Races in The Legend of Zelda series
The Legend of Zelda series of videogames has a diverse range of races/species living in the games' worlds. Each of them has their own abilities and roles in the games' storylines and worlds.
Humans
Hylians
Hylians are a fictional species that exist in the Legend of Zelda series of games. They are the most human-like creatures from the fictional world of Hyrule, in appearance and in character. However, they are somtimes mistaken for Dungeons & Dragons elves due to their long and pointed ears(which the fish in windwaker,rito,Sheikah also share), heavy use of magic, and connection to nature and the wild. However unlike elves they are not immortal and are not xenophobic. They tend to live in towns and forests, as opposed to the Zoras, who mainly live in water, or the Gerudo, who prefer the desert. The series's hero Link and Zelda herself are Hylians also.
The term "Hylian" generally refers to a member of the Hylian race, who are capable of using magical abilities. They have pointed pixie-like ears, and resemble Tolkien-esque elves. It is believed that these ears allow them to hear the gods and that they were created to tell the other races their message. According to the A Link to the Past manual, "with their magic infused blood, the Hylian people were endowed with psychic powers and skill in wizardry. It was also said that they were held in high esteem by many people in Hyrule due to these special powers. Their descendants settled in various parts of the world and passed on their knowledge and magical lore to all people. The Royal Family of Hyrule is traditionally Hylian.
"Hyrulean", on the other hand, means from or related to the mythical land of Hyrule. Note that not all inhabitants of Hyrule are Hylian: only those with pointed-ears, such as Link, are Hylian. Unlike Hylians, Hyruleans are sometimes not granted with magical abilities, and they do not have pointed ears. The spelling "Hyrulian" was used interchangeably for "Hyrulean" by fans until Nintendo announced that the latter is the official and correct spelling. However, "Hyrulian" is still sometimes used.
In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, most Hylians principally live within the fortified walls of Hyrule Castle Town. Besides living in the bustling marketplace, other citizens of the kingdom inhabit territory outside of the protected city. Talon owns and lives in Lon Lon Ranch along with his daughter Malon and their ranch servant, Ingo. In southern Hyrule, Lake Hylia's two lone residents are the Lakeside Scientist and the Fisherman. The remaining Hylians dwell in the northern plateau hamlet of Kakariko Village.
During the The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Hylians were seen as a common race. However, during The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Hylians are rare. Also during this period, girls with pointed ears (Hylians) have been known to be kidnapped by giant birds, such as the Helmaroc King, which Ganondorf owned in Wind Waker. The status of the race in Twilight Princess is unknown as all villagers from Link's home have rounded ears. Other factors to consider are the festival in Hyrule and the fact that Link was asked to be a representative of his village. This suggests that there are many Hylains or that other races provide the festival, respectively.
The Language of the Hylians
The Hylian written language is derived from Japanese hiragana, katakana, and romaji. The script is syllabic or more precisely moraic, and each symbol represents either a vowel, consonant-vowel combination, or a syllable final n.
Note that the character set and structure of the written language varies significantly between games. The Hylian text in Ocarina of Time is simpler and less complex than the one used in Wind Waker. The OoT version of the script made no distinction between voiced and voiceless consonants, palatalised consonants and geminate consonants. The WW version of the script makes all these distinctions. Also the WW script is more suited to being written with a brush whereas the old script was more angular, suited to being carved on stone.
The script used in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is not the same as Wind Waker's, according to Japanese Zelda fans who have seen the Hylian in current Twilight Princess footage.
The Hylian Text was uniquely different in the Japanese and English versions of A Link to the Past. See main article: Japanese-English differences in A Link to the Past
For more information on Hylian writing see Old Hylian and Modern Hylian on the website Omniglot
Sheikah
The Sheikah were an ancient clan of ninja-like warriors that swore to protect the Hylian Royal Family, even after death; as such they were known as "the Shadows of the Hylians". The most famous members were Impa, the maid of Princess Zelda, and Sheik, the guised alter ego of Zelda herself. They were skilled in magical and combative arts, and their cultural pendant was an eye with three triangles above it (as if to imitate eyelashes or symbolize the Triforce) and a teardrop to either show mourn for the dead, or to symbolize the betrayal of the Royal Family (the latter is according to the official Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time manga). The symbol was blood red, as were both Impa’s and Sheik’s irises. Young males pierced their ears as a traditional rite of passage (according to the manga). Not much is known about their lifespan or other details about their lives. The only thing known about their lifespan is that it is very long in comparison to other races.
