Transwiki:Races in The Legend of Zelda series

The Legend of Zelda series of videogames has a diverse range of races/species living in the games' worlds. Each of them has their own abilities and roles in the games' storylines and worlds.

Hylians
The term "Hylian" generally refers to a member of the Hylian race, a race of humans with certain magical abilities. They have pointed pixie-like ears, and are often mistaken for elves. It is believed that these ears allow them to hear the gods and that they were created to tell the other races their message.

"Hyrulean", on the other hand, means from or related to the mythical land of Hyrule. Note that not all inhabitants of Hyrule are Hylian: only those with pointed-ears, such as Link, are Hylian. The spelling "Hyrulian" used to be used by fans until Nintendo announced that Hyrulean is the official and correct spelling, although Hyrulian is still widely used.

In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, most Hylians live in the Hyrule Castle Town, though a few individuals inhabit land outside of this town, including Talon of Lon Lon Ranch and the Lakeside Scientist.

Many items created by the original Hylians make reappearances in other Zelda games, like the Master Sword. The Book of Mudora in A Link to the Past allows Link to translate things written in the ancient Hylian language. In Kodai no Sekiban, the hero does not have the Book of Mudora, so they must bring Princess Zelda along with them to translate the Hylian text for them.

The language of the Hylians
The Hylian written language is derived from Japanese hiragana, katakana, and romaji. The script is syllabic or more precisely moraic, and each symbol represents either a vowel, consonant-vowel combination, or a syllable final n.

Note that the character set and structure of the written language varies significantly between games. The Hylian text in Ocarina of Time is simpler and less complex than the one used in Wind Waker. The reason being Ocarina of Time is set long before Wind Waker, and as such the script was less developed, e.g. The old version of the script made no distinction between voiced and voiceless consonants, palatalised consonants and geminate consonants. The new version of the script makes all these distinctions. Also the modern script is more suited to being written with a brush whereas the old script was more angular, suited to being carved on stone.

The script used in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is the same as Wind Waker's, so it is to be assumed that this is now the standard.

The Hylian Text was uniquely different in the Japanese and English versions of A Link to the Past. See main article: Japanese-English differences in A Link to the Past

For more information on Hylian writing see Old Hylian and Modern Hylian on the website Omniglot

Terminians
The Terminian race of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask inhabits the land of Termina. Although they physically resemble their Hylian counterparts, Terminians are different to Hylians in several key ways. Firstly, they live in an alternate reality to Hyrule. Secondly, they do not have the same religion as Hylians in that they believe in four giants who inhabit the areas of the four compass directions. Thirdly, they seem more technologically advanced, being able to create machines and more advanced items. Lastly, the Terminian Zoras can only live in seawater where as Hyrulian Zoras dwell in freshwater.

Sheikah


The Sheikah were an ancient clan of ninja-like warriors that swore to protect the Hylian Royal Family, most notably even after death; as such they were known as "the Shadows of the Hylians". They were also charged with the protection of the Royal crypts. They were outcasts and feared in Hyrule perhaps for this very reason, and are presumed to have moved away from the Hylians to another region beyond the mountains. The most famous members were Impa, the maid of Princess Zelda, and Sheik, the guised alter ego of Zelda herself. They were skilled in magical and combative arts, and their cultural pendant was an eye with three triangles above it (as if to imitate eyelashes or symbolize the Triforce) and a teardrop to either show mourn for the dead, or to symbolize the betrayal of the Royal Family (the latter is according to the official Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time manga). Young males pierced their ears as a traditional rite of passage. Not much is known about their lifespan or other details about their lives. They were assumed to have become rare after the Imprisoning War, and were presumed extinct after the Great Flood in the pre-Wind Waker era.

Zoras
Zoras were originally an aquatic enemy (river Zoras, also called Zolas), appearing mostly in 2-D games. Nowadays, they are a proud, but peaceful, aquatic race of amphibious humanoids (ocean Zoras), appearing mostly in the 3-D games. The rest of this section concerns the latter.

