Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Entry 1: Awakening
I awaken to the sound of a women's voice. I am laying flat in a warm pool of water and I have no memory of anything before this moment. As I rise, I find a piece of technology that the voice refers to as a Sheikah Slate. I take the slate and a set of tattered clothes, which I quickly put on before stepping outside. As I step into the sunlight I am met with a vast and beautiful view.
Upon exiting the cave, I encounter an Old Man—a mysterious hooded figure with a white beard who seems to know much about this land. He invites me to sit by his campfire and offers me a baked apple. As we share a quiet meal, he tells me this place is the Great Plateau—the birthplace of the Kingdom of Hyrule.
He gestures toward the ruins of a large stone structure nearby and explains that it was once the Temple of Time, a sacred site where ancient rituals were performed. He carries himself with quiet wisdom, and though I remain cautious, there’s a kindness in his voice, a sense of purpose in his words. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that he knows more than he lets on.
With few other leads, I choose to follow his guidance—and the directions of the Sheikah Slate—hoping to uncover the truth behind my surroundings.
The Great Plateau is vast, yet eerily silent. Secluded by steep cliffs and ancient walls, it’s cut off from the rest of the kingdom—no clear way up or down. Monster camps are scattered across the terrain, but aside from the occasional threat, the land offers abundant resources: wild game, foraging opportunities, and rare moments of calm. A place one could survive… but in absolute solitude.
At the Old Man’s request, I bring my Sheikah Slate to a rune pedestal nearby. Along the way, I encounter and defeat Bokoblins, taking their crude weapons for myself. When I activate the pedestal, a tremor shakes the land, and massive towers erupt from the ground across Hyrule.
As I climb down from the newly raised tower, the Old Man descends gracefully from above, gliding toward me with a paraglider—exactly the kind of tool one would need to escape the Great Plateau.
He gestures toward the distant silhouette of Hyrule Castle, now shrouded in a swirling, ominous darkness. He names the force surrounding it Calamity Ganon, and explains that a century ago, this malevolent being brought devastation upon the kingdom before being sealed within the castle walls.
He then makes it clear: leaving the Great Plateau without a paraglider is impossible. But he offers a deal—he’ll part with his, if I can retrieve a certain treasure for him.
He then instructs me to seek out four shrines scattered across the plateau, each containing trials that will grant me treasures. Using the Sheikah Slate, I unlock their sealed doors and discover that, like the tower pedestal, these shrines contain ancient rune panels.
Each shrine presents a unique trial, testing my skill, wit, or resourcefulness. Within them, I find treasures and ancient mechanisms that enhance my Sheikah Slate with powerful new abilities. At the end of each shrine, a sacred monk awaits upon a pedestal. Paying homage to these monks grants me a Spirit Orb, filling me with a newfound sense of strength.
As I search for the shrines, the Old Man continues to offer his guidance—teaching me how to cook, hunt, forage, and survive on my own. He appears to have lived on the Great Plateau for countless years, residing in a humble yet comfortable cabin that reflects a life of quiet self-sufficiency.
After completing three of the four shrines, I realize the final one lies atop Mount Hylia, a frigid region that I am ill-equipped to traverse. Despite my combat instincts remaining sharp—I can easily raid monster camps for supplies—I am still physically weak, lacking endurance against both the elements and prolonged battle. However, with each shrine I conquer, I feel myself growing stronger from each Spirit Orb.
After days of exploring, I finally earn the Warm Doublet from the Old Man by successfully recreating a forgotten recipe of his. With proper clothing to withstand the cold, I make my way up Mount Hylia and complete the last shrine on the Great Plateau.
Upon exiting the shrine, the Old Man instructs me to meet him in the steeple at the Temple of Time. There, he reveals his true identity—the spirit of King Rhoam, the last king of Hyrule.
The King's spirit recounts the rise of Calamity Ganon and the devastation it brought upon Hyrule. In preparation for a prophecy foretelling Ganon’s return, the kingdom unearthed ancient war machines—the Divine Beasts and Guardians—from beneath Hyrule Castle, remnants of a bygone era when they were once used to defeat Ganon.
To wield this rediscovered power, Champions were chosen from each of Hyrule’s races to pilot the Divine Beasts, standing alongside the princess and her chosen knight in the fight against Ganon. However, when Calamity Ganon emerged, it corrupted these great machines, turning them against the kingdom and ensuring its downfall.
The King then reveals a shocking truth—I was the princess’s chosen knight, destined to be Hyrule’s savior. The women's voice I heard when I awoke belongs to Princess Zelda, his daughter, who remains trapped within Hyrule Castle, holding back Ganon’s power. She needs my help to destroy Ganon and free Hyrule from his grip.
Before I can face this threat, however, the King urges me to seek guidance from the Sheikah elder, Impa. As a final gift, he bestows upon me the paraglider, granting me the means to leave the Great Plateau. With this, he instructs me to head east through the Dueling Peaks cracked mountain to Kakariko Village, home of the Sheikah, where my true journey will begin.
Upon leaving the Great Plateau, I head east along the road, uncertain of my next steps. Along the way, I barely survive a monster attack in the Outpost Ruins before finally encountering fellow travelers beyond Proxim Bridge. How can I possibly be the savior of this land when I struggle to defeat mere Bokoblins wielding rusty and wooden weapons? Weak, and with no memory of my past, I reject the fate the former King foretold for me.
