The universe of The Legend of Zelda is a fictional universe depicted in The Legend of Zelda series of video games. It consists of a variety of lands, the most commonly appearing of these being Hyrule (ハイラル Hairaru?). The universe was created by Shigeru Miyamoto, a video game developer for Nintendo.
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The land of Hyrule, first depicted in The Legend of Zelda, released in February 1986 for the Famicom Disk System, is the backdrop for the adventures of the boy-to-hero protagonist Link. During the events of the game, Link progresses through Hyrule, and nine dungeons, the latter of which have become a staple of the series, appearing in every game since.
Many designated areas of Hyrule appear throughout the series, such as the Lost Woods, Kakariko Village, Death Mountain, and Lake Hylia. Several games in the series take place in lands other than Hyrule, including Link's Awakening, set on Koholint Island, Majora's Mask, set in Termina, Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, set in Holodrum and Labrynna respectively, and The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass, both set on the Great Sea, a flooded Hyrule.
Hyrule was formed by the goddesses Din, Farore and Nayru. According to Hylian legend as depicted in Ocarina of Time, Din created the physical geography of the realm, Nayru set forth the laws that would govern the land, and Farore created the many races who would uphold the law, as well as the flora, and fauna that inhabit the world. Once the goddesses had completed their tasks, they departed for the heavens, and left behind them three golden triangles. Into these they put their power to govern all things; this relic became known as the Triforce.[1] The realm itself was eventually named after its dominant race, the Hylia.[2]
Hylian is also the name of the constructed language created by Nintendo to be used by the Hylians. The characters are composed mostly of square-like symbols and dots with a small number of curved or diagonal lines, and changes slightly from game to game. The written form of Hylian is derived from Japanese hiragana, katakana and romaji in its first appearances (and also is reminiscent of Cyrillic languages), though is based on English in Twilight Princess.
Hylian first appeared in A Link to the Past, though just identified as "the ancient language of the Hylians". Its written form was made up of nonsensical symbols that had to be translated by Link using the mysterious "Book of Mudora" to progress in the game.
In Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, the scripting appeared on signs, gravestones and more. While no official translations or character sets have been released by Nintendo, some fans have created versions themselves[3] by observing and translating the inscriptions in the game and on the game's box art. The script used in The Wind Waker (see below) is also used on the headbands of Kotake and Koume.
In The Wind Waker, the intro sequence had paintings with the language below it, throughout the game there are three spirits (the angler fish-like Jabun, the dragon Valoo, and the Deku Tree), who are all able to speak it. Once the game is finished there is an option for a second quest, in this version of the game all Hylian speech is translated. In Japan, an explanation on the Hylian alphabet was printed on the back of the instruction manual, proving that the language is actually written like Japanese, but using different symbols.[4][5]
In Twilight Princess, the language is represented by an alphabet based directly upon the Latin one, and the Hylian language in the game is in English.[6] The script used in The Wind Waker is also used on tombstones in Kakariko Village Graveyard.
Death Mountain (デスマウンテン Desu-Maunten?) is a large mountain (occasionally also a volcano) which first appeared in the original The Legend of Zelda for the Famicom Disk System and NES, and has subsequently appeared in several games since in the series.
Death Mountain, in all its appearances, has many caves and dungeons, including Ganon's lair in The Legend of Zelda and Goron City, the Fire Temple and Dodongo's Cavern in Ocarina of Time. When viewed from afar (as in Ocarina of Time), Death Mountain appears as an ominous volcano, with a ring of smoke surrounding its peak. It is said in Ocarina of Time 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. A large number of Tektites and Lynels exist outside the mountain. Boulders also constantly fall from above in certain places. A recurring part of Death Mountain is 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 is the entrance to Ganon's lair, and is heavily guarded. In A Link to the Past, it blocks the way to the Mountain Tower. Two rocks resembling Spectacle Rock appear in Ocarina of Time, inside Death Mountain Crater. One of the rocks has a Piece of Heart on top, but other than that, they hold little importance in the game. In quadrant B-3 of The Wind Waker's Great Sea, there is Spectacle Island, that bears some similar geography to the recurring Spectacle Rock. The island is composed of two circular regions placed closely enough together to form one island.
In The Legend of Zelda, Death Mountain is an area occupying much of the northwestern part of the map. It contains some of the most difficult enemies in the game, and is also where Link enters Levels 5 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 after 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 turn flows into a river flowing into Lake Hylia. The Lost Hills are located directly east of the Death Mountain area.
In The Adventure of Link, Death Mountain is in the southwest portion of the map. This area consists of a maze of caves. Here, Spectacle Rock makes its second appearance in the series.
In A Link to the Past, Death Mountain is the area which occupies much of the upper area of the map. It is the location of the Tower of Hera 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 the Tower of Hera, forcing Link to temporarily enter 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 Ocarina of Time, Death Mountain is a volcano located in the far northeast reaches of Hyrule, and is only accessible through Kakariko Village and the Lost Woods (via warp). The Fire Temple is located inside Death Mountain Crater, and houses Volvagia, an ancient dragon. Two rocks resembling Spectacle Rock appear inside Death Mountain Crater, in front of the entrance to the Fire Temple. Their appearance is more conic and heaped, and a Piece of Heart rests on top of one of them. Volcanic smoke billows out of the tips of each rock.
Ocarina of Time also introduces Death Mountain as the place where Gorons live. The Gorons live inside a cave network with four levels called Goron City. Their stable 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 her magic power. Inside the crater is a second Great Fairy's Fountain, where Link's magic meter can be doubled.
In Twilight Princess, Death Mountain is a volcano once again, located close to Kakariko Village. The Goron race live mostly on the outside the mountain, but also have a volcanic mine area known as the Goron Mines. Lava flows inside the mines, and there is a hot spring located outside behind its entrance. Link is unable to enter the mine at first, however, Gor Coron, a Goron elder temporarily ruling in the patriarch's stead, allows Link to enter after being defeated at sumo wrestling, to search for their possessed leader Darbus.
In A Link to the Past, Ganon's Tower stands atop Death Mountain in the Dark World, in the same location the Tower of Hera resides in the Light World. Link vanquishes Ganon's alter-ego Agahnim at the peak of the tower, but Ganon rises from the remains and flies to the Pyramid, where Link destroys him.
In the adult half of Ocarina of Time, Ganon's Castle has replaced Hyrule Castle as a dark fortress floating above a lake of lava. Once Link awakens the six sages, they are able to create a rainbow bridge across the lake and into the castle. Inside, Link must destroy six barriers based on the six temples in the game to destroy a magical barrier around Ganon's Tower, the central spire of the castle. After Link defeats Ganondorf at the top, the castle crumbles, and Link again fights Ganon in the ruins.
In The Wind Waker, Ganon's Tower lies at the end of a broken road from Hyrule Castle that is cordoned by a magical barrier. After Link shatters the barrier with the Master Sword, he can enter the tower, where he must rematch against the four dungeon bosses to proceed into the rest of the tower, in a scenario reminiscent of Ocarina of Time. The tower also has an underground labyrinth and to the Forsaken Fortress. Ganondorf resides at the peak of the tower.
Gerudo Valley (ゲルドの谷 Gerudo no Tani?) is a desert area that appears in A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Four Swords Adventures, and Twilight Princess. It is commonly the home of the Gerudo, a race of female thieves.
In Ocarina of Time, Gerudo Valley is located to the west of Hyrule Field, across a ravine carved out by Zora's River, which flows from Hyrule Castle, through the ravine, and to Lake Hylia in a series of cataracts. Just across the ravine is the Gerudo Fortress, where the Gerudo keep their lodging, prison, and training centers. At the other side of the fortress is a large gate leading into the Haunted Wasteland, a large expanse of desert haunted by ghosts. At the other end of the wasteland is the Desert Colossus, and the Spirit Temple within it. The Desert Colossus is an immense statue of the Gerudos' "Goddess of Sand", a Nāga-like female figure with her palms opened and raised upwards. A replica of the statue lies within the temple. In the child-half of the game, the Spirit Temple is used as a base for Ganon's evil operations, but in the adult, he has moved on to destroy Hyrule Castle, and build a castle of his own there.
