Edited 21-3-2015
And Atlas Shrugged:
Mapping Hyrule (Canonic Version)
Skyward Sword actually validated this section. Literally changed Jack. Neither did ALBW.
I've actually enjoyed the mapping sections most – I rather like geography. But this section is ultimately how I made the maps match, which I was doing mostly for a multi-game fic I still hope to do (eventually, maybe) so I was trying to keep general layout canonical - a lot more difficult than I expected. So this section is mostly a thought exercise and really not light reading. All through this I had a .oci file with a layer for each map and was toggling things as I reasoned it out.
Next section is a little more frivolous – naming and describing the land and regions of my headcanon.
Map of Hyrule (dot = . ): serendipitous-way dot deviantart dot com/art/Map-of-Hyrule-almost-done-357951355
Atlas, technically the Titan who holds up the sky, tends to be thought of as carrying the world on his shoulders. (We blame a certain sculpture for this.) But if Atlas the world-holder was to shrug, we would like as not find a few things getting rearranged.
And anyone who has tried to make a comprehensive map of Hyrule knows what that looks like. Towns seem to move around all the time, with few constants, besides a few place names which keep turning up. And Hyrule is a very old country – cities have no doubt risen and fallen countless times over the course of its existence. Some lay abandoned, leaving many ruins scattered about the country side, while others are rebuilt, in the same place and elsewhere, sometimes renamed.
And despite Hyrule having had compasses from very early on, their cartographers never seemed to use them. Only Zelda I and II give reference to another country (Calatia – and that's in the comic, not the game) on the map, so all seas and 'world's end' type points must be taken with salt. And they don't date their maps either. One may be able to deduce the Heroic era, but then need to work out where in time that era occurred – hence the need to work out a manageable timeline first.
As explained in Appendix I, my timeline is as follows (less non-Hyrule games):
CHILD:_1; SS; _2; MC; FSa; OoT; TP
ADULT: _1; SS; _2; MC; FSa; OoT; ALttP; ALBW; LoZ; ZII
The lands not touched on here are: the alternate reality Terminia; the neighbouring Labrynna and Holodrum which may be added later; a dreamscape; the Great Sea (technically still Hyrule, but only really tells us there be mountains. Well duh.); another alternate reality/dream/sea; a new but distinct nation of the same name; and another dimension. The Hylian maps not used are exempted for specific reasons. Spirit Track's isn't old Hyrule. Four Swords runs with the Adventure, only adding details to each other. The dreamscape of Link's Awakening tells us nothing of use, but from the storyline we know that Hyrule does have access to an ocean or sea.
All of this leaving these games and maps:
The Minish Cap – Map (whose blockish appearance and lack of transitional areas suggest several smaller, local maps stuck together in relative position. Also vertical maps laid out horizontally. Helpful, but not to be taken literally.)
Four Swords Adventure – World Map (Relative direction? Check. Detail? Literal Value? F* no.)
Ocarina of Time –Atlas (Solid early atlas – general proportions are good, some inflation on important sites. Pretty standard for a medieval map.)
Twilight Princess – Map of Hyrule ([GC version, as it is the 'original.' The Wii edition was flipped, but as you will see, measures up better to the others.] This should be relatively the most accurate in the Child Timeline as it occurs latest – skill in cartography should have improved upon itself by this point. Top down rather than Birdseye, so there's less skewing, and it's designed for practical use.)
A Link to the Past – the Hylian Overworld, (a smaller area than the Overworld)
Legend of Zelda I and II – the Overworld, (A larger area than the Hylian Overworld. Probably the most accurate of the Adult Timeline, but the exaggerated icons for towns suggests a tourist map – appropriate as the Hero was not a native, but rather from Calatia [comic version: I haven't played it alas] – but not to be taken literally.)
Skyward Sword – The Stone Tablet (Made with divine guidance but probably not divine hands – an accurate but very general map.)
