Masks of Interest in OOT

(Images courtesy of Zeldawiki.org. From left to right: Bunny Hood, Spooky Mask, Mask of Truth)

Bunny Hood

The Bunny Hood is traded to the Marathon Man in exchange for a wallet full of rupees, and returning to the Happy Mask Shop afterwards unlocks the final four masks available in OOT. The Bunny Hood is interesting because it has several unique effects. It appears to make the Marathon Man run faster than he could before, an effect it has on Link in Majora's Mask, but not in OOT. When worn at night in Hyrule Field, the Bunny Hood prevents Stalchildren from appearing, yet does not seem to have the same effect on the Marathon Man. It is quite possible that the Bunny Hood is based on or made from a Pols Voice (Pictured right), a volume-sensitive enemy featured in many previous Zelda titles (Although not in OOT). The Marathon Man's response upon seeing the mask for the first time, "I bet with those long ears you can hear the voices... Oh, these are genuine rabbit ears from the animal of legend!" seems to support this idea, implying that the "Animal of legend" is in fact a Pols Voice, and the part about hearing the voices is a reference to it's weakness, loud noises (Generally the Ocarina). However, since at the time of OOT's release, one could never actually use his voice to kill a Pols Voice (You could eventually in Spirit Tracks), this may be a clue to something different entirely.

Spooky Mask

The Spooky Mask is the third mask in the OOT mask-trading quest, traded to the little kid in the Kakariko Graveyard for 30 rupees. When worn for Dampe, he remarks "Do you know what kind of mask you're wearing...?And you're still wearing it?", and the scientist at the Lakeside Laboratory tells you "That was manufactured from a plank from a coffin. Yes, it was!", leading us to believe that this is in fact some sort of burial mask. The strong resemblance it bears to the head of a ReDead (Pictured right) furthers this supposition. Since there are no caskets in the Kakariko Graveyard (Only skeletons), the coffin it was carved from quite possibly came from the grave at Lake Hylia. In addition to all this, the Spooky Mask glows in the dark, leading us to belive there may be some sort of magic enchantment placed on it.

Mask of Truth

The Mask of Truth could be considered the "Prize" for completing the mask-trading sidequest, and purportedly allows you to "See into other people's minds". While this does hold true for Gossip Stones, ordinary people just seem to talk to you, although most of them are noticably frightened by your appearance while wearing it. This could be explained by them just thinking the same thing they would say normally to a scary mask, or it could be that Link is simply too kind to go around reading everyone's thoughts. Additionally, the Mask of Truth bears the Eye of the Sheikah, a symbol also present on Gossip Stones, the Lens of Truth, and on the clothing of numerous potential Sheikah in other games, implying that it is in fact an artifact of the Sheikah. The fact that the Happy Mask Salesman has such an artifact in his possession is one of the main clues towards his potential Sheikah ancestry. When worn at the Forest Stage, the Mask of Truth nets you a Deku Nuts upgrade. Wearing the mask while speaking to the people in the House of Skulltula when they are still cursed will cause them to scream audibly, which is interesting as they are themselves Sheikah.

Potential Sheikah in OOT (Part 1)

As the sun rises on the beginning of Ocarina of Time, the ancient Sheikah village of Kakriko has just recently been opened to the public by Impa, the proclaimed "Last of the Sheikah". However, it is quite possible that many Sheikah still remain in Kakariko, both in hiding and in plain sight, and that's to say nothing of the many Sheikah still residing in the Hidden Village. To this end, I, Sharp the Elder, present you with a list of the people in OOT whom I believe to have potential Shiekah ancestry.



Bongo Bongo
Bongo Bongo is quite possibly the inventor of the Lens of Truth, a well-known Sheikah artifact. The old man speaks of a person who "Had an eye they said could see the truth" (The Lens of Truth) and whose house "Stood where the well is now", and since the well is where Bongo Bongo was sealed away, this could quite possibly be referring to him. In addition, Bongo Bongo has the red eyes of the Sheikah, and assuming that he was indeed sealed in the well before Link's first childhood visit to Kakariko (Will be discussed in a future article), he would have been there prior to the opening of the town to outsiders, and is therefor considered to be a prime candidate for being a Sheikah.



Guru-Guru
Guru-Guru is the "Eccentric" man who plays the phonograph in the Kakariko Windmill. As the windmill is obviously one of the older parts of Kakariko, and is in fact connected to the graveyard by a series of tunnels eventually used as Dampe's grave, it is likely that Guru-Guru has been working in the windmill since before the village was opened to outsiders, and therefor he is a prime candidate for being a Sheikah. On the other hand, phonograph playing is a classic form of begging, so Guru-Guru fits the profile of being one of the many poor people who have recently moved in. Guru-Guru never opens his eyes, so their colour is
unknown.






