Hyrule

Hyrule (ハイラル, Hairaru) is the name of the magical kingdom that serves as the setting for 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 as 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 will grant the wishes of its holder.

This story of the Triforce would shape Hyrule's future in the centuries that followed its creation, becoming the basis of Hyrule's providence, especially after the birth of a man from the desert named Ganondorf. After the Triforce is stolen by Ganondorf (who wishes to conquer the land for himself ), a young hero named Link, often armed with the Master Sword, rises up to save Hyrule from destruction. The hero is usually assisted in this effort by Hyrule's young princess, Zelda, for whom the series is named. These three characters are the most well-known figures in Hyrulean history and have shaped it in countless ways.

Hyrule is shown in multiple different incarnations, though there are several shared elements between each version. 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.

The Hylian people were also aided in the development of their new land by the Oocca, a race said to be even closer to the gods than they were. They also assisted the ancient Sages in the construction of the ancient Temple of Time meant to protect the portal to the Sacred Realm and the Triforce stored within. Once the land of Hyrule had been established, the Oocca left for the City in the Sky, but still maintained contact with the Royal Family of Hyrule for a time.

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.

Governance
Hyrule's form of government has remained relatively consistent throughout its history, with an ancient monarchy, the Royal Family of Hyrule, 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 most of the various races pledge their allegiance to the central government headed by the Royal Family. Each race has its own local government and the individual tribal leaders, but all races pledge their overall allegiance to the Royal Family as kingdom of Hyrule citizens.

Hyrule has faced many coups throughout its history, 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 societies 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, several color and size variations are used to denote values. Some, such as green, blue or yellow Rupees are worth less than 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.

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, they will shrink in fear whenever Wolf Link passes by them. The guards have been unsuccessful in defending Hyrule 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 even Hyrule Castle. However, they have not always been cowardly, they have valiantly defended Princess Zelda from Zant's forces even as the Throne Room of Hyrule Castle underwent the twilight invasion of Twilight Princess; and while trying 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. 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; one of the first things he did was take over Hyrule's military force using his powerful magic. 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 capital city Hyrule Castle Town, they are seen spread out all across the kingdom as well.

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 their efficiency and courage 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.

Major Conflicts
Most of the wars in Hyrule's history were fought over possession of the Triforce or dominion over the Sacred Realm.


 * Hyrulean Civil War: This war was begun for unknown reasons, but it was said according to the Great Deku Tree to be a horrific and prolonged war that resulted in the unification of the country under the banner of the Royal Family.
 * Interloper War: This war began when the Dark Interlopers attempted to seize control of the Sacred Realm and claim the Triforce for themselves, but the intervention of the Light Spirits caused them to be sealed away in the Twilight Realm, outside of which they could only exist as shadows.
 * Imprisoning War: This conflict is spoken of in the backstory of A Link to the Past, where it is said to have begun when Ganondorf stole the Triforce from the Sacred Realm. The Knights of Hyrule were nearly wiped out during the ensuing conflict, but the Seven Sages were able to trap Ganon in the Sacred Realm-turned-Dark World.
 * War of the Bound Chest: The Hero of Men fought many evil creatures during ancient times using the Picori Blade. He sealed the evil monsters inside of the Bound Chest using the Picori Blade and the Light Force, until Vaati broke the blade and released the monsters back into the world some time later.
 * Great Flood: In the Adult Timeline following the end of Ocarina of Time, Hyrule was invaded once again by Ganondorf and was subsequently buried beneath a deluge of rainwater in the Great Flood when the Hero of Time failed to appear.
 * Zant's Invasion of Hyrule: In the Child Timeline following the end of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, Hyrule was invaded by an evil Twili named Zant, who seized control of the Twilight Realm and covered Hyrule in twilight on the order of his dark master, Ganondorf, who returned to haunt Hyrule once again.

Theology
Hyrule is known to be a polytheistic society, in which the greater majority of its people believe in not one single god, but multiple gods. The three greatest of these deities worshipped by the Hyrulean citizens are the three Golden Goddesses: Din the Goddess of Power, Nayru the Goddess of Wisdom, and Farore the Goddess of Courage. These three great goddesses are the most highly-regarded and revered of all deities throughout the entire realm of Hyrule, as they were responsible for the creation of Hyrule and all who live in it. The people have also been known to worship the essences of these goddesses, which live within the almighty relic the goddesses themselves created, the mythical Triforce of the Sacred Realm. The goddesses have been known to answer the prayers of the people at multiple times throughout the course of Hyrule's history, such as for example drowning Hyrule beneath the Great Flood to save its people from destruction at Ganon's hands and sending the Light Spirits to imprison the Dark Interlopers within the confines of the Twilight Realm to save Hyrule's people from their wicked reign.

