MERLIN BIG BANG 2017 MASTERLIST
Note: Before we begin our 2018 fest, we have a little matter of housekeeping that needs to be done for the sake of record keeping! We realize we never posted our 2017 masterlist. Please forgive us for this oversight!
After Camlann Masterlist 2017
Below are the 2017 Merlin Big Bang entries listed alphabetically.
Title: a thimble of light for an acre of sky
Author: celeanos
Artist: littensmittens
Pairings/Characters: Morgana & Arthur, Morgana/Gwen, minor Morgana/Mithian, and Arthur/Merlin
Rating: T
Word Count: 36k
Warnings: none
Summary: Golden, beautiful, charming, pompus Arthur, drawing everyone to him like moths to a flame. She thinks of how he is the only other person in the world who understands what it's like to be Uther Pendragon's child, to crave the approval of the looming shadow and want to break free of it in the same breath. She hates him. She hates him. She hates him.
It's only part of the truth, even now. (season five au)
Title: Beneath The Surface
Author: staymagical.
Artist: chocobo_lulu.
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur, Morgana/Leon (OS), Gwen/Lance
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: ~40k
Warnings: Cruise Ships, Alaska, past major character death (not M or A), blood, forced drugging, murder, hospital themes, Death Threats
Summary: Morgana has disappeared while taking a solo cruise to Alaska (Yes, Alaska. Why the hell anyone would want to take a cruise there of all places, Arthur hasn't the slightest clue). Her disappearance is quickly labeled as an accidental man overboard and then a suicide and the case closed.
But Arthur knows better.
After exhausting all avenues and getting no answers, Arthur decides to follow Morgana's last known whereabouts by booking the same cruise on the same ship, with the same crew. He's determined to find the truth about what happened to his half sister and why the cruise line refuses to claim responsibility but in order do to that he'll need to find out what the crew saw and knows. And for that, he'll start with the cabin steward assigned to Morgana's stateroom, the one who first noticed her missing and raised the alarm, the first to starting digging into her disappearance. He needs to find Merlin.
Title: Breathe My Name
Author: Lady Danielle
Artist: Mella68
Pairings/Characters: Arthur/Merlin, Arthur/Gwen (background), Gaius, Gwen, Mordred, The Knights, Balinor, Iseldir,
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: 52,124
Warnings: minor reveal violence, betrayal, acceptance, canon-era scenes, soul-bonding,Arthur reacts badly when Merlin shows him his magic...Arthur hits him (but is very remorseful!)
Summary: Canon-au in early season five. Merlin reveals his magic and the deadly prophecy looming over Arthur and Camelot. When Arthur takes his anger out on the warlock, Merlin flees but leaves behind a magical crystal to show Arthur the truth of his actions. Arthur seeks out the benefits of magic and the source of the prophecy of the Once and Future King & Emrys. The prophecy presents a clear choice and Arthur must decide if bonding with a sorcerer is worth saving Camelot.
Title: Distant Echoes
Author: sara_bocchan
Artist: lao_paperman
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~33k
Warnings: -
Summary: Arthur grows up in a small town and into an overall great and normal life. Except, he keeps having these strange, recurring dreams. Once a year he dreams of a man, watches whatever he is up to at the moment, and sees places he could have never imagined. Arthur was sure he had never met him, so why did he seem so familiar?
Getting older, Arthur becomes determined to find out more about his dreams and the mysterious man. He starts to travel to places he had seen in his dreams and does all the research he can possibly do - but to no avail. Over the years he almost gives up, when suddenly he starts to remember a lifetime many centuries ago - the man from his dreams always at his side...
Title: Evil Overlord, Inc.
Author: loaded_march|Footloose(AO3)
Artist: mushroomtale|Mushroomtale(AO3)
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur, background Morgana/Leon
Rating: Mature
Word Count: ~150K
Warnings: Gratuitous use of asides and pop culture references. Flying pens and pencils. Gwaine.
Summary: Merlin is a recent graduate with a double doctorate in metaphysics and physics. Arthur is a low-level paper pusher with a desk in the sub-basement of MI5. They live in a world with ridiculous laws and restrictions against anyone who might be supernatural in any way, shape, or design.
Merlin has huge debts looming over this head, a few quid left in his bank account, and no job prospects. Arthur is pushing thirty, in a dead-end job with no chances of promotion to fieldwork agent, and is thoroughly bored with his life.
