Hudson Construction Company is becoming a household name across Hyrule
and there is a chance that it is because your household was built by them. The
Lucky Clover Gazette's own Penn got the chance to spend a day with Hudson at
his company headquarters just outside of Tarrytown, Akkala.
PENN: "Well Hudson, your company has really seemed to have taken off in the
aftermath of the Calamity."
HUDSON: "Well yeah! After I was lucky enough to have met my lovely wife,
Rhondson, I struck gold yet again! Anonymous investor chose me to build Tarrytown!"
PENN: "Tarrytown has become a very important economic hub of Hyrule with each
race contributing. But tell us about the impact you have had on the booming
mechanical industry across our country."
HUDSON: "Of course! When the ruins began to fall-"
PENN: "The Zonai ruins?"
HUDSON: "Yes, the Zonai ruins. Our team found a massive treasure trove of
unknown technology. Fascinating things! Wagon wheels that can roll over any terrain!
Tiny windmills that run on their own!"
PENN: "Really? Even on a day as quiet as this?"
HUDSON: "Even better."
Hudson walks over to a basic sled boat and taps it. The fan starts whirring and
the boat floats towards the middle of the lake. I recoil in astonishment.
PENN: "Astonishing!"
HUDSON: "Isn't it? Look at this one..."
PENN: "What is it?"
HUDSON: "We call it a 'rocket.'"
Hudson taps the rocket to launch. I drop my goggles down to watch the smoke
trail rise up and the explosion of fireworks.
PENN: "This seems dangerous..."
HUDSON: "Only if you're not careful. One guy messed around and set off an entire
pile of them. Blew a hole out the gosh darn cliff under Tarrytown!"
PENN: "Is he alright?"
HUDSON: "Oh yes, he's fine. I put him on a much less dangerous task at various
work sites across Hyrule."
PENN: "What job is that, exactly?"
HUDSON: "Well we couldn't afford to take on the entire restoration after the damage
caused by the calamity. But we did recognize the need for an experienced
construction company so we chose to donate the building materials instead of
spreading the crew too thin. But we are a business so I told the lad to install signs at
each outpost to build brand recognition. Plus this lets the townsfolk rebuild with the
local charm that makes them unique."
PENN: "That sounds simple enough."
HUDSON: "Yes! The 'Son and Done!' energy at each site! It makes me feel good
knowing that such a positive display of our work can be seen all across Hyrule."
PENN: "Well when you put it that way, it sounds rather important."
HUDSON: "It is also significantly less dangerous."
Hudson and I share a good laugh. While on the topic of engineering, he invited
me for lunch back at his house. I graciously accept. I figured I would fly there but
he insisted we take the trolly. I was nervous about relying on Zonai tech just
minutes after telling me about an explosion but the interview was going well so I
played along.
HUDSON: "I've ridden on this trolly at least a dozen times! There's nothing to worry
about!"
*I don't know if I was supposed to feel better that he's ridden it at least a dozen
times or worse since it's only been tested a dozen times. We got to his house to
see Rhondson milling about the foyer.*
PENN: "Oh Rhondson! I was hoping to get a few minutes of your time as well!"
RHONDSON "Oh yes? My husband did mention we might have a guest today. How
may I help you, Mr. Paal?"
PENN: "Please, call me Penn. While I was doing research for this story, a little bird
told me that you are one of the biggest artistic influences for the signature
architectural style of Hudson Construction Company."
RHONDSON "Oh I am thrilled to have you ask! Yes! Hudson showed me an early
blueprint for a school he wanted to build. It looked a little overly complex for what he
was able to do at the time. I am a very big art fan so when I saw Hudson's cubic
design style, it reminded me of Maruk Rocko.
PENN: "The famous underground Goron artist?"
RHONDSON "That's the one! I loved how he found different sizes and colors of
square rocks and simply arranged them in aesthetically pleasing ways."
PENN: "He did the dining room backsplash in Hyrule castle. It was one of his last big
commissions by the Royal Family if I recall correctly."
RHONDSON "It is one of my favorite pieces of his. The square rocks weren't often
the subjects of the piece… But the space between them! His use of different colors to
represent different emotions.
HUDSON: "They've always just looked like square rocks to me."
RHONDSON "He was far ahead of his time."
PENN: "Well the backsplash was done over 100 years ago so I have to agree with
you there."
