The fantasy in modern Arthuriana (1)

This is a loose translation of the French article « The children of Merlin : the Medieval magic revisited », included in the compilation “King Arthur in the mirror of time” (part two: Histories of Arthur, The Literary Matter of the 20th century)

I/ Introduction

The “merveilleux” [t.n.: a French word that can correspond to the English “fantasy” but is distinct from it and means in a more general way wonders and marvels, and covers a wider scope of elements than just modern fantasy novels] is so essential to the Arthurian tales of the Middle-Ages that it is quite legitimate to ask if the ensemble would have had such a posterity without its numerous monsters, enchanted castles and magical rings, without forgetting the Quest of the Grail, the wonder by excellence. As such, even though most of modern rewritings made an effort to recreate an historical realism, the “merveilleux” must always find its place within the plot, even if it is just to satisfy the reader’s expectations. Moreover, the “fantasy”, which owes a lot to the Arthurian legend, and heavily influenced a large share of its contemporary continuations, is characterized by an abundant use of magic. The sorcerers and sorceresses of the Matter of Britain were thus regenerated by the new addition of this modernized “merveilleux” that is the fantasy. But, depending on the authors, a demystification at various degrees of the medieval legend leads to more or less fantastical treatments of the rewrite. More precisely, it seems that, after the historicizing of the Arthurian material between the 60s and 80s, a reintroduction of the marvelous took place which aims to find magic’s role within the established setting of the historical novel. This mix of “historical” and “traditional” leads again to the question of the Arthurian genre. At the same time historical and fantastical, the new Arthurian roman hesitates between polarities that are constantly getting more developed, more complex and richer, complicating any attempt at a confinement to a specific genre. The case of two authors of recent Arthurian cycles, Stephen Lawhead (The Pendragon Cycle) and Bernard Cornwell (The Warlord Chronicles), is especially revealing. In their way to approach the “merveilleux”, they illustrate very well the different habits of the authors concerned with resurrecting the Arthurian legend.

Friday Knight Fights is an audio drama podcast that follows modern-day college students discovering that they are the reincarnations of characters from Arthurian Legend. This is my review.

Arthur Padron was just an average teenager trying to enjoy his gap year before college. Then he met a girl named Lynn, and touched the magic sword she had with her. Arthur soon discovered that he is the modern-day reincarnation of King Arthur himself. Lynn turns out to be the reincarnation of the great sorcerer Merlin, and the sword is Excalibur itself. They’re also joined by Elliot, who is the reincarnation of Lancelot. The modern reincarnations of the Knights of the Round Table are scattered across modern-day America. Arthur, Lynn, and Elliot must set off on a cross-country roadtrip to recruit the reincarnated knights. However, though magic is returning to the world, so too are dark forces. It’s sure to be an adventure of Arthurian proportions.

There have been a few other works that utilize the premise of Arthurian characters reincarnating in the modern-day. However, it is not how many times a premise has been done, but how well you execute it, that truly matters. Personally, I’d say that @fridayknightfights did a pretty good job handling its premise.

Season one is split into two alternating parts. One part takes place during everyone’s freshmen year at college, while the other takes place one year earlier, and shows how everyone met. Each episode will features scenes relating to both plot lines. Usually, the freshmen year plot line starts off the episode, and then we transition to the one year earlier plot line. Also, in case you’re wondering, the sword on the cover art is Excalibur, and the red threads are the red threads of destiny. 

One of the biggest strengths of Friday Knight Fights is its absolutely stellar cast. I could tell from my first listen that the cast were all extremely talented and hard-working. I don’t know if any of them have prior experience in voice acting, but I see very bright futures for them all. Now, having said all of this, I need to do a bit of tough love. The audio quality, while overall passable, can have some noticeable inconsistencies at times. There will be sometimes when characters will have a noticeable background hiss accompany their dialogue. Also, there’s always a little bit at the end of each episode, after the credits, that feels like it was incidental recordings left in by accident. So, definitely want to even out those audio levels and remove that background hiss. However, I have full confidence that the Friday Knight Fights crew will be able to iron-out these issues.

