Universe of The Legend of Zelda

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A map of Hyrule during the era of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time taken from the instruction manual.

The fictional universe depicted in The Legend of Zelda series of video games consists of a variety of lands, the most commonly appearing of these being Hyrule (ハイラル, Hairaru^?), and was created by Nintendo video game developer Shigeru Miyamoto.

Hyrule

The Bridge of Eldin, as seen in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

The land of Hyrule, first depicted in The Legend of Zelda, is the main setting of the series. Many designated areas of Hyrule appear throughout the series, such as the Lost Woods, Kakariko Village, Death Mountain and Lake Hylia. Several games in the series are set in lands other than Hyrule, including Link's Awakening, set on Koholint Island; Majora's Mask, set in Termina; Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, set in Holodrum and Labrynna respectively; and The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass, both set on the Great Sea, a flooded Hyrule.

Hyrule was formed by the goddesses Din, Farore and Nayru. According to Hylian legend as depicted in Ocarina of Time, Din created the physical geography of the realm, Nayru created the laws to govern the land, and Farore created the races to uphold the law and the flora and fauna that inhabit the world. Once the goddesses had completed their tasks, they departed for the heavens, and left behind three golden triangles. In these, they put their power to govern all things; this relic became known as the Triforce.^[1] The realm itself was eventually named after its dominant race, the Hylia.^[2]

Hylian is a constructed language that first appears in A Link to the Past, where it is identified as "the ancient language of the Hylians". In A Link to the Past, its written form is composed of symbols that have to be translated by Link to progress in the game. In The Wind Waker, three spirits, the angler fish-like Jabun, the dragon Valoo, and the Deku Tree can speak it. In Japan, an explanation on the Hylian alphabet was printed on the back of the instruction manual, showing that the language is written with a logographic writing system like Japanese.^[3]

The currency of the Hyrule and other areas is called the Rupee, which resemble hexagonal crystals or gems, and come in various colors which determine value. In Oracle of Seasons, the Subrosian race accepts only Ore Chunks as currency, and in Four Swords Adventures, Force Gems are used rather than Rupees. Rupees are also absent in The Adventure of Link, which has no apparent in-game currency system. The original The Legend of Zelda only has flashing Rupees, worth one, and blue Rupees, worth five. Subsequent games introduced more colors and sizes for Rupees, each denoting a specific value. Generally, green Rupees have the least value, while huge gold or silver Rupees have the most.

Hylian geography

• Death Mountain (デスマウンテン, Desu-Maunten^?) is a recurring area which first appeared in the original The Legend of Zelda. It is often simply a mountain, though other times it is a volcano. In all its appearances, Death Mountain has many caves and dungeons, such as Ganon's lair in The Legend of Zelda, and Goron City, the Fire Temple and Dodongo's Cavern in Ocarina of Time. Spectacle Rock, two large rock formations next to each other, is another recurring trait.

• Ganon's Tower has acted as the final dungeon and battleground between Link and Ganon in several games.

• The Great Sea (大海原, Ōunabara^?) is formed in The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass after Hyrule has been flooded by a deluge. Only a collection of mountaintops are still visible above the water, and these form the 65 islands and archipelagos of the Great Sea. Due to the relatively small size of many of the islands, there are large expanses of ocean between each island. Due to the vast nature of the sea, most navigation requires the use of charts. On the islands of the Great Sea, local commerce is quite advanced. Most of the food is gathered from fishing and small farms, though there are also active merchant, salvage, and shipbuilding businesses.

• Hyrule Castle (ハイラル城, Hairaru-jō^?) is the home and seat of the royal family of Hyrule. The castle's first appearance was in A Link to the Past, the third game in the series. It is often a central area that Link must enter during his quest.

• Kakariko Village (カカリコ村, Kakariko-mura^?) is a village that first appears in A Link to the Past and has since reappeared in Ocarina of Time, Four Swords Adventures and Twilight Princess.

• Lake Hylia (ハイリア湖, Hairia-ko^?) is a large lake located in Hyrule. In most games, it is fed by the Zora's who live in "Zora's Domain".

• The Lost Woods (迷いの森, Mayoi no Mori^?) is a large, maze-like forest that appears in various titles. It is the resting place of the Master Sword in A Link to the Past and Oracle of Seasons, and it is the location of the Forest Temple in Ocarina of Time.