The three of us all laugh. She offers us some safflina tea before taking some
blueprints off the table and walks into the kitchen.
HUDSON: "She's the best thing to ever happen to me. Rhondson has sacrificed so
much to come to Tarrytown. But for some reason, she left her home, her sisters, for
me! Lady Urbosa herself could walk by and I wouldn't bat an eye."
PENN: "That sounds like love."
HUDSON: "Sarq'lov.' It's 'love' in Gerudo. I've made an effort to learn her language
and culture. The whole town has. Rhondson feels more accepted but also our
daughter won't feel alienated from her Gerudo heritage."
PENN: "Gerudo women can only have daughters."
HUDSON: "The last time they had a king, it did not end well for them."
PENN: "Have you heard from your daughter Mattison recently?"
HUDSON: "We get letters. She always sends two copies; one for me in Hylian and
one for Rhondson in Gerudo. Mattison made me promise not to read mommy's
letter."
PENN: "Could you?"
HUDSON: "Only the basics. Gerudo is actually a very complicated language so I can
see "hello" and "I love you." Things like that."
PENN: "How is she handling it?"
HUDSON: "It sounds like she is enjoying it. The last letter she sent, she wrote about
how she has made friends in spear training and how they go seal-surfing. I'm not
thrilled about her going Molduga watching though…"
PENN: "She told you that?"
HUDSON: "No, that was Rhondson. Some things you just don't keep from your
spouse. One of them is concern for the safety of our child. Mattison swears she stays
a safe distance away, watching from a tall fragment of sky island debris. But a
Molduga is still a Modulga…"
PENN: "Well I know you can't get into Gerudo Town but has Rhondson gotten the
chance to visit?"
HUDSON: "We took a vacation out to the Kara Kara Bazaar. Rhondson met Mattison
in town and had a girl's day then she brought Mattison back and we all swam in the
oasis and had dinner at the rooftop inn."
PENN: "What's a 'girl's day' for a Gerudo even like?
HUDSON: "Buddy, you're asking the wrong guy. In fact, I think you'd get a bad
answer asking any guy. But Rhondson always tells me she gets a good workout in."
PENN: "...right."
HUDSON: "I would guess shopping? Clothes, jewels, weapons."
PENN: "Yeah. It is definitely typical Gerudo things…"
I suggested that we walk into the marketplace to get a report of how the town is
adjusting to its increasing national importance.
PENN: The Upheaval has also thrown everything into chaos. How have you been
adapting to the literal shifting landscape of the country?"
HUDSON: "Security has been an issue for us. Lookout Landing had to be built as a
central base of operations for the military and technology researchers so the
Tarrytown defense forces were called to active duty and Professor Robbie's team had
to relocate the research lab. Monsters have set up close bases and the abandoned
research lab campus has been turned into a Yiga stronghold! Not even Kilton was
even here to scare them off!"
PENN: "Yiga activity has begun to slow down since Link allegedly defeated their
leader, Master Kohga."
HUDSON: "Really? That explains why I haven't seen any banana peels floating up on
the beach. I still don't feel safe walking too far from the Akkala Stable."
PENN: "The remaining Yiga agents don't pose much of a security threat now. They
aren't organized. It's like watching a cuckoo with its head cut off."
HUDSON: "Tarrytown is more secure, sure. I also want to be able to go for a walk
without having Rhondson to protect me. I love my wife but everyone occasionally
needs some alone time. Speaking of, let's go to the beach. The sun is starting to set
so it will be midnight in three minutes!"
PENN: "You mean three hours."
HUDSON: "That's what I said!"
We crossed the natural bridge out of Tarrytown to the cliff of the North Akkala
beach. He tells me about the restoration project of Lurelin Village (reported about
in last week's feature on the Lurelin Water Raceway) and how he could replicate
it here in Tarrytown.
PENN: "A beach up north that is cold and rainy? As a vacation spot? I'm not sure I
really see it, Hudson."
HUDSON: "Sure, Lurelin is on a peninsula with sunshine, fresh gourmet seafood,
unmistakable charm, gleaming white sand beaches, and water rides. But we have a
bigger peninsula just over there!"
PENN: "You still have the issue of the pirates right off the coast."
HUDSON: "I'm not worried. The pirates of Lurelin got bored and left so I'm just being
patient."
PENN: "The pirates didn't get bored and leave. Link raided the village by himself and
eradicated every last one."
