The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NOT MOBILE FRIENDLY!) (Last Update: September 6)

So I think my plan is to do Picture #11 first since it won’t take very long at all, then go back to Kakariko and stab a Cucco and die, then travel in that direction while taking time to document and photograph the local wildlife. And maybe if I get stuck for some reason I’ll shoot one of the local wildlife and see where it runs.

This one is simpler.

A bit late on this, but Purah is the best character in the game. Should have read her diary.

Hell, I’ll go ahead and do that in the next update.

Edit: Oops! I accidentally misread that as Paya’s Diary and read that instead. I’ll read Purah’s in a future update!

Why do we keep going east

Anyway, though the main attraction has already been explored, I still do find some new things. I’ll probably do the “chase an animal” thing after I get the next updates (two or three it looks like) up. Hopefully the next random exploration covers somewhere that isn’t in the southeastern area of the map!

Click here to open the update!

Our first vote is to go full Stealth Suit, but dyed purple. First part is easy enough, but for the second part, we have to visit Hateno Village.

And here’s how it’ll look.

Since I never really messed with dying my first game, I forgot/didn’t know that you had to have ingredients of the same color to dye your clothes. Fortunately, Octo Balloons and Fireflies both count, and both are incredibly plentiful.

Had to cut the audio for the following because of some very weird technical glitches that occurred only for this part, which is kind of a shame, but the animation still stands on its own, so…

https://my.mixtape.moe/yqkkbt.mp4

And there we go!

You look great! Do you find this palette-able? If you’d like to do a redye, just let me know!

Back to Kakariko.

I got a request to check out Purah’s Diary, but I got the names mixed up so I checked out Paya’s Diary instead. I’ll check Purah’s in a couple updates! But for now…

[quote]Grandmother says that she conspired with Princess Zelda and Auntie Purah 100 years ago. They decided to put a lone swordsman into a long sleep in order to prepare for an event that was foretold. Since then, Grandmother has been waiting for him to reappear after all these years. I, too, pray that he comes soon. For the sake of Hyrule…and for Grandmother’s sake as well.

After sleeping for ages, Master Link has finally awoken. It seems his memory is completely gone… But that hardly mattered to Grandmother. I believe this is the first time I’ve ever seen her quite so happy. Master Link himself looks so gallant… He is the very picture of the hero I always imagined. His blond sideburns flow like a golden waterfall over his dignified, pointy ears. And the way his hair is so perfectly parted to the side, wow! I don’t know why, but my heart won’t stop beating a mile a minute…[/quote]

No surprises there.

What are you doing?

I was just polishing the guardian deities. These deities are like signposts that guide us through our lives. Master Link, I want you to know that the path you are walking down is one we should all follow. I…I’m afraid doing stuff like this is the only thing I can do to help you…

So we’ve got a lot of fun stuff to do! But first, we’re going to get a hint on that picture we got a clue for last time.

[quote]

A large gate with a snowy mountain beyond it… Oh, I know that place! There is a big mountain east of this village… It’s called Mount Lanayru. At the base of Mount Lanayru, on the west side of Naydra Snowfield, lies that gate. I’m almost certain![/quote]

We’ve already visited Mount Lanayru, so we know where it’s at. But there’s another clue that I picked up on (and not just because I’ve done all the memories in my last playthrough). I know all of you remember every single screenshot of every single update I make, so you’ll already know what I’m talking about.

Past the forest of the Great Fairy Fountain was this gate, one very similar to the one in the Sheikah Slate. This is probably not the same gate, but I’m willing to bet similar gates will be along that road.

And since we’re taking an actual road, Ganonhoof is temporarily back in commission!

It was here I remembered that part of my duties is to perform a wildlife expedition, and since we’re literally riding some prime Hylian wildlife…

This is the majestic Giant Horse. Its massive size makes it a threat to any that cross its path.

OH COME ON

Luckily, Ganonhoof takes no crap from skeletons and starts walloping the boney butts outta them.

My strategy for this battle is to lure the Stalkoblins to Ganonhoof to be stomped to death because it’s funnier that way.

The Stalkoblin is a freaking night nuisance that I wish would go away while I do important things, like photograph horses.

Oh yeah dragons will fly over certain regions at certain times. Naydra is special since we had to eliminate the malice first, but the others are available from the start.

This photo is terrible but it’s the best I can do for now.

I try to chase it, but it’s just too steep. What a shame.

At least this photo turns out better!

Hey, remember when we met a traveler that turned out to be a Yiga Clan member at this very spot? Surely this person whose name is merely “Traveler” won’t be a Yiga spy again…right?

When my eyes finally adjusted, I found myself looking at a shimmering object floating overhead. I couldn’t look away. The next thing I knew, I was bathed in light. When I came to, I woke up in bed covered in sweat.

It’s just a dream, everyone has those.

At first I thought it was just a bad dream. But the bed I woke up in…wasn’t my bed.

And when I touched the device… I was overwhelmed with a feeling of…familiarity. When I came to, I was here…

That’s…awfully specific…

OH MY GOD A YIGA SPY

I try to get fancy with the selfie function.

It goes poorly.

Not as poorly as it goes for the Yiga Clansman, of course.

This isn’t the Vicious Sickle it dropped. This is my Vicious Sickle that I threw away since it’s slightly used. I thought it warranted the warning.

So this time, instead of climbing a mountain to find an area where we have to ride a deer to trigger an underground shrine a bird man is singing about, we have to ride down a road on our giant horse to remember things.

This path has Bokoblins.

The plan of the day is Magnesis.

https://my.mixtape.moe/lxaqxa.mp4

The plan didn’t work so Plan B is Perfect Guard it.

Remember when Blue Bokoblins were a scary threat that could one-shot us?

This area is pretty cool. Definitely an area that probably looked a lot better 100 years ago, but you can still see some story in these ruins.

No thanks.

https://my.mixtape.moe/sxlnjw.mp4

So I decide to fight this guy, then he “kills” me until a fairy saves my butt. They only restore five hearts but are still a very nice panic button.

At least I repay the favor.

Another gate.

If you see a shining yellow spot, that means you’ve found the location of a memory!

Just stand there, recall, and…

https://my.mixtape.moe/mosfuw.mp4

There’s always a cutscene where Link goes between the current and past location, until he remembers the memory of that location.

So, the memories. These are some of my favorite parts of the game. You have to find these locations almost solely on the positions of known landmarks and possibly the clues of Pikango, and your reward is cutscenes of a hundred years ago, which fill in the backstory of just what happened before Calamity Ganon struck. Of course, since you can find them in any order, you very likely will be viewing these out-of-order, but luckily there’s a Memory Viewer in the quest menu that will let you view these in sequential order. Of course, there are slots for eighteen memories there even though we only have photos for twelve…

All memories are voice-acted and thus will also have accompanied videos, though I’ll do screenshots as always.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRj3wFR5Xxg

Music: Link’s Memories - The Return of Calamity Ganon

Since the pictures are ones Princess Zelda took, Zelda figures prominently in all of the landscape memories.

At the base of the gate are a Goron, Rito, Zora, and Gerudo. As you may have guessed, these are the four other Champions responsible for piloting the Divine Beasts.

How’d everything go up there on the mountain?

Pretty poorly, judging from Zelda’s reaction. Of course, we don’t really know what’s going on yet, but keep in mind this is likely the first memory most players (including myself) will see since the Kakariko Quest will lead you here.

I never noticed this until this screenshot, but the four champions have the designs of their Divine Beasts on their blue cloths. You can easily see it in the fabric of Urbosa, the Gerudo Champion. Link’s symbol is…a bit more iconic.

No power at all?

Then let’s move on. You’ve done all you could.

After all, it’s not like your last shot was up there on Mt. Lanayru. Anything could finally spark the power to seal Ganon away. We just have to keep looking for that…thing.

It’s easy to miss your first time, but here Mipha, the Zora Champion, is looking directly at Link. That’s kind of important for several reasons you likely won’t know for quite a long time.

Thank you.

Zelda’s kinda a bit too depressed right now to take any heed of what’s going on around her, though.

I thought you… Well, I’m not sure how to put this into words…

You know, what usually goes through my mind…

NOPE IT’S TIME FOR CALAMITY

This is the cue for Revali, the Rito Champion, to fly up in the air to investigate.

And guess who decided to make an appearance!

It’s here.
This is it, then…
Are you sure?
Positive.
It’s awake…

We’re gonna need everything we got to take that thing down!

Daruk, the Goron Champion, is now taking command to get things moving since the moment of reckoning has finally hit them.

Link will need to meet Ganon head on when we attack! This needs to be a unified assault!

Unless you watch the video or read this sentence, you won’t catch Revali’s very quick disapproval of Link.

You can count on us for support.

We need to get you someplace safe.

I am not a child anymore! I may not be much use on the battlefield…

And that’s the memory.

