2024 Summaries for Artist Claiming!
Below you will find the summaries available for artists to claim. Only artists who have officially signed up for the After Camlann Big Bang will be eligible to claim a summary.
THIS IS NOT THE CLAIMING POST!
Claims will open via an Airtable form on Saturday, June 1 at 9pm BST.
See our countdown here: https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/vote?iso=20240601T21&p0=136&msg=ACBB+Artist+Claiming&font=slab&csz=1
If you aren’t available to make a claim yourself, claiming by proxy is also allowed. This means that someone else is allowed to do the claiming and fill out the form on your behalf.
We are asking that artists who are already pre-matched please wait 24 hours after claims have gone up before claiming another summary. This will give artists who are not already matched with an author opportunity to still do so. Once the first 24 hours have passed, we will allow our pre-matched artists to claim a summary if there are any left and if they would like to do so!
On June 1st, claims will be on a first come-first served basis. You will be able to pick a 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th choice. You may claim one summary in the first round. If there are any unclaimed prompts after everyone has picked, then we will open up another round of claims for artists to claim additional summaries.
Please Note: You are not required to make 4 choices in order to make a claim. If you’d rather take your chances with just one or two choices, that’s up to you!
We would also like to take this moment to remind writers and artists not to discuss their match publicly until we post the Summary Matching post announcing the matches.
Come Saturday, you will be able to submit your claim via this form: https://airtable.com/app3nHYiW0YeDXMYv/shr0piFw01tRRduH0
Below we have 2 options for summary viewing: an Airtable gallery and our LJ post.
For the Airtable gallery (you will be able to click on each “card” to view the full summary submission), please view summaries here: https://airtable.com/app3nHYiW0YeDXMYv/shrhV5Jdo0jiSpBzI
Otherwise see the summaries below!
Number 1: CLAIMED
Title: Birds of a Feather
Current Word Count: 33,158
Estimated Final Word Count: 55,000
Fic Rating: Mature
Pairing(s): Merthur, a side of Gwencelot
Content Warnings: A curse that’s a bit of a heavy handed metaphor for chronic pain, injured animals (specifically owl!merlin and one (1) horse that gets healed, varying severity, no animal character death), injured people, a healthy dose of angst + hurt/comfort, one major side character death (but the character is dead in the series?), one poisoning attempt
Art/Podfic Preferences: Happy for anything except podfic (mainly due to predicted length!), though I think if pressed I’d maybe express a slight preference for traditional/graphic art?
Art Specifics: I want to preface by saying I’m really easy going on what I want to receive, so happy for the artist to just take it and we can roll with it. That being said I’d love any depictions of Owl!Merlin and there’s a few scenes - such as a wedding scene and some dream sequences - which are heavy on floral/plant imagery which has relevance within the story (Meadowsweet, Broom flower, and oak specifically). It’s also largely rooted in (Welsh) Mythology so anything with a sort of pre-raphaelite/romantic painting vibe could be so fun!
Podfic Specifics: English mainly with some Welsh words/names!
Fic Summary for Artists:
Alternate universe, but Canon typical setting. Essentially a bit of a mish mash of a welsh myth about Blodeuwedd (lady made of flowers who gets turned into an owl for trying to murder her husband, told in the fourth branch of the Mabinogi), a little bit of one of the original Merlin myths (Dinas Emrys/The Two Dragons). Prince Merlin is the latest in a long line of princes afflicted with a mysterious curse which causes him to turn into an owl. His Kingdom of Gwynedd, while a safe haven for Merlin, is struggling in the absence of the dragons that once called it their home, leaving one last dragon prophecy with King Balinor. Meanwhile in Camelot Queen Ygraine rules after the mysterious death of her husband King Uther, taking the throne rather than her newborn infant son so as to avoid a power struggle. While magic is not outlawed in Camelot, the strange circumstances of Uther’s death cause many to treat it with suspicion, and the loss of magic from the kingdom has caused the world to teeter out of balance. Merlin’s parents, hoping to save their son from his curse by sending him out of Gwynedd, while Ygraine hopes to save her kingdom by making an alliance through her son, forge an arranged marriage between Merlin and Arthur. Though initially at odds, Arthur and Merlin’s marriage grows in strength even as Merlin’s curse worsens. Together, they must go on a quest to find the origins of Merlin’s curse, and bring the world back into balance as prophesied by the last Great Dragon. Oh, and Mordred is Merlin’s adopted brother because Why Not.
*****
Number 2: CLAIMED
Title: Whatever Keeps You Around
Current Word Count: 15,000
Estimated Final Word Count: 25,000
Fic Rating: Explicit
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Gwaine/Merlin
Content Warnings: No archive warnings apply. Hurt/comfort, angst
Art/Podfic Preferences: Any type of art, but most familiar with working with traditional/graphic artists!
Art Specifics: Art of the young blue wyvern, village markets, or certain settings like (a modified version of) Arthur's chambers, Merlin's tinctures, etc.
NSFW/M art is okay! There are some more explicit scenes and if those are the kinds you like to depict, by all means be my guest!
Podfic Specifics: English. Probably just the first chapter?
Fic Summary for Artists:
Soon after becoming King, Arthur is faced with an ultimatum--to keep and raise the egg of a wyvern in order to save the lives of his townspeople. With Merlin's help, he raises the hatchling and discovers that there truly is one last surviving Dragon Lord who can name the egg: Merlin. With his magic now revealed, Merlin and Arthur's relationship takes a strain, though they must continue to partner together to raise the young wyvern, who is to bring peace to the Kingdom of Camelot.
*****
Number 3: CLAIMED
Title: Sliding Destinies
Current Word Count: 20,183
Estimated Final Word Count: 30,000
Fic Rating: Teen and Up
Pairing(s): Gwen/Arthur Pendragon, Lancelot/Merlin/Gwaine
Content Warnings: Canonical Violence (deaths, aftermath of death...)
Art/Podfic Preferences: I don't know a lot of arts, but I'd prefer traditional art, fanvids, or podfics. Everything is good anyway
Art Specifics: I'd like to keep the rating up to T.
Podfic Specifics: The only language is english (with some words in celtic)
Fic Summary for Artists:
Okay, my idea is something strange. Have you ever see Sliding Doors? It is the same concept. After Camlann, Merlin made a decision , to keep helping Camelot and his friends, and has the regret of having listened to Kilgharrah and Gaius for some things. So, basically, there are going to be two timeline, one where Merlin, Gwen, Percival and Leon continue the future and the other where Merlin with no memories will make again his life in Camelot, but this time without hearing Kilgharrah's calls.
Is it a time travel fix it?
Yes and no. Merlin doesn't remember his first life, it's just his life but without Kilgharrah's interferences. And the future Merlin doesn't know about the remaking.
And in the end the two timelines collapses
*****
Number 4: CLAIMED
Title: We are scarred but together Whole
Current Word Count: 46,649
Estimated Final Word Count: 45,000
Fic Rating: Explicit
Pairing(s): Merthur
Content Warnings: Lots of nearly dying merlin, no blood or anything though. It gets REALLY close once.
Art/Podfic Preferences: Digital art
Art Specifics: Nothing Explicit
Podfic Specifics: English
Fic Summary for Artists:
Arthur wakes up in modern Glastonbury (No lake scene sorry we're going with the lake having dried up) and to his unfathomable relief finds Merlin, but nothing is simple. Everything he knew is gone for one. and he wonders what of his achievements were actually his own and not just Merlin's magic for another. (this tends to come out badly as Arthur is not the best at emotional regulation) Arthur also has to face the fact that he kept the ban on magic going. Was he ever truly a good king? (His father in the nightmares he keeps having tells him no.)
There is also the “I love you” he mouthed to Merlin before dying. Something he cannot afford to focus on, because, as Merlin tells him, Albion’s time of greatest need is upon them.
Then comes the unthinkable. Merlin’s magic, which has been growing over the last thousand years, is suddenly too strong for the sorcerer's human body to handle. (And Is trying to kill him) Faced with the prospect of losing Merlin, feelings suddenly come out (Arthur confesses with Merlin on the floor dying and when Merlin wakes up in the hospital he confronts Arthur) and Arthur realizes that if he can save the man he loves and the land of Albion, he might be able to forgive himself for his mistakes and everything he is not. (it is eventually revealed Merlin's increasingly volatile magic is the very thing putting Albion in danger, Arthur can channel it to stop hurting merlin and they gotta do a ritual together to give back some of merlin's magic to the godess/earth. But the ritual could wipe Arthur's mind)
Expect fluff, angst, humor, banter, hurt/comfort, and lots of Merthur! Happy ending dunworry!
Some possible visuals: Merlin and Arthur reuniting in a forest, Merlin and Arthur bantering in a forest, Merlin and Arthur bantering in modern homes. A magical kiss in a ritual. A kiss and confession in a hospital. Merlin nearly dying a lot with Arthur trying to save him and/or freaking out. (Various Scenarios of this ) Bridal carries with the characters talking. Bridal carries with the characters NOT talking. Emotional talks.
*****
Number 5: CLAIMED
Title: As One We Stand
Current Word Count: 28,100
Estimated Final Word Count: 45,000
Fic Rating: Mature
Pairing(s): Currently Merlin & Arthur (may change to Merlin/Arthur but not sure yet) ((one could accuse me of being the ultimate slow burn tease))
Content Warnings: Mild gore, blood, torture (brief), Some discussion regarding sucicial thoughts (not acted upon, very small part)
Art/Podfic Preferences: I always love traditional art, but I'm game for anything!
