Hyrule
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hyrule (ハイラル Hairaru?) is a fictional land portrayed in The Legend of Zelda video game series created by Nintendo and industry legend Shigeru Miyamoto. It is often used to refer to the Kingdom where the Royal Family of Hyrule presides, as well as sometimes the surrounding lands and world not governed by them.
The kingdom of Hyrule is the setting in which most of the Zelda games take place. The landscape changes dramatically between games.
Contents |
[edit] Hyrule in the series
The land of Hyrule, first depicted in The Legend of Zelda, released in February of 1986 for the Famicom Disk System, was the mythical backdrop for the adventures of a boy-to-hero character, Link. Link battles his way through different areas and terrains of Hyrule and through eight dungeons. The player's quest in Hyrule was to reassemble the Triforce of Wisdom and rescue Princess Zelda who was being held captive by the evil Ganon.
In later editions of the Zelda series of games (for all Nintendo consoles to date, minus the Virtual Boy) more characters and mysteries of the land of Hyrule were unveiled and explained.
Many of the designated areas of Hyrule have appeared through the series, notably The Lost Woods, Death Mountain, and Lake Hylia. Several games in the series take place away from Hyrule: Link's Awakening (Koholint Island), Majora's Mask (Termina), The Great Sea in The Wind Waker (though technically is still Hyrule), and Oracle of Ages/Oracle of Seasons (Labrynna and Holodrum respectively).
[edit] Formation of Hyrule
Hyrule was formed by the goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore (see The Three Goddesses). According to Hylian legend, Din created the physical geography of the realm, Farore the flora and fauna, and Nayru gave the laws of physics. Once the goddesses had completed their tasks, they departed for the heavens, and left behind them three golden triangles. Into these, they gave their power to govern all things; this became known as the Triforce. The Triforce resided in another realm from Hyrule known as the Sacred Realm.
[edit] Currency
Rupees are the unit of currency within most of the Zelda universe, within circulation in the lands of Hyrule, Koholint Island, Termina, Labrynna, and Holodrum. Rupees are acquired primarily by defeating enemies, by cutting tall grasses or bushes, or by opening treasure chests, and used primarily to purchase items in shops. It is revealed in The Minish Cap that the reason why Rupees are usually hidden in grass is because the tiny Minish race hide them in bushes as gifts for humans to find. The value of a Rupee is usually denoted by its color. Link cannot hold more Rupees than his current maximum wallet size. Those collected at this point are lost. His wallet size varies between games.
Although Rupees are used most often to buy items in shops, occasionally they have other uses. In the original Legend of Zelda, one rupee is used up every time Link shoots an arrow. In A Link to the Past, if a set amount (100) of Rupees were thrown into a certain fairy fountain, a fairy would appear and increase Link's carrying capacity for bombs or arrows, at the player's choice. In Ocarina of Time, collecting all the Silver Rupees in a particular room is a form of puzzle. In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess rupees are used to power the magic armor. Rupees are also central to the gameplay in the multiplayer Four Swords. Here, there exist Black Rupees, which cause the player to drop rupees across the ground; and Rupee Shards, which, when four are collected, become a Rupee of great value. In Twilight Princess, the optional Magic Armor is powered by Rupees, and when Link is hit, he loses Rupees instead of hearts. If Link runs out of Rupees while wearing the armor, his mobility is greatly reduced, and he loses hearts when hit.
The only titles to feature monetary systems other than Rupees are Oracle of Seasons, where the Subrosians would accept Ore Chunks as currency, as well as rupees, and Four Swords Adventures, where the player(s) collects Force Gems rather than Rupees. Rupees were also absent in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, which had no currency system.
[edit] Original Legend of Zelda Rupees
(They are different from the rupees in the rest of the series)
- Yellow rupee - 1
- Blue rupee - 5
[edit] Other Series Rupees
- Green Rupee - 1
- Blue Rupee - 5
- Yellow Rupee - 10 (The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess)
- Red Rupee - 20
- Purple Rupee - 50 (Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, The Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess)
- Orange Rupee - 100 (The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess)
- Silver Rupee - 200 (The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. However, in Majora's Mask, there were Silver Rupees valued at 100. Silver rupees also appear in Ocarina of Time, but only as part of puzzles and are only worth 5.)
- Huge Rupee (orange/gold) - 200 (Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask)
[edit] Demographics and government
- See also: Races of The Legend of Zelda series
There are several separate races in the Kingdom of Hyrule and its surrounding lands.
[edit] Gerudo
The Desert Wasteland and Gerudo Valley, found in west Hyrule in Ocarina of Time, is governed by the Gerudo, an almost purely female race. Despite this, (implied by a Gossip Stone outside of the Temple of Time) Gerudo manage to procreate by coming into Hyrule Market Town. Only one male is born every hundred years according to Nabooru, the Lone Wolf Thief, Second-in-Command of the Gerudo and Sage of Spirit in Ocarina of Time. This male is then proclaimed as the Gerudo's king, and is venerated in what appears to be leader worship rituals, but the Gerudo are really more of a dictatorship, as apparent by Nabooru's remarks in Ocarina of Time where she is defiant and says she will never bow to such a wicked man. Though in some instances The Desert Wasteland and Gerudo Valley would be considered part of Hyrule, many Gerudos seem to be unfriendly to outsiders and may be considered an individual nation.(That was a band of thieves not the actual gerudos) Though they may not welcome outsiders, the Gerudo recognize power, as seen in Ocarina of Time when Link single-handedly took the fortress by storm and rescued the carpenters. Shortly after, he was discovered by the current leader of the Fortress and was accepted into the Gerudo as an honorary member. As in Twilight Princess the tribe of the "Gerudo" does not make an appearance, but the Gerudo Desert is home to the legendary Mirror of Twilight, and a prison ground, called the Arbiter's Grounds, which was the fourth dungeon. These were originally used to imprison those such as Ganondorf.
