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ym-loreposting · 11 months ago

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Location name references in Breath of the Wild

A year or so ago, I went through the location names in Breath of the Wild and tried to find out which names reference previous things from the series. The following is an overview of everything I was able to find back then. Will be taking this region by region and adding some observations where relevant. I also think most of these names are the same in Tears of the Kingdom but I know at least a few changed, so all of this may not apply to that game. Of note is also that I am leaving out the more obvious ones like Gerudo Desert, Lake Hylia, Death Mountain and the Lost Woods as these tend to be well-known. This focuses on the slightly more obscure ones.

I do want to point out one major one though: the Hebra Region (ヘブラ地方). This is actually a reference to A Link to the Past, A Link Between Worlds and Four Swords Adventures. In the former two, the main name of Death Mountain in the Japanese version is ヘブラ山 or Hebra Mountain. In Four Swords Adventures meanwhile, there is a minor region on Death Mountain called Hebra's Hill (ヘブラの��). But let's get into the more minor references.

Gerudo Region

Arbiter's Grounds = Arbiter's Grounds from Twilight Princess

Spectacle Rock = Spectacle Rock from The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II and A Link to the Past. Many similar locations, sometimes with similar names, have also appeared throughout the series.

Koukot Plateau = the names of Koume and Kotake, who together make up Twinrova, smashed together. They appear in Ocarina of Time, the Oracle games and the memories in Tears of the Kingdom.

Mount Nabooru = Nabooru from Ocarina of Time and Nabooru Town from Zelda II.

Yarna Valley = Yarna Desert from Link's Awakening.

East Gerudo Mesa = Gerudo Mesa from Twilight Princess.

Overall, this region has few references, mostly centered around deserts and the Gerudo people. The only odd one out is Spectacle Rock, which is usually located in the north of Hyrule on Death Mountain.

South of Lake Hylia

Parache Plains (テトラ平原/Tetra Plains) = Tetra (テトラ/Tetra)

Faron region

Lake Floria/Floria River/Floria Bridge/Floria Falls = Lake Floria from Skyward Sword.

Martha's Landing = Martha's Bay from Link's Awakening.

Tuft Mountain = King Tuft from Tri Force Heroes.

Toronbo Beach = Toronbo Shores from Link's Awakening.

Koholit Rock = Koholint Island from Link's Awakening.

There is no real theme here, aside from the locations on Eventide Island referencing Link's Awakening, as the whole island is a reference to that game. This region also contains the only reference in Breath of the Wild to Tri Force Heroes.

Great Plateau and southwestern Hyrule Field

Digdogg Suspension Bridge = Digdogger from The Legend of Zelda and Oracle of Seasons.

Manhalna Bridge = Manhandla from The Legend of Zelda, Oracle of Seasons and Four Swords Adventures.

Gleeok Bridge = Gleeok from The Legend of Zelda, Oracle of Seasons, Phantom Hourglass and Tears of the Kingdom.

Aquame Bridge = Aquamentus from The Legend of Zelda and Oracle of Seasons.

Mount Daphnes = King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule from The Wind Waker.

Lake Kolomo/Kolomo Garrison Ruins = the Lokomo from Spirit Tracks.

Forest of Time = Forest of Time from Oracle of Ages.

Temple of Time = Temple of Time from Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword. The appearance of the structure most closely resembles the Ocarina of Time incarnation.

The bridges here are named after bosses from the first Zelda games, which is a running theme with the bridges around Hyrule Field. The other bridges are named after bosses from the other NES Zelda game, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, however.

Kakariko Village and Southeastern Hyrule Field

Proxim Bridge (モヨリ橋/Moyori Bridge) = Aboda Village (モヨリ村/Moyori Village) from Spirit Tracks.

Owlan Bridge = Owlan from Skyward Sword.

Horwell Bridge = Horwell from Skyward Sword.

Eagus Bridge = Eagus from Skyward Sword.

Batrea Lake = Batreaux from Skyward Sword.

Nabi Lake = Navi from Ocarina of Time.

Mable Ridge = Maple from the Oracle games and A Link to the Past (GBA).