Biology
Zoras can live on land and in the water. They are very sensitive, especially in the water. They have long head-tails much like the tails of dolphins. Zoras are also scaled; their scales are silver, but from a distance they appear pale blue. Many have dark blue spots as well. Zoras lack ears in the traditional sense, though they do have noses. Zoras can breathe underwater though they have no visible gills.

Zoras lay eggs which need to be kept in cold, clean water in order to be healthy, and each egg must be kept together with its counterparts in order for all of them to hatch. After hatching, infant Zoras are tadpole-like with a circular body and a long skinny tail ending in a fluke.

Culture
Zora culture revolves around the water, swimming, and fishing (at which they excel). Zora Government is monarchical, and as with Deku Scrubs royalty has a different appearance than commoners.

Religion
In Hyrule, Zoras worship Lord Jabu Jabu VII, a giant fish. He lives in a lake outside Zora's Domain, and they offer him smaller fish on a regular basis.

Notable Zoras

 * Princess Ruto
 * King Zora
 * Laruto

Evolution
It is possible that the Zoras have evolved into a bird-like race in The Wind Waker. This half-bird, half-human race, known as the Ritos, makes multiple references to the Zoras. The most convincing is the fact that Medli's ancestor is a Zora (debatably- Laruto the Zora is never explicitly stated as Medli's ancestor). Also, the symbol of the Zora sapphire (which is used as the Zora's royal family symbol) is seen in multiple places on the Ritos' home of Dragon Roost Isle. It is unknown why this change occurred since a water-logged environment would favor the aquatic race, and none of the games give us any clues, but it is possible that, because ocean water is colder than river water - or because ocean water is saltwater and river water is freshwater - that the Zoras could no longer live in it. It should be noted that the Zoras in Oracle of Ages lived in the sea. However, while this theory has been not been proven, and indeed the Oracle appearance seems to contradict it, the name similarity between "Rito" and "(Princess) Ruto" cannot be ignored. The presence of a certain Rito that is said to be descended from a famous postman, and bears facial resemblance to the one in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask may imply that they are in fact of Hylian origin. One fan theory is that the Rito may have actually evolved from a cross between the Hylians and the Zoras. It must be taken into account however that Zoras still exist in The Legend of Zelda, which seems to take place after Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker, as enemies. An evolutionary offshoot or a hybrid is more likely than the entire population taking this evolutionary course.

It is also implied that the home of the Zoras in Wind Waker is actually at Great Fish Island which was the home of the Great Jabun (who speaks ancient Hylian and is an obvious reference to Jabu Jabu), but this island was destroyed by Ganon. At one point in time, there was some settlement on this island, or so it appears from the remains floating in the Great Sea and on the land; however, the village is never seen prior to its destruction, indicating that whoever lived here no longer lives or has moved on. The dragon that lives atop Dragon Roost Isle, the volcano, and the red stone that the player acquires is a stronger reference to the Goron area of Ocarina of Time than the Zora area. The Ritos definitely hold the place of the Gorons in this game. It seems more likely that they would evolve in this way considering their affinity for land, and a watery world would force them upwards out of their cavernous city. Gorons, however, do appear as salesmen in the overworld of Wind Waker. There is therefore a stronger case for Zora heritage than Goron heritage for the Rito.

Deku Scrubs


Deku Scrubs are a race or species of plant-like humanoids introduced in Ocarina of Time and based on the Octorok enemy.

Dekus have leaves on their heads, red glowing eyes, and their mouths are short, wide, hollow tubes that they can't shut tight. They can shoot nuts out of their mouths, similarly to how Octoroks shoot rocks. Unfortunately, this also means they can't swim without drowning. Dekus have bark rather than skin, and may be made entirely out of wood; they perish quickly if set on fire. Deku Scrubs typically live inside Deku Flowers, and spring out of their flowers momentarily to attack any intruder.

There are 3 main kinds of Deku scrubs:
 * Deku Scrubs: These are the most common type of Scrub, having green leaves and often looking for a conversation.
 * Mad Scrubs: These have red leaves, move more quickly, and don't talk. They tend to be the most violent form of Deku Scrub.
 * Business Scrubs: These Scrubs have arms, speak, and offer to sell an item at an increased cost when approached. When the player defeats a Business Scrub, it will speak to them either about hints on playing certain sections of the game, or selling items for Rupees. The Business Scrub makes a comeback in The Minish Cap.