[edit] Gorons
Making their home inside of mountains and underground are the Goron race. They usually reside in a locale known as Goron City. They mine rocks from caves for their race to eat. Goron City itself is usually an intricate labyrinth set inside Death Mountain, which is connected to the Fire Temple in Ocarina of Time. The Goron government is a monarchy, with the Chief (also known as "Big Brother" or "Patriarch") ruling over the other Gorons who build passages throughout their domain. There have been several leaders of the Goron Tribe throughout the series, most notably Darunia, the Sage of Fire. In Twilight Princess, the Gorons have become more advanced, as they had made the innards of Death Mountain into a mining site. In The Wind Waker, three traveling merchants are seen that are clearly of the Goron race, although they are never referred to as such. It is possible that the lack of land (and therefore rocks), may have resulted in near-extinction of the Goron race by the time of The Wind Waker. However, evidence to the contrary arose in Twilight Princess, in which two Gorons can be found underwater, seemingly able to breathe. One Goron child sitting underwater makes a comment referring to the fact that he almost does not need to breathe.
[edit] Kokiri
The forest to the southeast in Ocarina of Time is governed by the Great Deku Tree, who watches over a realm of eternally young children called the Kokiri. The Kokiri are forest elves (or spirits) who take the form of children and are given life by The Great Deku Tree. There are notable Kokiri throughout the series, including Mido, a bully; Saria, the Sage of Forest and Link's friend; and Fado, Sage of Wind, who was killed by Ganondorf some time before the Great Flood. After the Great Flood, the Kokiri were transformed into the Koroks, though it is not explained how this exactly happened.
[edit] Zora
The Zora are an aquatic race who dwell in the waters of Hyrule, sometimes in caverns. According to Nintendo of America, Inc.'s 1995 Online Interactive Adventure, the Zora were the first sentient beings to gain intelligence in Hyrule, but there is no conclusive evidence this is an official sentiment of the Zelda Team. In Ocarina of Time, the Zora are guardians of the waterways in Hyrule, and throughout the series they control passages in the waters that warp travelers to other locations. The Zora are a monarchy, ruled over by a being always known as King Zora, though it is not known if that is his true name, and occasionally a queen or prince in a king's absence. They usually worship a deity from a bloodline of whales. In Ocarina of Time, Lord Jabu-Jabu was worshiped. In the Wind Waker, a being similar to Jabu-Jabu appears, though his name is now Jabun. However, in Twilight Princess, there is no mention or sign of a deity such as Jabu-Jabu, although there is reference to rituals carried out in the underwater Zora temple. Other notable Zora are Princess Ruto, daughter of King Zora in Ocarina of Time and Sage of Water, Laruto, Sage of Earth, who was killed by Ganondorf some time before the Great Flood, and Ralis, the orphaned Prince from Twilight Princess. It is believed by some that the Zora evolved into a race known as the Rito because Medli, a Rito in The Wind Waker, carries the same bloodline as Laruto, a Zora.
[edit] Rito
The "bird people" from Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker are called Rito. The Rito are actually "wingless" creatures who have existed for some time in The Wind Waker and worship the Sky Spirit Valoo, a giant dragon who presides over Dragon Roost Island, the Rito's homeland in The Wind Waker. The Rito gain their wings by confronting Valoo and taking a scale from him. Allegedly, the Rito will then magically gain their wings. Thus, this gives rise to debate as to whether or not the Rito are an evolved race, stemming from the Zora because of the connection between a Rito named Medli and a Zora named Laruto, or whether they are merely Hylians (the Rito have pointed ears) who survived on and are granted the ability to fly by a higher power. To be clear, if the Zora evolved into the Rito, they did not evolve into a winged species - the Rito are naturally wingless and are born that way. There is no clarification that only Rito can grow wings thanks to Valoo, and even then, if true, there is no knowledge if the Rito are biologically enabled to grow wings or if it is just Valoo's discretion. Notable Rito are Prince Komali, son of the Chieftain, Medli, Prince Komali's caretaker and Sage of Earth, and Quill, a Rito Postman who helps Link in The Wind Waker on his quest.
[edit] Korok
Korok are the small plant-like creatures that inhabit Forest Haven in The Wind Waker. The Deku Tree revealed that the Korok are actually a new form of the Kokiri formed from having to live in the water. Each year, they perform a ceremony in which the Korok children play music for the Deku Tree, and he grows new seeds. The Koroks then take them off to islands on the Great Sea in the hopes they will grow more land to re-unify the disconnected people and lands. The most notable Korok is Makar, a violinist and Sage of Wind, and a descendant of Fado, a Kokiri.
[edit] Minish
The Picori, called the Minish by their own kind, are small beings that inhabit Hyrule, but came originally from another realm. They are very small and only reveal themselves to children, and their sole purpose in Hyrule is to make Hylians happy. Minish speak their own language, but with the help of a Jabber Nut, anyone can understand them. There are several Minish sages, the most famous being Ezlo. Other notable Picori are Vaati, Ezlo's apprentice who became one of the prominent villains of Hyrule, Ferari and Melari. The Minish are said to be responsible for the hearts and rupees that appear in pots, bushes and rocks, as well as the creation of many magical items in Hyrule. They are also responsible for creating Armos Statues. Finally, they were the forgers of the blade that would ultimately be reborn as the Four Sword.
[edit] Sheikahs
Sheikahs are a tribe who served to protect the Royal family of Hyrule. They seem to have a connection with death and the afterlife, and are sometimes referred to as the shadow people. In "Ocarina of Time", Princess Zelda disguised herself as a male Sheikah, taking the name Sheik and practising the art of the Sheikah people, which appear to be based on those of Japanese ninjas: the Sheikah are athletic, agile and able to sneak up on people without being heard or seen. Both Sheik and Impa (a notable Sheikah who, in "Ocarina of Time" served as both Zelda's attendant and the Sage of Shadow) possess the ability to apparently disappear (or perhaps teleport) by creating a bright flash to distract those around them.
[edit] Twili
Twili are beings that reside in the Twilight realm, which is actually an antithesis of Hyrule. Midna is sent to Hyrule to find a person who would save both worlds, which happens to be Link. This all takes place in Twilight Princess. The Twili were actually once Gerudo (Midna mentions that their ancestors lost their king to greed, whom it is implied is Ganondorf), however, prolonged exposure to the Twilight Realm resulted in them becoming pale humanoid creatures, entirely different from the Gerudo. They have, as stated by Zant at the end of Twilight Princess "become empty of emotion". This suggests that the Twili, while they had evil ancestors, are a very peaceful race.