Master Sword

The Master Sword in its pedestal, as seen in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

The Master Sword (マスターソード, Masutā Sōdo^?), also known as the "The Blade of Evil's Bane", is a magic sword that often acts as the ultimate weapon for Link as the chosen hero to defeat Ganon and doubles as a key to the Sacred Realm. It has the power to "repel evil", which enables it to overcome powerful dark magic and evil beings and keep them from using the sword. It was forged at the direction of the gods in order to prevent the Triforce from falling into evil hands.^[4] The sword traditionally rests in sacrosanct locations indigenous to Hyrule, such as the Temple of Time or the Lost Woods.

The sword is often not at full power, leading it to need to be "recharged" in some way, or have its power increased beyond its standard level to fight Ganon. There are some situations when the blade, already at full power, can be further improved; in A Link to the Past, it was tempered and imbued with magical gold to raise its power. Similarly, in Twilight Princess, the sword is powered by two Sols in the Palace of Twilight. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker establishes that the sword needs the power of two sages praying to the gods in order to keep its powers, or else it will no longer be able to prevent an evil person from gaining the Triforce.^[5]

The Master Sword is a double-edged one-handed sword. The blade cross-section is hexagonal with no fuller. On the flats of the blade near the hilt is a Triforce symbol, etched into the steel or emblazoned in gold. It has a blue or purple curved crossguard in the shape of a pair of wings with a small yellow jewel where it meets the hilt. The hilt is often padded red with a non-ornate blue pommel. Since The Wind Waker, the Master Sword's blade glows white when it is swung in-game.

Triforce

The Triforce

The Triforce (トライフォース, Toraifōsu^?) is a triangular sacred relic that represents the essences of the Golden Goddesses. It is made up of three smaller triangles known as the Triforce of Wisdom, Triforce of Power and Triforce of Courage. Each of these embody the essence of their respective goddess, and bestow certain boons on their bearers. In most of its appearances, the Triforce or its pieces manifest as a crest on the hands of their bearers. These crests resonate when near each other, and the Triforce pieces can emerge from their bearers.

When united, the Triforce allows one who touches it to make a wish that lasts until they die or the wish is fulfilled. However, if the one who finds it does not possess a balance of the three virtues it represents, the pieces split into its three components and the finder is left with the one which represents the characteristic they value most; the other two pieces do likewise with two other characters "chosen by destiny". Ganon makes it his goal to obtain the Triforce in various games, often having a single piece himself that he uses to further his goals.

The Triforce of Power embodies the essence of Din, the goddess of Power, and amplifies the physical and magical power of its bearer immeasurably. It is usually associated with Ganon. The Triforce of Wisdom embodies the essence of Nayru, the goddess of Wisdom, and amplifies the wisdom and mystical powers of its bearer. It is usually associated with Princess Zelda. The Triforce of Courage embodies the essence of Farore, the goddess of Courage, and seems to amplify the courage and adventuring skills of its bearer. It is usually associated with Link.