In Majora's Mask, Link is able to turn himself into a Deku Scrub &mdash; in fact, at the beginning of the game, he is stuck in this form for some time, leaving him virtually powerless. The form has a number of useful abilities, however, such as: However, ordinary Deku Scrubs have never been observed doing any of these. The game also includes an intelligent community, a kingdom, of Deku Scrubs, which is tied to the first dungeon. This kingdom includes the notable Deku Scrubs:
 * Stunning enemies by spinning into them
 * Hopping across the surface of water
 * Blowing magical bubbles at enemies to damage them
 * Blasting out of Deku Flowers and hovering through the air
 * Deku King
 * Deku Princess
 * Deku Butler
 * Deku Butler's Son

Gerudo
Quick witted, aggressive, fiery tempered and highly attractive, the Gerudo are a tribe of thieves from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Their race consists entirely of women, but legend has it that a man is born every hundred years, and this man is destined to become the King of the Gerudo. They have dark, tanned skin, red hair, and some say they have a rather bird-like appearance, causing some to link them to the Rito from The Wind Waker; in the manga, they appear most as arab harem-style figures, which is more truthful than to call them bird-like. They are known to have relations with Hylian men, with whom they form relationships or simply use for procreation.

In Majora's Mask, which is set in Termina, they appear as pirates rather than thieves, and not as much is known about them. However, it is assumed that the same rules apply because, as with the Hyrulean Gerudo, the tribe consists entirely of females, and they dress and look the same.

Link first encounters the Gerudo when he is a child. Princess Zelda tells him to look through the window, and he sees Ganondorf, the king of the Gerudo and soon to be "Dark Lord". He later confronts Ganondorf outside of Hyrule Castle and is promptly defeated. However, this encounter results in Link receiving the Ocarina of Time from Princess Zelda. Link vows revenge against Ganondorf and continues on his quest. He travels to the Temple of Time and uses his Spiritual Stones and ocarina to reach the Chamber of the Master Sword. He grabs the sword, hoping to use it against the Gerudo king, but is imprisoned for seven years so that he may become a true hero. Meanwhile, Ganondorf enters the Sacred Realm through the portal the Master Sword left, stealing the Triforce of Power and becoming the new King of Hyrule.

Seven years later, Link wakes up and continues on his quest.

The last overworld area Link encounters as an adult is Gerudo Valley, home of Gerudo Fortress, the desert stronghold the Gerudo call home. Link sneaks into the Gerudos' tightly-guarded compound and frees several unjustly-captured prisoners inside. A Gerudo who has been following him comes out of the shadows and praises his abilities. She then gives him the "Gerudo Membership Card," a proof of ID letting all Gerudos know that he is a friend. From this day forward, Link becomes an honorary Gerudo.

The Gerudo happily help Link train with his bow on their archery range and let him test skills in their Gauntlet. Once Link has completed the Gauntlet, he receives the fabled Ice Arrows. The Gerudo tell him that he must cross the Haunted Wasteland to reach the Spirit Temple, also known as a dungeon.

When Link crosses the Haunted Wasteland at the edge of Gerudo's Fortress, sure enough, he finds the Spirit Temple. According to the owl, Kaepora Gaebora, he must return to the Temple of Time and become a child again to finish his work in the area and gain full access to the next sage. Link does so and returns to his childhood. He then returns to the temple where he meets the second significant Gerudo character.

The woman he meets is Nabooru, the second in command of the Gerudo tribe. Nabooru is a celebrated thief who hates Ganondorf and his evil ways. When she finds out that Link agrees, she enlists his help in finding the Silver Gauntlets, the only way into the body of the Spirit Temple (and a fine piece of treasure).

Link retrieves the Gauntlets, but meets up with Nabooru too late. She is captured by Koume and Kotake, two old Gerudo witches who are Ganondorf's surrogate mothers and most loyal servants. Once Nabooru disappears, Link keeps the gauntlets for himself so he can use them as an adult to gain access to the Spirit Temple and try to save Nabooru. He returns to adulthood and sets on his way.

