The Surface

In the years that have passed since Hyrule Field flooded and came to be known as the Hylian Sea, the surface world has undergone little change in comparison to the drastic measures taken to save what is now called New Hyrule.

Almost directly beneath the shadow of New Hyrule lies a network of floating towns. Originating as mere rubble fashioned into boats and docks, in today’s world the floating villages are esteemed fishing outposts that supply the majority of New Hyrule’s seafood imports. After years of aquatic life and relations with the Zora, a distinct species of Zora resides in these little towns – a hybrid species called Hylian Zora, bearing characteristics of both respective sides of their origins.

Two distinct mountain ranges all but entirely surround the Hylian Sea, with the great Northern Mountains housing the dragon’s peak, the Rito’s peak, and the ethereal Zora’s Domain. It is rumoured that the entrance to the ancient Twilit City can also be found here, but it has yet to be discovered by archaeologists. The Death Mountain area can be found to the east, where the great Goron City and the smaller remains of Kakariko reside. Smoke often rises from these mountains, many of them having been hollowed out in order to accommodate for the growing need for the Gorons’ mines.

To the south of the Hylian Sea, the Forest Ruins are all that remains of the once great Lost Woods and the Kokiri Forest. Considered a haunted place by the citizens of the floating towns and Kakariko, very few dare enter here; a barren and haunted wasteland, it appears as a graveyard of burnt tree stumps. No longer concealed by the gargantuan forest that once surrounded it, the Forest Temple can be seen near the coast, a lonely, crumbling figure amidst a sea of ash and rubble.

Between the Hylian Sea and the Gerudo Desert lies a waterfall, which drains into the ocean and effectively carries away anyone unable to make the journey across into the desert. The citizens of the floating towns have built bridges and docks that connect across the chasm, but it is still a dangerous journey for anyone inexperienced in the way of adventuring.

The Gerudo Desert is harsh and unforgiving to all who are unaccustomed to the advanced heat and lethal creatures that lurk in the sands. It spans for miles, with the first major landmark being the Gerudo Fortress some distance from the falls that divide the desert from the Hylian Sea. Many smaller cities and towns exist in the desert, but the capital of the Gerudo country lies in the fortress, where all Gerudo live at some point in their life. The Desert Colossus lies to the north, where the Gerudo are required to visit during their necessary pilgrimage.

Surrounding the desert are the lands of Labrynna and Holodrum. Labrynna lies northeast of the Gerudo Desert, divided from the hot lands by a thin channel informally known as the Oracle’s River. Holodrum is southeast of the desert, and the border is marked only by what signs have managed to survive in the blazing conditions. Holodrum and Labrynna are simple countries, with little of the grandeur of New Hyrule, and are known for their rich and distinctive cultures. Labrynna boasts the Forest of Ages, associated with the Oracle Nayru, and Holodrum houses the Temple of Seasons, associated with the Oracle Din. Far to the northeast of New Hyrule and its surrounding lands exists the country of Termina. While not impossible to reach, sea travel here is restricted to a narrow passage between the North Mountains and the Death Mountain area. This harrowing journey limited potential trade between New Hyrule and Termina in the past, but the invention of airships has offered safer routes between the two kingdoms. The capital of Clocktown exists a few miles from the coast, where the royal family of Termina resides.