By the time of the Imprisoning War, the Sheikah were relatively few in number (although there was reference to a hidden Sheikah warcamp). By the time of the Great Flood, the race was most likely extinct. Impa and her daughter fled on a uncharted island (mountain top of Hyrule) However, the Forsaken Fortress at which Ganondorf operates may have previously belonged to the Sheikah, given the presence of their eye and tear drop symbol.[1] There is also a person (Baito) on Dragon Roost Isle, during Wind Waker, that says he needs a way to get to the top of the cliff. On his back, is a tattoo extremely similar to the Shiekah symbol (this probably means he is a descendant of Impa).[2]
Gerudo
Quick witted, aggressive, and fiery tempered, the Gerudo are a tribe of thieves from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (and Four Swords Adventures). Their race consists entirely of women, but according to Nabooru in Ocarina of Time, one man is born every hundred years, and this man is destined to become the King of the Gerudo. It is stated by a Gossip Stone in "Ocarina of Time" that Gerudos travel to Hyrule Village to search for boyfriends with whom to breed. This is also evidenced by the panicked reactions the player gets when talking to male NPCs when wearing the Gerudo Mask gotten from the Happy Mask shop. [3] They have dark, tanned skin(Ganondorf and the Twinrova Sisters have olive skin), red hair, non-pointed ears, and some say they have a rather bird-like appearance; in the manga, they appear most as harem-style figures. They are known to have relations with Hylian men, with whom they form relationships or simply use for procreation. In Majora's Mask, which is set in Termina, the Gerudo are pirates rather than thieves, and not as much is known about them. However, it is assumed that the same rules apply because, as with the Hylian Gerudo, the tribe consists entirely of females, and they dress and look the same. Link first encounters the Gerudo when he is a child. Princess Zelda tells him to look through the window, and he sees Ganondorf, the king of the Gerudo and soon to be "Dark Lord". He later confronts Ganondorf outside of Hyrule Castle and is promptly defeated. However, this encounter results in Link receiving the Ocarina of Time from Princess Zelda. Link continues on his quest. He travels to the Temple of Time and uses his Spiritual Stones and ocarina to reach the Chamber of the Master Sword. He grabs the sword, hoping to use it against the Gerudo king, but is imprisoned for seven years so that he may become a true hero. Meanwhile, Ganondorf enters the Sacred Realm through the portal the Master Sword left. However, upon touching the Triforce it breaks into three pieces due to the imbalance within his soul. Ganondorf is only able to leave with the Triforce of Power and uses it to become the new King of Hyrule. Seven years later, Link wakes up and continues on his quest. The last overworld area Link encounters as an adult is Gerudo Valley, home of Gerudo Fortress, the desert stronghold the Gerudo call home. Link sneaks into the Gerudos' tightly-guarded compound and frees several unjustly-captured prisoners inside. A Gerudo who has been following him comes out of the shadows and praises his abilities. She then gives him the "Gerudo Membership Card," a proof of ID letting all Gerudos know that he is a friend. From this day forward, Link becomes an honorary Gerudo. An interesting fact about this particular Gerudo is that her outfit changes color to match whatever tunic Link is wearing. The Gerudo happily help Link train with his bow on their archery range and let him test skills in their Gauntlet. Once Link has completed the Gauntlet, he receives the fabled Ice Arrows. The Gerudo tell him that he must cross the Haunted Wasteland to reach the Spirit Temple, which is a dungeon. When Link crosses the Haunted Wasteland at the edge of Gerudo's Fortress, sure enough, he finds the Spirit Temple. According to the mysterious Sheikah, Sheik, he must return to the Temple of Time and become a child again to finish his work in the area and gain full access to the next sage. Link does so and returns to his childhood. He then returns to the temple where he meets the second significant Gerudo character. The woman he meets is Nabooru, the second in command of the Gerudo tribe. Nabooru is a celebrated thief who hates Ganondorf and his evil ways. When she finds out that Link agrees, she enlists his help in finding the Silver Gauntlets, the only way into the body of the Spirit Temple (and a fine piece of treasure). Link retrieves the Gauntlets, but meets up with Nabooru too late. She is captured by Koume and Kotake, two old Gerudo witches who are Ganondorf's surrogate mothers and most loyal servants. Once Nabooru disappears, Link keeps the gauntlets for himself so he can use them as an adult to gain access to the Spirit Temple and try to save Nabooru. He returns to adulthood and sets on his way. Once Link has braved the trials of the Spirit Temple, he fights an Iron Knuckle, who turns out to be Nabooru under the spell of the Twinrova sisters. The two return to re-imprison Nabooru and subsequently start a fight with Link. They use their powers of ice and fire to try to destroy the young hero, but to no avail. Link has already found the Mirror Shield and uses it to reflect their powers back on them. The witches countered by merging into Twinrova, but were still killed. Link finds Nabooru in the Chamber of the Sages. She is the sixth sage, the Sage of Spirit. Link, having awakened the sages, travels to Ganondorf's dark castle and faces him in battle. Ganondorf, being brought up by accomplished sorceresses, tries to destroy Link with magic power, but fails and is killed. With his "final breath," he knocks down the castle. Link escapes with Zelda and faces Ganondorf in a final battle. Ganondorf unleashes the true force of the Triforce of Power and turns into Ganon, the true King of Evil. Once felled, the former Gerudo king is imprisoned until further games in the Shadow Realm. According to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, the Gerudo were apparently wiped out by the flood that sank Hyrule. Whether there are still Gerudo elsewhere in the world, or in the alternate world of Termina; it appears that Ganon is the last of the Gerudo.
Terminans
The Terminan race of Majora's Mask inhabits the land of Termina along with Gorons, Zoras, Deku Scrubs, and Gerudo pirates, similarly to the racial distribution in Hyrule. Although they physically resemble their Hyrulean counterparts, Terminans are different from Hyruleans in that they do not have the same religion as most Hyruleans; they believe in the Four Guardians who inhabit the lands in the four compass directions from Termina's center, Clock Town. They also seem more technologically and mechanically advanced, having created machines and advanced tools such as clocks and plumbing systems. It is unknown whether or not they are true descendants of the Hylian bloodline, despite some Terminans' long, pointed ears, as their similar appearances are due more to the reuse of the Ocarina of Time game engine in Majora's Mask than to any intended implication of this connection by the developers.