Sahasra Slope = Sahasrahla from A Link to the Past and A Link Between Worlds.

Telta Lake = Tatl from Majora's Mask.

Lake Siela = Ciela from Phantom Hourglass.

Pillars of Levia = Levias from Skyward Sword.

Bonooru's Stand = Bonooru from Ocarina of Time.

Pierre Plateau = Pierre from Ocarina of Time and (maybe) Majora's Mask.

The island in the southeast of Hyrule Field is centered around Skyward Sword references, while the area around Kakariko Village contains references to helpful characters from throughout the series: companions and friendly NPCs. If I had to hazard a guess, this is a general reference to the Sheikah's and Impa's supporting roles throughout the series, as Kakariko Village is their home in Breath of the Wild.

Tabantha and Hyrule Ridge

Kolami Bridge = Komali from The Wind Waker.

Seres Scablands = Seres from A Link Between Worlds.

Breach of Demise = Demise from Skyward Sword.

This region contains relatively few references. This is of note because there is only one reference made to the Rito from The Wind Waker, which makes sense considering the Rito live in Tabantha in Breath of the Wild. However, there were a lot of named Rito that appeared in The Wind Waker and only one is referenced in Breath of the Wild. This is especially notable as there are a lot of references to individual Zoras, Koroks/Kokiri and Gorons in other regions of the map.

Northern Hyrule Field

Carok Bridge = Carock from Zelda II.

Helmhead Bridge = Helmethead from Zelda II.

Rebonae Bridge = Rebonack from Zelda II.

Orsedd Bridge = Horsehead from Zelda II.

Mount Gustaf = King Gustaf from The Minish Cap.

Mabe Village Ruins/Mabe Prairie = Mabe Village from Link's Awakening.

Romani Plains = Romani and Romani Ranch from Majora's Mask.

Rauru Settlement Ruins/Rauru Hillside = Rauru from Ocarina of Time and Tears of the Kingdom and Rauru Town from Zelda II.

Crenell Hills/Crenel Peak = Mt. Crenel from The Minish Cap.

Thims Bridge = Smith from The Minish Cap.

Minshi Woods = Minish Woods from The Minish Cap.

Pico Pond = the Picori from The Minish Cap.

Trilby Plain = Trilby Highlands from The Minish Cap.

Here we see the rest of the bridges that reference the NES games. The eastern island and area further to the northeast in general contain many references to The Minish Cap (not pictured here is also the Trilby Valley that also references that game). Mount Gustaf to the west meanwhile is one of three mountains that references a king of Hyrule: we also have Mount Daphnes mentioned earlier and Mount Rhoam in Hyrule Ridge, which of course references king Rhoam from Breath of the Wild itself. Finally, the places named after Rauru could be named after the sage from Ocarina of Time, but it is also possible they reference the first king of Hyrule from Tears of the Kingdom. It depends on how much of Tears of the Kingdom's story was conceptualized when Breath of the Wild first released.

Lanayru Region

Trilby Valley = Trilby Highlands from The Minish Cap.

Zauz Island = Zauz from Phantom Hourglass.

Linebeck Island = Linebeck from Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks.

Mercay Island = Mercay Island from Phantom Hourglass.

Molida Island = Molida Island from Phantom Hourglass.

Bannan Island = Bannan Island from Phantom Hourglass.

Goponga Island/Goponga Village RUins = Goponga Swamp from Link's Awakening.

Inogo Bridge = The Indigo-Go's from Majora's Mask.

Tabahl Woods = Tabahl Wasteland from Link's Awakening.

Zodobon Highlands = King Zora de Bon XIV from Ocarina of Time.

Oren Bridge = Oren from A Link Between Worlds.

Ralis Pond = Prince Ralis from Twilight Princess.

Luto's Crossing = Laruto from The Wind Waker.

Rutala River/Rutala Dam = Queen Rutela from Twilight Princess.

Ruto Mountain/Ruto Lake/Ruto Precipice = Princess Ruto from Ocarina of Time and Ruto Town from Zelda II.

Toto Lake = Toto from Majora's Mask.