Congratulations! Only eleven more (plus six more besides that) to discover!

However, we get a special reward when we find our first memory. We’ll discover that shortly.

However…I’m going to turn the Shrine Sensor on so we can start finding shrines in the areas we cross. And also since I know where most of these shrines are but otherwise don’t have a good reason to direct us there.

Hey, there’s a shrine nearby! What a completely surprising turn of events that I obviously had absolutely no knowledge of beforehand!

The Black Bokoblin is a durable and fearsome foe I would be more scared of if he weren’t wielding a 4-power weapon that would only do a quarter-heart damage at most to me.

But I wasn’t aware of that beforehand so I knock away his weapon with my Thunderblade.

So hey, guess what happens when you electrocute a frozen enemy?

It electrocutes everything (besides Link) in a large radius! Unfortunately, that also includes Ganonhoof (though don’t worry, what doesn’t kill you make you stronger). As a bonus, any other frozen enemies nearby won’t be unfrozen with this attack, though the foe you attack will be. You can cheese a lot of group encounters using this delightful method.

I freeze this guy and end up killing it with a Korok Leaf. My plan was to blow it into the water, but I guess I was too close!

In case you’re wondering about the Octo Balloons, it seems like you can’t attach them to frozen enemies. What a missed opportunity!

The lowly Bokoblin, the weakest and most pathetic in the enemy world!

They don’t deserve more words wasted on them.

The Lizalfos, a delightfully weird creature, one I’d enjoy more if they weren’t so common in the places you’d least want to encounter them in.

Seriously, buying an expensive capture card just to make this Let’s Play was probably worth it alone to get colorful and goofy pictures like this.

Our Sheikah Sensor is blaring like crazy in this direction, which has a path going behind the waterfall. Hmmmmmm.

Simply gliding to the other side from our current location was iffy since it was hard to tell whether I had the stamina to climb up, so why not climb up from where we are and glide down?

The treasure behind the waterfall.

The other treasure behind the waterfall.

Three boxes, huh?

This one under the water has an Opal.

I take a picture of it, and now I can play “Follow the Treasure Chests” whenever I want!

The second chest is on this platform that rises and lowers. These two are very simple to find.

The last one is on this platform. What to do…

If you see thin ropes, arrows are your friend. But alternatively, I suspect using Cryosis to get close enough would also work.

This one actually has something besides a cheap gem. Of course, I have to make room for it, so…

Goodbye, sweet club.

Three chests to weigh down the switch.

This unlocks this giant metal block.

You see, the platform rises to the level of the bottom shelf. When it lowers, we can jump onto the metal block, which will let us reach the height of the top shelf.

And on that top shelf is the monk. Another short one, though middle-of-the-road as far as shrines go, maybe leaning a bit on the easy side.

After a quick warp to Kakariko, let’s get our reward.

Here. I will hand this over to you now, before I forget.

This is what Link was wearing in the memory cutscene. This armor has the highest defense in the game, and has the bonus of showing enemy health when worn. This perk also has a bonus of showing where hidden enemies may be since it’ll show their health, very important for Guardians. A very great get, indeed.

This clothing was specially made for you when you became a Champion. Please handle it with care.

We’re still going to rock all Stealth gear, but I figured you might want to see how Link looks in this.

Next time, we get murdered by chickens.

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Click here to open the update!

Let’s go do things!

There must have been a time when lots of people used that gate… The world sure is fickle, isn’t it?

So today, our plan is to get murdered by chickens.

Sure, why not.

https://my.mixtape.moe/auoied.mp4

In classic Zelda tradition, attack a Cucco enough and it summons a swarm of its brethren to kick your butt.

Our defense is too high, so it’s time to strip down so we can die more easily.

Oh yeah I’ve got like three fairies. Oh well, no point in letting the other fairies go to waste. Let’s cook them!

And hey, that opens up another side quest!

It’s super nourishing and fortifying! Well, that’s what they say, anyhow. It must be true!

Koko is all out of swift carrots!

We’ll take care of it.

Thank you! So much! OK, Koko just needs one swift carrot! Just one and Koko can get cookin’! Koko will be waiting for you here!

For this incredibly difficult side quest, we have to obtain a swift carrot. Now, there are lots of ways to approach this, the first of which -

Oh we already bought some nevermind.

Koko is supposed to be like a mother for Cottla… Koko is a bad big sister…

Here you go!

Is that…a swift carrot?! Thank you so much! So very much! Now Koko can make dinner for Cottla… Yeah! Time to get cookin’!


Here, please have some! Koko’s treat!

Koko wants to try cooking different things so Koko can be a great chef, just like Mother!

All’s well that ends well! Koko’s mother must be proud.

Oh right we were gonna cook our fairies.

There we go.

NOW WE CAN DIE

https://my.mixtape.moe/mijgrb.mp4

Link ended up facing to the left of Pikango. So that would lead us…

P-please cover yourself up this instant!

Oh, right. Anyway, that would lead us…

…Welp! I kinda already showed off the big surprise at Mount Lanayru, but I’m sure there’s still things to be found.

We’re skipping the roads this time. The high ridges up here are rather scenic and are surprisingly vast.

The Blue-Winged Heron feeds by clipping its beak through the ground to easily consume underground critters.

Actually this is probably a better picture.

Then I kill it because I’m hungry.

A nice view of the volcano, so why not show it?

Here’s a Pink Heron flying away from me.

And this here is a common Moun-

Oh.

https://my.mixtape.moe/utnkxa.mp4

Oh yeah animals phase away if you chase them long enough.

The moon rises from behind the mountains. Eerie, beautiful stuff.

Alright! Time to try again.

And this here is a com-

OH COME ON

Screw it here’s your freaking Mountain Goat are you happy.

The Sunset Firefly is nice to mash up into an elixir and chug so you can walk more quietly. It also looks pretty pretty.

Oh, now this is a good find. This won’t do, though.

Marginally better.

And oh hey, I need that to show off to the kid in Hateno. How convenient!

…How inconvenient.

Music: Hinox Battle

At least I got my picture, though.

When you actually have gear and clothes to work with, Hinoxes are incredibly easy. Just plink away at their eyes with arrows and then slaughter their feet with your best weapons.

Just always keep moving.

Even when they start shielding their eye, it just means it’s time to get creative!

Simple stuff.

And always some delightful loot.

Keese are annoying little jerks who won’t have the courtesy to leave you alone just because you’re a lone tasty source of whatever the hell they eat.

Let’s assume they eat bombs. It’s all for the best.

Oh hey, it’s where we left Ganonhoof!

Let’s ride!

…Let’s move on.

Let’s go as far as we can!

Welp bye.

Remember how Mount Lanayru was really cold? It’s Flamebrand / Warm Doublet time again.

I opt to hang around the southern edge of the mountains since there’s not really much of a point to go through Mount Lanayru again.

The Chuchu are dumb goofs who just want to hug you, preferably by ramming full-speed into you.

I give them some bombs to cuddle instead.

Yep.

Remember that quest about finding a spot where these three trees align? Now might be a good time to look into that.

The Grassland Fox is a shameful coward that runs away from anything and everything.

I also decided to change its picture for whatever reason. It’s not like I gave a crap how a picture looked in my last playthrough. The downsides of high presentation qualities of Let’s Plays, I guess.

More scenic mountain manuevering.

Eventually we’re passing by Hateno Village.

We get sucked back into the snowy areas with our current path, but we also find a tree. Time for a detour!

And our shrine sensor has started acting up!

This one’s a bit tricky. It’s not too far from the last tree, but it’s a lot further down vertically, so we have to descend a bit.

Eventually I make it to a flat area with things.

The Cold-Footed Wolf is like the regular wolf, in that it pretends to be threatening but doesn’t really do anything unless you literally stand still in front of it.

The Ice-Breath Lizalfos can be a pain to deal with, but can also be incredibly easy in the right circumstances.

https://my.mixtape.moe/mhgxnc.mp4

Mainly because fire attacks will instantly kill ice enemies.

I keep forgetting to photograph weapons. One day. Maybe.

It’s more useful for upgrading specific armors.

Anyway, we end up in an area with a bombable wall with a shrine behind it.

And that’s the treasure of the cedars! Pretty straightforward quest.

Since this is another “finding the shrine IS the shrine test” thing, we’re already done.

Our reward is very much worth it, though. We’ve now got the second item of the Climbing Set.

And another Spirit Orb, of course.

We’re about right at the edge of where we can go. Might as well make it as far as we can!

This is Crynosis’s time to shine!

After I bomb some fish.

The Armored Porgy has a strong outer shell that boosts defense and protects it from attacks. Except for bombs.

The Mighty Porgy is a fierce fish that boosts attack and can stand up against any foe. Except for bombs.

