Universe of The Legend of Zelda

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

Hyrule


Not to be confused with Camp Hyrule

The land of Hyrule (ハイラル), first depicted in The Legend of Zelda, is the main setting of the series. Many designated areas of Hyrule appear throughout the series, such as the Lost Woods, Kakariko Village, Death Mountain and Lake Hylia. Several games in the series are set in lands other than Hyrule, including Link's Awakening, set on Koholint Island; Majora's Mask, set in Termina; Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, set in Holodrum and Labrynna, respectively; The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass, both set on the Great Sea, a flooded Hyrule (although a large portion of Phantom Hourglass takes place in the World of the Ocean King, which is in another dimension); Spirit Tracks, in New Hyrule and Skyward Sword, set on Skyloft, a group of islands floating above the clouds.

Hyrule was formed by three goddesses (三柱の女神) Din (ディン), Farore (フロル), and Nayru (ネール). According to Hylian legend as depicted in Ocarina of Time, Din created the physical geography of the realm, Nayru created the laws to govern the land, and Farore created the races to uphold the law and the flora and fauna that inhabit the world. Once the goddesses had completed their tasks, they departed for the heavens, and left behind three golden triangles. In these, they put their power to govern all things; this relic became known as the     Triforce. The realm itself was eventually named after its dominant race, the Hylia.

Hylian is a constructed language called the Hylian Alphabet that first appears in A Link to the Past, where it is identified as "the ancient language of the Hylians". In A Link to the Past, its written form is composed of symbols that have to be translated by Link to progress in the game. In The Wind Waker, three spirits, the angler fish-like Jabun, the dragon Valoo, and the Deku Tree, as well as the King of Red Lions, can speak it. In Japan, an explanation on the Hylian alphabet was printed on the back of the instruction manual, showing the language written with a phonographic writing system, or syllabary, like Japanese. Since then two more Hylian scripts have been developed and/or deciphered for the public: the Old Hylian Syllabary used in Ocarina of Time, the Modern Hylian Syllabary used in The Wind Waker, and the Hylian Alphabet used in Twilight Princess. The first two are used for transcribing Japanese, while the last is used to transcribe English.

The currency of Hyrule and other areas is called the "Rupee" (ルピー), which resemble hexagonal crystals or gems, and come in various colors which determine value. In Oracle of Seasons, the Subrosian race accepts only Ore Chunks as currency, and in Four Swords Adventures, Force Gems are used rather than Rupees. Rupees are also absent in The Adventure of Link, which has no apparent in-game currency system. The original The Legend of Zelda only has flashing Rupees, worth one, and blue Rupees, worth five. In the original, they were called "Rupies;" this was later changed. Subsequent games introduced more colors and sizes for Rupees, each denoting a specific value. Generally, green Rupees have the least value, while huge gold or silver Rupees have the most. Phantom Hourglass introduced black Rupees called "Rupoor" that would steal a certain amount of Rupees depending on its size. Rupoors have since reappeared in Skyward Sword.

Hylian geography

 * Death Mountain (デスマウンテン) is a recurring area which first appeared in the original The Legend of Zelda. It is often simply a mountain, though many other times it is an active or inactive volcano. In all its appearances, Death Mountain has many caves and dungeons, such as Ganon's lair in The Legend of Zelda, and the Goron City, the Fire Temple and Dodongo's Cavern (ドドンゴの洞窟) in Ocarina of Time. Spectacle Rock, two large rock formations next to each other, is another recurring trait.
 * Ganon's Castle (ガノン城) has acted as the final dungeon and battleground between Link and Ganon in several games.
 * The Great Sea (大海原) is formed in The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass after Hyrule has been flooded by a deluge. Only a collection of mountaintops are still visible above the water, and these form the 65 islands and archipelagos of the Great Sea. Due to the relatively small size of many of the islands, there are large expanses of ocean between each island. Due to the vast nature of the sea, most navigation requires the use of charts. On the islands of the Great Sea, local commerce is quite advanced. Most of the food is gathered from fishing and small farms, though there are also active merchant, salvage, and shipbuilding businesses. At least one continent resides out in the ocean on which the Kingdom of Hyrule was reestablished by Tetra (which is sometimes referred to as "New Hyrule" to distinguish it from the original Hyrule that was destroyed at the end of The Wind Waker ) which is where Spirit Tracks is set.
 * Hyrule Castle (ハイラル城) is the home and seat of the royal family of Hyrule. The castle's first appearance was in A Link to the Past, the third game in the series. It is often a central area that Link must enter during his quest.
 * Kakariko Village (カカリコ村) is a village that first appears in A Link to the Past and has since reappeared in Ocarina of Time, Four Swords Adventures and Twilight Princess. Kakariko is often portrayed as a prosperous small town. However, in Twilight Princess, where the town is depicted with an 'Old West' type of look, almost all of the villagers have been kidnapped by Shadow Beasts, and the village appears similar to a ghost town. The Hidden Village, another location in Twilight Princess, has signs that translate from Hylian to say "Welcome to Old Kakariko".
 * Lake Hylia (ハイリア湖) is a large lake located in Hyrule. In most games, it is fed by a river coming from "Zora's Domain" which is where the Zora race live. In Ocarina of Time there is a shortcut to Lake Hylia found in Zora's Domain.
 * The Lost Woods (迷いの森) is a large, maze-like forest that appears in various titles. It is the resting place of the Master Sword in A Link to the Past and Twilight Princess, and it is the location of the Sacred Forest Meadow and Forest Temple in Ocarina of Time. In Spirit Tracks it is the location of the Forest Sanctuary. In many games, the Lost Woods is a maze that leads Link in circles, with the correct path indicated by a recurring melody.
 * Temple of Time (時の神殿) The temple that houses the Master Sword in Ocarina of Time. It is one of the dungeons in Twilight Princess. To gain access to some areas such as the temple itself, the Master Sword is used as a key frequently throughout the dungeon. The Temple of Time is also a location visited in Lanayru Desert during the events of Skyward Sword.