According to the Legend of Zelda Official Website, Termina is just one of millions of alternate dimensions; a side effect of the way in which the three godesses created Hyrule.
Zoras
Zoras (Rōmaji: Zōra) were originally fire-breathing aquatic enemies that appeared in the earlier, two-dimensional games of the series. With the arrival of Ocarina of Time, Zoras were reintroduced as a more intelligent, anthropomorphic race of peaceful creatures with a developed culture and society. As of Oracle of Ages, official terminology has been defined to differentiate the two species; the hostile enemies are known as "river Zoras" and the kindly humanoids are called "sea Zoras." [4] It is generally accepted that "Zora" refers to sea Zoras, as they are the more prominent of the two species, whereas river Zoras have been given other names such as "Zora's spawn" or "Zolas". The Oracle games are the only two games to feature both river and sea Zoras.
It is speculated that Zoras were transformed into the Rito sometime before the events of The Wind Waker.
Biology
Zoras resemble other marine creatures in their body structure. They are generally covered in silver scales, which give them a pale blue sheen from a distance, and they have dark blue spots on their extremities. Where humans might have long hair, average Zoras have rear-hanging caudal extensions of their heads shaped like the tails of dolphins, perhaps as a cephalized form of dorsal fin. These tails undulate periodically, which gives a Zora's head the unique semblance of a fish. Zoras have two large ulnar fins located distally on their forearms, and some have smaller fins at their ankles. They are sometimes depicted as having webbed feet and hands. They lack ears in the traditional sense, but do have pronounced noses, and though they have no visible gills they can nonetheless breathe underwater. As with Deku Scrubs and Gorons, Zoras who are important to the storyline are physically distinct from the general public.
The gender of common Zoras is not well defined in the video games, as their physical appearance is not wholly conclusive on the matter. Princess Ruto, however, is notably female, having a distincly wider head with a second lateral pair of eyes and a semblance of breasts, which more clearly define her femininity if not serving any practical use. As far as appearances are considered, it is possible that all common Zoras are male and that only a few females exist or are seen — the distinctly mentioned in the games are Princess Ruto, Lulu and Laruto.
Certain other features of the Zoran anatomy are revealed when the player can inhabit the body of the Zora Mikau in Majora's Mask. When Link assumes his streamlined Zoran form he can swim with great ease and agility, using his forearm fins to perform barrel rolls or to jump out of the water. Moreover, these fins are specialized for Link's fighting needs. They can grow larger to serve as sharp-edged weapons similar to swords, and even be projected as twin boomerangs; they retract again when not in use. Link's right fin also grows to become his shield when defending. Additionally, Zoras who possess magical power have the ability to create electric fields around their bodies as a defense mechanism when swimming, much like electric eels.
It is also revealed in Majora's Mask that Zoras lay eggs to reproduce. Zora eggs need to be kept in cold, clean water in order to develop healthily, and every egg from the same clutch must be kept together in order for them to hatch. Newborn Zoras are tadpole-like with a circular body and a long, skinny tail ending in a fluke.
Culture
Zoran life revolves around water, and though they can live both on land and in the water, they prefer the latter. Beyond routine swimming and fishing activities, Zoras are very reverent and respectful to nature and other races while maintaining their own cultural identity in seclusion. In Ocarina of Time, they possess the Zora's Sapphire, the Spiritual Stone of Water, and are thus an integral part of Hyrulean history. Zoras are also known to enjoy music, such as the stylings of "The Indigo-Go's."
Zora government is monarchial, with King Zora as the only known monarch to date. Princess Ruto is his daughter, and his wife has seemingly left or perished. Among other details, he is responsible for maintaining order among his people, overseeing care for Jabu-Jabu and assuring that the waters upon which he and all creatures rely are clean and pure.
Zoras honor Lord Jabu-Jabu as their guardian and water spirit. As such, he is often assigned attendants to feed him with smaller fish and care for his well-being. He is immensely large to the point that one could become lost in his innards, which are often the location of dungeons in the series. Jabu-Jabu's supposed incarnation in The Wind Waker, Jabun, is likewise a revered water spirit and protector of the seas, and thus would also serve as the object of the Zoras' worship.
Locations
Zoras have appeared in different places throught the games of the series:
- In Ocarina of Time, Zoras primarily reside in Zora's Domain, while some appear in Lake Hylia where the Water Temple is situated. Although they do not reside in the sea, they are of the same species as the sea Zoras and are the only species of the two present in the game. Princess Ruto and King Zora appear in this game as the royalty overseeing Zora's Domain. King Zora holds sway over the waterways of Hyrule, notably Zora's River, and made a concord with the king of Hyrule to keep the river pure in return for peaceful seclusion at its headwaters. Lord Jabu-Jabu lives within Zora's Fountain, the source of Zora's River, with Princess Ruto as his dutiful caretaker.
- In Majora's Mask, Zoras are found primarily in Zora Hall in the Great Bay, which is more of a concert hall than a residence like Zora's Domain. The Zoran royalty and culture of Hyrule is not paralleled in Termina, where the only unique Zoras are the members of the band "The Indigo-Go's". It is notable, however, that the lead singer Lulu is Princess Ruto's Terminan counterpart. It is possible that other Zoras and Zora homes are found further out in the bay or at sea, beyond the boundary of where Link can swim.