One ill-advised Craigslist advert, five pushy mates, one nosy all-knowing sister, and a hacked email account later, Merlin and Arthur take the world by storm.
(Or, more precisely, they take over the world.)
Title: Hello, Sweetheart
Author: gabriellajane
Artist: dylogger
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Gwaine, Arthur, Aithusa
Rating: T
Word Count: 44,200
Warnings: Blood, injury, profanity.
Summary: Gwaine and Merlin have been dancing around their feelings for years; Merlin too focused on trying to thwart destiny, and Gwaine holding back in fear of losing what they already have. But the battle at Camlann comes too close to taking everything from them. It’s a second chance for all of them, and Gwaine confronts Merlin about magic, love, loyalty, and (surprisingly) dragons. But the fight for peace is not over yet: Arthur has yet to change the laws on magic, and his ignorance and hypocrisy provokes a group of rogue druids into taking action. They’ve placed a curse on the land, and Merlin is the one suffering the consequences. Thus ensues a quest: Arthur, Gwaine, Merlin and Aithusa travel to four locations with close ties to magic in order to break the curse, and on the way, Arthur begins to right his wrongs and finally takes the time to listen to what Merlin has to say.
Title: Here and Nowhere Else
Author: freezerjerky/gaymerlinhell/pendragoff
Artist: Eviko
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur, Morgana, Nimueh, very minor Gwaine/Percy, Gwen, Leon, Hunith, Uther, Morgause, Mordred
Rating: E for sexual content
Word Count: 41,845
Warnings: Allusions to acts of terrorism and one scene were a character is in distress
Summary: "We've grown into what our fathers had planned for us to be and that makes it even more impossible." Forced into friendship for publicity at a young age, Merlin finds herself drawn to Arthur despite the fear of dishonoring her own father's memory. Arthur, the daughter of an unkind ruler, has her own issues to work through; seeing as the object of her affections has magic, the one thing her father hates above all else.
Title: Meant to Be
Author: lairofthedragon
Artist: cedesdraws
Word count: ~25K
Pairings: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon
Characters: Merlin, Arthur Pendragon, Morgana, Uther Pendragon, Gwen, Lancelot
Rating: E
Warnings: Mentions of abuse
Summary: Arthur's hands are shaking -- it’s something he notices only once he finally gives himself a moment to breathe, to fully comprehend what is happening.
There's a man locked in the basement. In his father's basement.
Title: Meet Me In the Aftermath
Author: paopu_parachute
Artist: theonekierce
Pairings/Characters: Arthur/Merlin, Gwen/Morgana, Gwaine, Will, Freya, Gilli, Elyan, Leon, Lancelot, Percival
Rating: T
Word Count: 30k
Warnings: violence, temporary major character death, typical vague end of the world tragedies, hit and run
Summary: Merlin had known, from the moment he started remembering things that happened lifetimes ago, that if he ever saw Arthur again, it would mean that the world was ending.
However, that didn't stop him from praying that every blond he saw was his King risen again. After all, the apocalypse was a small price to pay for finally having Arthur back.
Title: Metanoia
Author: bunnysworld
Artist: LFB72
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 38344
Warnings: none
Summary: Arthur’s had enough. This was the last time his father ridiculed him in full view of everybody. He has to go. So he packs up a few things, boards a train and ends up in a little remote community named Ealdor. He can’t stay at the hotel he had made reservations in and it seems that at the start of his new life, nothing goes according to plan. He can’t stay, can he? And then there’s this weird man who loves to cook and doesn’t care who he is and where he comes from.
Title: Out of Time
Author: Tari_Sue
Artist: LFB72
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur, Morgana, Gwen, Lance, Leon, Mordred, Morgause, Valiant, Alvarr, Enmyria, Uther, Mithian
Rating: M? Possibly? I dunno, I never know
Word Count: 66,426
Warnings: Temporary character death. They get better
Summary: For some reason, Arthur always assumed he would be more useful than this in the face of a robbery, or other such life threatening occurrence. In his head, if anyone was stupid enough to try and rob a bank with one of the highest tech security systems in the world, he would have stood up to them and fought back. Seriously, who even robs banks in person in this day and age anyway? Have these people never heard of the internet?
In which Arthur has to spend too much time with his ex, has several goes at getting it right, and where time may or may not be on his side.