Water Octoroks are righteous pains in the butt due to their incredible pin-point precision and the relative difficulty of killing them with bombs, sometimes forcing you to waste arrows on them instead.

And so we’ve hit the invisible wall. Even in these far reaches you’ll still find fish and Octoroks about, even though you have absolutely no reason to go out this far other than see out far you can go.

Also this Cryosis block tilted up at a slight angle, which is weird. Makes Link look like he’s floating in the air.

Anyway, though we got a shrine and some nice pictures, we didn’t really do too much this run. So next time we’ll fall back to Plan B: Shoot at an animal and follow where it runs.

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So I ended up doing the “Shoot wildlife thing” and ended up with a destination that’s actually new!

The “issue” is I detoured so much that we have a second opportunity ahead of us. But that decision can wait until after the next update or two.

Click here to open the update!

So other than some boots and some choice photos, not much excitement there. Before we go to Plan B, let’s get a few things done back in Hateno.

Isn’t that the traveler’s sword?

Might as well get this quest started by showing the traveler’s sword.

Thanks! Here’s a token of my thanks!

Don’t be so modest! I got it from my grandpa, so think of it as a thank-you from him!

What should I… Hrm… Ummm… GOT IT!

Grandpa said you can’t find those around here. If you get ahold of one, let me see it!

As we learned from our encounter with Wizzrobes, a Fire Wizzrobe will be holding the Fire Rod, so it may be awhile before we come across one.

One thing to note is some clothes can’t be dyed. I believe the only ones we currently have like that though are the Champion’s Tunic and the Switch T-Shirt.

Eh?

Remember that shrine we found last update? About how there’s no real treasure there?

A shrine?

Well…thanks for looking into it. I guess I’m kinda relieved. But I was really hoping there’d be some treasure…

Didn’t really need to catch her up but it’d be kinda rude not to, you know?

I got a request to read Purah’s journal, so…

This one is quite lengthy, but I still found it a good read. Even includes some backstory!

Whew! That was a fun one to type up.

Pictures of various guardians and Divine Beasts.

So our new plan is to shoot a wild animal and follow where it runs. The fairest way to do this is try to be as much above it as possible, even though it doesn’t really work out that way. But whatever.

I opt to go to the Dueling Peaks Tower since it’s pretty central and has wild life to shoot at.

Of course, I have a bit of fun on the way.

And the Boko Bow is actually useful since it probably won’t one-shot as many things as my other bows would.

Also a bit of treasure diving (Amber inside).

Eventually I find a mountain goat, and…

https://my.mixtape.moe/knvdwb.mp4

Hey, a direction that isn’t east! Let’s go!

…OK, let’s reload and then go.

The Restless Cricket is a pain to catch unless you’re very stealthy and they’re very hoppy. Fortunately I am, and they are.

Octoroks can be pain in the butts in forests and plain regions, too! Go figure.

They’ll also run away from you if you swipe at the grass on their heads.

Plenty of shrines in the area, so let’s head over to one.

There it is!

First, an obvious detour.

The Hyrule Bass, the most unremarkable of fish. Seriously, restoring hearts is just boring.

The current is moving fast against us, so we’ll need to Cryosis our way to the island.

This should be simple enough. Just gotta walk to-

Things can’t always be that easy.

Though navigating the flower maze is still pretty trivial, even with a few Chuchus to try and mess you up.

And that’s that!

Very simple one. Rafts move down the river, so it’s kind of a timing puzzle.

Alternatively, use Cryosis to stop the rafts.

Next is three rafts that are relatively staggered. Run and jump across, swim to the last raft and climb up, or work some Cryosis magic as before. Plenty of ways to solve this one.

Just don’t drop the chest on a raft, since they can’t really handle the weight that well (it’s an Opal).

Last one has a chest and some bomb barrels floating around in a circular current.

I guess the object is to shoot the barrel at the right time to blow up the wall. But again, Cryosis trivializes this to the point where you don’t even need the barrels. Hell, the entire drifting mechanic can easily be ignored since you can simply use Cryosis to navigate the entire shrine.

Probably not the most well-thought-out shrine.

But it’s done.

Alright, on to our next-

Oh come on.

https://my.mixtape.moe/ycxfbr.mp4

…OH CRAP. A shooting star!

When you see one, run to it as fast as you can.

Free fairy!

Bah…I really want to follow the star, but they need my help!

Oh yeah don’t attack electric enemies with melee weapons, probably a bad idea.

Goodbye, free fairy.

Also goodbye, Bokoblin.

Not bad as far as rewards go.

I suppose no place in Hyrule is safe anymore. Not even the settlements. All the more reason for me to redouble my training in order to help my beloved Sorelia!

If we talk to him again…

We’ve traveled for months in search of a flower called the silent princess. Legend has it that if you swear your love before its freshly plucked blossom, you and your partner will live a charmed life. Alas, all our searching so far has been for naught.

I knew the risks of roaming the countryside with monsters about when I insisted on accompanying Tye. But I firmly believe that my husband and I can withstand any kind of hardship, so long as we are together.

I have quite a few Silent Princesses, maybe you guys should just take one of mine before you get blasted by a Guardian or something.

No time for that now, though!

Blupee!

Closing in!

Got it! The Star Fragment is very hard to get, and a ridiculous number of armors require them for upgrades, especially the Amiibo outfits (oh yeah certain Link Amiibos have a chance to give you outfits based on previous 3D Zelda games, we probably won’t see them though since I don’t want to buy a ton of them to show off outfits I’ll never wear anyway).

Next I see a hill and scale it to get my bearings, and photograph a Rare Ore Deposit along the way. Using the Sheikah Sensor on those will be huge in case I ever need to grind money.

I also see another shrine, so…

This one is covered in thorny vines. We should’ve burned all this first before reaching the shrine.

Oh well!

So this is a rather weird one.

https://my.mixtape.moe/vmandg.mp4

Pushing the stone wheel forces the laser to rotate.

Once the laser hits the switch, water fills the room, letting us reach the other side.

There’s a barrel here, but it’s wooden, so it floats when the water is high.

Otherwise, it’ll open the switch to the monk. Shrine complete, right?

Not if we want that chest. So we’ll have to get into this room (which requires the water level to be down), then raise the water remotely so we can use Cryosis to reach the chest.

Oh, and at the side of the room where we start is this chest with an opal.

So the solution I found is to lay a bomb next to the switch. You can reach it by raising the water level and using Cryosis.

I don’t even bother with the laser. I shoot the switch with a bow to lower the water level. You can skip using the laser completely, though it may require a long-range bow to reach the switch from your starting location. You also have to be quick doing this, since the water will start lowering and shatter the Cryosis block you’re on. And you can’t really see the switch from the flooring of the monk side of the shrine.

Then we bomb it and there we go! What’s the reward for all this madness?

A Giant Boomerang! I’ll take it.

And we’re also up to four Spirit Orbs, which means time to vote on our next upgrade!

And after all that, this is where we ended up. Quite a bit off-course from our original path, which honestly is fine with me since our path was going to take us through Hyrule Castle and, uh, that’s still probably out of our league for now.

Anyway, burning all those thorns creates a convenient updraft to take us to…hey is that smoke?

Oh, what have we here?

I apologize for calling on you so suddenly!

As you are a real Hylian, I had no choice but to call upon you!

Ah, the Zora. They’re one of the most prevalent races in the series, starting off as a water enemy in the first few games before Ocarina of Time made them a full-fledged race. In Wind Waker they eventually evolved into the Rito, which makes having both races in Breath of the Wild all the more confusing. Just don’t think too hard about it.

Eh, Zelda’s been fighting Calamity Ganon for a hundred years now, what’s a few more days? Let’s hear it!

Thank you so very much!

I need you to go upstream of Zora River, which runs along the north side of that tower…to Inogo Bridge.

I can see it in your eyes. You’re asking yourself, “Why me?” A reasonable question for a stranger accosted by a passing Zora in such a manner. But I must assure you, this venture will be very profitable for you as well!

And as this is a royal request from the prince himself, it’s safe to assume a generous reward is in the cards…

Well…this is an interesting development. Should we visit Prince Sidon, or should we continue on our path to the north?

In the meantime, let’s check the area out.

Alright.

So this is a Bokoblin camp.

I opt for slaughter and photography, in no particular order.

So stealthy, they don’t suspect a thing…

https://my.mixtape.moe/rescih.mp4

I love this game.

Then I use the fire to alight an arrow to burn more Bokoblins.

My fiery plan backfires on me when I get set on fire.

https://my.mixtape.moe/plwxny.mp4

Meanwhile, this is probably my favorite kill yet.

All that for another Halberd. That’s fine.

So… I don’t want to choose what to do yet since, well, that’s you guys’ job. I end up deciding to scale this tower for the time being so we can get better bearings on where we are, and after that we can make our next decision.