Art Specifics: Don't like smut but otherwise would be okay with anything
Podfic Specifics: n/a
Fic Summary for Artists:
Canon era, canon divergent featuring BAMF!Merlin, irritatingly confusing Kilgharrah, mentally exhausted Arthur, and a very impatient Morguase.
Growing up in isolation with his father and a handful of druids, Merlin has been trained in the arts of magic and self defence. He's also good with a sword, knows how to evade the enemy and is literally dying of bordem. NOTHING exciting ever happens aside from the stories his father tells him of days long past about the evils of the outside world.
All this changes when a chance encounter leads Merlin to save Arthur Pendragons life. He soon discovers he's got a shared destiny with the pratty prince. (who does not like his magic, not one bit)
Merlin thought his life was boring before, now he's not sure what to think. In a matter of a few weeks, he's met a dragon, promised to set him free, and may or may not have been tasked with making the king, Uther Pendragon go insane.
He's managed on his own for this long, what's the worst that could happen? He spends the rest of his life alone, that's what!
Memoriable moments: Merlin saving Arthur from the pendulum of death!! muahahaha. Merlin using his magic to mess with Arthur, because he's miffed he won't accept his magic. Merlin torments this boi with petty tricks, it's fun. Merlin needing a hug because he's very much touchstarved in this fic. Stand off between Kilgharrah and Merlin in the courtyard. There will be more but that's all I can think of for now. o-o
*****
Number 6: CLAIMED
Title: What Was I Made For?
Current Word Count: 40,297
Estimated Final Word Count: 65,000
Fic Rating: Teen and Up
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur, Lena/Kara
Content Warnings: reincarnation (Merlin/Supergirl fusion), upsetting imagery, mild swearing, talk of non-explicit death, forced returning of memories, some mind fuckery because of said memories
Art/Podfic Preferences: traditional or digital/graphic art preferred, fanvids also welcome
Art Specifics: We would love to see the Merlin and Supergirl characters together. There are plenty of cute ship moments as well as fun friendship moments and even a bit boss battle with Morgause that would all be fun to see. The fic is fairly tame when it comes to content so rating levels shouldn't be an issue (there are no explicit scenes).
Podfic Specifics: N/A
Fic Summary for Artists:
Modern day reincarnation fic that's also a fusion with Supergirl, ie Morgana has been reincarnated as Lena Luthor. After a long time of wandering the earth alone, Merlin is suddenly finding that magic has returned to the world -- it's due to an odd combining of alternate realities that occurred in Supergirl canon. So far he has found a reincarnated Gaius and restored his memories, although Gaius does not appear in this fic.
After seeing her picture on a magazine, Merlin goes to National City to meet Lena and figure out if she's really Morgana because he felt Morgause searching or her sister using magic.
Lena and Merlin become friends as they work together to study magic, figure out what Morgause is up to, and decide how to stop her. Along the way, Merlin accidentally meets reincarnated Gwen (who is working as Lena's assistant), Elyan (who is Gwen's twin and a photojournalist), and Lancelot (who is Gwen's husband). He also finds a reincarnated Arthur, who is working as an FBI agent. Arthur and Merlin have a meetcute moment and start dating.
By the end of the fic, Morgause has been defeated, Arthur and Lena have their memories back, Merlin is friends with Lena and all of her crew including her girlfriend Kara/Supergirl, and they've all discovered that most of the rest of the knights also happen to be in and around National City.
Buckle up and get ready for fluff, angst, drama, and magic. This fic includes a combination of characters from both the Merlin and Supergirl universes. All of the characters from the former except for Merlin himself are not exactly as we know them from canon because they are reincarnations who don't have their original memories.
This fic is accessible even to those people who aren't familiar with the world of Supergirl; things are explained along the way.
*****
Number 7:
Title: Let me see you stripped down to the bone
Current Word Count: 19,169
Estimated Final Word Count: 28,000
Fic Rating: Mature
Pairing(s): Gwaine/Percival, background Merlin/Arthur and Morgana/Gwen
Content Warnings: homophobic comments and abuse, physical fights, alcohol
Art/Podfic Preferences: I would like a piece of traditional, graphic or digital art to go with this piece please!
Art Specifics: Any rating, there is mention of vomiting in this fic, please don't include that in the artwork.
Podfic Specifics: N/A
Fic Summary for Artists:
Leeds, March 1986.
Gwaine and the gang go out to a stripper night, Gwaine has never been to one before and doesn’t know what to expect, but he doesn’t expect to meet a Greek God as one of the dancers. Picked out as the prey by the dancer, Gwaine becomes infatuated with Percival. The pair keep on bumping into each other by chance, and they form a relationship over the coming weeks, meeting up for food, coffee, sex, and Gwaine realises he has fallen in love.
They share a few weeks of peace together, but Percival’s job as club dancer and stripper sometimes gets in the way, Percival has bad nights at the club and Gwaine is there to comfort him. It affects Gwaine when he sees how the other club goers watch Percival, how they eye him up like an animal. Gwaine worries if that’s how he looks when he watched Percival, and worries about how Percival sees him.
They argue and ultimately break up with Gwaine too self conscious to believe Percival when he says Gwaine is someone different. Lance is Percival’s best friend and he rings Gwaine, wanting his side of the story which antagonizes Gwaine rather than soothes him. For Merlin’s birthday, the gang go to another club for Gogo night, and dancing with another group is Percival. Gwaine gets blind drunk and Arthur bundles him into a taxi and takes him back to his and Merlin’s looks after him, listens to him. “I can’t stand it knowing he wants me and I want him.” Arthur persuades him to see Percival again, they can work through this together.
Gwaine works up the courage to see Percival again, but when he gets to the club, Percival isn’t dancing so he walks to the outdoor area, and who should be there? Gwaine has some kind of crisis in the doorway, does he join him? Does he continue rolling the cigarette and pretend he doesn’t see him? But at that moment, Percival turns and sees him. They stare for a few seconds, then Gwaine goes over and reaches up to kiss Percival. It’s full of apologies on both sides and Gwaine relays what an idiot he’s been but Percival is just so happy and grateful to have Gwaine in his life again.
They reconcile, meet up with the gang again, and it all ends happily ever after.
*****
Number 8: CLAIMED
Title: the beginning & what follows
Current Word Count: 19,914
Estimated Final Word Count: 34,000
Fic Rating: Explicit
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Content Warnings: Canon-Typical Violence, sex magic, mentions of illness leading to death/pandemic (honestly, could look like COVID, but the details aren't explicit and that isn't intentional. It also becomes less and less of a plot point as time goes on, and neither Merlin or Arthur contract it), could be considered morally ambiguous Merlin and Arthur towards the end, definitely co-dependent Merlin and Arthur, alternating POVs
Background Ygraine/Nimueh
Art/Podfic Preferences: Traditional or digital/graphic art
Art Specifics: Explicit art is okay, as well as any gen art. Would prefer art to focus on Merlin and Arthur, but if you prefer or feel drawn to Nimueh, I would have zero complaints. NOT REQUIRED, but I also LOVE medieval style art, so art in that style would be delightful.
Podfic Specifics: N/A
Fic Summary for Artists:
Canon era, canon divergence. When Nimueh saves Ygraine's life, it sets off a chain of events that none could expect. Instead of the Purge, magic users began to die of the Sickness. Two years and thousands of lives later, it is proclaimed Emrys, the savior of them all, has been born. Finding him and taking him to Camelot to train him, Nimueh sets the stage for the prophecy. Over the years, Merlin and Arthur grow from children and playmates, to being able to communicate without words and willing to burn the world to save each other. Merlin, who in one universe may have been a servant, is now a feared sorcerer, the protector of Camelot, and a ward of the king. Morgana, who still, for a time, is a ward of the king, is now training to be a priestess after the Sickness comes for her as well, only alive due to Merlin finally and firmly proving himself to be the prophecized Emrys.
As Merlin and Arthur grow, so does Merlin's magic and their devotion to one another. Finally, the Seer proclaims that to end the Sickness and bring magic back to Albion, Merlin and Arthur must join bodies at the height of the full moon. The union of the Once and Future King and Emrys will save Albion and magic. When the time comes, they join together, finally becoming one.
*****
Number 9: CLAIMED
Title: A Twisted Fate
Current Word Count: 19,000
Estimated Final Word Count: 30,000
Fic Rating: Mature
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Content Warnings: Character death, (slightly above canon-level) violence but nothing graphic
Art/Podfic Preferences: traditional or digital/graphic art
Art Specifics: Preffered ratings: Teen and Up/Mature (just not looking for anything explicit)
Art specifics: I think I'd be happy with anything the artist felt like creating for my fic, but I'd love to see them play with lighting and the contrast between light/dark to illustrate how Merlin sees himself (he recognizes his darker state of mind, fears he has become a monster) vs how he sees Arthur (brave, good hearted and golden like the sun)
Podfic Specifics: English/Old English (for the spells) but nothing that wasn't already used in canon
Fic Summary for Artists:
What if the circumstances had led Merlin to side with Morgana and Morgause from the start? What if Gaius never had the chance to show him that magic could be a force for good?