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Generally, if one decides to map anything without hard coordinates, one starts with a solid anchor point – something that will never move to act as a fixed compass rose through the ages. Towns can be used, but only in short term and in reference to each other, but generally a fixed point will mean geographical features – such as mountains – or stars which were there long before you were and will remain long after your gone. We cannot see Hyrule's stars. Rivers are a no as their beds can shift, or they can overrun their banks, silt up and change direction. The forest to field ratio varies with climate. Ditto with deserts and badlands. Oases and springs are fixed so long as they don't dry up or get blocked, but will be better marked over time, so are serviceable. Towns and architecture are not reliable, although again a long occupation site can be used – but only as long as the original location is known. So where does this leave us?
Short term reference points do not work – we don't have an exact account of the years in Hyrule, beyond that most counts are very, very long. They are only debatably usable for Legends which are relatively near together in time, such Minish Cap and Four Swords – Zelda I and II already use the same map. Hyrule Castle is tempting – in my early comparisons I used this since features surrounding it seem constant – but it leads to some pretty big discrepancies, and given how many disasters hit Hyrule and the Castle in particular, it is bound to have been destroyed once or twenty times and moved on at least a few of those occasions. Would you want to live where the King of Evil had lived?
There are no oases which appear in more than one map. The only recurring source of water is Zora's Domain, and it does not always appear, and sometimes Lake Hylia – a basin – is identified as the country's source – which is like as not a misidentification. Bodies of water are to be set aside in any case.
There are four named mountains, which can be used, but only two are at all viable. Snow Peak only appears in the Map of Hyrule. Mount Crenel is only in the World Map. Spectacle Rock is in the Hylian Overworld, and the Overworld. It might appear unnamed in Four Swords and Ocarina. Death Mountain appears in every map but Minish Cap – where it can be inferred by the other Four Sword map which should be dated to not too much later, and by the presence of the Goron tribe. So:
Death Mountain – anchor point. Due North for simplicity.
Death Mountain is part of a southerly bend in a roughly East-West running mountain range, and sits on the southern edge of that range above the Hylian plains. Death Mountain is a very active and conical volcano with a secondary cone and other lesser fissures which occasionally form smaller cones lower down its side. Volatile gases are an issue. It is home to a Goron Tribe.
Any map that does not portray these mountains on the northern edge of the Hylian plains must have its compass disregarded – it is inaccurate. As such we must rotate the Overworld by about 100 degrees clockwise (CW), and the Map of Hyrule by 90 counter clockwise (CC). The Map does not contain Death Mountain, but the presence of Gorons above the Veil Falls, which are located in high altitudes (sparse growth), implies it, and may actually be the mountain's base.
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Hyrule's of other recurring features can now be taken into account. All adjustments are approximate.
Also notice that the Overworld, the World Map, and the Atlas are all in a skewed perspective whereas the others are all top down. The Overworld leans back with caricatures of features rising from the map but is otherwise a Birdseye view. The World Map leans back as well, and is narrower in the back. The Atlas is odd – it recedes into the back left corner, as though pinched – Death Mountain and the Castle are most distant – and seems to be distorted, causing distant points such as Gerudo Desert and others to appear closer and the field crowded out. The Map, as mentioned above, may actually be several maps in relative position. - Just things to keep in mind.
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MAIN FEATURES
I used these to align the maps.
Lake Hylia
As a major basin, Lake Hylia will not move very much – the edges will shift, rise and sink, but will not leave a certain general area. This is a large, deep lake, more closely resembling a fresh water sea than anything. It is in southern Hyrule. East or west varies by map, and will be worked out as the analysis continues.
The World Map portrays a northern, tiered Lake Hylia, but it is also alone in the maps as showing Hylia as a source – this is probably a misnomer, so no changes are necessary for it.
The Overworld does not appear to have a Lake Hylia. The entire map is oddly stylized: it shows the relative locations' of towns and landmarks using pictures rather than dots to mark them, as in maps with the statue of Liberty or the Leaning Tower of Pisa imaged in its general location –a tourist's map, which is appropriate since the Hero whose map we use was a visitor. The Island Palace may be in the lake, or the lake may be the sea in the south, the waters having risen, possibly heralding the Great Flood (since I copped out and didn't place it in the timeline). The people are at least partially aware of this – many newer sites are on mountains, hilltops and foothills, whereas older ones, like the towns named for ancient sages, are on the plains.