[edit] Deku
Deku are plant-like creatures that can be friends or foes. Deku Scrubs are enemies who shoot nuts at intruders. Business Dekus sell and trade. Deku can be found everywhere in Hyrule. They do not seem to be ruled over by anybody in particular and there is not a Deku sage. However, in Majora's Mask the Deku King rules over all the Dekus of Termina. As Termina exists on a separate but parallel plane to Hyrule, however, it is unknown but highly improbable that this monarchy extends into Hyrule. Also, in Ocarina of Time there is a secret underground place in the Lost Woods where a group of Deku Scrubs preside under an Elder as he is referred to. Also, in the temple within the Great Deku Tree, there are at least three Dekus who refer to Queen Gohma (The arachnid boss) as their queen.
[edit] Hyrule Royal Family
The Hyrule Royal Family itself rules the land to the north of Hyrule, and has a large army of (quite cowardly) soldiers to protect itself. The king rules the land, and his daughter, Princess Zelda, is next in line to the throne. The Hylian Royal Family live in Hyrule Castle in Ocarina of Time but once Ganon takes over, only the fate of Princess Zelda is known.
[edit] Hyrulean geography
[edit] Recurring locations
[edit] Death Mountain
Death Mountain (デスマウンテン Desu-Maunten?) is a large mountain (occasionally a volcano as well) that made its appearance in the original The Legend of Zelda video game for the Famicom Disk System and has subsequently appeared in several games in the series.
Death Mountain, in all of its appearances, is riddled with caves and dungeons, from Ganon's lair in The Legend of Zelda to Goron City and Dodongo's Cavern in Ocarina of Time. When viewed from afar, (as seen in Ocarina of Time) Death Mountain appears as an ominous volcano with a ring of smoke surrounding its peak. It is said that the ring of smoke reflects the state of affairs at the mount: when all is peaceful, the ring is white and calm, but when things go awry, it turns violently ashen and seemingly aflame. Climbing the mountain, one is certain to encounter a large number of Tektites, as well as Lynels. To make matters worse, boulders constantly fall from the mountain onto any potential climbers. A notable part of Death Mountain is the Spectacle Rock, two large rock formations next to each other that appear in most games along with the mountain itself.
In The Legend of Zelda, Spectacle Rock was the entrance to Ganon's lair, and was heavily guarded. In A Link to the Past, it blocks the way to the Tower of Hera. Spectacle Rock was also accessible in Ocarina of Time, inside the crater of Death Mountain. However, it could only be reached using a magic bean plant as Adult Link. It is evident by its structure that the Fire Temple, which was built into the bedrock of the mountain and is accessible within the crater, extends in its fourth and fifth levels into each of the two peaks of Spectacle Rock. One of the rocks has a heart piece on top, but other than that they hold little importance.
In The Legend of Zelda, Death Mountain is an area in the first game occupying much of the northwestern part of the map. It contains some of the most difficult enemies in the game, and is also where the player will discover Levels 6 and 9. Level 9, Ganon's lair and the final level in the game, is discovered by bombing a portion of Spectacle Rock, and even then is only accessible when completing all other levels and assembling the Triforce. Death Mountain is inhabited by Tektites, Lynels, and falling rocks. There is a lake on the east end which flows into a waterfall, which in turns flows into a river which flows into Lake Hylia. The Lost Hills are located directly east of the Death Mountain area.
In Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Death Mountain is in the southwest portion of the map. This area consists of a maze of caves. The proper exit of the maze leads the player to an area similar to the overworld of The Legend of Zelda. Here, Spectacle Rock makes a second appearance in the series. Using the Hammer on the eastern rock reveals a secret cave, in which a magic container lies.
In The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Death Mountain is the area which occupies much of the upper area of the map in this game. It is location of Hera's Tower in the Light World, and Ganon's Tower and Turtle Rock in the Dark World. It is again inhabited by Tektites, Lynels, and falling rocks. When first visiting the mountain, Link encounters a lost old man in the cave system leading to the area. After guiding him through the paths, the old man will heal Link when he visits. Spectacle Rock only exists in the Light World, where it blocks the route to Hera's Tower, making the player temporarily go to the Dark World to bypass it. Between the rocks is a cave route that leads down and out of the mountain. The Japanese game refers only to the Dark World mountain as Death Mountain, calling the ones in the Light World "Hebra Mountain" instead. This has never happened in any later Zelda games, so it is assumed the change during translation was deliberate and intended by the creators.
In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Death Mountain is a volcano located in the far northeast reaches of the country, and can only be reached by going through Kakariko Village. The Fire Temple is located inside the Death Mountain Crater, where Link must kill Volvagia, an ancient dragon. Spectacle Rock also appears inside the Death Mountain Crater, in front of the entrance to the Fire Temple. Its appearance was more conic or heaped, and a Piece of Heart rests on top of one of the rocks. Volcanic smoke billows out of the tips of each rock, though there were no natural chimney stacks visible at the peaks. It is evident from its structure and that of the Fire Temple that the upper floors of the Fire Temple extend into the interior of these two mounds.
Ocarina of Time also introduced Death Mountain as the place where Gorons live. The Gorons live inside a cave network with four levels called Goron City. Their staple supply of rock (for nourishment) comes from Dodongo's Cavern, which in the time just before Ganondorf's invasion had been overrun by the extinct race of Dodongos and the mighty King Dodongo. Beyond Goron City, Death Mountain can be climbed, although Tektites and falling rocks will impede Link's path. Along with an entrance to Death Mountain Crater, a Great Fairy's Fountain is hidden at the summit; the Great Fairy there grants Link his magic power. Inside the crater is a second Great Fairy's Fountain where Link's magic meter can be doubled.