When Hunith is killed during another one of Uther Pendragon’s violent raids in search of the elusive Emrys, Merlin swears that he will do everything it takes to bring that man down. He blames himself for not being strong enough to defend his mother, so he leaves his village in search of a teacher that could help him grow his power and take upon his vengeance on Uther Pendragon, the man that took everything away from him. That’s when he hears of the two sisters taking refuge in the Isle of the Blessed that are rumoured to still live according to the ways of the Old Religion. And, after years of training under Morgause, he is tasked with his ultimate mission - to kill Prince Arthur and leave Uther with no heir, for when Morgana and Morgause take over Camelot to put Morgana on the throne. But what happens when Merlin unexpectedly starts falling for the benevolent prince? Will his hatred of Uther still be enough for him to pull it off? - in terms of visuals, there’s going to be a lot of angst involving swords/daggers and late night escapes in cloaks in this fic, also a lot of ties with the Old Religion (symbols, runes, crystals), so that might also be fun for you to draw!
*****
Number 10: CLAIMED
Title: london fog and technicolour strobe lights
Current Word Count: 27,140
Estimated Final Word Count: 43,000
Fic Rating: Mature
Pairing(s): Merthur, with considerable Gen elements (Merlin & Lancelot & Gwen; Merlin & Gwaine; Merlin & Mordred; Merlin & Hunith & Will)
Content Warnings: This fic is about sex work. There is no non-con, however the vibe is generally that Merlin doesn't love his job and has done some things in the past that he hasn't enjoyed. It is also heavily, heavily implied that he's got depression.
Other key things to note:
- M-rated smut- References to past violence
- References to past dubiously consensual activities (not between main pairing)
- On-screen spiking/drugged drinks (moderate; no non-con occurs because of this)
Art/Podfic Preferences: Traditional or digital/graphic art
Art Specifics: Open to any sort of subject matter the artist would like to cover, however because a core theme of the fic is place and setting, this could be a fun project for an artist that enjoys background heavy work.
There are still some fun opportunities for character-led artworks, including black tie events, clubbing scenes, and general “sunshiney summer in London” sort of vibes.
Happy for NSFW/suggestive art but would prefer it to be M rated, rather than E rated (i.e. no full frontal)
Podfic Specifics: I don't think I'll be able to provide anything polished enough for a podficcer to work with in time, unfortunately!
Fic Summary for Artists:
Merlin is a call boy working in modern day London for cheap rates and uninteresting clients. In amongst late night shifts and his dull-as-dirt commute, he spends his time trying to keep his flatmates from worrying (Gwen & Lance), bickering with the druid in the cafe down the road (Mordred), and dealing with the fact his damn phone is *still* broken.
And then, one of his repeats invites him out for something a little bit new.
He isn’t sure what to expect from a banquet hosted by the Prime Minister’s son (although the irritating blond git he bumps into when he gets there doesn’t leave him feeling confident) but being thrust into the same social sphere as Arthur Pendragon changes the course of his summer beyond belief.
This fic is a dreamy, setting-rich “modern with magic” AU featuring loads of gen friendships, classic Merthur antics, and copious pining. Magic, and the way magic is embedded into little parts of the world around us, is a key part of it, and as a result, place and season are a huge draw of this fic.
Think the sticky humidity of the Underground in July, the interlock of fresh air with coffee grounds in a quiet cafe, the technicolour hum of club lights, colourfuly cramped flats in Camden, Georgian terraces of Knightsbridge, rolling fields out the windows of the London-Swansea train line, and the magic that comes with a sunshiney afternoon when you're falling in love.
*****
Number 11: CLAIMED
Title: A Thousand Years, Lingering
Current Word Count: 15,000
Estimated Final Word Count: 25,000
Fic Rating: Mature
Pairing(s): Mostly Gen: Merlin & Morgana, with Merlin/Arthur, Gwaine/Percival and Gwen/Lance on the side
Content Warnings: -- War narratives prominent throughout- there will be several descriptions of death, dead bodies, characters handling dead bodies, and other narrated violence along those lines (specific scenarios: Merlin working as a CCS medic in WWI and Morgana aiding in the Battle of Monmouth during the American Revolution);
-- A near-drowning scene (Merlin falls off of a boat and is going through the actions of drowning, but he cannot die so he ends up okay);
-- Brief charivari scene (an unnamed man being publicly humiliated/ chased through the streets for cheating on his wife in Morgana’s 14th-15th c. POV;
-- Prominent themes of separation, grief, and loneliness a-la Merlin and Morgana drifting into and out of the lives of others for centuries, various characters mourning loved ones, and young Mordred having been separated from his parents during Op. Pied Piper in the WWII section
Art/Podfic Preferences: I would say I am partial to illustration (digital and traditional), but would be open to collaborating with an artist of really any medium, should they be inspired by the story I am telling!
Art Specifics: No specific requests content-wise, but here are a few avenues or ideas that might prove helpful:
-- Lots of time periods, so LOTS of different landscapes, clothing, and sceneries to play around with! As a general rule, these are all periods I have either studied in school or done excessive hyper-fixated research on, so if you have questions or just want to talk about the history for a while, I WILL oblige very happily! Here are the most prominent time periods:
- 14th-15th c.- Set during Carnival in Florence, an incredibly vibrant and chaotic holiday synonymous with Mardi Gras, wherein the height of disorder and misrule creates with it the standard of order and rule that the feast-goers will retain outside of the holiday. Lots of vibrant masks and colorful dress, and mixed with the late-medieval setting of 1300-1400s Florence, could be very visually fun to explore!
- 1770s, US Revolutionary War- I am leaning heavily on the legend of Molly Pitcher in this section- either one woman or a term describing women who participated on the battlefield alongside the better-remembered men. [Also Carlisle and performers]; Morgana unwittingly participated in the Revolutionary War, kind of reviving her belief againt monarchical oppression that was corrupted into evil during the show. At this point, Merlin is livign as a harmit near the lake of Avalon, so he is having a bit of an opposite character arc as her, of solitude and stubbornly /not/ getting over the past.
- Late 1890's- This section will mostly include scenes of Gilded Age urban work and liesure; morgana is a seamstress (there will be an emphasis on clothing), and Merlin wanders through the American city they have both found themselves in. This is the section in which Merlin and Morgana reunite properly for the first time, so Morgana will be chasing Merlin through the city and they will argue, etc., and eventually the section ends on NYE of 1900, wit Merlin and Morgana spending the night reminiscing on the past and coming to terms with each other.
- World War 1- This section is split location- Morgana is working as a librarian in America, and ends up having a deep dive into Arthurian myth when she thinks too hard about the nature of war and death. Merlin is working as a CCS medic in Hielly, France (near the Somme), and this is where a lot of the warned violent imagery and dead bodies will come in, paralleled with descriptions of the crop fields around the train station their CCS has occupied (ie the cycles of birth, growth, and death). This section is also half-epistolary, with Merlin and Morgana writing letters between each other as a framing device for each of the chapters and character POV changes.
- World War 2- Merlin and Morgana are living together again, in the coastal countryside of East Anglia, and they take in a child evacuee from London during the bombings: Mordred! This will be where Merlin and Morgana really begin to consider their purposes as immortals, with Mordred returnig into their lives, though he doesn't seem to remember his past life. Also, Merlin and Morgana are acting as a married couple in this section and the last, though neither of them are romantically inclined (it is an easy alibi).
- The Modern Day setting is going to be in the vague 2010s (they have cars and phones, but what models??? *shrugs*). This is where all of our lovely canon characters will be coming back! I am going to be basing the reincarnated characters’ relationships on those from Arthuriana, so for example, Gwaine will be Arthur’s nephew from his much older half-sister, Morgause, and Lancelot will have a little son, Galahad, who has taken keenly to his new step-mother, Gwen. (A full chart/description of these relationships will be available, and I would love to chat about it/ brainstorm further with the modern setting and the reincarnated characters!)
I am going to have a scene at a Ren Faire as a thematic culmination of Merlin and Morgana's historical arcs, getting to see how modernity as a whole reinterprets and warps the aesthetics of their histories, etc. (This will also be where Merlin meets Arthur again teehee)
-- I am using a metric ton of OCs in this to flesh out the settings around Merlin and Morgana- that could be intriguing for an artist interested in character design! I would love to see others' takes on the characters that exist around the canon ones in the story! There are WWI medical soldiers and city librarians, Medieval artisan apprentices and journeymen, travelling performers, 18th-century women canon-handlers, age-of-sail sailors, and a whole host of others, so really quite a lot to choose from.
-- There are a lot of paratext and Things in this fic. By that, I mean maps, letters, trinkets, etc. that might be fun for an artist to work with! In particular, I found a real-life layout of the CCS that I’m putting Merlin in during WWI that might be cool to have visually somewhere in the work, and the same section is very epistolary in nature, so if someone is interested in calligraphy there is that as well! Morgana finds a rosary in Florence that becoems something of a symbol to her through the story, too, and young Mordred's teddy that he brings with him from London works similarly. I’m sure I can work with you to weave in more documents and items, too, since I really do love object imagery and symbolism!
-- I also like using color and scenery as an emotional and narrative tool in my work- this fic has sevreal instances of gold in crops beign likened to Arthur's hair or Kilhgarrah's scales, or being used to emphasize the emotions of Merlin as he sees it. Similarly, in the 1770's and 14th c. sections, color in art and blood are priminent, with reds especially, and dark shades capturing Morgana's attention and prompting her to think about her emotions and surroundings.
Podfic Specifics: The fic is primarily in English, though there are a few lines in French and Italian in two different sections of the work. In the /very/ beginning, Morgana utters some magic, which I am basing on Old English.