Title: Pumpkin Spiced Asshole
Author: lolo313
Artist: cedesdraws
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: 25k
Warnings: None
Summary: Merlin is content with his life: he runs a charming little cafe, his favorite client Gwaine is endlessly flirty, and his best friend Gwen is happy with her boyfriend Lancelot. So what if it's been a while since he's had a date?
Arthur is proud of his accomplishments: he heads a multi-million dollar corporation, he's respected by his employees, and he has everything he could ask for. So what if his last attempts at romance were a complete disaster?
A ruined pair of loafers changes everything.
Title: Road of Ruins
Author: momotastic
Artist: whimsycatcher
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur ; Gwaine/Lancelot/Leon ; other minor pairings ; a LOT of characters (check AO3 for complete list)
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 72,377
Warnings: All of them. Violence, references to sexual abuse of children/minors/adults, suicidial thoughts (not acted on, not glorified), blood, gore (relatively mild, all things considered), racism, ableism, murder, slavery (incl. sexual slavery)
Summary: Emrys, he whose power is greater than any before him, shall return magic to its rightful place. At his side will fight a man born from pain, raised in blood, then cast away. With hair as bright as gold, and an arm like a forged weapon the likes of which haven’t been seen in centuries, the Mother will have a warrior to fight for her life’s blood. Together they shall bring peace and prosperity to Gaia once more.
Arthur has no doubt that he's the Warrior from the prophecy. With the help of Uther's prized wives, he ventures North to find Emrys, and to return magic to the land that his father killed.
Title: The Ascent of the Eiger
Author: rotrude
Artist: lfb72
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 26,000
Warnings: Minor character death, mountaineering accidents
Summary: 1850s, Mountaineering is a nascent sport, with climbers all over trying to reach heights no man has ever tackled before. With most European peaks as yet unclimbed, there's a long way to go before all summits are claimed. A dedicated climber himself, Arthur decides to get to the top of the Eiger, a 3,967 meter giant in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland, and opts for the hardest route to do so. Gathering a team of expert Alpinists around him and hiring mountain guide Merlin Emrys, he sets off to complete the challenge. The road to the summit is long and hard.
Title: The Blood Moon.
Author: michaelssw0rd
Artist: jo10702
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur,Sophia,Nimueh,Freya,Gaius,Uther.
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences.
Word Count: 43,017
Warnings: None.
Summary: There is news of mysterious disappearances in a village bordering the Forest of Brechfa. Prince Arthur goes to investigate and finds himself getting wrapped in unexpected series of events, enchanted by both the forest and its one particular resident.
Title: The Burh
Author: nympha_alba
Artist: amphigoury
Pairings/Characters: (Eventual) Merlin/Arthur; (brief) Arthur/Gwen; Uther, Ygraine, Morgana, Leon, Lance, Freya, Gaius, Hunith
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~38,000
Warnings: Character death, some violence, reincarnation
Summary: Under the harsh rule of magic in a post-apocalyptic world, Arthur grows up on a farm at the foot of a mysterious hill: The Burh. There are rumours of strange things happening at the top of the hill where once a tower stood, but Arthur doesn't believe them - until one day...
Title: The Golden Path
Author: blacktailchorus
Artist: altocello
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur; Gwen/Morgana; Gaius; Uther; Hunith; Leon; Kilgharrah
Rating: Mature (rated for violence)
Word Count: 58,401
Warnings: Graphic descriptions of violence; temporary major character death
Summary: With Morgana on the run after revealing herself as a sorceress, Arthur embarks on a quest for a blade rumored to be able to destroy the source of all magic--with Merlin, of course, in tow. On the road, a rash decision with unexpected consequences forces Arthur to confront a lifetime of prejudice against magic and decide how far he will go to make things right.
Title: The King of Mars
Author: Ivalee
Artist: Rou
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur, Gwen, Morgana, Lancelot, Elyan, Elena
Rating: T
Word Count: 34,298
Warnings: for a short time, everyone thinks Arthur is dead
Summary: As children, the Pendragon siblings were obsessed with the space program. They dreamt of becoming astronauts and one day walking on another planet. Their dream leads them to NASA where the revelation of magic suddenly brings Mars within our reach. The Camelot 1 crew, including both Pendragons and powerful sorcerer, Merlin Emrys, land on Mars, and the world celebrates -- until a Martian storm cuts the mission short and tragedy strikes. Arthur is killed, and Morgana makes the difficult decision to leave her brother's body behind on Mars. His crewmates and the world mourn his loss, until Gwen Smith, a clever engineer at NASA, makes a shocking discovery: Arthur is alive.
