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 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. Thus she was responsible for the establishment of all the laws of science and wizardry that govern the physical world of Hyrule. 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. It was in the Sacred Realm that the three 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. 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.

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 thieves 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. Hyrule is expected to make another appearance 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. 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. 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 backstory of the game reveals that the world is embroiled with chaos, and the once-peaceful Hyrule has been invaded by the Prince of Darkness, Ganon, who has stolen the Triforce of Power and hopes to steal the Triforce of Wisdom as well. However, the relic is shattered by Princess Zelda to keep it out of Ganon's hands. A young man named Link is soon swept up into these events and traverses Hyrule in search of the lost Triforce fragments. This began the tradition of having the hero search hidden labyrinths for quest-related objectives and marked the first instance in the history of the series in which Link battles Ganon. Hyrule eventually regains its princess when Link storms Death Mountain and battles Ganon in the depths of Spectacle Rock. In the end, Ganon is defeated and peace is restored to Hyrule after Link reunites the Triforce of Power with the Triforce of Wisdom and returns them to Hyrule's princess.

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 as it is revealed that the overworld explored in the previous game was only part of Hyrule. This game takes place in a section of Hyrule not explored in any other game. The overworld of Zelda II lies to the north of the Hyrule featured in the original game, and utterly dwarfs it in size. It features three major continents and more towns and settlements than the barren landscape featured in the original Zelda game. The original Hyrule overworld is still explorable, but it is a tiny landmass south of Death Mountain. As Link progresses through the game, fans see Hyrule has changed somewhat in this incarnation of the kingdom. Although Hyrule still borders a vast ocean, it has swamps, mountains, deserts and islands. The graveyard in the shadow of Death Mountain still remains in this incarnation of Hyrule, although another that is home to the King's Tomb is featured in this game too. The hero also visits several towns that would later provide the namesakes of some very important characters in a future game.

Hyrule is revealed to have once been ruled by a just King who mastered the Triforce in its entirety in the backstory of The Adventure of Link. However, the King eventually grew old and fell ill. Before his death, he concealed the Triforce of Courage in the Great Palace to prevent the one true Triforce's misuse, intending for a true hero to come in search of it one day. He confided this secret in his daughter, Princess Zelda, who was placed into an enchanted slumber by an evil magician when she refused to talk when confronted by her brother, the Prince of Hyrule, and the magician. The mournful Prince then decreed that every female member of the Royal Family would henceforth be called Zelda in memory of this tragic event. This would mark the first time the game developers attempted to explain why Hyrule's monarchy almost always contains a princess named Zelda. This game would also mark the first time that game developers used the idea of palaces or temples to be the dungeons of Hyrule to be explored by the hero, a formula that would come to be used time and again in future games. In this game, Link traverses Hyrule to restore six magical crystals to their proper places within six other individual palaces in order to break the seal on the Great Palace and awaken Zelda with the completed Triforce.

A Link to the Past
A Link to the Past marked the first appearances of such major landmarks as Lake Hylia, the Lost Woods, Zora's Waterfall, Hyrule Castle, and Kakariko Village. The mirror of Hyrule, the Dark World, was also made explorable and marks the only time that the Sacred Realm could be explored in any form. The Dark World appeared to be what Hyrule would be like if it were ruled by Ganon. The two worlds were closely linked, and what happened in one would even affect its twin in the other. This version of Hyrule began many of the more recurring elements of the kingdom, such as Hyrule Castle being the home of the Royal Family and the Lost Woods being the home of the Master Sword. This template of Hyrule would also be heavily replicated in future games as well.

In the backstory of the game, fans are told of Hyrule's creation by the three Golden Goddesses for the first time as well as the history of a conflict known as the Imprisoning War in which the evil Ganon was sealed inside the Dark World by the Seven Sages and the Knights of Hyrule. This conflict set the stage for the opening of the game, which takes place centuries following the war's end and begins at a time when Hyrule is suffering from a string of unexplained plagues and misfortunes that have driven the country to near-ruin. This changes with the coming of an evil wizard named Agahnim, who helps to quell the plagues with his powerful magic but secretly intends to capture the Seven Maidens, the descendants of the Sages, in order to break the seal between Hyrule and the Dark World. After eliminating the good King of Hyrule and taking control of the country himself, Agahnim casts a spell over the country's soldiers and uses Hyrule's military to capture each of the Seven Maidens. He then uses his dark magic to send them each into the Dark World. Link is eventually drawn into these events and seeks out the mythical Master Sword to stop Agahnim before being drawn into the Dark World by the wizard himself, where he rescues the Seven Maidens from their prisons and destroys both Agahnim, (who is revealed to be Ganon's alterego) and Ganon himself, reclaiming the Triforce and restoring both the Sacred Realm and Hyrule to their former beauty.

