SUMMARIES FOR ARTIST CLAIMING
Below you will find the summaries available for artists to claim. Only artists who have officially signed up for After Camlann will be eligible to claim a summary.
THIS IS NOT THE CLAIMING POST:
Claims will open in a separate post on Saturday, June 5.
If you aren't available to make a claim yourself, claiming by proxy is also be allowed.
Due to the limited number of summaries, we will ask 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 has passed, we will allow our pre-matched artists to claim another if they would like to do so!
Claims will be on a first come-first served basis. Please 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 I will open up another round of claims.
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.
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. If you'd like to see how you claim, check out our previous artist claiming posts here. A similar post will go up on Saturday, 5 June.
Number 1: CLAIMED
Title: The World's Saviour Doesn't Want to Save People
Rating: NC-17
Current Word Count: 15,000
Estimated Final Word Count: 30,000
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings: brief attempted suicide, battle violence, NSFW
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!):There isn't much I don't like, so I'm very interested in how the artist will choose to create.
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): I would like safe for work art, epic scenes, or perhaps an icon representing each chapter.
Summary for Artists: Set in the modern canon era, Merlin has multiple alter egos. He hasn’t been a young man in a very long time. As an old man, however, he becomes the 21st century world’s number one enemy in a matter of ten years after he emerges as a mysterious and powerful threat. With Earth being fated to be crushed by an asteroid, this old man who can save them doesn’t want to!
In comes the ancient King Arthur, who everyone has their hopes on, but he isn’t as reliable, or sane, as everyone thinks he is. He has returned with a strange obsession, looking for an old friend, and trying to find his place in a new world of democracy and capitalism that doesn’t need kings. He befriends Count Myrddin III, an apparent lecherous descendent of Merlin, learns that dragons aren’t that bad, that unicorns are actually great for riding, similarly so are cars, and even meets the Agents of the Round Table.
When he finally does meet Merlin, the warlock is no longer the joyful and optimistic man he used to be. Instead, Merlin is grumpy and mischievous while he’s an old man, and clumsy and cold when he’s in his late twenties. When Merlin tells him he doesn’t want to save the world, Arthur is nearly convinced. But he’s still a chivalrous man and will do what the world has brought him to do. It’s just, Arthur won’t be the only one sacrificing his life anymore.
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Number 2: CLAIMED
Title: Are You the Once and Future One?
Rating: Mature, maybeee mildly Explicit
Current Word Count: 33k
Estimated Final Word Count: 45-50k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur, Gwen/Lance/Leon, Sefa/Elena, Freya/Mithian, Gwaine/Percy
Warnings: trans!leon (non angsty), asexual!sefa
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): all art forms would be so exciting to me!!!!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): no preferred ratings. if you're a visual artist, i'm pretty excited about some of the outfits/aesthetics, and the nature magic, but again, would really be excited for anything!
Summary for Artists: MTV Presents: ARE YOU THE ONE: A Once and Future Match! Eleven self-identified ‘relationship disasters’ spend 10 weeks together, attempting to figure out who is their Perfect Match! And turn that disaster up a notch, because this season all contestants are bisexual! Hosted by the goddess in green, our emerald fiend, Morgana Pendragon. I know, how will they keep their attention on each other when she’s in the room? Just another challenge for our luckless lovers. If they correctly match up before the 10 weeks are out, they’ll go home with One Million Pounds! This season has got it all! Love! Heartbreak! Hypnosis! Drag! Carpenter lesbians! Twinks in crop tops! Absolutely ungodly amounts of pining! Can these gays with loads of emotional baggage find love? And maybe learn something about themselves in turn?
This is a modern AU set on a palace-like estate in the woods, main story is merthur endgame but we’ve got pairings all over the place. Mostly lighthearted fun, with a little bit of reincarnation angst building to the end. Merlin sleeps in a tree hollow in the woods & doesn’t know he has magic. Leon’s a fashionable stoic who wears a lot of chain accessories. Gwen’s in love with everyone and can’t decide so she busies herself in the woodshop & the smithy. Mithian’s a producer/dj, a bit comphet but very gay. Freya is extremely goth & a baby herbalist. Percy is the only one with a brain. Gwaine is chaotic with the biggest heart. Arthur…he’s got a lot to learn, but he learns it. Featuring human!aithusa
Visuals: Midsummer woods; stone buildings & canopy beds; lake scenes, including early morning canoeing and one late night skinny dip; a drag ball with exciting outfits (aka merlin in mesh & thigh-high boots); sporty games on the field; merlin doing plant/nature magic; percy baking in an apron; mith dj-ing on stage, gwen welding.
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Number 3: CLAIMED
Title: Seeking Solid Ground (subject to change!)
Rating: Mature due to subject matter, no smut
Current Word Count: 49,500 and counting
Estimated Final Word Count: 60,000
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur, Gwen/Morgana as a side pairing
Warnings: Emotional neglect/borderline emotional abuse from Uther being a Bad Parent, self harm mention, off screen deaths (Ygraine/Agravaine), anxiety and shaky mental health, magical discrimination, issues with the police and justice system are alluded to but not tackled directly,
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): I adore the Merlin artists and would be excited for anything an artist would like to do for my fic! Anything that brings this fic to life will receive my undying love and adoration!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): I have some metatext stuff with newspaper articles and letters written between characters that could be cool as digital art. I love character art and this fic is heavily character focussed, so an art style to can portray that kind of angsty and emotional character drama would be good. I have a couple scenes in my head that I would love to see recreated but I’m totally open to suggestions and anything the artist has a particular interest in.
Summary for Artists: (Modern AU, Arthur POV, angsty and hurt/comfort) Arthur, Prince Arthur to his family, hates royal life. Searching for something he can't find, and wanting to escape the pressure from his father King Uther, he abandons his princehood and runs away to Nottingham with the help of his crafty banker Kilgharrah. There he meets Merlin and Gwen, his lovely neighbours with a penchant for adopting waifs and strays and little by little they break his walls down and bring him into the fold. With romantic relationships building between Merlin and Arthur, and Gwen and her mystery lady (Morgana) it seems like things are settling into place.
But Merlin has a secret he's been hiding too, and when magic is revealed to the world overnight, he can't hide it anymore. King Uther, ignorant and clinging to control, outlaws magic and demands the immediate arrest of all magic users. When Merlin and Morgana fall victim to Uther's prejudice, Arthur knows he has to do something, confronts his father and winds up under house arrest on charges of treason.
After far too long pining after his disappeared boyfriend, Arthur has his day in court, and Mithian gets him off scot free for standing up against injustice. Uther is forced to abdicate and parliament insists Arthur take up the throne. There are emotional reunions and everyone goes home to look after each other after all they’ve been through.
Epilogue: Arthur never wanted to rule, and never really liked the inequality that comes with monarchy, so he decides to do away with the whole lot of it and abolishes the monarchy. Morgana and Gwen don’t have to hide anymore, and neither do Merlin and Arthur, and their dog.
Possible visuals: Merlin being arrested, Arthur pining in fancy corridors late at night, letters sent to Merlin and Morgana, Arthur confronting Uther live on TV, Merlin showing off his magic in the shared kitchen, caterpillar cakes in Tesco bags left on the doorstep to say sorry, courtroom drama scene with Mithian and Cenred being barristers, Arthur staring at himself in the bathroom mirror in the middle of the night, Arthur running with an Irish wolfhound, Merlin asleep in bed and Arthur watching him with the dog curled up by their feet. For the first half/two thirds of this fic Arthur has dyed his hair brown and has been growing it out to help disguise himself, so seeing the contract between that and perfect blonde Prince Arthur could be fun.
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Number 4: CLAIMED
Title: Fools & Monsters
Rating: Explicit
Current Word Count: 42k, fully plotted to end, I can send the artists a very detailed outline as well as the draft so far!
Estimated Final Word Count: 75k
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings: graphic depictions of violence, vampire related violence aka drinking blood, killing humans via drinking blood, fighting and killing of vampires (minor, 'bad guy' characters only). There will be at least one two smut scenes which also contribute to the explicit rating.
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic: I would prefer to not receive a playlist/mixtape-type medium as I already have a playlist for this fic that I’m quite attached to. All other types and styles of art welcome
Art specifics: I would love some art that focuses on Arthur and Merlin’s identities as vampire and witch respectively and the physical traits they include. The story is generally quite dark and gritty despite the romantic plot so I would also love that to be a theme in the art. I would be open to explicit art especially of the heart vein drinking scene.
Summary for Artists: Enemies to lovers modern AU, based very loosely on the lore of the ‘All Souls’ trilogy by Deborah Harkness.
Alongside humans, there are three types of creature in the world: vampires, witches, and daemons. Arthur is a vampire, turned as the King Arthur of Camelot when he fell at Camlann. He has added Percy, Gwaine, Morgana, and Leon to the Pendragon family, which he is sire of, over the years. Arthur crosses paths with Doctor Merlin Emrys, a powerful witch descended from the same bloodline as Arthur’s old court warlock. They immediately clash and fight, but are forced into working together to foil a plan hatched by the daemons to gain control of parliament. As they learn more about each other’s lives, species, and culture, they grow more and more attracted to each other, falling into a romance that is a danger to the both of them.
