The fictional universe depicted in The Legend of Zelda series of video games consists of a variety of lands, the most commonly appearing of these being Hyrule (ハイラル Hairaru), and was created by Japanese video game developer Shigeru Miyamoto.
The land of Hyrule (ハイラル Hairaru), first depicted in The Legend of Zelda, is the main setting of the series. 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 are set 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; The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass, both set on the Great Sea, a flooded Hyrule (although a large portion of Phantom Hourglass takes place in the World of the Ocean King, which is in another dimension); and Skyward Sword, set on Skyloft, a group of islands floating above the clouds.
Hyrule was formed by three goddesses (三柱の女神 Mihashira no Megami) Din (ディン), Farore (フロル Faroru), and Nayru (ネール Nēru). According to Hylian legend as depicted in Ocarina of Time, Din created the physical geography of the realm, Nayru created the laws to govern the land, and Farore created the races to uphold the law and the flora and fauna that inhabit the world. Once the goddesses had completed their tasks, they departed for the heavens, and left behind three golden triangles. In 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 a constructed language that first appears in A Link to the Past, where it is identified as "the ancient language of the Hylians". In A Link to the Past, its written form is composed of symbols that have to be translated by Link to progress in the game. In The Wind Waker, three spirits, the angler fish-like Jabun, the dragon Valoo, and the Deku Tree, as well as the King of Red Lions, can speak it. In Japan, an explanation on the Hylian alphabet was printed on the back of the instruction manual, showing the language written with a phonographic writing system, or syllabary, like Japanese.[3] Since then two more Hylian scripts have been developed and/or deciphered for the public: the Old Hylian Syllabary used in Ocarina of Time, the Modern Hylian Syllabary used in The Wind Waker, and the Hylian Alphabet used in Twilight Princess. The first two are used for transcribing Japanese, while the last is used to transcribe English.[4]
The currency of Hyrule and other areas is called the "Rupee" (ルピー Rupi), which resemble hexagonal crystals or gems, and come in various colors which determine value. In Oracle of Seasons, the Subrosian race accepts only Ore Chunks as currency, and in Four Swords Adventures, Force Gems are used rather than Rupees. Rupees are also absent in The Adventure of Link, which has no apparent in-game currency system. The original The Legend of Zelda only has flashing Rupees, worth one, and blue Rupees, worth five. In the original, they were called "Rupies;" this was later changed. 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. In Phantom Hourglass, there were black Rupees called "Rupoor" that would steal a certain amount of Rupees depending on its size.
The Master Sword (マスターソード Masutā Sōdo), also known as "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 and doubles as a key to the Sacred Realm. First introduced in A Link To The Past, It has the power to "repel evil", which enables it to overcome powerful dark magic and evil beings and keep them from using the sword. It was forged at the direction of the godessess to prevent the Triforce from falling into evil hands.[5] The sword traditionally rests in sacrosanct locations indigenous to Hyrule, such as the Temple of Time or the Lost Woods. Similar to Arthurian legend, the Master Sword is often first obtained by pulling it from a stone.
The sword 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 to the Tempered Sword. It can later be upgraded to the Golden Sword. Similarly, in Twilight Princess, the sword is powered by two Sols in the Palace of Twilight. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker establishes that the sword needs the power of two sages praying to the gods to keep its powers, or else it will no longer be able to prevent an evil person from gaining the Triforce.[6] In The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Link wields a weapon called the Goddess Sword which has a sentient female personality named Fi. The Goddess Sword transforms into the Master Sword after a substantial number of quests as part of the main plot.[7]
The Master Sword is a double-edged one-handed sword. 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. Since The Wind Waker, the Master Sword's blade glows white when it is revived by the sages in the mid-game.