Mikau Lake = Mikau from Majora's Mask.

Lulu Lake = Lulu from Majora's Mask.

Ja'Abu Ridge = Lord Jabu-Jabu from Ocarina of Time and Oracle of Ages.

Veiled Falls = Veil Falls from The Minish Cap.

Lanayru has a pretty clear division, with the western Wetlands mostly referencing Phantom Hourglass and the eastern Great Spring containing many references to Zoras and characters relating to the Zoras. We also see a few stray references to Link's Awakening and Veil Falls from The Minish Cap. This is notable because in that game, Veil Falls act as the source of Hyrule's water, which is also often the case for Zora's Domain whenever it appears in the series (and so too in Breath of the Wild).

Lanayru Bay

Samasa Plain = Samasa Desert from Oracle of Seasons.

Brynna Plain = Labrynna from Oracle of Ages.

Horon Lagoon = Horon Village from Oracle of Seasons.

Talus Plateau (トロイワ高原/Toroiwa Plateau) = Talus Peaks (トロイワ山地/Toroiwa Mountains) from Oracle of Ages.

Lodrum Headland = Holodrum form Oracle of Seasons.

Tarm Point = Tarm Ruins from Oracle of Seasons.

Wintre Island = Woods of Winter from Oracle of Seasons.

Spool Bight = Spool Swamp from Oracle of Seasons.

Tal Tal Peak = Tal Tal Peaks from Link's Awakening.

The area around Lanayru Bay is a hotspot for references to the two Oracle games. The stray reference to Link's Awakening (DX) also fits this theme, with it being the other Zelda game for the Game Boy Color, as well as the other Link's Awakening references in Lanayru in general.

Great Hyrule Forest

Upland Lindor/Lindor's Brow = Linder from The Wind Waker.

Irch Plain = Irch from The Wind Waker.

Rowan Plain = Rown from The Wind Waker.

Elma Knolls = Elma from The Wind Waker.

Aldor Foothills = Aldo from The Wind Waker.

Mount Drena/Drenan Highlands = Drona from The Wind Waker.

Lake Mekar/Mekar Island = Makar from The Wind Waker.

Lake Saria = Saria from Ocarina of Time and Saria Town from Zelda II.

Mido Swamp = Mido from Ocarina of Time and Mido Town from Zelda II.

Lots of references to Koroks and Kokiri, which makes sense as the Koroks live in this area in Breath of the Wild.

Eldin Region (a.k.a. Death Mountain)

Lake Darman = Darmani from Majora's Mask.

Darunia Lake = Darunia from Ocarina of Time and Darunia Town from Zelda II.

Gorko Lake/Gorko Tunnel = Gorko from Skyward Sword.

Gortram Cliff = Gortram from Skyward Sword.

Darb Pond = Darbus from Twilight Princess.

Medingo Pool = Medigoron from Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask.

Gero Pond = Don Gero's Mask from Majora's Mask.

Lots of references to Gorons, as the Gorons live here in Breath of the Wild. Don Gero's Mask is probably here because it is initially worn by a Goron in Majora's Mask.

Akkala Region

Kanalet Ridge = Kanalet Castle from Link's Awakening.

Ulri Mountain/Ulria Grotto = Old Man Ulrira from Link's Awakening.

Torin Wetland = Tarin from Link's Awakening.

Malin Bay = Marin from Link's Awakening.

Ukuku Plains = Ukuku Prairie from Link's Awakening.

Kaepora Pass = Kaepora Gaebora from Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask and Four Swords Adventures.

Tingel Island = Tingle, who appears in a lot of Zelda games.

Ankel Island = Ankle from The Wind Waker, Four Swords Adventures and The Minish Cap.

Knuckel Island = Knuckle from The Wind Waker, Four Swords Adventures and The Minish Cap.

Davdi Island = David Jr. from The Wind Waker, Four Swords Adventures and The Minish Cap.

Akkala is a cluster for Link's Awakening references, with the reference to Kaepora Gaebora likely also tying into this. That owl's spiritual predecessor, simply called the Owl, namely appeared in Link's Awakening. The islands of off Akkala's coast meanwhile are named after the four Tingle brothers.