This area’s got a few Lizalfos walking around, but nothing too bad. Interesting design, at any rate.

Plenty of pretty shells, too.

I rush past some enemies (and I ignore the shrine for now since the tower is my main goal, plus it’d be easier to reach said shrine from the tower considering how important height can be).

Enemies on precarious platforms, huh?

https://my.mixtape.moe/urrtvi.mp4

Moblins and Bokoblins aren’t great swimmers, apparently.

Plenty of loot. The Bokoblins had Fire and Ice arrows.

The chest is…less exciting.

Well, the contents of the chest is not that exciting. The chest itself, however…

https://my.mixtape.moe/usrefc.mp4

Yeah.

Long story short, I get my butt kicked again.

It’s OK though because I return the favor. There’s only five arrows in the wooden chest, by the way.

Sorry, the hole is just a boring old hole. Nothing special.

Though it did lead to me finding a stash of Bokoblin food.

Further up is this enemy encampment.

It includes a couple of black Bokoblins, so it’s good to be cautious.

Further on up…

This time we meet the Ice Wizzrobe. It’s similar to the Lightning one, except, you know.

That and fire instantly kills it.

I’m kinda full on items so I pass for now, but freezing stuff is handy.

Eventually I reach Lanayru Tower. Thankfully the tower itself is an uneventful climb with no gimmicks beyond reaching here in the first place.

Though for once, we’re not alone.

ahem Excuse me! Yes, you! I am Gruve of the Zora!

I climbed up here. But how did you get here?

Hm… How very astute of you! An excellent query indeed! I, by order of Prince Sidon of Zora’s Domain, am searching for a Hylian. Or I was…but then I fell asleep. I awoke to a loud noise and awful quaking, and now here I am. I’d like to get down and be on my way, but I’m simply too high up! I need to figure something out. Prince Sidon is down at the bridge below, but for some reason I cannot seem to catch his attention! But you! You are a Hylian, yes?! Well then! My luck is improving!

Hmm… Prince Sidon doesn’t seem to notice my struggle… Perhaps I should swallow my fear and jump to the river below. Then I could return to him! He must be worried sick.

I’ll likely meet the gods of the ever after before I ever see Prince Sidon again… Mr. Hylian, I must apologize…

Well, then. Before we make our decision, we’ve got one thing to do.

There we go.

So we’ve got ourselves a choice here. We can either continue traveling north, which by my estimates would take us to the left of the volcano to who-knows-where, or we could meet with Prince Sidon and see where that thread leads.

Cast your vote on what we should do! And while we’re at it also vote for our next Spirit Orb upgrade.

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Gonna let the Spirit Orb poll run for a bit longer since it’s kinda close and I doubt I’ll cash them in during my next playthrough.

Think I’m ready to call this one, though. Prince Sidon it is!

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Click here to open the update!

Lots of scenic views from this tower!

But this shrine is close by and right near where we need to be. Plus, another Zora!

Sure am!

Perfect! It must be my lucky day! Oh… ahem I apologize for calling out to you so suddenly. I am Torfeau of the Zora. I have been searching for a Hylian like you for a very long time! My home, Zora’s Domain, is in terrible danger. That is why Prince Sidon sent me in search of a strong Hylian warrior.

Would you please talk to the prince and perhaps save us all? We would be ever so grateful!

We will…after things!

Like messing up this squirrel photo.

And taking a picture of this really nice radish.

This shrine’s another Minor Test Battle.

The Thunderblade makes it a joke.

Photos of our drops.

I have two Thunderblades and this one’s took some hits so away it goes! It actually shoots out lightning when thrown, which is pretty sweet.

The reward’s a pretty nice bow, stronger than our current arsenal. Works for me!

And that’s that for that!

Alright. Now let’s talk to this Prince Sidon we’ve heard so much about.

https://youtu.be/gpCfPfqUI04

Young one! Up top! Above you!

So this is Prince Sidon.

So…you may have heard about this guy. Seems to be really popular for whatever reason. I mean, I kinda see the appeal, but he doesn’t really do it for me.

He’s still a cool dude, though.

Music: Prince Sidon’s Theme

Oh, pardon me…

https://my.mixtape.moe/keiivh.mp4

And what is your name? Go on, please tell me!

Your name is Link?! What a fantastic name!

Well, in any case, it is a strong name! To be honest, I’ve been watching you. I’ve seen the way you work. I can tell by how you carry yourself that you are no ordinary person.

I mean, there’s no point in modest here, we’re pretty good.

I am a Zora prince, after all. I have an eye for talent that is unparalleled!

I have been searching for someone like you for a long while. A man like you, Link, who carries himself with power!

Please, promise you will help us! We need your strength, warrior!

So it looks like Prince Sidon is our lead to the Divine Beast Vah Ruta. Of course we’ll go!

Thank you, Link! You are indeed the man I thought you were! Now Zora’s Domain will be saved for certain! No time to waste! Hurry up and head over!

As a Hylian, I know you are unable to swim up the river. As such, the path to the domain may be a bit treacherous. You likely have a tough fight in store - there are monsters up ahead that attack with electricity.

Oh! That’s right! I have something that I would like to give to you! This is just a small trinket to show that I have faith in you.

It is a drink that will increase your resistance to electricity! I am not sure why, but its effects do not seem to work for Zora. Perhaps because it was made specifically for Hylians. It should work wonders for you, though!

https://my.mixtape.moe/ytsuab.mp4

So that was Prince Sidon. Really friendly and passionate guy. OK, maybe I do see why he’s such a heartthrob.

This part can be pretty challenging. The path is long and loaded with enemies, including lots of electric attacks. And since it’s always raining here, the electric attacks are extra-potent, hitting a large radius upon impact. And you can’t easily avoid the road by climbing either since the rain makes climbing difficult unless you have a ton of stamina to expend. Though you could cheese it simply by approaching Zora’s Domain from the north, since its northern border is surrounded by lots of tall mountains. You’ll even get special dialogue from “sequence breaking” like that.

For this run, though, we’ll be doing things the way you’re “supposed” to.

The first branch of the path is nothing special. Water Octoroks and Lizalfos, nothing too exciting.

Mainly an excuse to get some pictures in.

I just took this screenshot because I liked the way it looked.

An encampment with some basic weapons to photograph.

Next is a small stream with a couple Octoroks.

All this stuff randomly floated here. Alright, then.

When we start ascending again…

Since I pressured you into coming, I was not sure you would really come through. I am pleased things are going well. Ever since this strange occurrence, there have been a lot of monsters around here. Be careful as you proceed!

Sidon popping in along the path to give us encouragement may be a recurring thing for this section.

So we ascend.

There’s a few areas short enough to scale. We can do this to bypass this tunnel.

Plus free stuff up here.

At the end of the tunnel…

Lizalfos archers. Nothing new here, except…

Yeah. They all use Shock Arrows. And there’s quite a few, like five or six.

This section stuck out for me the first time I played it. I found the Zora, which led me to Sidon and this quest, and here I am, night in-game, facing off against a volley of Shock Arrows. I ran for my dear life pretty much from here to Zora’s Domain.

I won’t be doing that here. Slaughter is more interesting that cowardice.

It certainly is not easy, though. Even with the potion, these arrows can two-shot me, three if I’m lucky.

Many of the Lizalfos on this path drop five-arrow packs, sometimes even two of them. By the end I’ve got enough to be set for awhile.

Of course, I struggle with the “surviving” part of things. Shock Arrows have a large radius of impact in this rain, and sometimes you’ll get disarmed as well.

There is a chest with a free bow inside, at least.

Fun fact: Put a metal crate in front of an enemy shooting shock arrows at you. Guess what happens when they hit the crate six inches in front of them instead!

Unfortunately I get a bit too fancy and fail to dodge an arrow.

I…kinda die a few times here. And more than a few times later on.

Eventually I clear them all out and clean things up.

Moving on!

I shall be along soon myself. I won’t be much longer! In the meantime, I’ll be cheering you on from here in the river, so hang in there!

That’s our prince!

I stumble upon some Electric Keese sleeping in a cavern.

https://my.mixtape.moe/vmkacz.mp4

I’m saddened one survived (though not for long, of course).

Up ahead I see three Lizalfos dancing around a fire (with some seared steak roasting over it). This game actually detects overhangs properly as far as shelter from rain goes. You can climb under them and light fires just fine.

Anyway I climb up over them and slo-mo them with arrows until they’re pincushions.

Making progress!

You’re almost halfway to Zora’s Domain!

It’s nice to be believed in.

Further on is another Lizalfos. No biggie.

However, there’s also a lit cooking pot here.

I’ve kinda burned through most of my food and elixirs, so now’s a good time to restock. A couple speed elixirs, offense/defense foods, heat/cold resistance, and general health recovery. Never hurts to be prepared!