Lake Hylia (minor), Veil Falls, Zora's Domain, Zora Waterfall, Zora's Fountain
Farther north is a smaller, marshier lake which may be the Four Swords' Hylia. It is governed by a spring, or several springs, which are said to provide most of Hyrule's water. The spring[s] may periodically plugged and unplugged, causing the lake to vanish, shrink or move. The source is not consistently represented beyond that there is a source. The various names may be attributed to a single place, or several in the same region. The water sources range from Death Mountain's foot to east of Death Mountain, and the eastern source seems to be on roughly the same latitude. The Domain is largely attributed to the eastern sites while the Falls are mountainous.
On the Map of Hyrule the Domain now appears in the west – flip the map to correct for this and then rotate at least 25 degrees CC. In the Overworld it is now in the west as well and needs to be flipped horizontally and rotated about 40 degrees CC. The Atlas needs to be shifted at least ten degrees CC . The remaining three maps show sources at the southern and eastern foot of the mountain rather than far to the east, and can so be assumed to be a different springs, and these are also the earliest maps. The eastern source may be a new spring, or one that became mapped as Hyrule expanded, as it exists only in the newest two maps, and the Atlas – where we note the Kakariko Well, which may have drawn from the old source.
Short version: Veil falls are an early, western source (a Lake Hylia minor – a name later attributed to certain wide points on the river at least until another name is offered/headcanoned) under Death Mountain which dries up over time. Zora's Fountain is the new primary source, guarded by Zora's Domain, and flows out of the Domain through the waterfall and into the river. Smaller sources are present throughout the area.
Zora's River, 'Lake Hylia,' other water ways
As stated before – these will shift as time passes. The only certainty is that they eventually feed south into Lake Hylia or possibly oceans in a larger Hyrule. Hyrule Castle and the primary market are always located on a major river, and it usually passes not too far from Kakariko. The 'Lake' of the World Map may also refer to an especially broad point along the river, as some rivers have been known to be miles wide. [My main local river, the Ottawa river, is about 50m to 2Km wide at some points within the city, and it used to be more than three times that, while the Carp, Rideau and Jock are all much thinner. 5-30m] There are also at least two major rivers – the one flowing from the domain, and the one flowing from near Death Mountain.
Southbound is key. No changes applicable.
The Southern Desert
A vast, harsh desert in Hyrule's south western reaches. The winds are often deadly, and some consider them cursed. Home to the Gerudo and the Zuna.
At this point we take a step back and look. We have five maps with deserts appearing on them (the exception being the Map, which is earliest (possibly pre-unification and pre-contact and trade with outside countries – like the Gorons or Labrynna – and thus small) and they all have this in common: they are in the west, below Death mountain, and with the exception of the Map of Hyrule, roughly the same latitude as or slightly North of the lake. The Twilight era desert also seems sparsely populated, which may translate to a poorly mapped area – it may actually be more northerly, or at least farther west, as it appears to be to near to fertile Ordon though rain shadow may account for this. The general inaccessibility of the area does not help. The Atlas desert is most northern, but that appears to be due to the skewing. If the field were decompressed and the area laid on a grid the desert would appear more southwesterly, still north in the southern quadrant, but still in the southwestern quadrant.
There is also the possibility that we do not see the full extent of the desert in any given map, similar to how a map of Niger or Libya cannot show the whole Sahara. It may be a single local climate – a micro climate in a valley, or Gerudo Valley may be one mountainous desert area, with the Gerudo Desert as the main desert plain. The Haunted Wastelands are another, possibly related to the Desert of Doubt (early name, before renamed for the Gerudo tribe who while it was called this lived in a desert oasis) which seems to be one with the Desert of Mystery (later adult timeline) as beyond them all in the less hostile regions near the desert steps one can find a temple with a carved stone face – the Desert Temple or Colossus. The late adult timeline desert has been reduced to two smaller deserts – Parapa (badlands, with scrub) and Tantari (a rocky or mountainous area).
But details aside, the desert is more or less where it ought to be – no further changes necessary.
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Those are what reliable features appear throughout Hyrule in their general placements – precision will come later, and much will remain to individual interpretation. After all, how large is Hyrule, really? Is it a dense concentration of mountains and valleys as it sometimes seems to be, or is it enormous with great plains such as in central Canada and the American Midwest? These are for individual interpretation. For now we have general positioning:
Death Mountain is on the North-West-North on the greater plains of Hyrule.