Races

Creatures

• Armos are living statues or suits of armor that attack enemies when approached. The Minish Cap features them as guards created by the Wind Tribe. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
• Beamos are pillar-mounted mechanical eyes that rotates 360 degrees in search of intruders. They fire beams at the intruders while they are in sight, and they often keep tracking them as they move about. They first appeared in A Link to the Past.
• Biri and Bari are electrified jellyfish that can live in or out of water. They often split into smaller duplicates after being attacked.
• Blade Traps are actually not enemies, but indestructible metallic devices armed with spikes. Some sense intruders and fly towards them, while others move in a set pattern. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
• Bubbles, also known as Anti-Fairies or Wisps, are flaming skull enemies able to sprout wings. Their flames come in many colors, but the most common being red and blue flames. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
• ChuChus are slug-like creatures with squat, translucent bodies, stalk-eyes, and a permanently smiling mouth that have a variety of colors. In The Wind Waker their appearance was change to upright, opaque bodies and vibrantly colored faces. They come in green, red (the two most common colors), yellow, blue and dark purple. They aggressively attack anything that invades their territory by tackling it, but will hide in puddles on the ground if no one is close. They mostly move by bouncing around, though some move around in their puddle forms until they can get close to an enemy. They first appeared in A Link to the Past.
• Darknuts are large armored knights armed with swords and shields. In The Wind Waker when their helmets are removed they are revealed to have jackal-like heads. Some Darknuts also have capes, which must be destroyed before they can be hurt. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
• Deku Babas are carnivorous plants, with a venus fly trap-like mouth, and sprout from the ground whenever their roots detect any potential prey. They first appeared in Ocarina of Time.
• Dodongos are carnivorous dinosaurs that resemble gigantic iguanas, move slowly, and can breathe powerful blasts of flame.^[6] Other types of Dodongos include Baby Dodongos, which are infant, worm-like creatures^[7] which explode when attacked, and Big Dodongos, which are larger versions of normal Dodongos. A King Dodongo appears as a boss in Ocarina of Time.^[8] They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
• Floormasters and Wallmasters are ghostly or zombified manifestations of giant hands that drag adventurers back to the entrance of a dungeon. Floormasters roam around the room and are visible at all times, while Wallmasters hide on the ceiling, out of sight. Floormasters first appeared in Ocarina of Time while Wallmasters first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
• Gibdos are undead creatures wrapped like mummies. They resemble ReDeads in regard to their slow and zombie-like movement; in some games, setting a Gibdo's bandages alight will reveal a Stalfos or a ReDead underneath. In Majora's Mask Link can use a Gibdo Mask to communicate with them. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
• Iron Knuckles are heavily armored knights with axes. While they are even slower than the Darknuts they are the most powerful enemies in their games as they can take four hearts from Link with just one hit and because of that they are often used to guard treasures. They first appeared in The Adventure of Link.
• Keaton are generally-benevolent, three-tailed fox-like creatures, mostly found in Termina. They normally stay hidden from sight, although they reveal themselves to Link if he wears a Keaton Mask and challenge him to a quiz, winning which gains him a Piece of Heart. No known Keaton exist in Hyrule at the time of Ocarina of Time, although at least one of them is a well-known fictional character in Hyrule Castle Town.^[9][10] By the time of The Minish Cap, however, some rather thuggish Keaton roam the Hyrule countryside, now walking on their hindpaws and with only one tail instead of three; if they injure Link, he loses a few Rupees.
• Keese are bat-like monsters that often lurk in caves and dungeons, where they will fly around erratically, and occasionally stop to rest. There are fire and ice variants, which can respectively use fire and ice to attack enemies. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
• Leevers are cactus-like monsters that primarily live in sandy areas, such as deserts and beaches, and they live beneath the sand, burrowing to the top to attack in ambush. Leevers generally have a conical shape that tapers towards the top, and sharp leaves on top. They attack by spinning rapidly and slamming into whatever they're attacking. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
• Like Likes are yellowish cylindrical monsters that can suck in creatures as large as humans and consume items they carry. They are known for swallowing the shields and tunics that Link uses. Like Likes dissolve into a puddle when killed, leaving the stolen items. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
• Lizalfos are humanoid lizards that stand upright and wield a shield and either a spear or hammer. Lizalfos in later games are rapid-moving monsters that often attack in pairs or small groups. They first appeared in The Adventure of Link.
• Octoroks are land-dwelling, octopus-like enemies that attack by shooting rocks from their mouth. There are also aquatic and sea variations that shoot bombs. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
• Peahats are helicopter-like enemies that take the appearances of plants. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
• Poes are lantern carrying ghosts formed from concentrated hatred toward the world that freely roams graveyards and other haunted locales. They always carry their signature lanterns. They first appeared in A Link to the Past.
• Pols Voice are ghosts with large ears that hop around rooms in erratic patterns. They hate loud noises. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
• ReDeads are undead creatures resembling zombies with a dark brown skin and flat mask-like faces that paralyze and cling to enemies with just a scream.^[11] They first appeared in Ocarina of Time.
• Skulltulas are giant spiders, named for the white, bony plate in the shape of a human skull that forms its carapace. Skulltulas and giant Skulltulas hang upside down in an upright position, suspended by a strand of silk thread from a ceiling surface.
• Stalfos are animated skeletons mostly from the remains of dead warriors who still have a strong will to fight, and serve evil powers such as Ganon or Vaati.^[12]
• Tektites are human-sized four-legged insectoid creatures use their powerful legs to leap upon and attack prey.
• Wizzrobes are magic-using enemies that wear wizard's robes (hence their name) and often use fire and ice magic before disappearing and reappearing somewhere else. In The Wind Waker they resemble robed, anthropomorphic toucans.
• Zols and Gels are simple blob-like enemies with two eyes. They often hide between the tiles of dungeon floors, waiting to pop out and jump. Zols are much larger than Gels, and in many games, weaker attacks will cause a Zol to split into two Gels. Both Zols and Gels first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.