In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Death Mountain is a volcano once again, located close to Kakariko Village. Below the enormous mountain lies Spectacle Rock (as north as the player can get in the Death Mountain area). Spectacle Rock is the home of the Goron race, and also houses their Goron Mines. Lava flows inside the mines, and there is a hot spring located behind Spectacle Rock itself. Subsequently Link is not able to enter the mine at first, but as the story progresses, Gor Coron, a Goron elder temporarily ruling in the patriarch's stead, will allow Link to enter after defeating him at sumo wrestling, to search for their possessed leader Darbus. The entrance to Ocarina of Time's Dodongo's Cavern can be seen in the distance if the camera is faced north-west.
[edit] Gerudo Valley
Gerudo Valley is a desert that appears in Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. In the first it is the location of the Gerudo Fortress and the land of the Gerudo race of amazonian women thieves, but neither are seen in the latter, due to their transformation into the Twili.
In Ocarina of Time, Gerudo Valley separates the arid lands of the desert from the rest of Hyrule. It is located to the west of Hyrule Field, and beyond it, separated by a sweltering expanse of desert known as the Haunted Wasteland, the Spirit Temple sits within the Desert Colossus, a giant statue. A single wooden bridge crosses the abysmal ravine, at the base of which Zora's River flows from Hyrule Castle to Lake Hylia in a series of cataracts. As a child, the valley's entrance is blocked by a gate, which can be circumvented with a nearby cucco. As an adult, the bridge has been broken by the Gerudo, and will remain so until Link rescues four carpenters from imprisonment in the fortress. Until then, Link can use his longshot to cross the expanse, or jump across with Epona.
The Gerudo Fortress is the main feature of the region. Within the adobe buildings piled on the face of the cliff is the housing for the tribe, prison cells, and a training center. Atop the hill behind the fortress is a horseback archery training center. At the western end of the fortress is a gate which leads to the desert. Link must infiltrate the fortress and defeat several guards before he is able to access any of these features freely with a Gerudo Membership Card. If caught before this, Link is thrown into a special prison hole beneath an observation balcony in the adjacent cliffside.
Though not near the valley in proximity, the Desert Colossus is often associated with it. It refers to an immense idol statue of a Gerudo woman carved into a butte, or the area around the idol including an oasis and a hidden Great Fairy's Fountain. The idol is about ten or more stories high, featuring the woman in an Indian-style seated position with both palms open and raised upwards, as if offering gifts. A cobra has wrapped itself around her body and cloaked her head with its hood, its own head resting atop hers, as if to to shade her from the sun. Within the rock structure is the Spirit Temple, which contains its own replica of the Gerudo heroine in the same pose in the main chamber. The structure of the temple suggests that one progresses through the idol, from her feet to her head, as they traverse it from the entrance. In the game it is necessary to explore roughly one half of the temple as a child, and the second half as an adult. The two treasures of the temple, the Silver Gauntlets and the Mirror Shield, are each found in an outstreched hand of the larger, rock-hewn idol, and where one must be accessed only as a child, the other can be only as an adult. The temple is home to a pair of evil witches, Koume and Kotake, who are to be Ganondorf's surrogate mothers, and if so, it could help explain his evil origins. As a child the Spirit Temple is used as a base for Ganondorf's evil operations, but as an adult he has moved on to build his own fortress.
In Twilight Princess, which takes place quite some time after Ocarina Of Time, only the Gerudo Desert remains. It is mainly a barren wasteland with practically nothing in it except for the Cave of Ordeals, a chunk of the Eldin Bridge which has been teleported there, a Bulblin encampment, and the Arbiter's Grounds dungeon, which is a prison built by the goddesses and home to the Sages and the Mirror of Twilight. The Twili were sent here to be transported to the Twilight Realm and the entrance to the desert became inpassable. Due to the Gerudos' earlier endangerment (Ganondorf being the only Gerudo left), the passage was never reopened. Ganondorf was once executed in the prison but his Triforce of Power allowed him to return to life and kill a sage. The other sages quickly overpowered him however and banished him to the Twilight Realm.
[edit] Hyrule Castle
Hyrule Castle (ハイラル城 Hairaru-jō?) is the home of the royal family of Hyrule. The castle's first appearance was in A Link to the Past, the third game in the series. Each game that contains a Hyrule Castle either features a different layout, or denies the player access to parts that are available in other games. There are grounds for speculation that the castle is actually a different castle in each game, or that it is the same castle but was changed in each game for aesthetic or gameplay purposes.
Though the appearance and architecture of Hyrule Castle vary somewhat, several aspects have remained consistent throughout multiple The Legend of Zelda titles. For one, it has consistently sported the appearance of a generic European castle. In most of the more recent The Legend of Zelda titles, Hyrule Castle is portrayed as a white (though sometimes gray) castle with tall, angular spires and green or purple rooftops, as can be seen in the various pictures below.
Hyrule Castle first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, where it is situated in the middle of Hyrule and appears to be the seat of power of the government as well as the home of Princess Zelda. During the course of the game, Link must break into the castle. He manages to gain entrance via a secret passage on the eastern side of the castle. It has a total of six floors and features a courtyard and moat. There is also a secret passage within that leads to a sanctuary north of the castle. The castle's counterpart in the Dark World, is the "Pyramid of Power" where Ganon received the Triforce.
In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The castle is first seen during the opening credits. The castle is situated west of Death Mountain and just directly north of Hyrule Castle Town. The entrance to Hyrule Castle Town alone is protected by a moat and a drawbridge which lowers only during the day. Beyond Hyrule Castle Town is a path which leads eventually to Hyrule Castle, but features a gate and several guards along the way. In order to infiltrate the castle, Link must sneak past each guard until he gets to the castle itself, surrounded by a moat. Link never directly enters any "important" parts of the castle, but he does manage to enter the courtyard (where he meets Zelda) using a secret entrance on the east side (similar to his infiltration in A Link to the Past). Sometime during the seven years that pass, Ganondorf destroys Hyrule Castle and replaces it with Ganon's Castle.