At certain points, rocks will fall down, Death Mountain-style.

https://my.mixtape.moe/ueslbv.mp4

Including this one, though I’m able to squeeze by.

Looks like another enemy encampment.

A lone Lizalfos here, simple enough.

Nice opportunity to photograph some weapons.

There’s a Blue Lizalfos in this batch, plus a couple more in the background with Shock Arrows.

I was not aware about the Shock Arrows.

We can also try to sneak through above.

https://my.mixtape.moe/oiymxr.mp4

This kinda deters me from trying any further, though.

Let’s actually use an Elixir!

Now to get the perfect pic-

Oh.

There we go!

And that takes care of the archers, too!

If you approach the mountain top from the bottom path and around, you’ll spot this pond full of frogs. I can’t wait to mash them and drink them!

There’s only two Lizalfos here and no exploding barrels around me, so it’s not so bad.

Free money and a decent array of gear.

This is a big bridge, alright.

And to our left, I gotta assume is Zora’s Domain.

Look below! Down here!

You will be in Zora’s Domain before you know it! In fact, I’m going to head that way too! I shall meet you there!

Beware, warrior! A monster approaches from behind you!

Sidon’s even got our back!

Too bad I try to get fancy and fail.

Much better.

I backtrack because I forgot to check something out.

Not that, though that is nice.

There’s a few of these scattered around the area.

A lot of nice background details. I’ll read what I find.

Right, onward!

The path goes on to the left, but the doe went down a rather interesting right path…

That’s…quite the big reservoir. And at the end of this path…

The events of the Great Calamity still linger on.

Further up is this jerk.

I knock him off the cliff, though he can float so he comes back shortly.

Gives me time to mess around a bit first, though.

That sounds pretty awesome. I doubt we’ll ever be strong enough to lift up a Guardian, unless we find a giant metal plate for it to walk over first.

Right, this guy. He doesn’t live long.

Anyway, if we scale further up…

It’s been awhile!

Well, that’s odd.

We’re almost finished, though!

All that’s left are a couple of boring old Moblins.

There’s the big bridge where we got ambushed by a Blue Moblin earlier. If it weren’t raining, we probably could’ve skipped that whole part just now by sidling to the left.

We’re pretty much there. However, to the right is another inscription.

I saw the words “Zora Helm”, that’s good enough for me!

There’s actually a couple four-letter lakes nearby, but Toto Lake in particular shows what could be ruins, so I’m willing to bet we may find that Zora Helm there. But that’s low priority for now.

Same with the inscription down to the left. I doubt it’ll be that easy to come back up to Zora’s Domain right now, and hell if I backtrack all the way through that madness again.

And so here we are. It was a long journey, but we finally made it!

Next time, Zora’s Domain.

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Next update probably won’t be until Sunday. My plate is pretty full between ARMS and the Four Job Fiesta.

Just caught up! You should have shown what happens with Magda if you keep stepping on the flowers… It’s quite something.

Also I love the Zoras in this game. Once you go further in their questline I want to point out a naming scheme for certain characters that’s not particularly obvious but is really good.

How is it possible for fish to be this attractive?

Click here to open the update!

Music: Zora’s Domain (Day)

Welcome to Zora’s Domain! The music will probably be familiar to OoT fans.

The place itself looks pretty big, though it’s manageable to navigate. There’s large circular staircases and walkways, but the majority of the residents will be in the middle area. We’ll chat most of them up next update since we’ve got some plot to go through.

Welcome! Behold the pride of my people, Zora’s Domain! Now I shall introduce you to the king. Hurry, this way!

Now we need to meet the king.

But we can chat up some of the local Zoras on our way. Not that big a hassle.

Is it truly you? The Hylian Champion?! It’s me! Rivan!

Zora in BotW live long lives, and apparently Link spent a lot of time in this area, so many of the Zora here actually recognize and know Link from a hundred years ago.

It’s just a shame then that Link doesn’t remember them.

Well, it has been 100 years since then. And now I’m over 130 years old… I must say, you’ve aged well for a Hylian. Unbelievably well!

Oh, right… Sorry. The leader of the pack, Bazz… The heroine, Gaddison… And my father, Trello… They have all aged quite a bit, I’m afraid. But they are all doing well.

Oops! Sorry for keeping you too long. You have business in the throne room, right? Please proceed there at your earliest convenience.

Before we do, I’m quite curious about this familiar-looking statue.

Indeed we are!

Oh, where are my manners? I am Laflat. I am the chief secretary for the royal family.

Considering we have a memory involving her from the past, we are indeed interested.

If you do not mind…please allow me to explain.

She was as kind as she was beautiful… They say her ability to heal wounded soldiers was beyond compare. These soldiers she healed…they are old and decrepit now. But they remember. For this reason, the elders of the domain all love Lady Mipha dearly.

Say, that sounds like a wonderful idea!

Hey old geezer! Tell me what you know!

You must not know a lot, huh?

Lady Mipha! Watch this!

Uh… Need any help there?

You… You’re Link! Finally, I can avenge Lady Mipha!

Huh? I’m a bit confused here.

You were unable to protect Lady Mipha from Calamity Ganon!

The elders in Zora’s Domain were very fond of Mipha, and they blame her losing her life in the Great Calamity a lot on Link.

We can’t change the past, but we can make things right right now.

Hmph! There is no way we would ask for your help now, after all this time and after all that has happened!

I will drown Ruta in shock arrows myself! And in doing so, Lady Mipha’s regrets shall be alleviated. If you understand anything of courage, then get out of my way at once!

OK, have fun shocking yourself on that arrow, old man.

Zora’s Domain is currently searching for a Hylian like you.

We’ve achieved our objective. Now let’s hear out the king’s plea and see what we can do to help the Zoras out.

Prince Sidon and another Zora stand to the side of what must be the king…

You did well to come all the way here!

Now that I have gotten a good look at you, it is all too clear who you are…

Do not tell me you have forgotten me…

So that’s where I have heard your name before! What a fateful coincidence that we should cross paths!
I cannot believe it. The Hylian Champion, Link, has appeared before us… We have met numerous times, I’ll have you know. Ah… So many memories! My mind is overflowing with nostalgia, my friend.

It’s kind of a long story…

Sadly, no.

I cannot believe it… Have you truly forgotten my dear Mipha as well?

Young hero… Please look upon the beauty of Zora’s Domain.

Well, perhaps your memory will return in time. I dearly hope so.

Oh? Yes, of course. But first, it is worth noting how remarkable it is that Sidon brought a Champion here without realizing it! That is quite a feat, my boy!

Link, I doubt not that you have endured a great many trials. Still, I must ask you to hear my plea.

I shall do you the courtesy of speaking bluntly. We alone cannot stop this beast. Will you lend us your strength?
What?!

To ask a Hylian for help… Why, the very thought of it curls my fins!
Muzu, I expected more of you. How can you still protest?
Muzu! It is rude to speak that way to your king and his guest. Link is here because I invited him! With such unprecedented rainfall, we have no choice but to rely on the aid of a trustworthy Hylian. Have we not already discussed this and arrived at that very conclusion? He is the key to saving Zora’s Domain. I have no doubt in my mind.
Indeed! Link is a Champion, through and through. As things now stand, Zora’s Domain…

This is bigger than all of us, my friend. Zora and Hylians alike must put aside our differences and band together.
Have you forgotten already, my king?! We cannot trust these lowly Hylians! A hundred years ago, they abused the power of an ancient civilization and turned Hyrule into what it is today! And that is not the least of it!

Link…

Of late it has been mercilessly spouting water into the air. As a result, this area has been plagued by heavy rains. For us Zora, water and air are as one, so you would not think this would be quite so critical of a problem. Sadly, the rains have filled the eastern reservoir nearly to the point of flooding. If the reservoir bursts, as it soon will, I fear immense damage will befall not only Zora’s Domain…but also the area downstream from us. There, Hylian lives are in very grave danger.

So basically, only Link can stop Vah Ruta from continuing the rains that will soon surge water that will flood Hylian regions and put Zora’s Domain at risk.

https://my.mixtape.moe/qvihvz.mp4

Speaking of Vah Ruta, well, there’s our first real glimpse of it. These Divine Beasts certainly live up to their names.

Music: Zora’s Domain (Night)

Your princess, Zelda, often studied the Divine Beasts. That is, in the time before the Great Calamity. According to her research, the orbs located on Ruta’s shoulders…are mechanisms that can control the water it generates. However, they require electricity to work. These orbs are clearly out of control now because there is no electricity coursing through to stop them.
Seggin, who is quite shock resistant for a Zora, hit one with a shock arrow. Sure enough, it slowed the water a bit. Unfortunately, as an aquatic race, we Zora are terribly vulnerable to the power of electricity. Perhaps because we could not safely strike it with enough electricity at once, the water soon returned to its full force.

