Hyrule

Hyrule (ハイラル, Hairaru) is the name of the magical kingdom that serves as the backdrop of nearly every game in the Zelda series. It is usually depicted to be a prosperous land blessed with deep forests, tall mountains, vast lakes, a barren desert, and great cities. Oftentimes the land of Hyrule is described as "beautiful", and this typically is proven true in all incarnations of it to date. It is ruled by a monarchical government in the fashion of middle-age feudalistic societies, with its capital city being the bustling and prosperous Hyrule Castle Town located near the seat of the country's government, Hyrule Castle. The realm was created long ago by three Golden Goddesses who each breathed their essences into the land and gave life and order to the formerly chaotic realm. They also left within the realm of Hyrule a portal leading to a plane from which the goddesses departed the world, a magical place called the Sacred Realm. It was within this Sacred Realm that the goddesses left an extremely powerful relic called the Triforce, which when mastered in its entirety will grant the wishes of its holder.

This story of the Triforce would in many ways shape Hyrule's future in the centuries that followed its creation (even becoming the basis of Hyrule's providence), especially after the birth of a man from the desert named Ganondorf. After the Triforce was eventually shattered by Ganondorf (who wishes to conquer the land for himself), a young hero named Link, often armed with the Blade of Evil's Bane known as the Master Sword, is typically shown to rise up to save Hyrule from destruction at his hands each time he rises to power. The hero is usually assisted in this effort by Hyrule's young princess, Zelda, for whom the series is named. These three characters are three of the most well-known figures in Hyrulean history and have shaped it in countless ways throughout Hyrule's existence, with each of them holding a piece of the Triforce respectively. Hyrule itself is shown in multiple incarnations, each as different as the next, though there are several common elements they all share that unite them. It is also home to a multitude of different races, each of which inhabits a different part of the country and is adapted to living in that particular region.

Early History
Hyrule was formed many ages ago through the works of the three Golden Goddesses: Din the Goddess of Power, Nayru the Goddess of Wisdom, and Farore the Goddess of Courage. Before time began, before spirits and life existed, these three goddesses descended from a distant nebula upon the chaos that was Hyrule. Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land and created the red earth and was thus responsible for the creation of the very geography of Hyrule. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world, bringing order to a formerly chaotic realm, and thus she was responsible for the establishment of all the laws of science and wizardry that govern the physical world of Hyrule as well as the very laws of magic themselves. Farore, with her rich soul, created all life forms that would uphold the law established by Nayru and thus was the mother of all life in the realm of Hyrule. When the labors of the three great goddesses were completed, they departed the world for the heavens from a parallel dimension to the land of Hyrule. It was here, in the so-called Sacred Realm, that the three great goddesses left behind a symbol of their power, the all-powerful relic known as the Triforce, which when mastered in its entirety would grant the heart's desire of its holder, whatever that desire may be.

The Triforce could only be claimed as a whole by one pure of heart however, and this action would cause the Sacred Realm to become a beautiful paradise. But if that one's heart is not in balance, the Triforce would separate into its three separate pieces, leaving only the piece representing the force in which that one most believes in his or her hand and transforming the Sacred Realm into a world of evil until another came to destroy the one who shattered the Triforce. If that one who shattered the Triforce were to seek the true force to govern all, he or she would have to acquire the two lost pieces. The other two pieces would dwell within two special people chosen by destiny, who would bear the symbol of the Triforce on the backs of their hands. Before their departure for the heavens, the goddesses created a portal that linked the Sacred Realm to Hyrule and sealed the Triforce within the Sacred Realm, hoping that one worthy of its power would one day seek it out and use it to lead Hyrule to a golden age of prosperity. It was at this time that the ancient Sages, knowing that evil ones could abuse the Triforce's magic, crafted a sword that was infused with magic that was resistant even to that of the Triforce itself. This weapon, the Blade of Evil's Bane more commonly known as the Master Sword, was capable of banishing evil itself and was reserved to be used only by a hero that would act as Hyrule's savior in times of Hyrule's greatest need.