Some visuals I’m particularly fond of (and some major plot points) include:
- various scenes in Arthur’s home, which is a wood-panelled, Cluedo style mansion in Kensington, London. It feels lonely but well-loved at the same time; the walls are lined with books and antique paintings (sometimes of himself and his vampire children through the centuries), and red wine is on hand for the vampires to drink in lieu of blood.
- Merlin’s witchy thatched cottage, complete with cauldron over the fire, wooden beams in the ceiling, and his black cat, Wednesday, curled up asleep on the sofa. Vines grow up the side of his cottage and he keeps a well-stocked herb garden, which he inherited from his mother.
- Merlin angrily aiming a bow and arrow made of magical witchfire at Arthur, who is rightly terrified as it signals certain death, under a new moon and a starry night sky.
- A dark underground nightclub, decked out in blacks and reds, which the vampires Morgause, Cenred, and Mordred call home. It gives off creepy vibes.
- Arthur snarling at Merlin with black irises and pupils, fangs fully grown in his mouth. Merlin scowling back up at Arthur with a bluish magical shield covering his skin. They stand nose to nose, both too stubborn and too turned on to turn away first.
- The coven of witches (including Merlin, Gwen, Lance, Freya, Gaius, and Daegal) conjuring powerful magic under a full moon at Stonehenge, with fires roaring, rain and wind whipping around their coloured ceremonial cloaks, and vines climbing up the stones.
- Arthur using his fangs to attack and bite a human man, and then drinking from his neck, which they both find arousing.
- Arthur and Merlin doing a food shop in Waitrose, slowly learning how to banter with each other rather than be at each other’s throats all the time.
- Merlin and Arthur meeting Elyan, one of our main daemon characters, in the Palace of Westminster to formally negotiate a peace between the three species of creatures.
- A trip to Budapest, Hungary to fetch Gwaine, who has been investigating daemons there and has gotten himself in trouble. While they won’t be out sightseeing in particular, the streets of the Jewish Quarter would be a likely backdrop for some of their investigation.
- Arthur drinking blood from Merlin’s heart vein (aka from the centre of his chest) which is a gesture of intense intimacy to vampires and their mates (this would be in the context of them having sex and by no means must be included in the art, so feel free to ignore this if you like).
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Number 5: CLAIMED
Title: Everglow
Rating: minor character deaths
Current Word Count: 16,820
Estimated Final Word Count: 25,000-28,000
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur Leon/Morgana Gwen/Lancelot
Warnings: Off screen murders, violence (but it's mostly magical, and no one actually gets hurt)
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic: Any and all appreciated
Art specifics: There are many newspaper articles and other such things in the fic, I would really like to see them reproduced. No anime or chibi, and if fanmixes are created, I would love to have a song by the band Starset as background music. But it's not necessary, the artist can use any song of their choosing!
Summary for Artists: Modern Royalty AU with magic. After the untimely death of his father, Arthur is informed that according to a law he has to marry before ascending the throne. The candidate that his councillors have chosen is definitely not someone Arthur himself would have picked, but he doesn’t have a choice. Merlin Emrys is a powerful magic user, a Prince and a Dragonlord, and would fit perfectly with what Arthur was planning to do when he became King; lift the magic ban his father had enforced. Their relationship starts rocky, but when a new threat rises on the heels of Arthur’s coronation, they have to set their differences aside and work together. The children of Camelot’s aristocracy are being killed by a magical activism group, and a dark shadow hangs over the people. Arthur and Merlin, along with Morgana and a few of their closest friends have to get to the bottom of the mystery before it's too late and something irreparable takes place. The stakes are raised higher when Morgana reveals that she saw Arthur being attacked and injured in a vision. Featuring Royal!Merlin, Morgana and all other knights and Gwen in influential roles.
Visual ideas- The fic would also contain a lot of newspaper articles and news stories, and a lot of physical files. The artist can include extravagant indoor venues, people dressed richly, Merlin and Arthur sitting quietly in a room, reading books and practicing magic, respectively, well tended gardens, and magical battles in the middle of a ballroom.
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Number 6: CLAIMED
Title: Real World: Camelot
Rating: Explicit
Current Word Count: 41k
Estimated Final Word Count: 41k
Pairing(s) or Gen: explicit pairings: Merlin/Arthur (endgame), Merlin/Gwaine, Arthur/Gwen, Arthur/Mithian
Warnings: Alcohol and a lot of casual sex
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): I’m not super picky! I love some good traditional/digital art to accompany a fic, but I am happy to work with whoever on whatever!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): I’m open to anything. I do love me some smutty/NSFW art, but I can live without it if that’s not your bag! I’m also a sucker for compelling facial expressions and art that captures the setting of the fic.
Here are some things in the fic that might be fun to make art of: everyone at the dance club, everyone in a hot tub, Merlin teaching people (especially Arthur) how to knit, Gwen giving everyone (especially Arthur) haircuts, Mithian doing everyone’s makeup, everyone dressing up goofily for a silly photo shoot, everyone playing darts. Quieter moments include: walks outside, making/eating food, going out for pizza, knitting knitting and more knitting, Arthur/Merlin on the phone with their parents, Arthur/Merlin being interviewed for the show, Lance performing at an open mic night (guitar), Arthur with either Merlin or Morgana in the Confessional room.
Summary for Artists: Arthur goes on the Real World: Camelot, a reality show where he will live with 6 other strangers for a few months. Except, not all of them are strangers, because Morgana is also there (along with Gwen, Mithian, Gwaine, Lance, & Merlin). He falls fast for Gwen, but is very attracted to Merlin. He ignores Merlin at first, thinking that will make the attraction go away, but he gets called out on it and has to start talking to Merlin. They become fast friends.
Arthur and Gwen eventually call things off, and the boys all go out for a night on the town without the girls. Arthur and Merlin come home early, and they hook up in the private Confessional room. Arthur leaves immediately after and starts ignoring Merlin because he’s upset that he just outed himself on television for the whole world to see.
Arthur sleeps with Mithian to distract himself, Merlin sleeps with Gwaine to distract himself, and they are messy, pouty, angsty boys. Morgana finally confronts Arthur, and he apologises to Merlin and they hook up again. Gwen ends up with Lance, and they all live happily ever after for now.
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Number 7: CLAIMED
Title: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
Rating: Teen
Current Word Count: 15k
Estimated Final Word Count: 25k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings: Mental Health Issues
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): Prefer non-audio mediums as I have a hearing loss and can't properly appreciate them. (Mods: I'm not sure if that's too identifying so feel free to cut that if needed!)
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): Whatever you feel inspired to make will make me thrilled, at any rating, though I would especially love little page break banners!
Summary for Artists: Modern era reincarnation. Arthur has to adjust to the modern world, while Merlin has to adjust to his king's return and acknowledging the havoc that waiting so long wrecked on his psyche. Main characters are really just Merlin and Arthur with a few mentions of Morgana and Gwen. Scenes that may inspire include the lake where Arthur was laid to rest, several scenes of the boys being touristy, cuddles with puppies, Arthur in plaid fleece pyjamas, and a dream sequence featuring multiple Merlins (I realised how that sounds, but not in an explicit way).
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Number 8: CLAIMED
Title: Merlin’s Stagnant Cottage (It started as a joke, but it’s now def the title lol)
Rating: Gen
Current Word Count: 30k
Estimated Final Word Count: 45k~50k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur with side pairings Gwaine/Elena and Gwen/Lancelot
Warnings: Both Arthur and Merlin don’t look like themselves for the majority of the fic (Arthur is cursed old and Merlin is wearing a glamour cause he doesn’t feel pretty); descriptions of pain such as Arthur breaking his wrist and having his most painful memories wrenched out via magical means; multiple characters are set on fire (they’re fine tho!); minor character death(s); an obscene amount of mysteries but they do get explained in the end; so many creative liberties taken with characterization lolll
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): I would be honored to pair with any artist and any medium, but my world is quite specific, so I imagine traditional/digital raster art to depict the environment best!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): I was inspired by the world Miyazaki created. There are steam powered automobiles, electricity, and the buildings/towns are heavily influenced by German architecture from the 1700-1800’s. This is intermixed by mystical runes and Witchy imagery (especially inside Merlin’s castle). As for style, the main thing that I would like is a whimsical use of color! Also, there are a few letters that I would love to see in art format! (perhaps even a map of the world?) So many ideas so little time!
Summary for Artists: Merlin characters placed in the steampunk, magical world of Howl’s Moving Castle, but don’t need to be familiar with the movie or book to do art for this!