#breath of the wild #hyrule #references #legend of zelda #ocarina of time #majora's mask #wind waker #minish cap #link's awakening

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powdermelonkeg · 3 years ago

Note

Do you have any thoughts or such about Loftwings?

I made a whole post on what Loftwings eat!

If you want more, though, well then.

Loftwings are an incredible species to study.

They lay spotted eggs in a various shades of brown, about twice as big as an ostrich egg, and have clutches between 1 and 3 eggs at a time.

They typically build their nests in the nooks of uninhabited islands, away from people and with a good source of bugs for their young to nap on. It’s incredibly difficult to locate a nest; even though the Loftwings trust their riders with the world, they still make efforts to hide their dwellings from anything besides their own kind.

This leads them to nest in islands hidden by the cloud barrier. If you’ve ever flown too close to the sea of rain, you’ll find that your Loftwing occasionally bumps into things and squawks at you in protest. That’s where they nest, and why you’ll seldom see a bird actually landing on Skyloft for any extended period of time

Onto Loftwing colors!

Loftwings come in every color of the rainbow, though by the time of Skyward Sword, most of them have faded off into obscurity.

That’s hardly the fault of the Skylians; there’s only ever as many Loftwings as there are people, and the number of people on the isles has dwindled as of late. However, if we were to document every single color that a Loftwing has been, from the moment Skyloft rose to the moment it sank, we’d have a lot of them.

And I mean a LOT.

Back when Hylia first gifted the birds to her people, a Loftwing’s color was said to tell what kind of person you would be. The people of early Skyloft belived that their goddess would only give a bird that perfectly matched the soul of its rider, so they took color seriously—a tradition that’s carried on to modern day Skyloft, though is more regarded as a fun myth than a divine fact. There are, of course, specific tone variations (all the way down to secondary feather colors), but here’s the basic rundown:

Reds are said to be fast fliers and early risers, always full of energy and raring to go. They love to show off their skills in the field, becoming aces in the sky but winding up injured at least once a month.

Etymology notes: Pale red is eggshell to Skyloftians, given the color of loftwing eggs, and heartflower red comes from the color a heartflower’s fruit stains your skin.

True Reds, on the other hand, were known more for their impulsivity than their energy. A True Red could be counted on to leap into a decision without a plan, and would be brimming with passion and emotion 24/7.

Etymology notes: While cochineals don’t exist in Skyloft as a source of carmine (a specific red pigment), starry fireflies do. And scarlet, while meaning vibrant red-orange for us, has a more literal meaning to Skyloftians, being the color of fresh wounds.

Soft Reds are followers rather than leaders, and are known to guard their feelings very closely. It’s a very difficult job getting a Soft Red to open up, but once they do, they tend to spill everything all at once.

Etymology notes: Hatcher and Speckle colors are named after the different reddish shades on healthy Loftwing eggs, and Spicecrest is named for the color of hearty spice, a condiment made from the bases of heartflower leaves that somewhat resembles nutmeg.

Pinks are the bookworms, people who can’t stop researching any interesting thing that comes their way, and tend to be a little more disorganized than others. You can count on a Pink to give you random trivia about any topic you can think of.

Etymology notes: Guardian is named after guardian potions, which, while they look a variety of shades, are singled out for their odd pale pink colors. Sugarpink is named because of the sugar gained from heart flower roots, and Garnet and Ruby, among other gemstone colors later down the list, are known because of how often we can find gems worked into Skyloftian architecture.

Jams are known for being exceptionally organized and dedicated. They follow schedules, they know their routines, and they keep their notes all formatted and easily read. Their fatal flaw, however, is that they tend to panic if that routine is broken, scribbling down new to-do lists to try to get back on track.

Etymology notes: Vital is named for the color of revitalizing potions, much in the same way that Guardian is named above. Jamdown is named for the jam made from preserved heart flowers and stamina syrup, plus “down” as in soft feathers. Supposedly, the first Jamdown Loftwing was discovered as a chick, before it had even selected a rider.