Recent History
The land of Hyrule's more recent history has been a long tale that has woven through many ages and many periods of both light and darkness. For a time, Hyrule's beings lived at peace, content in mind and body for much of the early history of the realm. Soon however, stories of the Sacred Realm began to spread across the land, stories speaking of a so-called "Golden Power" more commonly known as the Triforce that would grant the wishes of its holder. These stories of unlimited power eventually stirred such emotions in the hearts and minds of Hyrule's beings that soon there was nothing left in them but pure greed and lust for the Triforce's wish-granting magic. This eventually turned former friends into bitter enemies and even sparked wars that were fought over the Triforce. Eventually, these stories also reached the ears of a man from the desert named Ganondorf, the king of the Gerudo theives that hail from the Gerudo Desert in the far western region of Hyrule.

Ganondorf originally hoped to attain the Triforce in order to lift his people, the Gerudo, out of their miserable existence in the barren Gerudo Desert and help them achieve a better way of life. Soon however, these tales of limitless power twisted and warped Ganondorf's mind into being solely interested in using the Triforce for his own desires, eventually causing him to seek total domination over the entire realm of Hyrule, with himself as its ruler forevermore. The Gerudo King soon concocted a plan to enter the Sacred Realm and lay claim to the Triforce, and through much cunning and deceit, he succeeded in entering the Sacred Realm with the unwitting assistance of a young boy from the forest named Link and Hyrule's young princess, Zelda. When he laid his tainted hands on the Triforce however, the legend came true, causing it to shatter and leave only the Triforce of Power in Ganondorf's hand, as that was the force he most believed in and desired most. The other two pieces were eventually joined within what would become Ganondorf's two archenemies: the Triforce of Wisdom was bestowed upon Princess Zelda, and the Triforce of Courage upon Link.

Since that time, the three have battled across much of Hyrule's history as Ganondorf has sought many times to reunite the Triforce pieces and claim the united relic for himself to completely conquer Hyrule, with Zelda and Link usually rising each time to stop him and act as a check on his vast magical powers. When Hyrule is not being threatened by Ganondorf, it has also faced threats from other foes such as the evil Gerudo witch Twinrova and her associates, the Wind Sorcerer Vaati, and the forces of twilight led by the evil Zant to name a few. Each time, Hyrule has usually had a savior rise up to save it in the form of Link, who has reappeared throughout the ages of Hyrule's history as has Zelda when evil threatens Hyrule. The most recent chapters of Hyrule's history have had very lasting and yet diverging implications for each incarnation of the kingdom depicted, thought by many to be the result of a split in Hyrule's history caused around the time Ganondorf was first defeated by Link and Zelda and the hero was sent back to his own age, causing a split universe in which Hyrule exists in two different incarnations of itself as a result.

One of those two incarnations of Hyrule show it to be drowned beneath a deluge known as the Great Flood and eventually destroyed centuries later after Ganondorf is defeated once again, leaving Link and Zelda to seek out a new land that will be the next Hyrule in that particular branch of Hyrule's history. The other, the most recent incarnation of Hyrule, depicts an invasion by the forces of twilight led by the evil Twili known as Zant, with a new incarnation of Link and Zelda rising up once again to defeat Zant and his dark master, who is eventually revealed to be Ganondorf himself. Both incarnations of Hyrule have shown vastly different fates for the kingdom, and it remains to be seen what new adventures will take place for Link and Zelda in Hyrule in either incarnation of the kingdom. When gamers last see the pair in one branch of Hyrule's history, they are last seen searching for a new land that will be the next Hyrule after Ganondorf's fate was sealed beneath the Great Sea in the original Hyrule of that branch. Meanwhile, in the other branch, gamers last see Zelda resuming her place as Hyrule's ruler, with Ganondorf's fate left uncertain after a great battle in Hyrule Field and Link riding away on a new adventure presumably to be depicted in the upcoming Zelda Wii.

The Legend of Zelda
Hyrule is first seen in the original The Legend of Zelda as the magical kingdom in which the adventures of a young man named Link take place in his quest to save Hyrule's young princess, Zelda, from the clutches of the evil pig-like sorcerer Ganon. In this game, Hyrule is described as a beautiful kingdom with deep forests and tall mountains bordering a vast ocean to its southern and eastern borders. In the story, it is revealed that the "Prince of Darkness", Ganon, has invaded the kingdom of Hyrule and taken possession of the Triforce of Power.