Master Sword
The Master Sword (マスターソード), also known as "The Blade of Evil's Bane" and the "Hyrule Sword", is a magic sword that often acts as the ultimate weapon for Link as the chosen hero to defeat Ganon and doubles as a key to the Sacred Realm. First introduced in A Link To The Past, it has the power to "repel evil", which enables it to overcome powerful dark magic and evil beings and keep them from using the sword. In The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, the blade originally began as the Goddess Sword which has a sentient female avatar named Fi integrated into it. Eventually, the Goddess Sword transforms into its current state after being infused with the Three Sacred Flames with Fi ceasing to be once the Master Sword absorbed Demise's remains.

The sword traditionally rests in sacrosanct locations indigenous to Hyrule, such as the Temple of Time or the Lost Woods. Similar to Arthurian legend, the Master Sword is often first obtained by pulling it from a stone. The sword is often not at full power, leading it to need to be "recharged" in some way, or have its power increased beyond its standard level to fight Ganon. There are some situations when the blade, already at full power, can be further improved; in A Link to the Past, it was tempered to the Tempered Sword. It can later be upgraded to the Golden Sword. Similarly, in Twilight Princess, the sword's power is increased by the two Sols in the Palace of Twilight. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker establishes that the sword needs the power of two sages praying to the gods to keep its powers, or else it will no longer be able to prevent an evil person from gaining the Triforce.

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

Nintendo Power listed the Master Sword as one of the best weapons in gaming: citing that it is more than just a powerful sword, but also integral to Link's adventures and development as a character.

Triforce
The Triforce (トライフォース), also called "Power of the Gods" (神の力) and the "Golden Triangle" (黄金の大三角) in Twilight Princess, is a triangular sacred relic that represents the essences of the Golden Goddesses. It is made up of three smaller triangles known as the Triforce of Power (力のトライフォース), the Triforce of Wisdom (知恵のトライフォース), and the Triforce of Courage (勇気のトライフォース). Each of these embody the essence of their respective goddess, and bestow certain boons on their bearers. In most of its appearances, the Triforce or its pieces, manifest as a marking on the hands of their bearers. These markings resonate when near each other, and the Triforce pieces can emerge from their bearers.

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

The Triforce of Power which is positioned as the topmost of the three, holds the presence of Din, the goddess of Power, and radiates the physical, and magical power of its bearer. It is associated with Ganon, who is power-hungry. The Triforce of Wisdom, positioned on the lower left, embodies the essence of Nayru, the goddess of Wisdom, and amplifies the wisdom and mystical powers of its bearer. It is associated with Princess Zelda, whose great wisdom brings peace and prosperity to Hyrule. The Triforce of Courage, positioned on the lower right, embodies the essence of Farore, the goddess of Courage, and seems to amplify the courage and adventuring skills of its bearer. It is associated with Link, the main protagonist of the series, who bravely defends Hyrule from Ganon.

Anouki
Anouki (ユキワロシ) are an Inuit-like race which appear to be a cross between reindeer and penguins. There are different variations of them with purple, red, (which is found in a store at the winter realm sanctuary) blue, and yellow shirts and have either facial hair or small or big antlers. They are found on the Isle of Frost in the World of Ocean King and in Anouki Village in New Hyrule. In Spirit Tracks, the Anouki are the only race in the snow realm.

Bulblin
Bulblins (ブルブリン) are a green, horned race, resembling the orcs of classic fantasy. They are cowardly and always fight for the stronger side. They are led by King Bulblin (キングブルブリン), who unlike the rest has the ability to talk. Bulblins usually fight with heavy clubs or flaming arrows, and commonly ride on boars. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. At the end of the final battle between Link and King Bublin, he speaks to Link, and Midna responds to this, saying "Link.....He spoke.". King Bulblin also appears as an obstacle in the Bridge of Eldin stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Cobble
The Cobble {COB-bull} are a race that appear in Phantom Hourglass. The Cobble once inhabited a prosperous land called the Cobble Kingdom. By the time the game takes place, the only Cobble that remain are ghosts of the soldiers and King Mutoh, who dress like Ancient Egyptians and reside within their respective temples, which are shaped like pyramids. The Isle of Ruins in the Northeastern Sea is all that remains of the once-mighty kingdom, and Link must visit there to retrieve the Aquanine, a pure metal entrusted to the Cobble by the Ocean King. There, he delves beneath Mutoh's Temple and destroys a corrupt Cobble war machine that has been disrupting the king's eternal rest. Also, Astrid, the fortune-teller living on the Isle of Ember, tells Link that she and her deceased assistant, Kayo, are part of the Cobble race.