The Golden Goddesses are not the only deities worshiped throughout Hyrule however. For instance, the Zoras worship their patron deity, the great fish known as Lord Jabu-Jabu, going so far as to accord him a special place of honor in their society. They are also known to use the Water Temple to worship water spirits. The Kokiri pay homage to the great forest spirit known as the Great Deku Tree and hold him in the highest regard as both their father and protector. The Gerudo are known to worship the mysterious Goddess of the Sand, to whom they dedicated the construction of the Spirit Temple. There have also been other deities, such as the aforementioned Light Spirits, that are also worshipped by the people as the guardian deities of the different provinces of the kingdom. There have also been some deities gamers have yet to meet in the series but who have been mentioned in past games, such as the Goddess of Time mentioned by Princess Zelda in Majora's Mask and the Goddess of Wind mentioned by Tingle in The Wind Waker. There have also been smaller gods/deities that fans have met throughout the series, such as Zephos and Cyclos, two gods of the wind that were met in The Wind Waker. The Wind Fish and the Ocean King were also powerful gods who took the shape of whales, though their relation to Hyrule is unclear since both were introduced in worlds that seemed separate from the one in which Hyrule resides.

Several houses of worship and temples exist in Hyrulean society. Hyrule has been known to have temples dedicated to each of several different elements, each with a caretaker Sage that is guardian of the temple. Of the most well known of these Sages are those amongst the group known as the Seven Sages: Rauru in the Temple of Light at the heart of the Sacred Realm, Saria in the Forest Temple deep within the Lost Woods, Darunia in the Fire Temple on Death Mountain, Ruto in the Water Temple deep beneath Lake Hylia, Impa in the Shadow Temple residing in the graveyard in the shadow of Death Mountain, Nabooru in the Spirit Temple far across the desert in the Desert Colossus, and Princess Zelda in the Temple of Time. The Temple of Time's architecture also draws from Gothic cathedral architecture, and acts as the primary gateway to the Sacred Realm. The Earth Temple and the Wind Temple house the Sages whose prayers power the Master Sword and grant it the Power to Repel Evil.

Several towns in The Adventure of Link have churches, and a lone priest that resides at the Sanctuary in A Link to the Past helped smuggle Zelda out of Agahnim's clutches. Renado is the village shaman of Kakariko Village in Twilight Princess and the unofficial leader of the village. These figures, alongside the Sages, act as chief members of Hyrule's theological sphere.

Locations and Landmarks
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 Snowpeak 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.

Cities, Residences and Villages

 * Hyrule Castle: Hyrule Castle, also known as "Castle Hyrule", is the seat of Hyrule's monarchical government and the home of the Royal Family of Hyrule. In pretty much every depiction of the castle throughout the series, it is depicted as a great stone castle with battlements and towers in the gothic style of medieval castles seen throughout history. It is usually surrounded by a moat or body of water in most depictions, likely as a means of protection in the event of invasion, though this has usually proven unsuccessful in stopping the castle from being taken when a coup of the government is staged. The castle is usually a focal point and is typically prone to infiltration and conflict. The castle is often one of the most important places for Link during his numerous adventures in Hyrule and many times is the site of the final confrontations in most games that take place in Hyrule. It first appears in A Link to the Past, where it has been infiltrated and usurped by the dark wizard Agahnim. Link defeats Agahnim at the castle and later defeats Ganon himself in the castle's Dark World equivalent, the Pyramid of Power. The castle next appears in Ocarina of Time, as the seat of power in Hyrule. In the past era, it is here that Link gets his first glimpse of Ganondorf and meets Princess Zelda for the first time after sneaking in through the castle garden. In the future era, the castle has been torn down by Ganondorf, only to be replaced by the menacing Ganon's Castle, where the Hero of Time confronts and defeats the King of Evil. Hyrule Castle appears briefly in an overlook of the land in the Oracle games and is revealed to be the new home of all three pieces of the Triforce. In The Wind Waker, the castle appears in ruins leagues beneath the Great Sea in the sunken land of Hyrule, a result of the Great Flood. It is the home of the Master Sword in this story, complete with a hidden basement chamber with stained glass windows depicting the Sages of Ocarina of Time that is hidden beneath a great stone statue of the Hero of Time. When the land of Hyrule is utterly drowned at the wish of King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the castle, like everything else in the land of Hyrule, is destroyed. It appears once again in Four Swords Adventures, located near the center of Hyrule. It is visited three times, first during the capture of the Shrine Maidens, next during a mission to free the Blue Maiden, and finally during an infiltration to rescue the White Maiden. The castle appears again in The Minish Cap, where it is home to the Elemental Sanctuary that links Hyrule to the Minish Realm. It is later transformed into Dark Hyrule Castle by Vaati's evil magic before being restored to its original state by Princess Zelda. However the castle's latest appearance is in Twilight Princess, where it is the home of Princess Zelda and is invaded by Zant, who shrouds the castle and all of Hyrule in twilight. Link visits the castle three times throughout his mission to defeat Zant and later his master, Ganondorf. After his battle with Ganondorf in the Throne Room high atop Hyrule Castle Tower, the castle is destroyed in a massive explosion caused by Midna's assault on Ganondorf, but it is later revealed to have been rebuilt.