The Composer Brothers: Sharp and Flat
While they aren't technically living Sheikah, I figured our namesakes deserve their own paragraph just as much as everyone else. Seeing as, just like all other poes, Sharp and Flat's eyes change colour based on their attack pattern, it's impossible to determine whether they are red or not. However, Sharp and Flat dutifully served the royal family in their lifetime, studying "The hereditary mystic powers of the family", and seeing as how they were long dead by the time Link finds them, it is almost inevitable that they lived in Kakariko long before it was opened to outsiders. All this combines together to form what we believe is our most compelling case for a confirmed Sheikah.

A preliminary discussion of the cultures of greater Hyrule

Before the Unification War (the war in which OoT Link's father fought) the peoples of Hyrule were all separate factions. The Gorons and Zoras were not kind to each other, nor to the Hylians. But the King of Hyrule in that time fought to bring all the peoples under one ruler (himself) and to promote cooperation and understanding between the races. That being the case, at the time we see in OoT there is still much separation, and the peace seems very tentative. Only a representative of the Royal Family of Hyrule is accepted as a Hylian into Zora's Domain, or onto Death Mountain.

Hylians

The people of Hyrule are mostly Hylians. They have long pointy ears (to hear the voices of the goddesses) and are predisposed to magic. Link is a Hylian, and so is Zelda, and so are most of the people Link meets in the games, at least the ones set in Hyrule. The pointy ears is a dead giveaway, assuming they don't better fit the characteristics of another race. Most people living in Castle Town are Hylians, as are most who live in Kakariko village. They appear to have most normal hair colors and eye colors, with no tendency for any in particular. It is theorized that the Hylians who have brighter red hair are a result of intermingling with the Gerudo.

Sheikah

The shadow folk, and the protectors of the Royal Family of Hyrule, Sheikah are a very small numbered culture who always seem to be just scraping by with one or two remaining obvious instances. However, at any point there are a larger number of Sheikah who are doing normal things, in odd places, who presumably continue to pass on the bloodline and keep the traditions somewhat alive. Sheikah were the original inhabitants of Kakariko village, and seem to have played some significant role in the Unification War, because many of them appear to have died shortly before Ocarina of Time, such that many people believe them to be extinct. Impa, however, is a confirmed Sheikah, and presumed to be a fairly high ranking individual, in whatever social hierarchy the Sheikah may have, since she is the closest to the Royal Family, as the personal guardian of Princess Zelda. Impa seems to be the most authority holding citizen of Kakariko Village, as after the Unification War, she opened up the village to poor Hylians, presumable because of heavy losses to the population during the war. Notable Sheikah include Impa, Impaz, and possibly others such as Dampe or Madame Fanadi. The dead giveaway characteristics are red eyes, as well as the Sheikah symbol (a single eye, usually shedding a tear, such as the one on the Gossip Stones) on them.

Gorons

These creatures eat rocks, and live up in Death Mountain where they can find them. They especially like the rock sirloin from Dodongo's Cavern, so much that foreign Goron settlements (i.e. the one at Snowhead) have it imported! It's easy to tell Gorons apart from other species, as they are extremely homogeneous as a race. They all have the same yellow-brown skin, which is so hard that they can walk on lava and roll into a ball and tumble down mountains. Some have spikes. They have blue eyes, and many carry the Goron symbol (something like a pawprint) as what appears to be a tatoo. Many seem to be in the mining business, which is how they get their food. Some take a liking to merchanting, however. Gorons cannot swim, but surprisingly they survived the great flood. Goron society is dominated by a patriarchal system with elders upon elders being given the right to rule. Gorons enjoy sumo wrestling, and hot springs, as well as just rolling around in circles. Gorons tend to be extremely isolated as a society, and do not take kindly to unannounced outsiders, not to say that they're racist, just careful. If a Hylian or Zora proves to be not a bother, the Gorons will be quite pleasant. Some Gorons, for reasons unknown, are much much larger than normal, these have trouble living among Gorons inside mountains, so they sometimes just camp on the outside. This might be a random birth defect or a certain family line that has happened over time.