Before he could claim the Triforce of Wisdom however, Princess Zelda shattered the relic into eight fragments and scattered them across the kingdom into eight underground dungeons filled with dangerous traps and enemies in order to prevent Ganon from acquiring it and having near-unlimited power to conquer Hyrule. Upon learning of this, Ganon grew angry and imprisoned Zelda in his base of operations, Death Mountain, and sent his minions after Zelda's nursemaid, Impa, whom Zelda had charged with escaping to find a hero with the courage to confront and destroy Ganon and save Hyrule. Ganon's minions almost captured Impa when a young man garbed in green appeared, wielding a Magical Sword that could destroy evil. After saving Impa, Link learned of Zelda's plight and resolved himself to destroy Ganon, save Zelda and restore peace to the land of Hyrule.

As Link explores the kingdom, he visits all the different parts of it, including the Lost Woods to the west-southwest, the Graveyard in the shadow of Death Mountain to the northwest, the coastline to the southeastern and eastern borders of the kingdom and even the strange forests in the southeastern region of the country. In this original incarnation of Hyrule, the land is shown to have many forests and lakes in addition to the mountainous terrain of Death Mountain. Link traverses the entire realm and locates the eight hidden labyrinths that hold the Triforce fragments he seeks. After clearing the last of these dungeons, Link reforms the Triforce of Wisdom and heads toward Spectacle Rock on Death Mountain, where Ganon's lair is located.

Deep in the darkest recesses of Spectacle Rock, Link eventually comes face to face with Ganon himself and battles the Prince of Darkness, each possessing one of the Triforce pieces. Ultimately, Link overpowers Ganon and slays the beast with the power of the Silver Arrows and his own Magical Sword. Soon thereafter, Link frees Zelda from her prison cell just beyond Ganon's lair and is declared a true hero in service to the kingdom of Hyrule by Princess Zelda. This would mark the gaming world's first experience in the land of Hyrule and began several long traditions that would continue to be featured in later incarnations of the kingdom as it would later be vastly expanded upon and improved by the game developers.

The Adventure of Link
The second appearance of Hyrule was in The Adventure of Link, where it is shown to still retain several familiar locales but at the same time with several major changes to the kingdom's terrain. In the backstory of the game, it is said that once long ago, there as a wise King of Hyrule that mastered the Triforce in its entirety and ruled over a golden age for Hyrule. The King eventually fell ill however, and before his death, he concealed the Triforce of Courage in the Great Palace to prevent those unworthy of the Triforce's true power from possessing it. He also confided in his daughter, Princess Zelda, a secret regarding the hidden Triforce piece while concealing it from his son, the Prince of Hyrule. The Prince of Hyrule eventually came to inherit the throne upon the King's death, but inherited the Triforce only in part and was angered to learn that he was not entrusted with the entire relic.

An evil magician somehow discovered that Zelda knew a secret regarding the Triforce and informed the Prince of Hyrule of this discovery, prompting him to interrogate his sister. Zelda refused to tell them anything however as the secret her father had entrusted to her was just that, a secret. The magician threatened to put Zelda into an enchanted slumber if she did not speak, but still she said nothing. As the magician began to cast his spell, the Prince of Hyrule tried to stop him but failed. When the spell was cast, Zelda fell into a deep sleep while the magician was killed by the backlash from his own spell. The Prince of Hyrule mourned his actions and the fate that befell his sister, ordering that henceforth, all female members of the Royal Family of Hyrule would be named Zelda in memory of this tragic event.

Government
Hyrule's form of government has remained relatively consistent throughout its history, with an ancient monarchy, the Royal Family of Hyrule, ruling over the land. This form of government is also typical of most feudalistic monarchies documented throughout history, with the Royal Family ruling over the lower-caste citizens of the kingdom from Hyrule's capital city, Hyrule Castle Town. The Royal Family itself rules from the seat of government in the land of Hyrule, Hyrule Castle, the namesake of the capital. The government is typically headed by the King of Hyrule, and his heir in most depictions of Hyrule is his daughter or descendant, Princess Zelda. In some cases, Zelda herself has ruled over the land as matriarch of the Royal Family as well, such as during the Twili invasion of Hyrule. Hyrule is typically divided into various provinces and each race is known to have a relationship in some way with the Royal Family of Hyrule, with most of these various races pledging their allegiance to the central government headed by the Royal Family. Each race has its own form of local government and the individual leaders of their tribes, but all races pledge their overall allegiance to the Royal Family as citizens of the kingdom of Hyrule. Hyrule has faced many coups throughout its history (most of them either directly or indirectly orchestrated by Ganondorf himself), but ultimately the Royal Family is usually restored to power through the efforts of Hyrule's hero, Link.