I don't quite know what kind of excerpts make for better podfics- if it helps, some sections will be very internal to the POV character, without much or any dialogue, and others that are majority conversations, sometimes with three or more participants, so in terms of narration there is some variety. There won't be a ton of action, however- a battle scene, for sure, and some wandering about and observing the landscapes, but I do tend towards internality and dialogue in my writing.
Fic Summary for Artists:
After the Battle of Camlann, Merlin signs himself away to a life of wandering and loneliness; so does Morgana, having failed to die by Merlin's hand and finding herself lost of everyone and everything she had. They linger through the centuries, seeing each other briefly in the 14th century before losing each other again, and following very different paths that lead them to solitude, war, and unlikely friendships before they finally reunite near the turn of the 20th century. By that time, they are lonely enough to take each other in as constants, and in each other, find the very strangest and unexpected of friends. Now together, the ensuing century (and then some) sees the return of Mordred, and then all of Arthur's knights, and at a Renaissance Faire, of all places, Merlin finds his destiny fulfilled by Arthur's return, and the return of everyone's memories of their pasts lead to Morgana's ultimate redemption.
*****
Number 12: CLAIMED
Title: It's not in the stars to hold
Current Word Count: 18,000
Estimated Final Word Count: 30,000
Fic Rating: Mature
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Content Warnings: M rating may change depending on whether I commit to a sex scene or not - Merlin and Arthur are 16 in this so it won't be overly explicit. No other warnings, except maybe some mentioned homophobia on behalf of Uther.
Art/Podfic Preferences: Art is first preference but very happy for anything!
Art Specifics: No preferences
Podfic Specifics: English
Fic Summary for Artists:
Hogwarts AU with a Merlin twist - Arthur POV. Arthur is a muggleborn - parents Ygraine and Uther, who has always made it clear he's unhappy with two magical children. Arthur's half-sister Morgana, who came to live with them many years ago, just graduated Hogwarts to live and work with her half-sister, Morgause. Arthur grows worried about the influence Morgause and her friends seem to be having on Morgana - who has always seen magic as a way of being herself - and that her views seem to becoming more and more extreme...and worryingly in line with the Dreaded's. Arthur knows that it's difficult for the magical community to hide but the Dreaded is more than willing to lead them into war to ensure that magic can be used openly.
Arthur is spending Christmas with Merlin's family. The whole magical community is becoming on edge - the Dreaded is gathering power and allies, seeking to lead an undead army. Merlin's father, an Unspeakable and one of the few Dragonlords left, comes home unexpectedly, fearing for Merlin's safety. And Arthur's best friend, the one he's chosen to spend Christmas (and might just be in love with) is Merlin. THE Merlin. The Chosen one, the embodiment of magic itself, the one foretold to eventually defeat the Dreaded. And recently Merlin has started acting like this destiny is a heavy burden on his shoulders. He also seems to be getting closer to Gwaine, something that causes a fight between the boys, whether Arthur is willing to admit the real reason why he's so jealous.
Lots of pining and utter devotion on both sides, discussions of destiny and how Merlin's future being public and admired makes it no less difficult to carry, Gwaine probably gets the short end of the stick, because everyone pretty much knows that Merlin and Arthur are it and general friendship/magic hijinks. Not a lot of Hogwarts actual lore going on - druids and crystal caves and questing beasts and sidhe are all canon instead, with crystals containing every prophecy ever told. One might just be calling Arthur's name, demanding to be heard…
*****
Number 13: CLAIMED
Title: hold me like a knife
Current Word Count: 15,085
Estimated Final Word Count: 25,000
Fic Rating: Teen and Up
Pairing(s): Arthur/Gwaine/Merlin
Content Warnings: None
Art/Podfic Preferences: I'd like traditional or digital/graphic art
Art Specifics: I don't want nsfw, but I'd be pretty surprised to get nsfw on a teen fic dksjf But, uh, preferred rating is T and I have nothing else
Podfic Specifics: n/a
Fic Summary for Artists:
'He feels Gwaine shift behind him and he doesn’t have to look to know the position he’s taken up. Neither of them know if King Arthur will truly attempt it, but Gwaine is prepared for the possibility. The knight at King Arthur’s side shifts as well, taking a step forward, his face dark and serious. He must care for his king greatly. Not a lot of people are willing to stand against Gwaine when he shifts like this. The people who know Gwaine typically just move out of his way. Even the powerful ones, like Morgana.
“Keep your dog leashed,” Leon says, a hand on his sword’s hilt and ready to pull out at a moment’s notice.
Arthur raises an eyebrow, watching the sorcerer. The sorcerer who doesn’t flinch or move, except to hold a hand out to his knight. “Heel,” he says, face straight. To Arthur’s surprise, the knight steps down immediately, posture loosening like an empty bowstring, faster than any of his own knights. He’d think it was magic, except the sorcerer’s eyes didn’t even flicker gold. Leon relaxes seconds later, though his hand doesn’t leave the hilt of his sword. Meanwhile, the sorcerer’s knight has gone back to the same posture as before, loose and open like he hasn’t a care in the world. If Arthur hadn’t seen the change himself he never would’ve believed it happened.'
Or: Arthur's growing relationship with Merlin and Gwaine (who are already together) in an alternate first meeting setting through the perspective of them being each other's guard dogs
*****
Number 14: CLAIMED
Title: Magic Ressurected
Current Word Count: 15,187
Estimated Final Word Count: 25,000
Fic Rating: Teen and Up
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Content Warnings: multiple minor characters are dead, ghosts, minor blood + injury, one reference to a possible suicide, one on-screen minor character death
Art/Podfic Preferences: Traditional + digital/graphic art :)
Art Specifics: This story is a modern AU set in and around London. Merlin and Arthur encounter a variety of ghosts in cottages, abandoned mansions, libraries, and more. I think capturing any of those interactions would be fun! Arthur is also obsessed with Merlin's growing magic (aka, always watching Merlin's golden eyes instead of the actual magic), so there's potential for more romantic art too.
Podfic Specifics: N/A
Fic Summary for Artists:
Thirty years ago, magic disappeared. Now, a whole generation- including best friends Merlin and Arthur- have grown up without it, only hearing the occasional rumor.
Merlin decides to put his film degree to good use by starting a ghost-hunting show with Arthur, but things quickly go awry. An attempt on Arthur's life leads to Merlin reading a spell that slows down time...but magic is gone, isn't it?
From there, the two friends begin to unravel the conspiracy that destroyed magic, and the prophecy involving their family names that promises to bring it back. Featuring ghosts, arson, solariums, pining, chalk dragons, and definitive proof that even from beyond the grave, Uther Pendragon is an asshole.
*****
Number 15: CLAIMED
Title: Sailing Era Fantasy AU
Current Word Count: 15,000
Estimated Final Word Count: 25,000
Fic Rating: Teen and Up
Pairing(s): Gen
Content Warnings: Alzheimer's, memory deterioration, Uther isn't a bad guy (it's a warning because if you're looking for payback on Uther, it's not happening), past-torture, past-selkie experimentation, traumatized Merlin, kelpie bites are poisonous, poisoned Gwaine, i use a lot of maritime vocabulary. Graphic depictions of violence (throwing that in because 80% of my fics use this tag and I'm never sure what I'll do to my characters).
Art/Podfic Preferences: Anything except for fanmixes! I have no idea what that is. I also am not sure how you would make a fanvideo for my fic, but if that's what you like to do, I'd be curious, for sure!
Art Specifics: I am not an artist so I don't even know what I would say. Okay how about, no modern art. I'd prefer character sketches or scene sketches. They can be in any st
Podfic Specifics: English, Nordic/Old English phrases
Fic Summary for Artists:
Sailing Age Era. Queen Ygraine and Prince Uther have two children: Morgause & Arthur. As an adult, Arthur’s mother’s memory is completely gone, his sister is out in the world searching for a cure, and his father buckles beneath the weight of the kingdom. Despite the duties owed to the kingdom, all Arthur yearns for is a ship below his feet and the sea breeze in his hair.
His story begins with him leaving Camelot aboard the brigantine Excalibur, with his chief mate Elyan at his side. As a member of the Navigation and Surveyor’s Society, he seeks to explore the land beyond the Northern Sea, called Scandinavia. He is joined by the standard cast of characters in various maritime roles, including Alator as the ship’s cook; Gilli as the steward; Gwaine as the boatswain; Percival as the carpenter; and Tristan & Isolde as the hired swords.
Arthur purchases the Excalibur due to the tales of it being blessed by the sea. Arthur may not know why the Excalibur has a free pass to glide through storms (relatively) unscathed. However, their sail-master does.
Merlin has his own story to tell, though none of the crew will hear it since he refuses to say a single word. With the purchase of the Excalibur comes Merlin. They say he refuses to step a foot ashore and spends his every day nestled in the rigging, tenderly repairing the sails.
Merlin is native to the sea and a devout follower of Manannán mac Lir, the god of the sea known for his magical powers, including the ability to control the weather and the sea. To Manannán, the Excalibur is kin. For Merlin is a selkie whose pelt was stolen and woven into the bones of the vessel. He stays with the ship, caring for the sails in the hope that one day he can find his pelt and return home to his family.
TL;DR Arthur buys a boat and goes on a long cruise with his friends while running into various sea creatures and storms. Selkie!Merlin is a little odd because he doesn’t talk to people but spends a lot of time hanging out with seagulls. Angst, found family, and Gwaine telling totally made-up sea stories.