Zoras

The Zoras are a race that seems to have grown closer to fish. They can stay underwater indefinitely, but seem to also be able to breathe out of water too. Thus, they are extremely adaptable. They appear to be led by a monarchy, and call Zora's Domain, the source of the Zora's River, their home. There are indeed two types of Zoras to be found in Hyrule, requiring different treatment. The River Zora or sometimes Zola are an aggressive race who will attack you from the water. They are less civilized than the Lake Zoras who live in Zora's Domain and at Lake Hylia, and should be treated as barbarians. This is not to say that River Zoras cannot be civil, but if they see no reason to be, they see all Hylians as enemies. Lake Zoras do not normally allow Hylians within Zora's Domain, but when they are encountered in a neutral area such as Lake Hylia they are friendly. It is thought that in the timeline stemming from the adventures of the Hero of Time in Ocarina of Time, including Wind Waker, the Zoras evolve into a different race known as the Rito, who can fly. It seems a little silly that the only strong swimming race had to adapt to the new water-based environment, but they did. The Zoras were hit hard in the other timeline by the freezing of Zora's Domain, but they ultimately survived as a race. There are some Zoras in Termina, but it is unclear whether they are in contact with the Hyrulian Lake Zoras, it seems likely that one stems from the other at some point in history, however.

Gerudo

The Gerudo are a desert people made up almost entirely of females. Only one male Gerudo is born in a hundred years, and he is to be their King. Ganondorf is the example of this position as Gerudo King. Though not an "evil" people in the sense of the River Zoras, the Gerudo make their livelihood by stealing. They call the Gerudo Fortress, in the Gerudo Desert, their hideout, and also seem to use the Desert Coloussus as their place of worship, probably of Din primarily, and maybe the other goddesses as well. The Arbiter's Grounds might be a place of the Gerudo as well, but possibly not. The Gerudo women are known to find mates among the Hylians (for lack of men of their own race) and they then take with them the children deemed to be Gerudo. The others are presumably left to the Hylian men to raise (Malon may or may not be an example of this phenominon.) The Gerudo are hostile to Hylians in a diplomatic sense, and do not submit to the rule of the King. Hylians are not normally allowed into the Gerudo Fortress, with entry only permitted to those with a membership card. However, it is thought that Telma, who lives in Castle Town is mostly or partially Gerudo, so some may be defectors, or possibly the Gerudo as a tribe have crumbled by the time of Twilight Princess, since Ganondorf has been unable to lead them from within the Twilight Realm. There is a band of pirates named the Gerudo in Termina, it is unknown if they are connected to the Gerudo in Hyrule, but likely. The Gerudo have yellow eyes, and dark skin with red hair, setting them apart from everyone else obviously.

This concludes our brief look at the peoples of Hyrule, with some groups left out. Wait for part II, I suppose, but these are the most important and historically relevant groups of people. Flat, signing off.

Gossip Stones

What better way to start our blog than with the titular item of interest, the Gossip Stones. Gossip Stones hold special significance to the two of us, as perhaps the first major clue we discovered, and the first mystery we sought to unravel. That was many years ago, and although we've come a long way in that time, we still ponder the mysteries of the solid black Gerudo stallion with the same childish intensity as back when we were knee-high on a grasshopper (Or at least I was).

First, what exactly ARE the Gossip Stones? Gossip Stones (Pictured above courtesy of zeldalegends.net) are mysterious artifacts of the Sheikah, with many mysterious traits. While an in-depth discussion of these traits will have to wait for it's own article, one of them stands alone, the reaction to one wearing the Mask of Truth, another Sheikah artifact. When wearing the mask, examining these stones allows them to "Speak" to you, saying all manner of interesting things. There are 40 in total, and thanks to our good friend Video Gamer X over at The Odyssey of Hyrule we have a complete list of their locations, and their respective dialogue. Approaching with the attitude that each one must yeild some sort of worthwhile clue, Flat and I gave it our all, and uncovered the truth behind most of them. These explanations are also listed below for your viewing pleasure.

In Front of the Temple of Time - They say that Malon set the original record in the obstacle course of Lon Lon Ranch.
This is saying that Malon's horse (Epona) is the fastest horse at Lon Lon Ranch, and by extension, that she is the one you have to use to beat Ingo in the race.

In Front of the Temple of Time - They say that Malon of Lon Lon Ranch hopes a knight in shining armor will come and sweep her off her feet someday.
Since the one Malon hopes will sweep her off her feet is Link, the "Knight in shining armour" is in fact a clue that the Knights of Hyrule (Referenced in LTTP) are descended from OOT Link (And presumably Malon too).

In Front of the Temple of Time - They say that it is against the rules to use glasses at the Treasure Chest Shop in Hyrule Castle Town Market.
This is a reference to using the Lens of Truth to cheat at the Treasure Chest Contest.