Nintendo Power listed the Master Sword as one of the best weapons, stating that it is more than just a powerful sword, but also important to Link's adventures.[8]
The Triforce (トライフォース Toraifōsu), also called "Power of the Gods" (神の力 Kami no Chikara) and the "Golden Triangle" (黄金の大三角 Kogane no Dai Sankaku) Twilight Princess, is a triangular sacred relic that represents the essences of the Golden Goddesses. It is made up of three smaller triangles known as the Triforce of Wisdom (知恵のトライフォース Chie no Toraifōsu), Triforce of Power (力のトライフォース Chikara no Toraifōsu) and Triforce of Courage (勇気のトライフォース Yūki no Toraifōsu). Each of these embody the essence of their respective goddess, and bestow certain boons on their bearers. In most of its appearances, the Triforce or its pieces, manifest as a marking on the hands of their bearers. These markings 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 lasts until he dies or the wish is fulfilled. However, if the one who finds it does not possess a balance of the three virtues it represents, the pieces split into its three components and the finder is left with the one which represents the characteristic he values most; the other two pieces do likewise with two other characters "chosen by destiny." Ganon makes it his goal to obtain the Triforce in various games, often having a single piece himself (The Triforce of Power)that he uses to further his goals.
The Triforce of Power holds the presence of Din, the goddess of Power, and radiates the physical, and magical power of its bearer. It is usually associated with Ganon, who is power-hungry. 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, whose great wisdom brings peace and prosperity to Hyrule. 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, the main protagonist of the series, who bravely defends Hyrule from Ganon.
Anouki (ユキワロシ Yukiwaroshi) are an Inuit-like race which appear to be a cross between reindeer and penguins. There are different variations of them with purple, red, (which is found in a store at the winter realm sanctuary) blue, and yellow shirts and have either facial hair or small or big antlers. They are found on the Isle of Frost in the World of Ocean King and in Anouki Village in New Hyrule. In Spirit Tracks, the Anouki are the only race in the snow realm.
Bulbins (ブルブリン Buruburin) are a green, horned race, resembling the orcs of classic fantasy. They are cowardly and always fight for the stronger side. They are led by King Bulblin (キングブルブリン Kinguburuburin),[9] who unlike the rest has the ability to talk.[10] Bulbins usually fight with heavy clubs or flaming arrows, and commonly ride on boars.[9] They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
The Cobble are a race that appear in Phantom Hourglass. The Cobble once inhabited a prosperous land called the Cobble Kingdom. By the time the game takes place, the only Cobble that remain are ghosts of the soldiers and King Mutoh, who dress like Ancient Egyptians and reside within their respective temples, which are shaped like pyramids. The Isle of Ruins in the Northeastern Sea is all that remains of the once-mighty kingdom, and Link must visit there to retrieve the Aquanine, a pure metal entrusted to the Cobble by the Ocean King. There, he delves beneath Mutoh's Temple and destroys a corrupt Cobble war machine that has been disrupting the king's eternal rest. Also, Astrid, the fortune-teller living on the Isle of Ember, tells Link that she and her deceased assistant, Kayo, are part of the Cobble race.
The Deku (デクナッツ Dekunattsu) are a race of plant-like creatures which are introduced in Ocarina of Time. They appear mostly in the overworld and dungeons. 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 that can shoot "Deku Nuts." Their bodies consist entirely of wood and leaves, and they perish quickly if set on fire. They can fly by using large leaves to glide, and some can use the leaves on their head to fly for indefinite periods after taking off from a "Deku Flower."
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, which have green leaves. They often give information when caught. Mad Scrubs are violent, have red and yellow leaves, and do not talk. Business Scrubs are traders who offer to sell their wares and services. Royal Scrubs have larger heads, bigger eyes, smaller mouths, and they also have extra leaves covering their body.
In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link can inhabit the body of an unknown Deku Scrub (who is rumored to be the son of the Deku King's butler) and can fly for a limited time with use of a Deku Flower and can shoot bubbles from its mouth (once he receives the magic meter from the Great Fairy). The Deku Scrub cannot go into deep water but hops on top of it five times and then sinks.
