#SAY HIS NAME LANAYRU.

[baileyboo2016]

Oh I have also tried 50000 times to get Lanayru and failed. What.

[shaevilux]

People knock on Rhoam for being a bad dad cuz he's distant and stern to little Zelda and say how Rauru is the goat (heh) for taking her in like his own daughter. Like Zelda had her real parental connection with Sonia and Rauru. But frankly that's a little reductive.

Rauru literally descended from the heavens, married a priest, started a kingdom. Man didn't really know much strife yet. There's no looming threat of calamity or prophecy yet. Things are peaceful. Things are fine. Things are great. Zelda dropped in during this time, talking about a doom that's going to happen tens of thousands of years in the future.

This sad, lost princess.

Of course any reasonable person would take her in and calm her and tell her she is fine and listen and support her.

Rhoam not being able to be this kind of figure for Zelda is tragic. Just read this poor man's journal entries:

"It has been a year and three months since her mother passed. Perhaps she is held back by heartache too deep to heal. If the Ganon prophecy wasn't looming over our heads, I would tell her to take her time... To wait until she is ready. But our situation is dire and leaves no room for weakness—even on behalf of my beloved daughter. My heart breaks for Zelda, but I must act as a king, not a father. I must order her to train relentlessly at the fountain." Pg 4.

"In truth, I understand Zelda's feelings. Painfully so. She lost her mother, her teacher, before she could learn from her. Ten pointless years of self-training, without so much as a book or note to help her find her way... Those in the castle talk behind her back. And I, her only family, scold her for her shortcomings. No wonder she wishes to hide away in her beloved relic research. I'd love nothing more than to console her... But I must stay strong. She MUST fulfill her duty, just as we all must. Even if she comes to despise me." Pg 6.

"I have been told my Zelda went to the Spring of Wisdom... This will likely be her last chance. If she is unable to awaken her power at Lanayru, all hope is truly lost. If she comes back without success, then I shall speak kindly with her. Scolding is pointless now. I forced 10 years of training on her... and after all that, it seems her power will stubbornly awaken some other way. Perhaps I should encourage her to keep researching her beloved relics. They may just lead her to answers I can't provide. For now, I sit anxiously, more a father than a king in this moment. I sit and await my daughter's return." Pg 7. (He fucking dies and never gives Zelda this bit of closure uuuugggghhhhhhh Zelda I'm so sorry Rhoam I'm so sorry)

It sucks because most people remember the cutscenes (duh it's more immersive and important) and in the cutscenes of the first game Rhoam was mostly shown as being stern and mean to babygirl Zelda, who is closed fists explaining herself to him at the verge of tears. And in contrast everyone in the first royal family of hyrule in the second game treated her with such kindness and we can see how happy she was being there with them.

Rhoam was shackled by duty. By prophecy. By the looming calamity. And from the day he named his daughter 'Zelda' he shackled her as well.

And what does Zelda do with these shackles? She accepts them. She tolerates them. Because she loves her father and her kingdom and knows there's a power dormant in her that can stop the calamity that she must do her best to unlock. She does this dutifully. She does all the training, she does everything that is required.

But it still doesn't unlock. So she tries other ways. She isn't just going after the 'relics' because she's scholarly and nerdy and wants to learn about them. She does it because she's pragmatic. She knows her sacred sealing power isn't present in her. She knows she might not be able to control it or even unlock it in time.

So she tries this alternative approach. The Divine Beasts, the guardians. Ancient tech that was used to prevent the calamity of their time. And she awakened the tech. And her father chose the champions for each divine beast. And they were all prepared. And it's all thanks to Zelda.

And then... Fucking tragedy again. Ganon probably learned his lesson from the last time he was thwarted and immediately went for the tech, corrupting it and turning it against the new users. Against Zelda.

It's never really stated how fast it all turned to shit when the tech betrayed them (or maybe I don't remember) but every account points to it being almost overnight. The champions died. Rhoam died. And suddenly, suddenly Zelda unlocks her sealing magic.

I always always hate the literary trope of using tragedy to unlock a great power that could've actually stopped the tragedy from happening in the first place.

And it's no different in BOTW. I hate that Zelda had to go through all this to unlock her powers.

And then what happens next?

She's stuck in limbo (in an almost mocking parallel to Rauru in the next game with his imprisoning arm) holding Ganon back. For a hundred years.

This young woman had gone through so much only to be trapped with a calamity seeking to destroy Hyrule for a century.

Does she know her father died in the war? Does she know the champions died in battle? Would she know Link would survive in the Shrine of Resurrection? Would she know how long it would all take? The century she would have to wait?

I think she didn't. I think it all happened too fast. I think ultimately, she decided a stalemate with ganon was an agreeable outcome. I think in her mind she probably thought she failed Hyrule. When the divine beasts turned she must have been distraught. Distraught might not even cover it tbh. But at least... At least when the kingdom was brought to it's knees by the corrupted tech and was waiting for the final blow, she had the ability to ensure the final blow never came.

And oh boy I have a looot more to talk about regarding Tears of the Kingdom. But I do want to have a couple of more playthroughs of it to really formulate what I want to say.

[heleentje]

So there's a take that crops up every so often in the Breath of the Wild fandom, and it goes something like this:

Windblight Ganon is such a piece of cake! If Revali were as talented as he claimed to be, he wouldn't have been defeated by it, so clearly he's just an arrogant blowhard.

I disagree. Because while Windblight might have been relatively easy for the player to defeat, circumstances conspired against Revali in every possible way.

Strike 1: The Blight Ganons were tailor-made to defeat the Champions

While it's not stated outright, the Blights seem to be custom-made to put their respective opponents at the worst possible disadvantage. So while Link can avoid the whirlwinds on the ground, they would be very disruptive to Revali's Gale (something he's only been able to do consistently for a short while). Arrows, too, can easily get blown off course by the wind even when using a heavy bow (so can a Rito, who is presumably lighter than a Hylian).

If, on top of that, it was raining (implied by memories #16 and #17), then Revali's favoured bomb arrows would have been useless. Not a great recipe for a fight.

Strike 2: Rito don't see well in the dark

Botw is a game that doesn't tell you a lot upfront, but you can find a wealth of information in every little corner. Case in point, in Gerudo Town there's a Rito named Frita. And she has a very interesting tidbit to share if you talk to her at night.

[Image ID: A Rito named Frita in Gerudo Town says: "Us Rito... We haven't got the best night vision, to be honest."]

When the Calamity emerged, an unnatural darkness blanketed the land. A darkness that persists from its appearance all the way through Link and Zelda fleeing and their final stand at Fort Hateno, up until Zelda temporarily sealed the Calamity (memories #15, #16 and #17).

That’s without even mentioning the laser show Windblight Ganon puts on. Ever encountered a car with LED lights on a dark road? Now imagine how Revali felt.

Strike 3: Revali had to fly non-stop for hours to get to Medoh

After sinking some hours into playing botw, you probably get used to warping all across the map via the shrines. Going from Lurelin to Rito Village is a matter of seconds. And if the Sheikah had been able to unlock the Sheikah Slate fully in the past, that would have been a massive boon to the war effort.

Unfortunately, they didn't. Which means that, when Calamity Ganon emerged, all the Champions had to take the long road to their Divine Beasts.

Now what does that mean for Revali? We can hazard a pretty good guess, but we don't have to, because the art book tells us: Revali flew straight from Lanayru East Gate to Rito Village. It's hard to tell exactly how long that would have taken him, but I'm estimating that would be about 8-10 hours flying non-stop.

[Image ID: A map of Hyrule showing the presumed routes the Champions took to get to their Divine Beasts. Revali's is a straight line across Hyrule.]

Which means Revali (like the other Champions) was probably already exhausted by the time he got to Medoh.

Aaaaaand that's three strikes, he's out!

But if that's not enough for you yet, here's one more thing. Admittedly, this is less solidly canon than the previous parts, but it's conjecture that, in my opinion, is backed up by the Champions' Ballad DLC.