- In Oracle of Ages, most Zoras live in Zora Village, a small underwater settlement in the western Zora Seas, which Link can access with the Mermaid Suit. In this village, King Zora rules from his underwater palace near where Jabu-Jabu is enshrined, but Princess Ruto is conspicuously absent. In Present time, King Zora has perished due to Veran's poisonous bubbles on the sea. He is still alive in the Past, albeit gravely ill, while Jabu-Jabu is still a baby. In Link's quest for the Essences of Time, it is his duty to cure King Zora in the Past in order to be granted access to the mature Jabu-Jabu's belly in the Present. A few Zoras live outside of Zora Village, including a lone, elderly Zora in a grotto on the Coast of No Return and a Zora in a linked game of Oracle of Seasons, who both provide items that help power up Link's arsenal.
The Wind Waker and Evolution
Zoras do not inhabit the Great Sea in The Wind Waker, although it is known that their descendants lie within the Rito tribe on Dragon Roost Island. This is proven in the game when Medli (a Rito) is awakened as a sage of the Earth Temple; it is earlier revealed by the former Earth Sage Laruto, a female Zora, that the new sage would carry on her bloodline and, by extension, that of the Zoras. Supportive evidence to this fact includes the Zora's royal insignia, Zora's Sapphire, which appears on Medli's clothes and other places associated with the Rito, and the use of royal titles (such as Prince Komali) as the Zoras do in their culture. The similarity of the names "Rito", "Ruto" and "Laruto" also suggests that the Rito are directly related to these Zora sages. Nevertheless, fans are often at odds on this issue, as is still unknown if the Rito naturally evolved from Zoras or succeeded them by other, possibly magical or divine means.
Notable Zoras
Deku
The Deku race consists of several species of plant-like humanoids first introduced in Ocarina of Time, of which Deku Scrubs (Deku Nuts in the Japanese version) are the most common and general form. The name "Deku Scrub" is a variant of "shrub" and is used to speak generally of all Deku species. Deku Scrubs have leaves on their heads where humans have hair and are perhaps photosynthetic. They often have red, glowing eyes, and their mouths are short, hollow tubes that they cannot shut tight, which prevents them from swimming without drowning. It has been shown, however, that they can hop across the surface of the water due to their presumably low body density. They shoot Deku Nuts out of their mouths, similarly to how Octoroks shoot rocks. Deku Scrubs with magic abilities can additionally blow bubbles of an unspecified liquid (perhaps sap) from their mouths. They are seemingly made entirely out of wood; they perish quickly if set on fire. Deku Scrubs typically live or hide inside Deku Flowers, from which they can pop out momentarily to attack or speak to anyone nearby. They have also been known to use the flowers growing out of their own bodies as helicopter rotors to fly. In general, Deku Scrubs are rather paranoid and often attack anyone who approaches them while hidden in their Deku Flowers. They will hide if their enemies get too close, but usually their fear is knocked out of them after they are struck by their own Deku Nuts or any projectile.
There are 3 main subspecies of the Deku race:
- Deku Scrubs: These are the most common scrubs of the Deku race and are covered in green leaves. They often are looking for a conversation.
- Mad Scrubs: These scrubs have red and yellow leaves and are not known to talk. They tend to be the most violent species as per their name. Once struck, they spin quickly and erratically from their Deku Flowers in a hostile offensive maneuver.
- Business Scrubs: These scrubs are seemingly more intelligent than general Deku Scrubs, especially in that they have entered the world of commerce. Their bodies are more spherical, and they have arms unlike other Deku Scrubs. They often wear hats and offer to sell their wares and services when approached or forcibly coerced into vending. They appear in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, and make a comeback in The Minish Cap.
Society
In Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages Deku Scrubs do not look much like the original ones, appearing more like Octoroks. That was probably due to the size of the sprites which lacked detail. There was also a new kind of Deku Scrub in the games that loved music and would often give Link some information or would fill up his Seed Satchel. In Majora's Mask, Link is able to turn himself into a Deku Scrub; at the beginning of the game, he is stuck in this form until retrieving the Ocarina of Time. The form has a number of useful abilities, however, such as stunning enemies by spinning into them, hopping across the surface of water, blowing magical bubbles at enemies to damage them and utilizing Deku Flowers to hover through the air. However, ordinary Deku Scrubs have never been observed doing any of these. Found in the alternate world of Termina is the kingdom of intelligent Deku Scrubs, who have connections with the Woodfall Dungeon. These Deku demonstrated a form of government, with a "Deku King" that presumely rules over all other Deku in the land of Termina. Deku society was depicted similar to the Zora, with a Royal family with attentance of commoners that resided in a domain. If Link used his Deku transformation, he could converse with them more openly and the Deku were shown to be quite intelligent. Dekus play large pipes which they use for ceremonies. In Majora's Mask, the Deku Princess can use one, and usually does to gain access to the Woodfall Temple. Link can use one when he turns into a Deku as a replacement for his ocarina.
Deku Flowers
Deku Flowers are bush-like flowers from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Deku scrubs hide in these bush-like plants, which they sometimes use to shoot themselves up in the air to launch or fly. They shoot deku nuts at people or other creatures as defense. (Usually being Link.) These flowers come in two breeds: pink and yellow. The pink ones have a few green leaves at the bottom, four pink petals, and a yellow center. The yellow ones have many dark yellow leaves at the bottom, yellow petals, and a green center. The flowers have different launch strengths, pink being the weaker, and yellow being the stronger. These flowers also appear in The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons. The flower can only be used in spring because in the other seasons, the flower will be a bud. In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link can enter the flower if he is a Deku Scrub only. In the beginning of the game, Link has no choice to be a Deku scrub, until slightly later in the game. These flowers help Link in his Deku Scrub form throughout the game when he uses the Deku Mask to turn into a Deku Scrub. They help launch Link to pass difficult tasks and to reach high places.