In Four Swords Adventures, the "Desert of Doubt" is the home of the Gerudo and Zuna villages. A strong wind blows through the desert, and the Gerudo claim it is meant to keep intruders from the Pyramid. The Pyramid, built by the Zuna, is sacred to both tribes, and is said to contain an evil spirit. The Desert Temple, very similar to both the Desert Palace, is claimed to have been built to guard the Pyramid.
In Twilight Princess, which takes place about a century after Ocarina of Time, only the Gerudo Desert remains. It is a barren wasteland, with little of interest except for the Cave of Ordeals, a Bulblin encampment, and the Arbiter's Grounds, an ancient execution site, home to the Sages and Mirror of Twilight. The Arbiter's Grounds, especially the Mirror Chamber, contain many similar snake motifs that imply that it may be a renamed Spirit Temple, or else the original form of the Desert Palace from A Link to the Past, very closely geographically corresponding as it does to the palace's location in the later game. The Twili were once sent here to be imprisoned in the Twilight Realm. Some time after the events of Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf was taken to the Arbiter's Grounds, and after a botched execution, was also imprisoned in the Twilight Realm.
Hyrule Castle (ハイラル城 Hairaru-jō?) is the home and seat 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.
Though the appearance and architecture of Hyrule Castle vary somewhat, several aspects are consistent throughout multiple Zelda titles. It generally appears as a cross between a motte-and-bailey and concentric castle, with an outer wall surrounding the inner residence, and is usually surrounded by a moat. Especially in the more recent The Legend of Zelda titles, it is a primarily white castle with tall, angular spires covered in bluish rooftops.
Hyrule Castle first appears in 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 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 (which also contains the market area). 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. To infiltrate the castle, Link must sneak past each guard until he gets to the castle itself, which is 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 after Link's disappearance, Ganon destroys Hyrule Castle, and replaces it with Ganon's Castle.
The castle is a monarchical castle lying north of Hyrule Field, and is the center of most of the game's events. It appears as a cross between a motte-and-bailey and concentric castle, with the moat and outer walls surrounding Hyrule Castle Town, the Temple of Time, and the royalty's inner castle, which stands on a meadowed plateau. The inner castle itself is surrounded by a small moat, and contains extensive gardens. Both the outer and inner castles use drawbridges at their gates.
In The Wind Waker, Hyrule Castle is at first frozen in time, under the Great Sea, and is 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 Hero of Time, Link, from Ocarina of Time, that hides the entrance to a basement room housing the Master Sword. Nine 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 unfreeze. Enemies who were assaulting the castle at the time it was frozen reawaken, and attempt to stop Link from escaping. Additionally, this particular Hyrule Castle does not have the Castle Town from Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess in its immediate vicinity, and stands alone in the midst of the surrounding countryside.
In Four Swords Adventures, Hyrule Castle lies south of Death Mountain, and near the center of Hyrule. The interior is very similar to its A Link to the Past incarnation, while the exterior, as shown on the world map, is based on that in The Wind Waker.
Hyrule Castle also has a significant 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 the courtyard of Hyrule Castle. As the story progresses, Vaati disguises himself as the King of Hyrule, possessing control of its guards, and making it harder for Link to enter the castle. Toward the game's end, Vaati transforms the entire castle into Dark Hyrule Castle, which is much larger than normal Hyrule Castle, and filled with many traps and enemies. The normal castle does still possess the upper floors, but they are not shown as the door to them is locked until the transfiguration.
Hyrule Castle plays a central role in Twilight Princess, both geographically and within the storyline. 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. Link first explores the outer sections, jumping from roof to roof as a wolf, then in his normal form, as the final dungeon. The castle appears to have been besieged by Ganondorf, Zant, or both in succession; there are large amounts of structural damage to the walls.
The castle appears largely concentric, with an outer wall with towers at six points, and a large, strong keep. The castle has four main wings on its ground level; the eastern wing is used by the Bublins in Ganondorf's army as a base camp, with many poorly-constructed towers and walls, which can be torn down by using a large boar to smash them. The western wing and southern wings appear largely intact, the player entering through the southern wing adorned with three towers of the Triforce. The western wing is the place where the player has a final duel with the Bublin leader, who gives Link the key to the keep after recognizing him as "the strongest". The castle also has a throne room with chandeliers, and a platform for the throne, which has been moved for the purposes of gameplay. The upper levels have modest hallways accessible by balcony. The causeway to two of the major six towers can be walked upon, but the towers cannot be explored. Finally, the keep is a long, winding tower, with a second, massive throne room at the top of the tower. The castle also has a hidden graveyard.
Otherwise known generally as the overworld or Hyrule overworld, Hyrule Field is the term for the land of Hyrule as a whole, or, more accurately, as the area that connects all of the various locations around Hyrule. Hyrule Field is essential to all of the Zelda games set in the land of Hyrule, as it is where much of the non-dungeon-based gameplay takes place. Valuable items can often be found in holes and under rocks, as well as in bushes and grass scattered throughout Hyrule Field, and all of these things will further Link's various quests. In addition, many enemies can be found in Hyrule Field, many of which yield rewards when defeated. In A Link to the Past and Four Swords Adventures, it is enmeshed with the swamp.
Kakariko Village (カカリコ村 Kakariko-mura?) is a small village that first appeared in A Link to the Past, and has since reappeared in Ocarina of Time, Four Swords Adventures, and Twilight Princess. Kakariko Village's geographical and historical situation changes in each game, but 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, the town features a characteristic graveyard, and Cuccos roam the town.
In A Link to the Past, Kakariko Village is west of Hyrule Castle, north of the Desert of Mystery, south of the Lost Woods, and southwest of Death Mountain. Hoping to meet with the sage Sahasrahla, Link can inquire about him throughout the village, though guards are stationed to capture Link, accused of abducting Princess Zelda. Sahasrahla's presumed wife, however, informs Link that the 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. Once this bird is awakened, Link can use the Flute to warp about the Light World.
A thief named Blind used to have a permanent residence in the village, but by the time Link sees it, it has been abandoned. Blind is the boss of the fourth Dark World dungeon, Blind's Hideout. The Dark World equivalent of Kakariko Village is the "Village of Outcasts", overrun with thieves, gambling establishments, and Moblins. In the place of the weather vane of Kakariko is a demon statue, and several trees have the ability to talk.
The Kakariko Village of Ocarina of Time is located directly at the foot of the Death Mountain, in the north of Hyrule. Villagers there recall Impa, Zelda's nursemaid, opening the formerly Sheikah-exclusive village to the commoners of Hyrule. 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 village's well, 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 Kakariko's well 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 adjacent to the village. Impa then goes off to imprison the great evil again by going into the Shadow Temple, but seemingly fails. Link must rescue her by defeating this great evil, an invisible "Phantom Shadow Beast", Bongo Bongo. 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 capital fled to the village to escape persecution. Talon, the previous proprietor of Lon Lon Ranch, also goes to Kakariko Village when Ingo evicts him. 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 years later, the carpenters are gone, and only one building has been made.
In Four Swords Adventures, Kakariko Village is overrun by thieves, and large parts of it are on fire.
In Twilight Princess, Kakariko Village is a barren wasteland inside a canyon. When 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 disrepair. After Link saves the possessed leader of the Goron tribe, Darbus, Gorons come down to the village and help Link reach higher areas of the valley by launching him into the air from 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. Like the Gorons, Zora come to the village after Link comes to their aid, though they spend most of their times in the inn's hot spring.
Lake Hylia (ハイリア湖 Hairia-ko?) is a large lake located in Hyrule. In most games, it 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 a network of small caves coming off it. In the center of the lake is an island featuring a fairy pond inhabited by Venus, Queen of the Fairies, who upgrades Link's ability to carry bombs or arrows if given enough money. 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, and is fed by water from Zora's River. It is closed off by a gate which can be jumped over on horse back or ignored via a hidden ladder. There are numerous small islands in the lake linked by bridges, the largest containing the Water Temple. During the seven years of Link's sleep, Lake Hylia loses most of its water, due to the presence of Morpha inside the Water Temple. The water returns after Link slays Morpha, however. On the coast of the lake, there is a laboratory and access to a fishing pond.