Deku

Two Deku Scrubs, as they appear in Majora's Mask

The Deku (デクナッツ (Dekunattsu^?)) are a race of plant-like creatures which are introduced in Ocarina of Time. They appear mostly in the overworld and dungeons. Deku are generally short and have leaves sprouting out from their heads. They often have red, glowing eyes, and their mouths are short, hollow tubes that can shoot "Deku Nuts." Their bodies consist entirely of wood and leaves, and they perish quickly if set on fire. They can fly by using large leaves to glide, and some can use the leaves on their head to fly for indefinite periods after taking off from a "Deku Flower."

There are four types of Deku depicted in the series: Deku Scrubs, Mad Scrubs, Business Scrubs and Royal Scrubs. Deku Scrubs are the most common type, which have green leaves. They often give information when caught. Mad Scrubs are violent, have red and yellow leaves, and do not talk. Business Scrubs are traders who offer to sell their wares and services. Royal Scrubs have larger heads, bigger eyes, smaller mouths, and they also have extra leaves covering their body.

Fairy

Fairies (妖精, Yousei^?) are a magical and benevolent race that aid Link during his quest in most games in the series. Fairies appear as small, winged humanoids, who are often obscured by emitted light. They can be found in many places, but usually reside in a Fairy Fountain or Fairy Spring, sometimes under the protection of a Great Fairy, which are the size of humans. These Fairies from the fountains will heal Link when he approaches, and if he traps one in a bottle, it will resurrect him if he dies. In Ocarina of Time, Guardian Fairies travel with the Kokiri and give them advice. One of these is Navi, who serves as Link's guardian fairy.

Gerudo

The Gerudo (ゲルド^?) are a tribe of thieves who mainly are desert-dwellers. Distinguishing physical traits of Gerudo typically include bronzed skin, scarlet hair, aquiline noses, gold eyes and, unlike the Hylia, round ears. Apart from a single male born to the Gerudo every hundred years, the race consists entirely of women. By Gerudo law, this man must become king of the tribe.^[13] Ganondorf, the main antagonist of the series, is one such man and is king of the Gerudo in Ocarina of Time. It is suggested that the Gerudo sometimes seek men from outside the tribe as sexual partners.^[14]

Goron tribe

Darunia, the Goron tribe's leader in Ocarina of Time

The Gorons (ゴロン (Goron^?)) are a race of strong but peaceful mountain-dwelling rock-eaters who first appear in Ocarina of Time as friendly characters. Gorons were originally enemies that tried to run into Link and harm him. Goron culture revolves around brotherhood and strength, usually referring to each other and those they deem strong as "Brother." Gorons show high regard for individuals who display great strength, and particularly enjoy matching their strength with others in sumo wrestling matches. While not all the games which feature Gorons include full tribes, those that do depict Goron polity as headed by a single patriarch, sometimes aided by one or more Goron Elders, who assume leadership of the tribe when the patriarch cannot.

For leisure, Gorons enjoy music and dance, rolling/racing,^[15] games,^[16] sumo wrestling, and bathing in hot springs. Gorons have taken on occupations such as crafting, blacksmithing, sculpting, demolition, and merchantry. Gorons maintain a diet of rocks and iron.^[17][18] They also eat rock sirloin, amber, and metal shields as delicacies. Gorons enter the fetal position for several purposes, such as resting, crushing obstacles, assaulting enemies, and transportation by rolling to great speeds. Gorons endowed with fairy magic can grow stone spikes while rolling.^[19]

Gorons are humanoids with generally beige skin, whose long arms, short legs, hulking shoulders, and virtually unnoticeable necks. Gorons seen in the games have round, purple eyes as well as prominent, rotund bellies. Unlike humans, Gorons lack external hearing organs; like reptiles, Gorons' ears are simply holes at the sides of their heads. By adulthood, Gorons appear to gain rock-like protrusions on their backs as well as in places where human hair would be on their faces. Most are the size of an average human, though some such as Biggoron can grow as large as a mountain. Due to their great density, Gorons sink to the bottom of bodies of water and are thus helpless in such an environment.^[20] They do not need to breath underwater, so therefore they cannot drown.^[21] Gorons are exceptionally resistant to heat, to the point of being able to walk through shallow lava.