Strike 4: Revali lacked his best weapon and may have been injured

The artbook shows us another salient tidbit. Revali could have detoured if he wanted to, but he didn't: he flew in the straightest possible line across Hyrule Field.

Hyrule Field, better known as the center of the chaos at the time.

Can we really expect a Champion, especially a Champion who's so eager to prove himself, to not stop and at least try to help? And while trying to help, what might have happened to him?

When you fight the Blights in the illusory realm, you gain a set amount of equipment, implied to be what the Champions carried with them at the time. And with Revali, something's missing.

[Image ID: The bow inventory during the DLC fight against Windblight Ganon. It includes a Falcon Bow, Duplex Bow and Phrenic Bow.]

Where's the Great Eagle Bow?

Would Rito Champion Revali, greatest archer in known Rito history, really not be carrying his signature bow, when every other Champion carried their favoured weapon?

This, combined with his route straight across Hyrule Field, makes me suspect that he did engage the Guardians, lost his bow, and may even have gotten injured in the process.

So there you have it. Just about everything was against Revali in that fight. And while Link, and by extension the player, may have had an easy time of it, they went into it at full health and with all the advantages of the Sheikah Slate.

Meanwhile, Revali arrived at Vah Medoh after a frantic hours-long flight only to be thrown into a fight he didn't expect against an opponent tailor-made to counter his every move, while he was unable to see properly and lacked his best weapon. And he still managed to put up one hell of a fight.

[faroreskiss]

Triforce of Mischief

Summary: Chain sees that you have a particular tattoo and chaos is the only reaction they have, since language barrier is definitely a thing. Time & Twilight freak out. Wind could have spoken sooner.

1.8k words

Read on Ao3

Since this can also be read as a stand alone story, I didn’t include Hylian, or the dialects of the Chain. If you are interested in that, feel free to visit the main story that can serve as a prequel to this short! (Not edited)

Following your departure from the Ordon Spring alongside the other boys, you journeyed toward the Ordon Village. Most of their conversation still didn’t make much sense to you, but at least you learnt a few words here and there on the way, especially from the Smith and the Sailor. 

The midday weather was brisk, even though the sun shone at its peak. You had a similar attire with your travel companions, a relatively long sleeved tunic that sometimes revealed your wrists if you were to raise your arms. Yours had wider arm-cuts, but felt like they weren’t thick enough for this kind of weather. A slight shiver ran through you, which Link fortunately noticed. He paused and offered you his signature cloak, to which you politely refused multiple times (at least you motioned it somehow). His attempt to offer warmth made the fangirl within you scream in delight, but you kept declining. You blushed slightly and finally accepted even though you knew you weren’t that far from your destination, wrapping yourself in the warmth it provided. 

You thanked the Golden Three that you had been on hikes with him on Mt. Lanayru regularly before your involvement with the other Links; otherwise, you did not think you could survive all this hiking. Thinking about having to climb the ladder to the Rancher’s treehouse already made your legs wobble.

Though you could swear that the Ordon Spring waters calmed your nerves and eased your inner storm for a little bit. 

Luckily, you were almost there. The wooden arch that said… something in Hylian (probably ORDON?) took your attention. Oh you were so excited…

[And that’s me,] the Rancher spoke as he pointed towards his treehouse. This was really like the game, nestled in a secluded corner near the entrance of the village. You didn’t understand a word he said, but you could see near the tree there was a brown mare simply grazing around. 

And what a sight she was. You couldn’t help yourself as you whispered “Epona…?” to yourself and walked towards her as if you were in a trance. 

Of course, you didn’t notice the Old Man raising his eyebrow or the Rancher also hearing you. You stopped in your tracks, then watched the Rancher go towards the horse instead, petting it and saying something to it. He made eye contact with you as he was caressing her nose, and motioned you to come over, you guessed. 

“May I?” you asked, and even though the language barrier was still present, the Rancher gave a warm, friendly nod. As you approached Epona, her deep, soulful eyes locked onto yours, and it felt as if she understood the reverence in your gaze. With a gentle, careful touch, you began to run your hand along her sleek, chestnut mane, marveling at the silky texture beneath your fingers.

[Epona] he said, as he gave an apple to her. You just smiled, pretending to hear it for the first time and repeated her name. 

Epona seemed to appreciate the affection, and she leaned into your touch, her powerful frame radiating warmth and serenity. 

As you continued to pet Epona, your sleeves slipped down to your wrists, revealing a set of three small triangles on your skin. The right one was filled in with black. The Rancher and the Old Man both noticed this mark, and although they didn't say anything, they exchanged knowing glances.

When everybody finally settled in Twilight’s cabin, he lit the fireplace. His cabin had an air of rustic charm, filled with a cozy warmth that welcomed all who entered. The walls were made of weathered wood, lending the space a natural, earthy ambiance. The cabin had lanterns that hung from sturdy wooden beams overhead, which you imagined would cast quite the gentle radiance, once lit. 

The Chain kept talking between each other, though you didn’t understand much. Wind was all the way up, lost in his world. For some reason, really interested in Rancher's books.

You took off the cape Wild lent you and gave it back to him, since it started getting quite warm inside. You already had another layer under your long sleeved tunic, so you took the upper layer off as well, now sitting with the others (you secured yourself a chair at least) in a short sleeved shirt. Time and Twilight were still casting glances at you.

“What?” you stretched as you pointed the pointless question towards them. Not that it would change anything…You saw that Sky also managed to get a chair, and he was already kind of looking like he was about to doze off. Maybe you should have followed suit…

[Champion, you are sure Y/N does not have anything to do with the Hero’s Spirit or any sages?] Time asked Wild. He seemed quite perplexed by the question. 

[Or is she part of the royal family perhaps?] Twilight continued.

[Uh, no? Why?] Wild replied.

You just closed your eyes as you listened to them speak. It felt like listening to an audiobook in a language you didn’t understand, as a sleeping aid. Though you had a strange feeling that they were talking about you.

Legend and Hyrule were definitely listening in, though the former pretended as if he couldn’t care less, even though his ears definitely perked up at the mention of the royal family. 

[You mean the mark on her wrist?] Sky chimed in instead, to your surprise. The others seemed surprised that he was way more perceptive than he looked.

[What mark?] Four asked and then Time & Twilight explained the mark they have seen on your wrist.

The volume of the chatter was increasing, slightly annoying you. Wild gently poked your shoulder to see if you were awake, and you opened your eyes. There was no way you could sleep in this noisy environment.

He pointed at your left wrist, gently touching your arm after checking in with you, and motioning you to raise it. The whole room was staring at your Triforce of Courage ink now. 

Oh, right…

“Guys, it’s just a tattoo,” you tried to explain to no avail. 

It is hard to explain things when people literally don’t understand a word you say.

You could see Time & Twilight & Legend & Warriors and Sky comparing their faded Triforce marks on their hands, and Wild & Four looking confused about the whole thing. 

[I mean, I did say I sense some residual magic on her, but that’s definitely not what I was sensing,] Hyrule was saying as he glanced at your tattoo. 

[Members of the royal family don’t randomly get the mark of Triforce on their wrists, not unless they are Zelda at least,] Legend scoffed. Wind seemed to be not paying attention, still busy with Twilight's books upstairs for some reason.

[Well this is certainly odd, I never thought much about the mark, though we had other matters to attend to… But… What is Triforce?] Wild kept questioning, though he seemed to have forgotten that he was still touching your shoulder from the side. You sighed. It was fun at first, but now it was getting quite boring that you didn’t understand anything. Though it wasn’t that hard to guess…

[Yeah I was about to ask the same thing… I just thought that’s the symbol of the royal family or something?] Four added, making the rest of the group look at them in disbelief. Sky seemed especially distraught. 

The bickering continued for a while, and you kept thinking about how to explain this to them. Weren’t these people familiar with the concept of a tattoo? Of course, why you had something like that was another matter, but excuse you for wanting to get a Zelda-themed tattoo and considering the fact that you might end up in Hyrule?

Hmmm, what if I just show them something similar instead, to try to explain?