Lake Hylia is the first level in Four Swords Adventures, and is located in the east of Hyrule. Unlike in other games, where Lake Hylia is a single body of water, this iteration is a series of small lakes connected by rivers.
In The Minish Cap, Lake Hylia is located in the east of Hyrule, and is sourced from Veil Falls, to the north. To the south is the Minish Woods, and to the west Lon Lon Ranch. The lake's most important feature is the Temple of Droplets, the fourth dungeon.
In Twilight Princess, Lake Hylia is one of the three major focal points of Lanayru Province. It is fed by Zora's River, which flows from Zora's Domain. Beneath the surface lies the Lakebed Temple, the motifs and location of which suggest it to be a renamed Water Temple. When Link first enters Lake Hylia in the Twilight Realm, it is almost completely drained of water, due to Zora's Domain being frozen over. On the southern edge of the lake lies the spring of the Light Spirit Lanayru. The Great Bridge of Hylia is the only way to cross Lake Hylia from Hyrule Field. The bridge connects with a rock islet. The lake itself, however, is noticeably deeper and larger than Ocarina of Time's, almost as large as Ocarina of Time's Hyrule Field, and is at the bottom of a large basin, which it barely fills halfway.
The Lost Woods (迷いの森 Mayoi no Mori?) is a large, maze-like forest.
In The Legend of Zelda, the Lost Woods is a single-screen, repeating area filled with trees. The path forms a cross. It requires a certain pattern of directions for the player to pass through successfully. If the player does not know the correct pattern, they are unable to reach western Hyrule without crossing 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 passersby 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 is 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 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 Saria's Song. Taking a wrong path leads the player back to the entrance in Kokiri Forest. Portals to Goron City and Zora's River are hidden within the Lost 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 Majora's Mask, the game begins in the Lost Woods, where Link is ambushed by the Skull Kid. The Terminan equivalent of the Lost Woods is 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.
In Oracle of Seasons, an area called the Lost Woods is the location of the Noble Sword, though it is obviously a different Lost Woods, seeing as the game is set in the land of Holodrum, not Hyrule.
The Lost Woods do not appear in The Wind Waker, as the forest was submerged when the gods flooded Hyrule. Instead, the "Forbidden Woods" appear — however, it is a dungeon, rather than a labyrinth-like overworld area. Early in the game, a Korok also mentions that his race had lived there in the past, until it became overrun by monsters, and they were forced to leave. The boss creature of the dungeon is a plant-monster named Kalle Demos. Also, as mentioned in the Death Mountain section, the map loosely resembles that of Ocarina of Time; the Forbidden Woods are in the southeastern area, much like the map in Ocarina of Time.
The Lost Woods do not appear in Twilight Princess either, but the "Sacred Grove" shares its convoluted design and lack of a mini-map, making it easy to confuse players, and the music is similar to Ocarina of Time's Lost Woods. It is also the residence of a Skull Kid, along with the ruins of a Temple of Time. Link also finds the Master Sword in a forest clearing within the ruins of the temple, which resembles the area in the Lost Woods where the Master Sword was found in A Link to the Past.
By the time of The Wind Waker in the series' mythos, Hyrule has been flooded by a deluge, and has become the Great Sea (大海原 Ōunabara?). Only a collection of mountaintops are still visible above the water, and these form the 65 islands and archipelagos of the Great Sea. The largest of these are Outset Island, Windfall Island, the Forest Haven, the Forsaken Fortress, Mercay Island, Molida Island, and the Isle of Ruins. Some of these islands are references to locations in the Hyrule of other parts of the series, and bear similarities to these places in their locations, cultures and inhabitants.[7] Due to the relatively small size of many of the islands, there are large expanses of ocean between each island, making travel time-consuming until alternate means of travel can be obtained.
Due to the vast nature of the sea, most navigation requires the use of charts. Both The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass have a main Sea Chart which maps the entire area of the Great Sea playable in that game, though neither of them are initially filled in; The Wind Waker requires Link to find and feed Fishmen, who will fill out one of the 49 sections in return (though this is not required to progress in the game), while Phantom Hourglass forces Link to obtain the four sections of its chart by exploring the Temple of the Ocean King. This is a main part of the storyline, as unlike The Wind Waker, these areas can not be explored without the corresponding section of the Sea Chart.
On the islands of the Great Sea, local commerce is quite advanced. Most of the food is gathered from fishing and small farms, though there are also active merchant, salvage, and shipbuilding businesses.
There are only a few major towns on the Great Sea, foremost of which is Windfall Island. Prior to the events of the game, a large group of pirates competing with Tetra's crew thrived on the island that is now the Forsaken Fortress. However, they were wiped out by Tetra's pirates some time before the events of The Wind Waker, when Ganondorf made it his base of operations.
The Triforce (トライフォース Toraifōsu?) is a triangular relic which features throughout the series as a nearly-omnipotent sacred item representing the essences of the Golden Goddesses, and is often referred to as the "Golden Power". It is made up of three smaller triangles known as the Triforce of Wisdom, the Triforce of Power, and the Triforce of Courage. Each of these embody the essence of their respective goddess, and bestow certain boons on their bearers. As shown in The Legend of Zelda and The Wind Waker, each piece can be further subdivided, though they become powerless in this state.
In most of its appearances, the Triforce or its pieces manifest as a crest on the hands of their bearers. These crests resonate when near each other, and the Triforce pieces can emerge from their bearers.
When united, the Triforce allows one who touches it to make a wish that will last until they die or someone else claims the Triforce. However, if the one who finds it does not possess a balance of the three virtues it represents, the pieces will split into its three components and the finder will be left with the one which represents the characteristic they value most; the other two pieces will do likewise with two other characters "chosen by destiny".
The Triforce first appears in The Legend of Zelda, in which Link acquires it after defeating Ganon inside Death Mountain. It is explained within the game that Ganon gained it through theft.
Ganon's acquisition of the Triforce of Power is more fully explored in Ocarina of Time. According to the story, he heard of the legend of the Triforce some time before the events of the game, and wants to use it to subjugate Hyrule. Though the young hero Link and the Hylian princess Zelda learn of his desires and attempt to thwart him by retrieving the Triforce first, they instead act in his favor by inadvertently allowing him to enter the Sacred Realm. Though he is only able to attain the Triforce of Power, it allows him to conquer both the Sacred Realm and Hyrule, turning them into a Dark World and a World of Monsters, respectively; meanwhile, the Triforce of Courage goes to rest with Link and the Triforce of Wisdom with Zelda. Although Ganon is eventually defeated by Link and banished to the Sacred Realm by the power of the Seven Sages, each character retains their piece of the Triforce. However, it is revealed in The Wind Waker that after Link fell into Termina during the intro to Majora's Mask, his piece of the Triforce was left behind and shattered into eight pieces.
In the backstory to Twilight Princess, it is revealed that the restoration of Ganondorf's dark magic, through the malice and evil of the Twili leaked onto the execution grounds, activates his Triforce of Power and allows him to survive his execution at the hands of the ancient Sages. After Ganondorf is defeated at the end of the game, the Triforce of Power seems to leave Ganondorf, as the crest disappears from his hand.
The Triforce is never directly named in Twilight Princess, though its bearers are called those "chosen by the gods".
The Triforce of Power embodies the essence of Din, the goddess of Power, and amplifies the physical and magical power of its bearer immeasurably. It is usually associated with Ganon, who often uses it to help conquer Hyrule or come back from death. The piece is usually depicted to be the top piece out of the three.
The Triforce of Wisdom embodies the essence of Nayru, the goddess of Wisdom, and amplifies the wisdom and mystical powers of its bearer. It is usually associated with Princess Zelda. It is usually depicted as the bottom right piece.
The Triforce of Courage embodies the essence of Farore, the goddess of Courage, and seems to amplify the courage and adventuring skills of its bearer. It is usually associated with Link. Usually depicted as the lower left piece.