Once Link has braved the trials of the Spirit Temple, he fights an Iron Knuckle, who turns out to be Nabooru under the spell of the Twinrova sisters. The two return to re-imprison Nabooru and subsequently start a fight with Link. They use their powers of ice and fire to try to destroy the young hero, but to no avail. Link has already found the Mirror Shield and uses it to reflect their powers back on them. The witches countered by merging into Twinrova, but were still killed. Link finds Nabooru in the Chamber of the Sages. She is the sixth sage, the Sage of Spirit.

Link, having awakened the sages, travels to Ganondorf's dark castle and faces him in battle. Ganondorf, being brought up by accomplished sorceresses, tries to destroy Link with magic power, but fails and is killed. With his "final breath," he knocks down the castle. Link escapes with Zelda and faces Ganondorf in a final battle. Ganondorf unleashes the true force of the Triforce of Power and turns into Ganon, the true King of Evil. Once felled, the former Gerudo king is imprisoned until further games in the Sacred Realm (Golden Land).

According to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, the Gerudo were apparently wiped out by the flood that sank Hyrule. Whether there are still Gerudo elsewhere in the world, or in the alternate world of Termina; it appears that Ganon is the last of the Gerudo.

Gorons
Gorons are a humanoid, rock-eating race. Gorons are usually considered, perhaps superficially, to be of low intelligence, although there is no particular indication of this in the games.

Goron biology
Gorons are physically intimidating as their height and sheer size are almost double that of an average human. The Gorons maintain a strict diet of rocks and, as a result, develop rocky growths on their backs as they age. Due to their enormous weight, they are helpess on water because they'll sink to the bottom. It is apparent in the Goron world that some Gorons grow to exaggeratedly huge sizes (though very rare). Another feature of Goron Biology is their ability to curl into a fetal position (with their heads tucked between their legs). This is the Goron's position when left unattended, or when they are sleeping. Gorons use this form for transportation as well. Explained better in Majora's Mask, Gorons roll rapidly at speeds up to 60-70 MPH. Gorons who are endowed with fairy magic grow metal spikes, which can be used as weapons. Gorons are also resistant to heat, to the point of being able to walk through lava. This is a valuable capability when searching for food inside mountains.

Gender
The Gorons who appear in the games never show any visible cues to indicate their gender, and all Gorons who are referred to in the third person in in-game dialogue are called "he" and "him." Furthermore, in Goron culture it is customary to call other Gorons "brother," as well as those who have earned the title (like Link). It is unknown whether Gorons are somehow all male or are hermaphrodites (and if so, how they reproduce), or whether humans are simply unable to distinguish male Gorons from females.

Obviously feminine-looking Gorons have been known to appear in the Legend of Zelda manga, but the manga are considered non-canonical.

The Goron "special crop"
Gorons grow Bomb Flowers, their "special crop" which resemble bombs in both appearance and function. These look like a standard bomb with a flower growing on top, and 3 large leaves growing outwards. Bomb Flowers will only grow in a dark area. Underneath the "bomb" is the stem (with the leaves growing out), but normally this is not visible. Bomb Flowers break easily from their stems but once plucked they soon explode. The stem and leaves of the flower are bomb-proof so a bomb-flower can't blow itself up, probably a defense-mechanism. Apparently Gorons use the plant for mining. These plants make an appearance in the Wind Waker on Dragon Roost Island. Bomb Flowers are also grown in the northern region of Labrynna (it is the main export of the Rolling Ridge Goron tribe) and the volcanic world of Subrosia (specifically, in Lava Lake) in the Oracle games. It seems that Bomb Flowers can grow almost anywhere, from the dark recesses of Dodongo's Cavern to direct sunlight in parts of Death Mountain.