Link, I am certain you have already figured this out, but… We need you to use shock arrows to get those orbs working properly again!

So, about that

Princess Zelda herself instructed you to board the Divine Beast and appease it from within?

Just hanging out in Hyrule Castle, seems to be doing fine for the most part.

The events of 100 years ago cannot be altered, it is true. But if we can regain control of the Divine Beasts…they may yet prove useful in sealing Calamity Ganon once and for all!
I did not know you had such grand ambitions, Link…

It sounds like we’ve got a game plan. Get some shock arrows, use them on Vah Ruta to stop its water, and then climb inside to regain control to use it against Calamity Ganon. Let’s do this!

Thank you, Link. Truly. We are in your debt. Our goal is the same. That means our meeting was nothing short of destiny.

This is no mere trinket. The Zora Armor is special, allowing the wearer to climb waterfalls. Needless to say, this will be very handy in certain instances.

Please, take good care of it.

Surely you do not really intend to give this outsider the Zora armor! Countless generations of Zora princesses have gifted that armor to the one they have sworn to marry!

He may be a Champion, but Mipha had no such relationship with him. So why should HE receive such an honor?

You must understand… He was in charge of educating my dear daughter, Mipha. Naturally, she means a lot to him…just as she means the world to us. Ever since we lost her to the Calamity, he has grown to despise Hylians. I hope you can forgive his rudeness.

I tasked Muzu with finding the shock arrows we will need to appease Vah Ruta. But now he has rushed off in a huff…

Link… Muzu is most likely at the square down below. Would you mind going down there? I would like you to try to speak with him.

Not sure what we could say to convince him, but considering he’s our best lead in finding shock arrows, it’s worth a try!

On the way down, another friendly elder.

Huh?! A Hylian!

Of all the Hylians Prince Sidon could have brought back… What are the odds it would turn out to be Link?

Hold on a sec!

I, Trello, shall punish you on behalf of our beloved Lady Mipha!

What about Ruta?

You! You were alive 100 years ago, so you should know all about Ruta! Surely you cannot have forgotten… Lady Mipha, our Zora Champion…in order to help defeat Calamity Ganon, she piloted the Divine Beast Vah Ruta. But I do not understand… Why is the Divine Beast sending a plague of rain to use and making the domain suffer?!

Whatever helps you cope.

Well, let’s see if there’s anything we can say to make this situation better.

Listen well, Muzu. There is something you need to know.

I was only a child then, so I did not know it myself at the time. But it is so. I grew up hearing my father tell stories, some of which were about my sister’s undying love for a Hylian named Link.
What?! No… You cannot fool me with such a fanciful lie. Not this Zora!

The facts are clear. He remembers nothing. Even when he looks upon Princess Mipha’s statue…

Meanwhile, Link ends up a bit distracted. Perhaps…

https://my.mixtape.moe/ehdznz.mp4

…this may be the trigger to another memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIYZizAyAVg

Music: Mipha’s Touch

In case you were wanting a sense of scale for these Divine Beasts, well, here you go.

As you may have deduced, of the six mystery memories, four are associated with the various Champions of the Divine Beasts. This one, of course, involves the Champion Mipha.

…this reminds me of the time we first met.

…always getting yourself hurt at every turn. Every time, I would heal you.

I thought it was funny how, being a Hylian, you looked grown-up so much faster than I did. I was…

We just don’t seem to know much about what we’ll be up against.

…if you - if anyone ever tries to do you harm… Then I will heal you. No matter when, or how bad the wound… I hope you know…that I will always protect you.

…maybe things can go back to how they used to be when we were young. You know…

So, yeah. I mean, Mipha’s far from the first Zora to fall for a studly Hylian named Link.

A closer look at Mipha’s statue may have jogged our memories a bit…

Do not mistake me for a fool, Hylian! There is no way you remembered her just now, when it is most convenient. In any case, without any solid proof, I cannot possibly take you at your word! If you have any such proof, now is the time to show it.

So, do we have any proof that Mipha had a romantic interest in Link?

Remember the gift King Dorephan gave us? Zora Armor, which is essentially a proposal armor given by Zora Princesses to those they wish to marry? The armor that was made by Mipha herself?

Wouldn’t you know it, it fits Link pretty well!

Eh!? What in the… That is the Zora armor from before! Lady Mipha made that by hand…and yet it fits you perfectly! What is the meaning of this?!
Now you understand, do you not? Now you know who her heart belonged to and who she made this special armor for. The fact that this armor fits Link perfectly should be proof enough that Mipha made it for him and him alone!

Now that you know, you must promise to help him save us all, Muzu. Please… Tell us where we can find the shock arrows we need. Knowing you, I bet you have already figured it out.
Hmph. I never would have imagined she would make that special armor for one such as he…

I do not approve of asking for help from a Hylian, but I suppose it is our only option at this point. I am a proud Zora. That means I must take responsibility for my unwarranted behavior toward you. As promised, I shall tell you where you can collect as many shock arrows as you will need.

A terrifying creature has made its home up there. This awful beast shoots volley after volley of shock arrows. Even a single one could be fatal to a Zora.
Aha!

That beast does indeed wield shock arrows. That is certainly one way to collect them quickly. He is vicious, to be sure. But I am certain Link will rise to the challenge.
In order to appease the Divine Beast, I estimate that you will need…hmm…at least 20 shock arrows. Do you think you can gather that many?
Why do you still doubt him, Muzu? I have no doubt he will be triumphant!

That Zora armor should come in handy. Just swim to the waterfall basin, and then go up the waterfall from there!

Let’s do this!

So we’ve got our plan.

Next time, we blow off our plan to see what stupid menial tasks the townspeople want us to do instead. Also maybe we’ll look into getting that helmet to match our armor.

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Also want to plug ThornBrain’s Let’s Play of this game, which just started up here. Check it out!

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Completely forgot until just now when I started recording gameplay, but Spirit Orb results.

Click here to open the update!

So last time, we got some backstory on Link’s history here and also a plan to take on the Divine Beast Vah Ruta.

I’ll be honest, not much of note will happen this update, as the majority will be wandering Zora’s Domain and talking to the various residents. So if that doesn’t interest you, you’ll probably want to check out after we do this shrine.

This one is very easy to find, right in the middle of the domain, under the throne room.

Music: Shrine Theme

This one is kinda weird.

A ton of balls rolling downhill and constantly respawning.

At the top, this weird-looking ball. At the bottom-right of this area, a hole for it to go into. The trick is to find a way to guide the ball to that hole.

Also a chest here.

https://my.mixtape.moe/mdxbri.mp4

There’s not really one particular way to approach this from what I’ve seen, though the best way to get the ball off is to push it off with Cryonis. I may not have realized that the first time I did this shrine.

That’ll get the ball here, where another Cryonis block will push it along a path that will inevitably lead it to fall off. The idea is to lead it from the left side of the incline all the way to the right, where you can lead it to the hole to open the gate leading to the monk.

https://my.mixtape.moe/qrfrnk.mp4

For this one, though, I opted to Stasis it at the end of the incline to push it into the hole. Luckily it worked first try.

This took me awhile my first time playing, but luckily it went a lot smoother this time.

Music: Zora’s Domain (Day)

A lot of neat stuff surrounding the shrine.

More speed-boosting items.

More deadly weaponry.

And crabs.

We’ll start on the right side, where the shop is.

This is where you’ll find our general store, the Coral Reef. Our workshop, the Hammerhead, is also here.

Marot Mart:

Yep! The general store and the workshop… They’re the best shops EVER! And together they’re caaaaalled…

That’s my theme song! Isn’t it cute?!

The general store:

Our general store has been in business for over 100 years. It has a long and honorable history. The shopkeep, Cleff, is really serious. But his younger sister, Tona, is head over fins for Prince Sidon! Kee hee!

The workshop:

The old man in the workshop, his name is Dento… He’s my grandpa!

There’s two sections to this area. The front end is the general store.

We also carry arrows for travelers. If you see something you like, just go grab it from the table.

What is this place?

This is our general store, the Coral Reef. If you are in the market for fresh fish, you have come to the right place! I have already told you that we carry arrows, but you should know the only ones we can’t sell are shock arrows. We Zora are a water-dwelling people, so we’re weak to electricity…

How’s business?

Not bad! Or…I’d like to say that, but it actually hasn’t been that great lately. Our goods are mostly for travelers…but we haven’t been getting too many of those around here lately. sigh At this rate, we may have to close our doors like the armor shop did…

There’s a bit of variety here, including some fish, swift violets, and ice arrows. Nothing I particularly want to buy at this time, though.

Also of note is the lack of armor shop. Zora’s Domain and Lurelin Village are the only non-Stables civilized areas that don’t sell armor. For the other Zora armor, we’ll have to look elsewhere (though rest assured I’ll have both by the end of the next update).