The Animal tribe is composed of the various talking animals that appear within the series. While the Animals seem to have a society in many of the games, they only show true civilization in Link's Awakening, where many reside within the Animal Village. However, the nature of their island is that of a dream, so it is uncertain whether they could truly show civilization in other games. The monkeys seem to have a rudimentary monarchy in Oracle of Ages, where a tribe of about twenty members is led by their "Princess", and in Majora's Mask they are friends of the Deku Royal Family. In Oracle of Seasons, the boxing penguin Blaino owns his own dojo. There are many other instances of animals which Link can talk to throughout the series, but instead of the animals being civilized, this ability is usually due to a human's use of magic.[8][9][10][11] Link is able to speak to certain animals in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask using the "Mask of Truth" and "Don Gero's Mask". However, there are also other animals, such as the Beaver Brothers, that require no mask to speak to and go so far as to wear clothes.
The Deku (デクナッツ (Dekunattsu?)) are a race of plant-like creatures which are introduced in Ocarina of Time. They are found mostly in the overworld and dungeons. Their name is derived from "Wooden Doll" (『木偶』 "Deku"?), and they are named "Deku Nuts" in the Japanese games.
Deku are generally short and have leaves sprouting out from their heads. They often have red, glowing eyes, and their mouths are short, hollow tubes. Deku shoot "Deku Nuts" out of their mouths to attack enemies, similar to the rock-spitting Octoroks. Deku's bodies consist entirely of wood and leaves, and they perish quickly if set on fire. According to the Deku Scrubs in Four Swords Adventures, anyone who becomes lost in the Lost Woods will eventually turn into a Deku Scrub.
In Majora's Mask, Deku Scrubs are sometimes seen flying by using large samara-like leaves. Business Scrubs can fly using the leaves on their heads for indefinite periods. However, both modes of flight require takeoff from Deku Flowers. Link can use these Deku Flowers in Majora's Mask, when he is in Deku form. Deku Flowers in Majora's Mask come in pink and yellow varieties—yellow Deku Flowers propel Link much higher and for longer than the pink. In Oracle of Seasons, Deku Flowers are only active in the spring.
In Majora's Mask, Link is able to turn himself into a Deku Scrub. He is trapped in this form at the beginning of the game, though once he retrieves the Ocarina of Time, he can enter and exit the form at will. Link's Deku form has a number of useful abilities, such as a spinning attack which stuns or harms enemies, and the ability to use Deku Flowers, which allow him to hover through the air and attack enemies from above by dropping Deku Nuts like flash grenades. He is also capable of skipping on the surface of bodies of water for a while, though he will eventually sink. After he is imbued with fairy magic, he can also fire bubbles of magic through his mouth.
There are four types of Deku depicted in the series: Deku Scrubs, Mad Scrubs, Business Scrubs and Royal Scrubs.
Deku Scrubs are the most common type, with have green leaves. They often give information when caught.
Mad Scrubs are violent, have red and yellow leaves and do not talk. In Ocarina of Time, they attack with Deku Nuts, unprovoked, even from a distance. Once struck, a Mad Scrub is ejected from its Deku Flower, and flees without counterattack until it finds another burrow to hide in. Mad Scrubs sink in water, but can breathe under water until immobilized.
Business Scrubs are traders whom offer to sell their wares and services, usually when forcibly coerced into doing so. They have rounder bodies and longer legs than other types, and their leaves are green.
Royal Scrubs have larger heads, bigger eyes, smaller mouths and some have arms and legs. Their leaves are sparser and resemble a topknot, and they also have extra leaves covering their body.
Deku typically reside in Deku Flowers, from which they can emerge. Business Scrubs in Majora's Mask hold property titles for their Deku Flowers, showing that these act as long term homes to the Deku that own them.
In Ocarina of Time, the few Deku Scrubs in the Great Deku Tree follow Queen Gohma,[12] whom is acting as a curse by Ganondorf to destroy the tree. A mini-boss in the tree also consists of the "Deku Scrub Brothers", three Dekus who have to be struck in a certain order to be defeated.[13]
The world of Termina has a tribe of Deku Scrubs, whose affairs are concerned with the nearby Woodfall Temple. These Deku have a "Deku King" whom presumably rules over all other Deku in Termina. Deku society is depicted similarly to that of the Zora, bearing a Royal family and its subjects. In Deku form, Link converses more openly with them, showing these Deku Scrubs to be quite intelligent. The Deku Scrubs of Termina are reclusive, believing themselves to be superior to other races, and intolerant of outsiders.[14] Terminan Deku Scrubs traditionally play large Deku Pipes for use in ceremonies. In Majora's Mask, the Deku Princess is said to have used the pipes to gain access to Woodfall Temple. Link himself plays the Deku pipes in place of his ocarina when in Deku form.
The Deku Scrubs in Four Swords Adventures live in the Lost Woods because of the shade it provides. They serve Ganon in his attempts to conquer Hyrule both because he revived them from some kind of slumber, and because he has promised to reward them by covering the world in forest, thus allowing the Deku Scrubs to travel anywhere.
Fairies (妖精 (Yousei?)) are a magical and benevolent race, introduced in The Legend of Zelda. They appear in every game, always aiding Link in his quest in some way. Fairies appear as humanoids, often small, winged, and obscured by emitted light. They can be found in many places, but usually reside in a Fairy Fountain or Fairy Spring, sometimes under the protection of a Great Fairy. These Fairies from the fountains will heal Link when he approaches and Link can put them in Bottles for later use. If Link dies while carrying a bottled Fairy with him, it will resurrect him. There are four different kinds of Fairies: Healing Fairies, Guardian Fairies, Stray Fairies, and Great Fairies. In Four Swords Adventures, they are called Force Fairies.
In Ocarina of Time, there are Guardian Fairies who guard the Kokiri and give them advice. One of these is Navi, who serves as Link's guardian fairy.
The physical appearance of Fairies tends to change between games. In early games and The Wind Waker, they appear as small, young girls with wings and wands, while in later games they emit a light that is so bright that the body of the Fairy can not be seen and it tends to look like a ball of colored light with four wings protruding out of the range of the light. The color of the light the Fairy gives off differs and sometimes changes as an emotional reaction. However, some Fairies do not give off light at all.
In the non-canonical animated series, the Fairies have established a kingdom and have a king, Oberon. He has a daughter named Sprite, but his wife does not appear.
The Fishmen are a race of blue fish with human-like faces. In The Wind Waker, they are responsible for giving Link information on various sectors of the Great Sea, and they would fill in the appropriate part of his map the first time he talked to them. They were apparently very skilled information-gatherers, as they seemed to know the King of Red Lions and were sometimes found giving him information, saying they were repaying their debt to the king by doing so. After talking to Link the first time, the Fishmen will ask Link to ease their aching necks by shooting arrows at them.
Moblins are humanoid, bulldog-like monsters that usually reside within forests; indeed, their name is derived from "Forest" (森 Mori?) and ""Goblin"". They are sometimes accompanied by Pig Warriors (known in Japan as "Butablin", derived from "Pig" (豕 Buta?) and "Goblin"), monsters with the same basic form but more porcine characteristics. These two types of monster were separate up until Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons, in which Pig Warriors were eliminated and Moblins were given their porcine characteristics. Moblin/Pig Warriors commonly wield spears, swords, or bows. They are one of the most common enemies within the games they appear, and are considered "mighty", but also "dumb".[15][16] They are described as greedy, self-possessed creatures, and the major antagonist will commonly use them as mercenaries or summoned monsters.[17]
Few Moblins are actually identified as characters within the series — the only Moblins given characterization within the series are the Moblin King (Link's Awakening), the Great Moblin (Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons), Moe (The Wind Waker), and the Monster Lady (The Minish Cap).
The Gorons (ゴロン (Goron?)) are a race of strong but peaceful mountain-dwelling rock-eaters who appear in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons, The Wind Waker, Four Swords Adventures, The Minish Cap, Twilight Princess and Phantom Hourglass. Their name is derived from the Japanese onomatopoeia "goro goro", which refers to a rumbling noise like that of a rolling rock.
Goron culture apparently revolves around brotherhood and strength. In Ocarina of Time, Darunia refers to both the King of Hyrule[18] and Link[19] as "Sworn Brothers" and "Brothers", and in Twilight Princess, Gorons often call many other characters "Brother". Gorons show high regard for individuals who display great strength, and particularly enjoy matching their strength with others in sumo wrestling matches (as seen in Twilight Princess). By beating an elder, Gor Coron, in a sumo wrestling contest (using the Iron Boots to even the playing field), Link demonstrates his strength and garners enough Goron respect to gain access to their mines.