There’s a lot of really fun little nods and references to the original Arthurian Legends. For example, Gerry is the reincarnation of Gawain, and he hates the color green. This is an obvious nod to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In other nods, Carlos and Delilah are the reincarnations of Kay and Bedivere, and are hinted to have feeling for each other. Very interesting, as Kay and Bedivere were quite close in the original legends. I also love that one episode took place at Medieval Times Chicago.

Season one of Friday Knight Fights brought lots of urban fantasy fun with an Arthurian twist. I can’t wait to see what season two brings us.

Have you listened to Friday Knight Fights? If so, what did you think?

Link to the full review on my blog: https://drakoniandgriffalco.blogspot.com/2022/08/the-audio-file-friday-knight-fights.html?m=1

Bristles

I know a lot of you don’t come here for my original work, but I’m gonna share this anyway because I don’t have anyone to talk about this story with currently; it’s an excerpt from a longshot Arthurian story, told from Guinevere’s perspective. Even if the writing is going slowly, I’m still having quite a bit of fun puzzling everything out and seeing how far I can ramp up the tension--sexual or otherwise. Anyway, happy reading xx

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A stir met Morgan’s arrival just before midday. We few of Arthur’s court welcomed her at the gates, while behind us other nobles poked out their heads from any opening they could find for a glimpse of the fairy-woman. In the books, they were always described as small and nimble, the better for weaving their way in the world, but Morgan was nearly as tall as myself, built more like her father the Duke Gorlois with every inch of her mother Igraine’s beauty. The court bristled at her unbound, uncovered hair, which hung in inky waves to the middle of her back, at her navy robes that were well-suited for her olive skin, at the grace with which she dismounted her dapple roan horse and approached, straight-backed and high held chin, noble heritage on blatant display.

              Arthur stepped forward, taking his kinswoman’s right hand in his and laying a kiss against her knuckles. “My lady Morgan,” he said, “you are most welcome to Camelot.”

              “The honour is mine, my lord Arthur,” she responded, and I sensed the small shock that went through some of the gathered court; they had never heard her voice, and did not expect a woman with such a feminine appearance to have an alto timbre. When released, she turned to me, taking one of my hands within both of hers. Her lips against my cheek were feathery, hardly daring to touch my skin, yet her breath puffed against it, moist and warm. “You look exceedingly well, my lady Guinevere,” she said.

              “And you also, Lady Morgan,” I said, not knowing why the words struggled to form on my tongue, “in spite of your travels.”

              “Then I do hope I am not unsuitable to appear in your halls.” She gave her horse’s reins to a nearby groom and instructed firmly, “Take utmost care of her. She is one of Lady Vivian’s treasured.”

              Next to Arthur, I once again bore witness to their resemblance. While he was of much fairer complexion than she, and bearing features inherited from King Uther, one could see the structure of their faces was similar, at least around the cheekbones, eyes, and mouth—but that was much the end of it, save for perhaps a few mannerisms; they were only partway related, after all. The knowledge had grown old for me already, but for the gathered crowd, it was entirely new; mouths moved quickly in verbal observation or stayed tight to spread word at a later hour. I suspected, as we moved inside at last, watching as Morgan took Arthur’s offered arm, I would hear much of it from my women as they dressed me down for bed.

              Naturally, there was a gander of the place, so Morgan might know her way about, and introductions to the nobles she hadn’t met when she had attended the wedding between Arthur and I one year ago, and introductions to the women who’d been chosen to care for her in the duration of her stay. She eyed each of them carefully, as if she could see into their very souls and judge their characters, and said, after they’d each given her a customary curtsey, “I shan’t have need of these women.”

              The head maid, Livia, who had chosen my own women, coloured visibly. “I beg your pardon, my lady?”

              “I am of simple taste, madam; they would only get in my way.”

              Livia looked from Morgan to Arthur, bewildered; my lord husband soothed her in his gentle manner, “It’s quite all right, Lady Livia. We must allow Lady Morgan some of her own comforts, being leagues from home.”

              “As you say, my lord,” said Livia, fixing Morgan with narrowing eyes. The women, however, looked rather relieved.

                “I expected her to be ugly,” said Gyneth, slipping my nightshift onto my shoulders.

              “And small,” added Lucia, “with only a fine bosom and wide hips as worthy assets.”

              Gyneth laughed but scolded around it, “You should not talk so, Lucia!”