Fairies (妖精 Yōsei) are a magical and benevolent race that aid Link during his quest in most games in the series. Fairies appear as small, winged humanoids, who are often 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 (大妖精 Ōyōsei), which are the size of humans. These Fairies from the fountains will heal Link when he approaches, and if he traps one in a bottle, Link can release the fairy to have it heal him, or it will resurrect him if he dies. In Ocarina of Time, Guardian Fairies travel with the Kokiri and give them advice. One of these is Navi, who serves as Link's guardian fairy, or Tatl in Majora's Mask. In some of the games, such as The Minish Cap, players will be tested of their honesty and if they are, fairies give them gifts and upgrades.
The Gerudo (ゲルド) are a tribe of thieves who mainly are desert-dwellers. Distinguishing physical traits of Gerudo typically include bronzed skin, scarlet hair, aquiline noses, gold eyes and, unlike the Hylians, round ears. Apart from a single male born to the Gerudo every hundred years, the race consists entirely of women. By Gerudo law, this man must become king of the tribe.[11] Ganondorf, the main antagonist of the series, is one such man and is king of the Gerudo in Ocarina of Time. It is suggested that the Gerudo seek men from outside the tribe as partners.[12] Although nothing is ever really confirmed, it is also thought that the Gerudo kidnap men when they need to reproduce. Gerudos appear as pirates in Majora's Mask, where they live in the ocean at Great Bay, are ruled by a woman instead of a man, and are enemies with the Zoras. They search for treasures in the sea (usually ending in trouble and failure, as seen when they steal the Zora Eggs laid by Lulu following a hint given by Skull Kid to invade Great Bay Temple) and assault unaware Zoras and fishermen, although they do not approach Clock Town.
The Goron (ゴロン) are a race of strong but peaceful mountain-dwelling rock monsters who first appear in Ocarina of Time as friendly characters, also appearing in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker as nomadic traders. Goron culture revolves around brotherhood and strength, usually referring to each other and those they deem strong as "Brother." Gorons show high regard for individuals who display great strength, and particularly enjoy matching their strength with others in sumo wrestling matches.[13] While not all the games which feature Gorons include full tribes, those that do depict Goron policy as headed by a single patriarch, sometimes aided by one or more Goron Elders, who assume leadership of the tribe when the patriarch cannot. Darunia (ダルニア) was the patriarch in Ocarina of Time. The Goron elders in Twilight Princess were: Gor Coron (ドン・コローネ Don Korōne), Gor Amoto (ドン・シーゲル Don Sīgeru) Gor Ebizo (ドン・エビーゾ Don Ebīzo) and Gor Liggs (ドン・レゲーヌ Don Regūnu)
For leisure, Gorons enjoy music and dance, rolling/racing,[14] games,[15] sumo wrestling, and bathing in hot springs. Gorons have taken on occupations such as crafting, blacksmithing, sculpting, demolition, and merchantry (usually explosives, which they are experts in producing). Gorons maintain a diet of rocks and iron.[16][17] They also eat rock sirloin, amber, and metal shields as delicacies. Gorons enter the fetal position, similar to an armadillo, for several purposes, such as resting, crushing obstacles, assaulting enemies, and transportation by rolling to great speeds. Gorons endowed with fairy magic can grow metal spikes while rolling.[18]
Gorons make their return in Skyward Sword, but it is still not known what region they live in; it has been speculated that they are a nomadic people.
Gorons are universally male humanoids with generally beige skin, 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. Most are the size of an average human, though some such as Biggoron (ダイゴロン Daigoron) can grow as large as a mountain. Due to their great density, Gorons sink to the bottom of bodies of water and are thus helpless in such an environment. However, they do not require respiration to survive, as a Goron child proves by resting underwater, mentioning that he never feels the need to take a breath. Also, in Twilight Princess, a Goron becomes permanently submerged in the main pool in Zora's Domain, but rather enjoys the cold water rather than drowning.[19] Gorons are exceptionally resistant to heat, to the point of being able to walk through shallow lava.
In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link can inhabit the body of the deceased Goron hero Darmani and use the ability to roll and punch as hard as the Megaton Hammer from Ocarina of Time.
