world was fresh and new. Life was just blossoming, and the people were in close connection with the gods. A goddess who could manipulate time, called Hylia, was tasked with protecting a piece of the divine, the Triforce.

"For many years there was prosperity until a demon king, a god of chaos and malice named Demise, tore from the earth with his armies. A bloody war was fought for control of the world. But Hylia held out hope. She sealed the darkness away until her chosen hero could defeat it."

Here, the deity paused, sighing. "I never met this Hero, but Hylia had the utmost faith in him. She always looked so... relieved and happy when she spoke of him. But there was a weight to her words, a knowledge and guilt that permeated her. She always hoped she wouldn't have to rely on his aid. But... given what I've learned of the situation since then, it seems that it did indeed fall to him. Legend says he traveled across time itself and became known as the Hero of Time before your father took that mantle and claimed it for himself."

"I'd never heard of the original legend."

The fierce deity turned to see Link standing in the doorway, his eyes fascinated and wary at the same time.

"When I first took the Master Sword, it was said that I truly looked like the legendary Hero of Time," Link commented as he walked into the room, his gaze falling on his daughter. His face softened as Fierce handed her over to him, but then he looked back at the cursed deity. "I spent years wondering who that original legendary hero was, and whether I had lived up to his legacy. Wondering whether I would be viewed the same, if..."

Link swallowed and looked away. "What was he like?"

"I don't know," Fierce answered honestly. "But Hylia trusted him. I'd like to meet him someday."

Link's gaze snapped back at the fierce deity, confused and surprised. "You can do that?"

Fierce's smile, gentle and reassuring, turned melancholy. "Someday. But you are the Hero of Time, Link. And your legacy will live on forever."

XXX

Malon yawned and stretched as she slowly tried to wake up. Padding downstairs, she sniffled a little as the lukewarm spring air was filled with pollen. She saw a silhouette shaped like Link sitting on the couch in front of her, his back to her, and she heard Navi cooing.

My, aren't we up early, she mused as she rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes. She was surprised, she could have sworn Link was still in bed when she got up.

Tiptoeing to stand behind the couch where her husband sat, she leaned over him, running her hands through his hair and sliding them down his neck to wrap around him. Bending over, she kissed him on the cheek. "Good morning--"

She froze. A flustered painted face watched her in return, his cheeks redder than she'd ever seen them.

"Not Link." Malon choked out.

"Not Link." Fierce confirmed, eyes wide.

The two stared at each other awkwardly, both steadily blushing more and more until Malon shot up to stand straight again while Fierce stared ahead pointedly.

And then Malon laughed. "I won't tell Link if you don't."

Fierce practically shriveled into the sofa, making Malon laugh even harder.