The castle and its surrounding area is the arguably most prominent and important place in the game, housing the Temple of Time, a town, many of the game's plot twists, and the game's final bosses, Ganondorf and Ganon. Surrounded by a small village, drawbridge, and moat, it models the stereotypical monarchial or feudalist castle. The king of Hyrule is never seen in the game, although Ganondorf is seen inside the castle at one point, apparently pledging allegiance to the King. The Castles defences are relatively minimal, as it is designed more as a residence then as a fortress, and due to the long peace that Hyrule had enjoyed, large levels of security were generally un-needed. Unfortunatly this made Ganondorfs "coup" relatively simple, with the castle surrendering shortly after it was attacked[citation needed].
The Beta Quest, a game mode unlockable through usage of a Gameshark, reveals the complete Triforce hidden under the courtyard. This find, although not an answer to obtaining the Triforce sought by gamers, was an interesting twist to players' understanding of the game's original intent to make the Triforce an obtainable item.
Hyrule Castle next appeared in Four Swords Adventure, where it layed just south of Death Mountain, somewhat near the center of Hyrule (seemingly a combination of its locations in A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time). The interior is very similar to its A Link to the Past incarnation, while the exterior is based on that in The Wind Waker.
Hyrule Castle also has a fairly large presence in The Minish Cap. To restore power in the magic sword broken by Vaati, Link must find four elemental artifacts and imbue the blade with their essence at an Elemental Sanctuary, which can be found in Hyrule Castle. As the story progresses, Vaati disguises himself as the king, making getting into the Elemental Sanctuary more difficult, requiring some stealth to make it in successfully. Finally, toward the game's completion, Vaati transforms the entire castle into Dark Hyrule Castle, which is much larger than normal Hyrule Castle and is by far the most difficult dungeon in the game.
Hyrule Castle next appeared in The Wind Waker, where it was at first frozen in time, under the Great Sea and accessible at the site of the Tower of the Gods. Only the large main hall and a small courtyard may be visited. The main hall contains a statue of the Link from Ocarina of Time, that is moved to reveal a hidden basement room housing the Master Sword, 9 stained glass windows depict the Triforce, Ganon, and the six sages from Ocarina of Time. When Link takes the Master Sword, the castle and the land around it unfreezes. Enemies who were assaulting the castle at the time it was frozen reawaken and must be defeated.
Hyrule Castle plays a central role in Twilight Princess, both geographically and plot-wise. Many of the game's more dramatic moments and plot twists take place within its walls. The structure itself is visible from almost any point in Hyrule, and its grounds and interior are far larger than in any previous Zelda game. The castle also serves as the game's final dungeon, and is possibly the largest dungeon of the game in terms of sheer floor space.
[edit] Kakariko Village
Kakariko Village (カカリコ村 Kakariko-mura?) is a small peaceful village that first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, but it has since reappeared in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures,The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and remakes thereof. It may have been inspired by various towns in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and in turn may have served as the inspiration for such future towns of the series — Mabe Village, Clock Town, Lynna City, Horon Village, Windfall Island, Hyrule Town, and various minor villages (for example, Symmetry City). Kakariko Village's geographical and historical situation seems to change in each game, and fans assert that these villages are not the same, but merely share the same name[citation needed]. However, it retains some signature characteristics throughout all of its appearances. Its background music shares a basic motif (A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time feature similar arrangements, while Twilight Princess only employs brief quotes of the opening melody, the rest being a remix of the Dark World music), all the roofs of the houses are familiarly colored red, and Cuccos roam the town.
In A Link to the Past, the protagonist Link first visits Kakariko Village, which is west of Hyrule Castle, north of the Desert of Mystery, south of the Lost Woods, and southwest of Death Mountain Foothills, on the advice of the monk working at the Sanctuary. Hoping to meet with reputed sage Sahasrahla, Link can inquire about the local celebrity throughout the village, though guards are stationed all around (or in the vicinity) to capture Link, accused of abducting Princess Zelda. Sahasrahla's presumed wife, however, informs Link that the wise elder has left for the region around Eastern Palace. Exploring the village anyway is still profitable; many side quests are tied into the village. Later in the game, Link takes the Book of Mudora from the library to the south, though Link is not required to return to the village after clearing the Desert Palace until much later in the game, namely before Misery Mire. This is because Link must awaken the bird trapped within the weather vane in the village by playing the Flute (which is given to him by the son of a villager in the Haunted Grove section of the Dark World). Once this bird is awakened, Link can use the Flute to warp about the Light World. Kakariko Village is the third of the eight warp sites.
A thief named Blind used to have a permanent residence in the village, but by the time Link sees it, it has been abandoned, though treasures can still be found within. Blind turns out to be boss of the fourth Dark World dungeon, Blind's Hideout. Blind's Hideout is called "Thieves' Town" in the GBA remake. The Dark World equivalent of Kakariko Village is the "Village of Outcasts", overrun with thieves, gambling establishments, and Moblins. The weather vane has been replaced by a demon statue, and several trees now talk. One shop begins selling Good Bees (called Golden Bees in the remake) if Link shows the merchant there one from the ice cave in northeastern Lake Hylia (Light World). The Good/Golden Bee could be unleashed to attack enemies on the screen.
The Kakariko Village of Ocarina of Time is radically different from the village of A Link to the Past. Now located directly at the foot of the Death Mountain, quite distant from the Lost Woods and the Haunted Wasteland (the Ocarina of Time equivalent of the Desert of Mystery), Kakariko Village seems to have been founded recently. Villagers there recall that Impa, Zelda's nursemaid, opened the formerly Sheikah-exclusive village to the poor commoners of Hyrule (presumably not rich enough to live in the Market outside Hyrule Castle). The villagers also claim that long ago, Impa drove out the Gerudos from the Kakariko area. Dominating the landscape is a windmill, which is used to draw water up from the Well of Three Features (Dark! Narrow! Scary!), the source of water for the villagers. Sheikah legend tells that Impa sealed a great evil in the Bottom of the Well. Later, when Link learns the Song of Storms as an adult, playing it can overwork the windmill, making it draw up all the water and in effect dry up the well. Another legend tells that a wise man with an eye that could see the truth lived where the well is located now; thus, playing the Song of Storms opens up the well for exploration as a child to find this Lens of Truth.