              “If there are no men to hear it, I can talk as crude as I like.” She glanced up at me from her position at my bed. “That is, if my lady doesn’t mind.”

              “One can hardly avoid crudeness in a castle full of men,” I said. “But you mustn’t allow it to leave this room.”

              Lucia twisted her fingers about her pretty lips, as if she were locking a chest, and flicked her wrist in the direction of the window.

              “Is she truly Arthur’s kinswoman, my lady?” said Gyneth. She was taking down my hair now, preparing to brush it out. “They could not be more opposite, in appearance as well as mannerisms.”

              “Oh, indeed,” Lucia agreed, finishing at last in turning down the bedclothes and checking them over. “It’s a wonder the same blood bred such different characteristics, and that His Majesty seems to have escaped the fairy-tendencies. I fear the man he’d be if he hadn’t.”

              “Would he not be like Lord Merlin if he hadn’t?”

              “What,” said Lucia with a scoff, “a man aged before his time and loony?”

              I said firmly, “I’ll thank you not to speak of the Lord Merlin in that way, Lucia. Let us not forget it is because of his wisdom that my lord husband has driven back the Saxons and that Camelot still stands firm atop its hill."

              Lucia’s pale cheeks pinked. “No, my lady,” she said. “I shan’t forget.”

              “See you do not. Now lay the basin and pitcher and be off to bed.”

              Gyneth finished my hair, trailing behind Lucia after bidding me good night. I was alone for a quarter of an hour before Arthur’s arrival. His golden hair was damp from a wash and tiredness was written across his features.

              “Is your fatigue Morgan’s doing?” I said.

              “Not entirely,” replied Arthur, removing his outer robe and draping it over a bedpost. “I had a letter from Lancelot that required an immediate reply.” He climbed into bed, and I beside him, keeping space between our bodies.

              “What news does he bring?”

              “Nothing concerning, I assure you; only a longing to return home.”

              “He says nothing of the battle?”

              Arthur’s tone firmed. “Where did you learn this, Gwen?”

              “It isn’t hard to guess at,” I returned. “Why else would the king send away his best knight, if not to go into battle?” I turned from him, reaching for the tallow candle burning on my night table. “I am not a simple woman,” I said quietly. “I should think you’d enjoy that, seeing as your kinswoman puts herself on a mighty high hill and you do not scold her for standing upon it.”

              I blew out the candle, feeling Arthur’s irritation, and then his guilt.

              He asked, after a good length, “Do you envy her?”

              A laugh bubbled from my lips. “If there is anything to envy about a sorceress, it’s that the world yields to her because it fears what she’d do if they didn’t.”

              And how useful it would be, I thought later, as Arthur faded into dreams, to know magic and to strike fear into people’s hearts with a single look.

              Useful, said a more logical tendril, and then dangerous.

Why marry Arthur Pendragon?

💍Gender selectable! (Marry Elaine Pendragon instead!)

🥲 Make your father proud!

💰 Get rich-quick-scheme!

🫅 Marry a fellow royal worthy of you!

🏰 Gain a barony!

🛏️ Optional affair!

💘 True love?

THE PROLOGUE IS FINALLY PUBLISHED

Still working on the aesthetics and the side bars are mostly empty but here it is!! Just glad the start finally uploaded!

Also exciting news, It’s gonna have music with it eventually. A friend of mine does music for games and such and wanted so make some music for it so that’s really cool!

alice to selwyn:

You’ve never known anything besides the cold. Ice water pumps through your veins— at least that’s what your dear brother says. After all, you were found abandoned in the woods during one of the worst blizzards your clan had ever seen.

The world outside of Norway seemed as far off as Valhalla to you. You never expected to leave it, but your brother had other plans when he started speaking of a far off place filled with warmth and animals the like you’ve never seen.

A place called England.

If you had known all that would befall you within the far off land… You may have thought twice about stepping aboard that boat.

Demo Features:

Play as a Viking MC that travels to England to discover a new world. Meeting a cast of characters you may be familiar with. Viking story with an Arthurian twist.

Customizable MC: name, gender, appearance, sexuality, and much more!

Your very own dire-wolf! Customizable as well: name, gender, and coat color.

Romance 1 of 5 possible options! From the Leader of England to a disgruntled knight.

Will you be able to forge alliances? Or will everything collapse due to the coming war?

