Application for thecagedcity
Name; Casey
Journal; cattywample
Time zone; EST
AIM; cattywample
Email; pterodactyls.on.call@gmail.com
Other Characters; N/A
Character Name; Link
Series/Fandom; The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Appearance;
At 17 years of age, Link stands at roughly 5'7''-5'8'', with a build both muscular and sleek. His complexion is typically Hylian: white, although his face and the parts of his body that are routinely exposed to the sun are tanned. Both of his feet and hands are heavily calloused from daily abuse. He has a decent amount of scars of varying sizes, shapes, ages, and origins- most of them concentrated upon his upper chest and midsection. Link’s posture is one of quiet and unassuming confidence.
His face, while angular and adult, still carries faint hints of boyhood. Parted at the center, his short crop of blond hair rests above a pair of alert blue eyes. His ears are long and pointed, each one with a tiny blue hoop earring set into the lobe.
Usual garments include Kokirish tunics - collared, one piece articles of clothing that extend just past the mid thigh- in green, blue, and red. The green tunic is the traditional choice, the other two reserved for situations where their magic is required. The tunic of choice is belted at the waist, a leather baldric crossing from left shoulder to midsection to meet it. Beneath the tunic Link sports a protective bodysuit that covers his arms, legs, and most of his neck. A matching sock like hat, gold-plated fingerless gauntlets, and a pair of Kokirish boots complete the ensemble.
He is usually seen with both the Master Sword and Hylian Shield strapped to his back. A distinctive marking to note is the golden Triforce crest on the back of his left hand. This marking will only appear, however, when other people possessing Triforce sections are nearby.
A good image can be found here.
Personality;
By the end of his quest- despite the fact that he lost seven years of his life- Link’s mind has more or less caught up to his body. While his ideas about relationships and people in general remain more naïve, his comprehension of justice, truth, loyalty and his own identity is very concrete. Growth is a key aspect of this character- he begins his quest as an orphan hidden away from the world in a forest- and ends it as the seasoned, victorious Hero of Time.
Link has always been different. While constantly aware of it on some level, the isolation imposed upon him by the nature of his quest doesn’t bother him. If anything, he's accustomed to it. During his childhood in the Kokiri Forest, he was the only child without a guardian fairy. By the time he awoke from his seven-year slumber in the Chamber of Sages, he had been hastily dropped into the mold of the Hero of Time. The gap between himself and the common man has always been, and will always be, expansive.
Although he is a unique individual, Link is very humble owing to his simple background as a child of the forest. Link would never do something just for the reputation it would grant him- if he does something, he does it because it’s the right thing to do and beneficial to others. Due to his modest upbringing he also tends to be more drawn to things of simple or organic natures. He would probably feel awkward if placed in a situation where he was to live in luxury.
As the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, Link is exceedingly brave. He has absolutely no qualms about charging into the unknown or leaping into a potentially fatal battle before constructing a plan of action. His goddess-given courage is usually helpful, but can also be very harmful, as it encourages him to take on enemies much more powerful than himself.
When it comes to his quest or an important task at hand, Link is relentless to an almost uncompromising degree. He’s the kind of person who can, and will slip through any crack if given enough time. His determination stems directly from his strong sense of duty, and responsibility. As the Hero of Time, he took his mission to rescue Hyrule very seriously. He believes, wholly, in the powers of truth and justice.
One important thing to note is that Link is extremely psychologically hardy. He was able to cope with losing seven years of his life and learning that he was not truly a Kokiri, all while scouring temples, purging Hyrule of evil and awakening the sages. This isn’t to say that he’s impervious to all setbacks- he has emotions just like any other teenager, he just is capable of coping and rebounding very quickly.
Link is very open and accepting. He has few, if any, selfish impulses- if someone wants him to do something, he’ll do it. No matter the scale and without asking for anything in return. Needless to say, he’s helpful. One of the most key aspects of his character is that he truly enjoys assisting people and making others happy. He is driven by an intense desire to do good.
At face value he is a quietly unassuming and patient individual. In his home country he was the unpretentious experiential encyclopedia of nearly everything in Hyrule- geography, people, races, secret places. He would never deliberately point his knowledge at anyone, but would always be more than willing to answer anything asked of him. And despite a seemingly withdrawn exterior, he is extremely active. He is energetic, but the energy is a quiet and intense. He’s someone who would rather scale a mountain or put together a puzzle than to go a festival.
As was mentioned before, Link is fairly naïve when it comes to the interpersonal. He lived under the watch of the Great Deku tree and amongst the eternal children, the Kokiri, until age ten. What this means is that Link’s first encounters with the outside world, hardship, and adults all happened at a late age. Needless to say, things like romantic relationships, diplomacy, and politics are such that he hasn’t had the time, or experience enough to fully understand. This isn’t to say that he can’t make, and keep friendships- he has close connections to a few. He just never had the time, or opportunity to socialize much outside of asking “What do I need to do?”.
Also owing to his background, he does not have the decorum of a polished noble. He would never be intentionally rude to someone, but he can be occasionally guilty of an inappropriate or untimely remark made out of sheer ignorance. A good example of this can be found in the Majora’s Mask game (approximately 2+ years post Ocarina of Time) when Link comes very close to rudely interrupting a touching reunion between a daughter and her father because he didn’t understand that doing so would be inappropriate. He isn’t well adjusted socially, and doesn’t understand family dynamics at all. He was an orphan with a talking tree for a pseudo father figure.
The innocence of his past also makes him more trusting of those who appear to be acting in good will. He himself is honest to a fault, and so more often than not is very poor at anticipating deceptive behavior from even the shadiest of individuals.
Despite his coming into the title of Hero of Time, he will never forget his roots in the Kokiri Forest. Part of him- however small, or deep down- will always identify with the Kokirish way of life. Evidence for this can easily be found in his choice of clothing. Even as his quest is nearing an end, he still dresses in Kokirish garb. He even continues to wear it into Majora’s Mask, the game to follow Ocarina of Time. The forest was his home, the resting place of the Great Deku Tree, and where he first met Saria. Despite learning of his Hylian origins, he will always be a forest boy at heart.