Arthur has lived his entire life working in his father Gaius’ clock shop with his brother Lance. He’s always been dull and unattractive, and the only interesting thing bound to happen in his life is getting married to Gwen. But a chance meeting with Camelot’s Witchy bad boy Emrys sends him for a loop. King Agravaine’s High Priestess Morgana mistakes him for Emrys and curses him thrice his age! Being older than his father finds Arthur scrambling to run away and save his family from his new burden. Little does he know, he’s about to find himself in heaps more trouble. Suddenly, he lives in a flying metal castle named Aithusa along with a mute kleptomaniac named Freya, the charming pilot Gwaine, and the mysterious Emrys, a man with a secret so powerful, it has him bound to a dragon. Although this new life is dangerous and terrifying, Arthur will do anything to protect his found family, even if it means teaming up with the woman that cursed him, ending the war with Essetir, and single handedly usurping King Agravaine.
Lots of fun things to art!!: A city within the clouds, watches and clocks and gears galore, Merlin flirting with pre-cursed Arthur in an alleyway, sarcastic lizard-sized Kilgharrah, a giant, flying metal castle named Aithusa, Merlin setting himself on fire cause he’s dramatic, Merlin melting into a puddle of green goo cause he’s dramatic, Arthur being a cute grumpy old man, and Merlin turning into a dragon!
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Number 9:CLAIMED
Title: Mission Decapitated Stars
Rating: Teen or M
Current Word Count: 20k
Estimated Final Word Count: 30k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merthur, background: Leon/Morgana, Pre-Gwaine/Percival
Warnings: (Where the M rating might come in possibly): graphic depiction of violence (not written yet, if even written)
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): I love everything!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): Futuristic worlds and spaceships in the story. I don’t have a specific idea for each world/their layouts, but would love an artist's input on how they imagine it.
Summary for Artists: Set in an indeterminate future (Star Trek like era) Arthur has just been named Proctor of the Federation Dominion (aka chief commander overseeing warfare) when he is given is first mission: Decapitated Stars. It involves getting rid of the rebel members of the Stars Reborn Order (S.R.O.). He goes to Tír-Mòr with his own private company of men, the Fractures (name as such because their uniform appears from an ordinary piece of jewelry and is created through pieces fitting together, leaving lines of colours where they joined). Arthur is enchanted by Sophia, from the Sidhes species who mate through pheromones, and one smart-mouth stranger (Merlin) saves him. Merlin enjoins Arthur to follow him on this quest to uncover Avalon, legend says it’s a planet lost, and the true history of the Federation. They travel from Camelot to Tír-Mòr, back to Camelot, to Daobeth (the dead planet) and then to Avalon, with Arthur’s ships, Hengroen and Llamrei. We switch POV partway, to Merlin’s. We realize he is part of an unknown species, the Auspex. Then it is revealed Merlin is the head of the S.R.O. and has planned to recruit Arthur and show him how his family did Avalon wrong. Avalon has been abused for its technological feats, so the Auspex hid their planet. Epic showdown on Avalon where the Merlin, Arthur, the Fractures and Uther find themselves in front of the ultimate weapon (can destroy a whole planet). It doesn’t work, they stop Uther (sentenced to spend his life on Daobeth), and Merthur create Albion together.
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Number 10: CLAIMED
Title: 27 Ways to Stop A Wedding
Rating: E
Current Word Count: ~15k
Estimated Final Word Count: ~25k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings: None
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): I like most kinds of art, but my preferences would be traditional art/digital painting & drawing. I also like manips and collages.
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): No preferred rating
Summary for Artists: Modern AU. Arthur had Merlin and he let him go. Luckily, after the break-up, they became best friends. As his best friend, all Arthur wanted was Merlin's happiness...until the words "I'm getting married" come out of Merlin's lips. Now, all Arthur wants is Merlin. Merlin/Arthur friendship/romance story. The story also features Lancelot, Gwen, Gwaine, Mordred, and Morgana. A lot of the story takes place at a fancy Victorian-style house. There's a lot of banter and scheming and fluff and some smut.
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Number 11: CLAIMED
Title: Hounds of War
Rating: Teen+/PG-13
Current Word Count: 30k
Estimated Final Word Count: 40k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Gen (can be read as pre-slash Merlin/Arthur but doesn't have to be)
Warnings: Non-graphic violence (canon-typical), canonical minor character death (off-screen)
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): Happy with anything!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): In case of visual art, I would love a scene divider to be included
Summary for Artists: Canon AU
Arthur has been king of Camelot for months now, ever since Morgana tried to kill him and succeeded in killing his father. He has been a warrior and a ruler all his life, but nothing has prepared him for the arrival of the druid sorcerer Emrys, sweeping into the halls of Camelot to pledge his allegiance.
As the seasons turn, Emrys - Merlin - insinuates himself into every aspect of Arthur's life: His political decisions, his celebrations, his stance on sorcery. He blatantly defies Camelot's ban on magic to show Arthur the usefulness and beauty of his powers. Slowly, Arthur begins to unlearn his fear of magic in small, stolen moments of peace, despite the dragons, treacherous uncles, and magic users out for his blood.
When Morgana attacks Camelot and claims the citadel, Arthur and Merlin seek refuge among the druids. Surrounded by magic, Arthur must confront his fears one final time as he and Emrys ready themselves for their last stand against Morgana.
Visual themes:
-Merlin in a druid's cloak, hood up and eyes glowing golden underneath
-Arthur meeting Kilgharrah in the caverns under his castle
-Camelot through the seasons, from icy winter to the golden warmth of summer and back
-bamf!Arthur und bamf!Emrys fighting side by side
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Number 12: CLAIMED
Title: This Old World in a New Age
Rating: E
Current Word Count: 41k
Estimated Final Word Count: 45k-50k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings: Omegaverse, mpreg, attempted arranged marriage, possible child sacrifice (haven’t decided if it’ll stay or go from the story, currently leaning towards removing it), minor character deaths, family betrayal
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): Traditional or Graphic Art would be my first choices but I’m really okay with anything!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): If it’s art, ideally a moment between Merlin and Arthur, not explicit, but it doesn’t have to be PG either. If it’s art and the Artist chooses to make an additional piece that’s explicit, that’s ok but if it’s just one main one, then I’d prefer it not to be.
Summary for Artists: This is a romance story that is a combination of Canon Era, Royalty AU, Omegaverse, and tolerated/legal magic.
Merlin was raised as the next dragonlord and heir presumptive of Essetir which he is in danger of losing when he presents as an Omega. He goes to Camelot for Arthur’s birthday/crowning ceremony on behalf of his kingdom, and because the kings are considering marrying them should Merlin’s younger brother present as an Alpha. Merlin isn’t good at making friends with Arthur during his first visit in Camelot and leaves with no love lost after saving Camelot. Years later, when Merlin’s younger brother Mordred presents as an Alpha, Merlin is still the next dragonlord and the dragons show their allegiance. Merlin’s forced to give Camelot and Arthur another try and he finds a changed Arthur or instead he actually gets to know Arthur this time around. After working and saving Camelot together this time, they fall in love. They secretly become engaged, aren’t very good at remaining chaste before marriage, and drive their parents to insanity when they combine forces.
Unfortunately, their parent’s past affects them all. Camelot and Essetir became friends in the first place when Prince Balinor saved Queen Ygraine’s life. This puts Nimueh in a bad light and she is banished from Camelot. Nimueh has stayed out of sight for years, being a normal person until she learns that Balinor who is now King is sending his middle child and daughter, Freya, to learn from them. Nimeuh would never be able to get to Merlin or Arthur as they are secure in Camelot but Freya and Mordred might be easier targets.
Merlin and Arthur must then save their family amongst betrayal, learning to rule, and starting a family of their own.
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Number 13: CLAIMED
Title: A Quiet Place (Where Peaceful Waters Flow)
Rating: R/NC-17
Current Word Count: 78k
Estimated Final Word Count: 80-85k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Arthur/Merlin, side Gwen/Lance and Morgana/Leon
Warnings: injured!Arthur, emotional abuse, graphic sex and violence, kidnapping, themes of dying.
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): Anything!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): Rating up to teen for anything using photos of actors. Otherwise, anything goes.
Summary for Artists:
Genre: Modern Era Reincarnation Magical AU. Romantic Action/Adventure. (Plus visions/flashbacks to canon era.) Mild BDSM.
Characters: Merlin is a 1400-year-old man in a 30-year-old man’s body, and billionaire founder of music-streaming site, Spell. Arthur was in a car accident aged 18, 10 years before the start of the story. He is a left arm amputee, and has a facial scar (also a brain injury). Also starring the Knights, Gwen & Morgana. Featuring Will, Morgause and Cenred, and bad guys Tristan & Agravaine. (Gaius is a smart speaker)
Story: First act: Arthur attends his father’s funeral, while facing the prospect of being institutionalised by his Uncle Tristan: Arthur has ‘episodes/visions’. A careworn Merlin finds Arthur by accident during a house viewing and rescues him. Scenes include: Merlin sad-dancing in a club, Arthur lying in a wood grieving, Gwaine waving around Arthur’s prosthesis like a sword. Action takes place mainly in grand houses. Merlin has a Round Table.
