Exposing the Sheikah

Indeed… What is hidden in the darkness?

It

is common human nature to fear what cannot be seen. Ignorance creates

paranoia and panic succeeds into despair. In the name of truth, those

in sorrow must then reflect upon the faults of the past so that justice

and discipline is maintained within society. In the face of explicit

fear, the mere concept of the unknown can be over-exaggerated and

outright skewed beyond logical reason at times. But in the name of good

will, who and particularly why would anyone manipulate such drama against the sacred lands of Hyrule?

The

“shadow folk”… That is the nickname given to the esteemed race known as

the Sheikah. Shrouded in mystery, with little to be said about the

nature of their culture, the shadows of the Hylians seem to hold honor

and duty to its highest extent. Their race’s eye symbol sparks drama

and dismal feelings to those sensitive to its gaze. Yet very few traces

lead to the real nature of their shady design, making them one of the

most mysterious races in the entire Zelda saga. At every dim

corner throughout Hyrule there lurks uncertainty and uneasy speculation

as to whether this race was good, evil, or a transition between the

two. Therefore in order to expose them we must examine their Protected

Secrets, their Political & Divine Hierarchy, their Territories and

Magical Artifacts, and finally concluding their Disappearance.

There

is no one way to look at the Sheikah. They hold many secrets, some

obvious, some not so prevalent. Therefore it is crucial that

backtracking from the earliest reference in the Sheikah’s history will

induce answers to what and who they were before the era of Ocarina of Time.

Much

awe and mystery flows within the walls of the Temple of Time. This

ethereal building stood as the doorway between the light world and the

Sacred Realm and acted as a port via which the Hero of Time traveled

the currents of time. Yet Twilight Princess furthers the

building’s purpose by showing us that it secretly housed advanced

technology the Hylians were experimenting and utilizing within other

temples around Hyrule. Of this foreign technology, the Dominion Rod was

left in the Temple of Time. Though the Dominion Rod is not an artifact

of the Sheikah, but of the Oocca race, its importance is merited when

it comes to our understanding of the “shadow folk” nonetheless. The

hieroglyphics depicted upon the temple’s walls suggests that one of the

seven sages was granted a special rank in the Royal Family’s hierarchy

to maintain contact with the Oocca. Given the status, “messenger to the

heavens”, this person was granted a book from the Sheikah in order to

communicate with the sky beings as Impaz exclaims:

“The

Dominion rod was only to be carried by the messenger to the heavens

when the royal family needed to communicate with the Oocca. From

generation to generation, my ancestors have guarded the book that, by

royal decree, was to be given to the messenger to the heavens. This is that book. Please, take it. This book is written in the ancient language of Sky Writing.”

Prior to this reference, Impaz relays to Link that her name comes from “the great one”

who built the hidden village long ago that was once the secret home of

a proud tribe who served the royal family… Though the village fell in

decline as beasts ran it into desolation, Impaz could not allow herself

to flee. By Royal Decree she was bound to wait until a certain person

arrived—the messenger of the heavens—no matter what treachery befell

her home.

Whether she is an actual Sheikah or simply a

descendant of the faded race is up for debate. The royal protocols

behind the Ancient Sky Book imply that she certainly is related to the

shadow folk, also confirming a relation being previously held between

the Hylians and Oocca, as Shad had hypothesized:

“Yes,

according to legend, Hyrule was made by the Hylians, who, as we all

know, are the closest race to the gods. But also according to legend,

long ago there was a race even closer to the gods, and some say THESE

creatures made Hyrule.”

By

not only their long ears, the Royal Family was the Hylian’s essential

connection to the race closer to the gods. I believe Keenen Truby’s

article, Understanding the Oocca,

concludes a better understanding of the nature of this relation; that

the race of the sky beings helped improve the Hylians’ way of life in

order to fulfill their divine-ordained dominion over the lands.

What can be concluded about the Sheikah from this segment:

1. They served as guardians of the Oocca’s language; implying they may

   have had previous contact with the race and suggesting their knowledge

   of the land before the Hylians.

2. They served the Royal Family directly in special and secret affairs.
3. The Temple of Time is built not only to serve as a protected gateway to

   and from the Sacred Realm, but also housed technology from the Oocca.

   Between these affairs revolving around the temple, the Oocca, Royal

   Family, and Ancient Sages held a coherent relation, while the Sheikah

   act as intermediate delegates and messengers.

4. Impaz shares a tradition passed down by the Sheikah and remains selflessly loyal in respect to their laws of the past.