Notable Gorons

 * Darunia
 * (Player Name): (Player Name) is the son of Darunia. He is named after the player, so his name is dependent on that chosen in the beginning of the game.
 * Darmani
 * Biggoron
 * Goron Elder
 * Traveling Merchants
 * (Player Name)-goro: Goron staying at the Stock-Pot Inn. You can claim "your" key during the first day.
 * Baby Goron

Goron culture
Apparently Goron culture revolves around family, honor and strength (compare Klingon). Somewhat oddly it appears that they don't find mining their ancestors corpses dishonorable or unethical (see below). They are a peaceful, sometimes lazy race with little ability to defend themselves, although they are quite large and strong. Most Goron societies seem to rely on a few (sometimes only one) powerful warriors to protect the entire clan. Due to the toughness of the Goron race and the shortage of deadly predators in their environment, some tribes get along well with no warriors at all. As mentioned above, Gorons are often considered to be dull-witted, though a more accurate description would be "simple." They prefer basic pleasures such as eating and dancing, though some are also skilled craftsmen or sculptors.

Kokiri
The Kokiri are a fairy folk in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time who inhabit the Kokiri Forest. Cautious, child-like and secretive, the Kokiri believe that they will die if they leave the forest. (This is contradicted by the Kokiri appearing in the Lon Lon Ranch in one scene, however.) Therefore, the Kokiri never leave the forest and know nothing about the outside, only the magics of the forest. Though they appear to be children, the Kokiri are actually ageless, and never grow old. Each Kokiri has a guardian fairy that functions as a friend, parent and teacher. They are watched over by the Deku Tree and later Saria the sage of the forest. Mido is their boss. The Kokiri are "the spirits of the forest" and were probably created by the Deku Tree. Kokiri always wear green tunics and the males wear green hats and have pointy ears. It is possible for a Kokiri to have green hair. It may be possible that the green-tunicked "twin lumberjacks" from A Link to the Past were Kokiri (compare: elf).

There have been two records of Kokiri sages known to have aided the legendary hero Link. The first is Saria, the Sage of Forest, whom was awakened by the Hero of Time in the Forest Temple at the end of the Sacred Forest Meadow.

The other is Fado, the Wind Sage, known for his excellent skill with the violin. He stayed in the Wind Temple and prayed for the Master Sword, until he was killed when the evil Ganondorf removed his soul.

An interesting note is that all named Kokiri, except for Saria because she was named after a town from Zelda II: Adventure of Link, have their names created from the concatenation of 2 words from the solfege musical scale "do re mi fa so la ti do." Mido = Mi + Do. Fado = Fa + Do. A rare known fact is that there actually was a Kokiri the Ocarina of Time Designers named Fado, but never mentioned her name in the game itself. It is likely they recycled this "unspoken" name when naming Fado, the sage from Wind Waker.

After the gods sealed Hyrule under an ocean, the Kokiri took on a different form above the sea. They took on the form of leaf like creatures known as Koroks, and are still the Great Deku Tree's cherished children.

Notable Kokiri:
 * Saria
 * Mido
 * Know-It-All Brothers
 * Twins
 * Fado

Koroks


The Koroks are a race from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. They come from Forest Haven, but spend most of their lives away from it.

The Koroks were once the human-shaped Kokiri, but when Hyrule was transformed into the Great Sea, they took on a more plant-like appearance, and became fearful of other people. They have wooden-like bodies (somewhat similar to Deku Scrubs) and wear what look like masks made from various types of leaves, though they might be their actual faces. Koroks are very light, and can travel on the wind by using sprouts as propellers. They make a hollow jingling sound when they move.

Unlike Their Kokiri ancestors, who never left Kokiri Forest (now the hostile Forbidden Woods) for fear of dying, most of the Koroks actually spend most of their lives far away from Forest Haven, planting the seeds of the Great Deku Tree; they only return to Forest Haven once a year, for an annual ceremony held when the Great Deku Tree bears seeds so they can take off again. The only Koroks that don't leave are Makar (who plays his little leaf violin at the ceremony) and Hollo (who studies potion-making and uses Boko Baba Seeds to concoct his brews).

Notable Koroks
 * Makar

Rito


The Rito (or "Bird People") are a race of bird-like humanoids in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Their main habitat is on Dragon Roost Island, in which all known Rito reside. They have a tribal elder, with numerous followers and elaborately dressed guards. No Rito is born with wings, and must visit the tribes' guardian, the great dragon Valoo, to receive one of his scales which enables them to grow wings. It is a coming of age ceremony of the Rito, to journey to the great Valoo to receive their scale. Children with no wings are called chicks.

