The Story of Hyrule
The Founding of Hyrule

The Legend Unfolds...

At the conclusion of the Goddess Hylia's quest, the sentient races of Hyrule (excluding demons and Lizalfos) were few in number and scattered throughout the land. The inhabitants of Skyloft numbered slightly more than 250 in total (including the outer islands) which combined with the few scattered hamlets across the land (primarily Horon Village in the future Holodrum and the Lokomo Tribe in the future New Hyrule) made up a Hylian population of around 600. Considering their numbers, it is alarming to note that the other races were far worse off.

The Ancient Robots were already long extinct with the exception of Scrapper (who would endure until at least the events of the Great Flood/Great Calamity/Invasion of Lorule depending on the timeline). The Mogmas numbered roughly 180 in total and would suffer from the effects of inbreeding in the coming centuries, eventually degenerating into the only semi-sentient Acro Bandits. The Kiwki would vanish soon after the descent of the Hylians, to retreat into the deep woods and forests. It is unknown what truly happened to them afterwards, though the Royal Family archives purport that they would eventually become the Kokiri. The Parella would survive under the water dragon's protection well into the Era of the Four Sword, but would sadly be driven extinct by the expansion of the Zora prior to the Second Hyrulian Civil War. The depressing truth is that in the present day, little is left of these ancient races or their centuries of struggle against the demonic hordes. Only a few surviving drawings and notes remain, chief among them the reproduced paintings created by Groose and the carved models made by the Hero of Legend.

There is one of the ancient races that has endured in strength to the present day however. The Goron tribe from the far south had uniquely survived the Ancient Battle in large numbers and would slowly begin a migration into the waking kingdom proper. The first Goron City would be founded on Mount Lanayru, though their future capital on Eldin Volcano would begin construction thirty-five years after Demise's death in the ruins of the Earth Temple. In the meantime, craftsmen and travellers spread across the land in search of new discoveries (and new types of edible rock). Interaction with the growing Hylian population would be positive, with Goron Ale beginning its rise to prominence in this era along with songs and dances of the far south. Rumour also states that the Megaton Hammer came to Hyrule in this era, though conflicting accounts state that it was discovered already made in the caverns of the Earth Temple (the Hero's accounts say nothing on the subject).

The Hylian people in turn prospered on the newly discovered surface. Many inhabitants of the Sky chose to settle in the growing town built around the fallen Statue of the Goddess; among them Headmaster Gaepora (his position as head of the Knight Academy being passed onto an instructor called Orwell), the Hero of Legend and the first Zelda. The latter two would marry approximately a year after their descent and their first child - a girl named Karane - would be born several months later. Much of this town's early history would be spent dealing with Bokoblin raids (put down easily by the Hero) and discovering resources - and the old buried paths to said resources. A few artifacts and documents were discovered about the land before the Great Battle as well, all of which were diligently cleaned or copied. These records included notes on the Timeshift stones and the buried Shiekah technology among their number. Stone walls would be raised about fifteen years into the settlement's history, encircling a town of roughly eight houses that would nonetheless one day become the original Hyrule Castle Town.

But it was not all a happy existence for those who had chosen to descend to the surface. Both Lady Impa and the Spirit Fi would depart the world shortly after the Demon King's death, the former vanishing into death herself and the latter drifting into an endless sleep inside the Master Sword. The Sword Spirit would rouse herself from her slumber a few times, but throughout most of the ages she would sleep as time passed her by. Her role in the coming of Hyrule would never be forgotten though and her image would inspire ten of thousands of men and women in the coming millennia. Many a statue would be made of her or a place named after her, such as the Village of the Blue Maiden and the name would experience consistent popularity as a middle name for Hylian children. Impa would become the most popular name for a Shiekah girl, with many a guardian of a young prince or princess of Hyrule bearing the name. A garden of ancient flowers would also be built by Link and Zelda in memory of both of them, in the small clearing where Zelda had herself slept in a crystal for centuries.

The relationship between the Surface settlement and the town of Skyloft would also prove to be an issue. While the two towns shared a close relationship, the constant ferrying back and forth of supplies proved wearing on the townsfolk and their giant birds who were not built for constant lifting. The Knight Academy was also stretched to breaking point by the need to guard both domains, with at least fifteen soldiers giving their lives to turn back monstrous hordes. While most monsters had vanished from Skyloft itself thanks to the Hero, the rest of the Sky had not been so lucky. Undoubtedly the worst of these fights was a brief invasion of the several islands in the Sky by the creatures known as Aeralfos, airborne relatives of the northern Lizalfos genus. The lizards had been driven south from the Hebra/Snowpeak region due to the encroachment of winter.

These attacks would be the final reason behind the Hero's decision to found an academy for knights on the Surface. Named the 'Academy of the Knights of Hyrule' after the town (named for a vision of Headmaster Gaepora on his deathbed), the near unanimous support for the unofficial leader of the town was not echoed in Skyloft itself. For centuries there had been an unofficial agreement that only the Knights is Skyloft were allowed to bear arms, an pact that had now been broken by a former Knight of Skyloft no less. Some felt the Hero was overreaching his authority and that of his wife's, regardless of her connection to the Goddess (Zelda's status as Hylia's actual reincarnation was a closely kept secret). Some felt that the town of Hyrule was taking too much power and beginning to eclipse the town of Skyloft. But none of these issues would prove the final stepping stone to conflict. After all, many settlers on the Surface were Skyloftian born and bred and all those in power remembered the days when the two peoples were as one. Why would they consider warring against their brethren? The Loftwings still flew from one settlement to another.

But peace did not last forever. In the end it was three events that signaled the drums of war. The first was the death of the Hero, sixty years after Demise's own death and the raising of his daughter Karane to the position of mayor. The second was the first encounters with the surviving Skeikah tribe of Kakariko Village in the plains to the south of Eldin Volcano. With these encounters, new trade and produce flooded into Hyrule - but only Hyrule. And the third was a massive eruption of Death Mountain and the arrival of an ancient threat.

The Great Scourge Volvagia had arrived.

The Legend Unfolds...


I've expanded numbers for Skyloft slightly (I think) as I wanted to avoid the dangerous inbreeding threshold.

Horon Village is from Oracle of Seasons, Lokomo from Spirit Tracks.

Great Flood is the backstory to Wind Waker, Great Calamity the backstory to Breath of the Wild. Invasion of Lorule is a Link between Worlds.

Acro Bandits are enemies from Minish Cap as I've said before. The future is not bright for the Mogmas...

The origin on the Kokiri will be expanded upon in a future chapter. The Kikwi becoming them is my pet theory, though Hyrule Encyclopaedia says otherwise.

The Parella got given a small pass to survive for as long as I suggest, but as with all the other Skyward Sword races they have to go extinct eventually.

Mount Lanayru is from Breath of the Wild, where it is in the east. No, I don't know why either.

The Goron City on Eldin Volcano and the Megaton Hammer are both from Ocarina of Time.

Orwell is a teacher from Skyward Sword, Link and Zelda's kid is named after a classmate.

Buried Shiekah technology is a nod to Breath of the Wild.

Village of the Blue Maiden is from Four Swords Adventures. The Ancient Flowers are the reason for Scrapper's continued survival and are a material from Skyward Sword.

Aeralfos are from Twilight Princess as is Snowpeak. Hebra comes from Breath of the Wild.

Yes, Kakariko comes from before the time of Skyward Sword. You wouldn't believe the amount of shit that place has been through...

Volvagia is from Ocarina of Time.