The Temple of Time housed many purposes thanks to Twilight Princess’s

additions. Many of those standards gave rise to ideas as to why the

Temple of Time was built… but there is another overlooked reason hidden

behind the influences of the passing race. The Hylians are the closest

beings to the gods, the Oocca being their arms to grace, and the

Sheikah servants to their rule over the land. However the shadow folk’s

role is a bit understated when they are entitled as mere attendants to

the Royal Family. Their affairs with the Oocca race entitle them to a

higher standard when noting secrets about the Triforce that people

weren’t commonly aware of.

The apparently “unknown legend”,

as Sheik references, simply states this: The Triforce is a balance that

weighs three forces. If the heart of the one who holds the sacred

triangle is balanced in these forces, that one will gain the True Force

to govern all. But if that person’s heart is not in balance, the

Triforce will separate into three parts and only one part will remain

for which that person most represents. If that individual seeks the

True Force, that one must acquire the two lost parts which will be

granted to those chosen by destiny; bearing the symbol of the gods on

the back of their hands.

This Triforce legend confirmed itself due to Ganondorf’s triumph seven years before. As Ben Lamoreux’s article The Nature of the Triforce

concludes in part, it is by no mere coincidence that the gods intended

certain things to happen if someone evil should ever obtain their

power. The Triforce cannot differentiate between good and evil and by

nature the object cannot help but grant the wishes of his or her

master. However, the design only allows it to be controllable by

someone with all three forces in balance. This “True Force” law was

established so that vile ones could only govern the world in part.

Without this rule, Hyrule would probably be destroyed because of

unworthy people—the safeguard ensures the world is protected from those

with evil hearts.

Even with the precautions the gods had made around the Triforce, they never abandon their people. In Twilight Princess

we see the Gods utilizing the Spirits of Light in the course of divine

intervention to save their world, both in sealing away the Fused

Shadows and in aiding Link. The role taken up in Ocarina of Time

isn’t too far fetched when coupled with the idea of Link and Zelda’s

dreams of prophecy. Looking further back into Hyrulean History,

apparently the Sheikah had divine intervention with respect to their

fundamental Triforce knowledge.

“When evil rules all, an

awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be

Sages, who dwell in the five temples. One in a deep forest… One on a

high mountain… One under a vast lake… One within the house of the

dead… One inside a goddess of the sand… Together with the Hero of

Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of

peace to the world… This is the legend of the temples passed down by

my people, the Sheikah. I am Sheik. Survivor of the Sheikahs… As I

see you standing there holding the mythical Master Sword, you really do

look like the legendary Hero of Time… If you believe the legend, you

have no choice. You must look for the five temples and awaken the five

Sages…”

Author’s note: Even

though Sheik is Zelda, and not of real Sheikah heritage, he/she seems

to know a lot of legends passed down by the respective shadow folk. We

can conclude this information was salvaged from her caretaker, Impa,

during Ganondorf’s seven year reign.

Something drastic must

have happened in the course of their history for such mysterious

testimonies to become legend and then eventually forgotten. As

concluded from the previous segment, there is a coherent relation

between the ancient sages and the Royal Family. The Sheikah’s place in

all this becomes more meaningful when we consider this reference. The

legend of the temples gives us crucial background on another reason why

the Temple of Time was built: for the Hero of Time. When the Temple was

completed, the prophecy brought forth the forging of the Master Sword.

By the wisdom of the ancient sages, this element served as the final

key to accessing the Sacred Realm; the perfect lock as the sacred blade

could not be touched by evil ones. However, it was inevitable that evil

would rise no matter what was done to prevent such times…

By Ocarina of Time,

the time for the legend to come to pass was underway. A boy emerged

from the forbidden forest and embarked on a journey to enter the Sacred

Realm for the sake of obtaining the Triforce before Ganondorf, the evil

one. But instead, when the young hero acquires the keys necessary to

surpass the Door of Time, his poor spirit gets sealed away after

claiming the blade of evil’s bane… After seven years, Rauru, who is

an ancient sage, states why his spirit was sealed:

“The

Master Sword is a sacred blade which evil ones may never touch… Only

one worthy of the title of “Hero of Time” can pull it from the Pedestal

of Time…. However you were too young to be the Hero of Time… Therefore, your spirit was sealed here for seven years. And now that you are old enough, the time has come for you to awaken as the Hero of Time!”

Age never seemed to be a requirement in other Zelda

titles involving Link wielding the Master Sword… So obviously there are

special cases surrounding this scenario. There are really only two

explanations for why Link’s spirit was sealed away.