You sighed, stood up and walked towards Time and Twilight, while the group's curious glances still loomed over you. Right, these two already had some markings that were like tattoos, so you thought it would at least be a good parallel. 

Right after you pointed at your tattoo, you pointed towards the Rancher's face first, specifically to his markings. He had a confused look on his face, which quickly became an expression of horror, which seemed to have spread to some others in the group.

Wait…

[Farore above…]

What in Hylia's name was going on? That sounded grim, along with some others.

Next, you moved to Time, who was already sitting next to him. You mumbled a quick "Sorry…" for invading his personal space as you blushed, hoping he didn't mind. He was as stoic as one could get, you hoped he wouldn't somehow grab your wrist or something. 

You also pointed (almost touched, really) to his marks on his face, before you pulled back and pointed towards your tattoo again. 

"It's just a tattoo, why do you all look so judgemental suddenly?" You almost screamed in protest. You tried to make the motion of drawing the shape by yourself. Even tried pretending as if you have a nail and a hammer, and as if you are drawing on a skin.

I don't think tattoo pens exist here…

Time's eyes widened. The atmosphere in the room was even worse.

[How…?!] he said in shock.

You realized a little bit too late that it wasn't the smartest decision to point at his Wolf markings and Time's Fierce Deity Mask markings and then to yourself.

Because Twilight and Time kept speaking with each other, with Legend and Hyrule chiming in, the others watching you suddenly with suspicion, with Wild going between you and the others almost in a defensive stance. It was getting heated. Oh Gods…

Meanwhile, the Sailor finally decided to come down with a huge grin on his face, earning even more scornful looks from the others. 

Then he started laughing. 

Little rascal.

He knew.

He knew yet he did not step in until the last minute, pretending to browse the books and maps up there instead. 

You sighed almost in relief as you watched him try to explain things to others. At least, you assumed. 

It was quite clear that these were the heroes who held the Triforce of Courage, and not Wisdom. 

How could anybody not think of tattoos and just jump to the worst conclusions instead?!

But you were sure, the Sailor was especially deserving of the Triforce of Courage, since he dared to wait until the last moment instead of coming clean right away.

____________________________

It was only months later you found out what was said, and that there was an agreement to never ever mention the incident again. 

"I knew what it was right away," Wind smirked at you, after he explained what happened on that day. "We have a few people in the crew with some sick ink!"

Sure, you understood that there was some residual magic they sensed on you.

But… Was it really your fault that they immediately thought you could both be associated with twilight magic and Fierce Deity at the same time? Come on, even for this universe, it sounded cuccos. 

"Having that symbol tattooed is quite a choice though," Four gave you side eyes. 

You just shrugged.

Wind could have interfered earlier.

Little shit. If it existed, he would have gotten the Triforce of Mischief instead.

Back to Masterlist / Back to the Power of Understanding

[powdermelonkeg]

Assorted Post-TotK Spirit Tracks AU thoughts:

The main technology you use is the Robbie Rucksack—mirroring the Purah Pad, Purah did most of the designing, but Robbie got to name it. Turnabout is fair play.

It gets upgraded as you go with more and more features, like a grappling hook, paraglider wings, a dowsing rod, etc.

Its most important feature, though, is the ability to switch tracks (hence locking Link into a specific rail until Zelda joins his side).

Link is piloting the first ever engine in the modern day, the Sheikah Engine. The tutorial segment is him driving it to Lookout Landing Station, so Zelda can name him Hyrule’s first official engineer.

The cannon you get later is actually a guardian laser.

The Railway Tower is the central hub for the rails that spread across Hyrule initially. Purah runs it.

Beneath it, in the Depths, Josha (now 16, eagerly talks about taking a trip to Mt. Lanayru on her birthday) has excavated what looks to be some kind of seal. Onlooker in the ZST crowd seems unusually interested and lavishes Link with an absurd amount of praise.

Shortly after the ceremony, Josha rushes in and says there’s an emergency. Right then, something BURSTS out of the ground beneath the tower, shattering it to smithereens—Purah barely escapes. The stone tower dwarfs the other rail towers around Hyrule in size, reaching from the Depths all the way up to the Sky. Link has to use it to switch his train between map layers.

Calling it the Spirit Spire. It’s full of Phantoms and poes.

Zelda gets her body stolen (expected)

Link gets the Master Sword stolen (NOT expected; snuck up on by Byrne a la Ganondorf vs Sonia). After all, a king revived deserves a fitting weapon.

At the bottom of the Spirit Spire, in the Depths, Link gets the Phantom Flute. Various functions of the tower are enabled by flute song.

Zelda’s spirit can be seen by the Sages, Impa, and Link—nobody else. But she accompanies you and comments on a LOT

Phantom Zel is scared of Keese (same way ST Phantom Zel is scared of rats, reference TotK first battle)

Phantom Zel can go anywhere in the Depths, but she loses her armor in the light.

Spirit form Zel can also take control of certain mechanisms, unlock things for you, phase through walls, etc.

Bringing Zelda to a bargainer statue has the statue reject her soul. It would disrupt the balance of the afterlife to take a soul while the body still breathes.

Tracks in the sky due to Spirit Spire

Remlit sanctuary > Rabbit sanctuary

References to other Zelda games like DLC outfits/items are accessed by playing those games’ songs. Stone walls have the song notes, you’re not taught them outright.

Opening scene is Link in his Tarrey Town house, getting woken up by Zelda who’s excited to see him drive.

Working title: Rails of the Realm

[tklpilled]

sunshine riptide

(sidon/link)

summary: link is careless, but sidon is more than happy to be of assistance.

a/n: commission for @slyscribbles !! biting you /pos i love these two ..

[this is a sfw tickle fic!!]

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

Link is smart, Sidon thinks to himself, but that doesn’t mean he’s not an idiot.

It’s not as if he expects Link to be invincible, immune to all kinds of danger. He knows that’s not the case; it never has been, it never will be. It’s just that there’s a difference between brave and reckless, and Link more often than not falls into the latter end of things. This is, of course, one of those cases.

He trails a claw down Link’s spine, near the now bandaged scrape. It’s not too bad, but still, it’s deeper than it looks. He wishes he had his sister’s healing powers. Nursing isn’t his strong suit.

“Honestly,” he murmurs, and Link shifts guiltily in his seat.

“I’m alright,” he signs, smiling sheepishly. 

Only because I noticed your injuries, Sidon muses in his head. You certainly wouldn’t have taken care of them yourself.

Despite his scolding, Sidon really doesn’t mind. It’s always a pleasure to see Link, even if it means having to bandage him up all the time. He’s taken to keeping some extra supplies around just for when Link drops by. He playfully pokes at a spot on the boy’s lower back that he knows is sensitive, just to show that he’s not really upset. Link jolts, his back straightening as he tries arching away with a huff of laughter.

“Ticklish, are we?” Sidon teases, and Link turns to glare at him before his eyes are widening as he focuses on trying not to laugh. Sidon’s claw trails in circles around Link’s back, dangerously venturing towards his sides but never quite going there. Link manages to sign the first letters of Sidon’s name in protest before he’s wrapping his arms around himself protectively, ears reddening as he squirms.

Truth be told, Sidon had no idea Link was ticklish beyond the one spot. He’d only found that one out on accident, anyway; he tends to care for the injuries on Link’s back, since Link himself can’t reach there, and it had simply come up. So, now, you can’t really blame him for wanting to investigate a little, alright?

“My, this can’t be good,” he hums, gently scratching around the sides of Link’s back and making him arch forward with a gasp. “The hero of Hyrule surely shouldn’t have such a weakness like this.”

Link shakes his head, blushing. “Stop,” he tries to sign shakily, his hand curling into a fist halfway through.

“Consider this a punishment for not telling me you were hurt,” Sidon continues, trying to hide the fond smile showing in his voice. Without warning, he jabs both of Link’s sides at once, and Link yelps before finally beginning to laugh.

His laugh has always been quiet, for as long as Sidon has known him. It’s breathy, and he can barely hear it if there are other noises around, but Sidon thinks he’s absolutely in love with it.