Second act: Arthur is ‘found’. Merlin fits him with a new prosthesis (Excalibur). After an aggressive first ‘night’, Arthur and Merlin’s relationship distances, as Arthur spends time with the knights, riding, learning to fight, getting fit. Merlin is scared he is dying, and feels left out of Arthur’s recovery. Moments include: Arthur in a boxing ring fighting Gwaine, Drunk!Merlin wrecking stuff, then running off to a Climate Change demonstration with Will, Arthur and Merlin reconnecting (light bondage), Morgana in a fist fight with Morgause. Followed by: a group trip to Tintagel, a mob fight, a posh party at a manor, and political finagling.
Final Act: (without giving too much away!) includes a press conference, a kidnap and a car chase. Ends at a farmhouse, a quiet place, with Arthur and Merlin in a row boat, then in a forest. Also, there’s a triple wedding.
Overall:Big theme of connecting with Nature/magic, mindfulness, ageing and learning to accept one’s mortality (hence the title also refers to ‘a quiet place’ in the mind). Moods include sadness, angst, excitement and humour as well as lots of love. Merlin references some music in the story, but I kept it to a minimum.
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Number 14: CLAIMED
Title: Bananarchy Split
Rating: T or M
Current Word Count: 30ish k
Estimated Final Word Count: Ideally about 50k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Arthur/Merlin plus sides
Warnings: none really that I can think of, everyone lives, it’s all quite light-hearted and fluffy
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): I would be thrilled with any art someone wanted to produce.
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): sorry, I don’t understand this question, unless it is the same as the one I just answered? Absolutely anything that some creative soul wants to produce is fine with me, I’m open to suggestions and happy to change parts of the fic to suit ideas an artist might have.
Summary for Artists: Modern AU set in Cornwall - by the sea, nice sandy beach, waves, surfers, Cornish village and Tintagel Castle.
Merlin and Will are students working in Hunith’s ice cream van for the summer. Merlin is studying graphic design and has hand painted/sprayed the van along with a banana themed logo etc, possibly designed a website and leaflets.
Arthur has just discovered his mother is still alive and has moved down to Cornwall to be with her, he is working in her ice cream parlour on the seafront. The two establishments are rivals and trying to outdo each other, with Cenred stirring things up behind the scenes. Merlin and Arthur minor enemies to lovers vibe, with their friends getting together around them and forcing them to socialise.
Possible visuals include: Merlin and Will dressed as giant bananas handing out promotional leaflets, the hand-designed ice cream van and logo - I haven’t gone into too much detail on these yet, would love input. Gwaine, Percy and Lance as lifeguards. Emo NB Mordred with a guitar. Arthur and Leon in pink and white striped uniforms with ill-fitting trousers and pink thunderbird-style side hats. Lanky Leon on an ice cream rickshaw. Broken down ice cream van in the rain and mist on Bodmin Moor. A storm where Arthur, Gwain etc are on the lifeboat team and a boat is in trouble on the sea. Kilgharrah as a strange mystical ice cream man who turns up sporadically and smokes a vape stick whilst dispensing cryptic advice and has a van painted to look like a cow. Possibly images of the sea and the beach and the castle ruins. None of this is set in stone, just ideas for whatever might catch your interest!
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Number 15: CLAIMED
Title: We Can Always Run (Possibly Working Title)
Rating: Mature
Current Word Count: 110k
Estimated Final Word Count: 150-160k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur, Minor Elyan/Gwaine
Warnings: Canon-typical levels of violence, A bit of a co-dependent relationship between Merlin and Arthur
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): I’d love traditional or graphic/digital art, but I’m pretty much open to anything!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): I truly don’t have much of a preference, anything that catches your eye!
Summary for Artists: Arthur has always had distant dreams of leaving Camelot. They were never more than a wistful fantasy, at least once he grew up. With the revelation of Merlin's magic, Arthur thinks he might have to one day leave after all, if only to protect Merlin.
The magic is just the beginning, though. Over the following months, secrets come to light that have the dreams slip back in; all his father's lies, unravelling piece by piece. Slowly but surely, Camelot feels less like a home and more like a gilded cage. Suddenly Arthur isn't so sure anymore whether he is the right person to carry this legacy. If he even wants to.
When he discovers a way to make sure that his people will be taken care of and Uther’s legacy won’t be carried on after his death, the decision is all too easy. The dreams aren’t just dreams anymore.
Merlin wouldn't be Merlin if he didn't follow wherever Arthur goes. As they try to find their footing in this new balance of their relationship while avoiding Uther's manhunt for them, they travel through the corners of Albion where magic still thrives while trying to build a new life for themselves.
In the end, it’s about more than simply surviving, though. It’s about forging their own path, about learning to truly trust each other, and finding that there’s more to life than duty, others’ expectations, and a destiny that cares nothing about them.
Possible visuals: A former Roman city where magic can be found at every corner, Roman bathhouses, Merlin fighting in a magical tournament, the boys on a merchant ship including getting caught in a storm, a magical island, lots and lots of sleeping in a small tent and talking by the fire, Ealdor and staying with Hunith, BAMF battle couple fighting together with magic and sword (at points with Lancelot or Gwaine and Elyan), Merlin showing Arthur all sorts of magic (to fight as well as just pretty things), their life on the road through the seasons, and copious amounts of both platonic and romantic gestures of affection.
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Number 16:CLAIMED
Title: Child of Luck and Magic
Rating: General
Current Word Count: 30,944
Estimated Final Word Count:~30,944
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, fairy tale typical infanticide attempts but no actual harm comes to the baby
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): Traditional, Graphic Art, Video
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): Ratings: teen and under (as the writing is rated G it would be odd to be given a mature or explicit art), would love any of the soft merthur moments illustrated but I am happy with whatever speaks to the artist.
Summary for Artists: Canon Era based on the fairy tale The Luck Child. Prologue is Uther Pov, rest of fic is Merlin PoV. The Great Purge happens the same way it did in canon, but Nimueh does not leave Camelot. Instead she is kept locked up in a tower so Uther can use her gift of prophecy. On a visit to her, she informs him that an extremely lucky magical child will be born and he is destined to bring magic back to Camelot and create Albion. Said baby will have a very specific birthmark. Uther learns of a pregnant woman in the lower town and takes her baby from her promising that it will be raised in the castle. Instead Uther attempts to drown the baby by throwing it off a bridge, but as destiny would have it, the baby comes to a stop safely in a hollow log and drifts all the way to Ealdor where he is adopted by Hunith. Twenty years later, Will and Merlin are working in a field when Uther and his men ride up asking to be escorted to Ealdor. Merlin gets weird vibes off Uther, especially when Uther offers him a servant position at the castle in exchange for waived taxes. On Merlin's way to Camelot he meets Lancelot (a bandit who wants to be a knight) and he prevents the other bandits from murdering Merlin in his sleep. Merlin becomes determined to help Lancelot become a knight as thanks. When they arrive in Camelot, Merlin ends up marrying Arthur because the bandits forged a different note from Uther that claimed Merlin should marry the Princess. (The original note was an order for Merlin's execution). When Uther returns he sends Merlin on a quest to retrieve a scale from the last dragon as part of a fake marriage tradition of Camelot, assuming Merlin will either die on the way or get eaten by the dragon. Arthur joins Merlin on the quest and they form a bond that turns romantic.(Bed sharing, fighting back to back against bandits, and conversations in front of the fire). Along the way they help a sad blacksmith (Elyan) find his sister (Gwen), learn how to break The Ferryman's (Freya's) curse, help Lancelot become a knight, retrieve the scale from the dragon, and dethrone Uther with lots of cleverness and a lucky break.
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Number 17: CLAIMED
Title: My Big Fat Druid Wedding (Working Title)
Rating: E
Current Word Count: 66k
Estimated Final Word Count: 70k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings: soulbonding, rom-com
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic: Traditional Art/Digital Art/Graphic Art
Art specifics: T / SFW
Summary for Artists: In a modern magical world, Merlin is a Druid who lives in a commune on the outskirts of Camelot. He has a job as a photographer, keeping his magic a secret from all non-magic people besides his best friend Will. Merlin would like nothing more than to live an ordinary life, but the Druids have one cardinal rule: Druids marry Druids. Merlin has been fighting to get out of an engagement to Mordred for several years to no avail, but when Arthur Pendragon enters the picture, sparks fly...only for Merlin to learn Arthur's father hates Druids. With Arthur oblivious to Merlin's heritage, Merlin will have to choose between telling the truth or feigning ignorance, and possibly losing everything he's ever known along the way.
Visuals include: an elaborate ceremony (not a wedding!) involving trees, flowers, and a lake; tattoos of all sorts; a Pendragon family portrait; Merlin on fire (he’s fine); medieval jousting in modern times; Merlin on "trial"; a ridiculously fancy family dinner complete with expensive and tiny plates of food; a modernised, very green take on the Crystal Cave
THIS IS NOT THE CLAIMING POST:
Claims will open in a separate post on Saturday, June 5.