1. The

Master Sword’s chamber was permanently enchanted so that if someone

would ever claim the blade of evil’s bane, they would have to be of a

certain age to wield it. If that one was of the proper age, he would

not have been sealed away. But if the one worthy of the title “Hero of

Time” was too young, that person spirit would be sealed away until he

had aged properly to fight the evil that threatened the world.

2.

When Link was transported to the Chamber of Sages, Rauru decided that

the boy was not strong enough to fight Ganondorf and his forces. So the

sage had the Hero of Time to-be sealed in an enchanted slumber until he

was fitting enough to defeat the evils in Hyrule.

Both reasons

advance towards fulfilling the Sheikah’s prophesy, but with totally

different attitudes attached. The first point suggests that proper

measures were taken so that the destined hero wasn’t lost due to a lack

of strength to fight the sieges of evils, while the second point makes

Rauru look like he took destiny into his own hands in order to see the

legend of the Hero of Time come to pass.

Some Zelda theorists

consider the second option because of the gateway relation between the

Temple of Time and Light Temple. Although the two temples are connected

to one another, the Master Sword serves as an impenetrable border to

anyone not worthy of the Hero’s standards, and thus creates a boundary

between Hyrule and the Sacred Realm. With that said, how can the Sage

of Light have control over something that isn’t within his district of

authority, especially when it is “blocked” off? He simply can not. The

latter option does not seem logical, and further, Rauru would not hold

back someone who entered the Sacred Realm in the name of peace. If this

were the case, there is no reason to why Link could not have obtained

the Triforce before Ganondorf. Rauru simply refers to Link’s destiny as

the Hero of Time because the legend was coming true after the fact.

Another

factor that must be noted with regards to the Sheikah’s legend is the

famous Gossip Stone that quotes Kaepora Gaebora as a reincarnation of

an ancient sage. Because he is the only other existing sage from

Rauru’s era, his role merits concern amongst Zelda theorists. When Link returns to his past, he encounters the owl at the Spirit Temple after acquiring the Silver Gauntlets.

“Hey,

what’s up, Link? Surprised to see me? A long time in this world is

almost nothing to you, is it? How mysterious! Even I thought that the

tales of a boy who could travel back and forth through time was merely

a legend. Link, you have fully matured as an adult. From now on, the

future of all the people in Hyrule is on your shoulders.”

Why

should Link be surprised? He guided him into the predicaments where he

now stands, after all. In fact, at the beginning of Link’s quest, this

huge bird pops out of nowhere to tell Link what his fate is going to

be, with danger and hardships all along the way. But he seems baffled

by the legend foretelling of a boy that could travel through time. This

can only mean that even the ancient sages never thought the legend

would come true in the way they foretold. Zelda, too, was oblivious in

the whole drama. She did not expect Link to get sealed away, as she

recalls the transpired events as “an unfortunate coincidence”.

Considering

all these factors shared between Rauru and Kaepora Gaebora, the thought

of the legend being some sort of forced fanaticism taking place prior

to its fulfillment is faulty. It can not be concluded that anyone

within Hyrule specifically knew what the legend meant in certain

regards.

What can be concluded about the Sheikah from this segment:

1. They had knowledge about an unknown Triforce legend.
2. They are prophesiers of the coming Hero of Time; additionally

   influencing another purpose of the building of the Temple of Time and

   giving the other temples in Hyrule a role connected to their prophesy.

3. The prophesiers acquired themselves an important role with the ancient

   sages and their affairs revolving around the structure and purposes of

   the Temple of Time.

4. The “age requirement” of the Hero of Time was not known to anyone in Ocarina of Time Hyrule.

The

legend of the temples lived on in the hearts of the shadow folk; the

tunes of their foundations carried on the wisps of the wind. Though it

was not only their songs that beat within the core of the Sheikah’s

designs, but the tempos that fluctuated from the magical veins of the

Royal Family. Images of the divine Triforce became signatures of

Hyrule’s monarchy; coupled with an ancient melody the great Impa once

said could only be learned by those affiliated with the Royal Family:

the Zelda’s Lullaby. However, these songs may have only been a few of

many that were hidden away. One song in particular was so powerful that

it led to the forfeiture of two men’s lives.

All those born

within the village of Kakariko are sworn to serve the Hylian royalty.

Before this rustic village was opened to the public by Impa, there once

lived two brothers whom were assigned to study the hereditary power of

the family. The two were known for the many musical masterpieces they

wrote and thus many of their projects reflected upon the tones of

ocarinas. Composers Sharp and Flat were involved in formulating one

song to summon the moon and another to summon the sun. Once their

research was combined, they kept it extremely secret. However, the

fruits of their research echoed towards Ganondorf’s ears because of the

brother’s previous efforts to decipher the power of the Triforce. They

inscribed the melody, the Sun’s Song, alongside a poem within the Royal

Family’s tombstone before they deceased.