What is this place?

The weapons workshop…

What are you doing?

Trident maintenance…

A trident?

The Lightscale Trident and the ceremonial trident

There is no point in coming here if you do not possess the Lightscale Trident. Leave. Now.

Friendly guy!

Now for our first encounter with a Goron.

You’re a Hylian, aren’t you? It’s rare to see your kind around here. As for me, I was roamin’ nearby during my travels when Prince Sidon recruited me and brought me here. That’s cuz I can touch shock arrows. But I also weigh…well, a lot.

That was kinda rude of him, wasn’t it?

Poor Reagah.

On the left side of the domain is the inn, complete with cooking pot.

Wait…Linny?

Yes, I’m sure of it! You’re Linny! Wow, it’s been such a long time! Wait, but…I thought you and Mipha…fell to Calamity Ganon. And if you’ve been alive all this time, where have you been? What have you been doing? Please, tell me!

Has it really been 100 years? In a way, it feels like yesterday… We’ve both been through a lot, I’m sure. If you don’t mind, I’d love to catch up sometime soon.

Almost every adult Zora here knows Link, it seems like. He must’ve lived pretty close to Zora’s Domain to know everyone this well.

And if conversations with fish people aren’t holding your interest, maybe this photograph of a torch will!

Not to brag, but I think it’s an incredibly adequate photograph of a torch.

I need to go to the Bank of Wishes to send a letter…but Mother won’t let me go because of that water monster. She treats me like I’m still a child. It’s sooo condescending. It’s really terrible to be at that awkward Zora age where I’m a young woman but I haven’t had my growth spurt yet. Just my luck to be a late bloomer. I’ll probably NEVER grow taller. Ugh, it’s awful to be me sometimes.

Uh, thanks for all of that.

Letter:

Bank of Wishes:

The Bank of Wishes is halfway down Zora River. If you send a letter down the river from the Bank of Wishes and get a reply…that person will be yours forever! That’s how the legend goes, anyway.

Who are you:

I’m Finley. All the other girls are head over flippers for Prince Sidon… But not me. I believe everyone has their own special prince out there, just waiting for them!

Finally, the innkeeper.

Wait… It can’t be… Y-you’re Master Link! From 100 years ago! ahem Sorry. Back to work I go.

Water bed?

You wish to know about our water bed? Well, as the name implies…it is a bed filled with water. It conforms to the shape of your body, so it’s like being wrapped up in a cocoon as you sleep. Very calming. Oh, and its incredible cooling effect promises a level of sleeping comfort you simply can’t find elsewhere.

Pass. Too many rupees for something food can do much more easily (and cheaply).

We’re done on the lower levels for now. Let’s go outward and then make our way up.

I don’t think it’s possible, but I’d better ask just to be sure…

…Zora?

You got me.

I knew it! The only people who know that password are members of the Big Bad Bazz Brigade!

Just taking a nap, no biggie.

As though you could sleep for that long. Hmph.

King Dorephan:

He is the father of Princess Mipha and Prince Sidon. Princess Mipha fell to Calamity Ganon…100 years ago. It has certainly been difficult ever since.

This option unlocks asking about Mipha.

Master Link… Do not tell me you have forgotten Lady Mipha… Lady Mipha was admired by everyone in the domain. She was the beloved princess of the Zora. But then… Do you really not remember? Lady Mipha was… Actually, I think it would be best if you heard this from King Dorephan.

So who are you?

Me? I am Bazz. A hundred years ago, you frequently trained me in the art of the blade. Remember? Thanks to that, I made great progress with my sword training, and now I am captain of the Zora’s Domain guard!

All the elders despise Link since they blame the death of Mipha on Link’s failure to stop Calamity Ganon, but the middle-aged Zora remember Link fondly from hanging out with them all the time.

It’s certainly weird exploring a place where everyone knows who you are when you don’t remember any of them.

There’s a floor between the base where the Mipha statue and the commercial areas are and the throne room above, where King Dorephan hangs out. There’s a few small swimming pools in the area, and of course more Zora hanging out here. This one in particular has a nice quest for us worth doing.

How did you guess?

Prince Sidon ran off through the eastern gate. He was shouting something like…

Sure are.

If so, I have a request that is…somewhat related.

I REALLY need a picture of a Lynel. It can be a picture of any red-maned Lynel. Not just the one on the mountain.

We’re gonna come across it anyway, so what’s the harm?

I am glad that was settled so quickly. See, there’s this fool in the domain who goads people into jumping off of Shatterback Point on Ploymus Mountain. It’s an incredibly dangerous jump, and this guy pressures people into jumping off by questioning their courage. He’s a real bottom-feeder. If this keeps up, someone is surely going to wind up horribly injured! I need a picture of a Lynel to show everyone how scary they are. That way, maybe people will stop going up there. Does that answer your question, Link?

We’ll get to this once we go up there to get those shock arrows. Why not kill two birds with one stone, right?

Hate this 48-picture limit.

There we go.

Wait a moment… You… You’re Link! The perpetrator who forced Lady Mipha to join his crusade 100 years ago, only to be destroyed by Calamity Ganon! As though I could ever forget that face. You should know that the elderly here who loved Lady Mipha still remember…and they still resent you.

Link… I have retired from my role as a priest. I am now living my life free from the material concerns of this world. However… Ever since I retired, each day is more boring than the last… Spending day after day in idleness, only to pass from this world soon… Link… As I’m sure you are well aware, the afterlife lays claim to all. We never know when it will beckon.

Joining two souls is a true honor, one I shall stake my life on. Just one more wedding…and I shall be fulfilled.

Kapson’s not that bad for an elder. Unfortunately we haven’t met any engaged couples quite yet.

The name’s Tona! I’m a member of Prince Sidon’s fan club.

There’s a whole fan club dedicated to wooing over Prince Sidon.

…Sounds about right.

Just a Hylian.

A Hylian?! Cool! But, ya know, Prince Sidon…is much cooler! Hee hee!

Oh? Oh! You’re the guy from Inogo Bridge!

Of course!

That’s the spirit! We can’t touch shock arrows ourselves, so we’re really counting on you!

Hmm… A traveler, eh? Upon this stone monument is the proud history of the Zora, as dictated by King Dorephan himself many years ago.

Must be difficult.

The Hylian…who stole away our Lady Mipha! And what’s more, the Champion who…

Wait a minute-

Do you not understand the gravity of what you have done?! Not only did you Hylians fail to stop Calamity Ganon 100 years ago… But you went and stole our Lady Mipha from us!

Yikes.

This inscription is the same as we saw earlier.

I am the president of Prince Sidon’s fan club. My name is Tula.

Sure do!

That’s just what I’d expect from our Prince Sidon! His renown has even reached you, Hylian.

Oh! I’m sorry… ahem Anyway… Prince Sidon is a man with magnificent ideas. Oh, I know! Why don’t you go and have a chat with Prince Sidon? Yes, do!

Last NPC for this update, I promise.

It’s me! I’m the one Prince Sidon left at the top of the tower! The name’s Gruve! In the end, I wasn’t able to join up with Prince Sidon

How so?

It is my observation that a person’s true colors shine the brightest when they dive freely into the waves!

Wearing the Zora armor, even a Hylian like you can climb a waterfall and get back up here in no time at all. That said, if you don’t mind me asking, would you please show me your true colors as you dive into the water?

To dive headfirst, simply be moving forward as you jump into water.

https://my.mixtape.moe/mgpzej.mp4

Like so.

Radiant beauty!

Easier said than done, right?

Well, now is the time to show off our newest trick.

https://my.mixtape.moe/ocsuox.mp4

When wearing the Zora Armor, pressing A next to a waterfall causes Link to automatically swim upon, ultimately flying above the waterfall to immediately glide to wherever he pleases. A great way to get some height!

You showed me something truly special! Thank you so much! Now then, come over here real quick!

All we have to do is glide back down to where Gruve is.

I saw your dive and waterfall climb with my own lucky eyes! And now those very eyes are flooded with tears of joy!

Considering the effort required to do this side quest, this is reasonable enough reward.

Oh! I feel emotionally ravaged after that! It’s not every day I get to see a diving form as beautiful as yours, you know! I’ll be looking forward to your next dive! I really will!

Gotta love easy side quests.

Finally, you guys voted for another Heart Container, so here we go.

Next time, we chat up the final several NPCs we run into, then we’ll finally meet up with that Lynel. How bad could it be?

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Next update should be today. Until then, here’s a teaser.

Click here to open the update!

Three more NPCs and we’ll get back to some gameplay. Promise!

Yeah, as a Hylian our heads aren’t shaped like various aquatic creatures.

Hy…leon? Never met one of those before! If you’re a Hy-leon, that means you came from really far away, right?!

Ever since the water monster went crazy, Mom hasn’t come home… But, I mean, I bet she’ll come home sooner or later… Hopefully sooner.