If you aren't available to make a claim yourself, claiming by proxy is also be allowed.
Due to the limited number of summaries, we will ask 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 has passed, we will allow our pre-matched artists to claim another if they would like to do so!
Claims will be on a first come-first served basis. Please 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 I will open up another round of claims.
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.
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. If you'd like to see how you claim, check out our previous artist claiming posts here. A similar post will go up on Saturday, 5 June.
Number 1: CLAIMED
Title: The World's Saviour Doesn't Want to Save People
Rating: NC-17
Current Word Count: 15,000
Estimated Final Word Count: 30,000
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings: brief attempted suicide, battle violence, NSFW
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!):There isn't much I don't like, so I'm very interested in how the artist will choose to create.
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): I would like safe for work art, epic scenes, or perhaps an icon representing each chapter.
Summary for Artists: Set in the modern canon era, Merlin has multiple alter egos. He hasn’t been a young man in a very long time. As an old man, however, he becomes the 21st century world’s number one enemy in a matter of ten years after he emerges as a mysterious and powerful threat. With Earth being fated to be crushed by an asteroid, this old man who can save them doesn’t want to!
In comes the ancient King Arthur, who everyone has their hopes on, but he isn’t as reliable, or sane, as everyone thinks he is. He has returned with a strange obsession, looking for an old friend, and trying to find his place in a new world of democracy and capitalism that doesn’t need kings. He befriends Count Myrddin III, an apparent lecherous descendent of Merlin, learns that dragons aren’t that bad, that unicorns are actually great for riding, similarly so are cars, and even meets the Agents of the Round Table.
When he finally does meet Merlin, the warlock is no longer the joyful and optimistic man he used to be. Instead, Merlin is grumpy and mischievous while he’s an old man, and clumsy and cold when he’s in his late twenties. When Merlin tells him he doesn’t want to save the world, Arthur is nearly convinced. But he’s still a chivalrous man and will do what the world has brought him to do. It’s just, Arthur won’t be the only one sacrificing his life anymore.
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Number 2: CLAIMED
Title: Are You the Once and Future One?
Rating: Mature, maybeee mildly Explicit
Current Word Count: 33k
Estimated Final Word Count: 45-50k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur, Gwen/Lance/Leon, Sefa/Elena, Freya/Mithian, Gwaine/Percy
Warnings: trans!leon (non angsty), asexual!sefa
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): all art forms would be so exciting to me!!!!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): no preferred ratings. if you're a visual artist, i'm pretty excited about some of the outfits/aesthetics, and the nature magic, but again, would really be excited for anything!
Summary for Artists: MTV Presents: ARE YOU THE ONE: A Once and Future Match! Eleven self-identified ‘relationship disasters’ spend 10 weeks together, attempting to figure out who is their Perfect Match! And turn that disaster up a notch, because this season all contestants are bisexual! Hosted by the goddess in green, our emerald fiend, Morgana Pendragon. I know, how will they keep their attention on each other when she’s in the room? Just another challenge for our luckless lovers. If they correctly match up before the 10 weeks are out, they’ll go home with One Million Pounds! This season has got it all! Love! Heartbreak! Hypnosis! Drag! Carpenter lesbians! Twinks in crop tops! Absolutely ungodly amounts of pining! Can these gays with loads of emotional baggage find love? And maybe learn something about themselves in turn?
This is a modern AU set on a palace-like estate in the woods, main story is merthur endgame but we’ve got pairings all over the place. Mostly lighthearted fun, with a little bit of reincarnation angst building to the end. Merlin sleeps in a tree hollow in the woods & doesn’t know he has magic. Leon’s a fashionable stoic who wears a lot of chain accessories. Gwen’s in love with everyone and can’t decide so she busies herself in the woodshop & the smithy. Mithian’s a producer/dj, a bit comphet but very gay. Freya is extremely goth & a baby herbalist. Percy is the only one with a brain. Gwaine is chaotic with the biggest heart. Arthur…he’s got a lot to learn, but he learns it. Featuring human!aithusa
Visuals: Midsummer woods; stone buildings & canopy beds; lake scenes, including early morning canoeing and one late night skinny dip; a drag ball with exciting outfits (aka merlin in mesh & thigh-high boots); sporty games on the field; merlin doing plant/nature magic; percy baking in an apron; mith dj-ing on stage, gwen welding.
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Number 3: CLAIMED
Title: Seeking Solid Ground (subject to change!)
Rating: Mature due to subject matter, no smut
Current Word Count: 49,500 and counting
Estimated Final Word Count: 60,000
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur, Gwen/Morgana as a side pairing
Warnings: Emotional neglect/borderline emotional abuse from Uther being a Bad Parent, self harm mention, off screen deaths (Ygraine/Agravaine), anxiety and shaky mental health, magical discrimination, issues with the police and justice system are alluded to but not tackled directly,
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): I adore the Merlin artists and would be excited for anything an artist would like to do for my fic! Anything that brings this fic to life will receive my undying love and adoration!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): I have some metatext stuff with newspaper articles and letters written between characters that could be cool as digital art. I love character art and this fic is heavily character focussed, so an art style to can portray that kind of angsty and emotional character drama would be good. I have a couple scenes in my head that I would love to see recreated but I’m totally open to suggestions and anything the artist has a particular interest in.
Summary for Artists: (Modern AU, Arthur POV, angsty and hurt/comfort) Arthur, Prince Arthur to his family, hates royal life. Searching for something he can't find, and wanting to escape the pressure from his father King Uther, he abandons his princehood and runs away to Nottingham with the help of his crafty banker Kilgharrah. There he meets Merlin and Gwen, his lovely neighbours with a penchant for adopting waifs and strays and little by little they break his walls down and bring him into the fold. With romantic relationships building between Merlin and Arthur, and Gwen and her mystery lady (Morgana) it seems like things are settling into place.
But Merlin has a secret he's been hiding too, and when magic is revealed to the world overnight, he can't hide it anymore. King Uther, ignorant and clinging to control, outlaws magic and demands the immediate arrest of all magic users. When Merlin and Morgana fall victim to Uther's prejudice, Arthur knows he has to do something, confronts his father and winds up under house arrest on charges of treason.
After far too long pining after his disappeared boyfriend, Arthur has his day in court, and Mithian gets him off scot free for standing up against injustice. Uther is forced to abdicate and parliament insists Arthur take up the throne. There are emotional reunions and everyone goes home to look after each other after all they’ve been through.
Epilogue: Arthur never wanted to rule, and never really liked the inequality that comes with monarchy, so he decides to do away with the whole lot of it and abolishes the monarchy. Morgana and Gwen don’t have to hide anymore, and neither do Merlin and Arthur, and their dog.
Possible visuals: Merlin being arrested, Arthur pining in fancy corridors late at night, letters sent to Merlin and Morgana, Arthur confronting Uther live on TV, Merlin showing off his magic in the shared kitchen, caterpillar cakes in Tesco bags left on the doorstep to say sorry, courtroom drama scene with Mithian and Cenred being barristers, Arthur staring at himself in the bathroom mirror in the middle of the night, Arthur running with an Irish wolfhound, Merlin asleep in bed and Arthur watching him with the dog curled up by their feet. For the first half/two thirds of this fic Arthur has dyed his hair brown and has been growing it out to help disguise himself, so seeing the contract between that and perfect blonde Prince Arthur could be fun.
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Number 4: CLAIMED
Title: Fools & Monsters
Rating: Explicit
Current Word Count: 42k, fully plotted to end, I can send the artists a very detailed outline as well as the draft so far!
Estimated Final Word Count: 75k
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings: graphic depictions of violence, vampire related violence aka drinking blood, killing humans via drinking blood, fighting and killing of vampires (minor, 'bad guy' characters only). There will be at least one two smut scenes which also contribute to the explicit rating.
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic: I would prefer to not receive a playlist/mixtape-type medium as I already have a playlist for this fic that I’m quite attached to. All other types and styles of art welcome
Art specifics: I would love some art that focuses on Arthur and Merlin’s identities as vampire and witch respectively and the physical traits they include. The story is generally quite dark and gritty despite the romantic plot so I would also love that to be a theme in the art. I would be open to explicit art especially of the heart vein drinking scene.
Summary for Artists: Enemies to lovers modern AU, based very loosely on the lore of the ‘All Souls’ trilogy by Deborah Harkness.
Alongside humans, there are three types of creature in the world: vampires, witches, and daemons. Arthur is a vampire, turned as the King Arthur of Camelot when he fell at Camlann. He has added Percy, Gwaine, Morgana, and Leon to the Pendragon family, which he is sire of, over the years. Arthur crosses paths with Doctor Merlin Emrys, a powerful witch descended from the same bloodline as Arthur’s old court warlock. They immediately clash and fight, but are forced into working together to foil a plan hatched by the daemons to gain control of parliament. As they learn more about each other’s lives, species, and culture, they grow more and more attracted to each other, falling into a romance that is a danger to the both of them.