Deku
The Deku (デクナッツ) are a race of plant-like creatures which are introduced in Ocarina of Time. They appear mostly in the overworld and dungeons. Deku are generally short and have leaves sprouting out from their heads. They often have red, glowing eyes, and their mouths are short, hollow tubes that can shoot "Deku Nuts." Their bodies consist entirely of wood and leaves, and they perish quickly if set on fire. They can fly by using large leaves to glide, and some can use the leaves on their head to fly for indefinite periods after taking off from a "Deku Flower." There are four types of Deku depicted in the series: Deku Scrubs, Mad Scrubs, Business Scrubs, and Royal Scrubs. Deku Scrubs are the most common type, which have green leaves. They often give information when caught. Mad Scrubs are violent, have red and yellow leaves, and do not talk. Business Scrubs are traders who offer to sell their wares and services. Royal Scrubs have larger heads, bigger eyes, smaller mouths, and they also have extra leaves covering their body. In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link can inhabit the body of an unknown Deku Scrub (who is heavily implied to be the son of the Deku King's butler) and can fly for a limited time with use of a Deku Flower and can shoot bubbles from its mouth (once he receives the magic meter from the Great Fairy). The Deku Scrub cannot go into deep water but hops on top of it five times and then sinks.

Fairy
Fairies (妖精) are a magical and benevolent race that aid Link during his quest in most games in the series. Fairies appear as small, winged humanoids, who are often obscured by emitted light. They can be found in many places, but usually reside in a Fairy Fountain or Fairy Spring, sometimes under the protection of a Great Fairy (大妖精), which are the size of humans. These Fairies from the fountains will heal Link when he approaches, and if he traps one in a bottle, Link can release the fairy to have it heal him, or it will resurrect him if he dies. In Ocarina of Time, Guardian Fairies travel with the Kokiri and give them advice. One of these is Navi, who serves as Link's guardian fairy, or Tatl in Majora's Mask. In some of the games, such as The Minish Cap, players will be tested of their honesty and if they are, fairies give them gifts and upgrades.

Gerudo
The Gerudo (ゲルド) are a tribe of thieves who mainly are desert-dwellers. Distinguishing physical traits of Gerudo typically include bronzed skin, scarlet hair, aquiline noses, gold eyes and, unlike the Hylians, round ears. Apart from a single male born to the Gerudo every hundred years, the race consists entirely of women. By Gerudo law, this man must become king of the tribe. Ganondorf, the main antagonist of the series, is one such man and is king of the Gerudo in Ocarina of Time. It is suggested that the Gerudo seek men from outside the tribe as partners. Although nothing is ever really confirmed, it is also thought that the Gerudo kidnap men when they need to reproduce. Gerudo appear as pirates in Majora's Mask, where they live in the ocean at Great Bay, are ruled by a woman instead of a man, presumably because there aren't any male Gerudo alive at the present moment or the one that is alive is still a child. These Gerudo are enemies with the Zoras. They search for treasures in the sea (usually ending in trouble and failure, as seen when they steal the Zora Eggs laid by Lulu following a hint given by Skull Kid to invade Great Bay Temple) and assault unaware Zoras and fishermen, although they do not approach Clock Town.

Goron
The Goron (ゴロン) are a race of strong but peaceful mountain-dwelling rock people who first appear in Ocarina of Time as friendly characters, also appearing in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker as nomadic traders, and in Twilight Princess in a role similar to that in Ocarina. One Goron, an archaeologist studying ancient Hylian artifacts, appears in Skyward Sword as a guide to using these artifacts. The Goron tribe was led by Jeung. Goron culture revolves around brotherhood and strength, usually referring to each other and those they deem strong as "Brother" or "Big Brother." Gorons show high regard for individuals who display great strength, and particularly enjoy matching their strength with others in sumo wrestling matches. While not all the games which feature Gorons include full tribes, those that do depict Goron policy as headed by a single patriarch, sometimes aided by one or more Goron Elders, who assume leadership of the tribe when the patriarch cannot. Darunia (ダルニア) is the patriarch in Ocarina of Time. The Goron elders in Twilight Princess are: Gor Coron (ドン・コローネ), Gor Amoto (ドン・シーゲル) Gor Ebizo (ドン・エビーゾ), and Gor Liggs (ドン・レゲーヌ)

For leisure, Gorons enjoy music and dance, rolling/racing, games, sumo wrestling, and bathing in hot springs. Gorons have taken on occupations such as crafting, blacksmithing, sculpting, demolition, and merchantry (usually explosives, which they are experts in producing). Gorons maintain a diet of rocks and iron. They also eat rock sirloin, amber, and metal shields as delicacies. Gorons enter the fetal position, similar to an armadillo, for several purposes, such as resting, crushing obstacles, assaulting enemies, launcing others to higher places and transportation by rolling at great speed. Gorons endowed with fairy magic can grow metal spikes while rolling.

Gorons make their return in Skyward Sword, but it is still not known what region they live in; it has been speculated that they are a nomadic people.

Gorons are universally male humanoids with generally beige skin, long arms, short legs, hulking shoulders, and virtually unnoticeable necks. Gorons seen in the games have round, purple eyes as well as prominent, rotund bellies. Unlike humans, Gorons lack external hearing organs; like reptiles, Gorons' ears are simply holes at the sides of their heads. By adulthood, Gorons appear to gain rock-like protrusions on their backs as well as in places where human hair would be on their faces, but for some unknown reason, Gorons grew hair in Phantom Hourglass. Most are the size of an average human, though some such as Biggoron (ダイゴロン) can grow as large as a mountain. Due to their great density, Gorons sink to the bottom of bodies of water and are thus helpless in such an environment. However, they do not require respiration to survive, as a Goron child proves by resting underwater, mentioning that he never feels the need to take a breath. Also, in Twilight Princess, a Goron becomes permanently submerged in the main pool in Zora's Domain, but rather enjoys the cold water rather than drowning. Gorons are exceptionally resistant to heat, to the point of being able to walk through shallow lava.