*****
THIS IS NOT THE CLAIMING POST!
Claims will open via an Airtable form on Saturday, June 1 at 9pm BST.
See our countdown here: https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/vote?iso=20240601T21&p0=136&msg=ACBB+Artist+Claiming&font=slab&csz=1
If you aren’t available to make a claim yourself, claiming by proxy is also allowed. This means that someone else is allowed to do the claiming and fill out the form on your behalf.
We are asking that artists who are already pre-matched please wait 24 hours after claims have gone up before claiming another summary. This will give artists who are not already matched with an author opportunity to still do so. Once the first 24 hours have passed, we will allow our pre-matched artists to claim a summary if there are any left and if they would like to do so!
On June 1st, claims will be on a first come-first served basis. You will be able to pick a 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th choice. You may claim one summary in the first round. If there are any unclaimed prompts after everyone has picked, then we will open up another round of claims for artists to claim additional summaries.
Please Note: You are not required to make 4 choices in order to make a claim. If you’d rather take your chances with just one or two choices, that’s up to you!
We would also like to take this moment to remind writers and artists not to discuss their match publicly until we post the Summary Matching post announcing the matches.
Come Saturday, you will be able to submit your claim via this form: https://airtable.com/app3nHYiW0YeDXMYv/shr0piFw01tRRduH0
Below we have 2 options for summary viewing: an Airtable gallery and our LJ post.
For the Airtable gallery (you will be able to click on each “card” to view the full summary submission), please view summaries here: https://airtable.com/app3nHYiW0YeDXMYv/shrhV5Jdo0jiSpBzI
Otherwise see the summaries below!
Number 1: CLAIMED
Title: Birds of a Feather
Current Word Count: 33,158
Estimated Final Word Count: 55,000
Fic Rating: Mature
Pairing(s): Merthur, a side of Gwencelot
Content Warnings: A curse that’s a bit of a heavy handed metaphor for chronic pain, injured animals (specifically owl!merlin and one (1) horse that gets healed, varying severity, no animal character death), injured people, a healthy dose of angst + hurt/comfort, one major side character death (but the character is dead in the series?), one poisoning attempt
Art/Podfic Preferences: Happy for anything except podfic (mainly due to predicted length!), though I think if pressed I’d maybe express a slight preference for traditional/graphic art?
Art Specifics: I want to preface by saying I’m really easy going on what I want to receive, so happy for the artist to just take it and we can roll with it. That being said I’d love any depictions of Owl!Merlin and there’s a few scenes - such as a wedding scene and some dream sequences - which are heavy on floral/plant imagery which has relevance within the story (Meadowsweet, Broom flower, and oak specifically). It’s also largely rooted in (Welsh) Mythology so anything with a sort of pre-raphaelite/romantic painting vibe could be so fun!
Podfic Specifics: English mainly with some Welsh words/names!
Fic Summary for Artists:
Alternate universe, but Canon typical setting. Essentially a bit of a mish mash of a welsh myth about Blodeuwedd (lady made of flowers who gets turned into an owl for trying to murder her husband, told in the fourth branch of the Mabinogi), a little bit of one of the original Merlin myths (Dinas Emrys/The Two Dragons). Prince Merlin is the latest in a long line of princes afflicted with a mysterious curse which causes him to turn into an owl. His Kingdom of Gwynedd, while a safe haven for Merlin, is struggling in the absence of the dragons that once called it their home, leaving one last dragon prophecy with King Balinor. Meanwhile in Camelot Queen Ygraine rules after the mysterious death of her husband King Uther, taking the throne rather than her newborn infant son so as to avoid a power struggle. While magic is not outlawed in Camelot, the strange circumstances of Uther’s death cause many to treat it with suspicion, and the loss of magic from the kingdom has caused the world to teeter out of balance. Merlin’s parents, hoping to save their son from his curse by sending him out of Gwynedd, while Ygraine hopes to save her kingdom by making an alliance through her son, forge an arranged marriage between Merlin and Arthur. Though initially at odds, Arthur and Merlin’s marriage grows in strength even as Merlin’s curse worsens. Together, they must go on a quest to find the origins of Merlin’s curse, and bring the world back into balance as prophesied by the last Great Dragon. Oh, and Mordred is Merlin’s adopted brother because Why Not.
*****
Number 2: CLAIMED
Title: Whatever Keeps You Around
Current Word Count: 15,000
Estimated Final Word Count: 25,000
Fic Rating: Explicit
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Gwaine/Merlin
Content Warnings: No archive warnings apply. Hurt/comfort, angst
Art/Podfic Preferences: Any type of art, but most familiar with working with traditional/graphic artists!
Art Specifics: Art of the young blue wyvern, village markets, or certain settings like (a modified version of) Arthur's chambers, Merlin's tinctures, etc.
NSFW/M art is okay! There are some more explicit scenes and if those are the kinds you like to depict, by all means be my guest!
Podfic Specifics: English. Probably just the first chapter?
Fic Summary for Artists:
Soon after becoming King, Arthur is faced with an ultimatum--to keep and raise the egg of a wyvern in order to save the lives of his townspeople. With Merlin's help, he raises the hatchling and discovers that there truly is one last surviving Dragon Lord who can name the egg: Merlin. With his magic now revealed, Merlin and Arthur's relationship takes a strain, though they must continue to partner together to raise the young wyvern, who is to bring peace to the Kingdom of Camelot.
*****
Number 3: CLAIMED
Title: Sliding Destinies
Current Word Count: 20,183
Estimated Final Word Count: 30,000
Fic Rating: Teen and Up
Pairing(s): Gwen/Arthur Pendragon, Lancelot/Merlin/Gwaine
Content Warnings: Canonical Violence (deaths, aftermath of death...)
Art/Podfic Preferences: I don't know a lot of arts, but I'd prefer traditional art, fanvids, or podfics. Everything is good anyway
Art Specifics: I'd like to keep the rating up to T.
Podfic Specifics: The only language is english (with some words in celtic)
Fic Summary for Artists:
Okay, my idea is something strange. Have you ever see Sliding Doors? It is the same concept. After Camlann, Merlin made a decision , to keep helping Camelot and his friends, and has the regret of having listened to Kilgharrah and Gaius for some things. So, basically, there are going to be two timeline, one where Merlin, Gwen, Percival and Leon continue the future and the other where Merlin with no memories will make again his life in Camelot, but this time without hearing Kilgharrah's calls.
Is it a time travel fix it?
Yes and no. Merlin doesn't remember his first life, it's just his life but without Kilgharrah's interferences. And the future Merlin doesn't know about the remaking.
And in the end the two timelines collapses
*****
Number 4: CLAIMED
Title: We are scarred but together Whole
Current Word Count: 46,649
Estimated Final Word Count: 45,000
Fic Rating: Explicit
Pairing(s): Merthur
Content Warnings: Lots of nearly dying merlin, no blood or anything though. It gets REALLY close once.
Art/Podfic Preferences: Digital art
Art Specifics: Nothing Explicit
Podfic Specifics: English
Fic Summary for Artists:
Arthur wakes up in modern Glastonbury (No lake scene sorry we're going with the lake having dried up) and to his unfathomable relief finds Merlin, but nothing is simple. Everything he knew is gone for one. and he wonders what of his achievements were actually his own and not just Merlin's magic for another. (this tends to come out badly as Arthur is not the best at emotional regulation) Arthur also has to face the fact that he kept the ban on magic going. Was he ever truly a good king? (His father in the nightmares he keeps having tells him no.)
There is also the “I love you” he mouthed to Merlin before dying. Something he cannot afford to focus on, because, as Merlin tells him, Albion’s time of greatest need is upon them.
Then comes the unthinkable. Merlin’s magic, which has been growing over the last thousand years, is suddenly too strong for the sorcerer's human body to handle. (And Is trying to kill him) Faced with the prospect of losing Merlin, feelings suddenly come out (Arthur confesses with Merlin on the floor dying and when Merlin wakes up in the hospital he confronts Arthur) and Arthur realizes that if he can save the man he loves and the land of Albion, he might be able to forgive himself for his mistakes and everything he is not. (it is eventually revealed Merlin's increasingly volatile magic is the very thing putting Albion in danger, Arthur can channel it to stop hurting merlin and they gotta do a ritual together to give back some of merlin's magic to the godess/earth. But the ritual could wipe Arthur's mind)
Expect fluff, angst, humor, banter, hurt/comfort, and lots of Merthur! Happy ending dunworry!
Some possible visuals: Merlin and Arthur reuniting in a forest, Merlin and Arthur bantering in a forest, Merlin and Arthur bantering in modern homes. A magical kiss in a ritual. A kiss and confession in a hospital. Merlin nearly dying a lot with Arthur trying to save him and/or freaking out. (Various Scenarios of this ) Bridal carries with the characters talking. Bridal carries with the characters NOT talking. Emotional talks.
*****
Number 5: CLAIMED
Title: As One We Stand
Current Word Count: 28,100
Estimated Final Word Count: 45,000
Fic Rating: Mature
Pairing(s): Currently Merlin & Arthur (may change to Merlin/Arthur but not sure yet) ((one could accuse me of being the ultimate slow burn tease))
Content Warnings: Mild gore, blood, torture (brief), Some discussion regarding sucicial thoughts (not acted upon, very small part)
Art/Podfic Preferences: I always love traditional art, but I'm game for anything!