 * Hyrule Castle Town: Hyrule Castle Town, also known simply as "Castle Town", is the capital city of Hyrule and the heart of the country's commerce as well as the seat of its government. The city has much history surrounding it, and two of its most important structures depicted in the series have been Hyrule Castle, the city's namesake, and the ancient Temple of Time that serves as the primary gateway between Hyrule and the Sacred Realm of the Triforce. The city's marketplace is usually depicted to be a bustling metropolis where the citizens of both the city and Hyrule at large come to engage in business and trade. As the home of the stately Hyrule Castle, the city is also the bastion and headquarters of the Castle Guard that serve as Hyrule's military force. As a means of some protection, the city is usually surrounded by a moat that is only accessible by bridges or drawbridges. Over the course of its history within the series, the city has been prone to conflict multiple times and has been the subject of invasion more than once. As the cultural heart of the country, this city is considered one of the most important locales in all of Hyrule, as is evidenced by several games' final levels being within the city's limits.


 * Kakariko Village: Kakariko Village is one of the most recurring locales throughout the entire series. First appearing as the primary Hyrulean settlement in A Link to the Past, the village has vastly evolved since that time. It was seen again in Ocarina of Time, where it is shown to rest in the foothills of Death Mountain and the village's origins are elaborated upon, revealing it to have been founded by a race of shadow warriors that protected the Royal Family of Hyrule, the Sheikah. The village's primary founder is stated to be the nursemaid of Princess Zelda, Impa. Four Swords Adventures shows the village once again, but it closely matches both in location and appearance the depiction of the village in A Link to the Past. The latest depiction of the village is shown in Twilight Princess, where the village is once again located in the foothills of Death Mountain, but its appearance is depicted as a western-style dwelling built into the cliffs of Death Mountain. The game also features a place called the Hidden Village, which possesses a sign that when translated reads "Welcome to Old Kakariko", and its last remaining resident, Impaz, is implied to be descended from Impa, causing some to suspect that the Hidden Village is the site of the original Kakariko Village featured in Ocarina of Time.


 * Goron City: Goron City is the main dwelling of the rock-eating Goron race deep within the caverns of Death Mountain. The city itself is built inside one large cavern with multiple levels that have stairs and doorways leading off of each level. In the chieftain's chamber is a secret passageway leading into Death Mountain Crater, from which the Fire Temple can be accessed. Goron City thrives on the Bomb Flower crop that grows on Death Mountain, and the Gorons themselves specialize in the explosive quality of the flowers. The Gorons also are known to be skilled smithies in the design of swords and metallic items, which they also produce within the city. The city's food source comes from the nearby Dodongo's Cavern, where the cavern is mined by the Gorons for its rocks. A similar dwelling for the Gorons is depicted in Twilight Princess up on Death Mountain. Though this dwelling is in the same vicinity as Goron City was, it is unclear what became of the city itself by the time of Twilight Princess. In this version of the Gorons' home, the main cavern where they dwell appears much smaller and only has one single level, in the center of which rests a sumo-wrestling ring and in the back of which is the entrance to a part of the mountain that is sacred to the Gorons, the Goron Mines, home of one of the four fragments of the Fused Shadow.