Abilities/Strengths;
I’ve separated his strengths into the following categories: Physical proficiencies, Weapons, Magical spells/Special skills, and Personality.
&Physical Proficiencies: Natural gifts, talents, and skills
Physically, Link is strong and agile. He is also a particularly gifted swordsman. Although he received no formal training, Link was able to develop his own fighting style over time. Needless to say, he’s a very fast learner. As he’s very good with his hands and has good hand-eye coordination, it’s likely that he’s also good at building or crafting. Other talents include horseback riding, archery, and musical prowess.
One important thing to note is that he is exceptionally spatially intelligent. Because he is aware of his surroundings at all times, he is extremely difficult to catch off guard or sneak up on. His high level of spatial intelligence also lends itself to skill with larger scale, physical puzzles.
&Weapons:
+Deku Nuts - Small nuts capable of producing a blinding flash when thrown at the ground.
+Bombs - Self-explanatory. The explosions of the bombs he uses are smaller, and fairly concentrated.
+Bombchus - A bombchu is a variety of bomb that, when placed upon the ground, will travel a small distance at a high speed before exploding. They are shaped like small rodents.
+Megaton Hammer - A sacred weapon of the Gorons. The megaton hammer is capable of delivering hundreds of pounds of pressure with a single blow. It is, unsurprisingly, very heavy.
+Fairy Bow - A regular, midsize bow.
+Fire arrows - Arrows enhanced by a magical flame. They produce a fiery burst upon impact.
+Ice arrows- Arrows enhanced by a magical ice. They produce a thick, encapsulating sheet of ice upon impact.
+Light arrows- Arrows enhanced by pure light. They produce a powerful blast of light magic upon impact. Deadly to those with evil hearts.
+Longshot- An enhanced grappling hook. With this object one can either pull objects that are farther away closer, or travel short distances through the air.
&Magic/Special Skills:
+Ocarina songs/magic: He knows many songs that are capable of producing magical effects. The only two that could possibly take effect in Pardisim, however, are the Sun’s Song (changes day to night, or night to day), the Song of Storms (produces rainfall), and Saria’s song (which permits him to speak to Saria, the Forest Sage).
+Lens of Truth: A magnifying lens that allows the user to see through illusions.
+Din’s Fire: A magical spell that calls upon the strength of the Goddess of Power, Din. When used, Din’s fire creates a circle of flames around bearer that spreads rapidly outwards.
+Farore’s Wind: A magical spell that calls upon the power of the Goddess of Courage, Farore. When used, Farore’s Wind allows the user to create a point that they can warp back to later from any location.
+Nayru's Love: A magical spell that calls upon the aid of the Goddess of Wisdom, Nayru. When used, Nayru’s Love creates a protective prism that renders the bearer invulnerable for a short amount of time.
+Zora tunic: Allows the wearer to survive underwater without having to come up for air.
+Goron tunic: Allows the wearer to withstand extreme heat.
+Iron boots: Heavy boots that aid in withstanding fierce winds, and walking underwater.
+Hover boots : Light boots that permit the wearer to hover for a short distance.
+Golden gauntlets: Gold-plated gauntlets that grant superhuman strength.
+Mirror shield: A reflective shield that can repel magic, light, and absorb certain kinds of magical attacks.
&Personality:
Link’s greatest strengths are his kindness, and boundless courage. He will help everyone and anyone that he can while asking nothing in return. No task is too big or too small.
He is also extremely adaptable and psychologically hardy. During his quest he was able to bear the weight of his responsibilities and the unexpected truth about his origins, all while fighting bad guys and saving princesses.
Weaknesses;
&Physical:
+He is mortal. If beaten within an inch of his life, it’ll take him a substantial amount of time to recover. Link is also vulnerable to illness, death provided he doesn’t have a fairy or two on him, and all other perils associated with mortality.
&Personality:
Because he is inherently trusting of those that appear to be acting in good will, he is easier to deceive than most. This does not, however, mean that he is unintelligent. If the deceiver is trying to trick Link into doing something that was clearly conceived out of ill intent, he will catch on quickly.
He can have a one track mind at times. If he’s given his attention to a particular task, it’s likely that it will be very difficult to deter him if said task is judged to be highly important.
Link’s naïveté also makes him a bit of a pariah when it comes to the greater populous of Hyrule. This isn’t necessarily his fault, but as he was raised by a talking tree and a bunch of children in a forest that deliberately kept outsiders from entering, his manners aren’t as polished as they could be. That isn’t to say that he’s rude (quite the opposite)- but I could imagine him unintentionally saying something discourteous or strange out of ignorance.
Link is also tends a little emotionally naive, as well. While he understands friendships and maintains several of his own, he’s never had any real experience with love, affection, or intimacy. He was always too busy questing and rushing around saving Hyrule to ever have the luxury of being able to settle into a relationship or even socialize properly. His only, brief brush with romance was being unwittingly ushered into marriage plans (that were never carried out) with Princess Ruto.
History;
The story of the legendary hero began in the fires of war. Many years before the Hero of Time and Princess of Destiny were fated to meet, civil war ripped through Hyrule. A woman, gravely injured in the struggle, fled into the forest with her baby son in an endeavor to save her son’s life. Although the escape was successful, the woman died shortly afterward, leaving her baby alone in the shadow of the Great Deku Tree. The Great Deku Tree¬- guardian spirit and patron father to the Kokiri forest.- realizing that the orphaned child was closely connected to the fate of Hyrule, adopted the boy into the forest where he would be raised as a Kokiri until it was time for the youth to ascend to his destined calling.
For ten years, life in the Kokiri forest was innocent and peaceful. The sacred wood had long been kept hidden from outsiders, so the only people within the valley were the Kokiri children themselves.
The Kokiri, children that never grew up, were granted guardian fairies when they came of age. When a fairy did not, however, come to Link he began to be viewed as different by his peers and mocked by the leader of the Kokiri, Mido. It was also during this time that Link would met and came to be lifelong friends with a Kokiri girl named Saria.