There’s nothing else now, though. Just them, not even the waterfalls of Lanayru loud enough to cover Link’s giggles. Sidon is eternally grateful for that.

Sidon curls around to Link’s stomach, sending him into a new fit of giggling as he doubles over. His hands bat weakly at Sidon’s, and if Sidon didn’t know better he’d think that Link was trying to make him stop. Link is much stronger than this, though, Sidon knows firsthand. 

He’s tempted to dig in a little harder, make Link laugh even harder, but he decides against it in the end. Small, soft giggles are enough for now, and besides, Link is injured. Sidon doesn’t want to be too rough on him while the wound is still fresh. Link’s laughter is a bit raspy, likely due to his voice never being used. Sidon thinks it adds charm.

“You really are ticklish, then,” he hums. “I didn’t think it was possible to be so ticklish.” Link turns a pretty shade of pink, darkening every time Sidon says that word. Sidon won’t abuse that information—not yet, at least. He’ll make no promises regarding the future. He stores it away instead, only lengthening the list in his head of what makes Link so special. The items on the list are odd and mismatched, ranging from “saved the kingdom” to “will eat rocks without a second thought”, and maybe they don’t all make sense but that’s besides the point—the point being that Link is cute, and he’s pretty, and Sidon is absolutely enamoured by him.

Link raises his hands weakly, shaking with soft laughter, and Sidon stops tickling him just long enough to let him sign without interruption.

“Stop,” he manages, before he wraps his arms back around himself and continues to giggle. Sidon thinks he means it this time. He does look rather tired, and it’s nearly dark out. Sidon pulls away and waits for Link to regain his composure. Link turns and reaches out in an attempt to poke him, and Sidon doesn’t even know if Zora can be ticklish but he’s holding Link in his arms before either of them can find out. Link sighs quietly in defeat, resigning himself to getting his revenge some other day.

And get his revenge he does, days later when he’s fully healed and more energetic than ever, but it ends quickly because that also means that Sidon’s not scared of hurting him anymore.

“Please!” he frantically gestures the best he can, considering he’s on his stomach and Sidon’s got him pinned while he’s tracing Link’s back again—just to make sure it’s really healed. Nothing more, of course.

Sidon tilts his head as if genuinely considering the request. “Oh dear, is someone a bit too ticklish?” As intended, Link blushes brightly, quickly turning to hide his face but not before Sidon gets a good look at the red spreading across his freckled cheeks. It’s adorable, and Sidon thinks his heart is going to burst with adoration and affection.

It really is a shame that Mipha beat him to the Zora armour a hundred years ago.

[moonglide]

echoes of wisdom hours 12 & 13

-spoilers for end of the hyrule castle quest and for the goron quest, up until the dungeon.

-i fought ganon. i died to magic tennis. again. that's 9.

-realized that to survive magic tennis, i needed to go far away from ganon to have enough reaction time.

-i beat ganon! echo ganon, i guess.

-tri, you say that our opponent must have the echo power? gosh! who'd've thunk it? t'weren't like i suggested that or something.

-as we ascend to leave the wall BREAKS. i was scared. i did not want another boss fight.

-link comes out to save us with a baseball bat????

-oh he gets crystalled. nooooo

-the shadowy figure with claws is kinda creepy. it's probably that (endgame spoilers, probably) null guy people keep mentioning.

-god i love how supportive the king is. botw zelda would've killed for that kind of praise.

-love how i go back and i'm like whelp. time to sleep.

-wait can i echo my own bed??? I can!!! and it heals two hearts!!! i forgot to mention when i got the gerudo bed, but it was so useful. and now this is more useful!

-kitty!!! hello almond. how was being abducted into the shadow realm?

-throne room.

-hold up. rift in eldin volcano, sure. rift in faron wetlands, sure. rift in holy mount lanayru??? excuse me? where is that. there is only so much room on the map for a big-ass mountain.

-oh it's the region i thought was hebra. ok.

-prime energy? excuse me? just call it the triforce like a normal person.

-hi impa! what quest do you have for me?

-the pretty white horse is MY horse??? sweet! thank u impa.

-teleported to the ranch. horse is missing. can't find it. someone please tell me where the horse is. are they hiding the horse? will the ranch hands give it back if i apologize for making fun of them for their horse-finding skills?

-whatever.

-where to go first? I don't want to go to lanayru, because, you know. it's holy. it's wisdom. it's cold. it's definately meant to be last.

-i think i want to do eldin first because the gorons seem like the least serious. fun little volcano excursion instead of tangling with wood spirits in the mystical forest.

-kakariko! man is missing his cat. i get the cat outfit! it's fun.

-honestly i like the disguise more than the gear the king gave me.

-also since im in kakariko, let me talk about the slumber dojo real quick. i checked on ao3 for echoes of wisdom fics. guess what the one with the most kudos is. guess what. it's the slumber dojo guy banging zelda while she's sleeping. come on guys. i'm a lil disappointed but i'm not at all surprised.

edit: ok so it ain't anymore. but it was yesterday.

-found a fairy flower! how fun

-speaking of fairies, time to become more s t y l i s h

-damn you expect me to expand my accessory limit? in this economy? inflation is crazy. she jacked up her price by 3x. i still did it tho.

-business shrub! i made like ten smoothies.

-i finally made an unappealing one. it's two rocks. i understand that. but why does two sticks of butter make a radiant smoothie? that's not radiant. that's just gross.

-completed a small rift before i got to goron city. was i supposed to? idk. it never came up.

-oh dalton (or whatever his name is) is sweet. bro needs a confidance boost.

-went to the rock roast first. it was quick.

-lizalfos second. can't believe dalton's a nerd. i love it

-i was gonna use the echo that pushes out in all directions, but instead i sent out a redead and a tornando. it worked.

-sorry for destroying your dead dad's portrait. my b.

-ohhh i fly by grabbing the bird. that makes sense. i thought riding echoes would be something i needed to unlock.

-dalton how did you get here. you can't fly. i don't understand.

-bro is like 'according to my calculations' but my dude. you are just punching a rock. it is not that complicated.

-for a second i thought nugget of wisdom 52 was just 'HYAHHHHH!' and i cackled because that's just so goron. but apparently the shout was just a little interuption before the actual nugget. sad.

-tri wdym the limit is two. where did that come from.

-also i totally died again at one point. i don't remember what it was, but i remember i died. so that's 10.

-fave echo: ignacio or albatrawl.

-death count: 10.

[ganondoodle]

sorry if I missed the post where you talk about this: what made you decide to rename some of the races? love your concepts for kohga / the depths in your ground-up rewrite btw :3 the depths were cool and spooky at first like everything else but they really just feel so empty and same-y on closer inspection

Hi!

thanks for liking the concepts i put out so far :D part of why i dont even like totks gameplay that much either is bc there were so many moments/ideas i found genuinely exciting (like the underground, the pirates, impa saying she wants to help zelda) only to realize all of it goes nowhere and means nothing

as for your question; i .. dont? rename anything? but what could LOOK like im doing that is me largely using the names and descriptions from how they were translated from japanese to my native language german, im most familiar with the german names and usually like them more even if i know their english counterpart by now- like the titans (engl. divine beasts), krogs (engl. koroks), sonau (engl. zonai), gigamas (enlg. froxs?), miasma (engl. gloom?), enigma stones (engl. secret stones??), and names for some characters or places too, like maronus (engl. hestu?) eldra (engl. dinraal) farodra (engl. farosh?) or taburasa (engl. tarrey town)

(though sometimes i use other ones like in case of the rito bc its also rito in the og but for some reason was renamed into 'orni' in german xD rarely i cant quite decide either like with ranelle (engl. lanayru) or phirone (engl. faron))

i know it might be confusing but i guess thats always the case when you are living in multiple languages gndjkbgfnkd (that said, should i put the english names behind the ones im using when writing posts, given i know the english ones, or would that be bad to read?)