Given that Gorons are exclusively male as a race (or possibly species) it is unclear how their kind reproduce; there are children and families of Gorons throughout the Legend of Zelda series but how they came about is never fully explained. The most likely solution is through asexual budding, which would also explain the clone-like visual similarity of Gorons; on the other hand they tend to display mammalian traits such as nipples and belly buttons which only adds to the mystery.

In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link can inhabit the body of the deceased Goron hero Darmani and use the ability to roll and punch as hard as the Megaton Hammer from Ocarina of Time.

Human
Humans are a common race similar to Hylians although can be told apart with the structure of their ears. A community of humans live in Ordon Village in Hyrule as well as other countries of the Light World such as Holodrum, Labrynna and islands of the Great Sea. In Ocarina of Time, humans reside in Kakariko Village and in the marketplace outside of Hyrule Castle.

Hylian
Hylians (ハイリア族) are an elf-like race that make up the main population of Hyrule. They were the first race to establish organized civilization in ancient Hyrule and are born with magic-infused blood, said to be a gift from the goddesses, endowing them with psychic powers and skill in wizardry. Their long, pointed ears allow them to hear messages from these goddesses, though this may be simply folklore. Link and Princess Zelda belong to this race in most games in the series. In some games, such as Twilight Princess, Hylians are referred to as "humans", possibly because the only difference between the Hylians and humans are their ears, making it simpler to refer to both races as "humans". In Skyward Sword Hylians live on a floating island known as Skyloft and are accompanied by bird like species called Loftwings.

Keaton
Keaton (キータン) are a generally-benevolent, three-tailed fox-like race, mostly found in Termina. They normally stay hidden from sight, although they reveal themselves to Link and challenge him with a quiz if he wears a Keaton Mask. No known Keaton exist in Hyrule at the time of Ocarina of Time, although at least one of them is a well-known fictional character in Hyrule Castle Town. In the The Minish Cap, however, some rather thuggish Keaton roam the Hyrule countryside, walking on their hindpaws and having only one tail instead of three; if they injure Link, he loses a few Rupees. They bear a striking resemblance to Ninetales, which was in turn based on the Japanese mythological kitsune. Their faces also resemble that of the Pokemon Pikachu.

Kikwi
The Kikwi (キュイ族) are a race in Skyward Sword who inhabit the Faron Woods region. They have the appearance of a black-and-white wingless bird wearing a mask. Their name, kew kaloo, is a reference to both the kiwi bird and fruit - both of which they resemble. They have the ability to partially bury themselves underground and cause a plant to blossom from their backs for camouflage, though some are better at it than others. They are rumored to be related to the Kokiri/Koroks, being a forest-dwelling race led by a guardian figure with large facial hair.They have plant-like camouflage.

Kokiri and Koroks
The Kokiri (コキリ族) are a humanoid fairy race in Ocarina of Time who inhabit the Kokiri Forest. They are ageless, childlike elves created by the Great Deku Tree, and each has a guardian fairy that plays the role of friend, parent, guardian, and teacher. Cautious and secretive, these elven creatures believe that they will die if they leave the forest. It is also suggested that if they wander too deep into the forest and remain there for too long, they will become a Skull Kid. Neither of these beliefs have been proven definitively.

A Kokiri named Saria is the Sage of the Forest.

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

Lokomo
Lokomos (ロコモ) are a humanoid race first appearing in The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. All but one of the encountered Lokomo are sages who reside in the five realms of New Hyrule, as well as the Tower of Spirits. They are distinguishable by their pointed ears (similar to Hylians) and their short legs, forcing them to use motorized carts for transportation. However, a Lokomo named Byrne [Staven in the European version] is capable of walking on his legs and is exceptionally strong.

Oocca
The Oocca (天空人) are a race of birds with long necks and human-like faces that appear in The Twilight Princess. They live in the "City in the Sky" (天空都市), an airborne city that acts as the seventh dungeon in the Twilight Princess. An Oocca female named Ooccoo (おばちゃん) is found in the game's dungeons, and can warp the player back to the entrance to the dungeon. Ooccoo's son, Ooccoo Jr (ぼくちゃん), warps the player back to where Ooccoo was used to warp out. They bear a striking resemblance to the statue in M.C. Escher painting, Another World. In Twilight Princess, these creatures are mentioned to be closer to the gods than the Hylians. It is supposed that they were the race who created Hylians, and at the same time created a new capital in the skies for them to live in. In Twilight Princess, Link reaches this city by launching himself out of an enormous reconstructed ancient cannon.

Minish
Minish, also referred to as Picori (ピッコル), are small humanoid creatures similar in size of bugs that tend to be helpful, although Vaati (グフー) was an example of an evil Picori. They are only visible to children and tend to live in forests, but also appear inside of buildings and holes in and around various spots of Hyrule. Three variations of the Minish which can be distinguished by their attire: Forest Minish, Town Minish and Mountain Minish. They first appear in The Minish Cap.