Then, all of a sudden, the day that the Deku Tree had anticipated finally arrived. A fairy, Navi, guided Link into the forest where he would take audience with the Great Deku Tree. It was there, in the sacred grove, that the Great Deku Tree informed Link of the evil that had begun to spread quietly throughout Hyrule. He also told him that an evil man from the desert, Ganondorf, had placed a death curse upon him.
To test the boy’s courage and wisdom, the Great Deku Tree sent Link to break the curse. And after a righteous effort, the task was complete and curse broken. But unfortunately, the death curse had taken its toll. With his last breath, the GDT bestowed upon Link the Spiritual Stone of the Forest: The Kokiri Emerald, and told him that it was time for him to finally leave the forest and meet the Princess of Destiny.
Link’s first steps into Hyrule field, and Castle town were eye opening. For the first time, he encountered a city, adults, and many unfamiliar sights and sounds. Eventually he managed to sneak into Hyrule Castle and gained an audience with the Princess of Hyrule herself, Zelda.
The meeting proved to be one of the most fateful of his life. After confirming that he was, indeed, the figure from her prophetic dreams, Princess Zelda informed Link of her plans. She, too, told him of Ganondorf and how she feared that he sought the Triforce in ill will. In order to stop him and protect the Sacred Realm where the Triforce was held, Princess Zelda charged Link with the task of collecting the two remaining spiritual stones: the Goron’s Ruby and Zora’s sapphire.
After weeks of difficult adventuring inside a volcanic cavern and a giant fish deity, Link gathered both stones. He returned to the castle town, however, only to find Princess Zelda escaping on horseback with her attendant and Ganondorf tailing closely behind. Before vanishing from sight, Zelda thrust the Ocarina of Time- the royal family’s hidden treasure- through the air and back to Link.
It was outside the castle town walls, outside the siege, that Link first encountered Ganondorf. Despite his attempt to fight back, the Gerudo King easily overcame the boy’s strength and vanished into the horizon. Defeated, Link recovered the ocarina of time and went to the Temple of Time. There he opened the Door of Time to reveal the Master Sword. He drew the sword, which then opened the door to the Sacred Realm.
Although Link opened the door to the Realm in the name of peace, Ganondorf took advantage of the opportunity and entered the Sacred Realm. Link, his body too small and mind yet immature, was sealed into a seven-year sleep within the confines of the Sacred Realm.
When he would awaken it would be not as a child, but as the Hero of Time.
Seven years later, when Link finally reached seventeen years of age, he awakened in the chamber of sages. Rauru, the only remaining sage and bastion of the Temple of Light, hastened to inform the hero of the perils that had befallen Hyrule while he’d slept and the quest that lay before him. Link soon learned that the only way to reverse the effects that Ganon had had upon the land was for the six sages to seal the Evil King inside the void of the Evil Realm. Charged with his quest, Link set out to purge the temples of the evil contained within them and awaken the sages.
When Rauru returned Link to the Temple of Time, he had his first encounter with the mysterious figure, ‘Sheik’. From this meeting on, the young Sheikah would remain shrouded in mystery.
At Sheik’s advice, Link first journeyed back to his childhood home, the Kokiri forest. The forest, so long separated from intruders, had been overrun with monsters, the Kokiri children forced to take refuge inside the Lost Woods. Link fought his way through the temple and defeated the sinister Phantom Ganon in order to purge the forest of Ganon’s presence. With Phantom Ganon gone, Saria awakened as a sage and added her power to Link’s.
Because the evil had been purged from the forest, the Deku Tree Sprout was free to flourish. The Deku Tree Sprout, much like its ancestor, was a patron spirit of the forest and intrinsically connected to the history of Hyrule. Upon meeting the sprout, Link learned that he was in fact not a Kokiri, but a Hylian. The Hero of Time then left the forest to rescue the other sages.
He then traveled to Death Mountain, where he destroyed the evil dragon Volvagia and awakened Darunia as a sage. Soon after, he defeated the monster Morpha that plagued the Water Temple, and awakened Princess Ruto of the Zora as a sage. Sages and Temples to follow were Impa, Shadow Sage of the Shadow Temple, and Nabooru, Sage of the Spirit Temple.
With all of the sages awakened, Rauru told Link that the time had finally come for him to return to the Temple of Time in order to prepare for Ganondorf’s defeat. But, upon arrival, something unexpected happened. Link was approached by Sheik, who was revealed to be Princess Zelda in disguise. Quickly, Zelda imparted to Link the knowledge of the Triforces parts in their possession- Zelda bearing the Triforce of Wisdom, Link the Triforce of Courage- and gifted Link the power to carry Light Arrows.
As the pair turned to set off to Ganon’s citadel, however, a quake rocked the Temple of Time. Ganon, who had been watching the exchange imprisoned Zelda and told Link to come to his castle if he wanted to rescue her. It was a trap designed to capture the Triforces of Wisdom and Courage, but there was nothing else Link could do but plunge right into it.
When Link arrived at Ganon’s castle, he fought his way through the magical barrier surrounding the passage to Ganon’s chamber in the highest room in the tallest tower. There, Link confronted Ganondorf.
The battle that ensued was fierce. In the end Link, aided by the blade of evil’s bane, triumphed. Zelda was restored and together they escaped Ganon’s citadel before it collapsed and crushed them both. Once on the ground, everything was quiet. Ganon’s castle had fallen and the long and difficult struggle against the King of Evil seemed to have finally come to a close.
And yet the Triforce of power was not to be underestimated. In a last ditch effort, Ganon revived himself in the form of a giant, boar like beast. Link engaged the beast and finally managed to disable it. Zelda, with her power as the Seventh Sage, held Ganondorf in place as Link delivered the final blow to the King of Evil.
As soon as Ganon fell, Zelda and the Sages sealed him within the Evil Realm before he could revive himself again. And with that, finally, the endeavor that had lasted no less than nine years was over. Zelda explained that she believed that everything that had happened had been her fault, and offered to make up for her mistakes by sending Link home to reclaim his lost years. While Link agreed to return to his own time.