In Link's adulthood, the great evil imprisoned in the Well of Three Features escapes, setting fire to the village and beating Link and Sheik considerably before retreating into the Shadow Temple, the entrance to which is found in the graveyard adjoined to the village. Impa then goes off to imprison the great evil again, but seemingly fails. Link must rescue her by defeating this great evil, which turns out to be an invisible "Phantom Shadow Beast," Bongo Bongo. Link uses the Lens of Truth to see the monster and slash its vulnerable eye. In defeating the monster, Link rescues and awakens Impa as the Sage of the Shadow Temple.
During the seven-year period of turmoil in Hyrule between Link's drawing of the Master Sword and his awakening, many residents of the Market fled to the village to escape persecution. Although not in the game itself, the ReDead trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee states that no residents of the Market died. Talon, the previous proprietor of Lon Lon Ranch, also runs off to Kakariko Village when Ingo kicks him out. Before Link pulls the Master Sword, it is revealed that Impa wanted the village to be constructed into a "true city," and hired carpenters to do so, however, when Link returns seven long years later, the carpenters are gone and only one building has been made, which becomes the new Hyrule Shooting Gallery.
Kakariko Village is the setting of a level in The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures. The village is overrun by thieves, and covered in fire. The four Links are required to capture them in order to advance north of the city, to a place where they can summon rain and thus quell the fire started by the antagonist Shadow Link. Here Kakariko Village has no prominent features and is simply a collection of houses with a few residents. A stream outside the city leads the Links to fight a Stalfos, and in so doing recover the Green Royal Jewel. The numerous thieves present could relate to the Village of Outcasts in A Link to the Past, and the vast Cucco population may also relate to the amount of Cuccos present in Kakariko Village in Ocarina of Time. The fact that Kakariko Village is nearer to The Lost Woods may also account for the presence of thieves in the village.
In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Kakariko Village has greatly changed since its last appearance. Instead of having green grass and a surplus of people, it has changed to a barren wasteland inside a canyon. This is because it is a new Kakariko Village, the old being renamed 'Hidden Village'. This is obvious from a billboard in Hidden Village which states (in Hylian) "Welcome to Old Kakarico". By the time Link reaches the village, its inhabitants have all been killed or turned into twilight creatures, with the exceptions of Renado, the village shaman, his daughter Luda and Barnes, the owner of a bomb shop. The houses that line the path to Death Mountain are uninhabited and in severe disrepair, perhaps due to the attack of the twilight monsters. After Link saves the possessed leader of the Goron tribe, Darbus, Gorons will come down to the village and help Link reach higher areas of the valley by launching him with their backs. It is also revealed through the Zora queen, Rutela, that the graveyard of the village is sacred to the Zora, because it is a place of peace for them. The graveyard is also where most Zoras of royal blood go to be buried.
[edit] Lake Hylia
Lake Hylia is a large lake located in Hyrule. In most games, the lake is fed by a river which flows from a waterfall which flows from a mountain (usually Death Mountain).
In A Link to the Past Lake Hylia is located in southeast Hyrule and has small caves coming off it. In the center of the lake is an island featuring a fairy pond that is inhabited by Venus, Queen of the Fairies, who will upgrade the player's ability to carry bombs or arrows if you give her enough money. Outside the pond is a warp tile that grants access to the Ice Palace in the Dark World. In addition, the Ice Rod item is found in a cave in the northeast, as is the Good/Golden Bee, a bottled insect that can be unleashed to attack foes. The lake itself is fed from Zora's River, which in turn flows from Death Mountain.
In Ocarina of Time, Lake Hylia is a lake in the south of Hyrule, towards the west. It is closed off by a gate but can be entered on Epona or by scaling a ladder hidden behind one gate pillar. There is also portal from Zora's Domain and it is possible to float down river from Gerudo Valley. Lake Hylia is fed by water from Zora's River. There are numerous small islands in the lake linked by bridges. The largest island is the warp point for the Serenade of Water and below it lies in the Water Temple. During the seven years of Link's sleep, Lake Hylia loses most of its water due to the boss of the Water Temple, Morpha. On the coast of the lake, there is a laboratory and a fishing pond.
Lake Hylia is the first level in Four Swords Adventures. It is located in the east of Hyrule. Unlike in the previous games where Lake Hylia is one massive lake, Lake Hylia in Four Swords Adventures is a series of small lakes connected by rivers.
In The Minish Cap, Lake Hylia is located in the east of Hyrule. The water enters the Lake by river from Veil Falls to the north. To the south is the Minish Woods, and to the west Lon Lon Ranch. Stockwell, the shop-owner from Hyrule Town, owns property here, and his dog Fifi lives there. Librari, the Minish elder of the library, The Lake's most important feature is the Temple of Droplets, the fourth dungeon (a Minish-sized one).
Lake Hylia returns in Twilight Princess, being one of the three major focus points of Lanayru Province. Lake Hylia is fed by Zora's River, flowing out of the waterfalls in Zora's Domain. Beneath the surface of the lake lies the Lakebed Temple. When Link first encounters Lake Hylia in the Twilight Realm, it is almost completely drained of water due to Zora's Domain being frozen over. On the edge of the lake lies the spring of the Light Spirit Lanayru, which was once the entrance to Ocarina of Time's Water Temple. The Great Bridge of Hylia is the only way to cross Lake Hylia from Hyrule Field. The bridge connects with a rock islet, which has remained from Ocarina of Time. The tree is still visible atop, where it has grown over the years.
[edit] Lon Lon Ranch
Lon Lon Ranch is a ranch that appears in several games of the series.
In Ocarina of Time, Lon Lon Ranch is located in the center of Hyrule Field. The four main buildings are the house, the stables, the Cucco coop, and the storage shed. The ranch raises Cuccos, dairy cattle (or Lon Lons), and horses, including Epona. The interior of the ranch, which is the largest space, boasts a corral for training and raising the horses, where they also graze. The entire ranch is situated on a rocky plateau and is protected by a high, wooden fence crowned by metal spires. The fence keeps out trespassers and intruders while keeping and protecting the livestock within.