HUDSON: "Oh, that's not what I heard."
PENN: "It was in last week's issue of the Lucky Clover Gazette."
HUDSON: "I don't really trust the news these days."
PENN: "I wrote the article."
HUDSON: "You did? Well, from a bird's eye view."
PENN: "Excuse me?"
HUDSON: "The news said princess Zelda is missing. But I heard she attacked Zora's
Domain!"
PENN: "That wasn't Zelda. That was an agent of the demon king."
HUDSON: "What demon king? A king hasn't sat on the throne for over 100 years
now. I saw the castle rise up in the sky then and I heard from people that Zelda is
attacking. And where is this demon king? I see a mad princess and an empty throne."
PENN: "He's down in the depths. You are aware of the chasms across Hyrule, yes?"
HUDSON: "I've seen the holes in the ground, yeah. They drop so deep that they
might go all the way to Termina."
PENN: "Where?"
HUDSON: "Termina? You know, the T-State?"
I've heard of these "Timeline" conspiracy theorists. He doesn't read the incredibly
thorough and well researched reports that our trailblazing newspaper produces. I
wish stable gossip wasn't so convincing.
PENN: "Link reportedly bought a plot of land outside town. Do you think he will clear
out the pirates for you?"
HUDSON: "Yes! Link did just purchase that plot! I sent an engineer out for
construction but he keeps coming back for more and more rooms."
PENN: "What kind of rooms?"
HUDSON: "Weapon display rooms. Lots of weapon display rooms. A few triangles.
Never all at once though. I think he ended up returning them all for a square room.
Rhondson is still working on our triangle room design."
PENN: "It's strange that you say that because every time I fly by Link's house, it looks
unfinished. I asked your engineer what he was doing and he told me that Link said to
him that he would be right back."
We get to the cliff side and Hudson tells me that he wants to install a ferry that
goes down the cliff so anyone can easily enjoy the dreary, clouded weather. I
offered to fly him down but he declined. Hudson preferred to climb down the rock
so he remembers his connection elements that he built his company and family
legacy on. He made it seem ritualistic. I never saw Hudson as a particularly
spiritual person but it makes sense. He handles lumber with conviction. His
climbing grip is strong and each footstep down is deliberate. He hums Gerudo
lullabies to himself as he descends down the crumbling rock and clay.
HUDSON: "I know those wings are good for flying but give climbing a try."
Hudson steps foot on the sandy beach and reaches into his vest for his pipe and
herb pouch.
PENN: "That isn't Hylian Herb."
HUDSON: "Nope. It's Puffshroom. Ever tried it?"
PENN: "I cannot say I have."
HUDSON: "It has a really earthy taste. Nothing like I've tried before."
Hudson strikes some flint across his pocket knife to stoke a flame for his pipe.
HUDSON: "Take a look and imagine... Out of the cove there we can make Zonite
boats. Beach side restaurants with the best surf turf in Hyrule thanks to being so
close to the forest and the sea. Beautiful resort inns with the 'Son And Done' spirit!"
He hands me the pipe and I take a puff. It tasted like dirt. Wet dirt. I almost
coughed some feathers loose. I am known for my top-down perspective in my
articles but I am not above getting my talons on the ground.
PENN: "Have you thought of a name for this cold, rainy, dreary, resort town?"
HUDSON: "Why yes I have! I'll call it 'Rhondson's Vineyard!'"
PENN: "But there are no vineyards for miles in every direction."
HUDSON: "When has that ever stopped anyone before?"
I have gone underground several times covering the Yiga but Hudson was right.
This puffshroom was like nothing I have ever tried before.
PENN: "I think I'm seeing things…"
HUDSON: "Yes you are, buddy. You're seeing potential."
I blacked out. Or I think I blacked out. I remember being chased by monsters and
some voice screaming at me to bring it a salad before waking up at the North
Akkala stable.
INNKEEPER:: "Finally awake? How's your wing?"
I didn't notice my wing was now in a brace and sling. I asked him if he could tell
me what happened but before he could, Hudson walks in with some safflina tea.
HUDSON: Do you remember anything?
He hands me the cup. It's electric safflina.
HUDSON: Rhondson puts it in a thermos for me.
PENN: "No, I don't remember anything."
HUDSON: "You fell while climbing back up the cliff. I was wondering why you didn't
just fly."