DEMO (TBA)

This story is rated 18+ (Mature) for depictions of violence, blood, death, sexual themes, profanity, alcohol consumption, and mentions of torture.

More things may be added as the story progresses!

NSFW asks will be tagged #nsfw for anyone that wishes to avoid the topic.

Arthur/Artura/Artur | M/F/NB, 29 Years Old, Leo.

The Leader of England. They welcome you into Camelot with a gentle smile after the recent events that had transpired. Seemingly a fair and just leader, while being a mighty warrior, you’re not sure what to make of them. Will you find it within yourself to trust them? And possibly discover something more?

Appearance: They stand at around 6’5” with golden blonde hair and sky blue eyes. Tanned skin causes them to have an ethereal glow like you’ve never seen. As if they had been chosen by the Gods themselves. (Arthur keeps his hair to his ears, Arthura to her shoulder blades, and Artur keeps theirs to their shoulders.)

Frey/Freya | M/F, 27 Years Old, Scorpio.

Your constant companion and someone you’d forever trust to have your back. Even if they have an abrasive attitude, can be a horrible flirt, and everything under the sun, you couldn’t imagine anyone else as your best friend. You’re just lucky that you still have them with you as traverse the oddity that is England. Will something more blossom than friendship?

Appearance: They stand at around 5’9” with light brown hair and hazel eyes. The gold and green of which cause their bronze toned skin to stand out that much more. (They both keep their hair a little past their shoulders.)

Lancelot | M/F, 29 Years Old, Aquarius.

You don’t know much about the knight that never seems to stray far from the Ruler of England— not even their name— but you’re well aware of their battle prowess. With a guarded expression, penchant for silence, and ability to always disappear when you’re looking for them, you don’t think you’ll ever get close to the knight. Will you prove yourself wrong?

Appearance: They stand at around 6’3” with dark brown hair. Light brown skin cause the sterling silver of their eyes to stand out. You’ve never seen them out of their suit of armor, but maybe something will end up changing that. (M!Lance cuts his hair short and F!Lance has hers to just over her shoulders.)

Morgana | F, 27 Years Old, Capricorn.

The younger sister of the A. Someone who keeps to herself more often than not, but you can tell that there’s more to her than meets the eye. With a penchant to stay in the shadows, you want nothing more than to bring her out into the light. Will you be able to break through her mask of snark and ice?

Appearance: Morgana stands at around 5’11” with midnight black hair falling to the small of her back in a mixture of waves and soft curls. Fair skin glows in the moonlight— if her sibling was blessed by the sun then she was blessed by the moon. Her violet eyes, a color you didn’t even know was possible, hold a great deal of knowledge, but an even greater deal of pain.

Percival | M, 28 Years Old, Cancer.

With a gentle attitude, and generally compassionate disposition, Percival— or Percy— is one of the most innocent warriors you have ever come across. He doesn’t like to spill blood unless it’s absolutely necessary and he does his best to make sure that’s the way it stays, but he’s also a competent warrior and won’t hesitate to defend people he cares for. There’s not a bad bone in his body is the common phrase when referring to him.

Appearance: Percival stands at around 5’8” with dark auburn hair and forest green eyes. His olive toned skin causes his eyes to shimmer that much more. He’s usually never seen without a smile on his lips or a flower behind his ears— that a servant picked for him.

RO ART BREEDERS

Gates of Avalon

(Arthurian legends meet Witcher.)

The Gates of Avalon is a wip interactive fiction following Lancelot!MC, the companion of Prince Arthur and his best knight. 

The lands are dying under King Uther’s iron rule and it seems war with the north is inevitable. Yet there's another, more pressing matter. Something has gone terribly wrong at the sacred isle of Avalon. There’re whispers of whole villages gone, of ghouls running freely in their streets. Talks of trolls that have gotten bolder and started to leave mountains, of harpies moving their nests and attacking settlements. 

Blinded with greed, the King decides battling a foreign ruler is more important than protecting his own people and lands. A royal decree is issued. Under the punishment of death, no knight is allowed to leave Camelot. 

Prince Arthur doesn’t care. He and a group of knights leave for Avalon before dawn.