Lake Hylia is due south of the mountain (extending well east and west) in southern Hyrule.
The water sources are in the north, east of Death Mountain, some a little south of it.
There are two large rivers beginning in the foothills of the northern mountains and running south to the lake, drifting in between.
The desert occupies the south-western corner of the land.
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Following are other locations, reiterations, and slightly more specific details. All are canonical or according to the above changes, with some minor tweaks (such as the Greater Gerudo Desert versus the Gerudo Desert) . All are in alphabetical order, for the sake of sanity. Most sites in the Overworld are overlooked, as I've little interest in that timeline.
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Castle, Hyrule
This is not in fact a major feature of the landscape despite being a major part of the country – the Castle is too mobile. It has been just south of Death Mountain, just south of Spectacle Rock, in the fields farther below, central in the fields, and who knows where else we've not yet seen. As it stands, it is not even identified in A Link to the Past, although some castles have more prominence, like North Castle which due to map changes is now either South Castle, or north of something flooded.
The only thing all identifiable 'Hyrule Castles' have in common is that they are always located on one of the major rivers. Earlier castles tend to be closer to the northern range – a protective position indicating turmoil in the country. Later castles tend to move farther into the fields, while still sitting on the rivers as a simpler protection.
Still, there are lots of castles to mark out.
The MC castle is southwest of Spectacle and Death Mountain on the river Hylia. The FSa castle is east of that south of Death Mountain on Hylia. The OoT has moved back west, but south of the original castle in the low foothills on the river Zora. The Twilight castle is deep in the fields, back on the river Hylia. ALttP has the castle south of Spectacle on Zora in the field. The LoZ I and II have no clear Hyrule Castle. Others have no doubt existed as well.
Castle Town
The settlements surrounding the various Hyrule Castles throughout history. Some have encircled the castles, while others are separate but connected settlements. It is always fortified.
Castor Wilds
A treacherous swamp located west of the Great Plains and south of Mount Crenel. Characterised by high winds and the surrounding cliffs – they share a mountain range with Gerudo Valley, as well as the winds. It is considered part of the Desert Province. The ruins of a Wind Temple are found here.
In later times (adult timeline) the desert shrinks and the swamp spreads around the mountains. The area is renamed the Midoro and Mourge swamps.
Death Mountain
A highly active conical volcano on a southern bend in the northern mountain range, and in Goron territory. There is one primary caldera, a defunct secondary cone and various tertiary fissures. There are many gas vents and springs along the mountainside. Spectacle Rock is directly next to it. Death Mountain, like Spectacle, seems to have two peaks – the one containing the Goron City, and the one containing the Fire Temple and active crater.
On the early World Map there is a second peak on Death Mountain, one of which has a Tower dedicated to Flame. The active peak is the lower one, opposite of the Atlas. This suggests that the lower fissure and magma chamber are now dead or dormant, while activity has since moved to the higher peak, which contains the Fire Temple – rebuilt within the caldera after the cap the Tower was built on blew.
Desert of Doubt
A region of the Great Desert not far from Gerudo Valley characterized by a proliferation of ruins. It also contains the Haunted Wastes, which are easy to wander into as illusions in the ruins hide the Wastes from view. The Zuna live in oases beyond this region.
Desert Sanctuary
An area deep in the south-western desert which contains many temples. The sanctuary is relatively free from storms and other hazards. The Pyramids are in the Northern Sanctuary on the edge of the Desert of Doubt. The Desert Colossus, or Desert Temple, is on the very edge of the desert. The Arbiter's Grounds alone stand in the far east of the Great Desert.
Eastern Desert
Dry grassland in eastern Hyrule, this desert sits farther north than the western Great Desert, and borders on the sea. South of the province Snow Peak is in, and contains the Eastern Temple.
Faron Woods
In western Hyrule, these are largely benevolent forests in the foothills of the western mountains. They do however have dangerous aspects – some portions have been known to become covered in poisonous fogs or house dangerous beings. There are a number of curious ruins within these woods. It is part of the Lost Woods, and the southern reaches enclose the north of the Castor Wilds.