If Link were to travel to Kakariko Village at night, the Hylian Guardsman at the front entrance will relay “Legends say you can calm the souls of the dead with an old song of the Royal Family.”

Intrigued by this bit of information, Link would eventually stumble

upon the ghosts of the Composer Brothers and learn of their tragic

legacy.

It is unclear as to why the Royal Family had an

interest in controlling time. That aside, the song provided another

purpose, acting as a spiritual channel to put restless souls at ease.

This is demonstrated when voices from within the Royal Family Tomb will

ordain the young hero to calm the souls of the Redead that wander about

the tomb’s chambers.

The inscription on the graveyards head-tombstone provides insight to another job the Sheikah were responsible for.

“R.I.P.

Here lie the souls of those who swore fealty to the Royal Family of

Hyrule. The Sheikah, guardians of the Royal Family and founders of

Kakariko, watch over these spirits in their eternal slumber.”

Considering

the Sun’s Song has become legend in the history of Kakariko, if the

quotation is to be taken literally, some of the Sheikah must have acted

as spiritual mediums to calm the restless dead with this melody at one

time.

What can be concluded about the Sheikah from this segment:

1. Based on the longevity of their work and their inhabitance of Kakariko,

   it is probable that the Composer Brothers were Sheikah during their

   life time.

2. The Sheikah used the Sun’s Song to give ease to restless souls.

Political & Divine Hierarchy Connections

The solid lines indicate a direct coherent relation while the dashed represent a more associative relation held.

This

scheme is a collective theory based upon the findings in the last

segments. The Sheikah’s web of influence is placed accordingly as

“special” in comparison to the “other races” throughout Hyrule, as the

Ancient Sages are also placed like such because of their unique affairs.

Territories:

Uncertainty

still prevails as to the nature of the shadow folk’s duties besides as

merely guardians and caretakers. Throughout the course of Ocarina of

Time’s adventure, the most prevalent observation taken is the theme of

death which litters the Sheikah’s past. This certainly gives much

suspicion that they may have somehow been seduced into vile affairs.

But given the examples of their selfless sacrifice, guard of

respectable secrets, and generations of loyalty to the Royal Family,

nothing seems to add up as to why they would all of a sudden become

treacherous. Kakariko Village is the founding hometown of this proud

tribe and its adherence to royal traditions. Yet its importance does

not lay within the town itself but what lies beneath.

“A

long time ago… There was a man in this very village who had an eye

they said could see the truth! Now usually, you have to train your

mind’s eye most strenuously to actually see the truth… But this

fella, no, they say he had a different way of doing things… His house

stood where the well is now…”

Dark, Narrow, Scary;

The Well of Three Feature’s sign was meant to rise caution to loitering

villagers. The Kakariko Windmill drew up water from this life source…

courting way to a cursed abyss long hidden. When Link played the Song

of Storms, that pathway was opened. Beyond the doorway at the bottom

lay scattered chambers, where spirits whisper to Link to look for the

Eye of Truth and give warning where invisible pits are located. Down

the hallways and throughout the dingy corridors, illusions hid skulls

embroidered in the dirt of rooms, chambers filled with blood hooded

skull hieroglyphics, and even a tomb housing six coffins. But nothing

is more disturbing than what lay hidden in the center of this wretched

place.

Author’s note: This picture is taken from the Shadow Temple, however it mirrors a similar room from the Kakariko Well.

Here

we find two wooden beams crossed in an “X” fashion and two chains

draped on each side to which a body could be strapped. Prison cells

surround the dried blood smeared beneath the beams… and below a hidden

shaft leads down to another chamber which seemingly served as a mass

burial area. Near the center of this dug out cavern, skeleton arms

reach out of the green pools of death as a few Redead wander about.

The

Sheikah did well in covering up their tracks with their illusions.

Based on the environment, it is clear that these chambers once served

as an interrogation and execution place for enemies of the Royal

Family. But could the noble race be so cruel after all we have read

about?—impossible! But apparently it was within someone’s interest to

use an evil for a better good. The real question is why.

What can be concluded about the Sheikah from this segment:

1. The chambers hidden beneath Kakariko serve as an example what was done to those that were enemies of the Royal Family.
2. Illusions were used to mask their secrets.
3. The jail cells, green pools of death, and skulls embroidered into the

   dirt walls might suggest the extensive scale of executions that took

   place.