[thezoraprince]

Ring Ruins Can Wait - Bazz x reader

“Idk if you’re down for requests but if I may- It’s finals week in uni and I have one final left (Mineralogy) and I woke up today getting sick. It’s an absolute pain to be studying while you feel achey and gross. Maybe some of our favorite Zora’s taking care of the reader during a time like this?” - @rocklover719

i'm SO down!!

i already have a little list for that request, so i'll do you one better <3 

i hope you enjoy!!! 

(p.s.: i spent 20 minutes looking for a gif of Ring Ruins... i could not find one. the chuchu and the construct in this gif make it worth it though haha)

word count: 634 (just a little drabble) scenario: you’re on the zonai survey team, set to research the Ring Ruins… but you’re too sick to go. y/n - your name

Here you are, laying in bed on the big day. The sun is shining brightly on the the luminous stone architecture just outside your door, the breeze slightly cooler this morning due to the winds drifting north from the top of Mount Lanayru. You’re supposed to be traveling to Kakariko Village today to study the freshly fallen ‘Ring Ruins’, but…

you’re sick…

You let out a pitiful cough, your nose running like never before. You grab a tissue and blow your nose into it, tossing the tissue in the trash bin next to your bed just after. Your head is so heavy, and it’s hard to keep yourself sitting upright. You desperately want to go on this trip. It’s your dream, getting to study the unknown. But, wow, is your body telling you to stay in bed.

There’s a knock at the door.

Slowly, you get up, trying to not to move too quickly. You slide on your robe over your pajamas and put on your fuzzy slippers, making your way to the door. Once you open it, Bazz is leaning in the doorway with a smile. “Good morning, y/n! Are you rea—” His face drops when he sees you, noticing just how sickly you look. “Oh, y/n…”

He follows you back inside, insisting on making you a cup of tea. “Go lay in bed, y/n. I’ve got it.” 

You discard you robe and slippers and crawl back under the sheets, wrapping yourself in a cocoon to keep warm. Bazz comes into your room not soon after with a piping hot cup of tea and some medicine. “Here you are, my angelfish.” he says as he sets everything on your bedside table. He takes a seat next to you, wrapping you in his arms. “I’m sorry you’re not feeling well.”

You sigh. “I was supposed to be going to study the ruins today…” you say. Bazz can’t help but to look at you with worry as you speak, your voice sounding quite congested and hoarse. He holds you a little tighter in his grasp. “I wanted to go…”

“Oh, y/n…” he kisses the side of your head. “I know. You were so excited. And I was excited for you.” he says quietly. “But, I’m sure there will still be an opportunity once you’re feeling better.”

“Yes but,” you huff. “it’s my job! I’m supposed to be there!” 

You cough once more, Bazz giving you another look of worry. “Shh shh shh…” He leans over you and grabs the medicine on your bedside table, trying to remember the dosage. “Here,” he says. “take this and drink your tea. The ruins aren’t going anywhere.”

You take the medicine Bazz gives you, grimacing from the taste. “But, I have a huge report due about it, Bazz!” You take a sip of tea, the warmth of it soothing your throat. “I’m not going to finish it. Then my job will be in jeopardy, and I—”

“Y/n, darling…” Bazz interrupts. “You can’t control this. There’s no reason to get so upset. I know you well enough to say that your job will not be in jeopardy. It’s okay.”

You know Bazz is right. You sigh once more, taking another sip of tea. “I know…” You look as if you could cry. “But Calip wa—”

Bazz takes the cup of tea from your hands and sets it on the bedside table. “Calip can get over it.” he says softly, smiling at your tenacity. “Right now, let’s focus on making you feel better.”

You lay down, Bazz letting you rest your head on his chest. He runs his fingers through your hair, gently kissing the top of your head. You smile slightly, hearing his heart beat. “Get some rest, my sweet y/n. You need it.”

[smilesrobotlover]

skord skord?

Ah yes, another overhated Zelda game that is in my top three. I’ve played this game on the switch and I will say, it’s so much better than the Wii, so if you haven’t played it yet, try to play it on the switch.

Anyways this is one of the few video games that have made me cry. The story is so good and it makes me SUPER emotional. The Link is probably one of the few Links with so much personality poured into him, his relationship with Zelda is super sweet and fun, and the characters and world of skyloft is incredible. The side quests for gratitude crystals is not only wholesome but gets you closer with the residents, so it feels like an island where you grew up with these people. There’s so much to do in this game and I just… AGH I adore it to DEATH.

Groose is easily one of the best characters in Zelda with his incredible development. He’s so complex and insecure about himself and seeing him work through his issues in the game and become good friends with Link is so incredibly wholesome to me. Impa is a strict but sexy awesome character who’s entire story and character is insane to me.

And Fi… she is such an overhated character. Link in this story is super animated and full of personality meanwhile Fi is cold and distant, and these two complement each other so well. And even though she seems to lack personality, she has some moments here and there where she’s being a character, and those moments are amazing. Her saying goodbye to Link affected me more than Midna because you could just feel the bittersweetness. This character is with you through every game with the master sword. And despite not feeling emotions, Fi was happy with Link, and she truly cared about him, just like he cares about her. And I sob everytime. I love Fi she’s one of my favorite companions ever and I wish she wasn’t hated on so much because she doesn’t deserve it.

And let’s not forget Ghirahim, one of my fav characters of all time. He’s such a fascinating and well written villain who rivals Link perfectly! And most bosses in this game are relatively easy to me. But Ghirahim is one of the few bosses that is very hard. He’s not one of those villains that talk a lot of crap and then die in five seconds. He’s a challenge! You’re definitely inexperienced and he’s clearly just toying with you in the beginning! He actually works hard against you in this game instead of sitting around, and the final battle with him, he is truly giving his all, regretting not killing you in the beginning. When he said “what are you?” To Link after being defeated is INCREDIBLE. There was actually a character analysis about him and Groose so I really can’t talk about their characters without talking for five years lol. But yeah, Ghirahim is a GOOD character. And he actually succeeds in what he’s doing! He revives his master! That’s how you know that he’s a genuine threat! Gosh he’s so good

Now for the flaws, alas. The sky isn’t the best? The loftwings are underutilized (Link’s loftwing isn’t even named :/), the world is very small and limited (except for Lanayru, they put all their good ideas into there fr), and there’s a lot of fluff. Like hunting down the song of the hero is just unnecessary to me. Faron is an idiot for not trusting you despite saving her life, then Eldin is just, completely forgettable, and Lanayru is fine. I just don’t like the song of the hero part that much. But of course when you unlock it, that cut scene is incredible.

Another thing is Demise. He sucks. He’s such a boring character to me and he’s way too easy as a final boss fight. Like you see Ghirahim giving his all and then demise just dies immediately 💀💀 but the final boss is the most cinematic boss fight ever so that def is a plus. And I also don’t like the introduction of Hylia. She makes the lore so much more boring and confusing and I wish she didn’t exist. Same thing with demise. Having them there was… a choice that was made and doesn’t answer any questions about Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf. Heck, Ganondorf really shouldn’t be included with them. Sure he’s a reoccurring villain, but he’s the same guy everytime, he’s never reincarnated like Link and Zelda. Unless you want to count that as Ganon but I don’t like that whole idea. Idk, it complicates the lore a bit and I can understand why people didn’t like that.

But otherwise a fantastic game that impacted me SO much.

[baileys-writing-desk]

Reunion

Ten years after the events of LU, the Thunder Dragon is met with his beloved Hylian friend one more time.

AO3

Reunion

In the decade since Link returned from his second adventure, the Thunder Dragon has made an effort to connect with the Hylians on the Surface. He visits newly built neighborhoods occasionally, dropping Rupees into the fields and singing for farmers to keep them entertained as they work. After so many years spent in near-isolation, it is relieving to become more involved in the bustle of others’ everyday lives.

And so, he doesn’t think much of it when a Hylian bursts into his clearing, gazing up at him in astonishment. Rather, what makes him pause is the newness of this person. A man approaching middle age, with pale skin, curly brown hair, and dressed in a simple chestnut tunic and trousers.

He doesn’t remember seeing this man anywhere, on Skyloft or the Surface…

“Lanayru!”