 * Zora's Domain: Zora's Domain is the home of the aquatic Zora race that occupies the lakes, rivers, streams and oceans of Hyrule. The domain debuted in A Link to the Past as Zora's Waterfall, which was depicted as a series of waterfalls and waterways in northeastern Hyrule leading from a single large waterfall, underneath which lived the ruler of the Zoras in that game. The domain however took on its more modern-day appearance in Ocarina of Time, where it is located in southeastern Hyrule and is depicted as a large cavern through which runs the waters of Zora's Fountain, a spring lying behind the cavern that is home to the Zora's patron deity, Lord Jabu-Jabu. The waters of Zora's Fountain run through Zora's Domain and out of it, forming the great river known as Zora's River and emptying out into the vast Lake Hylia all the way on the other side of Hyrule. In the future era, the Hero of Time returns to find Zora's Domain frozen over solid, and he is forced to cleanse the Water Temple of the evils of Morpha in order to awaken Ruto as one of the Seven Sages and to break the spell keeping Zora's Domain in its frozen state. It is revealed that the domain has thawed by the time the Hero of Time defeated Ganondorf and returned to his own age. The domain makes its latest actual appearance however in Twilight Princess, where it greatly mirrors its Ocarina of Time appearance, with a few differences, including the domain being the path to the Snowpeak mountain range.


 * Gerudo's Fortress: Gerudo's Fortress is the home of the nearly all-female Gerudo race of thieves who hail from the Gerudo Desert in the western part of Hyrule. The fortress is made almost completely of stone and is built into the cliffs of Gerudo Valley, near the entrance of the Haunted Wasteland, thought to be another name for the Gerudo Desert. The Hero of Time infiltrates the fortress as a child in an attempt to rescue four carpenters and gain access to the Haunted Wasteland and the Spirit Temple beyond. The Gerudo and their home-dwelling appear again in Four Swords Adventures, though this time the desert is shown to be in southwestern Hyrule under the name of the Desert of Doubt, and the Gerudo do not live in a great fortress as they did in Ocarina of Time but rather in small huts near the southwestern corner of Hyrule. The Gerudo Desert reappears in Twilight Princess, but by this time the Gerudo have all but disappeared and only their name lives on in the name of the desert. Their infamous fortress has also vanished by this point, though there are some ruins at the entrance of the desert that some suspect are the ruins of the former Gerudo Fortress, as they rest near the entrance to the desert in a similar way to the fortress's location in Ocarina of Time.


 * Royal Valley: Royal Valley is the final resting place for members of the Royal Family of Hyrule when they pass on into the next world at the time of The Minish Cap, largely filling the role held in other games by the Kakariko Graveyard. While its origins are unknown, it is clear that by the time of The Minish Cap, it has been used as a resting place for deceased members of the Royal Family for generations. The valley, located just to the west of Hyrule Castle in Hyrule's northern regions, has an overall eerie atmosphere, with little to no natural light penetrating the dark gloom that is prevalent all across the valley. The only living resident of the valley is Dampé, the graveyard keeper, who resides in a hut near the entrance of the graveyard. The most prominent of those who rest in the valley however is Gustaf, a great former ruler of Hyrule and ancestor of Daltus and Princess Zelda, who in ancient times who had close ties to the Wind Tribe that protects the Wind Element. Gustaf's spirit visits Link after the Temple of Droplets is cleared and the Water Element is recovered, where he tells Link to visit his resting place for aid in reaching the final element: the Wind Element, which had vanished from the Wind Ruins sometime in the past, along with the Wind Tribe that protected it. Link deduces that Gustaf was referring to the Royal Valley, a section of Hyrule he had not yet visited, and proceeded to the location on his map. Link proceeds into the valley and through a confusing forest labyrinth similar to the Lost Woods to reach Dampé's hut, where the graveyard keeper gives him the Graveyard Key to access the graveyard and meet the ancient King. Although Link loses the key shortly afterward to a crow, he recovers the key using his Pegasus Boots and enters the graveyard. Here, he solves a puzzle and enters the Royal Crypt, defeating many enemies such as Gibdos and Keese along the way, and meets with Gustaf, who gives him a special Kinstone piece that will yield access to the Cloud Tops at the "Source of the Flow" in Hyrule, later revealed to be Veil Falls.