FEATURES:

play as Lancelot!MC, a legendary knight of the Round table

customize your Lancelot - gender, appearance, personality,...

meet the future knights and other characters as a child and bond with them, grow and train together

take care of Galahad, an orphaned boy in need of saving and define your relationship with him

fall in love with one (or maybe more?) of the ROs or play purely platonic route

journey to Avalon through lands full of magic and dangerous creatures with a group of rag-tag knights

become a living legend, shape the fate of the Pendragon lands and those around you

tame a dragon?

THE ROS

Prince Arthur Pendragon (he/him): the Prince of Camelot and the leader of the Knights of the Round table, Arthur is a walking contradiction. He’s a brilliant stategist and warrior, able to think quickly on his feet, but fights with a snarl on his face and eyes narrowed into slits. He’s quick to anger, almost always slightly frowning and is incredibly arrogant. Yet he values his friends and people highly, ready to die for any of  them in a blink of an eye. He has...a complicated relationship with his father, King Uther. One that made him treat any of his failures as something unacceptable.

Knight Gawaine (M/F): one of the knights of the Round Table and one of your oldest friends, Gawaine is warm, friendly and likes to crack jokes. They’re liked by all, yet fight like they still have something to prove. You don’t know much about their life before they arrived to Camelot, no one does. They’re always quick to deflect with a smile, one that doesn’t quite reach their eyes. Gawaine is most proficient with double daggers and throwing knives and they’re the shortest of the knights.

Princess Morgaine le Fay (she/they) - The princess of Camelot and half-sister to Arthur Pendragon, Morgaine has a tongue that’s too sharp for her own good and attitude that makes more enemies than friends. They detest fighting with weapons and instead cultivate their powerful magical abilites, some of which might be a bit questionable...

Gwynnever (Gwyn) (F/M) - loud, excited and barefoot. Those were some of your first impressions when you first met Gwyn in the middle of the woods during your quest. Bluntly honest and a bit naive, Gwynnever is a forest fae that loves to sing and specialises in healing magic, which also does enormous damage to the undead. Fun.

Poly route: Arthur/Gawaine, Arthur/Gwyn, Morgaine/Gwyn

DEMO 

OTHER LINKS

ROs' appearances Ro’s ages + heights chart

Touched By Fire is an Arthurian Legend inspired IF using CScript.

Genre: Drama, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, and Action.

Warning(s): This story is rated 18+ for depictions of violence, blood, torture, sexual themes, profanity, alcohol consumption, and death.

DEMO (TBA)

Magic had been outlawed within England, within Camelot, for as long as you could remember. The Fae— mythical beings that were able to harness the arcane arts— disappearing into parts unknown; only Merlin stayed behind in order to advise the ruling family.

You had never understood why your father was so against magic. Why he seemed so adamant about you never getting your hands on anything regarding the arcane arts. It wasn’t until his death that you finally realized the secrets he had been withholding from you— the truth of your birth and heritage.

That Fae Blood, that magic, coursed through your veins and you had no idea how to stop it from consuming you.

Not without the help of the very people your father had banished from the realm.

Play as a Morgana!MC that comes to terms with everything that had been kept from them their entire life— for reasons that are both noble and not so much. Will you be able to find your roots? Harness the magic that now sings within your veins? Or will everything turn to ash before you ever get the chance?

Play as Morgan(a) as you try to figure out how to control the powers that have suddenly awaken within you. Will you be able to find the secrets to the past? Discover why your father had keep so many things from you? Or will everything be lost to the passage of time?

Customizable MC: name, nickname, sexuality, appearance, hobbies, and a smattering of other things that will crop up as the story progresses. Play as male or female.

Harness the magic that’s beginning to well within you in whatever form it manifests: battle, healing, alchemy, or the dark arts.

Will your perception of Uther change as you begin to learn more about him? About who he was before events he could have never stopped unfolded before him?

Bond with your older brother— Arthur.

Spend time with the people within Camelot, and the surrounding villages, if you’d wish to get interesting perspectives. Or spend time with the castle hounds and steeds.

Romance 1 of 5 Romantic Options— one being only for Female MCs and one being only for Male MCs.

Will you find your way to the truth? Or will everything turn to ash before you can?