Humans are a common race similar to Hylians although can be told apart with the structure of their ears. A community of humans live in Ordon Village in Hyrule as well as other countries of the Light World such as Holodrum, Labrynna and islands of the Great Sea. In Ocarina of Time, humans reside in Kakariko Village and in the marketplace outside of Hyrule Castle.
Hylians (ハイリア族 Hairia-zoku) are an elf-like race that make up the main population of Hyrule.[20] They were the first race to establish organized civilization in ancient Hyrule and are born with magic-infused blood, said to be a gift from the gods, endowing them with psychic powers and skill in wizardry. Their long, pointed ears allow them to hear messages from the gods. Link and Princess Zelda belong to this race in most games in the series. In some games, such as Twilight Princess, Hylians are referred to as "humans", possibly because the only difference between the Hylians and humans are their ears, making it simpler to refer to both races as "humans". In Skyward Sword Hylians live on a floating island known as Skyloft and are accompinied by bird like species called Loftwings.
Keaton (キータン Kītan) are a generally-benevolent, three-tailed fox-like race, mostly found in Termina. They normally stay hidden from sight, although they reveal themselves to Link and challenge him with a quiz if he wears a Keaton Mask. No known Keaton exist in Hyrule at the time of Ocarina of Time, although at least one of them is a well-known fictional character in Hyrule Castle Town.[21][22] By the time of The Minish Cap, however, some rather thuggish Keaton roam the Hyrule countryside, now walking on their hindpaws and with only one tail instead of three; if they injure Link, he loses a few Rupees. They bear a striking resemblance to Ninetails, which was in turn based on the Japanese mythological kitsune. Their faces also resemble that of the Pokemon Pikachu.
The Kikwi are a race in Skyward Sword who inhabit the Faron Woods region. They have the appearance of a black-and-white wingless bird wearing a mask. Their name is a reference to both the kiwi bird and fruit - both of which they resemble. They have the ability to partially bury themselves underground and cause a plant to blossom from their backs for camouflage, though some are better at it then others. They are rumored to be related to the Kokiri/Koroks, being a forest-dwelling race led by a guardian figure with large facial hair.
The Kokiri Zoku (コキリ族) are a humanoid fairy race in Ocarina of Time who inhabit the Kokiri Forest. They are ageless, child-like elves created by the Great Deku Tree, and each has a guardian fairy that plays the role of friend, parent, guardian, and teacher. Cautious and secretive, these elven creatures believe that they will die if they leave the forest.[23] It is also suggested that if they wander too deep into the forest and remain there for too long, they will become a skull kid.
The Koroks (コログ Korogu) of The Wind Waker are said to have been transformed from the Kokiri.[24] They are small creatures with bodies that look like wood and masks made from leaves. They are very light, which allows them to travel by using sprouts as propellers over wind currents. They leave their home, the "Forest Haven", to plant seeds from the Great Deku Tree all over the world, and only return once a year to hold a ceremony to obtain more seeds.
Lokomos (ロコモ Rokomo) are a humanoid race first appearing in The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. All but one of the encountered Lokomo are sages who reside in the five realms of New Hyrule, as well as the Tower of Spirits. They are distinguishable by their pointed ears (similar to Hylians) and their short legs, forcing them to use motorized carts for transportation. However, a Lokomo named Byrne [Staven in the European version] is capable of walking on his legs and is exceptionally strong.
The Oocca (天空人 Tenkūto "sky people") are a race of birds with long necks and human-like faces that appear in The Twilight Princess. They live in the "City in the Sky (天空都市 Tenkū Toshi "sky city")",[25] an airborne city that acts as the seventh dungeon in the Twilight Princess. An Oocca woman named Ooccoo (おばちゃん Oba-chan "aunt") is found in the game's dungeons, and can warp the player back to the entrance to the dungeon. Ooccoo's son, Ooccoo Jr (ぼくちゃん Boku-chan "I/me-chan"), warps the player back to where Ooccoo was used to warp out. They bear a striking resemblance to the statue in M.C. Escher painting, Another World. In Twilight Princess, these creatures are mentioned to be closer to the gods than the hylians. They were the race who created hylians, and at the same time created a new capital in the skies for them to live in. In Twilight Princess, Link reaches this city by launching himself out of an enormous reconstructed ancient cannon.