Gorons
Gorons are a humanoid, rock-eating race that dwell in the mountains. Despite their hulking appearance, Gorons are a relatively peaceful species (beside the fact that you have to wrestle one in Twilight Princess). Gorons are usually considered, perhaps superficially, to be of low intelligence, although there is no particular indication of this in the games. They may also be fooled by appearances due to bad eyesight, similar to moles, as they are a subterranean species. Almost all Gorons say "goro" at the end of most of their sentences, but this was removed from the English versions of the games, save for a few rare cases such as the Goron tourist in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.
Biology
Gorons are physically larger than an average human. They appear to be muscular, but their large bellies provide contrast. They maintain a strict diet of rocks and iron which, as a result, develops a rocky formation on their backs as they age. From the size of the Goron Elder's growths in Majora's Mask, it would seem that these continue to grow throughout their lives. Due to their enormous weight, they are helpess on water because they will sink to the bottom. It is apparent in the Goron world that some Gorons grow to exaggeratedly huge sizes (though very rare), as seen in the case of a massive Goron named Biggoron, who was several hundred times larger than the normal species. Another feature of Goron biology is their ability to curl into a fetal position (with their heads tucked between their legs). This is the Goron's position when left unattended, or when they are sleeping. Gorons use this form for transportation as well. Best illustrated in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Gorons roll rapidly at speeds up to 60-70 MPH. Gorons who are endowed with fairy magic can grow metal spikes, which can be used as weapons. Gorons are also resistant to heat, to the point of being able to walk through lava. This is a valuable capability when searching for food inside mountains. Most of them also have tattoos on their arms (and occasionally on other parts of their bodies), which are often tribal-style symbols and the most common symbol is a spiky pawprint shape resembling The Mask of Truth or the Goron's Ruby (belonging to the tribe leader, Darunia, in OoT). They consider shields to be a delicacy, and they chew them for a bit before spitting them out!
Gender
The Gorons who appear in the games never show any visible cues to indicate their gender, and all Gorons who are referred to in the third person in in-game dialogue are called "he" and "him." Furthermore, in Goron culture it is customary to call other Gorons "brother," as well as those who have earned the title (like Link). Gorons are presumably all male, as outside of the manga no female or feminine-looking gorons have appeared. It is therefore unknown how they reproduce, but there would obviously have to be some way for them to because Darunia bears a son in Ocarina of Time, named after Link. Goron males appear to remain fertile well into old age; the ancient Goron Elder of Majora's Mask has an infant son. Feminine-looking Gorons have been known to appear in the Legend of Zelda manga, but the manga are considered non-canonical.
The Goron "special crop"
Gorons grow Bomb Flowers, their "special crop" which resemble bombs in both appearance and function. These look like a standard bomb with a flower growing on top, and 3 large leaves growing outwards. Bomb Flowers will only grow in a dark area. Underneath the "bomb" is the stem (with the leaves growing out), but normally this is not visible. Bomb Flowers break easily from their stems but once plucked they soon explode (although not as soon as would a regular bomb). The stem and leaves of the flower are bomb-proof so a bomb-flower can not blow itself up, perhaps a defense-mechanism. Apparently Gorons use the plant for mining. These plants make an appearance in the Wind Waker on Dragon Roost Island. Bomb Flowers are also grown in the northern region of Labrynna (it is the main export of the Rolling Ridge Goron tribe) and the volcanic world of Subrosia (specifically, in Lava Lake) in the Oracle games.
Notable Gorons
- Darunia
- (Player's Name) is the son of Darunia. He is named after the player for restoring Dodongo's Cavern, so his name is dependent on that chosen in the beginning of the game. However, one can assume his name would be Link, also.
- Darmani
- Biggoron
- Goron Elder
- Traveling Merchants
- (Player's Name) -goro: Goron staying at the Stock-Pot Inn. You can claim "your" key during the first day.
- Goron Kid
Goron culture
Apparently Goron culture revolves around brotherhood, honor, and strength. It appears that they do not find mining their ancestors' corpses dishonorable or unethical. They are a peaceful, sometimes indolent race with little ability to defend themselves, although they are quite large and strong. Most Goron societies seem to rely on a few (sometimes only one) powerful warriors to protect the entire clan. Due to the toughness of the Goron race and the shortage of deadly predators in their environment, some tribes get along well with no warriors at all. As mentioned above, Gorons are often considered to be dull-witted, though a more accurate description would be "simple." They prefer basic pleasures such as eating and dancing, though some are also skilled craftsmen, blacksmiths, or sculptors.
"Toaru"
Unlike most other Legend of Zelda races, the Toaru have circular ears. They live in seclusion far away from Hyrule under the ruling of a mayor. The Toaru share their resources. They grow crops, raise livestock, and have a watermill. The Toaru do not trade with other races. The Toaru are also unique for being the only Zelda race to have different colored skin.