Gerudo Desert
A largest area of the Great Desert in south-western Hyrule, featuring harsh winds and mercurial temperatures – scorching by day and freezing by night. Pocked with rare oases, next to nothing lives here but locust, cacti, and a few carnivorous creatures. The Arbiters' Grounds sit on one of the rare oases in a rocky portion of the eastern desert.
Gerudo Fortress
A permanent Gerudo settlement on the north-eastern fringes of the greater Gerudo Desert, at the southern end of Gerudo Valley. The Gerudo rule from here and guard the entrance into the treacherous wastes. Not a tourist destination, as they are very untrusting to outsiders who consider them to be thieves and whores. The Fortress is heavily fortified, and may be built near or on Wind Tribe ruins.
Gerudo Valley
As mentioned, a very rocky desert area with little plant life, it exists in a southerly mountain range in the south-western quadrant of Hyrule. The river Hylia passes through here on its way to Lake Hylia.
Gerudo Village
Located in the Desert of Mystery on the World Map, this is an early Gerudo settlement – it is at least partially temporary, as while the gates into the desert proper are permanent, the women live in tents. It is likely a precursor to the Fortress, as evidenced by the gates.
Goron City
Home and capital of the Gorons, this city is built inside Death mountain, about half way up in what is either an old mine or empty magma chamber. If it is a magma chamber, this is a defunct secondary fissure in the volcano.
Goron Mines (Dodongo Cavern)
The Goron mines in Death Mountain, the entrance is below midway up the mountain. They are the source of food for the Gorons, as well as ore for trade.
Greater Gerudo Desert (Desert Province)
The Castor Wilds, Gerudo Valley, Gerudo Desert, the Desert Oasis, the Haunted Wastelands, and the Desert of Mystery are all distinct regions of the Greater Desert. The Deserts are in the rain shadow of the western mountains.
Haunted Grove
A forest in the western plains, east and just north of the Castor Wilds, the Western Wood is haunted by benevolent spirits – the area is reminiscent of the Sacred Forest Meadow, as it acts as a sanctuary for forest animals and lost souls. It may truly be separate, but it is also possibly another extension. It may also refer to Faron.
Haunted Wasteland
An especially harsh region of the Desert of Doubt. It is dominated by a never ending sandstorm, deep pits, and illusions. It is also very much haunted, as the name suggests, all of which leads to its status as cursed.
Hidden Village
A site supposedly founded by the Sheikah Impa – the Hidden Village, another northerly site. It is in the badlands east-south-east of Death Mountain across the fields of Eldin. At first glance it seems to be in similar position to the Atlas's Kakariko – until the skewing is removed and that Kakariko proves to be southerly rather than south-east, and we note that the Hidden Village is not in the northern range. It is located in hilly or mountainous and dry countryside – possibly part of a different, older (visually rounder) range.
As for being founded by Impa, if she was so successful in founding that first village, it is not unreasonable that she would be in charge of organizing more as the country was very prosperous during her lifetime. That she would make one of these villages for her tribe is not a difficult leap.
Hyrule Field
The vast fields in which most of Hyrule's people and primary settlements are found.
Kakariko
A village in Hyrule in the foothills of the northern range near Death Mountain. Kakariko Village, founded during the Hero of Time's era, was founded by the Sheikah Impa during the Hero of Time's era. It is south of the mountain in the straightened Atlas.
There is however a earlier Kakariko, just southwest of the mountain, whose presence in the World Map indicates either: an earlier version of the Village which was later rebuilt by Impa; that this is the same village as in Ocarina, and the associated Hero is later on the timeline than placed, occurring after Ocarina; or that Four Swords is an IMMEDIATE prelude to Ocarina, as Kakariko has recently been founded. As the World Map's Kakariko does not lead to Death Mountain, and seems to be on leveller ground, I would suggest this is in fact a different incarnation.
The Twilight Kakariko is drier than Ocarina, but both towns are in a valley, have a graveyard in a connected valley, and lead up to Death Mountain. These are likely the same site, the only difference being that the well has since dried up completely. It has not moved since there has been no destruction period in the child timeline as in the adult, but we can now place the valley to the west of the mountain-lake north-south divide.