Lancelot [M] - The Knight

28 [6’3” | Hazel Eyes | Dark Brown Hair]

Arthur’s best friend and loyal right hand. You rarely ever see the two apart, but Lance always made it a point to make sure that you were doing all right. Where Arthur was outgoing and energetic— reminiscent of a few hounds within Camelot— Lancelot was stoic and rarely let his guard down around strangers; he was the grounding anchor that your brother needed. Maybe he’s supposed to be yours to. (Male MCs Only.)

Guinevere [F] - The Queen

26 [5’11” | Crystalline Blue Eyes | Golden White Hair]

There isn’t much to be known about Arthur’s prospective bride— the soon-to-be Queen of England. All that you could have ever possibly learned would never have prepared you for the tidal wave that was Guinevere, however. Compassion and warmth was something she shared with Arthur, but the cold, almost calculating, way she stared at those she perceived as a threat? It just made you glad she was on your side. Will you be able to break down the walls surrounding her heart? (Female MCs Only.)

Joseph/Josephine [M/F] - The Healer

27 [5’4” | Light Brown Eyes | Onyx Black Hair]

The Healer within Camelot wasn’t one to interact with everyone, but they’re gentle nature and compassionate air soothes even the most frightened of souls. They’ve always been willing to lend a listening ear— no matter how busy they might be— as they always make sure you know they’re never too busy for you. Will you be exactly what they need to heal their broken heart?

Isaac/Isolde [M/F] - The Rogue

24 [5’8” | Emerald Green Eyes | Dark Auburn Hair]

With a mischievous air, flirtatious smile, and easygoing approach to life, it was no secret that the spymaster for Arthur was a popular topic of conversation within Camelot. You don’t think you’ve ever seen them with anyone for long— even less so when they’re actually smiling. You’re just fortunate enough to know the person beneath the mask— and thinly veiled advances— as they also happened to be your best friend. Will something more than friendship grow between the two of you?

Caelian/Caelia [M/F] - The Guide

Unknown [6’2” | Violet Eyes | Dark Golden Blonde Hair]

You never anticipated to get the answer to your silent prayers in the form of a rigid, spitfire of a person. Anger was something they seemed to be well versed in as they interact with you— for good reason as they’re part of the very people that your father had banished from the realm; a pure blooded Fae. Will you ever be able to find common ground with them? Or will everything crumble before you ever can?

Okay granted, there are definitely a lot of bad ones out there, but you can't deny that most of these shaped the literature standards today even if you say these are all quite average lmaooo

We Are Free Mice is a narrative video game of tarot-playing about Redwall-ish mice and antiquity

follow us here or at www.wearefreemice.com

Concept Pitch: Morgan: The Future King of Camelot

The base premise is that our hero takes on an alter ego by wielding Excalibur. It gives him leather armor, a cloak and a mask though rather than full plate, though anyone who knows him would say that big, bulky plate male wouldn't fit. He's not exactly what people think of nobility after all what with his snark, bit of a loner personality and how rude he can be. He swears too much to be a knight of Arthurian legend many would say and he'd agree. HIS name is Morgan. After being rejected from the drama club AGAIN for not being able to act but at least being allowed to be a part of stage crew since he's a senior and he has been trying to get in for over three years now, he meets the lady of the lake by hanging out with some dudebro friends who are giving him shit for not getting a real part. Machismo stuff leads to increasingly dangerous things happening that are tests of chivalry until he jumps into a cistern because above the rushing water he faintly thought he heard a woman calling his name. He gets the sword and superhero antics begin. Or, well, begrudgingly begin. Like I said, he wouldn't exactly count himself as a knightly soul even as he never even hesitates to use the blade to help people. He even blames the sword because it whispers encouragement to him and he's worried this might be a symbiote situation. It's not, it's just Excalibur attempting to make sure the wielder is learning and being a king and is usually pretty happy to be told to shut up since Morgan is doing his job anyways. Villains would of course come in all shades inspired from the Arthurian canon but that doesn't just mean the villains. Fighting reincarnations of Arthur's knights would be a real thing, often in the process getting the ability to turn Excalibur into a weapon affiliated with them. Final boss gets warned about by the Green Knight who after testing him himself and giving him the gift of nature magic to add to his arsenal, warns him against the written serpent. Even just that much of a mention of Arthur though is enough to get the old king to turn his gaze upon where he'd thought he'd felt a pulse from his old blade.

