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PrincessCelestia
Super-Earth
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2011
- Location
- California
Just throwing this up here. A note of disclaimer. I do not own Zelda or any affiliated such thing. It's Nintendo's. All information here is non-canon, though some based on canon or semi-canon info. This is just ideas I've had in my head about the Zelda setting, especially Ocarina of Time. I've been in an LoZ RP with someone from here, and wrote this while I was waiting for another post. I may write follow-ups for each of the six races and a seventh for round-ear humans, who I am considering dubbing Ordonians as a Twilight Princess reference, and maybe other supplements such as one on magic or something. These are just my personal ideas, but feel free to use them in full or part in Zelda fandom RPs. I hope this is the appropriate place to put this, and doesn't violate any rules. I DID disavow any ownership of Zelda 
I only ask that if you use my ideas you let whoever you RP with know about the thread and don't claim you made all this up. Credit where credit is due. Speaking of, I used Zelda Wiki as a resource for research. I integrated what canon and semi-canon I could, and just took inspiration and loosely interpreted the rest.
Note that there is heavy use of terminology I have made up such as Trinity and The Three. Since triads are such important symbology in Zelda, I tend to run Hyrule as having a life philosophy that trinities are everywhere. I may very write a supplement on this subject later, if this supplement is deemed alright and well-liked. Also note this is meant to be written from a Hylian scholar's point of view. I'm calling him Shad in my head, the scholarly dude from Twilight Princess who sent you to the City in the Sky. Since names and characters kind of pop up repeatedly, I imagine OOT's time could have a Shad. Questions left unknown are mainly done so for purposes of taste and staying within BMR's rules and will likely not be answered in that race's supplement.
RACES OF HYRULE
OVERVIEW
Hyrule is only one land in the world but one of extreme importance. It was the first place created by the Three Goddesses, the original template of creation. Wide and varied climates and geographical features can be found in a comparatively small region. In terms of size it is smaller than many of the other nations of the world, but none would ever dare make war, for Hyrule's military, mystical, and cultural might dwarf even the mightiest and most vast empire. This power flows from it's location surrounding the entrance to the Sacred Realm, a divine reflection of Hyrule whose health and prosperity is tied to that of all creation.
There are six races of greatest note that inhabit this land. Though other sentient beings exist, none have achieved true civilization as these six. Like all of creation there are multiple facets of The Trinity amongst these races. They can be split into two separate groups of three.
The Three Human Races
The Hylians, Guardians of Light
The Sheikah, Servants of Shadow
The Gerudo, Acolytes of Spirit
While all varieties of human, these three races are distinct sub-species. The Hylians are the closest to the Goddesses and those meant to guide creation. The Sheikah were long ago Hylians, but became their own race to fulfill their unique role. The Gerudo were originally meant to work with their Hylian and Sheikah cousins as the military might of Hyrule, forming another trinity - The Hylians guiding with Wisdom, the Gerudo protecting with Power, and the Sheikah exhibiting the utmost Courage in embracing the darkness so they could see evils their cousins could not and face them in secret, never knowing thanks. But this trinity was broken, and the resulting racial schism eventually lead to the Age of Ganon. A lesson for all time about the dangers of falling out of balance.
And the Three Spirit Races
The Goron, Brothers of Fire
The Zora, Parents of Water
The Kokiri, Children of Forest
The term Spirit Races can confuse non-Hyruleans. Though they are physical, corporeal beings they are also manifestations of the Trinity. Gorons and Kokiri do not reproduce in the traditional sense, and while Zora obviously enjoy gender and romantic interest in one another as humans do, they are tight-lipped about the specifics of their reproductive methods and do not share them with non-Zora. These races also form a Trinity. The Gorons represent Power with their great size and strength. The Zora represent Wisdom as their thoughts are ever-flowing like a river, always mingling with each other and sharing new information. And the Kokiri represent Courage with their childlike forms, never worried about the dangers of their mystical forest, ignoring fear to spend eternity laughing and playing.
These six may also be set into three sets of opposing yet similar sets, each personifying one of the three aspects of The Trinity.