Bodies of Water

 * Lake Hylia: Lake Hylia is one of the largest bodies of water in Hyrule and has reappeared numerous times throughout its history. It first appears as a large lake with a single large island in its center located in the southeastern section of Hyrule in A Link to the Past. It next appears in Ocarina of Time, where it is now located in the southwestern section of the country and possesses an island with a single tree on it, below which is located the sacred Water Temple built by the Zoras. In this incarnation, many precedents were set for Lake Hylia, in that its water source comes from Zora's Domain and flows through Zora's River all the way down to the lake. Lake Hylia is thought to be featured in The Wind Waker, where down in the sealed Hyrule, a large lake surrounds Hyrule Castle, which now rests on a lone island in the lake's center, with a river thought to be Zora's River flowing into the lake, matching the description of Lake Hylia. The lake makes its next official appearance in Four Swords Adventures, where it is shown to be a two-tiered lake residing in Hyrule's northeastern region. Its latest appearance comes in Twilight Princess, where many of its features closely match those of Ocarina of Time, right down to the island in the lake's center with the large tree, below which rests the Lakebed Temple, thought to be a new name for the Water Temple. This version of Lake Hylia, like in Ocarina of Time, is fed by Zora's River, flowing all the way from Zora's Domain.


 * Zora's River: Zora's River is the mighty river that is the main carrier of water that supplies both the vast Lake Hylia as well as all of Hyrule with its water source. It was introduced in Ocarina of Time as a great river with swift currents and swirling rapids that flows from Zora's Fountain through Zora's Domain in the southeastern corner of Hyrule, flowing all around Hyrule and finally emptying out into Lake Hylia clear on the other side of Hyrule, in the southwestern corner of the country. A river emptying out into a great lake surrounding Hyrule Castle in The Wind Waker is suspected to be Zora's River, as it was noted to be the source of water for the most prominent lake in the land, Lake Hylia, therefore matching the description of Zora's River. The river officially reappears in Twilight Princess, where it once again fulfills the role of providing all of Hyrule with its water as well as being the source of Lake Hylia's water as well. When Link first visits Zora's Domain, he finds that the river has been frozen solid by Zant's power and is tasked with thawing out the source of the river's water in the Zora throne room of Zora's Domain. To do so, he warps a gigantic volcanic rock from Death Mountain all the way to the domain, using it to shatter the ice at the river's source in the Zora throne room and super-heating the water to jump-start the flow back to its normal pace once again, restoring the river to its normal flow, freeing the Zoras, and refilling Lake Hylia in the process.


 * Zora's Fountain: Zora's Fountain is a spring that is the primary source of the flow of water that makes up Zora's River and eventually feeds into Lake Hylia clear on the other side of Hyrule. The fountain rests behind the caverns of Zora's Domain at the time of Ocarina of Time, where it is shown to also be home to the Ice Cavern and the Zoras' patron deity, Lord Jabu-Jabu. The Hero of Time visits Zora's Fountain while on his quest for the Spiritual Stones and enters the great fish's belly to rescue the Princess of the Zoras, Ruto, as well as the Zora's Sapphire. It was within the fountain itself that the Hero of Time would actually receive the stone from Ruto after his vanquishing of Barinade. Seven years later, the adult Hero of Time returns to find Zora's Fountain covered in ice and snow, with Lord Jabu-Jabu having vanished from sight. He then discovers the Ice Cavern's existence and finds the Iron Boots kept within. It is presumed that, like Zora's Domain, the fountain also thaws at the end of the story after Link succeeds in destroying Morpha. While Zora's Domain reappears in Twilight Princess, Zora's Fountain has all but vanished. However, the source of Zora's River now resides in the throne room of the Zora royalty. Whether a new throne room was built over the fountain is unclear, but it is clear that the source of Zora's River is present.


 * Fishing Hole: Fishing has proven to be a popular Hyrulean pastime seen in multiple games throughout the series, necessitating a Fishing Hole. A variety of fish inhabit Hyrule's rivers and streams, and several ponds have been set up to allow tourists convenient places to fish. The first Hyrulean fishing hole was seen in Ocarina of Time, and was located near Lake Hylia on the far side of the lake. Here, Link could fish for Hyrule Bass and the legendary Hylian Loach. He would receive various rewards depending on the size of the fish he caught. One of the most prominent of these rewards was the rare and valuable Golden Scale, a type of scale from the Zoras that would allow Link to swim to even greater depths for a longer period of time. Link's biggest catch would often be on display if his catch broke a previous record. Fishing returns in Twilight Princess, with a new fishing hole set up near Zora's River and run by Hena, a possible descendant of the owner of the fishing hole from Ocarina of Time. The variety of fish available for Link to catch has increased, and the pond is larger, allowing him to go out on a boat in order to find the best fishing spots.