The Shadow Temple is the house of the dead

which had been sealed off once peace returned to the world. Before such

times though, those who were unwillingly led here likely never saw the

light of day again. They remained trapped within a place where infinite

darkness absorbs even time itself, as Sheik once imparted.

When

the Hero of Time drew towards the latter end of his quests, he stopped

by Kakariko only to see it in ablaze. A shadowy entity blasted forth

from the depths of the village’s well, and escaped into the abyss of

the dead. Sheik told of how Ganondorf released the demon that Impa had

sealed away within the well long ago and implored Link to help her

contain the entity within the Shadow Temple.

Access to the

temple was located within an alcove that overlooked the Kakariko

Graveyard. Sporting the infamous eye symbol, the underground labyrinths

had been made inaccessible to those not involved in the affairs that

took place beyond its cold exterior. Like the Well of Three Features,

many illusionary walls and riddles coaxed the way within, spirits

whispering that only one with the “eye of truth” could find their

bearings through the darkness. Beyond these illusions, many rooms lead

into familiar dingy skull embroidered walls, chambers covered with

blood, and other areas with jail cells. In the center of the temple, a

bottomless pit stretched immensely across the cavern with guillotines

found upon the paths along the way. These all indicate that mass

executions once took place in this underworld.

Deep within the ends of the Shadow Temple, a spirit would whisper “If you want to see a ferry to the other world, come here.”

There a boat floated above a misty trail of endless darkness below.

When activated by the Royal Family’s melody, the ship would hover to

the ends a series of invisible corridors that led to a familiar scene

observed below the Kakariko well—the one where blood is smeared beneath

with a pile of bones located in the corner of the room. The Shadow

Temple seems to be a torture and execution place as well.

It’s

fairly obvious why the Shadow Temple gives the Sheikah a bad name. The

place truly is a testimony to Hyrule’s bloody history. Because of so

many deaths that were initiated between the hidden chambers below

Kakariko and this temple, it is no wonder why demons, such as

Bongo-Bongo, and other evils were drawn near these locations.

What can be concluded about the Sheikah in this segment:

1. The chambers within the Shadow Temple serve as an example what was done to those that were enemies of the Royal Family.
2. Illusions were used to mask their secrets.
3. The jail cells, skulls embroidered into the dirt walls, and guillotines

   over the bottomless pit in the Shadow Temple suggest the extensive

   scale of executions.

4. Based on Impa’s actions, those involved or

   in knowledge of the dismal affairs of the Well of Three Features and

   Shadow Temple were responsible for sealing evil spirits which were

   attracted to their atmospheres.

The truth will set you free, the truth shall confine thee.

The magical artifacts of the shadow folk carry this theme, ranging from

tools that were used to see the invisible, the captured, and even

pierce into the minds’ of others. Because of the limited examples of

their magic shown to date, they appear to have been only illusionists

and minor enchanters.

Based on the transition of the shadow

folk’s history as royal attendants on all sorts of levels, their relics

of old provide insight on why and how they were used, and for what

reasons.

The

legendary Mask of Truth has the power to see within people’s minds, as

the Happy Mask Salesman once referred. If Link were to sport off this

hypnotic mask to various people around the world, the results are quite

intriguing.

Hyrule Castle Town

Generally, older

people are startled by the mask, crying for help, screaming, or getting

out right offended. There are some however that retain a neutral

attitude. The girl within the market finds it funny looking, unaware of

what it stood for.

Kakariko Village

People express the

same results as those in Hyrule Castle Town. In the Skulltula Family’s

home, who were cursed because of their greed, the head of the household

gets extremely frightened by the mask more so than any other person in

Hyrule. (Interestingly a gossip stone near the forest temple states

that there are 100 gold skulltulas throughout Hyrule which are the

source to breaking their curse)

Death Mountain

The Gorons within the region seem to all distaste the likes of the mask and wish for Link to leave them alone.

Zora’s Domain and Lake Hylia

The Zora retain a neutral attitude towards the mark.

Kokiri Forest/Lost Woods

Everyone

in Kokiri Village generally finds the mask amusing for its size and

laughable. On the other hand, the only one that is afraid of the mask

is the blond Kokiri and Saria will say the mask makes her feel sad.

In

the Lost Woods’ Forest Stage, the Deku scrubs become stunned stiff in

the face of the masks presence. When Link goes over to talk to the head

Deku scrub, he says, “All my young Deku Scrub brothers say… you

have a horrible face! But don’t worry! We will reward you with many

Deku nuts. Of course we will also enable you to carry more of them!”

Gerudo Valley

The Gerudo at the gate and bottom ledge of the cavern get annoyed by the mask and ward Link off.