When Link is a child, the ranch is owned by Talon and operated by him, his daughter Malon, and their hard-working ranch-hand, Ingo. Seven years later, Link learns that Ganondorf kicked Talon out, then transferred ownership of the ranch to Ingo. "The Fabulous Ingo's 'Ingo Ranch'" has actually prospered, but Malon was forced to work under Ingo or he would "treat the horses very badly." During Ganondorf's reign, Talon was forced to live elsewhere. Taking up residence in Kakariko Village, Talon hides his depression, over losing his daughter and ranch to Ingo, by constantly sleeping.
When Link frees Epona and Malon from Ingo's holding, Talon returns home and promises to turn over a new leaf and to "work hard from now on." Within days, Ingo mysteriously transforms into being a nice person and returns to work as a ranch-hand. He and Talon befriend each other and Malon's relationship with her father is restored and improved.
In Majora's Mask, Link finds Epona in a place called Romani Ranch, which is owned by two young women. One looks like how Malon did as a child in Ocarina of Time, and the other looks like the grown-up Malon from Ocarina of Time. The music in the ranch is the same as the music in Lon Lon Ranch in Ocarina of Time, but without Malon's singing.
In The Minish Cap, Lon Lon Ranch remains much the same, but it is much smaller with no horses (other than Epona) or high fences, no sign of Ingo, and no Cuccos. It is located to the east of Hyrule Town instead of the center of Hyrule Field.
[edit] Lost Woods
The Lost Woods is a large, maze-like forest.
In The Legend of Zelda, the Lost Woods was a single-screen, repeating area filled with trees. The path formed a cross. It required a certain pattern of directions (north, west, south, west) in order for the player to pass through successfully. If the player did not know the correct pattern, they would be unable to reach western Hyrule without having to cross the river north of the large lake.
In A Link to the Past, the Lost Woods is located in the northwestern section of Hyrule, directly north of Kakariko Village. The Master Sword is placed in a large hidden shrine, though numerous fakes are also present. The dark shadows of the trees are also good growing conditions for the Sleepy Mushroom, which can be turned into Magic Powder. The Lost Woods is also inhabited by several thieves, who won't hesitate to rob passers-by of their rupees should they come too close.
In Link's Awakening, the "Mysterious Forest" is found just north of the village of Mabe. Link's Awakening was set on Koholint Island rather than Hyrule, so these are not the same Lost Woods as are seen in other Zelda games, hence the name change. However, it is likely the forest was inspired by, and intended to remind players of, the Lost Woods.
In Oracle of Seasons, the Lost Woods is the location of the Noble Sword, though it is obviously another Lost Woods seeing as the game is not set in Hyrule.
In Ocarina of Time, the Lost Woods lies directly to the west and north of Kokiri Forest and is inhabited by Skull Kids. It is a maze of trees that can be navigated by following the sound of the Saria's Song. Taking a wrong path leads you back to the entrance in Kokiri Forest. Portals to Goron City and Zora's River are hidden within the Lost Woods. Within the woods, there is a shooting challenge where players can win Bomb Bag upgrades. Nearby this challenge, there are two friendly Skull Kids who play flutes. There are a few Business Scrubs located in three major places in the woods. Located in the northern portion of the woods is the Sacred Forest Meadow. This is the favorite haunt of Saria, Link's friend and the Forest Sage. It is also where the Forest Temple is hidden. According to local lore, whoever enters the forest will turn into a Stalfos (if Hylian) or a Skull Kid (if Kokiri). A Gossip Stone reveals that only Kokiri who have fairy partners may enter the forest and not become lost. In the Ocarina of Time manga, it tells of how the forest tricks human hearts into wandering the same paths over and over, and if the poor soul loses the sight of the exit, he or she will never return again.
In Majora's Mask The game begins in the Lost Woods where Link is ambushed by the Skull Kid. The Termina equivalent to the Lost Woods is the the "Woods of Mystery", located in the Southern Swamp. As with Ocarina of Time, the player must take the correct path through the woods. If they go the wrong way, they are returned to the entrance of the woods. The Woods of Mystery featured a different path on each of the three days in the game's cycle. However, it was possible for a monkey to guide Link through the woods should he ever need to reach the end. Unlike the Lost Woods from Ocarina of Time, the Woods of Mystery had a minor role in the story, as Link only had to explore the Woods of Mystery to help Koume and, optionally, look for mushrooms with the Mask of Scents.
The Lost Woods did not appear in The Wind Waker, as the forest was submerged when the gods flooded Hyrule. Instead, the "Forbidden Woods" appear, though it is a dungeon rather than a labyrinth-like "overworld". Early in the game, a Korok also mentioned that his race had lived there in the past, until it had become overrun by monsters and they were forced to leave. The boss creature of the dungeon is a plant-monster named Kalle Demos.
The Lost Woods do not appear in Twilight Princess either, but the "Sacred Grove" shares its convoluted design and lack of a minimap that makes it easy to confuse players, and the music is the same as in Ocarina of Time's Lost Woods. It is also the residence of a Skull Kid, along with the ruins of the Temple of Time from Ocarina of Time although the Lost Woods of Ocarina of Time were nowhere near the Temple. The player also finds the Master Sword inside the Temple, which is similar to how the sword was found in the Lost Woods in A Link to the Past.
[edit] In Ocarina of Time
[edit] Physical Geography
The land of Hyrule in the time of Ocarina of Time is very diverse. The landscape is dominated by a large volcanic mountain range and its principal volcano, Death Mountain, in the northeast of the country.
To the far west is a large area of desert, known as the Haunted Wasteland, bordered by a canyon, named Gerudo Valley, that is a feeder river for a large lake, Lake Hylia in the southwest.
Immediately east of Lake Hylia is a large woodland area, known as the Lost Woods. The major water source in Hyrule is the Zora's River, which starts at Zora's Fountain, flows through Hyrule Castle Town, and into Gerudo Valley, which ends at Lake Hylia.
The remainder of the country is occupied by a flat valley floor known as Hyrule Field, with a large hill in the center of the field in which Lon Lon Ranch is located.
See also Places in Ocarina of Time.