 * Veil Falls: Veil Falls is the so-called "Source of the Flow" in Hyrule at the time of The Minish Cap. The falls serve as the primary source of water for Lake Hylia as well as all of Hyrule, likely serving as a sort of substitute for Zora's River in the story, though the Zoras themselves do not make an appearance in The Minish Cap. Link comes to Veil Falls after journeying to the Royal Valley and visiting the spirit of Gustaf, an ancient King of Hyrule, who gave him a special Kinstone piece that was said to open the way to the Cloud Tops at the "Source of the Flow". Link deduces that King Gustaf is referring to Veil Falls, as it is seemingly the source of all of Hyrule's water, and correctly guesses that the Kinstone piece given to him by King Gustaf opens a cavern behind the main waterfall of Veil Falls, leading upward into the cliffs towering high over the falls. The young hero ventures upward until he reaches the very top of the rocky bluffs at Veil Springs, the source of the water of Veil Falls. Here, he discovers the whirlwind that acts as the portal that will transport surface-dwellers up into the land above the clouds, the Cloud Tops.

Mountain Ranges

 * Death Mountain: Death Mountain is one of the oldest and most recurring locales in Hyrule throughout the series, having been present in nearly every incarnation of Hyrule since the original The Legend of Zelda. In that game, Death Mountain is a great mountain range residing in the northern section of Hyrule and serves as the hideout of the demonic sorcerer Ganon. It is on Death Mountain, beneath Spectacle Rock, that Ganon is holding Princess Zelda hostage in his lair after his invasion of the kingdom. What is thought to be the same Death Mountain reappears in The Adventure of Link, where it is a mountain range located in the southwestern corner of the now-expanded land of Hyrule, but for the most part it retains an identical appearance to its predecessor. The mountain's next appearance is in A Link to the Past, where it is home to the Tower of Hera in its Light World incarnation and home to Ganon's Tower and Turtle Rock in its Dark World incarnation. Link travels to the Light World version of Death Mountain to attain the Pendant of Wisdom in the first half of the story, and he journeys to its Dark World counterpart to rescue Princess Zelda and confront Agahnim and Ganon in the second half of the story. In this incarnation, Death Mountain is depicted to be one of the highest points in all of Hyrule. In Ocarina of Time, the mountain is an active volcano that is home to the rock-eating Goron race and is home to the Dodongo's Cavern and the sacred Fire Temple. Four Swords features Death Mountain as a volcanic environment as well, and it serves as one of the main regions explored in the game. The mountain reappears in Four Swords Adventures, retaining a similar appearance to how it looked in Ocarina of Time and being home to both the Gorons as well as the Tower of Flames. The mountain's latest appearance is in Twilight Princess, where it retains its classical status as an active volcano that remains the home of the Gorons and is the location of the sacred Goron Mines.


 * Maze Island: Maze Island is a massive island located off the shores of Eastern Hyrule in The Adventure of Link and is the home of the Maze Island Palace Link must visit in order to restore one of the six magical crystals to its proper place in order to open the pathway to the Great Palace in the Valley of Death. The island is a foreboding place with unfriendly terrain, full of mountains and rocky pathways leading in a maze-like pattern around the island (hence the name of the island). Due to this mountainous terrain, traveling on the island is quite difficult and can grow confusing as its terrain makes it a natural labyrinth. The palace, the only notable location on the entire island, is located on the far eastern side of the island and can only be reached by one who has journeyed through the maze of rocky canyons lining the island. There are also a few small streams that run through the island, but they only add to the difficulty in traveling across the island to reach the Maze Island Palace on the far side. Link comes to the island in possession of the crystal that must be restored to a special statue residing in the deepest sanctums of the Maze Island Palace (in conjunction with five other palaces scattered around Hyrule) in order to break the seal on the Valley of Death and enter the Great Palace to search for the lost Triforce of Courage and unite it with its two counterparts to awaken Princess Zelda from her unnaturally long slumber. Within the the Maze Island Palace, Link faces and defeats a strange, Wizrobe-like creature named Carock in order to gain access to the statue he seeks. Link is also able to rescue a child on this island, located not very far away from the Maze Island Palace itself on the eastern part of the island.