Light and Shadow, Races of Wisdom
The Hylians and the Sheikah are physically identical, save for the characteristic red eyes of the Sheikah. While Hylians practice open combat, live in open and well-lit cities, and share their knowledge and civilization with the world, the Sheikah are quite opposite. They are masters of stealth and assassination, hide in dark places and construct secret villages underground, and covet their secrets. But the Sheikah are ultimately servants of the Hylians, particularly the royal family, and aid their sister race in protecting the Sacred Realm. They personify Wisdom because the Hylians are the forerunners of civilization and education, while the Sheikah are keepers of ancient and dark secrets.
Fire and Water, Races of Power
The Gorons and the Zora, being children of fire and water, are clear opposites. The Zora were calm and reserved, while the Gorons tended to throw raucous celebrations and laugh heartily at the slightest provocation. But both are a strong people who could crash down like a wave or a landslide when needed. They also both share a strong sense of family. All Gorons consider one another to be brothers as they lack true gender, merely being assigned masculine pronouns in Hylian due to their masculine personality traits. While it is unknown just how Zora reproduce they do seem to form mated pairs, and the parental instinct of the Zora are extremely potent, having been known to literally transcend death. They personify Power in the Goron's great physical size and abilities and the Zora's natural talent in the magical arts, being some of the greatest mages of legend.
Forest and Spirit, Races of Courage
While the words 'Forest' and 'Spirit' may not seem opposites, there are still counterparts. The barren wasteland of the Gerudo Desert, where life struggles and fights for every breath, is the opposite of the flourishing and green Kokiri Forest. Furthermore both represent opposite views of natural beauty. The forest is a vibrant explosion of life in all it's forms, while the desert celebrates simplicity and the serenity of death. And yet while some predators lurk in the desert, they are nothing to the arcane things lurking in the Lost Woods, making both deadly places for different reasons. The Kokiri and the Gerudo also possess unique population statistics. The Gerudo are human and able to sexually reproduce, but are almost exclusively female with a male born only once a century, requiring them to mate with Hylian men to maintain their population. The Kokiri, meanwhile, are forest spirits manifested in a form like Hylian children. It is unknown if Kokiri engage in or are even capable of having sexual relations, but most scholars agree they are probably completely asexual and are born from some mystical means. They personify Courage in that both live fearlessly in harsh environments, and in that the Gerudo are fearless warriors, and while not militaristic the Kokiri are equally fearless explorers, delving into the Lost Woods just for adventure despite the risks involved.
The six races here are those native to Hyrule, and have not generally crossed outside of it's borders (though there are rare exceptions). It is these six who determine the fate of Hyrule, and by extension the entirety of creation.
ORDONIANS
It should be noted that these six are not the only sentient races present in Hyrule. Indeed, other varieties of sentient beings exist in the world past the tall and treacherous mountains encapsulating the great land and some, particularly another variety of humans, have come to reside within it's borders. Colloquially they are known as Ordonians, due to the town of Ordon, a farming community located at the southern edge of the Faron Woods. They are distinguished by having the rounded ears of the Gerudo but lacking their unique pigmentation and gender ratio, as well as other prominent features.
They are closer to Hylians, though on average tend to be slightly more stout, tall, and rugged. This is partially because Ordonians seem to more naturally favor lives of physical labor and activity to more erudite pursuits. This is not to say every Ordonian is hard-working or uninterested in the academic, but many find a natural joy in working with one's hands.
Past this they are like any other humans, though they lack a single unifying culture as the native races do. This has lead to Ordonians forming a sort of unspoken brotherhood between one another, and though any Hyrulean of respectable character should be expected to help another in need Ordonians often amaze with their capacity for community and generosity towards their own.
OTHER RACES & BEING BORN IN HYRULE
Rarely, one may encounter other sentient species in Hyrule. Legends speak of a people called the Minish, and there are rare but verified reports of encounters with gnomes and dwarves inside Hyrule. However, one is more likely to see a star fall from the heavens with one's own eyes than to encounter such a being first-hand.