Art Specifics: Don't like smut but otherwise would be okay with anything
Podfic Specifics: n/a
Fic Summary for Artists:
Canon era, canon divergent featuring BAMF!Merlin, irritatingly confusing Kilgharrah, mentally exhausted Arthur, and a very impatient Morguase.
Growing up in isolation with his father and a handful of druids, Merlin has been trained in the arts of magic and self defence. He's also good with a sword, knows how to evade the enemy and is literally dying of bordem. NOTHING exciting ever happens aside from the stories his father tells him of days long past about the evils of the outside world.
All this changes when a chance encounter leads Merlin to save Arthur Pendragons life. He soon discovers he's got a shared destiny with the pratty prince. (who does not like his magic, not one bit)
Merlin thought his life was boring before, now he's not sure what to think. In a matter of a few weeks, he's met a dragon, promised to set him free, and may or may not have been tasked with making the king, Uther Pendragon go insane.
He's managed on his own for this long, what's the worst that could happen? He spends the rest of his life alone, that's what!
Memoriable moments: Merlin saving Arthur from the pendulum of death!! muahahaha. Merlin using his magic to mess with Arthur, because he's miffed he won't accept his magic. Merlin torments this boi with petty tricks, it's fun. Merlin needing a hug because he's very much touchstarved in this fic. Stand off between Kilgharrah and Merlin in the courtyard. There will be more but that's all I can think of for now. o-o
*****
Number 6: CLAIMED
Title: What Was I Made For?
Current Word Count: 40,297
Estimated Final Word Count: 65,000
Fic Rating: Teen and Up
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur, Lena/Kara
Content Warnings: reincarnation (Merlin/Supergirl fusion), upsetting imagery, mild swearing, talk of non-explicit death, forced returning of memories, some mind fuckery because of said memories
Art/Podfic Preferences: traditional or digital/graphic art preferred, fanvids also welcome
Art Specifics: We would love to see the Merlin and Supergirl characters together. There are plenty of cute ship moments as well as fun friendship moments and even a bit boss battle with Morgause that would all be fun to see. The fic is fairly tame when it comes to content so rating levels shouldn't be an issue (there are no explicit scenes).
Podfic Specifics: N/A
Fic Summary for Artists:
Modern day reincarnation fic that's also a fusion with Supergirl, ie Morgana has been reincarnated as Lena Luthor. After a long time of wandering the earth alone, Merlin is suddenly finding that magic has returned to the world -- it's due to an odd combining of alternate realities that occurred in Supergirl canon. So far he has found a reincarnated Gaius and restored his memories, although Gaius does not appear in this fic.
After seeing her picture on a magazine, Merlin goes to National City to meet Lena and figure out if she's really Morgana because he felt Morgause searching or her sister using magic.
Lena and Merlin become friends as they work together to study magic, figure out what Morgause is up to, and decide how to stop her. Along the way, Merlin accidentally meets reincarnated Gwen (who is working as Lena's assistant), Elyan (who is Gwen's twin and a photojournalist), and Lancelot (who is Gwen's husband). He also finds a reincarnated Arthur, who is working as an FBI agent. Arthur and Merlin have a meetcute moment and start dating.
By the end of the fic, Morgause has been defeated, Arthur and Lena have their memories back, Merlin is friends with Lena and all of her crew including her girlfriend Kara/Supergirl, and they've all discovered that most of the rest of the knights also happen to be in and around National City.
Buckle up and get ready for fluff, angst, drama, and magic. This fic includes a combination of characters from both the Merlin and Supergirl universes. All of the characters from the former except for Merlin himself are not exactly as we know them from canon because they are reincarnations who don't have their original memories.
This fic is accessible even to those people who aren't familiar with the world of Supergirl; things are explained along the way.
*****
Number 7:
Title: Let me see you stripped down to the bone
Current Word Count: 19,169
Estimated Final Word Count: 28,000
Fic Rating: Mature
Pairing(s): Gwaine/Percival, background Merlin/Arthur and Morgana/Gwen
Content Warnings: homophobic comments and abuse, physical fights, alcohol
Art/Podfic Preferences: I would like a piece of traditional, graphic or digital art to go with this piece please!
Art Specifics: Any rating, there is mention of vomiting in this fic, please don't include that in the artwork.
Podfic Specifics: N/A
Fic Summary for Artists:
Leeds, March 1986.
Gwaine and the gang go out to a stripper night, Gwaine has never been to one before and doesn’t know what to expect, but he doesn’t expect to meet a Greek God as one of the dancers. Picked out as the prey by the dancer, Gwaine becomes infatuated with Percival. The pair keep on bumping into each other by chance, and they form a relationship over the coming weeks, meeting up for food, coffee, sex, and Gwaine realises he has fallen in love.
They share a few weeks of peace together, but Percival’s job as club dancer and stripper sometimes gets in the way, Percival has bad nights at the club and Gwaine is there to comfort him. It affects Gwaine when he sees how the other club goers watch Percival, how they eye him up like an animal. Gwaine worries if that’s how he looks when he watched Percival, and worries about how Percival sees him.
They argue and ultimately break up with Gwaine too self conscious to believe Percival when he says Gwaine is someone different. Lance is Percival’s best friend and he rings Gwaine, wanting his side of the story which antagonizes Gwaine rather than soothes him. For Merlin’s birthday, the gang go to another club for Gogo night, and dancing with another group is Percival. Gwaine gets blind drunk and Arthur bundles him into a taxi and takes him back to his and Merlin’s looks after him, listens to him. “I can’t stand it knowing he wants me and I want him.” Arthur persuades him to see Percival again, they can work through this together.
Gwaine works up the courage to see Percival again, but when he gets to the club, Percival isn’t dancing so he walks to the outdoor area, and who should be there? Gwaine has some kind of crisis in the doorway, does he join him? Does he continue rolling the cigarette and pretend he doesn’t see him? But at that moment, Percival turns and sees him. They stare for a few seconds, then Gwaine goes over and reaches up to kiss Percival. It’s full of apologies on both sides and Gwaine relays what an idiot he’s been but Percival is just so happy and grateful to have Gwaine in his life again.
They reconcile, meet up with the gang again, and it all ends happily ever after.
*****
Number 8: CLAIMED
Title: the beginning & what follows
Current Word Count: 19,914
Estimated Final Word Count: 34,000
Fic Rating: Explicit
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Content Warnings: Canon-Typical Violence, sex magic, mentions of illness leading to death/pandemic (honestly, could look like COVID, but the details aren't explicit and that isn't intentional. It also becomes less and less of a plot point as time goes on, and neither Merlin or Arthur contract it), could be considered morally ambiguous Merlin and Arthur towards the end, definitely co-dependent Merlin and Arthur, alternating POVs
Background Ygraine/Nimueh
Art/Podfic Preferences: Traditional or digital/graphic art
Art Specifics: Explicit art is okay, as well as any gen art. Would prefer art to focus on Merlin and Arthur, but if you prefer or feel drawn to Nimueh, I would have zero complaints. NOT REQUIRED, but I also LOVE medieval style art, so art in that style would be delightful.
Podfic Specifics: N/A
Fic Summary for Artists:
Canon era, canon divergence. When Nimueh saves Ygraine's life, it sets off a chain of events that none could expect. Instead of the Purge, magic users began to die of the Sickness. Two years and thousands of lives later, it is proclaimed Emrys, the savior of them all, has been born. Finding him and taking him to Camelot to train him, Nimueh sets the stage for the prophecy. Over the years, Merlin and Arthur grow from children and playmates, to being able to communicate without words and willing to burn the world to save each other. Merlin, who in one universe may have been a servant, is now a feared sorcerer, the protector of Camelot, and a ward of the king. Morgana, who still, for a time, is a ward of the king, is now training to be a priestess after the Sickness comes for her as well, only alive due to Merlin finally and firmly proving himself to be the prophecized Emrys.
As Merlin and Arthur grow, so does Merlin's magic and their devotion to one another. Finally, the Seer proclaims that to end the Sickness and bring magic back to Albion, Merlin and Arthur must join bodies at the height of the full moon. The union of the Once and Future King and Emrys will save Albion and magic. When the time comes, they join together, finally becoming one.
*****
Number 9: CLAIMED
Title: A Twisted Fate
Current Word Count: 19,000
Estimated Final Word Count: 30,000
Fic Rating: Mature
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Content Warnings: Character death, (slightly above canon-level) violence but nothing graphic
Art/Podfic Preferences: traditional or digital/graphic art
Art Specifics: Preffered ratings: Teen and Up/Mature (just not looking for anything explicit)
Art specifics: I think I'd be happy with anything the artist felt like creating for my fic, but I'd love to see them play with lighting and the contrast between light/dark to illustrate how Merlin sees himself (he recognizes his darker state of mind, fears he has become a monster) vs how he sees Arthur (brave, good hearted and golden like the sun)
Podfic Specifics: English/Old English (for the spells) but nothing that wasn't already used in canon
Fic Summary for Artists:
What if the circumstances had led Merlin to side with Morgana and Morgause from the start? What if Gaius never had the chance to show him that magic could be a force for good?