In Front of the Temple of Time - They say that Gerudos sometimes come to Hyrule Castle Town to look for boyfriends.
This means that Malon's mother is most likely of Gerudo ancestry, due to the colour of her hair and Talon's lack of a wife. This may also imply that other Hylians may be part Gerudo as well, and could explain the general lack of non-Gerudo women in OOT Hyrule.

Near Hyrule Castle, just past the vines that you climb. - They say that if you get close to a butterfly while holding a Deku Stick in your hands, something good will happen.
When a butterfly lands on the end of a Deku Stick, it turns into a fairy.

Near Hyrule Castle Moat - They say that, contrary to her elegant image, Princess Zelda of Hyrule Castle is, in fact, a tomboy!
This is probably an early hint at Zelda disguising herself as Shiek.

Very Close to Hyrule Castle, by a tree, in a secret Grotto in the ground, only accessable with by playing the Song of Storms. Is only revealed after blowing up a wall, lies within a circle of stones. - They say that you may find something new in dungeons that you have already visited.
This is a hint at revisiting previous dungeons with new weapons to make new discoveries (Mostly Gold Skulltulas).

In Hyrule Field, in a secret grotto near the entrance to Lake Hylia - They say the horse Ganondorf rides is a solid black Gerudo stallion.
Unknown. Since Ingo says that Epona is a gift for Ganondorf, this could mean that Epona is a Gerudo breed, or even an offspring of Ganondorf's stallion.

Hyrule Field, near a brown tree, in a secret Grotto under a rock, west of Hyrule Castle/Market area - They say the horse Ganondorf rides is a solid black Gerudo stallion.
See previous.

Still in Hyrule Field, hear the Gerudo Valley, under a secret grotto, in the middle of a circle of stones. Put a bomb on the area to reveal the secret cave. Inside there will be webbing blocking the Gossip Stone and a Cow. Use Din's Fire to burn down the webbing in front of the Stone - They say that there is a switch that you can activate only by using the Spin Attack.
Unknown. Generally said to be a reference to the barred switches in the Water Temple and Ganon's Castle, but since these can be activated using Biggoron's Sword, bombs, or the Megaton Hammer, me and Flat remain unconvinced.

In Gerudo Valley on the ledge at the bottom of the ravine near the waterfall. - They say that the thief named Nabooru, who haunts this area, is a Gerudo.
Unknown. Potentially a reference to the Spirit Guide.

In Lake Hylia, left of the Lakeside Laboratory - They say that there is a secret on the road that leads to Lake Hylia.
Piece of Heart in a grotto.

In Lake Hylia, toward the back left corner, 3/4 underwater - They say that the Chicken Lady goes to the Lakeside Laboratory to study how to breed pocket sized Cuccos.
Unknown.

In Lake Hylia, toward the back right corner, 3/4 underwater - They say that Ruto, the Zora Princess who is known for her selfish nature, likes a certain boy...
Confirms that Ruto has a crush on Link, but since she's already proposed to you by the time you get the Mask of Truth, it seems a little too obvious.

The Sacred Forest Meadow, in the corner in front of the Forest Temple and Saria - They say that it's possible to find a total of 100 Gold Skulltulas throughout Hyrule.
Since there are additional Gold Skulltulas in Termina, this means that Termina is not a part of Greater Hyrule.

In the Sacred Forest Meadow on the upper part above the Maze. - They say that strange owl, Kaepora Gaebora, may look big and heavy, but its character is rahter lighthearted.
Combined with the following Gossip Stone, hints at Kaepora Gaebora being the reincarnation of Rauru, the Sage of Light.

In the Sacred Forest Meadow on the upper part above the Maze - They say that the owl named Kaepora Gaebora is the reincarnation of an ancient Sage.
Combined with the previous Gossip Stone, hints at Kaepora Gaebora being the reincarnation of Rauru, the Sage of Light.

In the Lost Woods, near the warp to Goron City, under a rock, inside a secret grotto - They say that the horse Ganondorf rides is a solid black Gerudo stallion.
See previous.

The Kokiri Forest, to the right of the entrance to the Lost Woods - They say that the small holes in the ground that you can find all over Hyrule make perfect breeding ground for bugs.
A hint at using bottled bugs to find Gold Skulltulas in soft dirt.

Right in front of the previous Gossip Stone, play the Song of Storms to make a secret grotto appear. They say that the horse Ganondorf rides is a solid black Gerudo stallion.
See previous.

The Kokiri Forest, to the right of the Deku Tree. They say that the Kokiri are always followed by small fairies.
This is the first available clue that Link is not Kokiri, but in fact, Hylian.