While not all the games which feature Gorons include full tribes, those that do depict Goron polity as headed by a single patriarch, sometimes aided by one or more Goron Elders, who assume leadership of the tribe when the patriarch cannot.
For leisure, Gorons enjoy music and dance, rolling/racing,[20] games,[21] sumo wrestling, and bathing in hot springs. However, by the time of Twilight Princess, sumo wrestling is losing its popularity with younger Gorons.[22]
Gorons have taken on occupations such as crafting, blacksmithing, sculpting, demolition, and merchantry. In The Wind Waker, there are three wandering merchant characters who appear to be Gorons, although it is never explicitly made clear, and in Twilight Princess, several Gorons set up shop in Kakariko Village and Hyrule Castle Town.[23] The Gorons in Twilight Princess also have a regular trade with Kakariko Village, though this trade is suspended during the incident with Darbus and the Fused Shadow. They have also constructed the Goron Mines, a large mining complex within Death Mountain, to accumulate goods for this trade, using elevators and magnetic cranes.
In appearance, Gorons are humanoids with generally beige skin, whose long arms, short legs, hulking shoulders, and virtually unnoticeable necks. Gorons seen in the games have round, purple eyes as well as prominent, rotund bellies. Unlike humans, Gorons lack external hearing organs; like reptiles, Gorons' ears are simply holes at the sides of their heads. By adulthood, Gorons appear to gain rock-like protrusions on their backs as well as in places where human hair would be on their faces, and, in Twilight Princess, their arms. However, some Goron patriarchs and elders have hair growing on their faces and heads, along with their nipples and navels.
Size is variable in the Goron species; while most Gorons are about the size of an average human, a few grow to exaggeratedly huge sizes, such as Biggoron, who is almost as big as Death Mountain, on which he lives, and his younger brother Medigoron, who is smaller but still fills the size of a tunnel through which a normal Goron could easily walk through.
Due to their great density, Gorons sink to the bottom of bodies of water and are thus helpless in such an environment.[24] However, it is shown in Twilight Princess that while Gorons do breathe, the act is not necessary underwater and therefore they cannot drown.[25] Gorons are exceptionally resistant to heat, to the point of being able to walk through shallow lava, but are weakened by cold conditions.[26]
Gorons maintain a diet of rocks and iron.[27][28] It is mentioned in Twilight Princess that Gorons are living rocks. They also eat rock sirloin, amber and metal shields as delicacies, plus young Gorons are shown to like wood hearts.
Gorons enter the fetal position for several purposes, such as resting, crushing obstacles, assaulting enemies, and transportation by rolling to great speeds. Gorons endowed with fairy magic can grow stone spikes while rolling.[29] This curled-up position also creates an impression of a rock, serving as camouflage.
Gorons are capable of reproduction, as Darunia produces a child in Ocarina of Time, but how this is possible is unexplained; although Gorons are referenced with masculine pronouns in in-game dialog, their gender is never addressed.
The Gerudo (ゲルド (Gerudo?)) are a tribe of shrewd thieves who appear in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Four Swords Adventures. Stylistically, many aspects of Gerudo dress, environment, and combat were probably inspired by Arabian culture. Functionally, they suggest Amazons.
In most instances, the Gerudo are depicted as desert-dwellers. In Ocarina of Time, the Gerudo guard their fortress near the Haunted Wasteland, which lies to the far west of Hyrule Castle; in Four Swords Adventures, they live in tents amid the Desert of Doubt; and in Twilight Princess (though the race itself does not appear in the game, Ganondorf excepted) the Gerudo Desert implies the race's eponymous occupation of the region in the past. Majora's Mask stands alone as the only game in which the Gerudo do not reside in an utterly arid climate; instead, as pirates, they make their stead in a fortress on the coast of the Great Bay, west of Clock Town.
Perhaps the most peculiar attribute of the Gerudo race pertains to its gender distribution; with the exception of a single male born every hundred years, the race consists entirely of women. By Gerudo law, this man must become king of the tribe.[30] Ganondorf, the most notable Gerudo and chief antagonist of the series, is one such man and serves as both King and god of the Gerudo in Ocarina of Time.[31] Concordantly, Ganondorf stands as the only man whom the Gerudo do not find “useless” by default (Link gains Gerudo respect only after demonstrating his thieving skills by freeing the carpenters from Gerudo Fortress).[32] Despite their negative opinions of men, it is suggested that Gerudo are forced to seek out men from outside the tribe to procreate in light of their sexual deficit.[33]
Distinguishing physical traits of Gerudo typically include rich, bronzed skin (particularly evil members of the race, such as Twinrova and Ganondorf, have vaguely green-tinted skin), scarlet hair, aquiline noses, gold eyes, and—unlike the Hylia—round ears. The Twilight Princess character Telma resembles a Gerudo, however her true ethnicity is never revealed. Similarly, the pirate Jolene in Phantom Hourglass looks and acts like to a Gerudo, although she has black hair, instead of red.
It is implied in Twilight Princess that Ganondorf once led the Gerudo to establish dominion over the Sacred Realm,[34] though to apparent stymie. The Sages later tried to execute Ganondorf for his various crimes, but underestimated his power foolishly bringing him to the Mirror Chamber where he was able to revitalize his power and escape, setting in motion the events of the game.
The Hylia ( ハイリア族 Hairia-zoku?) are an elf-like[35] race of humans from the fictional world of Hyrule.[36]
The Hylia were the first race to establish organized civilization in ancient Hyrule, though in the English version of Twilight Princess, the Oocca are said to have created them; in the Japanese version, the Oocca are instead said to have created Hyrule itself. Hyrule itself is said to have been named after the Hylia. Unlike several other races in the series, they tend to live in highly populated towns.
According to the original[37] A Link to the Past instruction manual, Hylians were born with magic-infused blood, endowing them with psychic powers and skill in wizardry, while according to the Japanese manual, these powers are gifts from the gods. The manuals also claim that a Hylian's long, pointed ears (their only known physical difference from regular humans) allows him to hear messages from the gods.
In Ocarina of Time, most Hylians seem to live within the fortified walls of Hyrule Castle Town or the small, neighboring Kakariko Village. Besides living in the marketplace, other citizens of the kingdom inhabit territory outside the protected town.
The Sheikah (シーカー (Shīkā?)) were an ancient clan of ninja-like warriors that swore to protect the Hylian Royal Family, and were often referred to as the "shadows" of the Hylians.[38] At the time of Ocarina of Time, the only known surviving member of the tribe is Impa, Princess Zelda's nursemaid. During Link's adulthood Zelda disguises herself as a Sheikah named Sheik. Little is known of the tribe, but it has been implied that the Sheikah were incredibly agile and had magical prowess similar to Hylians.
From the few appearances the Sheikah have made in the series, we can assume that the Sheikah had red eyes, as both Impa in the Ocarina of Time and Zelda in her Sheikah guise do. Impaz from Twilight Princess, who is implied to be a descendant of Impa from Ocarina of Time, also has red eyes, though it is not explained whether or not she is truly a Sheikah.
The Sheikah's symbol of a crying eye is commonly seen in the series, even in games where the Sheikah are not present. The symbol appears on the Gossip Stones in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, though the tear has been distorted or changed to resemble a grinning mouth. In The Wind Waker, the symbol is seen on artifacts inside the Forsaken Fortress. Zelda also bears the symbol of the Sheikah on her cloak in Twilight Princess. In the Ocarina of Time manga it is explained by Sheik that the symbol of the Sheikah used to only consist of a normal eye but was changed when a betrayal occurred, context suggests the Royal Family somehow betrayed the Sheikah and the teardrop was added to represent the sorrow of the Sheikah.
In Twilight Princess, Link visits a rundown village hidden in a mountain pass, where he meets Impaz, the last surviving member of the Sheikah tribe. She passes on the book of sky writing to Link, because he is the hero for whom she was destined to wait.