Ocarina of Time
Ocarina of Time marks the first time the kingdom of Hyrule was represented in three dimensions. It would also be this game's representation of Hyrule that would set the mold of most of its successors in both gameplay and story elements. Familiar locations like Death Mountain and Lake Hylia returned, along with new locations such as Gerudo Valley, Lon Lon Ranch, and the Kokiri Forest. The geography of the land was rearranged, making Hyrule Field a central hub area between most of the major locations. New major races are also introduced into the series for the first time: the Kokiri are the child-like forest spirits that dwell within the Kokiri Forest; the Gorons are the rock-eating stone people who live inside Death Mountain; the Gerudo are the all-female race of thieves led by Ganondorf; and the Sheikah are the nearly-extinct race of ancient warriors who guarded Hyrule's Royal Family. The Zoras also make a return in this game, though they are revealed to be a much gentler race than previously depicted as they are allied with the Royal Family, and dwell in the watery grotto known as Zora's Domain. As was the case with A Link to the Past, there is a lone desert to the west; however, it is called the Haunted Wasteland and is by and large only inhabited by the Gerudo thieves of Gerudo Valley.

Ocarina of Time begins in the aftermath of a fierce conflict known unofficially as the Hyrulean Civil War. When the game opens, Hyrule has grown to become a peaceful and prosperous country led by its Royal Family. Meanwhile, the leader of the Gerudo thieves, Ganondorf, has traveled to Hyrule and is plotting to seize the three Spiritual Stones from Hyrule's various races in order to open the gateway between Hyrule and the legendary Sacred Realm so he could take the Triforce and conquer Hyrule. After Ganondorf curses the forest spirit known as the Great Deku Tree, it charges Link and the fairy Navi with saving Hyrule from the "desert man in black armor". This begins a quest in which Link recovers the stones and gains possession of the magical Ocarina of Time, opening the Door of Time and claiming the mythical Master Sword from its resting place in the Pedestal of Time. This action places the young hero in suspended animation for seven years until he is old enough to claim the mantle of "Hero of Time". Ganondorf enters the Sacred Realm and touches the Triforce, transforming the Sacred Realm into a world of evil and plunging Hyrule into darkness as he usurps the throne for himself. The Hero of Time returns to Hyrule after seven years and journeys across Hyrule to save the Seven Sages from the evils in each of their respective temples before facing Ganondorf himself. In the end, Link defeats Ganon with the assistance of the Seven Sages, who seal him within the Sacred Realm. Zelda then sends Link back to regain his lost childhood, splitting Hyrule's history in two and creating two parallel timelines. Hyrule is last seen in the so-called "Adult Timeline" with most of its citizens rejoicing at Ganondorf's defeat as the Sages look out over the jubilant country from atop Death Mountain. Meanwhile, in the so-called "Child Timeline", Hyrule is shown to have not yet been attacked by Ganondorf, and the young Hero of Time is last seen returning to Hyrule Castle to warn Princess Zelda of Ganondorf's plot.

Four Swords
The legend of the Four Sword is introduced in Four Swords. The Four Sword was used in ancient times to seal away the wind sorcerer Vaati when he rampaged through Hyrule kidnapping maidens he wished to keep for himself. When Vaati breaks through the seal on his prison, Link takes up the Four Sword and uses it to split into four colorful copies of hiimself in order to defeat the wind demon. Several locations appear in the game that have not yet appeared in any other, such as the Sea of Trees, Chambers of Insight, and Talus Cave.

The Wind Waker
The Wind Waker features a new incarnation of Hyrule, though this version of Hyrule is revealed to be sealed away beneath a vast ocean known as the Great Sea. This is the direct result of a catastrophic deluge that befell the land of Hyrule in order to save its people from destruction, and the end result left the original Hyrule locked away and frozen in time at the bottom of the sea while the people would build a new country on the surface, where the highest mountains of Hyrule became islands on the surface of the sea. When gamers see what remains of Hyrule beneath the sea, it is seen to vastly differ from the previous incarnations of the kingdom gamers saw in previous games. For example, Hyrule Castle now rests on an island in the middle of a large lake speculated to be none other than Lake Hylia itself, with a large river running into it that is also speculated to be Zora's River. There are many mountains seen surrounding the outer regions of Hyrule during the brief times it is seen in the game, and these mountains account for the islands on the surface where much of the game takes place. Ganon's Tower is also shown to be located beyond a canyon leading into the mountains surrounding what remains of the kingdom, not far away from the then-site of Hyrule Castle. Hyrule still retains its great beauty, despite its desertion and isolation on the seabed.