Kokiri
The Kokiri are a humanoid fairy folk from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time who inhabit the Kokiri Forest. Cautious, child-like, and secretive, the Kokiri believe that they will die if they leave the forest (This is contradicted by the Kokiri appearing in the Lon Lon Ranch in one scene, however; it is implied in other ways that this misinformation has been fed to them by the Great Deku Tree). Therefore, most Kokiri never leave the forest and know nothing about the outside world and instead only the magics of the forest. Though they appear as children, the Kokiri are actually ageless and never grow old. Each Kokiri has a guardian fairy that plays the role of friend, parent, guardian, and teacher. They are watched over by the Great Deku Tree, and later Saria, the Sage of Forest. Mido is a bully and the boss of all the Kokiri. He's always insulting Link as a child, saying that he'll never be one of the Kokiri, and is apparently jealous that he is favored by Saria and the Great Deku Tree. After completing the "Inside the Great Deku Tree" quest, the Deku Tree dies by the evil that was inside him, and Mido blames Link that he killed the tree, and telling the other Kokiri that he did, also. Later in the game, once Link is a young adult and returns to the Kokiri Forest for the Forest Temple quest, Link enters the Lost Woods to find Mido blocking off Link's path to the rest of the journey towards the Sacred Forest Meadow, saying that no one's allowed in there by the orders of Saria, which is then when Link play's Saria's Song, making Mido realize that he and Saria must be friends, and lets him go on ahead. Besides Saria, Mido seems to be the only Kokiri who thinks that adult Link might possibly be the young Link he once knew, but is skeptical. After the Forest Temple is completed, Mido asks him to apologize to Link the next time he saw him, the younger version of Link he knew, for the Kokiri never grow up, and says that he's sorry for being so mean to him. He was about to say that Saria liked him, but never finished his thought, making players believe that Saria had some sort of crush towards Link as a child.
The Kokiri are "the spirits of the forest" and were probably created by the Deku Tree. Kokiri always wear green tunics and have pointy ears. The males wear green hats and the females have green headbands. It is possible for a Kokiri to have green hair, hence Saria's hair. There have been two records of Kokiri sages known to have aided the legendary hero Link. The first is Saria, the Sage of Forest, whom was awakened by the Hero of Time after Link completed the Forest Temple. The other is Fado, the Sage of Wind, who appears in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Also known for his excellent skill with the violin, Fado stayed in the Wind Temple and prayed for the Master Sword, until he was killed by the evil Ganondorf, who removed his soul. Fado does not make an appearance in the Kokiri Forest in Ocarina of Time for some reason, but instead has a recycled name from another Kokiri who had the name first: the blonde, twin-bunned female on the large stump in the Kokiri Forest who's name isn't revealed in the game until some time later. An interesting note is that all named Kokiri, except for Saria because she was named after a town from Zelda II: Adventure of Link, have their names created from the concatenation of 2 words from the solfege musical scale "do re mi fa so la ti do." Mido = Mi + Do. Fado = Fa + Do.
Notable Kokiri:
Other Forms of the Kokiri
The Skull kids, a race that plays the flute and appear in the Lost Woods in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, are suggested (by Navi) to be what Kokiri become if they get lost in the woods and can't get back out. She also describes them as "unhappy not to have a face". In The Wind Waker, the Kokiri took on a different form above the sea. They took on the form of leaf like creatures known as Koroks, and are the Great Deku Tree's cherished children.
Koroks
The Koroks are a race from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. They were originally Kokiri, but changed form upon leaving their original residence, perhaps a form of evolution. They come from an area called the Forest Haven, but spend most of their lives away from it. They have wooden-like bodies (somewhat similar to Deku Scrubs) and wear what look like masks made from various types of leaves, as they have no real face, as can be seen by positioning the camera to look behind the leaf (Although this is probably just a graphical oversight). Koroks are very light, and can travel on the wind by using sprouts as propellers. They make a hollow jingling sound when they move. Most of the Koroks actually spend most of their lives far away from Forest Haven, planting the seeds of the Great Deku Tree; they only return to Forest Haven once a year, for an annual ceremony held when the Great Deku Tree bears seeds so they can take off again. The only Koroks that do not leave are Makar (who plays his violin at the ceremony) and Hollo (who studies potion-making and uses Boko Baba Seeds to concoct his brews).
Notable Koroks:
Rito
The Rito (or "Bird People") are a race of bird-like humanoids in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Their main habitat is on Dragon Roost Island, in which all known Rito reside. They have a tribal elder, with numerous followers and elaborately dressed guards. They are believed to be the descendants of the Zoras of Ocarina of Time. No Rito is born with wings, and must visit the tribes' guardian, the great dragon Valoo, to receive one of his scales which enables them to grow wings. It is a coming of age ceremony of the Rito, to journey to the great Valoo to receive their scale. Children with no wings are called chicks. Rito are viewed upon by outsiders somewhat dubiously. Some have an inexplicable bigotry directed towards them, perhaps out of jealousy. Still, Rito are widely accepted as mail carriers, as only they can traverse the seas without cumbersome ships. Rito are capable of flying quickly, and full-grown members can carry humans for a short time. The Rito may be inspired by the Watarara race in one of the Zelda mangas (generally considered not to be canon). These people were more like giant birds than humans, but had a similar gaining of wings past a certain age and the same chieftain leadership structure. Rito resemble condors, and seem to have some relation with the Andean culture: males have dark skin and the main theme of the Rito Island contains some andean instruments such as zampoña (aka pan pipes) and charango. One Rito, Medli, tells Link that the Rito were once without wings, and it is also revealed in the game that she is a descendant of the Zora sage Laruto. Though, in the Japanese text of The Wind Waker, "descendant" is not used in the context of a direct relative, but rather Makar and Medli are descendants of the Sage Bloodline. It should also be noted that the sages seem to be able to pass down their power and responsibility as seen in the maidens of A Link to the Past. This is also considerable when taking into account that it has been implied by a gossip stone that Kaepora Gaebora, from Ocarina of Time, was the reincarnation of a sage (also lending interpretations to why there are so numerous Links: they are reincarnations). Additionally, the Rito postman's figurine says he is descendant of a famous post man. Curiously, but fittingly, they would seem to have been messenger-people even before their deal with Valoo. The word Rito may be a play on "tori", the Japanese word for bird.