Some visuals I’m particularly fond of (and some major plot points) include:
- various scenes in Arthur’s home, which is a wood-panelled, Cluedo style mansion in Kensington, London. It feels lonely but well-loved at the same time; the walls are lined with books and antique paintings (sometimes of himself and his vampire children through the centuries), and red wine is on hand for the vampires to drink in lieu of blood.
- Merlin’s witchy thatched cottage, complete with cauldron over the fire, wooden beams in the ceiling, and his black cat, Wednesday, curled up asleep on the sofa. Vines grow up the side of his cottage and he keeps a well-stocked herb garden, which he inherited from his mother.
- Merlin angrily aiming a bow and arrow made of magical witchfire at Arthur, who is rightly terrified as it signals certain death, under a new moon and a starry night sky.
- A dark underground nightclub, decked out in blacks and reds, which the vampires Morgause, Cenred, and Mordred call home. It gives off creepy vibes.
- Arthur snarling at Merlin with black irises and pupils, fangs fully grown in his mouth. Merlin scowling back up at Arthur with a bluish magical shield covering his skin. They stand nose to nose, both too stubborn and too turned on to turn away first.
- The coven of witches (including Merlin, Gwen, Lance, Freya, Gaius, and Daegal) conjuring powerful magic under a full moon at Stonehenge, with fires roaring, rain and wind whipping around their coloured ceremonial cloaks, and vines climbing up the stones.
- Arthur using his fangs to attack and bite a human man, and then drinking from his neck, which they both find arousing.
- Arthur and Merlin doing a food shop in Waitrose, slowly learning how to banter with each other rather than be at each other’s throats all the time.
- Merlin and Arthur meeting Elyan, one of our main daemon characters, in the Palace of Westminster to formally negotiate a peace between the three species of creatures.
- A trip to Budapest, Hungary to fetch Gwaine, who has been investigating daemons there and has gotten himself in trouble. While they won’t be out sightseeing in particular, the streets of the Jewish Quarter would be a likely backdrop for some of their investigation.
- Arthur drinking blood from Merlin’s heart vein (aka from the centre of his chest) which is a gesture of intense intimacy to vampires and their mates (this would be in the context of them having sex and by no means must be included in the art, so feel free to ignore this if you like).
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Number 5: CLAIMED
Title: Everglow
Rating: minor character deaths
Current Word Count: 16,820
Estimated Final Word Count: 25,000-28,000
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur Leon/Morgana Gwen/Lancelot
Warnings: Off screen murders, violence (but it's mostly magical, and no one actually gets hurt)
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic: Any and all appreciated
Art specifics: There are many newspaper articles and other such things in the fic, I would really like to see them reproduced. No anime or chibi, and if fanmixes are created, I would love to have a song by the band Starset as background music. But it's not necessary, the artist can use any song of their choosing!
Summary for Artists: Modern Royalty AU with magic. After the untimely death of his father, Arthur is informed that according to a law he has to marry before ascending the throne. The candidate that his councillors have chosen is definitely not someone Arthur himself would have picked, but he doesn’t have a choice. Merlin Emrys is a powerful magic user, a Prince and a Dragonlord, and would fit perfectly with what Arthur was planning to do when he became King; lift the magic ban his father had enforced. Their relationship starts rocky, but when a new threat rises on the heels of Arthur’s coronation, they have to set their differences aside and work together. The children of Camelot’s aristocracy are being killed by a magical activism group, and a dark shadow hangs over the people. Arthur and Merlin, along with Morgana and a few of their closest friends have to get to the bottom of the mystery before it's too late and something irreparable takes place. The stakes are raised higher when Morgana reveals that she saw Arthur being attacked and injured in a vision. Featuring Royal!Merlin, Morgana and all other knights and Gwen in influential roles.
Visual ideas- The fic would also contain a lot of newspaper articles and news stories, and a lot of physical files. The artist can include extravagant indoor venues, people dressed richly, Merlin and Arthur sitting quietly in a room, reading books and practicing magic, respectively, well tended gardens, and magical battles in the middle of a ballroom.
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Number 6: CLAIMED
Title: Real World: Camelot
Rating: Explicit
Current Word Count: 41k
Estimated Final Word Count: 41k
Pairing(s) or Gen: explicit pairings: Merlin/Arthur (endgame), Merlin/Gwaine, Arthur/Gwen, Arthur/Mithian
Warnings: Alcohol and a lot of casual sex
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): I’m not super picky! I love some good traditional/digital art to accompany a fic, but I am happy to work with whoever on whatever!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): I’m open to anything. I do love me some smutty/NSFW art, but I can live without it if that’s not your bag! I’m also a sucker for compelling facial expressions and art that captures the setting of the fic.
Here are some things in the fic that might be fun to make art of: everyone at the dance club, everyone in a hot tub, Merlin teaching people (especially Arthur) how to knit, Gwen giving everyone (especially Arthur) haircuts, Mithian doing everyone’s makeup, everyone dressing up goofily for a silly photo shoot, everyone playing darts. Quieter moments include: walks outside, making/eating food, going out for pizza, knitting knitting and more knitting, Arthur/Merlin on the phone with their parents, Arthur/Merlin being interviewed for the show, Lance performing at an open mic night (guitar), Arthur with either Merlin or Morgana in the Confessional room.
Summary for Artists: Arthur goes on the Real World: Camelot, a reality show where he will live with 6 other strangers for a few months. Except, not all of them are strangers, because Morgana is also there (along with Gwen, Mithian, Gwaine, Lance, & Merlin). He falls fast for Gwen, but is very attracted to Merlin. He ignores Merlin at first, thinking that will make the attraction go away, but he gets called out on it and has to start talking to Merlin. They become fast friends.
Arthur and Gwen eventually call things off, and the boys all go out for a night on the town without the girls. Arthur and Merlin come home early, and they hook up in the private Confessional room. Arthur leaves immediately after and starts ignoring Merlin because he’s upset that he just outed himself on television for the whole world to see.
Arthur sleeps with Mithian to distract himself, Merlin sleeps with Gwaine to distract himself, and they are messy, pouty, angsty boys. Morgana finally confronts Arthur, and he apologises to Merlin and they hook up again. Gwen ends up with Lance, and they all live happily ever after for now.
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Number 7: CLAIMED
Title: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
Rating: Teen
Current Word Count: 15k
Estimated Final Word Count: 25k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings: Mental Health Issues
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): Prefer non-audio mediums as I have a hearing loss and can't properly appreciate them. (Mods: I'm not sure if that's too identifying so feel free to cut that if needed!)
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): Whatever you feel inspired to make will make me thrilled, at any rating, though I would especially love little page break banners!
Summary for Artists: Modern era reincarnation. Arthur has to adjust to the modern world, while Merlin has to adjust to his king's return and acknowledging the havoc that waiting so long wrecked on his psyche. Main characters are really just Merlin and Arthur with a few mentions of Morgana and Gwen. Scenes that may inspire include the lake where Arthur was laid to rest, several scenes of the boys being touristy, cuddles with puppies, Arthur in plaid fleece pyjamas, and a dream sequence featuring multiple Merlins (I realised how that sounds, but not in an explicit way).
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Number 8: CLAIMED
Title: Merlin’s Stagnant Cottage (It started as a joke, but it’s now def the title lol)
Rating: Gen
Current Word Count: 30k
Estimated Final Word Count: 45k~50k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur with side pairings Gwaine/Elena and Gwen/Lancelot
Warnings: Both Arthur and Merlin don’t look like themselves for the majority of the fic (Arthur is cursed old and Merlin is wearing a glamour cause he doesn’t feel pretty); descriptions of pain such as Arthur breaking his wrist and having his most painful memories wrenched out via magical means; multiple characters are set on fire (they’re fine tho!); minor character death(s); an obscene amount of mysteries but they do get explained in the end; so many creative liberties taken with characterization lolll
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): I would be honored to pair with any artist and any medium, but my world is quite specific, so I imagine traditional/digital raster art to depict the environment best!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): I was inspired by the world Miyazaki created. There are steam powered automobiles, electricity, and the buildings/towns are heavily influenced by German architecture from the 1700-1800’s. This is intermixed by mystical runes and Witchy imagery (especially inside Merlin’s castle). As for style, the main thing that I would like is a whimsical use of color! Also, there are a few letters that I would love to see in art format! (perhaps even a map of the world?) So many ideas so little time!
Summary for Artists: Merlin characters placed in the steampunk, magical world of Howl’s Moving Castle, but don’t need to be familiar with the movie or book to do art for this!