Purples are quick thinkers, fast actors, and light on their feet, at the cost of being jumpy and nervous when they don’t have anything to do. They’re notoriously easy to startle, but do so at your own risk; they’re just as likely to react with a punch as they are a scream!

Etymology notes: While Skyloft doesn’t have the flowers fuchsia and violet, they do have words for the colors we associate with them. Flower names, at large, are to be taken as translations into English, rather than suggesting Skyloftians are aware of specific Earth flora.

Hard Blues are full of determination and wit, never backing down from a challenge and single minded in any task set before them. They can be pushy and snarky at times, but they’re absolutely the ones you’d want to have with you on a tough journey.

Etymology notes: Goddess Loftwings are named for the Goddess Plumes that can be found around the world. While it’s much easier to find them on the Surface, up in the Sky, they’re prized as exceedingly rare treasures. Firefly Loftwings are named for the shells of Starry Fireflies.

True Blues are said to have luck on their side—though, maybe that’s more of a product of blending into the sky so that Skytails can’t see them. True Blues are skilled fliers and survivalists, and prefer camping out to being stuck at home.

Etymology notes: Butterfly Loftwings are named for Blessed Butterflies. While the actual colors of a Blessed Butterfly are icy blue and purple, powdered wings mix the two hues to create a vibrant shade of blue that’s reserved for special occasions.

Blues are gifted and insightful, if a bit oblivious, and love to watch the world go by. On the other hand, though, they’re also plenty forgetful, and tend to walk into a room and promptly forget what they were doing.

Etymology notes: Softsky Loftwings are named after a misconception that blue Loftwings have softer plumage, making their shed down a highly desirable pillow stuffing. While the myth was debunked a long time ago, you can still see the value Skylians place on them in the price of blue Chirri feathers from the Surface!

Ice Blues are the explorers, the ones who can’t get enough of new things out in the wild. They’re easily excited and fast to jump to conclusions, all with a more-than-healthy dose of optimism and delight in hard work under their belt.

Etymology notes: Skystag Loftwings are named for the color of Sky Stag Beetles (a fact that a certain traveling shopkeeper was more than delighted to find out about his bird).

Soft Greens are rash and temperamental, but are exceptionally good at pinpointing the strengths and weaknesses of people they run into. They can be a little judgmental at times, but usually, their gut is pretty accurate with first impressions.

Etymology notes: Celadon is a kind of pottery in our world, and WAS a kind in Surface culture up until the War of Demise. While the practice itself has faded into obscurity, the name lives on through the color of the final product.

Stamina Greens are known for being playful and lighthearted, who delight in making other people laugh. They’re very emotionally intelligent, able to read a room in an instant and diffuse situations easily, though they can stress themselves out if they don’t get enough attention.

Etymology notes: Skygrass isn’t just “grass in the sky,” it’s an actual plant! The blades of it are broad and rounded, and the seeds of them are used in making a kind of millet-like flour.

Herbals are people who take great care in their appearance, and don’t respond well to their pride being hurt. They can be dramatic and sassy, but all in all, they’re people with big hearts who adore getting—and giving—attention.

Etymology notes: Skyloftians don’t actually have a word for “yellow,” seeing yellow as a brighter shade of green than its own color. This is similar to certain Earth cultures and patterns, like the infamous “wine-dark sea” and grey skies of the Greeks, or the blurred line between blue and green in Japanese (both being marked as��青 for the longest time) that led to about half their traffic lights using blue for go. The lack of a word for yellow is why yellow and green seem to be interchangeable in future eras: Farosh is yellow-green, but comes from Faron, which is known for emerald green.

Also, Nimbus is classified as an herbal due to the color of Stamina Fruit seeds.

Dust Browns are quiet, reserved people, whose skill lies in waiting and listening before deciding on what to do. They tend to occupy themselves with busywork while paying attention to something, be it drawing, playing with coins, or collecting things.

Etymology notes: Dusty Loftwings aren’t named for dirt around Skyloft; rather, they’re named for the kind of dust that gets swept up from the Surface during tornado season, which tends to coat the walls of buildings after a particularly bad storm.