Notable Rito
Subrosians
Subrosians are a mysterious race from the subterranean world of Subrosia, featured in the game The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons. They have large, glowing eyes, come to Link's knee in height, and always wear hooded cloaks. In Subrosia, their currency is "ore chunks" instead of rupees. They are nearly impervious to heat, and can often be seen "hot-tubbing" in lava pools. Subrosians also do a dance called the Subrosian Dance. If one does the Subrosian Dance well he can win many prizes such as a Boomerang and the Strange flute. They find outsiders strange and sometimes do not even understand their Logic. The world of Subrosia is connected to the land of Holodrum through a number of vortex-looking portals. The temple of Seasons, which was thought to vanish when Onox made it sink into the ground, was instead to be found in Subrosia. Link must return to this temple four times in order to complete the quest. In Subrosia there is a Smithy where Subrosians combine Blue Ore and Red Ore to create Hard Ore, a rare raw material used to make special items such as an Iron Shield.
Notable Subrosians:
- Rosa
- The Strange Brothers
- The Subrosian Smithy Boss
- The sign loving Subrosian
Tokay
A race of lizard people who live on an island off the coast of Labrynna. They value possessions and are often quite deceitful.
Tokays steal the player's items when Link becomes shipwrecked on their island in the Oracle of Ages. In order to retrieve his stolen items, Link plays minigames and trades with the Tokays. Because they have never been off Crescent Island, they think that outsiders are tokay as well (They refer to Link as a "Strange Tokay").
The Tokay once played a game called Wild Tokay, where one person throws chunks of meat to a number of passing Tokay. A prize was to be given to the player if he managed to throw meat to each of the Tokay.
Zuna
In Four Swords Adventures, a green-skinned race that lived near the Gerudo but deeper into the desert was introduced. The Zunas ancestors were the builders of the Pyramid and may be creators of the Trident of Power found inside the Pyramid. The inscription on the stone tablet behind the Trident shows that it was designed for evil purposes by an evil race. One of the maidens says to Link that a dark tribe tried to invade Hyrule, but were defeated and sealed inside the Dark Mirror, found inside the Temple of Darkness. It seems to fit that the evil tribe that was sealed inside the Dark Mirror, are the Zunas ancestors, as they may have used their Trident to attempt to take over Hyrule. But there is no real evidence to support this theory. The Zunas dress is quite different to that of the Gerudo: some of them wear white ankle-length cloaks and a white turban that has what appears to be a Roc's Feather sticking out of the top. Others wear red ankle-length cloaks that cover their mouths and a red turban that has a red headress hanging down from it. There is also a small white flower atop the red turban.
Minish (Picori)
The Minish (known to the Hylians as the Picori) first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. They are a tiny race the size of a thumb and can only be seen by good, well-behaved children. According to legend, they came from another world and later settled in Hyrule; this world can be reached when a door within Hyrule Castle courtyard opens once every century (although, in reality, you can reach them by using one of the many Minish portals hidden around Hyrule). It is said that when monsters threatened mankind, the Minish gave a legendary sword and a golden light to a courageous man, now known as the Hero of Men, destined to ward off the monsters. Also, it is known that the Minish placed objects under rocks and weeds to "please people", which explains how the objects such as Rupees and items appeared under said objects in the previous games. Inexplicably, the Minish seem to exist to please humans. There are several different types ('races') of Minish.
Types of Minish
- Forest Minish - They are the most common type of Minish found in Hyrule. They delight in making humans happy by hiding helpful items and Rupees under grass and rocks all over Hyrule. They also harvest Pico Blooms and leave them where humans can find them (human use the Pico Bloom's nectar to make Picolyte). Forest Minish often wear red caps. Some Forest Minish appear to wear clothes made from grass & leaves, others do not. Some also appear to have feather-like tails.
- Town Minish - These Minish like humans so much that they moved from Minish Village into Hyrule Castle Town itself. They make their homes in the rafters and walls of buildings in the Town of Hyrule. They try to make humans happy, though it sometimes backfires. Some even work alongside humans (usually without their knowledge), like in Rem's Shoe Store (a reference to the folkloric myth of small fairies or brownies helping cobblers in the night). In Wheaton & Pita Bakery, the Town Minish may be responsible for the Kinstones sometimes being found in the Bakery's pastries. Town Minish wear clothes made from fibers. Their clothes come in different color the most common of which is blue. Other colors include: Red, Brownish-green, & pink. The rarest color(according to one Minish) is yellow. Town Minish also don't seem to have feather-like tail at all.