The Lost Woods, Left, then Left again, near the bridge. They say that when non-fairy folk enter the Lost Woods, they become monsters!
Undecided. This may be a hint towards Grog's mysterious fate upon entering the Lost Woods, or it could be a hint that Kokiri don't actually become Skull Kids when they enter the Lost Woods.

Zora's River, You must carry the cucco, all the way to the part where you can drift down to the ledge that leads to the ladder. You will not be able to climb with the cucco, so throw it onto the ledge, then climb, then grab it again. You probably did this before to get to the Fairy Fountain under the rock. Across from that hole will be a Gossip Stone. - They say that there is a man who can always be found running around in Hyrule Field.
Hint that since you sold him the Bunny Hood, the Running Man never stops running anymore.

Just across from this area is another secret grotto. If you fall inside you will find another Gossip Stone. - They say that the horse Ganondorf rides is a solid black Gerudo stallion.
See previous.

Zora's River, right in front of the waterfall, under a ledge - They say that Princess Zelda's nanny is actually one of the Sheikah, who many thought had died out.
Hint that Impa is a Shiekah, and that they haven't actually died out, since many Shiekah are still living in the Hidden Village at this point.

Zora's Domain, in front of King Zora - They say that players who select the "HOLD" option for "Z TARGETING" are real "Zelda players!"
Hints that most of you are probably n00bs.

Zora's Fountain, just to the left of Jabu-Jabu, - They say that there is a secret near the lone tree which is not far from the river in the northwest part of Hyrule Field.
Piece of Heart in a grotto.

Zora's Fountain, near the Great Fairy Fountain, and the hidden corridor, - They say that you can swim faster by continuously pressing B
While this is correct, it's never necessary. Intreaguing.

In the Graveyard, near the entrance to the Shadow Temple, only accessable with the Nocturne of Shadow. - They say there is a secret near a tree in Kakariko Village.
Grotto with two redeads, between the tree and the house Talon stays in. Stone of Agony is reccomended here.

In Kakariko Village, in a grotto behind the Potion Shop, accessable via cucco only. - They say that the horse Ganondorf rides is a solid black Gerudo stallion.
See previous.

Inside Dodongo's Cavern behind a bombable wall in the first main room - They say that Gerudos worship Ganondorf almost like a god.
This is a hint at the Desert Colossus being a shrine to Din, goddess of power. This may also be a hint at the relationship between Ganondorf (The Geruudo) and Ganon (The pig-demon).

Death Mountain Trail, on a ledge on the wall that Link must climb to get to Death Mountain Crater, and the Great Fairy - They say that Biggoron's Sword is super sharp and will never break.
This is a hint at the existence of Biggoron's Sword, and it's supremacy over the Giant's Knife.

Death Mountain Crater, close to the entrance nearest to the owl, there is a stone with a secret grotto underneath. - They say that the horse Ganondorf rides is a solid black Gerudo stallion.
See previous.

Death Mountian Crater, behind a bombable wall across a small wood bridge - They say that Medigoron didn't really think about his own size, so his store is really cramped.
Tells us that the creator of the Giant's Knife is named Medigoron.

Desert Colossus, to the left of the Spirit Temple - They say that the treasure you can earn in the Gerudo's Training Ground is not as great as you would expect, given its difficulty!
Unknown. May just be saying that the ice arrows are pretty useless, and frankly, they are.

Death Mountain Trail, in the circle of stones where you play the Song of Storms to reveal a secret grotto with a Golden Rupee, and a Gossip Stone. - They say that the horse Ganondorf rides is a solid black Gerudo stallion.
See previous.

Goron City, inside the room with all the boulders. Bomb a path to the chests and Gossip Stone. - They say that there is a secret around the entrance to Gerudo Valley.
Piece of Heart behind the waterfall.

Goron City, inside the room with the big Goron. - They say that Ganondorf is not satisfied with ruling only the Gerudo and aims to conquer all of Hyrule!
SPOILERS!

Hyrule Field, the southern part by all the trees is another grotto under a boulder. - They say that the horse Ganondorf rides is a solid black Gerudo Stallion.
See previous.

Right side of the Deku Tree. You have to climb the farthest Left root as high as you can go, then walk over to the other root. Now simply roll past the tips of the roots until you come around to the Right side of the Deku Tree. - They say that one Kokiri has left the forest, but he is still alive!
Unknown, seeing as Link isn't a Kokiri.

It is worth noting that this list only encompasses the Gossip Stones found in OOT. The Gossip Stones found in other games, while serving a similar purpose, give entirely obvious clues, and are there for not worthy of the same consideration.

Well, that's it for our first post. If you have any comments or contributions to make, please feel free to do so in the comment field below.