When

people are placed in the sight of this mask, it might be possible they

are looking into the face of madness. Coupled with the idea of what

happened to those that were not loyal to the Royal Family, the mask

makes out to be an interesting interrogation tool besides reading

Gossip Stones. It’s understandable why Hyrulians that recall knowledge

of such times are startled or turned off by this item. Neighbors and

townsfolk going missing and never returning surely digs up a lot of

past woes associated with this tool.

This

device is won during Link’s quest to gather Joy Pendants for a sassy

teacher on Windfall Island. Although this instructor most likely isn’t

a Sheikah given the era Wind Waker takes place, this trinket sports a

pair of the tribe’s eye symbols. Its function is similar to the Mask of

Truth, only it reads the health within a target.

The

curious looking item belonged to Illia in Twilight Princess. When the

girl lost her memory this totem served as an important tool in

restoring it. Once Link retrieved the item from Impaz and handed it to

the girl, she was able to recover elements from her past to rediscover

who she was.

Gor Coron confirms this devise being Sheikah relevant:

“I

REMEMBER! I thought I had seen that before somewhere… That belonged

to the tribe that protected the Hylian royal family long ago. They

worked in secret, so they lived in a lonely, forgotten place. But I

heard that tribe dwindled in the prolonged wars…”

It may

be possible that the item was used to capture and store information

from someone’s mind (like a memory chip does from a computer), which

succeeded in less dramatic methods of interrogation.

“The Shadow will yield only to one with the eye of truth, handed down in Kakariko Village.”

The eye of truth

was an item passed down in Kakariko whom were most likely responsible

for hiding the dismal tasks that took place around the village. The

lens showed the way beyond illusions and revealed evil spirits that

lurked in the shadows.

Knowledge of the infamous Lens of Truth

spread across Hyrule to the ears of the Gerudo. During Link’s quest to

rescue the carpenter in the Gerudo Fortress, the last of them will tell

you something interesting about the desert that he overheard the

Gerudos talking about. They said, “In order to cross the Haunted

Wasteland, you’ll need the ‘eye of truth.’ The Colossus is on the far

side of the wasteland…”

One with the eye of truth shall be guided to the Spirit Temple by an inviting ghost.

Perhaps

the inscription led to the initial sign before the Gerudo’s marked

trail into the Desert. Either way, the device was also used to help

those find way to the spirit temple that couldn’t naturally see the

truth with their minds.

Throughout

all of Hyrule, the Gossip Stones are the devices that were used to

collect information from by passers and spy on others in general. In

theory, one could gather information from channeling from one stone to

another. However in Ocarina of Time, Link uses the Mask of Truth to take in information directly from each.

The

cousins of these relics, the Howling Stones, sported the same Sheikah

symbol in Twilight Princess. Yet these stones revealed long forgotten

tunes through their hollowed out eye sockets instead of retaining over

heard information.

In the Wind

Waker, the power of the Pirate’s Charm allows Tetra and or the King of

Red Lions to see what Link sees. It also acts as a channel for which

someone can talk through, which is implied as the enhancement compared

to its former design; as Daphnes quotes:

“That stone is an

enhanced version of the Gossip Stones long spoken of in the legends of

the Hyrulian Royal Family. I am the one who made it.”

The

charm that Tetra/Zelda gives to Link may or may not be magic

originating from Sheikah alone. Yet its mechanics and what Daphnes says

reveals the original Gossip Stones being a prevalent communication

device, thus explaining why they are found throughout Hyrule.

The

Hover Boots were a hidden treasure within the Shadow Temple that were

needed to walk over elongated pits which were out of jumping range. Out

of all the other artifacts left behind by the Sheikah, the winged “sacred feet”

are the only piece of equipment that does not adhere to the theme of

“truth”. It may be possible that these boots are not of Sheikah origin

at all.

The Disappearance

When

the three Goddesses cultivated the world of Hyrule, they left behind a

divine relic that could make mortal dreams come true. Eventually the

legends of the Triforce initiated much rumors to where this golden

treasure lay hidden. Longing for such power soon became greed, lust

succeeded into conspiracy, and blood was often shed for any information

leading to the Sacred Realm. The controversies intertwined across the

lands of Hyrule, giving birth to prolonged fierce wars. Amongst those

involved in the conflict, a group who excelled in magical abilities

tried to gain dominion over the realm. However it was then necessary

for the Gods to intervene and they ordered the Spirits of Light to seal

away the source of their great magic. By divine order, these

interlopers were chased down, exposed, and banished into another realm;

the antithesis of Hyrule that later became known as the Twilight Realm.

None could return to the world of light from here, except through an

artifact the Goddesses left behind in Hyrule, known as the Mirror of

Twilight.