His ingenuity and determination will get him far, but will Arthur be able to survive alone on Mars until help arrives?
Title: the lighthouse
Author: sparrowfart (LJ)/scramjets (AO3)
Pairings: Merlin/Arthur, off-screen Gwen/Lance. Past mentioned Arthur/Gwen, past Merlin/Will
Characters: Merlin, Arthur Pendragon, Will, Morgana Le Faye, Ensemble
Rating: M
Warnings: Some graphic description of injury, minor character death, religious conflict
Summary: In 1932, Merlin and Will take up the role of lighthouse keepers at Arthur's Lighthouse, situated on a small island off the coast. They're lucky for the work, grateful for the opportunity. The isolation of the job is easy to take in stride when it's the two of them.
In 1870, Arthur arrives at the lighthouse on his own. The workload is enough to keep his mind off things, however, so the idea of being lonely doesn't really touch him.
But isolation and loneliness does things to a person. It makes them see what isn't there. Makes them aware of things that aren't supposed to exist. It makes time a thing that's difficult to pin down, that sometimes blurs out completely and lets things through.
Title: The Oncoming Storm
Author: Diana Prallon
Artist: Katrina
Word Count: 133,914
Pairings: Arthur/Merlin; some hints of Merlin/Mordred & (past) Arthur/Mordred & Arthur/Merlin/Mordred.
Characters: Merlin, Arthur, Mordred, Morgana, Gaius, Other Characters
Rating: T
Warnings: Slight Age-Difference; Major character Injury; Minor Character Death; Angst, BAMF Merlin, Dark!Merlin, parental death, explosions/assassination attempts.
Summary: The only thing the Republic isn't ready for, is war. Everything in their power is being done to appease the systems that have joined the Separatist Movement, to try and keep the peace among all. The Jedi Knights have been sent all over the Galaxy, trying to solve conflicts and stop more and more planets from leaving the Republic, with mixed success.
King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot, however, doesn't believe that avoiding war will be that easy and has devised a scheme to help boost the Republic's defenses -- if he can survive the many attempts on his life and remain hidden under the custody of Jedi Padawan Merlin long enough for his master, Mordred, to figure out who is behind the attempts.
After Camlann Masterlist 2017
Below are the 2017 Merlin Big Bang entries listed alphabetically.
Title: a thimble of light for an acre of sky
Author: celeanos
Artist: littensmittens
Pairings/Characters: Morgana & Arthur, Morgana/Gwen, minor Morgana/Mithian, and Arthur/Merlin
Rating: T
Word Count: 36k
Warnings: none
Summary: Golden, beautiful, charming, pompus Arthur, drawing everyone to him like moths to a flame. She thinks of how he is the only other person in the world who understands what it's like to be Uther Pendragon's child, to crave the approval of the looming shadow and want to break free of it in the same breath. She hates him. She hates him. She hates him.
It's only part of the truth, even now. (season five au)
Title: Beneath The Surface
Author: staymagical.
Artist: chocobo_lulu.
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur, Morgana/Leon (OS), Gwen/Lance
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: ~40k
Warnings: Cruise Ships, Alaska, past major character death (not M or A), blood, forced drugging, murder, hospital themes, Death Threats
Summary: Morgana has disappeared while taking a solo cruise to Alaska (Yes, Alaska. Why the hell anyone would want to take a cruise there of all places, Arthur hasn't the slightest clue). Her disappearance is quickly labeled as an accidental man overboard and then a suicide and the case closed.
But Arthur knows better.
After exhausting all avenues and getting no answers, Arthur decides to follow Morgana's last known whereabouts by booking the same cruise on the same ship, with the same crew. He's determined to find the truth about what happened to his half sister and why the cruise line refuses to claim responsibility but in order do to that he'll need to find out what the crew saw and knows. And for that, he'll start with the cabin steward assigned to Morgana's stateroom, the one who first noticed her missing and raised the alarm, the first to starting digging into her disappearance. He needs to find Merlin.
Title: Breathe My Name
Author: Lady Danielle
Artist: Mella68
Pairings/Characters: Arthur/Merlin, Arthur/Gwen (background), Gaius, Gwen, Mordred, The Knights, Balinor, Iseldir,
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: 52,124
Warnings: minor reveal violence, betrayal, acceptance, canon-era scenes, soul-bonding,Arthur reacts badly when Merlin shows him his magic...Arthur hits him (but is very remorseful!)