Minish, also referred to as Picori (ピッコル Pikkoru), are small humanoid creatures similar in size of bugs that tend to be helpful, although Vaati (グフー Gufū hurricane) was an example of an evil Picori. They're only visible to children and tend to live in forests, but also appear inside of buildings and holes in and around various spots of Hyrule. Three variations of the Minish which can be distinguished by their attire: Forest Minish, Town Minish and Mountain Minish. They first appear in The Minish Cap.
The Mogma are a mole-like race from Skyward Sword who live in the Eldin Volcano region. They appear to be anthropmorphic rodentine creatures with elongated arms, and each has their own distinctive hairstyle. The Mogma hide underground by burrowing with their claws. They are demolition experts known to never go anywhere without their bomb bag.
The Parella are an aquatic race from Skyward Sword who live in the underwater spiraling caverns of Lake Floria. They are a squid-like race, and look almost like the aquatic Octoroks from Ocarina of Time. Interestingly, conical spirals seem to be a major part of their design, appearing as both their central body and the shape of their dwellings. Red coral grows from their heads.
The Rito (リト), also known as the Bird-people, are a race of bird-like humanoids in The Wind Waker. Their main habitat is on Dragon Roost Island, an island on the Great Sea. They have a tribal elder, with numerous followers and elaborately dressed guards. No Rito is born with wings, and instead, must visit the tribes' guardian, the great Sky Spirit, Valoo, to receive one of his scales which enables them to grow wings. It is a coming of age ceremony of the Rito, to journey to the great Valoo to receive their scale. Children without wings are called Fledglings.
Rito are viewed upon by outsiders somewhat dubiously. Some have an inexplicable bigotry directed towards them, perhaps out of jealousy. Still, Rito are widely accepted as mail carriers, as only they can traverse the seas without cumbersome ships. Rito are capable of flying quickly, and full-grown members can carry humans for a short time.
Rito resemble condors, and seem to have some relation with the Andean culture: males have dark skin and the main theme of the Dragon Roost Island contains some Andean instruments such as zampoña (or pan pipes) and charango.
Rito are humanoid, bird-like creatures. They have a mix of human and animal biological characteristics, with very distinctive traits. The Rito appear to be covered by dark shaded skin or feathers. Most Rito have red colored eyes, although the Rito Chieftain has yellow eyes. They, like many other races in the series, have pointed ears. The Rito have bird-like feet as well, though oddly without talons. Rito also have some sort of beak where a human's nose would be found, though the shape and size of this beak varies through different Rito. Unlike normal birds this beak appears to be only used for smelling, and cannot be used as a mouth, the Rito have a more human-like mouth below this beak.
Throughout a young Rito's childhood, he or she is called a Fledgling and is flightless without any wings. After a child reaches a certain age they can only receive their wings after they retrieve a scale from the dragon, Valoo. Their wings are unique in that they protrude from their forearms, similar to where a Zora's fins would be. These have an appearance similar to the sleeves of a cloak when the Rito is not in flight. While not in use wings of a Rito are mostly white with black colored plumage located along the ends. When in flight the top of a Rito's wings are colored brown with black along the edges while the bottoms of the wings contain white colored plumage along the wings interior. However Medli has pure white colored wings, possibly suggesting that female Rito have white wings or that her wings are not fully grown yet.
Most Rito are able to fly over a great distance and can hover in place, but some like Medli have trouble flying for long periods of time. This is likely due to inexperience at flying, however. Like humans, Rito's heads are covered by hair that are of different colors and lengths for each person. Most males, however, seem to have white colored hair, even at a young age.
It is revealed in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker that the Rito are descended from the Zora; when Hyrule was flooded, they evolved into bird-like creatures to better suit their surroundings. This is supported by Medli when she gives Link the Grappling Hook, stating that it was used by the Rito before they evolved wings. This hints that they used it when they were Zoras or when they were changing from Zoras to Rito.