 * Valley of Death: The Valley of Death is a mountain range residing on the southwestern section of Eastern Hyrule that is home to the Great Palace, the resting place of the Triforce of Courage in The Adventure of Link. The ancient King of Hyrule spoken of in the legend of the Triforce was said to have taken the Triforce of Courage to the Great Palace and hid it there in the hope that a worthy hero would one day come to claim it. After placing the relic in the Great Palace, the King cast a seal across the entire Valley of Death, a seal that would deny access to the Great Palace as long as six special statues in six other palaces around Hyrule did not have their respective crystals restored to them. If a worthy hero restored the crystals to the six other palaces, the seal on the Valley of Death would be broken, permitting access to the Great Palace at the valley's top. The Valley of Death itself is a rocky and mountainous region similar in design to Maze Island, in that it has many rocky passageways and canyons that lead through the valley, through the rocky mountains that make up its terrain. The region is filled with enemies, one of which include Moas that infest the area and force Link into confrontations on his way to the Great Palace. As its name implies, the Valley of Death is a place few have visited, and it is implied to have claimed the lives of many who have dared try to enter it. The valley is implied to be one of the King's tests for the hero that would come to seek the Triforce, to test his resourcefulness and determination to obtain the last of the three pieces of the Triforce. Link eventually breaks the seal on the valley and successfully navigates it to reach the Great Palace, where he confronts the mighty Thunderbird and even his own shadow to claim the Triforce of Courage.


 * Mount Crenel: Mount Crenel is a mountain range residing in Hyrule's northwestern sector in The Minish Cap, largely acting as a substitute for Death Mountain in the story. It is prone to large, falling boulders, Tektites, numerous holes, and a great number of enemies awaiting behind and under rocks all across the mountain. Mount Crenel is home to the great Minish smithy, Melari, as well as the home of his namesake mine, Melari's Mine. However, the most prominent locale of Mount Crenel is the sweltering and dangerous Cave of Flames, a mine constructed by the Humans long ago that is the resting place of the Fire Element. Link comes to Melari's Mine on Mount Crenel with the broken fragments of the Picori Blade, hoping to have the Minish craftsman reforge the blade. While Link clears the Cave of Flames and claims the Fire Element, Melari and his apprentices succeed in restoring the blade, transforming it into the White Sword. Mount Crenel is known for a special spring water that can only be found on the mountain and has certain special abilities to make certain plants grow at an accelerated rate. Link makes use of this special water during his adventure on the mountain as well. The spring for this water is located on the lower parts of the mountain and can be accessed by Link even at Minish size.


 * Snowpeak: Snowpeak is the name given to the abnormally cold mountain range residing in the northern region of Hyrule, with its entrance at Zora's Domain. It first appears in Twilight Princess, where Snowpeak is revealed to be one of three locations where one of the four fragments of the Mirror of Twilight came to rest after being blasted all the way from the Arbiter's Grounds by Zant. A Yeti named Yeto finds the shard and stores it at his home, the Snowpeak Ruins, eventually giving it as a gift to his wife Yeta. Shortly after coming into contact with the Mirror Shard however, Yeta falls mysteriously ill and develops an insidious attachment to the artifact. Link eventually journeys to Snowpeak with Midna in search of the Mirror Shard and climbs the mountain, eventually meeting Yeto, who offers to take Link to his home high overlooking the mountain to inspect the Mirror Shard. The hero explores the entire manor in search of the key to the bedchamber of the Yetis, where the artifact is stored. After finding the key, Yeta recovers some of her strength and goes with Link into the bedchamber to see the Mirror Shard, but she becomes overpowered by her lust for the artifact and eventually becomes possessed by the malevolence residing in the Mirror Shard, causing her to transform into the Twilit Ice Mass Blizzeta. Link defeats the beast and restores Yeta to her true form, claiming the Mirror Shard in the process.

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, amphibious 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 humaniod. 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.

Gerudo
The Gerudo are a tribe of desert-dwelling bandits seen in Ocarina of Time and Four Swords Adventures. Their race is composed entirely of females, except for one man born every 100 years. Gerudo law states that this man will be the king of the Gerudo. To date, the only Gerudo male seen in the series has been the main antagonist, Ganondorf. Although only one Gerudo man is born a century, it is implied that Gerudos may use Hylian men to reproduce as well.