brightknightie | Fannish options & enthusiasms: November 2024

Here are some recent fannish things I've happened to see and would like to share:

Spotlight: "Sacred Realms: A Zelda Retrospective Podcast" is my new and by far favorite Zelda podcast. Some of the Zelda podcasts I'd tried earlier flunked quickly by knowing the story canon conspicuously less well than I do (which really shouldn't be possible). This weekly podcast explores the series "one little slice at a time" as the two hosts play slowly through one game in discrete story units and analyze them, frequently with guests who run Zelda fansites or otherwise have credibility in the space.

Ficathons, fests & communities

Create & engage
- fanart_recs is changing its recommendations approach from a sign-up system to an any-time system.
- ushobwri offers a November "social" for community encouragement and commiseration around writing.
- trope_of_the_month's November theme is "epistolary."
- allbingo's November theme is "Sleepytime Bear."
- pinchhits is a forum for pinch-hits in fannish exchanges. For example, seasonsofdrabbles and multifandomtropefest are currently seeking pinch hitters.
Enjoy & share
- fancake (themed fanfic recs); November theme: "magic"
- het_reccers (m/f fanfic recs)
- gensplosion (gen fanfic recs)
- recthething (fanwork recs)
- fanart_recs (fanart recs)

Two slightly under-the-radar constructions that I particularly enjoy for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess:

Ordon Province is not part of Hyrule. It's beyond the borders, perhaps an imperial possession. Check not only what Rusl says to Link about going to Hyrule and Link never having been to Hyrule, but also the existence of the fourth light spirit, the one who doesn't match up with one of the three golden goddesses and their sacred realm; Ordona is an ally, not an integral part of Hyrule. Also, note who has round ears and who has pointed ears. The Hero of Twilight is descended from Hylians (specifically, from the Hero of Time) but is not himself a resident of Hyrule.
Zelda's family and retainers were killed in Zant's invasion. And she wasn't the reigning monarch at the time of the invasion. Check what Rusl said to Link about presenting the gift to the royal family of Hyrule, not to a lone individual (granted, that could be pro forma from tradition). The mayor and Rusl (and Link), way over in Ordona, clearly haven't yet heard of the invasion and its fallout. And Zelda being princess rather than queen helps support this contention, I think. Imprisoned in that tower, clutching that dark Sheikah cloak around her, she's not only worried about her people, and perhaps her own life, she's mourning.

Note: "Recently:FK" is now "Recently:Enthusiasms."