Arthur has lived his entire life working in his father Gaius’ clock shop with his brother Lance. He’s always been dull and unattractive, and the only interesting thing bound to happen in his life is getting married to Gwen. But a chance meeting with Camelot’s Witchy bad boy Emrys sends him for a loop. King Agravaine’s High Priestess Morgana mistakes him for Emrys and curses him thrice his age! Being older than his father finds Arthur scrambling to run away and save his family from his new burden. Little does he know, he’s about to find himself in heaps more trouble. Suddenly, he lives in a flying metal castle named Aithusa along with a mute kleptomaniac named Freya, the charming pilot Gwaine, and the mysterious Emrys, a man with a secret so powerful, it has him bound to a dragon. Although this new life is dangerous and terrifying, Arthur will do anything to protect his found family, even if it means teaming up with the woman that cursed him, ending the war with Essetir, and single handedly usurping King Agravaine.
Lots of fun things to art!!: A city within the clouds, watches and clocks and gears galore, Merlin flirting with pre-cursed Arthur in an alleyway, sarcastic lizard-sized Kilgharrah, a giant, flying metal castle named Aithusa, Merlin setting himself on fire cause he’s dramatic, Merlin melting into a puddle of green goo cause he’s dramatic, Arthur being a cute grumpy old man, and Merlin turning into a dragon!
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Number 9:CLAIMED
Title: Mission Decapitated Stars
Rating: Teen or M
Current Word Count: 20k
Estimated Final Word Count: 30k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merthur, background: Leon/Morgana, Pre-Gwaine/Percival
Warnings: (Where the M rating might come in possibly): graphic depiction of violence (not written yet, if even written)
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): I love everything!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): Futuristic worlds and spaceships in the story. I don’t have a specific idea for each world/their layouts, but would love an artist's input on how they imagine it.
Summary for Artists: Set in an indeterminate future (Star Trek like era) Arthur has just been named Proctor of the Federation Dominion (aka chief commander overseeing warfare) when he is given is first mission: Decapitated Stars. It involves getting rid of the rebel members of the Stars Reborn Order (S.R.O.). He goes to Tír-Mòr with his own private company of men, the Fractures (name as such because their uniform appears from an ordinary piece of jewelry and is created through pieces fitting together, leaving lines of colours where they joined). Arthur is enchanted by Sophia, from the Sidhes species who mate through pheromones, and one smart-mouth stranger (Merlin) saves him. Merlin enjoins Arthur to follow him on this quest to uncover Avalon, legend says it’s a planet lost, and the true history of the Federation. They travel from Camelot to Tír-Mòr, back to Camelot, to Daobeth (the dead planet) and then to Avalon, with Arthur’s ships, Hengroen and Llamrei. We switch POV partway, to Merlin’s. We realize he is part of an unknown species, the Auspex. Then it is revealed Merlin is the head of the S.R.O. and has planned to recruit Arthur and show him how his family did Avalon wrong. Avalon has been abused for its technological feats, so the Auspex hid their planet. Epic showdown on Avalon where the Merlin, Arthur, the Fractures and Uther find themselves in front of the ultimate weapon (can destroy a whole planet). It doesn’t work, they stop Uther (sentenced to spend his life on Daobeth), and Merthur create Albion together.
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Number 10: CLAIMED
Title: 27 Ways to Stop A Wedding
Rating: E
Current Word Count: ~15k
Estimated Final Word Count: ~25k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings: None
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): I like most kinds of art, but my preferences would be traditional art/digital painting & drawing. I also like manips and collages.
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): No preferred rating
Summary for Artists: Modern AU. Arthur had Merlin and he let him go. Luckily, after the break-up, they became best friends. As his best friend, all Arthur wanted was Merlin's happiness...until the words "I'm getting married" come out of Merlin's lips. Now, all Arthur wants is Merlin. Merlin/Arthur friendship/romance story. The story also features Lancelot, Gwen, Gwaine, Mordred, and Morgana. A lot of the story takes place at a fancy Victorian-style house. There's a lot of banter and scheming and fluff and some smut.
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Number 11: CLAIMED
Title: Hounds of War
Rating: Teen+/PG-13
Current Word Count: 30k
Estimated Final Word Count: 40k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Gen (can be read as pre-slash Merlin/Arthur but doesn't have to be)
Warnings: Non-graphic violence (canon-typical), canonical minor character death (off-screen)
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): Happy with anything!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): In case of visual art, I would love a scene divider to be included
Summary for Artists: Canon AU
Arthur has been king of Camelot for months now, ever since Morgana tried to kill him and succeeded in killing his father. He has been a warrior and a ruler all his life, but nothing has prepared him for the arrival of the druid sorcerer Emrys, sweeping into the halls of Camelot to pledge his allegiance.
As the seasons turn, Emrys - Merlin - insinuates himself into every aspect of Arthur's life: His political decisions, his celebrations, his stance on sorcery. He blatantly defies Camelot's ban on magic to show Arthur the usefulness and beauty of his powers. Slowly, Arthur begins to unlearn his fear of magic in small, stolen moments of peace, despite the dragons, treacherous uncles, and magic users out for his blood.
When Morgana attacks Camelot and claims the citadel, Arthur and Merlin seek refuge among the druids. Surrounded by magic, Arthur must confront his fears one final time as he and Emrys ready themselves for their last stand against Morgana.
Visual themes:
-Merlin in a druid's cloak, hood up and eyes glowing golden underneath
-Arthur meeting Kilgharrah in the caverns under his castle
-Camelot through the seasons, from icy winter to the golden warmth of summer and back
-bamf!Arthur und bamf!Emrys fighting side by side
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Number 12: CLAIMED
Title: This Old World in a New Age
Rating: E
Current Word Count: 41k
Estimated Final Word Count: 45k-50k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings: Omegaverse, mpreg, attempted arranged marriage, possible child sacrifice (haven’t decided if it’ll stay or go from the story, currently leaning towards removing it), minor character deaths, family betrayal
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): Traditional or Graphic Art would be my first choices but I’m really okay with anything!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): If it’s art, ideally a moment between Merlin and Arthur, not explicit, but it doesn’t have to be PG either. If it’s art and the Artist chooses to make an additional piece that’s explicit, that’s ok but if it’s just one main one, then I’d prefer it not to be.
Summary for Artists: This is a romance story that is a combination of Canon Era, Royalty AU, Omegaverse, and tolerated/legal magic.
Merlin was raised as the next dragonlord and heir presumptive of Essetir which he is in danger of losing when he presents as an Omega. He goes to Camelot for Arthur’s birthday/crowning ceremony on behalf of his kingdom, and because the kings are considering marrying them should Merlin’s younger brother present as an Alpha. Merlin isn’t good at making friends with Arthur during his first visit in Camelot and leaves with no love lost after saving Camelot. Years later, when Merlin’s younger brother Mordred presents as an Alpha, Merlin is still the next dragonlord and the dragons show their allegiance. Merlin’s forced to give Camelot and Arthur another try and he finds a changed Arthur or instead he actually gets to know Arthur this time around. After working and saving Camelot together this time, they fall in love. They secretly become engaged, aren’t very good at remaining chaste before marriage, and drive their parents to insanity when they combine forces.
Unfortunately, their parent’s past affects them all. Camelot and Essetir became friends in the first place when Prince Balinor saved Queen Ygraine’s life. This puts Nimueh in a bad light and she is banished from Camelot. Nimueh has stayed out of sight for years, being a normal person until she learns that Balinor who is now King is sending his middle child and daughter, Freya, to learn from them. Nimeuh would never be able to get to Merlin or Arthur as they are secure in Camelot but Freya and Mordred might be easier targets.
Merlin and Arthur must then save their family amongst betrayal, learning to rule, and starting a family of their own.
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Number 13: CLAIMED
Title: A Quiet Place (Where Peaceful Waters Flow)
Rating: R/NC-17
Current Word Count: 78k
Estimated Final Word Count: 80-85k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Arthur/Merlin, side Gwen/Lance and Morgana/Leon
Warnings: injured!Arthur, emotional abuse, graphic sex and violence, kidnapping, themes of dying.
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): Anything!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): Rating up to teen for anything using photos of actors. Otherwise, anything goes.
Summary for Artists:
Genre: Modern Era Reincarnation Magical AU. Romantic Action/Adventure. (Plus visions/flashbacks to canon era.) Mild BDSM.
Characters: Merlin is a 1400-year-old man in a 30-year-old man’s body, and billionaire founder of music-streaming site, Spell. Arthur was in a car accident aged 18, 10 years before the start of the story. He is a left arm amputee, and has a facial scar (also a brain injury). Also starring the Knights, Gwen & Morgana. Featuring Will, Morgause and Cenred, and bad guys Tristan & Agravaine. (Gaius is a smart speaker)
Story: First act: Arthur attends his father’s funeral, while facing the prospect of being institutionalised by his Uncle Tristan: Arthur has ‘episodes/visions’. A careworn Merlin finds Arthur by accident during a house viewing and rescues him. Scenes include: Merlin sad-dancing in a club, Arthur lying in a wood grieving, Gwaine waving around Arthur’s prosthesis like a sword. Action takes place mainly in grand houses. Merlin has a Round Table.