Golds like to create more than anything, and share what they make with other people. They usually get jobs in cooking, sewing, or construction work, and love seeing how happy people get when they receive the rider’s handiwork.

Etymology notes: Triplegold Loftwings are one of the oldest Loftwing breeds around, named for the brilliant gold of the goddesses and the Triforce they left behind. Modern day Loftwing experts puzzle over the “triple” meaning in their name.

Ambers are sentimental, cherishing each moment and gift in their life—and not knowing how to get rid of things. They’re cheery, pleasant people to be around, but they’ve got a closet somewhere that’s just full of things that they don’t know where to put, and they do NOT respond well to people breaking anything of theirs.

Etymology notes: Skyloftian clay can be found at the bottom of the neverending spring that floats above Skyloft. It’s a precious resource due to the perception of being finite, though overtime, Hylia restores it just like she does the water.

That’s not going to stop people on Skyloft from freaking out if you break their pottery, though.

Oranges tend to be laid back and easygoing, coasting through life with a pleasant attitude. It takes a lot to bother them; in fact, you could drop soup on their lap a chandelier on their table and they wouldn’t hold it against you.

Etymology notes: Barrier Loftwings are named for the color the cloud barrier usually is at midday, and “Roast” is actually short for “Roast Pumpkin,” though seldom used in full.

Autumns are shy and sweet, though prone to anxiety. They like to do their own thing, most of the time, and they shy away from people and responsibilities that would put them in any kind of spotlight.

Etymology notes: Darkwood refers to stained Loft tree wood, which is used as more of a luxury than just another color of wood to get. It’s a popular stain with woodcarvers, since their work tends to be on the decorative side.

Browns are romantics and dreamers, good at storytelling and better at finding the beauty in the world around them. It’s a bit of a joke among the Skylians that one of these riders can fall in love with anything they spend enough time near.

Etymology notes: Tornado Loftwings are named for the same reason as Dusty Loftwings, while Mudslide Loftwings got their name for the birds’ habit of splashing around in mud when grounded during storms.

Soft Darks are dependable and loyal, sticking to their word and following directions as closely as they can. The downside, though, is that they’re bad at improvising, and tend to get caught up in the semantics of a conversation.

Etymology notes: Technically speaking, all of these would be considered “grey” in Skylian eyes, since their definition of grey is just that a color is muted. This is a side effect of constantly being surrounded by bright pastels and jewel tones in everything they work with.

Darks are ambitious and clever, be it through charm, cunning, or invention. They aim to be the best and stop at nothing to defend what they care about, and aren’t afraid to get other people mad at them if it means they can achieve their goals.

Etymology notes: Hunter Loftwings were named for their pre-Skyloftian advantage of being able to sneak through vegetation. This name has little meaning now, where Skyloft has cleared out most of its growth and Faron Woods is inaccessible.

Early Skylians also took age and season into account when considering a rider’s potential! The earlier your Loftwing came to you, the faster you were thought to mature as a person, while the later the season in the year, the more you were thought to depend on others for help. I can go into a full post on the ins and outs of Loftwing Ceremonies later, if people are interested.

Finally, let’s look at behavior.

Loftwings are very social...with humans. Like most storks, Loftwings are solitary, building their nests as far from each other as they can get. When with humans, however, their behavior shifts entirely, and they act more like excited puppies.

While it’s a popular theory among Skylians that this strange dichotomy in attitude is because the Goddess herself appointed the Loftwings to be the humans’ guardians, that’s actually not the case! The way they act with humans is exactly how they act with their own chicks.

So, Link’s Loftwing sees him as a strange, featherless child that needs parenting and positive reinforcement.

#loz #zelda #skyward sword #skyward sword spoilers #loftwings #loftwing colors #this was fun to make!#worldbuilding #skyloft has so much POTENTIAL FOR CULTURE UGH #headcanons #if people like my horwell-scope enough i'll try my hand at making a u-quiz for it #but uh. 86 colors. dasa lot #maybe a series of uquizzes #ask bee #also i refuse to proofread this

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