So he arrives, love interests and besties start interacting with him and getting turned into his court, including this being when the girl he likes in Drama gets with his best friend in the drama club so, you know... Gwynevere and Lancelot. It's a shit show for his life personally, especially as old allies like The Green Knight, father to a love interest, disappear, knowing better than to stick around for whatever Arthur is going to do. But at first, Arthur and Morgan aren't enemies. Arthur is sponsoring the play, being the owner of Round Table Pizza because that's funny to me, and, well... He thinks Morgan quite literally can't be the wielder of Excalibur. Even when they shake hands and they both get a glimpse into each other, it only cements it further in Arthur's mind that something is wrong. When he asks for Mordred though, Morgan has no idea who he's talking about but that he should drop all the legend stuff. It's not good for anyone. Then Arthur pushes it by finally confirming something that had been extremely hinted at up until now by accusing him of being Mordred. That he should kill his false name and take up a proper male name if he wishes to pretend to be one.

Morgan never changed his name though when he figured out he was trans. He has a good relationship with his parents, never hated the name and when he tried using it in a more masculine tone, he felt it fit. So he never changed it. Of course, that's impossible to Arthur who wants a return to old things and so to him, this makes the current rightful king to Camelot a woman. He needs proof that the sword made the mistake though so time to fight! After all, if the sword is sane at all, him trashing the theater room while everyone is around will force Morgan to fight, which of course it does. Eventually, Morgan uses trickery, which is nothing new, to thrust through a fake rock with Excalibur to try to beat Arthur since Arthur is mostly wiping the floor with him. He's more experienced, he's stronger and his magic is better. Even without the sword, he's still a nightmare of an opponent. The problem is that the sword doesn't care if it's a real stone or fake one and it blasts everyone back from being planted back into a stone. Everyone... But Arthur, who was throwing a blast to counter the stab and so protected himself. He shatters the rock before the sword can finish changing it to real stone... And then leaves, saying he has a kingdom to build. Mordred doesn't exist after all and there are no knights for which to oppose him.

Classic disempowerment arc begins where a contrast between Arthur actually making the underground crime elements of the cities his minions and soldiers since they are strong and fighters while Morgan is still standing up for people and being a hero of a sorts, even without the sword's power. He does accidentally show he's still got a bit of power, like Arthur did, since he can still use his magic but it's never on purpose. It's just his heroic will made manifest. But he isn't going after Arthur himself because, well, he got his ass kicked with powers and its ARTHUR PENDRAGON. If anyone's a good leader, it's him. That changes when Arthur, in full regalia like he was during the fight but now looking even bigger and more intimidating, tries to make himself king. To turn the new city into his Camelot. For subjects, he releases prisoners and the like, claiming that the rules and order of this land is corrupt. That it no longer knows chivalry, even stating explicitly how it thinks women can be knights as a part of it. This gets Morgan so mad that he can't ignore how much magic he just conjured up and so he does two things: Remakes his knight costume to wear and Two: Calls the costume self Mordred. He never gave it a name before, usually referring to the other self by Excalibur or the like since that's where it comes from but never bothering with a name himself. That's not really who he is. BUT it is who Arthur is. Arthur tried already to hurt him with titles. To push him down by trying to come up with a deadname for him. Morgan doesn't care though. Call him what you want. His actions are what matters. So why not the name Mordred for a costume? He's just doing it because he knows it'll piss Arthur off, especially because all the footage fails to show one thing: Arthur actually using Excalibur. He goes out to fight Arthur, having riled the king up with rumors about a Mordred going around. When Arthur spits at him about finally taking the name of the usurper now, he laughs it off and says he needs to go to more Halloween parties. His name is still Morgan. That doesn't change how the fight is going to go. Morgan does taunt Arthur about using the blade though. He's having to dodge for his life while doing so but he's savvier now and he's not trying to win. Not yet. He's just making him angry and when he points this out, it throws Arthur into an all new frenzy. This isn't chivalry! This isn't honor! And so, in a practiced motion, he draws Excalibur! Aaaaand immediately the tip of it slams into the ground. It has rejected him. He is able to hold it but wield it? No. And power from it is flowing directly into Morgan as he just walks up to Arthur. He states that things like doing what you need to protect people, standing up to evil, showing understanding and making sure even the smallest, most marginalized get a fair shake are honorable and chivalrous. But Arthur sees him, sees his binder, and rejects him despite how small he is. Despite how weak he is. Even now, Arthur was willing to fight an unarmed opponent. He might have magic but what is magic compared to the might of Excalibur? Especially since he never once attacked Arthur in this fight. He claimed to want to talk and see Excalibur.