The Wind Tribe is a group of humanoids who live inside the Tower of the Winds upon the Cloud Tops, as well as guarding the Palace of Winds in The Minish Cap. They used to populate the Wind Ruins, but moved to the Cloud Tops to escape the problems growing on the surface. They claim to be very skilled in finding Kinstones, and in fact have more than they can deal with. They can use the wind to travel, not needing anything like the parachute Link needs, and also say that they use their power over the wind to support their tower. These people seem to have later been expelled by Vaati, since he is seen dwelling in the Palace of Winds in Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures.
Besides the specialized races of humans such as the Gerudo and Hylia, there are others more similar to real-world humans. These humans seem to be the dominant race in the games they appear in, and have ears ranging from rounded to almost as pointy as a Hylian's. In games with many Hylia, these humans are almost nonexistent, but they are the majority race in all other games.
In Twilight Princess, a settlement called Ordon Village is located south of Faron Woods. Except for Link, all of its inhabitants are generic humans. They are farmers and apparently quite successful, since products from Ordon Village can even be found in the most northern regions.
There are several instances within the series where other races may be referred to as "humans". In Twilight Princess, for example, all human races (including Link) within the game are called humans, and the same occurs within The Minish Cap. It is usually assumed that the people in Castle Town and Hyrule Town in those games are Hylian, as they possess the characteristic long, pointed ears of the race.
The Kokiri (コキリ (Kokiri?)) are a humanoid fairy race in Ocarina of Time who inhabit the Kokiri Forest. Cautious, child-like, and secretive, they believe that they will die if they leave the forest.[39] It is also suggested that if they wander too deep into the forest and remain there for too long, they will eventually become Skull Kids. These beliefs stop most of them from ever leaving their part of the forest. The superstitions are eventually proven false, as most of the Kokiri children are seen celebrating with everyone else at Lon Lon Ranch during the credits.
Though they resemble Hylian children, the Kokiri are ageless and never grow old. Each Kokiri has a guardian fairy that plays the role of friend, parent, guardian, and teacher. They are watched over by the Great Deku Tree, and later Saria, the Sage of Forest, but Mido is their "boss".
The Kokiri were likely created by the Great Deku Tree.[40] All Kokiri seen wear green tunics and have pointy ears, and the males wear green hats while the females have green headbands. There have been two records of Kokiri sages known to have aided the hero Link. The first is Saria, the Sage of Forest in Ocarina of Time and Fado, the Sage of Wind in The Wind Waker. Fado does not make an appearance in Kokiri Forest in Ocarina of Time, but instead has a recycled name from another Kokiri who had the name first: a blond, twin-bunned female on the large stump in the Kokiri Forest whose name is not revealed in the game.
It is suggested in The Wind Waker that the Kokiri have become the Koroks, due to statements by the Great Deku Tree[41] and Fado.[42] The words "Kokiri" and "Korok" are also very similar.
The Koroks (コログ (Korogu?)) are a race from The Wind Waker. They come from an area called the Forest Haven, but spend most of their lives away from it. They have wooden-like bodies (somewhat similar to Deku Scrubs) and wear what look like masks made from various types of leaves. Koroks are very light, and can travel on the wind by using sprouts as propellers. When they move they make a hollow jingling sound.
Most Koroks actually spend most of their lives far away from Forest Haven, planting the seeds of the Great Deku Tree; they only return to Forest Haven once a year, for an annual ceremony held when the Great Deku Tree bears seeds so they can take off again. They plant these seeds in the hope that a large forest will grow, helping to raise the land back above the Great Sea. The only Koroks who do not leave are Makar, who plays his cello at the ceremony, and Hollo, who studies potion-making and uses Boko Baba Seeds to concoct his brews.
In The Wind Waker, The Great Deku Tree states that the Koroks once had different forms[41], and Makar (a Korok) is claimed by the Kokiri sage Fado to be his descendant[42] (however, the Japanese version places "descendant" in the context of a successor of the line of Sages, rather than a true relative). This would strongly imply that they are a more natural manifestation of the Kokiri.
The Minish (ピッコル (Pikkoru?)) are race of tiny, gnome-like creatures known to Hylians as Picori. They appear in The Minish Cap. They settled in Hyrule after they came from the Sacred Realm. Their Sacred Realm can be reached once a century, when a door within Hyrule Castle's courtyard opens. It is said that when monsters threatened mankind, the Minish gave a legendary sword and a golden light to a courageous man, now known as the Hero of Men, destined to ward off the monsters. They have faded into a Santa Claus-like myth over the past centuries, with parents telling children that they are only seen by good, well behaved children, and most adults doubting their existence. However, the Royal Family of Hyrule guards the secret that the Minish do exist, and that they have small societies all over Hyrule that are accessible via shrinking portals. Most of the Minish in Hyrule came from the first portal opening and seem uninterested in returning to their world. The Minish's goal is to please humans; hence they stay in Hyrule to help humans with day to day tasks such as shoe making and bread baking. It is also explained that the Minish place objects under rocks and weeds to "please people", which explains how the objects such as Rupees and items appeared under these objects during the series.
There are several different types of Minish, defined by where they live: Forest Minish, Town Minish, Mountain Minish and Ancient Picori.
Forest Minish are the most common type of Minish found in Hyrule. They delight in making humans happy by hiding helpful items and Rupees under grass and rocks all over Hyrule. They also harvest Pico Blooms and leave them where humans can find them (humans use the Pico Bloom's nectar to make Picolyte). Forest Minish often wear red caps and some Forest Minish appear to wear clothes made from grass & leaves, others do not. Some also appear to have feather-like tails.
Town Minish like humans so much that they moved from Minish Village into Hyrule Town itself. They make their homes in the rafters and walls of buildings in the town. They try to make humans happy, though it sometimes backfires. Some even work alongside humans, usually without their knowledge, like in Rem's Shoe Store (a reference to the folkloric myth of small fairies or brownies helping cobblers in the night). In Wheaton & Pita's Bakery, the Town Minish may be responsible for the Kinstones sometimes being found in the Bakery's pastries. Town Minish wear clothes made from fibers. Their clothes come in different colors, the most common of which is blue. Other colors include red, brownish-green, and pink. The rarest color according to one Minish is yellow. Town Minish also don't seem to have a feather-like tail at all.
Mountain Minish live in Mount Crenel. There are seven Mountain Minish, excluding their leader Melari. These seven Minish are the students of Melari that followed him from their home in Minish Village to Mount Crenel so they could be closer to the iron ore they use in their metallurgy. As a result their lives revolve around mining ore & working with metal. They seem to wear eye-protectors and appear to be much stronger than other Minish. They also seem to enjoy singing while they work.
Ancient Picori are the Minish that live in a world that exists outside the world of Hyrule. All the Minish that exist in Hyrule are descended from this group of Minish, as the Minish themselves are not of Hylian origin. These Minish were responsible for the creation of both the legendary Picori Blade and the Mythical Light Force. They seem extremely knowledgeable in magic and ways to combat evil. None of these Minish appear in The Minish Cap. The ancestral Picori (Minish) are honored once a year in Hyrule during the Picori Festival.
Oocca are creatures with yellowish chicken-like bodies with pale-white, human-like heads. Oocca children look like human heads with wings in place of where the ears would be. They are introduced in Twilight Princess.
The Oocca dwell in the City in the Sky, located above Hyrule. It is claimed by Shad in Twilight Princess, that the Oocca were the "Sky People", the first race created by the Goddesses, and who in turn created the Hylians; however, in the original Japanese version, he instead claims that they created Hyrule itself. These Sky People also had good relations with the Hylian Royal Family, and had given the Family the Dominion Rod.
The Rito (リト (Rito?)) are a race of bird-like humanoids in The Wind Waker. Their main dwelling is on Dragon Roost Island, where all known Rito live. A tribal elder acts as their leader, of who has numerous followers and elaborately dressed guards. It is implied that they are related to the Zoras of Ocarina of Time. Rito are adept fliers and capable of great speeds, and are able to transport humans for a short time once fully-grown.
No Rito is born with wings. The Rito chick must journey to the tribes' guardian deity, the great dragon Valoo, to attain one of his scales which enables the Rito to grow wings. It is treated as a coming-of-age ceremony among the Rito to journey to the great Valoo to receive a scale. When the wings are not in use, they resemble long, flowing sleeves. This allows the Rito to use their hands instead of always having wings.