With the Ocarina of Time, Zelda sent Link back to the Temple of Time to close the Door of Time. As charged, he closed it and prepared to return to his childhood home. But before he was able to return the Master Sword to its pedestal, magic swirled around the hero. He was parted from Navi and taken to an unfamiliar land- an advanced city where airships filled the skies and bars separated the residents from the rest of the world.
It was here, in the caged city, where he would begin anew.
History Pt.2 / Important/Influential Characters
In terms of Link, I feel that the various characters he encountered during his journey were extremely important, shaping influences. Hopefully it doesn't seem weird that they're included alongside the history.
(Listed as they appear in game)
NAVI: A fairy of the forest and former companion of the Great Deku Tree.
Initially coming to him at the behest of the Great Deku Tree, Navi was Link’s partner throughout his entire quest. Not only did she guide and instruct him through almost every step in the very beginning, but she also helped Link slowly adjust to the enormous tasks that lay ahead of him.
When Link was a child, Navi served almost as a pushy but caring pseudo guardian, watching out for the boy’s well being and doing whatever she could to assist him. She kept a close eye on the environment and provided hints, timely speculations, and observations that the hero likely wouldn’t have come up with on his own. When Link reached adulthood, Navi became less of a guardian and more of a trusted and devoted friend.
SARIA: Link’s lifelong friend, Forest Sage.
Saria is Link’s best ‘human’ friend. Despite the fact that Link was without a fairy and different than the other Kokiri, Saria accepted him and treated him kindly. This was essential, as she was his only close friend during childhood. Despite the fact that Saria is later summoned to live in the Sacred Realm as a Sage, the friendship that Link has with, and his enduring positive regard of, her is forever.
THE GREAT DEKU TREE: Guardian spirit of the forest and “father” to the Kokiri children.
The Great Deku Tree was the only pseudo parental figure that Link would ever have. Although he didn’t interfere much with the lives of the Kokiri, the Deku Tree kept the forest safe from outsiders and evil influence. Under the watchful eye of the Great Deku Tree, the Kokiri forest was allowed to flourish and remain innocent. The innocence of the grove proved to be a heavily influential factor in terms of Link’s worldview.
PRINCESS ZELDA / SHEIK: Princess of Hyrule, seventh sage, and keeper of the Triforce of Wisdom. Disguised herself as Sheik during the adult half of Link’s quest.
Princess Zelda is, perhaps, one of the most significantly influential people in Link’s life. He has complete faith in her abilities and takes everything that she says to heart, no matter how outlandish it might seem. She was an essential piece of his quest and most of his young adult life was spent fighting his way through the throes of monsters to try and reach her in order to figure out what to do next. Zelda always had the answers, and because she was a princess, it's very likely that he idealized her.
EPONA: Link’s trusty horse. Once resided in Lon Lon Ranch.
Epona served as the only nonjudgmental and quietly kind companion that Link had. She was a friend that would always be there for him, but in a very simple way. Epona’s presence, like Navi’s. helped Link bear the burdens of his quest.
First-person sample;
[ooc: ljlskd I apologize if this is odd.. it was really difficult to scrape even this small amount of fractured dialogue out of him in one go.]
[For the briefest moment a gentle humming fills the air. Then, pervasive silence again.
The calm is broken only by the sound of something big being thrown harshly to the ground. There is a clinking of various metals knocking together and a soft groan as the big-thing-rather-human-thing recovers.]
Navi.. [The speaker sounds dazed.]
Navi..? Wh-
[A pause and a slightly agitated rustling of fabric.]
I’m a man…
[Another pause- awkwardly long this time- before the speaker begins to mutter slowly and quietly to himself.] I closed the door.. I don’t have the Ocarina.
[More alert now, but still lost:] Is this where I'm supposed to be..?
[More quick movements, and then a short, merry-sounding tune fills the air. The speaker doesn't say anything for a long time to follow.]
It's not Hyrule.
[More short songs follow. The speaker says nothing afterward.]
Third-person sample;
“Watch out! You’ll get burned if you get too close to it!”
Navi swooped in tight circles over the flare dancer as Link dodged and slashed. Dodged, slashed, jumped look out, it’s coming back! pulled away into a frantic back handspring and ducked various fiery appendages.
Even with the protective layer of Dodongo-fiber Tunic safely between fire monster and skin, he could still feel the searing heat of the flames on his shoulders whenever the thing got too close. Each time the monster circled its cramped little platform and jumped through the ring of flames atop it, it seemed to get stronger- get stronger, and grow even hotter. The flames kept changing colors. Red, to bright orange, to purple, to green..
There was sweat in Link’s hair and sweat in his eyes, blurring his vision. Keeping one eye on the spinning monster, he clawed his bangs out of his face and attempted to move to a better vantage point.
“Try over there! You can probably get a better point to jump from!” Navi cried, rolling through the air to dodge a couple flames, herself.
Link searched out the platform indicated, and quickly stole over to it. With a grunt of effort he clambered atop it .
This time, when the creature’s mad dance carried it back toward him, he would be ready.
And there was the telltale swoop of green flame-“Tsyaah!” With a fierce cry, Link leapt out at the creature with sword drawn. A split second later, he was thrown abruptly back against the wall.
“I can’t,” he said, through pants, “get close enough to hit it--”
“Trying shooting it with more arrows!”
He didn’t need any more encouragement. Three arrows; all shot at the target’s very center. Each arrow burned up prematurely, the thin wooden projectiles incapable of penetrating the flames that swirled around the creature’s core. Navi swerved through the air, dodging the monster’s retaliation.
“What about the hammer? Try the hammer! It looks slow but it’s the only thing you haven’t tried yet! Hnngg, ow! That hurt!”
Even with his vision swimming in sweat, Link’s hands easily found the smooth handle of the Megaton Hammer. When the monster got close he swung that impossible weight up into the air, and then brought it smashing back down to the ground.
The creature’s flames went out instantly, and the room was suddenly black.