Summary: Canon-au in early season five. Merlin reveals his magic and the deadly prophecy looming over Arthur and Camelot. When Arthur takes his anger out on the warlock, Merlin flees but leaves behind a magical crystal to show Arthur the truth of his actions. Arthur seeks out the benefits of magic and the source of the prophecy of the Once and Future King & Emrys. The prophecy presents a clear choice and Arthur must decide if bonding with a sorcerer is worth saving Camelot.
Title: Distant Echoes
Author: sara_bocchan
Artist: lao_paperman
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~33k
Warnings: -
Summary: Arthur grows up in a small town and into an overall great and normal life. Except, he keeps having these strange, recurring dreams. Once a year he dreams of a man, watches whatever he is up to at the moment, and sees places he could have never imagined. Arthur was sure he had never met him, so why did he seem so familiar?
Getting older, Arthur becomes determined to find out more about his dreams and the mysterious man. He starts to travel to places he had seen in his dreams and does all the research he can possibly do - but to no avail. Over the years he almost gives up, when suddenly he starts to remember a lifetime many centuries ago - the man from his dreams always at his side...
Title: Evil Overlord, Inc.
Author: loaded_march|Footloose(AO3)
Artist: mushroomtale|Mushroomtale(AO3)
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur, background Morgana/Leon
Rating: Mature
Word Count: ~150K
Warnings: Gratuitous use of asides and pop culture references. Flying pens and pencils. Gwaine.
Summary: Merlin is a recent graduate with a double doctorate in metaphysics and physics. Arthur is a low-level paper pusher with a desk in the sub-basement of MI5. They live in a world with ridiculous laws and restrictions against anyone who might be supernatural in any way, shape, or design.
Merlin has huge debts looming over this head, a few quid left in his bank account, and no job prospects. Arthur is pushing thirty, in a dead-end job with no chances of promotion to fieldwork agent, and is thoroughly bored with his life.
One ill-advised Craigslist advert, five pushy mates, one nosy all-knowing sister, and a hacked email account later, Merlin and Arthur take the world by storm.
(Or, more precisely, they take over the world.)
Title: Hello, Sweetheart
Author: gabriellajane
Artist: dylogger
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Gwaine, Arthur, Aithusa
Rating: T
Word Count: 44,200
Warnings: Blood, injury, profanity.
Summary: Gwaine and Merlin have been dancing around their feelings for years; Merlin too focused on trying to thwart destiny, and Gwaine holding back in fear of losing what they already have. But the battle at Camlann comes too close to taking everything from them. It’s a second chance for all of them, and Gwaine confronts Merlin about magic, love, loyalty, and (surprisingly) dragons. But the fight for peace is not over yet: Arthur has yet to change the laws on magic, and his ignorance and hypocrisy provokes a group of rogue druids into taking action. They’ve placed a curse on the land, and Merlin is the one suffering the consequences. Thus ensues a quest: Arthur, Gwaine, Merlin and Aithusa travel to four locations with close ties to magic in order to break the curse, and on the way, Arthur begins to right his wrongs and finally takes the time to listen to what Merlin has to say.
Title: Here and Nowhere Else
Author: freezerjerky/gaymerlinhell/pendragoff
Artist: Eviko
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur, Morgana, Nimueh, very minor Gwaine/Percy, Gwen, Leon, Hunith, Uther, Morgause, Mordred
Rating: E for sexual content
Word Count: 41,845
Warnings: Allusions to acts of terrorism and one scene were a character is in distress
Summary: "We've grown into what our fathers had planned for us to be and that makes it even more impossible." Forced into friendship for publicity at a young age, Merlin finds herself drawn to Arthur despite the fear of dishonoring her own father's memory. Arthur, the daughter of an unkind ruler, has her own issues to work through; seeing as the object of her affections has magic, the one thing her father hates above all else.
Title: Meant to Be
Author: lairofthedragon
Artist: cedesdraws
Word count: ~25K
Pairings: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon
Characters: Merlin, Arthur Pendragon, Morgana, Uther Pendragon, Gwen, Lancelot
Rating: E
Warnings: Mentions of abuse
Summary: Arthur's hands are shaking -- it’s something he notices only once he finally gives himself a moment to breathe, to fully comprehend what is happening.