The Hylian Overworld shows a Kakariko that is well west of Death Mountain, closer to the Hyrule Castle of the time, and roughly south-west of Spectacle Rock. It is on level ground and in the shadow of the Lost Woods. As a post-Hero of Time era map in the adult timeline it seems reasonable to suggest that the earlier town was destroyed as the new town is well established and quite prosperous.
Kasuto and Old Kasuto
My first reaction these two was to claim them as renamed Kakariko and Hidden Villages, but this would be incorrect. The Hidden Village, for one, is part of the Child timeline landscape, and Impa would not have been around after being made a sage in the adult timeline to create another then. The association with Kakariko might be feasible, though only conjecture, if the Overland map had not been retooled – as it stands, Kasuto is far too far south to be even a moved town. In all likelihood this is an independent settlement which later moved due to invasion.
Old Kasuto, being a refuge, is located on a small, forested mountain peninsula where it is well protected.
Kokiri Forest
The home of the Kokiri children for whom it is named, this is a remote portion of the Lost Woods, which falls directly under the protection of the Forest Lord, Deku. This is a largely benign section of the Woods, although non-Kokiri may find it difficult to navigate, or even hostile.
Lake Hylia
A large, freshwater sea-like lake in the far south of Hyrule, Hylia has long since been considered either Zora territory or sacred or both, and so no major settlements have ever filled its banks. Erosion has caused its shores to become very steep, as seen beginning in Ocarina and exacerbated in Twilight. Late Adult timeline Hyrule has seen the lake flooded past its boundaries and joined with the sea.
Lake Hylia (minor)
A name attributed to various areas along the rivers Zora and Hylia, lake Hylia minor has been the source of the veil falls, the basin the Zora Waterfalls pours into, and various wide points along both rivers, although it has never been an official name. Some Twilight era accounts seem to identify a fishery high on the Zora River as the minor lake.
Lon Lon Ranch
A small ranch first seen in the World Map, it has grown to become a major supplier by the Atlas' time, serving even the royals its dairy (and cucco) products, and breeding fine horses. That it can supply Hyrule Castle also shows that it is not too terribly distant from there.
Lost Woods (Woodland Realm)
A magical forest governed by mostly benevolent, ancient tree spirits known as Deku.
The Lost Woods are magical forests known for turning visitors around – so much so that many never leave, becoming stalfoes, stalchildren, and skullkids. Its location is varied throughout Hyrule's history, so this cannot be an identifying geological feature.
Furthermore, there is a quote in Ocarina of Time to the affect of 'the forest touches every corner of Hyrule.' (I will need to replay to find it, but I seem to recall it was Saria who said it – and being the Forest Sage she would know.) And this indeed seems to be the case in that game – the forest surrounds the castle grounds, the fields, Kakariko, the domain, the foothills – even the desert. There are also paths in the woods that can lead to unlikely places – directly into Death Mountain or Zora's Domain's doorstep. In different regions it may have different names, but it is ultimately the same forest, a single unified Woodland Realm.
Market Town
Another small town or city associated with Hyrule Castle on the Map, but more distantly. It is more or less a daytrip from the Castle, and may represent an early Castle Town, as the roads are unpaved and there is still much green space. Alternately, it could also represent a wealthier suburb, as all residents seem quite affluent.
Maze Island
A large, mountainous island of late Hyrule (Adult), I see Maze Island as a rocky plateau before flooding began. As earlier maps do not extend here, we cannot know. There is a palace deep within the island. The climate is very dry.
Midoro and Mourge swamps
The Overworld (late Hyrule – adult timeline) incarnation of the Castor Wilds. The swamp spread as water levels rose, taking over Gerudo Valley and part of what in the alternate timeline became Faron.
Minish Woods
A forest in the south east of the central plains, near lake country, but are likely still part of the greater woods – the mists and turns have strongly 'Lost Woods' qualities.
Mount Crenel
A small seismically active mountain in the Hylian Plains – an area typically called a 'hotspot.' It is in the western plains. Curiously, it has two peaks as does Spectacle Rock, but does not have the same sharply inclined slopes, though it is very craggy, and has one large cliff – the Crenel Wall. It was once a home of the Gorons before a population drop, but the mine is Hylian and was probably abandoned when the magma chambers were found. Had the Gorons been miners, this would not have kept them from mining.