The Ancient Robots are a mechanical race from Skyward Sword. They were created by an unknown ancient civilization and seemed to outlive their creators, though the land they lived in eventually succumbed to time and became a barren desert while they rusted away. By using a Timeshift Stone they can be brought back to life and are shown to serve three purposes. Some of them mine for Timeshift Stones, one group was banded together to serve as protectors of one of the Sacred Flames, and a small number act as servants of the Thunder Dragon. In addition there is a band of Ancient Robot Pirates, though only one of them is seen throughout the entire game.
The Sheikah (シーカー Shīkā) are an ancient clan of mysterious ninja-like warriors, often referred to as the "shadows" of the Hylians, sworn to protect the Hylian Royal Family.[26] Eventually Impa during Ocarina of Time and Impaz during Twilight Princess are the last surviving members of the tribe. The Sheikah's symbol of a crying eye is commonly seen in the series, even in games where the Sheikah are not present. 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 their tribe. In Ocarina of Time they are referred to as an extinct race, with Impa being the only surviving member (even though Princess Zelda poses as one while hiding from Ganondorf), and builders of the Shadow Temple. The reason for constructing this eerie mysterious structure is not fully known. It is said that the Sheikah people were fascinated by a search for truth. They were also the creators of the mask of truth (sold by the happy mask salesmen of castle town in Ocarina of Time). In Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, and Majora's Mask, Sheikah Stones or Gossip Stones created by the Sheikah give Link information on where to go and what to do.
There are four Light Spirits (光の精霊 Hikari no Seirei) throughout Hyrule. All of the light spirits are located in the Twilight Princess.
The first light spirit is Ordona (ラトアーヌ Ratoānu), best described as an Ordon Goat. Ordona has a spiraling circular orb in between her antlers and first appears at Ordon Spring. She appears once Link has defeated the first Twilit Messenger.
The second light spirit, Faron (フィローネ Firōne), is described as a monkey/ape. He is holding his golden orb with his tail eclipsed over his head. He appears in Faron Spring, and will fully appear when Link has completed the first collection of twilight bugs.
The third light spirit, Eldin (オルディン Orudin), is described as an eagle, with his orb between his feet. He appears in the lake near the shaman's house in Kakariko Villiage, and will fully appear once Link has completed the second collection of twilight bugs.
The fourth and last light spirit, Lanayru (ラネール Ranēru), is described as a serpent, with his orb inside his mouth. He appears in the cave at Lake Hylia. He fully appears when Link has completed the third and final collection of twilight bugs. But once Link is back to his human form, and after Lanayru tells him the story of the three goddesses and the three Fused Shadows, Zant appears. Zant will then embed the Shadow Crystal in Link's skull that will allow Link to transform into his human and wolf form.
Subrosians (ウーラ Ūra) are a mysterious race which live in the subterranean world of Subrosia. They have large glowing eyes and are always seen wearing either green, blue or red hooded cloaks, (though one Subrosian wears a yellow cloak with a ribbon). They are shy when around people of other races and prefer to be rarely seen. They can survive in lava and tend to relax in pools of lava, and use a currency made of metal rocks found in the ground called Ore Chunks. They first appear in Oracle of Seasons.
Tokay (トカゲ人 Tokagejin lizard people) are a race of reptilian lizards with green scales and tails who reside on Crescent Island in Labrynna. They are known to search for valuable items that they can find and are known to be deceitful. They are also expert gardeners which are able to grow scent seeds from seedlings over a course of four hundred years. They have never seen anyone from other races so when they see Link, they think he's a Tokay without a tail and call him "Strange Tokay". They first appear in Oracle of Ages.