Mogma
The Mogma (モグマ族) are a mole-like race from Skyward Sword who live in the Eldin Volcano region. They appear to be anthropmorphic rodentine creatures with elongated arms, and each has their own distinctive hairstyle. The Mogma hide underground by burrowing with their claws. They are demolition experts known to never go anywhere without their bomb bag, and they like digging for treasure.

Parella
The Parella (パラゲ族) are an aquatic race from Skyward Sword who live in the underwater spiraling caverns of Lake Floria. They are a squid-like race, and look almost like the aquatic Octoroks from Ocarina of Time. Interestingly, conical spirals seem to be a major part of their design, appearing as both their central body and the shape of their dwellings. They later evolve into the Zora race, which in turn evolve into the Rito race.

Rito
The Rito (リト), also known as the Bird-people, are a race of bird-like humanoids in The Wind Waker. Their main habitat is on Dragon Roost Island, an island on the Great Sea. They have a tribal elder, with numerous followers and elaborately dressed guards. No Rito is born with wings, and instead, must visit the tribes' guardian, the great Sky Spirit, 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 without wings are called Fledglings.

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.

Rito resemble condors, and seem to have some relation with the Andean culture: males have dark skin and the main theme of the Dragon Roost Island contains some Andean instruments such as zampoña (or pan pipes) and charango.

Rito have a mix of human and animal biological characteristics, with very distinctive traits. They appear to be covered by dark shaded skin or feathers. Most Rito have red colored eyes, although the Rito Chieftain has yellow eyes. They, like many other races in the series, have pointed ears. The Rito have bird-like feet as well, though oddly without talons. Rito also have some sort of beak where a human's nose would be found, though the shape and size of this beak varies through different Rito. Unlike normal birds this beak appears to be only used for smelling, and cannot be used as a mouth, the Rito have a more human-like mouth below this beak.

Throughout a young Rito's childhood, he or she is called a Fledgling and is flightless without any wings. After a child reaches a certain age they can only receive their wings after they retrieve a scale from the dragon, Valoo. Their wings are unique in that they protrude from their forearms, similar to where a Zora's fins would be. These have an appearance similar to the sleeves of a cloak when the Rito is not in flight. While not in use wings of a Rito are mostly white with black colored plumage located along the ends. When in flight the top of a Rito's wings are colored brown with black along the edges while the bottoms of the wings contain white colored plumage along the wings interior. However Medli has pure white colored wings, possibly suggesting that female Rito have white wings or that her wings are not fully grown yet.

Most Rito are able to fly over a great distance and can hover in place, but some like Medli have trouble flying for long periods of time. This is likely due to inexperience at flying, however. Like humans, Rito's heads are covered by hair that are of different colors and lengths for each person. Most males, however, seem to have white colored hair, even at a young age.

It is possible that in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker that the Rito are descended from the Zora; when Hyrule was flooded, they evolved into bird-like creatures to better suit their surroundings. This is supported by Medli when she gives Link the Grappling Hook, stating that it was used by the Rito before they evolved wings. This hints that they used it when they were Zoras or when they were changing from Zoras to Rito.

Ancient Robots
The Ancient Robots (RS-301) are a mechanical race from Skyward Sword. They were created by Lanayru, The Thunder Dragon, though the land they lived in eventually succumbed to time and became a barren desert while they rusted away. By using a Timeshift Stone they can be brought back to life and are shown to serve three purposes. Some of them mine for Timeshift Stones, one group was banded together to serve as protectors of one of the Sacred Flames, and a small number act as servants of the Thunder Dragon. In addition there is a band of Ancient Robot Pirates, though only two of them are seen throughout the entire game, one on the Sandship, the other in the Sky Keep.

Sheikah
The Sheikah (シーカー) are an ancient clan of mysterious ninja-like warriors, often referred to as the "shadows" of the Hylians, sworn to protect the Hylian Royal Family. As revealed in Skyward Sword, the Sheikah are servants of the goddess Hylia, whose reincarnation Zelda is the ancestor of the Hylian Royal Family, and have long life spans compared to Hylians. The Sheikah's symbol of a crying eye is commonly seen in the series, even in games where the Sheikah are not present. By the events of Ocarina of Time, the Sheikah are referred to as an extinct race with Impa, named after Zelda's protector in Skyward Sword, among the last few members. The Sheikah also built the Shadow Temple, for reasons unknown. It is said that the Sheikah people were fascinated by a search for truth as they created the Mask of Truth (sold by the happy mask salesmen of castle town in Ocarina of Time). In Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, and Majora's Mask, Sheikah Stones or Gossip Stones created by the Sheikah give Link information on where to go and what to do.

Light Spirits
There are four Light Spirits (光の精霊) throughout Hyrule. All of the light spirits are found in the Twilight Princess.

The first light spirit is Ordona (ラトアーヌ), best described as an Ordon Goat. Ordona has a spiraling circular orb in between her antlers and first appears at Ordon Spring. She appears once Link has defeated the first Twilight Messenger.

The second light spirit, Faron (フィローネ), is described as a monkey/ape. He is holding his golden orb with his tail eclipsed over his head. He appears in Faron Spring, and will fully appear when Link has completed the first collection of twilight bugs.

The third light spirit, Eldin (オルディン), is described as an eagle, with his orb between his feet. He appears in the lake near the shaman's house in Kakariko Village, and will fully appear once Link has completed the second collection of twilight bugs.