There's a man locked in the basement. In his father's basement.
Title: Meet Me In the Aftermath
Author: paopu_parachute
Artist: theonekierce
Pairings/Characters: Arthur/Merlin, Gwen/Morgana, Gwaine, Will, Freya, Gilli, Elyan, Leon, Lancelot, Percival
Rating: T
Word Count: 30k
Warnings: violence, temporary major character death, typical vague end of the world tragedies, hit and run
Summary: Merlin had known, from the moment he started remembering things that happened lifetimes ago, that if he ever saw Arthur again, it would mean that the world was ending.
However, that didn't stop him from praying that every blond he saw was his King risen again. After all, the apocalypse was a small price to pay for finally having Arthur back.
Title: Metanoia
Author: bunnysworld
Artist: LFB72
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 38344
Warnings: none
Summary: Arthur’s had enough. This was the last time his father ridiculed him in full view of everybody. He has to go. So he packs up a few things, boards a train and ends up in a little remote community named Ealdor. He can’t stay at the hotel he had made reservations in and it seems that at the start of his new life, nothing goes according to plan. He can’t stay, can he? And then there’s this weird man who loves to cook and doesn’t care who he is and where he comes from.
Title: Out of Time
Author: Tari_Sue
Artist: LFB72
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur, Morgana, Gwen, Lance, Leon, Mordred, Morgause, Valiant, Alvarr, Enmyria, Uther, Mithian
Rating: M? Possibly? I dunno, I never know
Word Count: 66,426
Warnings: Temporary character death. They get better
Summary: For some reason, Arthur always assumed he would be more useful than this in the face of a robbery, or other such life threatening occurrence. In his head, if anyone was stupid enough to try and rob a bank with one of the highest tech security systems in the world, he would have stood up to them and fought back. Seriously, who even robs banks in person in this day and age anyway? Have these people never heard of the internet?
In which Arthur has to spend too much time with his ex, has several goes at getting it right, and where time may or may not be on his side.
Title: Pumpkin Spiced Asshole
Author: lolo313
Artist: cedesdraws
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: 25k
Warnings: None
Summary: Merlin is content with his life: he runs a charming little cafe, his favorite client Gwaine is endlessly flirty, and his best friend Gwen is happy with her boyfriend Lancelot. So what if it's been a while since he's had a date?
Arthur is proud of his accomplishments: he heads a multi-million dollar corporation, he's respected by his employees, and he has everything he could ask for. So what if his last attempts at romance were a complete disaster?
A ruined pair of loafers changes everything.
Title: Road of Ruins
Author: momotastic
Artist: whimsycatcher
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur ; Gwaine/Lancelot/Leon ; other minor pairings ; a LOT of characters (check AO3 for complete list)
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 72,377
Warnings: All of them. Violence, references to sexual abuse of children/minors/adults, suicidial thoughts (not acted on, not glorified), blood, gore (relatively mild, all things considered), racism, ableism, murder, slavery (incl. sexual slavery)
Summary: Emrys, he whose power is greater than any before him, shall return magic to its rightful place. At his side will fight a man born from pain, raised in blood, then cast away. With hair as bright as gold, and an arm like a forged weapon the likes of which haven’t been seen in centuries, the Mother will have a warrior to fight for her life’s blood. Together they shall bring peace and prosperity to Gaia once more.
Arthur has no doubt that he's the Warrior from the prophecy. With the help of Uther's prized wives, he ventures North to find Emrys, and to return magic to the land that his father killed.
Title: The Ascent of the Eiger
Author: rotrude
Artist: lfb72
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 26,000
Warnings: Minor character death, mountaineering accidents
Summary: 1850s, Mountaineering is a nascent sport, with climbers all over trying to reach heights no man has ever tackled before. With most European peaks as yet unclimbed, there's a long way to go before all summits are claimed. A dedicated climber himself, Arthur decides to get to the top of the Eiger, a 3,967 meter giant in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland, and opts for the hardest route to do so. Gathering a team of expert Alpinists around him and hiring mountain guide Merlin Emrys, he sets off to complete the challenge. The road to the summit is long and hard.
Title: The Blood Moon.
Author: michaelssw0rd
Artist: jo10702
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur,Sophia,Nimueh,Freya,Gaius,Uther.
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences.
Word Count: 43,017
Warnings: None.