Ordon Woods
A mostly mundane forest, connected to the Woodland Realm. It is noted for its fairy and spirit springs.
Parapa Desert
Formerly part of the Gerudo Desert, the Parapa Desert is now a peninsula on the rising sea. It is bare sand and wind.
Royal Valley (Old King's Tomb)
This valley, in the northwest holds the graves of ancient Hylian royalty spanning centuries. The early gravesite was small and located north of the Capitol of the time, southwest of Spectacle Rock and Death Mountain. The grounds became corrupted at one point, and the Royal tombs moved briefly until they could be cleansed and a sanctuary could be built to maintain them (adult timeline). In the child timeline a temporary graveyard was built within the grounds of a new castle, but were later blocked off and forgotten. Kakariko was the interim site.
Sacred Grove
An area deep within the Lost Woods, separated from Faron by a series of canyons, where the Forest Temple is located. It is largely favoured by gods and spirits and so has become hallowed.
Snow Peak
A mountain first identified in the Map of Hyrule. It is located in a cold, storm-prone province, home to few people, and the Yeti.
The original orientation showed it to be in the northwest, but changes have placed it in the southeast. However, due to the bitterly cold nature of the province it is in (named for the mountain) it seems unlikely that the mountain would be so near to one of the most unforgiving hot deserts of the land of Hyrule. As such, I feel that the province, which begins bordering on Zora's Domain in the northeast should be flipped to sit in the northeast rather than the southeast – a configuration closer to the original map rather than the flipped one.
Snow Peak (Province)
Northern province comprising of tundra and a mountain range. It is permanently frozen. Borders Zora's Domain in the north and east. Prone to frequent storms. Home of the Yeti and the tundra wolf. Zora's fountain feeds into this province from the south.
Spectacle Rock
Spectacle Rock is wide, sheer mountain with two peaks and home to the Tower of Hera. It is north-west of Death Mountain, both are of similar height and close enough to each other that at one point there was a bridge between the two.
The Hylian Overworld shows the two mountains – Death and Spectacle – are near enough to bridge together, with them located directly east and west of each other. There is a much smaller 'Spectacle Rock' in the Overworld, but it is located in the plains above of the northern mountains, some distance north of Death Mountain – this may be a misnomer, or a mountain named by the northern plainsmen. There are no other twin peaks on that map, but it is also possible that one of the two peaks was lost to an eruption, as it is a very active mountain chain.
The Atlas also shows a small, or simply distant, twin peak behind Death Mountain – this could be Spectacle Rock.
Tantari Desert
A small but calm rocky desert, Tantari was once part of Gerudo Valley, most of which has been buried.
Tower of Hera
A temple located on Spectacle Rock and a sibling to the Tower of Flame on Death Mountain.
Veil Falls
An early water source located at the foot of Death Mountain. Its spring source is mostly dry by the Hero of Time's age – the source must be accessed via wells as in Kakariko, and early in the Adult timeline is inaccessible, although the Hero executes a temporary fix. By the Twilight and A Link to the Past eras there is no hint of it.
Not to be mistaken with the Zora Waterfalls, which despite the ALttP representation, is actually far to the east of Death Mountain.
Western Wood
A mostly mundane forest in the far west – possibly an early name for the southern Faron woods, which wrap around the castor wilds.
Zora's Domain
Center of Zora territories and seat of their royal house, the Domain guards the primary water source of Hyrule, the Fountain. The water from the Fountain emerges in the throne room.
Zora's Fountain
A small, deep, hidden lake, this is Hyrule's primary water source. The fountain is the home of the water deity Jabu Jabu, and is also the location of the Ice Cavern and a Great Fairy's spring.
Zora's River
One of Hyrule's two primary rivers, this river begins at the domain and flows through Hyrule to Lake Hylia.
Zora's Lake
The usual name for the body of water Zora's Waterfall pours into, not far from the Domain. The Waterfall of Wishing is its outflow.
Zora's Waterfall
The water from the Fountain passes through the domain, leaving in this waterfall. The water moves from here to the Lake and then the River.
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Next Appendix: Atlas Shrugged II.V (Non Canonic)