Journal; cattywample
Time zone; EST
AIM; cattywample
Email; pterodactyls.on.call@gmail.com
Other Characters; N/A
Character Name; Link
Series/Fandom; The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Appearance;
At 17 years of age, Link stands at roughly 5'7''-5'8'', with a build both muscular and sleek. His complexion is typically Hylian: white, although his face and the parts of his body that are routinely exposed to the sun are tanned. Both of his feet and hands are heavily calloused from daily abuse. He has a decent amount of scars of varying sizes, shapes, ages, and origins- most of them concentrated upon his upper chest and midsection. Link’s posture is one of quiet and unassuming confidence.
His face, while angular and adult, still carries faint hints of boyhood. Parted at the center, his short crop of blond hair rests above a pair of alert blue eyes. His ears are long and pointed, each one with a tiny blue hoop earring set into the lobe.
Usual garments include Kokirish tunics - collared, one piece articles of clothing that extend just past the mid thigh- in green, blue, and red. The green tunic is the traditional choice, the other two reserved for situations where their magic is required. The tunic of choice is belted at the waist, a leather baldric crossing from left shoulder to midsection to meet it. Beneath the tunic Link sports a protective bodysuit that covers his arms, legs, and most of his neck. A matching sock like hat, gold-plated fingerless gauntlets, and a pair of Kokirish boots complete the ensemble.
He is usually seen with both the Master Sword and Hylian Shield strapped to his back. A distinctive marking to note is the golden Triforce crest on the back of his left hand. This marking will only appear, however, when other people possessing Triforce sections are nearby.
A good image can be found here.
Personality;
By the end of his quest- despite the fact that he lost seven years of his life- Link’s mind has more or less caught up to his body. While his ideas about relationships and people in general remain more naïve, his comprehension of justice, truth, loyalty and his own identity is very concrete. Growth is a key aspect of this character- he begins his quest as an orphan hidden away from the world in a forest- and ends it as the seasoned, victorious Hero of Time.
Link has always been different. While constantly aware of it on some level, the isolation imposed upon him by the nature of his quest doesn’t bother him. If anything, he's accustomed to it. During his childhood in the Kokiri Forest, he was the only child without a guardian fairy. By the time he awoke from his seven-year slumber in the Chamber of Sages, he had been hastily dropped into the mold of the Hero of Time. The gap between himself and the common man has always been, and will always be, expansive.
Although he is a unique individual, Link is very humble owing to his simple background as a child of the forest. Link would never do something just for the reputation it would grant him- if he does something, he does it because it’s the right thing to do and beneficial to others. Due to his modest upbringing he also tends to be more drawn to things of simple or organic natures. He would probably feel awkward if placed in a situation where he was to live in luxury.
As the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, Link is exceedingly brave. He has absolutely no qualms about charging into the unknown or leaping into a potentially fatal battle before constructing a plan of action. His goddess-given courage is usually helpful, but can also be very harmful, as it encourages him to take on enemies much more powerful than himself.
When it comes to his quest or an important task at hand, Link is relentless to an almost uncompromising degree. He’s the kind of person who can, and will slip through any crack if given enough time. His determination stems directly from his strong sense of duty, and responsibility. As the Hero of Time, he took his mission to rescue Hyrule very seriously. He believes, wholly, in the powers of truth and justice.
One important thing to note is that Link is extremely psychologically hardy. He was able to cope with losing seven years of his life and learning that he was not truly a Kokiri, all while scouring temples, purging Hyrule of evil and awakening the sages. This isn’t to say that he’s impervious to all setbacks- he has emotions just like any other teenager, he just is capable of coping and rebounding very quickly.
Link is very open and accepting. He has few, if any, selfish impulses- if someone wants him to do something, he’ll do it. No matter the scale and without asking for anything in return. Needless to say, he’s helpful. One of the most key aspects of his character is that he truly enjoys assisting people and making others happy. He is driven by an intense desire to do good.
At face value he is a quietly unassuming and patient individual. In his home country he was the unpretentious experiential encyclopedia of nearly everything in Hyrule- geography, people, races, secret places. He would never deliberately point his knowledge at anyone, but would always be more than willing to answer anything asked of him. And despite a seemingly withdrawn exterior, he is extremely active. He is energetic, but the energy is a quiet and intense. He’s someone who would rather scale a mountain or put together a puzzle than to go a festival.
As was mentioned before, Link is fairly naïve when it comes to the interpersonal. He lived under the watch of the Great Deku tree and amongst the eternal children, the Kokiri, until age ten. What this means is that Link’s first encounters with the outside world, hardship, and adults all happened at a late age. Needless to say, things like romantic relationships, diplomacy, and politics are such that he hasn’t had the time, or experience enough to fully understand. This isn’t to say that he can’t make, and keep friendships- he has close connections to a few. He just never had the time, or opportunity to socialize much outside of asking “What do I need to do?”.
Also owing to his background, he does not have the decorum of a polished noble. He would never be intentionally rude to someone, but he can be occasionally guilty of an inappropriate or untimely remark made out of sheer ignorance. A good example of this can be found in the Majora’s Mask game (approximately 2+ years post Ocarina of Time) when Link comes very close to rudely interrupting a touching reunion between a daughter and her father because he didn’t understand that doing so would be inappropriate. He isn’t well adjusted socially, and doesn’t understand family dynamics at all. He was an orphan with a talking tree for a pseudo father figure.
The innocence of his past also makes him more trusting of those who appear to be acting in good will. He himself is honest to a fault, and so more often than not is very poor at anticipating deceptive behavior from even the shadiest of individuals.
Despite his coming into the title of Hero of Time, he will never forget his roots in the Kokiri Forest. Part of him- however small, or deep down- will always identify with the Kokirish way of life. Evidence for this can easily be found in his choice of clothing. Even as his quest is nearing an end, he still dresses in Kokirish garb. He even continues to wear it into Majora’s Mask, the game to follow Ocarina of Time. The forest was his home, the resting place of the Great Deku Tree, and where he first met Saria. Despite learning of his Hylian origins, he will always be a forest boy at heart.