“Hyrule was always known as a sacred land in the

past, and even now it’s protected by the royal family and other

spiritual figures… But there was a time when Hyrule was torn by

conflicts that swept the land… And these recent disturbing events may

be caused by the leftover anger and misery of the souls who departed in

that conflict…”

It

is a common understanding that before Hyrule was one single unified

country, there was a long time of political unrest unrelated to Ganon.

Thanks to Alex Plant’s article, Mysteries in Hyrulean History, it is certain that the war referenced in both Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess

is one and the same. Yet the framework that surrounds the scheme of

events during this age of chaos doesn’t really explain the nature of

how, why and when the Sheikah began to dwindle.

It’s an

uneducated hypothesis to assume the interlopers (shadow clan) were the

Sheikah altogether, providing reason to why they disappeared from

Hyrule. On one hand you have a tribe that is selflessly loyal to

protecting the Royal Family and its secrets, while watching over their

people. And on the other you hand you have a clan whom wants to obtain

those secrets to dominate the Sacred Realm and kill anyone who gets in

their way. They are complete opposites by nature. Though many theorist

will argue that both share the same eye symbol.

No

doubt that both symbols represent shadow and darkness to certain

degrees. The image on the left is the prevalent sign as we see it in

Ocarina of Time and the sign on the right is located behind Zant’s

throne in the Twilight Realm. But as you can see, one symbol inherits a

tear and the other does not. Given the fact that the Sheikah were in

knowledge of the Temple of Time and its purposes, I believe it would be

more logical to assume that a group of them became corrupt and decided

to deceive the entire operation and claim the Triforce for themselves.

Or another possibility is that a curse befell some members of the race

that made them turn evil due to the nature of some of their duties.

Either way the cookie crumbled, you get two symbols meaning two

different things because of this split in loyalties: To justly protect

and secure knowledge from evil (shadow folk – left image) or to

unjustly expose knowledge through force for unworthy benefits (shadow

clan – right image).

Of course some theorists will use this image, found in Ganondorf’s Forsaken Fortress in The Wind Waker,

to render the tear argument invalid because they are confident and

content in the fact that the Sheikah on a massive scale deceived their

brotherhood’s oaths and royal decrees. Because the events of The Wind Waker

take place hundreds of years after the era their race declined, this

particular symbol antithesis may make no difference considering the

sign was already skewed in meaning once.

As seen in other

Zelda titles, the essence of darkness is always representing: dominion

by force; despair of others; and resulting deaths to follow. In a

similar sense, the Sheikah followed the same path, only they swore to

make their choices in sake of protecting others. Yet, which is right or

wrong and what is good or evil, can truly be in the eye of the

beholder. Perhaps any reason(s) to achieve a better good, which

sacrifices lives in the process, is unworthy of any sentient beings…

Therefore evil is attracted to the aromas of such unworthy functions –

which define why the eye symbol emits so much dread no matter how it’s

placed.

Like the checks and balances that revolved around

the nature of the Triforce and the creation of the world, the Gods

managed each of their species’ purposes accordingly. Thanks to the

findings in this article we can collectively arrange a selection of the

previous sub-conclusions into a proper chronology that defines the true

nature and unspecified history of the shadow folk.

1. They served as guardians of the Oocca’s language; implying they may

   have had previous contact with the race and suggesting their knowledge

   of the land before the Hylians.

2. They had knowledge about an unknown Triforce legend.
3. The Temple of Time is built not only to serve as a protected gateway to

   and from the Sacred Realm, but also housed technology from the Oocca.

   Between these affairs revolving around the temple, the Oocca, Royal

   Family, and Ancient Sages held a coherent relation, while the Sheikah

   act as intermediate delegates and messengers.

4. They served the

   Royal Family directly in special and secret affairs and everyone born

   in their village fulfills the role as servants to the Royal Family.

After

the three goddesses blessed life into the completion of Hyrule, many

races evolved to uphold the law of the world with a ruling hierarchy.

One race to rule the sky; one to rule the land; and the other ruling

the underworld. Once the basic civilizations established themselves,

the three heads of these races met to secure complete dominion over

their world in order to protect the divine Sacred Realm. A temple was

built to secure this gateway and house the technology and magic

necessary to protect the Triforce from others. Here and so forth, the

sky beings advanced the civilization of the land, while the shadow folk

swore fealty to keep their secrets safe and watch over their citizens.