Also of note is that while some of these races are said to be more magically inclined than others, anyone born in Hyrule has the capacity to channel magic, though few develop that potential in any meaningful way. All of the greatest mages in history are Hyrulean, with most races having a predisposition and ease towards magic associated with the element their species embodies. Members of other species (such as Ordonians) who were born in Hyrule find it is not as simple, but they can still become competent generalist mages with effort. It is unknown if a member of a Hyrulean race born outside of Hyrule would have magical potential as the situation has never occurred in a verifiable account, with Hyruleans being so reluctant to leave their paradise.
I only ask that if you use my ideas you let whoever you RP with know about the thread and don't claim you made all this up. Credit where credit is due. Speaking of, I used Zelda Wiki as a resource for research. I integrated what canon and semi-canon I could, and just took inspiration and loosely interpreted the rest.Note that there is heavy use of terminology I have made up such as Trinity and The Three. Since triads are such important symbology in Zelda, I tend to run Hyrule as having a life philosophy that trinities are everywhere. I may very write a supplement on this subject later, if this supplement is deemed alright and well-liked. Also note this is meant to be written from a Hylian scholar's point of view. I'm calling him Shad in my head, the scholarly dude from Twilight Princess who sent you to the City in the Sky. Since names and characters kind of pop up repeatedly, I imagine OOT's time could have a Shad. Questions left unknown are mainly done so for purposes of taste and staying within BMR's rules and will likely not be answered in that race's supplement.
RACES OF HYRULE
OVERVIEW
Hyrule is only one land in the world but one of extreme importance. It was the first place created by the Three Goddesses, the original template of creation. Wide and varied climates and geographical features can be found in a comparatively small region. In terms of size it is smaller than many of the other nations of the world, but none would ever dare make war, for Hyrule's military, mystical, and cultural might dwarf even the mightiest and most vast empire. This power flows from it's location surrounding the entrance to the Sacred Realm, a divine reflection of Hyrule whose health and prosperity is tied to that of all creation.
There are six races of greatest note that inhabit this land. Though other sentient beings exist, none have achieved true civilization as these six. Like all of creation there are multiple facets of The Trinity amongst these races. They can be split into two separate groups of three.
The Three Human Races
The Hylians, Guardians of Light
The Sheikah, Servants of Shadow
The Gerudo, Acolytes of Spirit
While all varieties of human, these three races are distinct sub-species. The Hylians are the closest to the Goddesses and those meant to guide creation. The Sheikah were long ago Hylians, but became their own race to fulfill their unique role. The Gerudo were originally meant to work with their Hylian and Sheikah cousins as the military might of Hyrule, forming another trinity - The Hylians guiding with Wisdom, the Gerudo protecting with Power, and the Sheikah exhibiting the utmost Courage in embracing the darkness so they could see evils their cousins could not and face them in secret, never knowing thanks. But this trinity was broken, and the resulting racial schism eventually lead to the Age of Ganon. A lesson for all time about the dangers of falling out of balance.
And the Three Spirit Races
The Goron, Brothers of Fire
The Zora, Parents of Water
The Kokiri, Children of Forest
The term Spirit Races can confuse non-Hyruleans. Though they are physical, corporeal beings they are also manifestations of the Trinity. Gorons and Kokiri do not reproduce in the traditional sense, and while Zora obviously enjoy gender and romantic interest in one another as humans do, they are tight-lipped about the specifics of their reproductive methods and do not share them with non-Zora. These races also form a Trinity. The Gorons represent Power with their great size and strength. The Zora represent Wisdom as their thoughts are ever-flowing like a river, always mingling with each other and sharing new information. And the Kokiri represent Courage with their childlike forms, never worried about the dangers of their mystical forest, ignoring fear to spend eternity laughing and playing.
These six may also be set into three sets of opposing yet similar sets, each personifying one of the three aspects of The Trinity.
Light and Shadow, Races of Wisdom
The Hylians and the Sheikah are physically identical, save for the characteristic red eyes of the Sheikah. While Hylians practice open combat, live in open and well-lit cities, and share their knowledge and civilization with the world, the Sheikah are quite opposite. They are masters of stealth and assassination, hide in dark places and construct secret villages underground, and covet their secrets. But the Sheikah are ultimately servants of the Hylians, particularly the royal family, and aid their sister race in protecting the Sacred Realm. They personify Wisdom because the Hylians are the forerunners of civilization and education, while the Sheikah are keepers of ancient and dark secrets.