Abilities/Strengths;
I’ve separated his strengths into the following categories: Physical proficiencies, Weapons, Magical spells/Special skills, and Personality.
&Physical Proficiencies: Natural gifts, talents, and skills
Physically, Link is strong and agile. He is also a particularly gifted swordsman. Although he received no formal training, Link was able to develop his own fighting style over time. Needless to say, he’s a very fast learner. As he’s very good with his hands and has good hand-eye coordination, it’s likely that he’s also good at building or crafting. Other talents include horseback riding, archery, and musical prowess.
One important thing to note is that he is exceptionally spatially intelligent. Because he is aware of his surroundings at all times, he is extremely difficult to catch off guard or sneak up on. His high level of spatial intelligence also lends itself to skill with larger scale, physical puzzles.
&Weapons:
+Deku Nuts - Small nuts capable of producing a blinding flash when thrown at the ground.
+Bombs - Self-explanatory. The explosions of the bombs he uses are smaller, and fairly concentrated.
+Bombchus - A bombchu is a variety of bomb that, when placed upon the ground, will travel a small distance at a high speed before exploding. They are shaped like small rodents.
+Megaton Hammer - A sacred weapon of the Gorons. The megaton hammer is capable of delivering hundreds of pounds of pressure with a single blow. It is, unsurprisingly, very heavy.
+Fairy Bow - A regular, midsize bow.
+Fire arrows - Arrows enhanced by a magical flame. They produce a fiery burst upon impact.
+Ice arrows- Arrows enhanced by a magical ice. They produce a thick, encapsulating sheet of ice upon impact.
+Light arrows- Arrows enhanced by pure light. They produce a powerful blast of light magic upon impact. Deadly to those with evil hearts.
+Longshot- An enhanced grappling hook. With this object one can either pull objects that are farther away closer, or travel short distances through the air.
&Magic/Special Skills:
+Ocarina songs/magic: He knows many songs that are capable of producing magical effects. The only two that could possibly take effect in Pardisim, however, are the Sun’s Song (changes day to night, or night to day), the Song of Storms (produces rainfall), and Saria’s song (which permits him to speak to Saria, the Forest Sage).
+Lens of Truth: A magnifying lens that allows the user to see through illusions.
+Din’s Fire: A magical spell that calls upon the strength of the Goddess of Power, Din. When used, Din’s fire creates a circle of flames around bearer that spreads rapidly outwards.
+Farore’s Wind: A magical spell that calls upon the power of the Goddess of Courage, Farore. When used, Farore’s Wind allows the user to create a point that they can warp back to later from any location.
+Nayru's Love: A magical spell that calls upon the aid of the Goddess of Wisdom, Nayru. When used, Nayru’s Love creates a protective prism that renders the bearer invulnerable for a short amount of time.
+Zora tunic: Allows the wearer to survive underwater without having to come up for air.
+Goron tunic: Allows the wearer to withstand extreme heat.
+Iron boots: Heavy boots that aid in withstanding fierce winds, and walking underwater.
+Hover boots : Light boots that permit the wearer to hover for a short distance.
+Golden gauntlets: Gold-plated gauntlets that grant superhuman strength.
+Mirror shield: A reflective shield that can repel magic, light, and absorb certain kinds of magical attacks.
&Personality:
Link’s greatest strengths are his kindness, and boundless courage. He will help everyone and anyone that he can while asking nothing in return. No task is too big or too small.
He is also extremely adaptable and psychologically hardy. During his quest he was able to bear the weight of his responsibilities and the unexpected truth about his origins, all while fighting bad guys and saving princesses.
Weaknesses;
&Physical:
+He is mortal. If beaten within an inch of his life, it’ll take him a substantial amount of time to recover. Link is also vulnerable to illness, death provided he doesn’t have a fairy or two on him, and all other perils associated with mortality.
&Personality:
Because he is inherently trusting of those that appear to be acting in good will, he is easier to deceive than most. This does not, however, mean that he is unintelligent. If the deceiver is trying to trick Link into doing something that was clearly conceived out of ill intent, he will catch on quickly.
He can have a one track mind at times. If he’s given his attention to a particular task, it’s likely that it will be very difficult to deter him if said task is judged to be highly important.
Link’s naïveté also makes him a bit of a pariah when it comes to the greater populous of Hyrule. This isn’t necessarily his fault, but as he was raised by a talking tree and a bunch of children in a forest that deliberately kept outsiders from entering, his manners aren’t as polished as they could be. That isn’t to say that he’s rude (quite the opposite)- but I could imagine him unintentionally saying something discourteous or strange out of ignorance.
Link is also tends a little emotionally naive, as well. While he understands friendships and maintains several of his own, he’s never had any real experience with love, affection, or intimacy. He was always too busy questing and rushing around saving Hyrule to ever have the luxury of being able to settle into a relationship or even socialize properly. His only, brief brush with romance was being unwittingly ushered into marriage plans (that were never carried out) with Princess Ruto.
History;
The story of the legendary hero began in the fires of war. Many years before the Hero of Time and Princess of Destiny were fated to meet, civil war ripped through Hyrule. A woman, gravely injured in the struggle, fled into the forest with her baby son in an endeavor to save her son’s life. Although the escape was successful, the woman died shortly afterward, leaving her baby alone in the shadow of the Great Deku Tree. The Great Deku Tree¬- guardian spirit and patron father to the Kokiri forest.- realizing that the orphaned child was closely connected to the fate of Hyrule, adopted the boy into the forest where he would be raised as a Kokiri until it was time for the youth to ascend to his destined calling.
For ten years, life in the Kokiri forest was innocent and peaceful. The sacred wood had long been kept hidden from outsiders, so the only people within the valley were the Kokiri children themselves.
The Kokiri, children that never grew up, were granted guardian fairies when they came of age. When a fairy did not, however, come to Link he began to be viewed as different by his peers and mocked by the leader of the Kokiri, Mido. It was also during this time that Link would met and came to be lifelong friends with a Kokiri girl named Saria.