His eyes widen in surprise. “How did you know my name?”

“You’re here!” the man continues, ignoring the dragon’s question. “It’s really you, I can’t believe it!” He sprints across the clearing to get closer to Lanayru. “Oh…I missed you so much!!”

“Woah, woah, slow down. Do I know you?”

He certainly knows me.

And the man does look slightly familiar…

“Don’t say you don’t remember me!” He slows to a stop, gazing up at Lanayru with hazel eyes. “Here, maybe this will ring a bell? My name is Link.”

“Really? Hmm…how interesting, I’m afraid I don’t know another Li–”

He gasps.

The fluffy brown hair, the unmistakable eyes and composure of a hero, the sweet smile that has persisted with age…

It’s him.

A name escapes Lanayru’s mouth, one he hasn’t uttered in so many years.

“...Rulie??”

The man nods.

Holy fucking shit!!

“Yes, I’m the Hero of Hyrule. I was worried you wouldn’t recognize me, old man!”

“Wha–? Why–how did you–?” In a frenzy, Lanayru stumbles over his words. “How–are you here?”

Rulie chuckles. “Portal.”

The Thunder Dragon frowns. The only portals he knows of, besides the Gate of Time, are the dark magic ones the Shadow created…

“But…your quest is over. Has another one started?”

“No, quite the opposite. This one wasn’t dark magic at all, it was white and gold. I felt calm as I walked through. And it just led me straight here. I think that…the Goddesses wanted us to meet again.”

Lanayru’s heart races in his chest. This is a dream. It has to be a dream, right? Because Rulie is standing right in front of him. The one who left forever a decade ago. If not a dream, an absolute miracle.

“Well, they waited an awfully long time!” he exclaims. Why? Why not earlier…? “You have more wisdom in your eyes, boy. May I ask, how old are you now?”

“I’m thirty.”

The old dragon raises an eyebrow. Rulie was twenty when he left.

“Ah, I see.” Lanayru replies, nodding his head. “It’s been ten years for me, too. You know…I still think about you after all this time, I am beyond relieved to know you are alive and well. You have no idea how happy this makes me–”

“Oh, I do. I can see it in your face.” Hyrule grins, in exactly the same way he used to do, the only difference being the slight marks around his features from aging. “And you’re really lighting up!”

The Thunder Dragon briefly glances down, watching the line of blue light travel from his tail up to his chest. Faster and brighter than usual, for sure. The sparks of electricity from his horns are most likely a bit more frequent too. Changes that are seen as subtle by most others, but Rulie…he remembers.

He lets out a hearty laugh as he turns back to the hero. “I guess I am, boy.” Hmm… should he still be calling Rulie ‘boy’? “Here, if you don’t mind…can I–”

The hero responds right as he begins to lower his hand.

“You don’t need to ask for that one. Just grab me!”

“…Oh?”

Many Hylians are wary of touching Lanayru, due to the electricity he emits, even though the only real way to be harmed is to touch his horns. Nobody just lets him pick them up like this.

Except for Rulie.

It’s more proof that this man is indeed Hyrule, and not some Surface man who looks just like him, pretending to be the hero in some awful prank.

“Go on, old man, what are you waiting for?”

The old dragon gently wraps his fingers around Rulie’s body and lifts his hand up toward his face, placing the man into the palm of his other hand. “Alright, lemme take a look at you…”

With one finger he strokes through the wild mess of hair, smoothing it down, just like he used to do. The hero sits down in his palm and runs a hand along the soft but scaly texture.

“My friend, you…you’re really here,” Lanayru breathes out.

His eyes fill with tears.

“Hard to believe, isn’t it?” Rulie chuckles. “So…how are you?? How’s Faron and Eldin? And Link! Is he okay?”

“Yes, they’re all good. I just helped Link and Zelda welcome their second child. And Faron—well, she’s a bratty little thing as usual…” He pauses to let out a sniffle. “I’m still causing mischief around here. Eldin once said I’m ‘stubborn and wily���.”

“He’s not wrong. All three of you, total brats.” The hero is clearly teasing, and Lanayru smiles behind his fluffy beard. “Ah, I had a feeling Sky would become a dad. He’s a good one, I’m sure. Can we see him?”

“I’ll take you soon, yes.” Lanayru replies. “Anywhere you want to go, boy. Just not to…Lake Floria—“

Before he knows it, a single tear runs down his cheek. Oh, sweet Hylia.

“Lanayru? Are you…crying?”

“No,” he shoots back, wiping his face quickly. He hasn’t cried since….well, since Rulie left.

“Nuh-uh. I can see it.” Rulie grins. “Stubborn little shit.”

…Fuck.

“Fine, you got me…” He lets out a sigh. “I just—I never thought I would actually see you again.”

Another tear comes, but he doesn’t try to hide it this time. He carefully moves his hand up to his beard, and Rulie leans up against the cloud-like fluff.

“…A true blessing, I believe,” the hero replies. “Maybe I’ll get to see all my brothers again too…that would be amazing. Oh, Wind’s probably changed so much!”

“I bet he has.” Lanayru doesn’t elaborate; he barely remembers who this ‘Wind’ person was. Instead he focuses on Rulie, who is scanning the clearing from his perch. The traveler gasps.

“Is that…” Rulie points down toward their left, at the small four-poster bed. The one that had been his back then. “…is that my bed? Did you keep it??”

“Surprisingly, yes.” Lanayru sniffles, trying to regain his composure. “I nearly destroyed it after you left, but…something inside told me not to. It’s my reminder of you, boy.”

“Aw, Lanayru! I’m honored. Although…it looks like someone else has it now, huh?”

The Thunder Dragon takes a closer look at the bed. Sure enough, one of his LD-301 robots is lying there, snuggled in the pillow and blanket.

He giggles, nearly snorting from the tears. “Ah yes, my little friends have taken quite a liking for it.”

It is difficult to tell from this distance, but Lanayru can just make out the features of LD-301S Scrapper. The one Link had frustratingly handed back to him after the first adventure, tired of the small creature’s rude insults. And the one whom the dragon jokingly calls ‘Scrapper the Napper’ now.

Rulie strokes Lanayru’s beard with his hands, grinning. “I remember those little guys. Do you…think they’ll remember me too?”

“Well, maybe. LD-301’s have limited capacity for memories like that. But a few might recognize your name. I was able to teach them ‘Rulie.’ Of course…now they’ve just been calling each other Rulie. So I don’t think they really get it.”

“Awww! Little rascals!” the traveler exclaims. “Wow…I really missed them. I missed all of this! You especially, old man…and all my brothers, my family. It was kinda nice, having a family.”

Lanayru touches Rulie’s hair with a finger again, keeping the hero secure in his other palm. The poor man had been through far too much, at far too young. He deserved to have a real childhood, a chance at a happy life from the start.

“Rulie…you deserve so much better, you know that right? It made our farewell a thousand times more difficult. Because your life has not been easy. And I had to let you go right back to a world that is so cruel to you.” Another tear trickles down his face as he speaks.

The hero doesn’t answer right away, just stares out into the expansion of forest ahead of them.

“I’ve managed,” he replies eventually. “Zelda’s helped me a lot. And remembering you all too…I’ve been using what you and my brothers have taught me.”

Lanayru raises an eyebrow. “Like what?”

“Like…different sword fighting skills, self-defense, how to swear at people who fucking piss me off…”

“Ahh, Rulie.” He cackles at the hero’s foul language. “I suppose I was a bad influence on you after all.”

“Nah, that was mostly from Legend. My predecessor.” The traveler pauses to take a breath. “But really, I gained confidence in myself. I’ve kicked some ass out there, old man, you would be impressed.”

“I bet you have.” The old dragon heaves a sigh, remembering the last time he gazed into Rulie’s eyes, and utters the words he has always longed to say. “…I’m so proud of you, boy. You know that, right?”

Hyrule slowly nods, lifting himself out from Lanayru’s beard and looking up at him.

“…Yeah.”