Rito are widely accepted among Hyruleans as mail carriers, as only they can traverse the seas without the aid of cumbersome ships.
A Rito named Medli tells Link that the Rito were once without wings. It is also revealed in The Wind Waker that she is a descendant of the Zora sage Laruto. However, in the Japanese text of The Wind Waker, "descendant" is not used in the context of a direct derivative.
Skull Kids (スタルキッド (Sutarukiddo?)) are a race which appears in the Lost Woods in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and the Sacred Grove in Twilight Princess. They are suggested by Navi[43][44] to be what Kokiri become if they get lost in the woods and can't get back out. She also describes them as "unhappy to have no face".[45] However, Skull Kids are not the only possible example of creatures being warped by Lost Woods; according to a Kokiri that Link meets on one of his side-quests, Hylians become Stalfos when they get lost in the forest,[46] and in Four Swords Adventures, the Dekus claim that getting lost will turn someone into one of them. Both the Skull Kid in Majora's Mask and the one in Twilight Princess are described as "imps".[47]
The most significant Skull Kid is the Skull Kid from Majora's Mask, who is possessed by the titular mask itself and is the friend of two Fairies named Tatl and Tael. This Skull Kid said that Link smells like the fairy boy who knew Saria's Song in Ocarina of Time,[48] suggesting that he is one of the Skull Kids Link could meet in that game.
In Twilight Princess, a Skull Kid is the guardian of the Sacred Grove, and Link must play a game of hide-and-seek with it twice to advance in the game. The Skull Kid in this game bears a trumpet instead of a flute, and blows it to summon minions called Puppets, of which there seems to be an unlimited amount. The Twilight Princess Skull Kid also has a purple, leathery face, with red eyes and a scarecrow-like visage, while the Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask Skull Kids have simple wooden faces with glowing yellow features that seem to be merely outlines.
Spirits are the most powerful and important creatures in the world of The Legend of Zelda, and are noted for creating the world of Hyrule and all the realms it holds. In general, deities can be divided into Gods and Guardian Spirits.
Gods include the three "Golden Goddesses", Din, Nayru and Farore, who created Hyrule, its physics and its lifeforms. It is unknown where they came from or for how long they have existed. They are usually portrayed as three beautiful women with power nearing omnipotence, but they are sometimes represented differently. They are most often referred to as goddesses, though "gods" is also used, usually as a collective noun. Other gods and goddesses are mentioned within the games: Ocarina of Time sparingly refers to a "sand goddess" which the Gerudos revered, Majora's Mask describes the Four Giants as gods, as well as mentioning a "Goddess of Time". In The Wind Waker, the title "Goddess of Fortune" is used to refer to a certain Great Fairy, and there are also two frog-like wind Gods, Cyclos and Zephos. In Twilight Princess, the antagonist Zant refers to Ganondorf as his god. This seems to imply that the title "god/goddess" is given due to power rather than due to a dogmatic pantheon. The Golden Goddesses seem to mostly withdraw themselves from Hyrule's affairs, only responding to prayers invoked by the Triforce or made by the sages. Some of their responses include flooding Hyrule and restoring the Master Sword.
Guardian Spirits are not as powerful as the gods, but are still powerful enough to create and protect other creatures. For instance, the Great Deku Tree created the Kokiri.[40] Unlike the goddesses, the Spirits live with the other races on earth, instead of watching them from a distance. They sometimes act as a leader or second leader for a population of their chosen race and are always treated with great respect. Some Spirits age and can be killed, though they will replace themselves. In Twilight Princess, there are four spirits that watch over the four provinces in Hyrule. The provinces are named after the spirits that watch over them; Ordona, a goat; Faron, a monkey; Eldin, an owl; and Lanayru, a serpent.
Subrosians are a mysterious race from the subterranean world of Subrosia, featured in Oracle of Seasons. They have large, glowing eyes, and always wear hooded cloaks. In Subrosia, their currency is "ore chunks" instead of Rupees. They are nearly impervious to heat, and can often be seen relaxing in lava pools. Subrosians also have a dance called the Subrosian Dance. If one does the Subrosian Dance well he can win many prizes such as a Boomerang and the Strange Flute. They find outsiders strange and sometimes do not understand their logic. The world of Subrosia is connected to the land of Holodrum through a number of vortex-looking portals. The Temple of Seasons, which was thought to vanish when Onox made it sink into the ground, was instead to be found in Subrosia. Link must return to this temple four times to complete the quest. In Subrosia, there is a Smithy where Subrosians combine Blue Ore and Red Ore to create Hard Ore, a rare raw material used to make special items such as an Iron Shield.
In Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, a race appears that is nearly identical in appearance to the Subrosians. They are called the Salona, because they run the Bodyguard Salons. Whether they are the same race or a related race is left unanswered. The story told by various Salona is that their ancestors aided an ancient hero in his quest to defeat a powerful demon. As a result, the demon cursed them, saying that if they acted as the hero's shadow, they would become shadows. Since then, they wear hoods because their bodies can't stand light anymore.
Twili (トワイライトの民 (Towairaito no Tami?)) are descendants of a tribe of sorcerers called the Dark Interlopers that attempted to seize control of the Sacred Realm after the creation of the Triforce. They were banished by the Golden Goddesses to a limbo known as the Twilight Realm. Over a long period of time, the Twili have evolved from their original forms to a unique, black and white, gentle-looking race. Two major characters of Twilight Princess, Zant and Midna, are members of this race. During Zant's quest for kingship, many of the Twili were transformed into shadow beasts, leaving Link to revert those still capable of becoming Twili to their normal selves. In this form their skin is mostly black with markings on their bodies reminiscent of patterns seen in the Twilight Realm. Their faces, necks, and chests tend to be gray in a marked contrast to the rest of their bodies. The Twili have a stretched appearance, with long limbs, necks, and heads, and great variances in overall height and girth. It also appears that common Twili are incapable of speaking Hylian and appear to only be able to utter a moan when Link draws near. Both Midna and Zant are unique to their races in that the appearance of their forms (natural or otherwise) are significantly different from other Twili and that they are capable of speaking Hylian.
The Zora (ゾーラ (Zōra?)) are a race of piscine humanoids which appear in every game of the series, excluding The Adventure of Link and Four Swords. In earlier games, "Zolas" are fire-spitting aquatic enemies that are described by Nintendo's "Great Hyrule Encyclopedia" as female Zoras who chose lives of violence over loyalty to Hyrule.[49] In Ocarina of Time, Zoras were redesigned into a more peaceful race. Oracle of Ages is the only game to feature both types and introduced new terms to differentiate between them; fire-spitting Zolas were renamed "river Zoras" and humanoid Zoras were renamed "sea Zoras". In Phantom Hourglass, large, muscle-bound enemies resembling River Zoras and known as "Zora Warriors" are encountered as opponents, and use a sword and shield.
Zoras rely heavily on water and reflect this dependency in their culture. Zoras are mostly seen gracefully swimming about and frolicking in water, and Zora's Domain diving minigame in Ocarina of Time suggests that Zoras like diving in particular. Besides routine swimming and sports, Zoras also enjoy music (the stylings of "The Indigo-Gos, for example").[50]
Zoras resemble other marine creatures in their body structure. Most of them wear no clothes, but certain members of their species do wear clothing, or (as shown by the Zora guards in Twilight Princess) a helmet that completely encases their head. They are generally covered in silver scales, which give them a pale blue sheen from a distance, and they have dark blue spots on their extremities. Where humans sometimes have long hair, average Zoras have rear-hanging caudal extensions of their heads shaped like the tails of dolphins, perhaps as a cephalized form of dorsal fin. These tails undulate periodically, which gives a Zora's head the unique semblance of a fish. In Twilight Princess, the "dorsal-like fins" appear to be much smaller. Zoras have two large ulnar fins located distally on their forearms, and some have smaller fins at their ankles. They are sometimes depicted as having webbed feet and hands. They lack ears in the traditional sense, but do have pronounced noses. In previous games in the series, Zoras had no visible gills, yet could breathe underwater, but in Twilight Princess, Zoras had gills on their abdomen, analogous to the placement of lungs on a human. As with Deku Scrubs and Gorons, Zoras who are important to the storyline are physically distinct from the general public.