Then, all of a sudden, the day that the Deku Tree had anticipated finally arrived. A fairy, Navi, guided Link into the forest where he would take audience with the Great Deku Tree. It was there, in the sacred grove, that the Great Deku Tree informed Link of the evil that had begun to spread quietly throughout Hyrule. He also told him that an evil man from the desert, Ganondorf, had placed a death curse upon him.
To test the boy’s courage and wisdom, the Great Deku Tree sent Link to break the curse. And after a righteous effort, the task was complete and curse broken. But unfortunately, the death curse had taken its toll. With his last breath, the GDT bestowed upon Link the Spiritual Stone of the Forest: The Kokiri Emerald, and told him that it was time for him to finally leave the forest and meet the Princess of Destiny.
Link’s first steps into Hyrule field, and Castle town were eye opening. For the first time, he encountered a city, adults, and many unfamiliar sights and sounds. Eventually he managed to sneak into Hyrule Castle and gained an audience with the Princess of Hyrule herself, Zelda.
The meeting proved to be one of the most fateful of his life. After confirming that he was, indeed, the figure from her prophetic dreams, Princess Zelda informed Link of her plans. She, too, told him of Ganondorf and how she feared that he sought the Triforce in ill will. In order to stop him and protect the Sacred Realm where the Triforce was held, Princess Zelda charged Link with the task of collecting the two remaining spiritual stones: the Goron’s Ruby and Zora’s sapphire.
After weeks of difficult adventuring inside a volcanic cavern and a giant fish deity, Link gathered both stones. He returned to the castle town, however, only to find Princess Zelda escaping on horseback with her attendant and Ganondorf tailing closely behind. Before vanishing from sight, Zelda thrust the Ocarina of Time- the royal family’s hidden treasure- through the air and back to Link.
It was outside the castle town walls, outside the siege, that Link first encountered Ganondorf. Despite his attempt to fight back, the Gerudo King easily overcame the boy’s strength and vanished into the horizon. Defeated, Link recovered the ocarina of time and went to the Temple of Time. There he opened the Door of Time to reveal the Master Sword. He drew the sword, which then opened the door to the Sacred Realm.
Although Link opened the door to the Realm in the name of peace, Ganondorf took advantage of the opportunity and entered the Sacred Realm. Link, his body too small and mind yet immature, was sealed into a seven-year sleep within the confines of the Sacred Realm.
When he would awaken it would be not as a child, but as the Hero of Time.
Seven years later, when Link finally reached seventeen years of age, he awakened in the chamber of sages. Rauru, the only remaining sage and bastion of the Temple of Light, hastened to inform the hero of the perils that had befallen Hyrule while he’d slept and the quest that lay before him. Link soon learned that the only way to reverse the effects that Ganon had had upon the land was for the six sages to seal the Evil King inside the void of the Evil Realm. Charged with his quest, Link set out to purge the temples of the evil contained within them and awaken the sages.
When Rauru returned Link to the Temple of Time, he had his first encounter with the mysterious figure, ‘Sheik’. From this meeting on, the young Sheikah would remain shrouded in mystery.
At Sheik’s advice, Link first journeyed back to his childhood home, the Kokiri forest. The forest, so long separated from intruders, had been overrun with monsters, the Kokiri children forced to take refuge inside the Lost Woods. Link fought his way through the temple and defeated the sinister Phantom Ganon in order to purge the forest of Ganon’s presence. With Phantom Ganon gone, Saria awakened as a sage and added her power to Link’s.
Because the evil had been purged from the forest, the Deku Tree Sprout was free to flourish. The Deku Tree Sprout, much like its ancestor, was a patron spirit of the forest and intrinsically connected to the history of Hyrule. Upon meeting the sprout, Link learned that he was in fact not a Kokiri, but a Hylian. The Hero of Time then left the forest to rescue the other sages.
He then traveled to Death Mountain, where he destroyed the evil dragon Volvagia and awakened Darunia as a sage. Soon after, he defeated the monster Morpha that plagued the Water Temple, and awakened Princess Ruto of the Zora as a sage. Sages and Temples to follow were Impa, Shadow Sage of the Shadow Temple, and Nabooru, Sage of the Spirit Temple.
With all of the sages awakened, Rauru told Link that the time had finally come for him to return to the Temple of Time in order to prepare for Ganondorf’s defeat. But, upon arrival, something unexpected happened. Link was approached by Sheik, who was revealed to be Princess Zelda in disguise. Quickly, Zelda imparted to Link the knowledge of the Triforces parts in their possession- Zelda bearing the Triforce of Wisdom, Link the Triforce of Courage- and gifted Link the power to carry Light Arrows.
As the pair turned to set off to Ganon’s citadel, however, a quake rocked the Temple of Time. Ganon, who had been watching the exchange imprisoned Zelda and told Link to come to his castle if he wanted to rescue her. It was a trap designed to capture the Triforces of Wisdom and Courage, but there was nothing else Link could do but plunge right into it.
When Link arrived at Ganon’s castle, he fought his way through the magical barrier surrounding the passage to Ganon’s chamber in the highest room in the tallest tower. There, Link confronted Ganondorf.
The battle that ensued was fierce. In the end Link, aided by the blade of evil’s bane, triumphed. Zelda was restored and together they escaped Ganon’s citadel before it collapsed and crushed them both. Once on the ground, everything was quiet. Ganon’s castle had fallen and the long and difficult struggle against the King of Evil seemed to have finally come to a close.
And yet the Triforce of power was not to be underestimated. In a last ditch effort, Ganon revived himself in the form of a giant, boar like beast. Link engaged the beast and finally managed to disable it. Zelda, with her power as the Seventh Sage, held Ganondorf in place as Link delivered the final blow to the King of Evil.
As soon as Ganon fell, Zelda and the Sages sealed him within the Evil Realm before he could revive himself again. And with that, finally, the endeavor that had lasted no less than nine years was over. Zelda explained that she believed that everything that had happened had been her fault, and offered to make up for her mistakes by sending Link home to reclaim his lost years. While Link agreed to return to his own time.