“When we last saw each other, I didn’t get to say that to you one more time. I didn’t tell you how incredible you are and how much you’d grown…even since we first met. And I felt an overwhelming shame.”

“Oh, Lanayru…”

“It’s true. You are a skilled warrior, a loyal friend, you’re truly a gift, Rulie.” He blinks through still-watery eyes and gives the traveler a soft smile. “I hope I made that clear enough ten years ago, and if I didn’t, my sincerest apologies.”

There. You did it.

For a moment, he can almost see Rulie in his green hero’s tunic, sword on his back and a fierce but playful glimmer in his eyes, twenty again. Their last meeting. And if Lanayru had known for sure it was the last one, he would have given a proper farewell.

But when the traveler walked through the dark magic portal, the dragon’s heart ached from bittersweet memories and words left unsaid.

“Don’t be sorry, old man.” Hyrule replies, bringing the dragon out of his thoughts. “I’ve always known how proud you are. You did more than enough.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Of course you silly goose, I’m sure! What, you think I’m lying?”

Lanayru chuckles, another tear running down his face. “No…you’re right. I trust you.”

Rulie sighs in what seems to be relief, briefly turning to glance at the clearing’s entrance. And the Thunder Dragon remembers: he needs to take the hero to Link and Zelda, to their two children, and to Skyloft…there is so much to catch up on.

“Good, I’m glad that hasn’t changed.” Hyrule smiles playfully, booping Lanayru’s beard with his finger. It seems his childhood mannerisms have not quite left with age. “Because I’m not leaving your side until I have to go back!”

The dragon wipes his eyes gently, attempting to collect himself before his flight. He doesn’t want to show up at Link’s house looking like this, after all.

“Sounds like a good plan,” he tells the hero.

And somewhere up in the heavens, a Goddess smiles.

[greyennui]

A Brief (and not at all comprehensive) Analysis of Triforce Lore in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom

The Triforce is such a massive piece of Hyrule's lore that it's been the focal point in every single Hylian royal crest in the games so far. Despite that, it's never mentioned by name in Breath of the Wild or in Tears of the Kingdom. Of course we see the Triforce on Sonia's tattoos (skin paint?) and when Zelda used magic in BotW, but the symbolism of the three aspects was furthered between BotW and TotK in interesting ways. Here's your warning for mild spoilers about the labyrinths and the Zonai armor set.

For those of you new to the franchise (and those who'd like a refresher), the Triforce is that fun triangle symbol made of three triangles forming a fourth with their points. Each of the triangles represents Courage, Wisdom, and Power, respectively. In BotW, we got a sacred spring for each aspect of the Triforce, though the Triforce itself is never mentioned. In the Zonai ruins in Faron we see carved dragons and owls and even the occasional boar, and it's easy to draw the meaning. Owls are often associated with wisdom, Ganon (the historical bearer of the Triforce of Power) often takes the form of a large boar, and dragons are scattered throughout various mythologies in stories of courage. The Zonai were clearly very aware of this symbolism and its history in Hyrule.

Tears of the Kingdom, while still not mentioning the Triforce by name, takes this even further. One hint we see, when looking closely, is that the Zonai armor chest piece has ornamentation made up of three mask-like objects, bearing resemblances to an owl, a dragon, and a boar. When beginning the quest at each set of labyrinths, Link hears a voice speak to him. These three voices claim to be the Ruler of Owls, the Ruler of Dragons, and the Ruler of Boars. Each labyrinth comes with a task that tests all the aspects of the Triforce: wisdom to locate the terminals, courage to dive into the depths, and power to defeat the enemy at the end.

What I find interesting is that Link is repeatedly tested on all three aspects—not only courage, which has historically been associated with the Hero. Considering Zelda attended and prayed at all the springs during BotW's story, and she bore the mark of the Triforce when sealing Dark Beast Ganon, I wonder whether the Triforce now exists more as a spiritual concept than a physical artifact. Link, who is continually proving his proficiency in all three aspects, bears his own Triforce in a way, living within a balance of the three just as Zelda has. This, essentially, makes him worthy of bearing the Master Sword, just as it makes Zelda worthy to wield the Sealing magic.

While this is a fun theory, it still stings that the Triforce has seemingly been ignored in the recent lore, and feels a bit reminiscent of the same treatment of the Golden Goddesses, who each created one aspect of the Triforce. They are not mentioned at all in BotW or TotK, save in veiled references by way of the dragons' names and names of regions: Naydra and Lanayru (Nayru), Farosh and Faron (Farore), and Dinraal and Eldin (Din). I've seen it mentioned that Nintendo may be trying to appeal to their Western audience by angling the franchise toward monotheism—which is a whole other discussion I'm not at all qualified for, but I'm mentioning it here for its vague relevance. It's disappointing, to say the least, and that the Triforce has been set aside along with the Golden Goddesses gives me cause to mourn a little. Here's hoping the next game brings them back in more substantial ways than vague references.

[flickerintwilights]

Linktober day 5: SACRED

rated G / botw, early canon / 630 words

Link’s pretty sure that whoever he was before, he wasn’t overtly religious. Not, at least, to the extent that some people long to be. Certainly not enough for any sense of faith to stay with him over one hundred years, like his muscle memory had. He remembers how to swing a sword and shoot an arrow from a bow; he doesn’t remember what the name of the Goddess is, or how to pray to her statue.

read below the cut

Link’s pretty sure that whoever he was before, he wasn’t overtly religious. Not, at least, to the extent that some people long to be. Certainly not enough for any sense of faith to stay with him over one hundred years, like his muscle memory had. He remembers how to swing a sword and shoot an arrow from a bow; he doesn’t remember what the name of the Goddess is, or how to pray to her statue. He’s not that sure how she speaks to him. He’s not really doing anything.

In Hateno Village, he’d talked to one of the elders and borrowed an old book of prayers. He’d made sure to return it before the next day, when he’d planned to clear the monster camp on the beach to the south. 

At the death of the last monster, Link had placed his hands together in front of his chest, clasped and cradled in the way Uma had shown him, and thought one of the prayers. After a few moments of silence, he tried saying it as well. Nothing happened, only a breeze stirred up over the sea and turned up the hairs on his skin, rushed away down the shingle but left him a little cold. The sun was shining. Link had taken his hands apart and started to collect supplies. There was a silver rupee tucked into the monsters’ chest. 

That had been a week ago. Two days ago, Link had skirted around the ruins of the Lanayru Road, avoiding the monsters but also the memory he knew then, and knows now, would have seized him at the East Gate. After stumbling into a memory by Lake Kolomo — he hadn’t even meant to, just realized too late where he recognized the birch trees by the clear water from, and then he’d been someone else walking ten steps behind the girl whose voice, even younger and less tired, he knows — he’s avoided them. There’s no real reason why. He’s thought about it a little and couldn’t come up with anything other than I’m scared. It isn’t a real answer.

Yesterday, he started climbing Mount Lanayru. Today he’s reaching the summit. He’s wearing the doublet the old man gave him, but even that isn’t enough for these temperatures; so some spiced fruit from this morning burns in his stomach. The heat sends little jolts of life through his hands whenever he has to haul himself up a particularly cold shelf of rock. 

He treks up, and up, and up. There are stone steps, thousands of them winding comfortably up around the mountain, half-coated in snow and ice. They also crawl with monsters. He’s bruised and many monster parts and equipment richer and still aching without pause, when he reaches the last stretch. His less cold hand is shading his eyes from the snow, and as he lifts it, as he steps carefully up the slope, he sees the spring.

Link is not religious, but there’s light around the Goddess’ statue, and the dragon curled around the peak of the mountain — tightly wound, like a chain to the mountain — is choked with malice, and there are massive eyes clotting its head. Blackened water drips down from its scales and spasms a little when it plummets to the clean water of the spring. Its breath clouds dark from its nostrils, and Link tastes something like old blood on the wind. He’s not religious, he didn’t know that this would be here, but this is defilement. It’s easy to feel the sickness in this place. It is almost as easy — almost, it comes in the aftertaste in the snow on his lips and the wind in his throat — to feel how clean the air should be. 