Currency
Hyrule's economy is typical of most feudalistic socieities documented throughout history, with trade and different forms of unconventional payment not being unheard of throughout the country's history. As with any unified nation however, Hyrule also has an official currency that also suffices to obtain goods and services when the trading system is not chosen by its citizens. This currency is a small jewel-like object known as the Rupee, which can be found by digging in the earth, underneath pots, or even hidden in the trees of Hyrule. There are several different color variations of Rupees that can be found throughout the land, each color having a different value. Some, such as green, blue or yellow Rupees are worth lower amounts when compared to such rarer Rupees as red, purple, orange, silver or gold. Rupees are accepted in almost any establishment throughout the kingdom of Hyrule and are the single most common form of payment in the marketplace of Hyrule's capital city, Hyrule Castle Town. Rupees are sometimes also required in order to use certain objects, such as some incarnations of the Bow or special garments such as the Magic Armor.

Geography
Like many of the other lands depicted in the Zelda series such as Termina, Holodrum and Labrynna, Hyrule's geography varies greatly from region to region. In most depictions of Hyrule, the land is shown to be a collection of regions with varying geographies and climates usually linked by a great open expanse of land known as Hyrule Field. Hyrule Castle Town and by extension Hyrule Castle are usually located near the central part of the country and not far away from Hyrule Field. The other regions of Hyrule as stated before vary greatly in their composition and appearance. For example, the region most associated with the rock-loving Gorons is the sweltering and rocky Death Mountain, which has little to no vegetation and is for all intents and purposes a large volcano. On the other hand, there are parts of the country covered by deep forests that have a more hospitable climate and atmosphere, where plant-life and vegetation are much more common and provide a means to live for such forest-dwellers as the child-like Kokiri race. Hyrule is also usually shown to be home to a vast lake usually named Lake Hylia as well as a watery grotto named Zora's Domain, both being more hospitable and suitable to the aquatic Zora race. Hyrule is also known to have snowy regions as well, such as the Snowhead Mountain Range, which is the preferred home region of the Yeti race. Finally, Hyrule is also usually shown to be home to a vast desert (usually to the west), more commonly known as the Gerudo Desert amongst other names, which is home to such desert-dwelling tribes as the Gerudo or the Zuna. Taken altogether, Hyrule is shown to be a melting pot of sorts in regards to its geography as it has been shown to possess nearly every kind of climate and terrain.

Locations and Landmarks
Although Hylian geography varies from game to game, Hyrule features several reoccurring landmarks and locations. These are:

Hyrule Field
Hyrule Field is a large plain that vastly covers the majority of Hyrule. No travelers or any other activity are ever seen here, due to being inhabited by many creatures under Ganon’s rule. First appearing in Ocarina of Time, it has since been known for branching out into other territories, such as Hyrule Castle, Death Mountain, and Lake Hylia. It is highly praised in Twilight Princess, appearing five times larger than in its first debut.

Lon Lon Ranch
Lon Lon Ranch is a large farm located at the center of Hyrule Field in Ocarina of Time. It focuses on the raising of horses and Cuccos, as well as the shipping of milk. It is owned by Talon, his daughter Malon, and Ingo. The ranch is also the home of Epona who becomes quite useful later in the game. With the help of Ganondorf, Ingo later takes over the ranch and sends Talon away, who settles in Kakariko Village. Its Terminan counterpart in Majora's Mask, Romani Ranch, bears many resemblances.

Death Mountain
Death Mountain often appears as a large volcano and as the home of the Gorons. In The Legend of Zelda, it was actually the domain of the game's main antagonist, Ganon. It also returned as Ganon's hideaway of the Dark World in A Link to the Past. In Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess, it appears as the homeland of the Goron tribe as well as the home of several dungeons. Death Mountain is also often believed to appear in The Wind Waker as Dragon Roost Island.

Kakariko Village
Kakariko Village is a large settlement, home to many merchants in its debut in A Link to the Past. It was more notable in Ocarina of Time, however, serving as a former village to the Sheikah tribe, and the location of the Shadow Temple. In Twilight Princess, it appears more barren, having little plant life, and is quite abandoned (which according to several characters is due to many being driven out by Shadow Beasts). Another village appears later in the game, the Hidden Village. A sign posted can be translated as Kakariko Village, however its location is off compared to that of Ocarina of Time, and lacks many of the landmarks found in its previous counterpart. However, it is stated to have been inhabited by 'the tribe that protected the royal family of Hyrule' which 'dwindled in the great war', implying that it is the village that was inhabited by the Sheikah, although its location remains to be explained.