Twili (トワイライトの民 Towairaito no Tami People of the Twilight) are a race which come from the Twilight Realm. They are the descendants of the Dark Interlopers which were sent to the Twilight Realm by the Golden Goddesses (三柱の女神 Mihashira no Megami Three Goddesses) after trying to seize control of the Sacred Realm and later evolved to what they are now. Eventually, they abandoned their plans to rule the Sacred Realm and Hyrule and became peacefully adapted to their new lifestyle in the Twilight Realm. One member of their race is Midna (ミドナ Midona). They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Zant (ザント Zanto) was also part of this race. He was granted the power to overthrow Midna by Ganon and then served Ganon in taking over Hyrule. It is possible that the Interlopers were either the Sheikah since there is a symbol on Zant's throne and they were allies of The Royal Family, or they were the Gerudo since that the Twili were a tribe of thieves and the entrance of the Twilight Realm in the Gerudo Desert. Is is also known that the recurring villain, Dark Link, might be a Interloper or possibly a relative to them, for which it is unknown.
The skin tone of the Twili is mostly black while their faces, necks, and chest tend to have gray and patterns in a marked contrast to the rest of their bodies. The Twili have a stretched, elongated appearance, with long limbs, necks, and heads, and great variances in overall height and girth (although the shorter Twili could just be children, which would also explain their girth). It also appears that common Twili are incapable of speaking the Hylian Language, and appear to only be able to utter a moan when Link draws near, which may be their own language. If this is the case, those moans may possibly be speeches that sound like moans because Link does not understand the language.
Yeta (マトーニャ Matōnya) and Yeto (ドサンコフ Dosankofu) in Snowpeak Ruins in the game Twilight Princess were Yetis (雪男 yukiotoko).[27] Yeto helps Link by giving him soup that heal up to eight hearts of his health. Male yetis look like the 'real-life' Yeti only they have large, beaver tails, have saddles for hats and speak with poor grammar. The females, however, are smaller than the males and wear an armless sweater, showing no arms or tail.
[[File:Zora (The Legend of Zelda, Twilight Princess) character artwork.jpg|thumb|150px|right|A Zora, as depicted in Twilight Princess]]
The Zora (ゾーラ Zōra) are a race of piscine humanoids which appear in nearly every game of the series. Zoras rely heavily on water, in fact they can only live on "land for limited time periods," [28] and reflect this dependency in their culture. Zoras are mostly seen gracefully swimming about and frolicking in water. Besides routine swimming and sports, Zoras also enjoy music.[29]
Most Zoras do not wear clothing, and they are generally covered in silver scales, which give them a pale blue sheen from a distance. Where humans sometimes have long hair, average Zoras have rear-hanging caudal extensions that resemble tails. These tails undulate periodically, which gives a Zora's head the unique semblance of a fish. They are sometimes depicted as having webbed feet (except for Queen Rutela from Twilight Princess who appears to have two flat mermaid-like fins that fall down like a skirt) and hands. They lack ears in the traditional sense, but do have pronounced noses and gills on their abdomen. Their fins can be used to fight by extending out to serve as sharp-edged weapons. 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.
Zora government is apparently monarchical, either ruled by a king, King Zora (キングゾーラ Kinguzōra), or queen, such as Queen Rutela (ルテラ Rutera) from Twilight Princess. Two different tribes exist, "river Zora" are more violent and are able to shoot fire, while "sea Zora" make up the friendly Zoras. The Zora Royal Family is responsible for maintaining order among their people, overseeing care for Jabu Jabu (ジャブジャブ), whom they worship as a guardian god,[30] and assuring that the waters upon which he and all creatures rely are clean and pure.
The Zora appear to be an extinct race in The Wind Waker; a sage named Laruto (ラルト Raruto) is encountered in spirit. They may be linked to the Rito (リト) race of bird people, along with the Princess Ruto (ルト).
In The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, there are monsters known as Zora Warriors who often emerge from bodies of water. However, it is unknown if and how they are related to the Zoras mentioned in earlier games.
In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link is able to inhabit the body of the Zora Mikau, who was killed by Gerudo pirates, and can use his fins as boomerangs.
In their January 2010 issue, Nintendo Power listed Hyrule as one of the greatest Nintendo locations, citing the vast number of areas to explore, as well as referencing players' first experiences with the Lost Woods and Death Mountain as highlights of the players' adventures.[39]
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