1. They are prophesiers of the coming Hero of Time; additionally

   influencing another purpose of the building of the Temple of Time and

   giving the other temples in Hyrule a role connected to there prophesy

2. The prophesiers acquired themselves an important role with the ancient

   sages and their affairs revolving around the structure and purposes of

   the Temple of Time

3. The Gossip Stone devices were made and placed throughout Hyrule to spy on people

Civilizations

had advanced themselves throughout Hyrule. Likewise, the Hylians had

stabilized their proper position in the world in order to obtain

complete dominion over the land. However, a fell day came when the

Sheikah prophesized that evil would one day rule all… but during that

time where all hope fell short, a hero would emerge from the channels

of time itself to save Hyrule.

In an attempt to prevent these

days from ever coming to pass, The Royal Family of the Hylians ordered

their Sages to temper a blade which no evil one’s could touch and use

it as the final lock to the Sacred Realm. In the mean time, four keys

from the respective allies of the Hylians were gathered up and

enchanted before a door called “The Door of Time” to serve as

additional security for the Triforce. The Sheikah secretly positioned

stones across the lands of Hyrule to watch anyone whom might be

planning on invading the Sacred Realm.

1. Various items were made to interrogate people
2. The chambers hidden beneath Kakariko and the Shadow Temple served as an

   example what was done to those that were enemies of the Royal Family

3. The jail cells and skulls embroidered into the dirt walls in locations

   between the Well of Three Features and the Shadow Temple guillotines

   over the bottomless pits, suggest the extensive executions that took

   place.

In the midst of the secret hype made in-between the

precautions to secure the Sacred Realm, rumors of a divine relic that

could make mortal dreams come true started making way around Hyrule and

its neighbors. Suspicion of betrayal evoked from amongst the Sheikah

and those involved with the Temple of Time affairs, leading towards

much confusion, weariness, and anger. The Royal Family ordered the

shadow folk to subdue and silence the rumors at all costs. Many tools

were made to inspect anyone and everyone spreading rumors of the

Triforce and seeking a way to claim it, and those that were found

guilty were taken away and executed. Yet because the disappearances of

people became so prevalent, these actions only indicated that the

rumors were true. And so conspiracy swept the regions and prolonged

wars arose.

1. The Sheikah used the Sun’s Song to give ease to restless souls
2. Based on Impa’s actions, those involved or in knowledge of the dismal

   affairs of the Well of Three Features and Shadow Temple were

   responsible for sealing evil spirits which were attracted to their

   atmospheres.

3. Illusions were used to mask their secrets

Because

the executions of the Royal Family’s enemies became so extensive in

numbers, they invested time in seeking a way to calm the restless

spirits after the fact. Such a method was found and used… but it was

not enough. Evil spirits and creatures emerged from the depths of the

underworld, attracted to the spilt blood. The Sheikah had no choice but

to defeat and seal these evils one after the other. However fear and

madness set in due to the stresses and nature of their duties. Their

kind became cursed, and slowly they began to dwindle into darkness.

A

clan excelling in dark magic emerged during these prolonged wars and

those protecting the Sacred Realm did not have the strength to fight

back. Seeing imbalance coaxing the world, the Gods intervened and

sealed the shadow clan’s source of magic away with the aid of the

Spirits of Light and those that remained loyal to the Hylian royalty.

As the interlopers were chased down and brought to justice, the fires

of war began to die down little by little until the day came where the

King of the Hylian’s Royal Family unified the country as one. The

remaining Sheikah helped seal away the left over evils of the wars and

masked Hyrule’s bloody history with riddles and illusions sunken within

the depths of their village and temple.

With

knowledge of many secrets, comes great responsibility. Looking beyond

the darkness beckoned to this tribe’s symbol and unfortunate duties,

there is much admiration that needs to be credited regardless of their

misfortunate legacy. The Sheikah were willing to take on such tasks,

for something they swore their lives to do. They were a noble, loyal,

and a special species that were betrayed with some unwise tasks no

mortal beings could ever bare… Due to the extensive trials, danger, and

stress, a great deal of these people dwindled in the fires of wars, and

perhaps even lost to madness. Some became cursed, and sealed away their

secrets, disappearing in the coming light of hope to their world. These

survivors had only hoped that one day their Hero would arise to take

their place, and defeat the undying evil that would inevitably come…

Author’s note: This

is my first entry to the Bombers’ collective written work. This

compilation took a long time to put together and organize accordingly;

considering I had to replace and resituate some of the main elements

studied here. I hope you enjoyed the read and found this insightful! Please check my Bomber’s Notebook for updates and my biography!

Resources

• Understanding the Oocca
• The Nature of the Triforce
• Mysteries in Hyrulean History
• Quotation References (Bomber’s Notebook update & attachment)

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