Summary: There is news of mysterious disappearances in a village bordering the Forest of Brechfa. Prince Arthur goes to investigate and finds himself getting wrapped in unexpected series of events, enchanted by both the forest and its one particular resident.
Title: The Burh
Author: nympha_alba
Artist: amphigoury
Pairings/Characters: (Eventual) Merlin/Arthur; (brief) Arthur/Gwen; Uther, Ygraine, Morgana, Leon, Lance, Freya, Gaius, Hunith
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~38,000
Warnings: Character death, some violence, reincarnation
Summary: Under the harsh rule of magic in a post-apocalyptic world, Arthur grows up on a farm at the foot of a mysterious hill: The Burh. There are rumours of strange things happening at the top of the hill where once a tower stood, but Arthur doesn't believe them - until one day...
Title: The Golden Path
Author: blacktailchorus
Artist: altocello
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur; Gwen/Morgana; Gaius; Uther; Hunith; Leon; Kilgharrah
Rating: Mature (rated for violence)
Word Count: 58,401
Warnings: Graphic descriptions of violence; temporary major character death
Summary: With Morgana on the run after revealing herself as a sorceress, Arthur embarks on a quest for a blade rumored to be able to destroy the source of all magic--with Merlin, of course, in tow. On the road, a rash decision with unexpected consequences forces Arthur to confront a lifetime of prejudice against magic and decide how far he will go to make things right.
Title: The King of Mars
Author: Ivalee
Artist: Rou
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Arthur, Gwen, Morgana, Lancelot, Elyan, Elena
Rating: T
Word Count: 34,298
Warnings: for a short time, everyone thinks Arthur is dead
Summary: As children, the Pendragon siblings were obsessed with the space program. They dreamt of becoming astronauts and one day walking on another planet. Their dream leads them to NASA where the revelation of magic suddenly brings Mars within our reach. The Camelot 1 crew, including both Pendragons and powerful sorcerer, Merlin Emrys, land on Mars, and the world celebrates -- until a Martian storm cuts the mission short and tragedy strikes. Arthur is killed, and Morgana makes the difficult decision to leave her brother's body behind on Mars. His crewmates and the world mourn his loss, until Gwen Smith, a clever engineer at NASA, makes a shocking discovery: Arthur is alive.
His ingenuity and determination will get him far, but will Arthur be able to survive alone on Mars until help arrives?
Title: the lighthouse
Author: sparrowfart (LJ)/scramjets (AO3)
Pairings: Merlin/Arthur, off-screen Gwen/Lance. Past mentioned Arthur/Gwen, past Merlin/Will
Characters: Merlin, Arthur Pendragon, Will, Morgana Le Faye, Ensemble
Rating: M
Warnings: Some graphic description of injury, minor character death, religious conflict
Summary: In 1932, Merlin and Will take up the role of lighthouse keepers at Arthur's Lighthouse, situated on a small island off the coast. They're lucky for the work, grateful for the opportunity. The isolation of the job is easy to take in stride when it's the two of them.
In 1870, Arthur arrives at the lighthouse on his own. The workload is enough to keep his mind off things, however, so the idea of being lonely doesn't really touch him.
But isolation and loneliness does things to a person. It makes them see what isn't there. Makes them aware of things that aren't supposed to exist. It makes time a thing that's difficult to pin down, that sometimes blurs out completely and lets things through.
Title: The Oncoming Storm
Author: Diana Prallon
Artist: Katrina
Word Count: 133,914
Pairings: Arthur/Merlin; some hints of Merlin/Mordred & (past) Arthur/Mordred & Arthur/Merlin/Mordred.
Characters: Merlin, Arthur, Mordred, Morgana, Gaius, Other Characters
Rating: T
Warnings: Slight Age-Difference; Major character Injury; Minor Character Death; Angst, BAMF Merlin, Dark!Merlin, parental death, explosions/assassination attempts.
Summary: The only thing the Republic isn't ready for, is war. Everything in their power is being done to appease the systems that have joined the Separatist Movement, to try and keep the peace among all. The Jedi Knights have been sent all over the Galaxy, trying to solve conflicts and stop more and more planets from leaving the Republic, with mixed success.
King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot, however, doesn't believe that avoiding war will be that easy and has devised a scheme to help boost the Republic's defenses -- if he can survive the many attempts on his life and remain hidden under the custody of Jedi Padawan Merlin long enough for his master, Mordred, to figure out who is behind the attempts.