That’s…probably not good.

One last side quest for now.

Thank you for coming so quickly! You listened to what King Dorephan had to say! Yes, so that is the cause of our suffering in Zora’s Domain. It is all because of that beast, Ruta.

Materials?

Yes… Repairs require a large number of luminous stones. You can find plenty of them around Upland Zorana. Have you, by chance, already stumbled across some luminous stones during your travels?

We’ve already gotten quite a few, easily more than ten. Might as well complete this one while we’re here!

Luminous stones?

Luminous stones were part of the raw materials used to build Zora’s Domain. In the past, luminous stones were often mined from Upland Zorana…which is why Zora’s Domain was built here. That’s the story, anyway.

Fronk?

Fronk and I are Master Dento’s faithful apprentices. Fronk and I are always striving to better ourselves in the workshop. Master always tells us, “Repairing the domain is part of your training.” So that’s what we’re doing now.

Let’s turn in the stones.

Thank you! You’re really giving me 10 luminous stones?!

Yes, he really does count each individual one. I will spare you from reading it.

Oh, that’s right… I must reward you!

And what’s more, I’ll give you one extra as a bonus!

You’re a lifesaver! Truly! If you ever find yourself in possession of 10 luminous stones in the future, I hope you will bring them to me. But if that happens, know that I’ll only be able to give you one diamond for them. I would be honored if you would accept it when the time comes!

This is a pretty nice way to gather diamonds, the rarest gem out there. It’s not good profit-wise since you get 700 rupees for ten luminous stones compared to 500 for one diamond, but diamonds do have other uses, so it’s still a good thing to remember.

Alright, time to harvest some Shock Arrows. We want to take the east path to the reservoirs, from which we can fly up the waterfalls to reach Ploymous Mountain.

At the end, another NPC.

…Oh! Well, if it isn’t Master Link! Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes? We…used to play together all the time. That was 100 years ago. My name is Gaddison. The Hylian that Prince Sidon brought here… Don’t tell me that was you, Master Link! And what’s more…you don’t seem to have changed much in the last 100 years… Oh, but I shouldn’t be making idle chitchat just now. I’m supposed to be fulfilling my officially appointed duty by keeping watch at the east gate. I must maintain my surveillance of the East Reservoir Lake. We can chat later.

Time to get to it!

More photos.

Climbing up to Ploymous manually would be a rather big challenge. It’s pretty high up, so it’d require a lot of stamina, plus with the rain surrounding it we pretty much have to approach it from the north or west, which is a long way around.

https://my.mixtape.moe/sdsuix.mp4

But we got this rather handy Zora’s Armor, which lets us climb the waterfall (at no stamina cost!) and then gives us an air boost to let us glide to wherever we need.

We’ve got three waterfalls to climb in this manner, until…

This must be the place!

Eventually, we make our way to this conspicuous clearing…

https://my.mixtape.moe/yrsryb.mp4

Ah, the Lynel. We’ve caught glimpses of them before, this is the first time we’ll actually deal with one.

Lynels date back to the original Legend of Zelda, where they threw swords around in the more dangerous areas of the map. In this game, they’re among the most dangerous enemies you’ll face, with quite a few tricks that make them difficult to go against, especially early on.

Note that we actually don’t have to fight the Lynel. Our goal is to get 20 Shock Arrows. We can sneak around and grab them around this area, or we can just find some elsewhere.

Music: Lynel / Yiga Assassin Battle

But screw that! Let’s show just how dangerous this creature is!

First, gotta get its picture for a quest. I gotta say, that’s a scary-looking picture!

You do not want to fight this thing at a distance. It will start shooting off shock arrows, and three at a time no less! Then keep in mind that it’s raining, so we do not want to be on the wrong end of one of those.

So I leap off and after a couple pot-shots get ready for close-quarters combat.

This guy is rough, so I’m pulling out all the stops. Highest armor tier I have, and defense-boosting food.

Somehow, the Lynel disappeared.

https://my.mixtape.moe/lgdjmo.mp4

It’ll magically reappear if you trigger something weird though, so you can’t just cheese these guys.

Close quarters is preferrable, but it’s still not easy.

https://my.mixtape.moe/ueaigc.mp4

…I take a few licks here and there. I’d probably be dead if not for the defense boost.

Eventually I start getting some hits in. The main issue is Lynels have a lot of health, so it’ll be a long fight and you will break several weapons in the process.

Really, Lynel fights more than anything test your ability to dodge and launch counter-attacks. Mastering this process is a key part in surviving combat with Lynels, as they’re fairly predictable and easy to deal with close up, compared to their rushing/arrow attacks from a distance.

You’d think I’d be better at this by now!

If there’s ever a time to chow down mid-battle, this is it. I at least try to hide away a bit to “pretend” to give Link enough time to eat the food.

This is why you don’t want to be hit with shock arrows. Three hearts damage even with 15 defense and the tier-three defense boost.

As I said, this is a long fight.

Once it loses enough health, it starts shooting three fireballs, one after the other. Just keep running in a large circle to dodge.

Again, the goal here is just to get the Shock Arrows. The combat challenge is just a bonus.

https://my.mixtape.moe/utmosv.mp4

The final attack is a giant ground pound.

Just keep your distance from it.

After breaking a second weapon, I switch to good old Thunderblade.

https://my.mixtape.moe/lgkzdo.mp4

Elemental effects don’t have much of an effect on Lynels, but the electric attacks in the rain look really cool.

https://my.mixtape.moe/lplgvn.mp4

I take a lot of hits and time, but I actually manage to kill the thing in my first try.

And now, the loot.

Lynel Bows are pretty nice. They launch three arrows at the same time, while still only costing one arrow to fire. Imagine raining Bomb Arrows with this thing!

Lynel drops. A good number of armor upgrades want these.

Apparently you can sort of use this thing as a weapon. It’s not very effective, but still useful to know!

Finally, nothing special about this sword, but it still looks cool.

After that, getting the Shock Arrows is trivial. We’re now ready to face Vah Ruta.

But not quite yet. Remember that Zora Helm? The lake it may or may not be in is up on the mountain region, a bit to the northwest. Might as well grab it while we’re here!

https://my.mixtape.moe/thdoer.mp4

Kinda took me by surprise there.

Moblins aren’t anything special though.

Some nice weapons, at least!

Whatever it takes for the right photo.

Meh.

If we went directly north of Zora’s Domain, we could’ve ridden the waterfall up to here.

I think this may be the place!

The ruins are mostly underwater, which means the Zora Helm would probably be under too…

You know what this means.

The Zora Helm unlocks the Spin Attack when swimming.

https://my.mixtape.moe/rxfbvf.mp4

It’s not very effective as an actual attack. Its best use is killing fish you’re swimming past, honestly, and even then it doesn’t do a great job at it. If you want to fish, use Cryonis and Bombs.

Oh hey, that Lynel’s going to be back soon.

Luckily, the Blood Moon cutscene didn’t cut me off mid-glide.

I miss the Korok. Next time!

Let’s get this side quest finished up.

Here you go!

Oh, wow! Please show me!

ahem My apologies… That sound was not very dignified, was it? P-pardon me… I’m all better now. That Lynel… How terrifying! One look at this, and I doubt anyone would get any reckless ideas about visiting Ploymus Mountain!

Oh, right! Now for your reward…

The final piece of Zora gear! Not bad. They boost swim speed a bit.

These Zora greaves were once made by skilled craftsmen by order of an ancient Zora king. Now they’re fairly common. As you may know, East Reservoir Lake was created in a collaboration between Hylians and the Zora. After East Reservoir Lake was finished, we made Zora greaves as a token of friendship for Hylians who came to visit. But over time, the number of Hylians visiting the domain dwindled, and my father had to close his armor shop. These Zora greaves here were the last pair left in the stock room when he closed up shop. Wearing these, even a Hylian can swim as well as a Zora. That said, these would be wasted on me. They are only useful for a Hylian like you. Please take good care of them!

One of the better rewards we’ve gotten so far.

It also means we’ve got all the Zora gear now!

Before we finish things off, let’s upgrade our new gear. All the Zora gear requires three Lizalfos Horns, a trivial thing to pay. The Champion’s Tunic is not so bad, but later upgrades will be more of a challenge…

Next time, Vah Ruta!

And since it’s been a while, how should we dress? Zora’s Armor is required for a bit of the next leg, but after that I’m fine with whatever you choose, including dye colors.

Go full Zora Armour, in honour Link’s fish girlfriend.

Ah right, the naming scheme: Zora royalty in this game are named after the solfège!

It goes
Do Rephan
Mi Pha
Zo La (Zora)
Si Don

Kinda fits with Zora tadpoles being music notes and all.

Well, I found it neat.

Was not aware of that, cool to know!

Also,

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