The fourth and last light spirit, Lanayru (ラネール), is described as a serpent, with his orb inside his mouth. He appears in the cave at Lake Hylia. He fully appears when Link has completed the third and final collection of twilight bugs. But once Link is back to his human form, and after Lanayru tells him the story of the three goddesses and the three Fused Shadows, Zant appears. Zant will then embed the Shadow Crystal in Link's skull that will allow Link to transform into his human and wolf form. He will also expose Midna to Lanayru, causing her to become very ill, and sending you on the quest for the Master Sword.

Subrosian
Subrosians (ウーラ) are a mysterious race which live in the subterranean world of Subrosia. They have large glowing eyes and are always seen wearing either green, blue or red hooded cloaks. There are two exceptions. One Subrosian, Rosa, wears a yellow cloak with a ribbon, another unnamed Subrosian also wears yellow and gives you a Secret to use in Oracle of Ages. They are shy when around people of other races and prefer to be rarely seen. They can survive in lava and tend to relax in pools of lava, and use a currency made of metal rocks found in the ground called Ore Chunks. They first appear in Oracle of Seasons.

Tokay
Tokay (トカゲ人) are a race of reptilian lizards with green scales and tails who reside on Crescent Island in Labrynna. They are known to search for valuable items that they can find and are known to be deceitful. They are also expert gardeners which are able to grow scent seeds from seedlings over a course of four hundred years. They have never seen anyone from other races so when they see Link, they think he's a Tokay without a tail and call him "Strange Tokay". They first appear in Oracle of Ages.

Twili
Twili (トワイライトの民) are a race which come from the Twilight Realm. They are the descendants of the Dark Interlopers which were sent to the Twilight Realm by the Golden Goddesses (三柱の女神) after trying to seize control of the Sacred Realm and later evolved to what they are now. Eventually, they abandoned their plans to rule the Sacred Realm and Hyrule and became peacefully adapted to their new lifestyle in the Twilight Realm. One member of their race is Midna (ミドナ). They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Zant (ザント) was also part of this race. He was granted the power to overthrow Midna by Ganon and then served Ganon in taking over Hyrule. It is possible that the Interlopers were either the Sheikah since there is a symbol on Zant's throne and they were allies of The Royal Family, or they were the Gerudo since that the Twili were a tribe of thieves and the entrance of the Twilight Realm in the Gerudo Desert. It is also known that the recurring villain, Dark Link, might be an Interloper or possibly a relative to them, for which it is unknown.

The skin tone of the Twili is mostly black while their faces, necks, and chest tend to have gray and patterns in a marked contrast to the rest of their bodies. The Twili have a stretched, elongated appearance, with long limbs, necks, and heads, and great variances in overall height and girth (although the shorter Twili could just be children, which would also explain their girth). It also appears that common Twili are incapable of speaking the Hylian Language, and appear to only be able to utter a moan when Link draws near, which may be their own language. If this is the case, those moans may possibly be speeches that sound like moans because Link does not understand the language.

Yeti
Yeta (マトーニャ) and Yeto (ドサンコフ) in Snowpeak Ruins in the game Twilight Princess were Yetis (雪男). Yeto helps Link by giving him soup that heal up to eight hearts of his health. Male yetis look like the 'real-life' Yeti only they have large, beaver tails, have saddles for hats and speak with poor grammar. The females, however, are smaller than the males and wear an armless sweater, showing no arms or tail.

Zora
The Zora (ゾーラ) are a race of piscine humanoids which appear in nearly every game of the series. In the original game and Link to the Past, Zoras were an enemy race that attacked Link from the water with projectiles, though the giant Zora King sells Link a pair of flippers in Link to the Past, allowing him to swim and to use the network of whirlpools that link far corners of Hyrule. By Ocarina of Time, their role in most stories had changed to a neutral or friendly race. Zoras rely heavily on water, in fact they can only live on "land for limited time periods," and reflect this dependency in their culture. Zoras are mostly seen gracefully swimming about and frolicking in water. Besides routine swimming and sports, Zoras also enjoy music.

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

Zora government is apparently monarchical, either ruled by a king, King Zora (キングゾーラ), or queen, such as Queen Rutela (ルテラ) from Twilight Princess. Two different tribes exist, "river Zora" are more violent and are able to shoot fire, while "sea Zora" make up the friendly Zoras. The Zora Royal Family is responsible for maintaining order among their people, overseeing care for Jabu Jabu (ジャブジャブ), whom they worship as a guardian god, and assuring that the waters upon which he and all creatures rely are clean and pure.

The Zora appear to be an extinct race in The Wind Waker; a sage named Laruto (ラルト) is encountered in spirit. They may be linked to the Rito (リト) race of bird people, along with the Princess Ruto (ルト). The Zora of Hyrule typically inhabit fresh water such as Zora River and Lake Hylia, while sea-dwelling Zora are known to appear in Termina (Majora's Mask) and Labrynna (Oracle of Ages).

In The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, there are monsters known as Zora Warriors who often emerge from bodies of water. However, it is unknown if and how they are related to the Zoras mentioned in earlier games.

In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link is able to inhabit the body of the Zora Mikau, who was killed by Gerudo pirates, and can use his fins in the same manner as the boomerang item.

Creatures
Note: Some creatures' outlook may vary in different titles of the series. An advanced list of recurring enemies in the series can be found here.