- Mountain Minish - A rare type of Minish that live in Mount Crenel. There are seven Mountain Minish (eight including their mentor/leader Melari). These seven Minish are the students of Melari that followed him from their home in Minish Village to Mount Crenel so they could be closer to the iron ore they use in their metallurgy. As a result their lives revolve around mining ore & working with metal. They seem to wear eye-protectors and appear to be much stronger than other Minish. They seem to enjoy singing while they work, so much so that they created the "Ting Tong Song". The song goes something like this:
"Ting along, tong along!
Dig along fer iron!"
"Ting along, tong along!
Dig down, Dig around!
Dig the ground fer iron!"
"Ting along, tong along!
Deep down, dig down!
Dig joy in the ground!"
"Ting along, tong along!
Diggin' holes for Kinstones!"
"Ting along, tong along!
It's time for a sleeping song!"
Their song and appearance is actually a sign that they are full-fledged Mountain Minish now.
- Otherworld Minish/Ancient Picori - Are a type of Minish that live in a world that exists outside the world of Hyrule. All the Minish that exist in Hyrule are desended from this group of Minish, as the Minish themselves are not of Hyrulian origin. These Minish were responsible for the creation of both the legendary Four Sword & the Mythical Light Force. They seem extremely knowlegdeable in magic and ways to combat evil. Ezlo & Vaati are among the few known Otherworld Minish. The ancestral Picori (Minish) are honored one a year in Hyrule during the Picori Festival.
Notable Minish (Picori)
- Ezlo - Transformed as the result of a curse placed on him by Vaati into a talking cap-like creature with a bird-like head. He travels to Hyrule (via the door that opens once every century) to stop Vaati & break the curse on himself, eventually he ends up in Minish Woods where he is attacked by two Octoroks before being saved by none other than Link. Ezlo then joins Link (atop Link's head no less), granting Link the ability to shrink to Minish-size and providing Link with advice. Before he was cursed by Vaati he was a famous Sage/Inventor among the Minish and was renowned for his amazing creations, even among other Minish inventors. According to him, he was appearently a talented swordsman when he was around Link's age. He also appears to be one of the few Minish that can change their size. His former apprentice Vaati is another.
- Vaati - An evil demon/sorcerer from the Minish Cap and the Four Swords games; originally a simple minish. He was an apprentice to Ezlo before he donned Ezlo's prized magic cap which transformed him into a powerful evil sorcerer. It's possible that Vaati learned the ways of the sword from his teacher Ezlo (one explanation for how he won the Picori Festival Tournament in Hyrule) But most people assume he defeated the other contestants using his skill in magic.
- Festari - A Minish Priest that live in the chapel in Minish Village and is caretaker of Deepwood Shrine. He can speak some human languages and is a bit of a human enthusiast. He appears to wear glasses, a fine looking red robe, and an ornate red cap.
- Gentari - The Elder of the Forest Minish. He has lived among humans for along time (although he can't speak their language). He knows the location of the Four Elements in Hyrule. His twin brother Librari is the Elder of the Town Minish. He uses a treading needle as a walking stick and appears to have two feather-like tails.
- Belari - A Minish Inventor who lives just outside of Minish Village. Is the inventor of the "Remote Bombs".
- Melari - A Minish blacksmith. He lives with his seven apprentices in Mount Crenel, which contains all the mineral riches they will ever need. He is the only Minish capable of repairing the broken Picori Sword and is knowlegdeable on restore it to its full power. He is quite large as far as Minish go. He also appear to be quite muscular and wields a large hammer.
- Librari - The Elder of the Town Minish and the twin brother of Forest Minish Elder, Gentari. In his youth he was quite the adventurer (much like Link himself). He lives on an upstairs bookself in the town Library. He is very knowledgeable about Temple of Droplets. He also knows the locations of three Great Fairies. He carries around a large Cucco feather which is a trophy of a duel he had with a cucco as a young Minish and is a testament to his bravery. He doesn't have a feather-like tail like his brother.
Wind Tribe
The Wind Tribe is a group of people who live on the Cloud Tops and guard the Palace of Winds. They also built the Wind Ruins and the Wind Fortress in south western Hyrule. They are skilled at finding kinstones and seem to have a connection with the Minish who built the Armos statues that guard the Wind Ruins. These people might have been wiped out by Vaati since he is seen dwelling in the Palace of Winds later.
Watarara
A race of bird-people found only in the Legend of Zelda manga. Although they somewhat resemble Rito, they are far more bird-like in appearance; however their social structure is very similar to their Wind Waker counterparts. They are a migratory race that hails from unknown lands. Children are not able to fly, much like Rito children. However, they do not require magic scales to gain their wings, but merely grow them when the fledglings are ready. They fly to new lands on the eve of the seasonal winds-a sort of ceremony for them. Coincidentally, Kaepora Gaebora has a striking resemblance to the attendant of the Watarara leader. It should be noted that the origin of this race is in Zelda manga, & therefore is not canonical.
Shigrami
Race from the 1995 Nintendo Online Interactive Adventure "The Hyrulean Adventure".
Kani
Race from the 1995 Nintendo Online Interactive Adventure "The Hyrulean Adventure".
See also
| Main series |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spin-offs |
| ||||||||
| Universe |
| ||||||||
| Other media | |||||||||
| People | |||||||||
| Companies | |||||||||
| Fan works | |||||||||
| Related | |||||||||