Second act: Arthur is ‘found’. Merlin fits him with a new prosthesis (Excalibur). After an aggressive first ‘night’, Arthur and Merlin’s relationship distances, as Arthur spends time with the knights, riding, learning to fight, getting fit. Merlin is scared he is dying, and feels left out of Arthur’s recovery. Moments include: Arthur in a boxing ring fighting Gwaine, Drunk!Merlin wrecking stuff, then running off to a Climate Change demonstration with Will, Arthur and Merlin reconnecting (light bondage), Morgana in a fist fight with Morgause. Followed by: a group trip to Tintagel, a mob fight, a posh party at a manor, and political finagling.
Final Act: (without giving too much away!) includes a press conference, a kidnap and a car chase. Ends at a farmhouse, a quiet place, with Arthur and Merlin in a row boat, then in a forest. Also, there’s a triple wedding.
Overall:Big theme of connecting with Nature/magic, mindfulness, ageing and learning to accept one’s mortality (hence the title also refers to ‘a quiet place’ in the mind). Moods include sadness, angst, excitement and humour as well as lots of love. Merlin references some music in the story, but I kept it to a minimum.
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Number 14: CLAIMED
Title: Bananarchy Split
Rating: T or M
Current Word Count: 30ish k
Estimated Final Word Count: Ideally about 50k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Arthur/Merlin plus sides
Warnings: none really that I can think of, everyone lives, it’s all quite light-hearted and fluffy
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): I would be thrilled with any art someone wanted to produce.
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): sorry, I don’t understand this question, unless it is the same as the one I just answered? Absolutely anything that some creative soul wants to produce is fine with me, I’m open to suggestions and happy to change parts of the fic to suit ideas an artist might have.
Summary for Artists: Modern AU set in Cornwall - by the sea, nice sandy beach, waves, surfers, Cornish village and Tintagel Castle.
Merlin and Will are students working in Hunith’s ice cream van for the summer. Merlin is studying graphic design and has hand painted/sprayed the van along with a banana themed logo etc, possibly designed a website and leaflets.
Arthur has just discovered his mother is still alive and has moved down to Cornwall to be with her, he is working in her ice cream parlour on the seafront. The two establishments are rivals and trying to outdo each other, with Cenred stirring things up behind the scenes. Merlin and Arthur minor enemies to lovers vibe, with their friends getting together around them and forcing them to socialise.
Possible visuals include: Merlin and Will dressed as giant bananas handing out promotional leaflets, the hand-designed ice cream van and logo - I haven’t gone into too much detail on these yet, would love input. Gwaine, Percy and Lance as lifeguards. Emo NB Mordred with a guitar. Arthur and Leon in pink and white striped uniforms with ill-fitting trousers and pink thunderbird-style side hats. Lanky Leon on an ice cream rickshaw. Broken down ice cream van in the rain and mist on Bodmin Moor. A storm where Arthur, Gwain etc are on the lifeboat team and a boat is in trouble on the sea. Kilgharrah as a strange mystical ice cream man who turns up sporadically and smokes a vape stick whilst dispensing cryptic advice and has a van painted to look like a cow. Possibly images of the sea and the beach and the castle ruins. None of this is set in stone, just ideas for whatever might catch your interest!
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Number 15: CLAIMED
Title: We Can Always Run (Possibly Working Title)
Rating: Mature
Current Word Count: 110k
Estimated Final Word Count: 150-160k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur, Minor Elyan/Gwaine
Warnings: Canon-typical levels of violence, A bit of a co-dependent relationship between Merlin and Arthur
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): I’d love traditional or graphic/digital art, but I’m pretty much open to anything!
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): I truly don’t have much of a preference, anything that catches your eye!
Summary for Artists: Arthur has always had distant dreams of leaving Camelot. They were never more than a wistful fantasy, at least once he grew up. With the revelation of Merlin's magic, Arthur thinks he might have to one day leave after all, if only to protect Merlin.
The magic is just the beginning, though. Over the following months, secrets come to light that have the dreams slip back in; all his father's lies, unravelling piece by piece. Slowly but surely, Camelot feels less like a home and more like a gilded cage. Suddenly Arthur isn't so sure anymore whether he is the right person to carry this legacy. If he even wants to.
When he discovers a way to make sure that his people will be taken care of and Uther’s legacy won’t be carried on after his death, the decision is all too easy. The dreams aren’t just dreams anymore.
Merlin wouldn't be Merlin if he didn't follow wherever Arthur goes. As they try to find their footing in this new balance of their relationship while avoiding Uther's manhunt for them, they travel through the corners of Albion where magic still thrives while trying to build a new life for themselves.
In the end, it’s about more than simply surviving, though. It’s about forging their own path, about learning to truly trust each other, and finding that there’s more to life than duty, others’ expectations, and a destiny that cares nothing about them.
Possible visuals: A former Roman city where magic can be found at every corner, Roman bathhouses, Merlin fighting in a magical tournament, the boys on a merchant ship including getting caught in a storm, a magical island, lots and lots of sleeping in a small tent and talking by the fire, Ealdor and staying with Hunith, BAMF battle couple fighting together with magic and sword (at points with Lancelot or Gwaine and Elyan), Merlin showing Arthur all sorts of magic (to fight as well as just pretty things), their life on the road through the seasons, and copious amounts of both platonic and romantic gestures of affection.
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Number 16:CLAIMED
Title: Child of Luck and Magic
Rating: General
Current Word Count: 30,944
Estimated Final Word Count:~30,944
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, fairy tale typical infanticide attempts but no actual harm comes to the baby
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic (Please specify which of these medium/media of art that you wish to receive. If you have no preference and love everything, say so here!): Traditional, Graphic Art, Video
Art specifics (List any specifics of the art that you want or don't want to receive, including the preferred ratings.): Ratings: teen and under (as the writing is rated G it would be odd to be given a mature or explicit art), would love any of the soft merthur moments illustrated but I am happy with whatever speaks to the artist.
Summary for Artists: Canon Era based on the fairy tale The Luck Child. Prologue is Uther Pov, rest of fic is Merlin PoV. The Great Purge happens the same way it did in canon, but Nimueh does not leave Camelot. Instead she is kept locked up in a tower so Uther can use her gift of prophecy. On a visit to her, she informs him that an extremely lucky magical child will be born and he is destined to bring magic back to Camelot and create Albion. Said baby will have a very specific birthmark. Uther learns of a pregnant woman in the lower town and takes her baby from her promising that it will be raised in the castle. Instead Uther attempts to drown the baby by throwing it off a bridge, but as destiny would have it, the baby comes to a stop safely in a hollow log and drifts all the way to Ealdor where he is adopted by Hunith. Twenty years later, Will and Merlin are working in a field when Uther and his men ride up asking to be escorted to Ealdor. Merlin gets weird vibes off Uther, especially when Uther offers him a servant position at the castle in exchange for waived taxes. On Merlin's way to Camelot he meets Lancelot (a bandit who wants to be a knight) and he prevents the other bandits from murdering Merlin in his sleep. Merlin becomes determined to help Lancelot become a knight as thanks. When they arrive in Camelot, Merlin ends up marrying Arthur because the bandits forged a different note from Uther that claimed Merlin should marry the Princess. (The original note was an order for Merlin's execution). When Uther returns he sends Merlin on a quest to retrieve a scale from the last dragon as part of a fake marriage tradition of Camelot, assuming Merlin will either die on the way or get eaten by the dragon. Arthur joins Merlin on the quest and they form a bond that turns romantic.(Bed sharing, fighting back to back against bandits, and conversations in front of the fire). Along the way they help a sad blacksmith (Elyan) find his sister (Gwen), learn how to break The Ferryman's (Freya's) curse, help Lancelot become a knight, retrieve the scale from the dragon, and dethrone Uther with lots of cleverness and a lucky break.
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Number 17: CLAIMED
Title: My Big Fat Druid Wedding (Working Title)
Rating: E
Current Word Count: 66k
Estimated Final Word Count: 70k
Pairing(s) or Gen: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings: soulbonding, rom-com
Traditional Art/Graphic Art/Video/Fanmix/Podfic: Traditional Art/Digital Art/Graphic Art
Art specifics: T / SFW
Summary for Artists: In a modern magical world, Merlin is a Druid who lives in a commune on the outskirts of Camelot. He has a job as a photographer, keeping his magic a secret from all non-magic people besides his best friend Will. Merlin would like nothing more than to live an ordinary life, but the Druids have one cardinal rule: Druids marry Druids. Merlin has been fighting to get out of an engagement to Mordred for several years to no avail, but when Arthur Pendragon enters the picture, sparks fly...only for Merlin to learn Arthur's father hates Druids. With Arthur oblivious to Merlin's heritage, Merlin will have to choose between telling the truth or feigning ignorance, and possibly losing everything he's ever known along the way.
Visuals include: an elaborate ceremony (not a wedding!) involving trees, flowers, and a lake; tattoos of all sorts; a Pendragon family portrait; Merlin on fire (he’s fine); medieval jousting in modern times; Merlin on "trial"; a ridiculously fancy family dinner complete with expensive and tiny plates of food; a modernised, very green take on the Crystal Cave