Rito are viewed upon by outsiders somewhat dubiously. Some have an inexplicable bigotry directed towards them. Still, Rito are widely accepted as mail carriers, as only they can traverse the seas without cumbersome ships. Rito are capable of flying quickly, and full-grown members can carry humans for a short time.

The Rito may be inspired by the Watarara race in one of the Zelda mangas (generally considered not to be canon). These people were more like giant birds than humans, but had a similar gaining of wings past a certain age and the same chieftain leadership structure.

It is implied in the game that they are the descendants of the Zora race, as one Rito, Medli, tells Link that the Rito were once without wings, and it is also revealed in the game that she is a descendant of the Zora sage Laruto. Though, in the Japanese text of The Wind Waker, "descendant" is not used in the context of a direct relative, but rather Makar and Medli are descendants of the Sage Bloodline. It should be also be noted that the sages seem to be able to pass down their power and responsibility as seen in the maidens of A Link to the Past. Additionally, the Rito postman's figurine says he is descendant of a famous post man (think Termina). Later installments, which introduced the Wind Tribe, offer alternatives to the Zora Evolution theory. Remember, the Rito did not evolve, they grew wings when Valoo gave them scales, despite what Medli says regarding the grappling hook. Due to the dwelling place of a volcano, the dragon that lives with them, and the red pearl that they guard, it is also likely that they are descendants of the Gorons. Although Gorons appear as salesmen in certain parts of the overworld. They wear masks but using the deku leaf to blow of the masks, you can tell that they are Gorons. Because of this, it is impossible to say definitively precisely the history of their race. It is also interesting to note that Medili has the Zora symbol on her dress, further evidence to the Zora becoming Rito. This duality could also be interpreted as the two races (Goron and Zora(n)) combining to form a new one.

Notable Rito
 * Medli
 * Prince Komali
 * Quill

Subrosians


A mysterious race from the subterranean world of Subrosia. They have large, glowing eyes and always wear hooded cloaks. In Subrosia, their currency is ore chunks instead of rupees. They are nearly impervious to heat, and can often be seen "hot-tubbing" in lava pools.

Notable Subrosians:
 * Rosa
 * The Strange Brothers

Tokay


A race of lizard people who live on an island off the coast of Labrynna. They value possessions and are often quite deceitful. Tokays steal your items when you get shiprecked on their island. It's like a game, trying to trade with them in order to get your items back. They have never been off Cresent Island so they think you are a tokay too. They all call you "Strange Tokay".

Zuna
In Four Swords Adventures, a race that lived near the Gerudo but deeper into the desert was introduced. They have green-colored skin not unlike Ganondorf, Twinrova and Veran, so they may in fact share a type of symbiotic relationship with the Gerudo, especially since they are associated with the ones who created the Desert Temple, Pyramid, and Magic Trident.

Minish


The Minish (known to the Hylians as the Picori) first appeared in Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap. They are a tiny race the size of a thumb and can only be seen by good, well-behaved children. According to legend, they came from another world; this world can be reached when a door within Hyrule Castle courtyard opens once every century. It is said that when monsters threatened mankind, the Minish gave a legendary sword and a golden light to a courageous man, now known as the Hero of Men, destined to ward off the monsters.

Notable Minish (Picori):
 * Ezlo - Transformed into the Minish Cap in the game of the same name.
 * Vaati - An evil demon from all the Four Sword games; originally a Picori.

Watarara


A race of bird-people found only in the Legend of Zelda Manga. Although they somewhat resemble Rito, they are far more bird-like in appearance; however their social structure is very similar to their wind-waker counterparts. They are a migratory race that hails from unknown lands. Children are not able to fly, much like Rito children. However they do not require scales to gain their wings, but merely grow them when the fledglings are ready. They fly to new lands on the eve of the seasonal winds-a sort of ceremony for them. Coincidently, Kaepora Gaebora has a striking resemblance to the attendant of the Watarara leader.