After the Hero of Time departed for his own age, the land of Hyrule knew peace for a time in the "Adult Timeline". However, this was not to last forever, as Ganondorf eventually found a way to break the seal cast by the Seven Sages and returned to Hyrule in a red wrath. As he rampaged through Hyrule trailing death and destruction, the people of Hyrule prayed for the Hero of Time to come once again to save them, but the Hero of Time did not appear. Left with no choice, Hyrule's people appealed to the Golden Goddesses to save them from destruction at Ganon's hands, and the goddesses answered their prayers. Instructing the people to take refuge on the mountaintops, the goddesses created a great storm that swept the skies over Hyrule and brought down a torrential downpour from the heavens that soon buried the entire kingdom beneath the vast ocean that would come to be known in time as the Great Sea. Hyrule was not destroyed however; a magical seal was cast over the kingdom, locking it in an enchanted air chamber that merely sealed the kingdom away beneath the sea but kept the water from completely obliterating what remained of the kingdom. Many centuries later, Ganondorf escapes his imprisonment down in the sealed Hyrule and returns to haunt the people once more, prompting a new incarnation of Link and Princess Zelda (disguised as a pirate captain named Tetra) to rise up against him once again. The pair rediscover Hyrule's remains at the bottom of the sea, and Hyrule Castle serves as Zelda's hiding place once she is awakened to her true identity. The final phase of the game takes place down in Hyrule, where Link returns with a recharged Master Sword to rescue Zelda from her imprisonment in Ganon's Tower. Link conquers the trials of the tower and faces Ganondorf himself atop the roof, where the villain reveals his true motivations for wishing to conquer Hyrule were due to the harsh life he and his people were subjected to in the Gerudo Desert as opposed to the amenable life lived by the other Hyrulean races in Hyrule's green fields. Ganondorf succeeds in reforming the Triforce atop the tower and attempts to touch it in order to wish for Hyrule to be exposed to the rays of the sun once more, with him as its ruler. However, King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the last King of Hyrule who ruled Hyrule at the time of the Great Flood, appears and claims the united Triforce first, instead wishing for Hyrule to be washed away, along with himself and Ganondorf. Ganondorf then engages Link and Zelda in one final battle in Hyrule's final moments while the air chamber begins to collapse around them, allowing the Great Sea to pour into Hyrule. After Link plunges the Master Sword into Ganondorf's forehead (turning him to stone), the pair share one final moment with the King before the water overtakes the entire land and they are whisked away to the surface through the Triforce's magic. The game ends with Link and Zelda setting out across the sea in search of a new land that will be the next Hyrule.

Four Swords Adventures
The Hyrule of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures shares many landmarks with the Hyrule of A Link to the Past. The Eastern Palace, Desert Palace, and Tower of Hera are in the same locations, as is Kakariko Village. Some locations have shifted, however. Lake Hylia is now in the northeast, and locations not featured in A Link to the Past are present, such as the Village of the Blue Maiden and Lon Lon Ranch. The southern part of the map is frozen due to Vaati's evil magic. The Dark World is again present, both as the northwestern portion of Hyrule and the base of Ganon's power, and as an actual mirror universe.

Most of the Hyrulean races that were introduced in Ocarina of Time return. The Gorons live on Death Mountain, the Deku Scrubs live in the Lost Woods, and the Gerudo live in the Desert of Doubt. A new race, the Zuna, are introduced. The Zuna are a tribe of green-skinned desert nomads who are descended from the ancient Pyramid Builders.

The Minish Cap
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap begins with an ancient legend of Hyrule. Long ago, Hyrule was being plagued by evil monsters, until the Minish descended from the sky and gave the Hero of Men the Picori Blade and the Light Force. With these, the Hero defeated the monsters and sealed them away in a chest. This event is honored yearly by the people with their Picori Festival.

The geography of the Hyrule presented in The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap introduces new locations such as Castor Wilds, Mount Crenel, and the Royal Valley, while such common landmarks as Death Mountain and Kakariko Village are absent. Hyrule Field is divided into sectors, and locations such as Lon Lon Ranch and Castle Town serve as major populated areas.

Many areas can only be explored while Link is small, such as Melari's Mines. A large part of the map is covered in clouds. This is the home of the Wind Tribe and the location of the Palace of Winds. There is some continuity with locations from the rest of the Four Swords trilogy, as this game likely shows the palace before Vaati began using it as his palace.

Twilight Princess
The Hyrule appearing in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is much larger than in previous games. The government is centralized in Castle Town, and Kakariko Village again appears at the base of Death Mountain. A sign at the entrance to the Hidden Village identifies it as "Old Kakariko," indicating that the Kakariko Village appearing in Twilight Princess may be a recent settlement, and not the same one seen in Ocarina of Time.