When Hunith is killed during another one of Uther Pendragon’s violent raids in search of the elusive Emrys, Merlin swears that he will do everything it takes to bring that man down. He blames himself for not being strong enough to defend his mother, so he leaves his village in search of a teacher that could help him grow his power and take upon his vengeance on Uther Pendragon, the man that took everything away from him. That’s when he hears of the two sisters taking refuge in the Isle of the Blessed that are rumoured to still live according to the ways of the Old Religion. And, after years of training under Morgause, he is tasked with his ultimate mission - to kill Prince Arthur and leave Uther with no heir, for when Morgana and Morgause take over Camelot to put Morgana on the throne. But what happens when Merlin unexpectedly starts falling for the benevolent prince? Will his hatred of Uther still be enough for him to pull it off? - in terms of visuals, there’s going to be a lot of angst involving swords/daggers and late night escapes in cloaks in this fic, also a lot of ties with the Old Religion (symbols, runes, crystals), so that might also be fun for you to draw!
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Number 10: CLAIMED
Title: london fog and technicolour strobe lights
Current Word Count: 27,140
Estimated Final Word Count: 43,000
Fic Rating: Mature
Pairing(s): Merthur, with considerable Gen elements (Merlin & Lancelot & Gwen; Merlin & Gwaine; Merlin & Mordred; Merlin & Hunith & Will)
Content Warnings: This fic is about sex work. There is no non-con, however the vibe is generally that Merlin doesn't love his job and has done some things in the past that he hasn't enjoyed. It is also heavily, heavily implied that he's got depression.
Other key things to note:
- M-rated smut- References to past violence
- References to past dubiously consensual activities (not between main pairing)
- On-screen spiking/drugged drinks (moderate; no non-con occurs because of this)
Art/Podfic Preferences: Traditional or digital/graphic art
Art Specifics: Open to any sort of subject matter the artist would like to cover, however because a core theme of the fic is place and setting, this could be a fun project for an artist that enjoys background heavy work.
There are still some fun opportunities for character-led artworks, including black tie events, clubbing scenes, and general “sunshiney summer in London” sort of vibes.
Happy for NSFW/suggestive art but would prefer it to be M rated, rather than E rated (i.e. no full frontal)
Podfic Specifics: I don't think I'll be able to provide anything polished enough for a podficcer to work with in time, unfortunately!
Fic Summary for Artists:
Merlin is a call boy working in modern day London for cheap rates and uninteresting clients. In amongst late night shifts and his dull-as-dirt commute, he spends his time trying to keep his flatmates from worrying (Gwen & Lance), bickering with the druid in the cafe down the road (Mordred), and dealing with the fact his damn phone is *still* broken.
And then, one of his repeats invites him out for something a little bit new.
He isn’t sure what to expect from a banquet hosted by the Prime Minister’s son (although the irritating blond git he bumps into when he gets there doesn’t leave him feeling confident) but being thrust into the same social sphere as Arthur Pendragon changes the course of his summer beyond belief.
This fic is a dreamy, setting-rich “modern with magic” AU featuring loads of gen friendships, classic Merthur antics, and copious pining. Magic, and the way magic is embedded into little parts of the world around us, is a key part of it, and as a result, place and season are a huge draw of this fic.
Think the sticky humidity of the Underground in July, the interlock of fresh air with coffee grounds in a quiet cafe, the technicolour hum of club lights, colourfuly cramped flats in Camden, Georgian terraces of Knightsbridge, rolling fields out the windows of the London-Swansea train line, and the magic that comes with a sunshiney afternoon when you're falling in love.
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Number 11: CLAIMED
Title: A Thousand Years, Lingering
Current Word Count: 15,000
Estimated Final Word Count: 25,000
Fic Rating: Mature
Pairing(s): Mostly Gen: Merlin & Morgana, with Merlin/Arthur, Gwaine/Percival and Gwen/Lance on the side
Content Warnings: -- War narratives prominent throughout- there will be several descriptions of death, dead bodies, characters handling dead bodies, and other narrated violence along those lines (specific scenarios: Merlin working as a CCS medic in WWI and Morgana aiding in the Battle of Monmouth during the American Revolution);
-- A near-drowning scene (Merlin falls off of a boat and is going through the actions of drowning, but he cannot die so he ends up okay);
-- Brief charivari scene (an unnamed man being publicly humiliated/ chased through the streets for cheating on his wife in Morgana’s 14th-15th c. POV;
-- Prominent themes of separation, grief, and loneliness a-la Merlin and Morgana drifting into and out of the lives of others for centuries, various characters mourning loved ones, and young Mordred having been separated from his parents during Op. Pied Piper in the WWII section
Art/Podfic Preferences: I would say I am partial to illustration (digital and traditional), but would be open to collaborating with an artist of really any medium, should they be inspired by the story I am telling!
Art Specifics: No specific requests content-wise, but here are a few avenues or ideas that might prove helpful:
-- Lots of time periods, so LOTS of different landscapes, clothing, and sceneries to play around with! As a general rule, these are all periods I have either studied in school or done excessive hyper-fixated research on, so if you have questions or just want to talk about the history for a while, I WILL oblige very happily! Here are the most prominent time periods:
- 14th-15th c.- Set during Carnival in Florence, an incredibly vibrant and chaotic holiday synonymous with Mardi Gras, wherein the height of disorder and misrule creates with it the standard of order and rule that the feast-goers will retain outside of the holiday. Lots of vibrant masks and colorful dress, and mixed with the late-medieval setting of 1300-1400s Florence, could be very visually fun to explore!
- 1770s, US Revolutionary War- I am leaning heavily on the legend of Molly Pitcher in this section- either one woman or a term describing women who participated on the battlefield alongside the better-remembered men. [Also Carlisle and performers]; Morgana unwittingly participated in the Revolutionary War, kind of reviving her belief againt monarchical oppression that was corrupted into evil during the show. At this point, Merlin is livign as a harmit near the lake of Avalon, so he is having a bit of an opposite character arc as her, of solitude and stubbornly /not/ getting over the past.
- Late 1890's- This section will mostly include scenes of Gilded Age urban work and liesure; morgana is a seamstress (there will be an emphasis on clothing), and Merlin wanders through the American city they have both found themselves in. This is the section in which Merlin and Morgana reunite properly for the first time, so Morgana will be chasing Merlin through the city and they will argue, etc., and eventually the section ends on NYE of 1900, wit Merlin and Morgana spending the night reminiscing on the past and coming to terms with each other.
- World War 1- This section is split location- Morgana is working as a librarian in America, and ends up having a deep dive into Arthurian myth when she thinks too hard about the nature of war and death. Merlin is working as a CCS medic in Hielly, France (near the Somme), and this is where a lot of the warned violent imagery and dead bodies will come in, paralleled with descriptions of the crop fields around the train station their CCS has occupied (ie the cycles of birth, growth, and death). This section is also half-epistolary, with Merlin and Morgana writing letters between each other as a framing device for each of the chapters and character POV changes.
- World War 2- Merlin and Morgana are living together again, in the coastal countryside of East Anglia, and they take in a child evacuee from London during the bombings: Mordred! This will be where Merlin and Morgana really begin to consider their purposes as immortals, with Mordred returnig into their lives, though he doesn't seem to remember his past life. Also, Merlin and Morgana are acting as a married couple in this section and the last, though neither of them are romantically inclined (it is an easy alibi).
- The Modern Day setting is going to be in the vague 2010s (they have cars and phones, but what models??? *shrugs*). This is where all of our lovely canon characters will be coming back! I am going to be basing the reincarnated characters’ relationships on those from Arthuriana, so for example, Gwaine will be Arthur’s nephew from his much older half-sister, Morgause, and Lancelot will have a little son, Galahad, who has taken keenly to his new step-mother, Gwen. (A full chart/description of these relationships will be available, and I would love to chat about it/ brainstorm further with the modern setting and the reincarnated characters!)
I am going to have a scene at a Ren Faire as a thematic culmination of Merlin and Morgana's historical arcs, getting to see how modernity as a whole reinterprets and warps the aesthetics of their histories, etc. (This will also be where Merlin meets Arthur again teehee)
-- I am using a metric ton of OCs in this to flesh out the settings around Merlin and Morgana- that could be intriguing for an artist interested in character design! I would love to see others' takes on the characters that exist around the canon ones in the story! There are WWI medical soldiers and city librarians, Medieval artisan apprentices and journeymen, travelling performers, 18th-century women canon-handlers, age-of-sail sailors, and a whole host of others, so really quite a lot to choose from.
-- There are a lot of paratext and Things in this fic. By that, I mean maps, letters, trinkets, etc. that might be fun for an artist to work with! In particular, I found a real-life layout of the CCS that I’m putting Merlin in during WWI that might be cool to have visually somewhere in the work, and the same section is very epistolary in nature, so if someone is interested in calligraphy there is that as well! Morgana finds a rosary in Florence that becoems something of a symbol to her through the story, too, and young Mordred's teddy that he brings with him from London works similarly. I’m sure I can work with you to weave in more documents and items, too, since I really do love object imagery and symbolism!
-- I also like using color and scenery as an emotional and narrative tool in my work- this fic has sevreal instances of gold in crops beign likened to Arthur's hair or Kilhgarrah's scales, or being used to emphasize the emotions of Merlin as he sees it. Similarly, in the 1770's and 14th c. sections, color in art and blood are priminent, with reds especially, and dark shades capturing Morgana's attention and prompting her to think about her emotions and surroundings.
Podfic Specifics: The fic is primarily in English, though there are a few lines in French and Italian in two different sections of the work. In the /very/ beginning, Morgana utters some magic, which I am basing on Old English.