 * Armos (アモス) are living statues or suits of armor that come to life and attack enemies when touched. The Minish Cap features them as guards created by the Wind Tribe. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
 * Beamos (ビーモス) are laser turrets that continually rotate on a pillar until it spots an intruder. They first appeared in A Link to the Past.
 * Biri and Bari (ゴーリア) are electrified jellyfish that can live in or out of water. They often split into smaller duplicates after being attacked.
 * Blade Traps are actually not enemies, but indestructible metallic devices armed with spikes. Some sense intruders and fly towards them, while others move in a set pattern. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda''.
 * Bokoblin (ボコブリン) are enemies that wield bladed weapons or clubs. they are very aggressive to intruders. They first appeared in Wind Waker. Later, they reappear in Skyward Sword as a common enemy.
 * Bubbles (バブル), also known as Anti-Fairies or Wisps, are flaming skull enemies able to sprout wings. Their flames come in many colors, but the most common are red and blue. Link is temporarily unable to use his sword after touching them. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
 * Buzz Blobs are mobile creatures made of goo. They are passive, but generate large amounts of static electricity when hit. Buzz Blobs cannot be defeated outright by swords, with the exception of the Golden Sword, requiring the use of various ranged weapons, which can either defeat them instantly or stun them, leaving them vulnerable to sword strikes. They are skinny down near the ground and widen at the top.
 * ChuChus (チュチュ) are jelly-like creatures with squat, translucent bodies, stalk-eyes, and a permanently smiling mouth that have a variety of colors. In The Wind Waker their appearance was change to upright, opaque bodies and vibrantly colored faces. They first appeared by that name in Majoras Mask, but two similar blob-type enemies were in the original Legend of Zelda named "Bit" and "Bot", and a Bot became two Bits when Link slashed it, similar to the behavior of ChuChus in newer titles. Modern ChuChus come in Green, Red (the two most common colors), Yellow, Blue and dark Purple. They aggressively attack anything that invades their territory by tackling it, but will hide in puddles on the ground if no one is close. They mostly move by bouncing around, though the Green, Yellow and Blue ChuChus will occasionally melt and turn into small invincible puddles, and proceed to move around in their puddle forms until they can get close to Link, or until Link uses an item such as his Boomerang to stun and coax them out of their puddles. In Twilight Princess, after one is killed, Link can use their puddles as potions or lantern fuel, depending on the type of ChuChu. In Skyward Sword ChuChus come in a variety of colors: Green, red (fire), blue (underwater), and yellow (electricity). ChuChus' sizes also vary a lot, depending on their color. The smallest can be defeated with one sword strike, the medium-sized need to be hit multiple times, and the largest ones can be split into two smaller ones with a vertical slash.
 * Cuccos (コッコ) are essentially chickens. They mostly come in white, although Minish Cap had gold Cuucco and Twilight Princess had black, brown, golden, and grey variants as well. In Ocarina of Time there was a single blue cucco that was used in a trading sequence. Cuccos are not aggressive on their own, but if repeatedly attacked, they will crow, causing a swarm of cuccos to fly in and attack the violator until he or she dies or leaves the area (A behavior commonly known among fans as the "Cucco's Revenge Squad"). Cuccos first appeared in A Link to the Past.  However, in Twilight Princess after a certain number of hits you get to control the cucco for several seconds. In Twilight Princess, there is a golden cucco that you must use to fly across gaps to enter to the Sacred Grove.
 * Darknuts (タートナック) are large armored knights armed with swords and shields. In The Wind Waker when their helmets are removed they are revealed to have jackal-like heads, which may indicate a relation to the Horsehead boss in Adventure of Link. Some Darknuts also have capes, which must be destroyed before they can be hurt. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. They reappear in groups at Hyrule Castle.  They appear also in Twilight Princess for the first time in The Temple of Time, and in several other dungeons thereafter.
 * Deku Babas (デクババ) are carnivorous plants, with a Venus fly trap-like mouth, and sprout from the ground whenever their roots detect any potential prey. They first appeared in Ocarina of Time. They also appear in "Skyward Sword" in two different varieties. One is the regular type, and one has a mouth that changes its opening from horizontal to vertical if it is hit. They only way to slay the creature with a sword is to slash it according to the horizontal or vertical mouth opening.
 * Dodongos (ドドンゴ) are carnivorous dinosaurs that resemble gigantic iguanas, move slowly, and can breathe powerful blasts of flame. Other types of Dodongos include Baby Dodongos, which are infant, worm-like creatures which explode when attacked, and Big Dodongos, which are larger versions of normal Dodongos. A King Dodongo appears as a boss in Ocarina of Time. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
 * Floormasters (フロアマスター) and Wallmasters are ghostly or zombified manifestations of giant hands that drag adventurers back to the entrance of a dungeon. Floormasters roam around the room and are visible at all times, while Wallmasters hide on the ceiling out of sight. Also, Floormasters split up into smaller versions when the original is attacked, whereas Wallmasters do not. Wallmasters first appeared in The Legend of Zelda while Floormasters first appeared in Ocarina of Time. Floormasters appeared in The Wind Waker as a spectral arm and hand that will transport Link to a jail-like holding area if he is caught. They do not split up when attacked.
 * Gibdos (ギブド) are undead creatures wrapped like mummies. They resemble ReDeads in regard to their slow and zombie-like movement; in some games, setting a Gibdo's bandages alight will reveal a Stalfos or a ReDead underneath. In Majora's Mask Link can use a Gibdo Mask to communicate with them. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
 * Iron Knuckles are heavily armored knights with axes. While they are even slower than the Darknuts, they are the most powerful enemies in their games as they can take four hearts from Link with just one hit and because of that they are often used to guard treasures. They first appeared in The Adventure of Link.