Hyrule Field is larger again divided into sectors like it was in The Minish Cap. The kingdom appears to have a more developed system of roads, with fortified bridges like the Bridge of Eldin and the Great Bridge of Hylia guarding the roads. New locations such as Snowpeak and Ordon Village also appear.

Three new races are introduced in this game. The Twili are the descendants of the Dark Interlopers who once attempted to conquer the Sacred Realm and were banished to the Twilight Realm. The Bulblins are a goblinoid race of mercenary boar-riders who fight on Ganon's side until Link proves that he is stronger. The Yeti race has two known members, Yeto and his wife Yeta. They are good-natured snow creatures who live in an old mansion the Snowpeak Ruins.

The Temple of Time has shifted locations. It is not longer in Castle Town as it was in Ocarina of Time, but its ruins are instead in the Sacred Grove. This draws parallels with the Master Sword's location in A Link to the Past.

This game also introduces the Light Spirits, who guard the four provinces of Hyrule: Ordona, Faron, Eldin, and Lanayru.

Majora's Mask
Hyrule only appears in the opening and closing of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. The portal to Termina was located in the Lost Woods.

Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages
Hyrule in the Oracle games plays a minor role in the overarching storyline. The kingdom appears to be at peace, because Ganon was vanquished sometime in the past and the Triforce is safe in Hyrule Castle. When Link touches the Triforce, he receives a mark on his hand that signifies that he is the chosen hero of Hyrule.

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.

Military
The Hyrulean Castle Guards make up the bulk of Hyrule's military forces. Despite their duty to protect the peace, the guards have a poor reputation and a tendency towards cowardice. In Twilight Princess, they will shrink in fear whenever Wolf Link passes by them. The guards have typically proven to be less than successful in defending their country in more recent games, falling to the army led by Ganondorf in Ocarina of Time as well as being overpowered by the forces of twilight led by Zant. Due to their minor inefficiencies, they often are unable to pevent infiltration of places they guard such as Hyrule Castle. For example, Link is able to successfully sneak around them to enter Hyrule Castle Garden when he goes to meet Princess Zelda in Ocarina of Time, and he also succeeds in evading them to infiltrate Hyrule Castle and access the Elemental Sanctuary in The Minish Cap. However, they have not always been without courage, such as when for example they valiantly defended Princess Zelda from Zant's forces even as they invaded the Throne Room of Hyrule Castle during the twilight invasion of Twilight Princess and when they tried to prevent Vaati from blasting open the Bound Chest in The Minish Cap.

However, these guards were also very wary of when evil took over their kingdom. When Vaati impersonated King Daltus, the guards who dissented were turned to stone because they knew that his demands were evil. When the guards would not follow an evil ruler, they were brainwashed into doing so. In A Link to the Past, the dark wizard Agahnim took over the country through much cunning and deceit, and one of the first things he did was to take over Hyrule's military force by means of his powerful magic. However, the guards are shown to be freed of this spell when Link destroys Agahnim and returns the Royal Family to power. Although the guards are mostly concentrated in the Hyrulean captial city Hyrule Castle Town, they are known to spread out all across the kingdom as well, such as when they fell under the sway of Agahnim in A Link to the Past and Ganon in Four Swords Adventures.

The more recent interpretations of the guards are vastly different compared to the more noble Knights of Hyrule spoken of in A Link to the Past, who gave their lives almost to the utter last in order to protect the Seven Sages as they cast their seal on the Dark World. Whether the Knights of Hyrule have any connection to the present day guards that make up Hyrule's military is unclear, but if the Knights of Hyrule were indeed the forerunners of the present guards, it would mean a vast decline in the efficiency and courage of the guards since the times of the Imprisoning War. A similar set of knights also called the "Knights of Hyrule" acted as the guardians of the Royal Jewels in Four Swords Adventures, and only four existed, each protecting one of the four jewels that would restore the Tower of Winds and yield access to the Realm of the Heavens. Whether these four knights have any connection to the Knights of Hyrule spoken of in the tales of the Imprisoning War is unclear, but both are reputed for their bravery.

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 Castle Town
Hyrule 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 River
Zora's River is a recurring river that typically runs throughout Hyrule, beginning in the watery grotto that is the home of the Zoras, Zora's Domain. It appears officially in both Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess and serves as the main source of water for the great Lake Hylia in both games. The river is also thought to make an appearance in The Wind Waker as the large river feeding into the great lake (thought to be Lake Hylia) that surrounds the island that is by this time home to Hyrule Castle, though this is not confirmed.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 creatures that inhabit the waters of the kingdom. Zoras that live in rivers seem to be more fish-like, aggressive, and can spit fire; whereas 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.