Lake Hylia
Lake Hylia appears in several Zelda titles and is known for being the home of the Water Temple, where the Zora tribe is said to worship the goddesses. While Lake Hylia is usually noted as it first appearing in Ocarina of Time, its first appearance was really in A Link to the Past. In both Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess, it is the resting place of the water temple, at the bottom of the lake. It is believed to be the same dungeon despite of the differences in appearances.

Zora's Domain
The Zora’s Domain, as its name implies, is the abode location of the Zoras. It is a large, hollowed cavern within the surrounding mountains around the Zora River. At the top of the domain is the throne of the ruling Zora family, in the case of Ocarina of Time, King Zora and Princess Ruto. In Twilight Princess, it appeared much larger and taller, ruled by the now dead Queen Rutela and Prince Ralis.

Lost Woods
Having appeared in The Legend of Zelda, the Lost Woods has become a very popular landmark of the series. The woods, though, were properly introduced in A Link to the Past as an almost inescapable maze. In Ocarina of Time, it became infamous for its difficult navigation, as many players would take a wrong exit, and be warped back to the beginning. It played many roles needed to progress and contained many helpful passages that led to other places including Death Mountain and Zora’s Domain. The Lost Woods are also featured in the beginning of Majora's Mask, and there is also a Terminan counterpart known as the Woods of Mystery.

Gerudo Desert
This mysterious location first appeared with the unveiling of the Gerudo race in Ocarina of Time. It served many purposes including the housing of the Spirit Temple located within the Desert Colossus, a massive statue carved on the side of a large rock formation. It also made a return in Twilight Princess, where the Arbiter’s Grounds, a large prison speculated to be the former Spirit Temple, is located.

Hyrule Castle
Hyrule Castle has appeared within almost every single title throughout the series. It serves as the home of the Royal Family, and often as the final battle against Ganon. Hyrule Castle has gone through many changes between each game, looking almost completely different inside and out.

Castle Town
Castle Town first appeared in Ocarina of Time as a market place, where shops are the main attraction. Such locations including Potion and Bomb shops, minigames, and a mask shop. It is also home to two of the most important locations in the game, the Temple of Time and Hyrule Castle. Its appearance in Twilight Princess is very similar to that of Ocarina of Time, upholding many shops and businesses and being placed in front of Hyrule Castle. In this game, though, it is larger in size and houses many more shops and people than its Ocarina of Time counterpart.

Hylian
The dominant race of Hyrule has since the creation of the world been the Hylians, who were said to be blessed by the gods with some of their magical powers. These Hylians are extremely abundant and are quite similar to humans on earth. Unlike most other races, they tend to live in large cities. They are said to be born with magic-infused blood and use magic quite often (variating from their Terminan Counterparts, who use magic less and rely on technology more often.) They are thought of to be closer to the gods than other races and also inhabit Calatia, Holodrum, Labrynna, and Termina.

Goron
These are Rock-consuming Golem-like creatures that inhabit mountains and rocky areas. They boast superhuman strength and the ability to curl up into a ball and roll. Using magic power some can sprout spikes when they pick up enough speed while rolling in this manner. They are completely heat resistant, able to wade through lava. Most Gorons (if not all) cannot swim due to their immense weight. They inhabit, aside from Hyrule, Termina, Labrynna, Holodrum, and many other places.

Zora
These are aquatic, mammalian, Merman/mermaid-like creatures that inhabit Rivers and The Ocean. Zora that live in rivers, or Zola, seem to be more fish-like, aggressive, and can spit fire; where as sea Zoras seem to be more peaceful and dolphin/whale-like. Zora also inhabit Termina, Labrynna, Holodrum, and more.

Forest Dwellers
These include Kokiri, Deku Scrubs, Skull Kids, and many others, but altogether are occasionally referred to as Deku. Kokiri are similar to Hylian children, who never grow into the adult stage, and have the Great Deku Tree as a guardian. Deku Shrubs are plantlike, nut-spitting, short creatures that can burrow into flowers. Skull kids are mysterious, mischievous, childlike creatures. They also inhabit Termina.