With the Ocarina of Time, Zelda sent Link back to the Temple of Time to close the Door of Time. As charged, he closed it and prepared to return to his childhood home. But before he was able to return the Master Sword to its pedestal, magic swirled around the hero. He was parted from Navi and taken to an unfamiliar land- an advanced city where airships filled the skies and bars separated the residents from the rest of the world.
It was here, in the caged city, where he would begin anew.
History Pt.2 / Important/Influential Characters
In terms of Link, I feel that the various characters he encountered during his journey were extremely important, shaping influences. Hopefully it doesn't seem weird that they're included alongside the history.
(Listed as they appear in game)
NAVI: A fairy of the forest and former companion of the Great Deku Tree.
Initially coming to him at the behest of the Great Deku Tree, Navi was Link’s partner throughout his entire quest. Not only did she guide and instruct him through almost every step in the very beginning, but she also helped Link slowly adjust to the enormous tasks that lay ahead of him.
When Link was a child, Navi served almost as a pushy but caring pseudo guardian, watching out for the boy’s well being and doing whatever she could to assist him. She kept a close eye on the environment and provided hints, timely speculations, and observations that the hero likely wouldn’t have come up with on his own. When Link reached adulthood, Navi became less of a guardian and more of a trusted and devoted friend.
SARIA: Link’s lifelong friend, Forest Sage.
Saria is Link’s best ‘human’ friend. Despite the fact that Link was without a fairy and different than the other Kokiri, Saria accepted him and treated him kindly. This was essential, as she was his only close friend during childhood. Despite the fact that Saria is later summoned to live in the Sacred Realm as a Sage, the friendship that Link has with, and his enduring positive regard of, her is forever.
THE GREAT DEKU TREE: Guardian spirit of the forest and “father” to the Kokiri children.
The Great Deku Tree was the only pseudo parental figure that Link would ever have. Although he didn’t interfere much with the lives of the Kokiri, the Deku Tree kept the forest safe from outsiders and evil influence. Under the watchful eye of the Great Deku Tree, the Kokiri forest was allowed to flourish and remain innocent. The innocence of the grove proved to be a heavily influential factor in terms of Link’s worldview.
PRINCESS ZELDA / SHEIK: Princess of Hyrule, seventh sage, and keeper of the Triforce of Wisdom. Disguised herself as Sheik during the adult half of Link’s quest.
Princess Zelda is, perhaps, one of the most significantly influential people in Link’s life. He has complete faith in her abilities and takes everything that she says to heart, no matter how outlandish it might seem. She was an essential piece of his quest and most of his young adult life was spent fighting his way through the throes of monsters to try and reach her in order to figure out what to do next. Zelda always had the answers, and because she was a princess, it's very likely that he idealized her.
EPONA: Link’s trusty horse. Once resided in Lon Lon Ranch.
Epona served as the only nonjudgmental and quietly kind companion that Link had. She was a friend that would always be there for him, but in a very simple way. Epona’s presence, like Navi’s. helped Link bear the burdens of his quest.
First-person sample;
[ooc: ljlskd I apologize if this is odd.. it was really difficult to scrape even this small amount of fractured dialogue out of him in one go.]
[For the briefest moment a gentle humming fills the air. Then, pervasive silence again.
The calm is broken only by the sound of something big being thrown harshly to the ground. There is a clinking of various metals knocking together and a soft groan as the big-thing-rather-human-thing recovers.]
Navi.. [The speaker sounds dazed.]
Navi..? Wh-
[A pause and a slightly agitated rustling of fabric.]
I’m a man…
[Another pause- awkwardly long this time- before the speaker begins to mutter slowly and quietly to himself.] I closed the door.. I don’t have the Ocarina.
[More alert now, but still lost:] Is this where I'm supposed to be..?
[More quick movements, and then a short, merry-sounding tune fills the air. The speaker doesn't say anything for a long time to follow.]
It's not Hyrule.
[More short songs follow. The speaker says nothing afterward.]
Third-person sample;
“Watch out! You’ll get burned if you get too close to it!”
Navi swooped in tight circles over the flare dancer as Link dodged and slashed. Dodged, slashed, jumped look out, it’s coming back! pulled away into a frantic back handspring and ducked various fiery appendages.
Even with the protective layer of Dodongo-fiber Tunic safely between fire monster and skin, he could still feel the searing heat of the flames on his shoulders whenever the thing got too close. Each time the monster circled its cramped little platform and jumped through the ring of flames atop it, it seemed to get stronger- get stronger, and grow even hotter. The flames kept changing colors. Red, to bright orange, to purple, to green..
There was sweat in Link’s hair and sweat in his eyes, blurring his vision. Keeping one eye on the spinning monster, he clawed his bangs out of his face and attempted to move to a better vantage point.
“Try over there! You can probably get a better point to jump from!” Navi cried, rolling through the air to dodge a couple flames, herself.
Link searched out the platform indicated, and quickly stole over to it. With a grunt of effort he clambered atop it .
This time, when the creature’s mad dance carried it back toward him, he would be ready.
And there was the telltale swoop of green flame-“Tsyaah!” With a fierce cry, Link leapt out at the creature with sword drawn. A split second later, he was thrown abruptly back against the wall.
“I can’t,” he said, through pants, “get close enough to hit it--”
“Trying shooting it with more arrows!”
He didn’t need any more encouragement. Three arrows; all shot at the target’s very center. Each arrow burned up prematurely, the thin wooden projectiles incapable of penetrating the flames that swirled around the creature’s core. Navi swerved through the air, dodging the monster’s retaliation.
“What about the hammer? Try the hammer! It looks slow but it’s the only thing you haven’t tried yet! Hnngg, ow! That hurt!”
Even with his vision swimming in sweat, Link’s hands easily found the smooth handle of the Megaton Hammer. When the monster got close he swung that impossible weight up into the air, and then brought it smashing back down to the ground.
The creature’s flames went out instantly, and the room was suddenly black.