[edit] Human/Hylian geography
Human activity in Hyrule has been somewhat limited. There is evidence of farming, by the Magic Beans of OoT and MM, and the Gasha Seeds of OoS and OoA, though the latter are in other lands, but the Bean salesman says they aren't selling very good. The Hyrulean economy, judging from the state of Hyrule Castle, seems fairly strong, but dependent on fisheries and trade.
Several settlements have sprung up around Hyrule, the capital being Hyrule Castle Town, with the other major settlements being Goron City, Gerudo Fortress, Kakariko Village, Kokiri Forest and Zora's Domain. There is a great amount of trade between three of the settlements, however the Gerudo Fortress and Kokiri Forest are largely secluded. Goron City is also separated from the other settlements, being high atop Death Mountain and unreachable by many citizens.
The major human landmarks in Hyrule are Hyrule Castle and the Temple of Time, which is the only temple known to be built by Hylians.
[edit] In The Legend of Zelda
[edit] Physical geography
By the time of The Legend of Zelda, the features of Hyrule have been significantly rearranged. Death Mountain is located in the north, as before, but the major body of water (possibly Lake Hylia) is now in the center of the land, the Lost Woods is in the southwest, a graveyard is in the far west, and the desert regions are in the northeast. A large portion of the map in the southeast is woods, and there are no obvious plains. The large anthropormorphic tree near the center of the map (the entrance to the first dungeon) may be a deceased Deku Tree (or rather, the Deku Tree may have been based on it). The reason there are no towns is because Ganon's creatures have swept the land. In the actual "Legend of Zelda" (Not the game, respectively), it is said that once Ganon's army invaded, all the settlements and people moved North, above Death Mountain. In The Legend of Zelda: Adventure of Link, the Link from the previous game traveled north, coming to different towns, and a whole new area of Hyrule. Hence, the map at the top of the page.
[edit] Human geography
Curiously, there is little sign of human habitation in the Hyrule of this age. There is no Hyrule Castle, and all the people Link encounters are elderly, and live in caves or dungeons. This is probably simply because at the time this game was released, they chose not to spend effort including such elements. In Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, which occurs immediately afterward chronologically, towns were introduced to the series for the first time. In-universe, a likelier reason for the absence of such habitations as Kakariko Village and Hyrule Castle would be possible warfare or conquest by Ganon, perhaps explaining why the center of Hyrulian government was relocated to the far north by the time of Zelda II. This may have led to near-total depopulation (the cemetery in the first game lies directly upon the site of Kakariko Village in A Link to the Past), as people moved away from Hyrule or died in the wars, or were even transformed into monsters, as Ganon has had a fondness for such acts. Another theory is that this version of Hyrule exists after the Great Sea featured in Wind Waker has receded, leaving only geography and no evidence of structures in this region. None of these theories have been definitively confirmed or refuted by the games' producers.
[edit] Races and governments
The only friendly creatures encountered in The Legend of Zelda are humans, in the form of old men, old women, and shopkeepers. There is a race known as the Zola which resemble and indeed have broken away from the Zora race from Ocarina of Time and Oracle of Ages; however, in this game they serve as water-dwelling enemies and have no evidence of government.
[edit] In The Adventure of Link
In Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, the geographic features of the first game (and most subsequent games) are found in a relatively small area in the southwest corner of a more expansive Hyrule. Notably, Death Mountain, Spectacle Rock, the western graveyard, and Lake Hylia are apparent, and do not seem to be inhabited. The expanded Hyrule is divided by sea into two main continents (called the Eastern and Western Continents) and supports at least eight towns. Five of the towns bear the same names of sages from Ocarina of Time (Rauru, Ruto, Saria, Nabooru, and Darunia). Another town, Mido, shares the name of a bossy character in Ocarina of Time's Kokiri Forest. Since Ocarina of Time takes place before Zelda II, the implication is that the towns are named after these characters. The namesake of Old and New Kasuto (the remaining towns) is unknown.
[edit] In A Link to the Past
In A Link to the Past, Hyrule's geography has changed once again. Death Mountain is still in the north, but the Lost Woods have moved to the northwest corner of the map. This was the first Zelda game to feature Hyrule Castle in its entirety, and it is the central point of Hyrule. Lake Hylia is located in the southeast of Hyrule, and there is a large desert (possibly Gerudo Valley) in the southwest. Kakariko Village is located to the west between the Lost Woods and the desert. Zora's River is located in the northeast of Hyrule. Finally, the ruins of another palace lie in the east of the land. Some have said that if the map is turned 45 degrees clockwise, it bears a striking resemblance to the map of Ocarina of Time.
[edit] In The Wind Waker
In the time of The Wind Waker (set chronologically after the events of Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time), Hyrule has long since been flooded, and now lies beneath the ocean, with only a collection of mountaintops remaining above the water. These form an archipelago that later became known as The Great Sea, in a manner similar to Atlantis.
[edit] In Twilight Princess
In the latest Zelda game, Twilight Princess, many locations are kept from Ocarina of Time and other games, although they have been completely redone. Hyrule Castle and Castle Town now sit in the middle of the map, surrounded by Hyrule Field, which has been broken up into multiple locations. Other locations include Kakariko Village and Death Mountain to the east, Ordona Province and Faron Woods to the south, Zora's Domain to the north, and Lake Hylia, Gerudo Desert, and Peak Province to the west. Zora's River (which is only accessible through minigames) runs from Zora's Domain to Lake Hylia through a very deep gorge that partially surrounds the eastern section of Hyrule Field. Lake Hylia itself lies far below the western section of Hyrule Field. Notably, Lon Lon Ranch is absent from this game, and the Temple of Time, which in Ocarina of Time was located in the Castle Town to the North, is now found in ruins in the Faron Woods to the south-west of the map. Also there is a level extremely similar to the Deku Tree and all of the doors bear the same symbol as the Deku Shield in Ocarina of Time.
It should be noted that for control reasons the east and west directions in the GameCube and Wii versions of the game were inverted, as the Wii version of the game had to be mirrored from the original GameCube version because Link was originally left handed.
|
Places in The Legend of Zelda series
|
||
| Great Sea · Sacred Realm · Termina | ||
| Hyrule | ||
| Ganon's Castle | ||
|
|
||
| By game | ||
| Ocarina of Time · Twilight Princess | ||