Certain other features of the Zoran anatomy are revealed when the player can inhabit the body of the Zora Mikau in Majora's Mask. When Link assumes his streamlined Zoran form he can swim with great ease and agility, using his forearm fins to perform barrel rolls or to jump out of the water. Moreover, these fins are specialized for Link's fighting needs. They can grow larger to serve as sharp-edged weapons similar to swords, and even be projected as twin boomerangs; they retract again when not in use. Link's right fin also grows to become his shield when defending, and attacks mainly with punches and kicks. Additionally, Zoras who possess magical power have the ability to create electric fields around their bodies as a defense mechanism when swimming, much like electric eels. This ability has only been seen/used in Majora's Mask. All Zoras are powerful swimmers (in fact, powerful enough to swim up waterfalls).
It is revealed in Majora's Mask that Zoras lay eggs to reproduce. Zora eggs need to be kept in cold, clean water to develop healthily, and every egg from the same clutch must be kept together for them to hatch. Newborn Zoras are tadpole-like with a circular body and a long, skinny tail ending in a fluke. There are occasions when Zoras fall in love with Hylians, as Ruto with Link.
Zora government is apparently monarchical, as illustrated by King Zora, the sole ruler of the Zoras in Ocarina of Time; another King Zora in Oracle of Ages; and Queen Rutela, the deceased ruler of the Zoras in Twilight Princess. Queen Rutela mentions that her husband, King Zora, died some time ago. River Zoras are also shown having a monarchical system, as King Zora from A Link to the Past was a river Zora. The Zora Royal Family is responsible for maintaining order among their people, overseeing care for Jabu-Jabu (in Ocarina of Time and Oracle of Ages), and assuring that the waters upon which he and all creatures rely are clean and pure.
In Ocarina of Time and Oracle of Ages, Zoras revere Lord Jabu-Jabu (known simply as Jabu-Jabu in Oracle of Ages), a giant fish-like creature, as their guardian god.[51][52] Some of the Zora guards in Twilight Princess also wear helmets that resemble Jabu-Jabu's face. As an expression of devotion to the patron god on behalf of all Zoras, attendants feed him with smaller fish and care for his well-being, which Princess Ruto did in Ocarina of Time.
Many games in the series reference ancient tribes, but neglect to give much information about them. As such, it is uncertain whether any of these are the same as other tribes that have been given more in-depth information.
The currency of the Zelda series is called the Rupee, and is used in Hyrule, the Great Sea, Koholint Island, Termina, Labrynna, and Holodrum. Rupees resemble hexagonal crystals or gems, and come in various colors which determine value. Rupees are acquired primarily by defeating enemies, cutting tall grass or bushes, or by opening treasure chests, and are used primarily to purchase items in shops and play minigames. 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. Link cannot hold more Rupees than his current wallet size (each wallet holding only a certain number of Rupees), and Rupees collected after the wallet reaches capacity are not accumulated. Availability and sizes of Link's wallets vary from game to game, and Link's Rupee-carrying capacity generally starts off small with upgrades to larger wallet sizes available throughout the game (with the exception of The Legend of Zelda, where there is no wallet system, as only 255 Rupees can be collected at any time, as well as A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening, where the player can carry up to 999 Rupees, and Phantom Hourglass, where the maximum Link can carry is 9,999).
Although Rupees are used most often to buy items in shops, occasionally they have other uses. In the original The Legend of Zelda, Link's quiver capacity is limited to the number of Rupees he carries; therefore, when his Rupee stash is depleted, he can no longer use arrows until he collects more. In A Link to the Past, if Link throws 100 Rupees into a certain fairy fountain, a Great Fairy appears to increase his carrying capacity for bombs or arrows, at the player's choice. In Ocarina of Time, collecting five Silver Rupees in a particular room in certain dungeons is a type of puzzle. Rupees are also central to the gameplay in the multiplayer stages of Four Swords. This game contains Black Rupees, which cause the player to drop Rupees all over the ground, and Rupee Shards, which, when eight are collected, become a Rupee of great value. In Phantom Hourglass, the Black Rupee is given the name "Rupoor", and depletes Rupees depending on what size it is whenever Link comes into contact with one. In Twilight Princess, the Magic Armor is magically powered by Rupees, and when Link is hit while wearing it, he loses Rupees instead of hearts. If Link runs out of Rupees while wearing the armor, his mobility is greatly reduced, and he starts taking life damage again when hit.
The only titles so far that feature monetary systems other than Rupees is Oracle of Seasons, where, in addition to Rupees, the Subrosian race accepts only Ore Chunks as currency, and Four Swords Adventures, where the lead characters collect Force Gems rather than Rupees. Rupees are also absent in The Adventure of Link, which has no apparent in-game currency system, but which is generally still assumed to be using the same Rupee-based economy within the kingdom as The Legend of Zelda.
The original The Legend of Zelda only has flashing Rupees, worth one, and blue Rupees, worth five. Subsequent games introduced more colors and sizes for Rupees, each denoting a specific value. Generally, green Rupees have the least value, while huge gold or silver Rupees have the most.
The Master Sword (マスターソード Masutā Sōdo?), also known as the "The Blade of Evil's Bane", is a magic sword that often acts as the ultimate weapon for Link as the chosen hero to defeat Ganon. It has the power to "repel evil", which enables it to overcome powerful dark magic and evil beings. Evil beings cannot touch or wield the sword. It was first fully introduced in the third game in the series, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. The sword traditionally rests in sacrosanct locations indigenous to Hyrule, such as the Temple of Time or the Lost Woods. It is often not at full power, leading it to need to be "recharged" in some way, or have its power increased beyond its standard level to fight Ganon. There are some situations when the blade, already at full power, can be further improved; in A Link to the Past, it was tempered and imbued with magical gold to raise its power. Similarly, in Twilight Princess, the sword is powered by two Sols in the Palace of Twilight.
The sword also doubles as a key to the Sacred Realm. While it impedes evil's ability to act, its seal is not inviolable. A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker all begin just as Ganon is finding a way around the sword's power. In the latter two games, drawing the sword from its pedestal releases the seal completely, allowing evil to act.
The Master Sword is a double-edged one-handed sword created by the Sages of Hyrule. The blade cross-section is hexagonal with no fuller. On the flats of the blade near the hilt is a Triforce symbol, etched into the steel or emblazoned in gold. It has a blue or purple curved crossguard in the shape of a pair of wings with a small yellow jewel where it meets the hilt. The hilt is often padded red with a non-ornate blue pommel.
In a password-linked game, players are able to upgrade their "Noble Sword", causing it to be renamed the "Master Sword". The Master Sword is the only weapon capable of damaging Ganon without charging a spin attack. Because the Master Sword itself has no role in the plot, and is only available through exchanging passwords, its canonicity is uncertain, as is its relationship to the Master Sword of the other games.
In Oracle of Ages, the Noble Sword is an heirloom given to the Zoras, and if this game is played first, it can be "sharpened" by Zoran royalty to become the Master Sword, indicating that the Noble Sword may be a weakened Master Sword, much like its appearance in The Wind Waker. In Oracle of Seasons, the Noble Sword is found in a shrine hidden in the Lost Woods, echoing its location in A Link to the Past; if this game is played first, an old man living under the Clock Shop will give it "new power" if Link completes a monster slaying mini-game.
WWE Raw Superstar Cody Rhodes features the Triforce symbol on his boots; he explained that he replays A Link to the Past yearly.[53]
In Animal Crossing: Wild World, the Triforce is a furniture item. When used, it separates and assembles in mimicry of the opening to A Link to the Past. In both the original Animal Crossing and Wild World, Katrina, the fortune teller, has the Triforce symbol emblazoned in the far back of her tent. However, it is barely visible in Wild World, as her recently discarded crystal ball lies in front of it.
In Kirby Super Star, The Great Cave Offensive required Kirby to collect treasures while escaping from a vast cave. The final treasure is a distinctively Triforce-like relic. In the more recent Kirby: Canvas Curse, a minigame involving joining dots to form images features a Triforce-shaped image.
In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, the Triforce is an unlockable bumper sticker image. It is displayed on the top of Samus' ship if your Wii console has The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess save data. This must be purchased using friend vouchers sent by registered Wii friends.
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