I don't quite know what kind of excerpts make for better podfics- if it helps, some sections will be very internal to the POV character, without much or any dialogue, and others that are majority conversations, sometimes with three or more participants, so in terms of narration there is some variety. There won't be a ton of action, however- a battle scene, for sure, and some wandering about and observing the landscapes, but I do tend towards internality and dialogue in my writing.
Fic Summary for Artists:
After the Battle of Camlann, Merlin signs himself away to a life of wandering and loneliness; so does Morgana, having failed to die by Merlin's hand and finding herself lost of everyone and everything she had. They linger through the centuries, seeing each other briefly in the 14th century before losing each other again, and following very different paths that lead them to solitude, war, and unlikely friendships before they finally reunite near the turn of the 20th century. By that time, they are lonely enough to take each other in as constants, and in each other, find the very strangest and unexpected of friends. Now together, the ensuing century (and then some) sees the return of Mordred, and then all of Arthur's knights, and at a Renaissance Faire, of all places, Merlin finds his destiny fulfilled by Arthur's return, and the return of everyone's memories of their pasts lead to Morgana's ultimate redemption.
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Number 12: CLAIMED
Title: It's not in the stars to hold
Current Word Count: 18,000
Estimated Final Word Count: 30,000
Fic Rating: Mature
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Content Warnings: M rating may change depending on whether I commit to a sex scene or not - Merlin and Arthur are 16 in this so it won't be overly explicit. No other warnings, except maybe some mentioned homophobia on behalf of Uther.
Art/Podfic Preferences: Art is first preference but very happy for anything!
Art Specifics: No preferences
Podfic Specifics: English
Fic Summary for Artists:
Hogwarts AU with a Merlin twist - Arthur POV. Arthur is a muggleborn - parents Ygraine and Uther, who has always made it clear he's unhappy with two magical children. Arthur's half-sister Morgana, who came to live with them many years ago, just graduated Hogwarts to live and work with her half-sister, Morgause. Arthur grows worried about the influence Morgause and her friends seem to be having on Morgana - who has always seen magic as a way of being herself - and that her views seem to becoming more and more extreme...and worryingly in line with the Dreaded's. Arthur knows that it's difficult for the magical community to hide but the Dreaded is more than willing to lead them into war to ensure that magic can be used openly.
Arthur is spending Christmas with Merlin's family. The whole magical community is becoming on edge - the Dreaded is gathering power and allies, seeking to lead an undead army. Merlin's father, an Unspeakable and one of the few Dragonlords left, comes home unexpectedly, fearing for Merlin's safety. And Arthur's best friend, the one he's chosen to spend Christmas (and might just be in love with) is Merlin. THE Merlin. The Chosen one, the embodiment of magic itself, the one foretold to eventually defeat the Dreaded. And recently Merlin has started acting like this destiny is a heavy burden on his shoulders. He also seems to be getting closer to Gwaine, something that causes a fight between the boys, whether Arthur is willing to admit the real reason why he's so jealous.
Lots of pining and utter devotion on both sides, discussions of destiny and how Merlin's future being public and admired makes it no less difficult to carry, Gwaine probably gets the short end of the stick, because everyone pretty much knows that Merlin and Arthur are it and general friendship/magic hijinks. Not a lot of Hogwarts actual lore going on - druids and crystal caves and questing beasts and sidhe are all canon instead, with crystals containing every prophecy ever told. One might just be calling Arthur's name, demanding to be heard…
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Number 13: CLAIMED
Title: hold me like a knife
Current Word Count: 15,085
Estimated Final Word Count: 25,000
Fic Rating: Teen and Up
Pairing(s): Arthur/Gwaine/Merlin
Content Warnings: None
Art/Podfic Preferences: I'd like traditional or digital/graphic art
Art Specifics: I don't want nsfw, but I'd be pretty surprised to get nsfw on a teen fic dksjf But, uh, preferred rating is T and I have nothing else
Podfic Specifics: n/a
Fic Summary for Artists:
'He feels Gwaine shift behind him and he doesn’t have to look to know the position he’s taken up. Neither of them know if King Arthur will truly attempt it, but Gwaine is prepared for the possibility. The knight at King Arthur’s side shifts as well, taking a step forward, his face dark and serious. He must care for his king greatly. Not a lot of people are willing to stand against Gwaine when he shifts like this. The people who know Gwaine typically just move out of his way. Even the powerful ones, like Morgana.
“Keep your dog leashed,” Leon says, a hand on his sword’s hilt and ready to pull out at a moment’s notice.
Arthur raises an eyebrow, watching the sorcerer. The sorcerer who doesn’t flinch or move, except to hold a hand out to his knight. “Heel,” he says, face straight. To Arthur’s surprise, the knight steps down immediately, posture loosening like an empty bowstring, faster than any of his own knights. He’d think it was magic, except the sorcerer’s eyes didn’t even flicker gold. Leon relaxes seconds later, though his hand doesn’t leave the hilt of his sword. Meanwhile, the sorcerer’s knight has gone back to the same posture as before, loose and open like he hasn’t a care in the world. If Arthur hadn’t seen the change himself he never would’ve believed it happened.'
Or: Arthur's growing relationship with Merlin and Gwaine (who are already together) in an alternate first meeting setting through the perspective of them being each other's guard dogs
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Number 14: CLAIMED
Title: Magic Ressurected
Current Word Count: 15,187
Estimated Final Word Count: 25,000
Fic Rating: Teen and Up
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Content Warnings: multiple minor characters are dead, ghosts, minor blood + injury, one reference to a possible suicide, one on-screen minor character death
Art/Podfic Preferences: Traditional + digital/graphic art :)
Art Specifics: This story is a modern AU set in and around London. Merlin and Arthur encounter a variety of ghosts in cottages, abandoned mansions, libraries, and more. I think capturing any of those interactions would be fun! Arthur is also obsessed with Merlin's growing magic (aka, always watching Merlin's golden eyes instead of the actual magic), so there's potential for more romantic art too.
Podfic Specifics: N/A
Fic Summary for Artists:
Thirty years ago, magic disappeared. Now, a whole generation- including best friends Merlin and Arthur- have grown up without it, only hearing the occasional rumor.
Merlin decides to put his film degree to good use by starting a ghost-hunting show with Arthur, but things quickly go awry. An attempt on Arthur's life leads to Merlin reading a spell that slows down time...but magic is gone, isn't it?
From there, the two friends begin to unravel the conspiracy that destroyed magic, and the prophecy involving their family names that promises to bring it back. Featuring ghosts, arson, solariums, pining, chalk dragons, and definitive proof that even from beyond the grave, Uther Pendragon is an asshole.
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Number 15: CLAIMED
Title: Sailing Era Fantasy AU
Current Word Count: 15,000
Estimated Final Word Count: 25,000
Fic Rating: Teen and Up
Pairing(s): Gen
Content Warnings: Alzheimer's, memory deterioration, Uther isn't a bad guy (it's a warning because if you're looking for payback on Uther, it's not happening), past-torture, past-selkie experimentation, traumatized Merlin, kelpie bites are poisonous, poisoned Gwaine, i use a lot of maritime vocabulary. Graphic depictions of violence (throwing that in because 80% of my fics use this tag and I'm never sure what I'll do to my characters).
Art/Podfic Preferences: Anything except for fanmixes! I have no idea what that is. I also am not sure how you would make a fanvideo for my fic, but if that's what you like to do, I'd be curious, for sure!
Art Specifics: I am not an artist so I don't even know what I would say. Okay how about, no modern art. I'd prefer character sketches or scene sketches. They can be in any st
Podfic Specifics: English, Nordic/Old English phrases
Fic Summary for Artists:
Sailing Age Era. Queen Ygraine and Prince Uther have two children: Morgause & Arthur. As an adult, Arthur’s mother’s memory is completely gone, his sister is out in the world searching for a cure, and his father buckles beneath the weight of the kingdom. Despite the duties owed to the kingdom, all Arthur yearns for is a ship below his feet and the sea breeze in his hair.
His story begins with him leaving Camelot aboard the brigantine Excalibur, with his chief mate Elyan at his side. As a member of the Navigation and Surveyor’s Society, he seeks to explore the land beyond the Northern Sea, called Scandinavia. He is joined by the standard cast of characters in various maritime roles, including Alator as the ship’s cook; Gilli as the steward; Gwaine as the boatswain; Percival as the carpenter; and Tristan & Isolde as the hired swords.
Arthur purchases the Excalibur due to the tales of it being blessed by the sea. Arthur may not know why the Excalibur has a free pass to glide through storms (relatively) unscathed. However, their sail-master does.
Merlin has his own story to tell, though none of the crew will hear it since he refuses to say a single word. With the purchase of the Excalibur comes Merlin. They say he refuses to step a foot ashore and spends his every day nestled in the rigging, tenderly repairing the sails.
Merlin is native to the sea and a devout follower of Manannán mac Lir, the god of the sea known for his magical powers, including the ability to control the weather and the sea. To Manannán, the Excalibur is kin. For Merlin is a selkie whose pelt was stolen and woven into the bones of the vessel. He stays with the ship, caring for the sails in the hope that one day he can find his pelt and return home to his family.
TL;DR Arthur buys a boat and goes on a long cruise with his friends while running into various sea creatures and storms. Selkie!Merlin is a little odd because he doesn’t talk to people but spends a lot of time hanging out with seagulls. Angst, found family, and Gwaine telling totally made-up sea stories.
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