When the Goddess speaks to him, he takes out his bow.

[aikoiya]

Loz: TotK - How is Hyrule Imperialist?

I've seen a lot of people saying that TotK is imperialist propaganda & that Ganondorf was justified & that Rauru tried to annex the Gerudo but... how do you figure?

A. Imperialism is defined as "a policy of extending a country's power & influence through diplomacy or military force." Which we never really see Hyrule do.

B. From what I'm seeing "annexation is when one country forcibly asserts control & sovereignty over another country's territory. This usually follows military occupation. Annexation is unilateral. Territorial control is declared by the occupying power; the other party gets no say."

At what point did Rauru or the Hylians portray either of those things? Specifically declaring territorial control of the Gerudo? If this were the case, then why go through the trouble of inviting Ganondorf & suggesting they share in Hyrule's bounty when Rauru was already the king of Hyrule & had the upper hand?

Especially when he could've just sent his military & been like "mine now."

Like, all we know for a fact is that Rauru requested an audience with Ganondorf multiple times to specifically, as he said, "share in Hyrule's bounty," that the Zonai had a mine beneath the Gerudo Desert (which we don't know whether or not the Gerudo were using it or had access to; we don't even know if they knew about the Zonaite beneath them), Ganondorf physically attacked first, & that he went around forcibly taking control of what were verbally described as "free Gerudo cities." (Which is something else of interest, there were once multiple Gerudo settlements, but that's for another time.) He then kills Rauru's wife, takes her Secret Stone, & besieges Hyrule.

There's also the fact that at least 1 Gerudo opposed his actions enough to side with another country over him. In an extreme case, this could possibly indicate a civil war between the Gerudo, just like what happened in OoT. Which would explain why he'd felt the need to capture other Gerudo settlements. To assert his dominance & regain control.

There just isn't enough information to say one way or the other if Rauru tried to annex the Gerudo. And, in fact, there's more evidence to suggest otherwise.

Also keep in mind that the Gerudo are most likely not natives of the Gerudo Desert as they could only have appeared after Skyward Sword, which they didn't appear in at all beyond a mention of the word "Gerudo." After Skyward Sword, the Hylians lived upon the surface. And before the ancient times of SS, what we know of as the Gerudo Desert was named the Lanayru Sea.

In fact, the only thing with the "Gerudo" name at the time were a species of dragonfly that lived there as mentioned above. And even as a desert, it was specifically referred to as the "Lanayru Desert," not the "Gerudo Desert."

As far as we know, the Gerudo didn't come until later. And if this turns out to be the case, then don't Hylians, at least technically, have more right to the desert & its resources than the Gerudo?

Remember, Hylians ARE native to Hyrule. Hyrule was founded by Hylians, who worshiped Hylia, who created said Hylians, & the 3 Golden Goddesses, who created Hyrule.

Add to that the fact that the Gerudo are never really depicted as worshiping any of Hyrule's pantheon. The closest thing we see to godly figures in their culture being the Goddess of the Sand, the 7 Heroines, & the 8th (who I call the Forsaken Hero based on TotK side quest spoilers).

My guess is that at some point before OoT, they migrated from a land to the southwest, on the other side of the Lanayru Desert (possibly from a different desert), & settled in the desert itself. At the time of the ancient past of SS, that land was kept completely separate from Hyrule by what, back then, was the Lanayru Sea.

This, however, would make the Gerudo foreigners. Hell, isn't Ganondorf technically an attempted colonizer in TotK & an actual colonizer in OoT?

I just... It seems more like Rauru was trying to handle things diplomatically, possibly even trying to become allies. Because if he really had been trying to take over the Gerudo by force, he wouldn't have had any need for things like diplomacy. Heck, with a good enough engineering degree, he wouldn't have even needed his Secret Stone! Their Zonai Device Constructs could've wiped the Gerudo out entirely!

LoZ Wild Masterlist

[zeltalia]

Can you introduce them all to us?

Of course i can! Im working on a bugger post for it but basically

Lanayru is called Norah. Shes a Zora and pretty tall. She behaves all ladylike and proper and, as Eldin would say, “got a stick up her ass”. She takes her position very seriously even if she just prefers to watch from the sidelines what her King does. No one actually knows if shes just cocky or if shes trying to hide a low self esteem. Shes good friends ds with Eldin though, as different as they are.

Eldin is called Nurak. Hes a lively Goron who is always ready to have fun. He’s physically incapable of holding a grudge which isnt great, to say the least. He has an incredibly strong moral compass and doesnt like that Lanayru is so passive in her role. Hes very enthusiastic about geology too and loves to chill in the mines. When Death mountain isnt erupting (no lava) he can often be seen running through hot springs like a child.

Gerudos name is Searali. She lives outside of Gerudo town, at Kara Kara Bazaar, but she somehow still manages to keep up to date with everything happening inside the Town. She has a habit of unintentionally sneaking up on people and scaring them, which often leads to someone getting punched. She helped Riju with her duties as Chief when she was forced into to tbe position due to her mothers death. Overall takes her job very seriously and is always one of the loudest voices during meetings with Riju or the other Regions. Best friends with Lanayru

Hebras name is Tovin. He is a Rito who, funnily enough, is scared of heights. Well, funny for everyone else. He hates it. He doesnt take his job as Region seriously at all, and it shows. Hes absent for a little of meetings, when he is present hes constantly distracted or just plainly not listening. He is very invested of the wellbeing of the Rito tribe though. Lanayru is so fed up with him.

Central Hyrule has the name Selena. Shes Hylian and more interested in herbs and plants than she is in her duties. She still somehow manages to get her stuff done on time though, Hylia knows why. She lives un the castle with the royal family of Hyrule but is rarely seen there.

Farons name is Akas. He has only “recently” appeared. No one knows where the Hylian came from, no one knows if he is connected to the legendary Zonai or not. He seems to have a lot of knowledge about them anyways…Hes an introverted guy but does have a lot of fun when with specific people, even if he is very exhausted after.

Mkre characters may be added in the future! Like Necluda, Akkala or Hyrule forest.

Hope this post helps a bit!

[trippygalaxy]

If your okay with this question

Question: can you tell us of your sky or heavens lore?

YES!!! now, I don't have that much lore for him (and the others--) BUT i do have some little fun facts about his design and some SMALLL bits of his lore!

Details!

Clothing

The clasp that is holding his scarf thing together has both the symbol of the triforce on it, but is also made to resemble the Goddess Harp that Zelda uses in game!

The lines/designs on his scarf itself also have the triforce on it BUT it also has the design of the goddess sword on it!! (The long bit with the rombus at the end was the design on the blade, while the clover like thing was on the handle of the sword)

The feather hanging from his ear is one from his skywing

The sail cloth is turned into an arm drape of sorts, being looped around his biceps and tied there. (when/if hes in a more crowd area he'll wear it like how zelda first did! but for now its more a accessory and show of his love for zelda rather than practical)

The bracelet in his offical clothing is made out of the scales from the three regional dragons, Lanayru, Faron, and Eldin!

Physical

Heavens has lightning scars all over his face and neck area! These were made during his fight against Demise.

Both his eye bags and lips are pulled from his in game model!

This also goes for his eyebrows. They are thicker at the ends and get skinner the closer they are to the middle of his brow line.

LORE!

In my au(?) the Link's are named after either an unique attribute of theirs (physical or otherwise) or after some piece of information they given the group. In Heavens' case, its the latter of those two options.

Heavens described his homeland as so high above the clouds that the layer of thick, white clouds became a barrier that separated his people from the surface. He spoke of his people who lived in the sky, riding upon long forgotten beasts that acted like their other half. The man had not one ill thing to say of his people, nor his home. So, with such high praise, painting an almost holy image for the other links, some quickly decided on a name for the man.

Heavens, a reflection of the paradise he lived within.

--

When Heavens isn't exploring the Surface with Zelda, or helping Groose set up settlements for Skyloftians interested in visiting the Surface, he GLADLY helps with training back up in the Knight Academy! Which is why is wears similar garments to the other teachers!