Fire and Water, Races of Power
The Gorons and the Zora, being children of fire and water, are clear opposites. The Zora were calm and reserved, while the Gorons tended to throw raucous celebrations and laugh heartily at the slightest provocation. But both are a strong people who could crash down like a wave or a landslide when needed. They also both share a strong sense of family. All Gorons consider one another to be brothers as they lack true gender, merely being assigned masculine pronouns in Hylian due to their masculine personality traits. While it is unknown just how Zora reproduce they do seem to form mated pairs, and the parental instinct of the Zora are extremely potent, having been known to literally transcend death. They personify Power in the Goron's great physical size and abilities and the Zora's natural talent in the magical arts, being some of the greatest mages of legend.
Forest and Spirit, Races of Courage
While the words 'Forest' and 'Spirit' may not seem opposites, there are still counterparts. The barren wasteland of the Gerudo Desert, where life struggles and fights for every breath, is the opposite of the flourishing and green Kokiri Forest. Furthermore both represent opposite views of natural beauty. The forest is a vibrant explosion of life in all it's forms, while the desert celebrates simplicity and the serenity of death. And yet while some predators lurk in the desert, they are nothing to the arcane things lurking in the Lost Woods, making both deadly places for different reasons. The Kokiri and the Gerudo also possess unique population statistics. The Gerudo are human and able to sexually reproduce, but are almost exclusively female with a male born only once a century, requiring them to mate with Hylian men to maintain their population. The Kokiri, meanwhile, are forest spirits manifested in a form like Hylian children. It is unknown if Kokiri engage in or are even capable of having sexual relations, but most scholars agree they are probably completely asexual and are born from some mystical means. They personify Courage in that both live fearlessly in harsh environments, and in that the Gerudo are fearless warriors, and while not militaristic the Kokiri are equally fearless explorers, delving into the Lost Woods just for adventure despite the risks involved.
The six races here are those native to Hyrule, and have not generally crossed outside of it's borders (though there are rare exceptions). It is these six who determine the fate of Hyrule, and by extension the entirety of creation.
ORDONIANS
It should be noted that these six are not the only sentient races present in Hyrule. Indeed, other varieties of sentient beings exist in the world past the tall and treacherous mountains encapsulating the great land and some, particularly another variety of humans, have come to reside within it's borders. Colloquially they are known as Ordonians, due to the town of Ordon, a farming community located at the southern edge of the Faron Woods. They are distinguished by having the rounded ears of the Gerudo but lacking their unique pigmentation and gender ratio, as well as other prominent features.
They are closer to Hylians, though on average tend to be slightly more stout, tall, and rugged. This is partially because Ordonians seem to more naturally favor lives of physical labor and activity to more erudite pursuits. This is not to say every Ordonian is hard-working or uninterested in the academic, but many find a natural joy in working with one's hands.
Past this they are like any other humans, though they lack a single unifying culture as the native races do. This has lead to Ordonians forming a sort of unspoken brotherhood between one another, and though any Hyrulean of respectable character should be expected to help another in need Ordonians often amaze with their capacity for community and generosity towards their own.
OTHER RACES & BEING BORN IN HYRULE
Rarely, one may encounter other sentient species in Hyrule. Legends speak of a people called the Minish, and there are rare but verified reports of encounters with gnomes and dwarves inside Hyrule. However, one is more likely to see a star fall from the heavens with one's own eyes than to encounter such a being first-hand.
Also of note is that while some of these races are said to be more magically inclined than others, anyone born in Hyrule has the capacity to channel magic, though few develop that potential in any meaningful way. All of the greatest mages in history are Hyrulean, with most races having a predisposition and ease towards magic associated with the element their species embodies. Members of other species (such as Ordonians) who were born in Hyrule find it is not as simple, but they can still become competent generalist mages with effort. It is unknown if a member of a Hyrulean race born outside of Hyrule would have magical potential as the situation has never occurred in a verifiable account, with Hyruleans being so reluctant to leave their paradise.