He takes the blade, full plate finally donning him as a crown appears on his head. It then all morphs to be effectively his normal clothes but metal. A new armor for a new age. He raises the blade... And gives Arthur a nick on the neck. He doesn't need to kill Arthur, not when this speech already did. Arthur shuts his eyes, sighs and whispers that he will make a good king before fading away, finally finding peace after so many centuries after he thought his ideals were dead.

Wrap up with Morgan getting with one of his love interests officially now that things have died down, the play FINALLY being put on and an epilogue of someone asking Morgan what he'll do as king. If he'll ever take up the mantle. He says he doesn't know, nor does he care. He'll just keep trying to do as much good as he can and anyone who tells him he can't can go fuck themselves. He's still Morgan and nothing, not even destiny, is every going to change that.

======+++++======

I came up with this in 3 hours. As someone on my Discord pointed out, this is a full series synopsis effectively, probably actually really well paced for three seasons theoretically, or as a pretty decent book series that I'd assume would at least take... A quarter million words to tell? Probably a good deal more depending on just how many villains Morgan has to face? And again: I came up with it in three hours.

My brain just runs fast. Me not producing material is NEVER going to be an ideas problem. The closest it will ever come to that is my brain grid locking between too many ideas and not being pulled in any one direction, something most people can actually fight through, especially if they have multiple projects to work on. So yeah, reminder that if you'd like my take on a concept, let me know. Hell, you want to ask questions about this concept, go ahead. I detail the third act/season pretty heavily but I have deeper ideas for some stuff like the Green Knight.

Oh, final note to include: I felt really happy when one of the trans members of my Discord really liked the explanation for why Morgan doesn't have a dead name. That was actually come up with on the fly as my brain suddenly remembered Morgan Le Fay's name wasn't Morgana. Like... mid write up and the write up in Discord only took 20 minutes.

Alright, now it's links time.

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

A Twitter you can follow too

And a Kofi if you like what I do and want to help out with the fact that disability doesn’t pay much.

Currently reading this book about King Arthur in American movies, and it starts out by explaining how every single major King Arthur retelling stems from a time of crisis.

Puts the whole “King Arthur will return when needed the most” in a whole different perspective, doesn’t it.

Why play Arthurian Tale: Camelot?

Find Love:

💕 Arranged marriage trope!

😍 Body guard trope!

😑 Strong protective love interest!

😉 Morgana. (Need I say more?)

Allign with Camelot:

✌️Avoid war!

🥰 Help Camelot's allies stay friends!

🌾Procure advantagous trade deals!

Allign against Camelot:

⚠️ Go to war!

⚔️ Turn Camelot's allies against each other!

🥹 Make your father proud!

Personel Development:

🗡️ Become a knight!

🕵️ Establish a spy network!

🏹 Become an archer!

📚 Become a scholar!

🧑‍⚕️ Consider a career as a physician!

A little blurb from the Prologue as I’m editing and rewriting parts of it.

“Your nightmares are trying to draw you somewhere, to lead you to where these dreams are to take place. I fear they will only get worse as you get older and spend more time away from where fate wants you.” Well. That isn’t very comforting to learn. As you look at Vivian you see that whatever happiness she felt at finding the solution to your pain has quickly gone, which only makes you more nervous.

“Where… where is this place I have to journey?” You ask warily. What if you’re going to be sent far away? To some unknown land you could not return from?! Perhaps you will have to go back to your birthplace of Benoic and face your parents murderer! Maybe… maybe you even have to find a way to the Otherworld itself. You feel yourself grow cold at the thought.

“Oh Sweetheart,” Vivian runs her hand along your [hair type choice], sensing your increasing anxiety, “It is nothing quite so bad as you fear. In fact, you’ll enjoy it quite a bit,” She laughed at a joke only she knew. “I’m simply going to miss you dearly”

“Dear, tomorrow you’ll be heading across the sea to Camelot.”