Hylia

The Hylia ( ハイリア族, Hairia-zoku^?) are an elf-like race that make up the main population of Hyrule^[22] They were the first race to establish organized civilization in ancient Hyrule. Hylians are born with magic-infused blood, said to be a gift from the gods, endowing them with psychic powers and skill in wizardry. Their long, pointed ears allow them to hear messages from the gods.

Kokiri

The Kokiri (コキリ (Kokiri^?)) are a humanoid fairy race in Ocarina of Time who inhabit the Kokiri Forest. They are ageless, child-like beings created by the Great Deku Tree, and each has a guardian fairy that plays the role of friend, parent, guardian, and teacher. Cautious and secretive, they believe that they will die if they leave the forest.^[23] It is also suggested that if they wander too deep into the forest and remain there for too long, they will eventually become Skull Kids.

The Koroks (コログ, Korogu^?) of Wind Waker are said to have been transformed from the Kokiri.^[24] They are small creatures with bodies that look like wood and masks made from leaves. They are very light, which allows them to travel by using sprouts as propellers over wind currents. They leave their home, the "Forest Haven", in order to plant seeds from the Great Deku Tree all over the world, and only return once a year to hold a ceremony to obtain more seeds.

Moblins

Moblins are humanoid monsters that usually reside in forests. They are sometimes accompanied by Pig Warriors, monsters with the same basic form but more porcine characteristics. However in the original Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link, Moblins resembled bulldogs. Both types commonly wield spears, swords, or bows. They are one of the most common enemies within the games they appear, and are considered "mighty", but also "dumb".^[25][26] They are described as greedy, self-possessed creatures, and the major antagonist will commonly use them as mercenaries or summoned monsters.^[27] Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons feature a larger, senior Moblin known as the Great Moblin, who terrorizes Holodrum and Labrynna. Wind Waker features two variations, Miniblins, rodent-like beast that carry pitchforks, and Bokoblins, impish creatures.

Sheikah

The (Sheikah (シーカー, Shīkā^?)) are an ancient clan of ninja-like warriors, often referred to as the "shadows" of the Hylians, sworn to protect the Hylian Royal Family.^[28] Eventually Impa during Ocarina of Time and Impaz during Twilight Princess are the last surviving members of the tribe. The Sheikah's symbol of a crying eye is commonly seen in the series, even in games where the Sheikah are not present. In the Ocarina of Time manga, it is explained by Sheik that the symbol of the Sheikah used to only consist of a normal eye but was changed when a betrayal occurred, context suggests the Royal Family somehow betrayed the Sheikah and the teardrop was added to represent the sorrow of their tribe.

Zora tribe

A Zora, as depicted in Twilight Princess

The Zora (ゾーラ (Zōra^?)) are a race of piscine humanoids which appear in nearly every game of the series. With the exception of "River Zoras", Zoras are a peaceful race. Zoras rely heavily on water and reflect this dependency in their culture. Zoras are mostly seen gracefully swimming about and frolicking in water. Besides routine swimming and sports, Zoras also enjoy music.^[29]

Most Zoras do not wear clothing, and they are generally covered in silver scales, which give them a pale blue sheen from a distance. Where humans sometimes have long hair, average Zoras have rear-hanging caudal extensions that resemble tails. These tails undulate periodically, which gives a Zora's head the unique semblance of a fish. They are sometimes depicted as having webbed feet and hands. They lack ears in the traditional sense, but do have pronounced noses and gills on their abdomen. Their fins can be used to fight by extending out to serve as sharp-edged weapons. Zoras lay eggs to reproduce. Zora eggs need to be kept in cold, clean water to develop healthily, and every egg from the same clutch must be kept together for them to hatch. Newborn Zoras are tadpole-like with a circular body and a long, skinny tail ending in a fluke.

Zora government is apparently monarchical, either ruled by a king or queen. Two different tribes exist, "river Zora" are more violent and are able to shoot fire, while "sea Zora" make up the friendly Zoras. The Zora Royal Family is responsible for maintaining order among their people, overseeing care for Lord Jabu-Jabu, who they worship as a guardian god^[30], and assuring that the waters upon which he and all creatures rely are clean and pure.

See also

• Recurring characters in The Legend of Zelda series

References

External links

• Races on Zeldapedia, an external wiki
• Triforce on Zeldapedia, an external wiki
• Hylian Language on Zeldapedia, an external wiki
• Hyrule on Zeldapedia, an external wiki