 * Keese (キース) are bat-like monsters that often lurk in caves and dungeons, where they will fly around erratically, and occasionally stop to rest. There are fire and ice variants, which can respectively use fire and ice to attack enemies. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
 * Leevers (リーバー) are cactus-like monsters that primarily live in sandy areas, such as deserts and beaches, and they live beneath the sand, burrowing to the top to attack in ambush. Leevers generally have a conical shape that tapers towards the top, and sharp leaves on top. They attack by spinning rapidly and slamming into whatever they are attacking. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
 * Like Likes (ライクライク) are yellowish cylindrical monsters that can suck in creatures as large as humans and consume items they carry. They are known for swallowing the shields and tunics that Link uses. Like Likes dissolve into a puddle when killed, leaving the stolen items. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda, where they swallow the magical shield, but do not return it upon being killed.
 * Moblins (モリブリン) are humanoid monsters that usually reside in forests. In the original Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link, Moblins resembled bulldogs, but are pig-like in more recent games. They are sometimes accompanied by Pig Warriors, monsters with the same basic form but more porcine characteristics. Both types commonly wield spears, swords, bows, or occasionally massive clubs. They are one of the most common enemies within the games they appear, and are considered "mighty", but also "dumb". They are described as greedy, self-possessed creatures, and the major antagonist will commonly use them as mercenaries or summoned monsters. Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons feature a larger, senior Moblin known as the Great Moblin, who terrorizes Holodrum and Labrynna. The Wind Waker introduces two variations: Miniblins, rodent-like beasts that carry pitchforks, and Bokoblins, impish creatures. In Spirit Tracks Miniblins were pirates usually led by a "Big Blin", a larger, muscled variation that wields a spiked club.
 * Lizalfos (リザルフォス) are humanoid lizards that stand upright and wield a shield and either a spear or hammer. Lizalfos in later games are rapid-moving monsters that often attack in pairs or small groups. They first appeared in The Adventure of Link.
 * Octoroks (オクタロック) are land-dwelling, octopus-like enemies that attack by shooting rocks from their mouth. There are also aquatic and sea variations that shoot bombs. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
 * Peahats (ピーハット) are helicopter-like enemies that take the appearances of plants. In Twilight Princess they are not enemies and can be used as a transportation method via the Clawshot. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
 * Poes (ポウ) are lantern-carrying ghosts formed from concentrated hatred toward the world that freely roams graveyards and other haunted locales. They always carry their signature lanterns. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
 * Pols Voice (ポルスボイス) are creatures with large rabbit-like ears that hop around rooms in erratic patterns. They hate loud noises. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
 * ReDeads (リーデッド) are undead creatures resembling zombies with a dark brown skin and flat mask-like faces that can paralyze enemies with a scream, and cling to them to drain health away. They first appeared in Ocarina of Time.
 * Skulltulas (スタルウォール) are giant spiders, named for the white, bony plate in the shape of a human skull that forms its carapace. Skulltulas and giant Skulltulas hang upside down in an upright position, suspended by a strand of silk thread from a ceiling surface. In Ocarina of Time, there is also a smaller variant called the Skullwalltula which are also encountered first before the Skulltulas.
 * Stalchild are smaller forms of the Stalfos. They only appear in dark places and at night. Unlike Stalfos, they do not carry any weapons, usually swiping at their target with their arms. In Ocarina of Time, after a certain number is defeated, a larger one appears, supposedly their leader. They make their debut in Ocarina of Time.
 * Stalfos (スタルフォス) are animated skeletons mostly from the remains of dead warriors who still have a strong will to fight, and serve evil powers such as Ganon or Vaati. In Ocarina of Time, by using the Mask of Truth, the player learns from a Gossip Stone that any adult that enters Lost Woods without the protection of a Guardian Fairy will become a monster (although its only revealed that such monster is a Stalfos during the Biggoron Sword quest, when link trades in the Odd Potion for the Poacher's Saw). They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
 * Tektites (テクタイト) are human-sized four-legged insectoid creatures who use their powerful legs to leap upon and attack prey. The Blue ones are able to walk on water. And both Blue and Red can jump up cliffs. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
 * Vire (バイア) are bat-like creatures that when hit with a weapon weaker than the Master Sword or equivalent, split into two Keese. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
 * Wizzrobes (ウィズローブ) are magic-using enemies that wear wizard's robes (hence their name) and often use fire and ice magic before disappearing and reappearing somewhere else. In The Wind Waker they can also summon other enemies and resemble robed, anthropomorphic toucans. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
 * Wolfos (ウルフォス) are wolf-like creatures that appear in most Zelda games. They are usually found in grassy or snowy terrains, where their fur changes according to each. White Wolfos, usually found in snowy terrains, hit harder than the normal Wolfos, but its back is as fragile as a normal one's. They first appeared in Ocarina of Time.
 * Zols (ゾル) are simple blob-like enemies with two eyes. They often hide between the tiles of dungeon floors, waiting to pop out and jump. Zols are much larger than Gels, and in many games, weaker attacks will cause a Zol to split into two Gels. Both Zols and Gels first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.

Reception
In their January 2010 issue, Nintendo Power listed Hyrule as one of the greatest Nintendo locations, citing the vast number of areas to explore, as well as referencing players' first experiences with the Lost Woods and Death Mountain as highlights of the players' adventures.