Floating on Updrafts & A Badly Timed Blood Moon - Screenshot Roundup 55

The Towering Inferno

Well, I’m at the tower. Now to figure out how to get to the top…

Hateno Tower

There does seem to be a climbing path through all the thorns, but it looks incredibly annoying if not dangerous. Bluh. How were the sheikah capable of making a tablet complete with its own OS, but couldn't attach a fucking elevator to their towers. They already use them to go down into the shrines!

...I didn't do it.

I circle and climb around the base, looking up for a good starting point. My search isn't terribly fruitful, but I do end up finding a few ore deposits along the base. Might as well fill my pockets while I’m here, right?

...Okay, so, you know how if you strike Flint with metal you can create sparks that you can start a fire with? Both in real life and in the game?

Well, apparently it works on ore deposits too. Especially when those ore deposits are placed on top of patches of dried leaves and grass. Which then spread onto the large swaths of dried thorn bushes in the surrounding area. As soon as I see the fire I run back around to the front of the tower, watching as the flames spread quickly.

Then I notice the updraft…

...This is either going to be incredibly stupid or incredibly awesome...

I really hope the tower isn't flammable.

I take a deep breath and leap into the flames, pulling out my paraglider instantly and shooting up into the air on the updraft. I watch as the plants burn below me, the older flames going out as new ones spread further. I follow the updrafts towards the tower, and I am able to hover close to the tower as the fire spreads up it’s walls, clearing it of the dangerous debris. I seem to have hit a vertical wall as it were, so I go ahead and attach myself to the tower, about ⅔ of the way up. It’s not an elevator but it’ll do.

I climb to the nearest platform as I wait for the flames to finish burning and then continue my climb up. At the top, I activate the tower and update my map, filling in the entire East Necluda region. The whole thing is a valley, Fort Hateno seems to be the only clear way in a out, other then possibly making it up somehow through the Necluda Sea. Geography!

I look out from the tower and survey the landscape. I mark a few of the shrines I see with pins, at least the ones that seem to be accessible from this area. I can also see Hateno village in the distance, on the opposite end of East Necluda from me and the tower. The path I’m taking actually loops all the way back around to where I first turned onto the land bridge. I’ll be able to hit the places I missed on the way back.

I have the worst fucking luck.

I look down at Fabio, and notice that the tower is actually perched right above a pair of bokoblin tree forts. Tree forts which it seems I am going to have to pass nearby on my way to town anyway. Might as well get the drop on them while I have the advantage. I position myself and jump, pulling out my paraglider and beginning my decent. I’ll be able to land on the highest part of the fort, able to take down many of them totally unseen and work my way down to the ground.

Wait. What’s happening? Something’s happening.

FUCK. It’s another Blood Moon, right when I was about to land. FINE. I teleport back up to the tower and wait for the moon to pass. Last thing I want is for all the 'blins I just killed to immediately come back. Let’s try this again.

Marblod Plain

The second attempt is much more successful. Also, since it’s night-time, most of the monsters are asleep, making my job even easier. I land very carefully behind a still awake bokoblin guard, and quickly dispatch him with a hammer to the back of the head. I can see more of the ‘blins now, and notice some of the stronger variety among them, along with a sleeping moblin mixed in. Party.

Gosh those fireworks are pretty.

I switch to my stealth outfit, wanting to work my way down the tree and taking out as many of the bokoblins as they sleep as I can. The closest threat is a large sleeping moblin, and so I sneak down a spiraling staircase and perform a sneakstrike on his sleeping body. I finish him off quickly and run back upstairs to avoid the guards I’m sure I woke up. Sure enough, I notice one of the stronger bokoblins searching for me, having heard me taking out his brethren . He only makes it like, halfway up the stairs before giving up though. Then he walks back down to his bed, yawns, and lays back down. Right next to three explosive barrels. Which are right underneath this ledge I’m standing on.

They really only have themselves to blame.

I pull out a remote bomb and let it fall.

I took a little damage in the explosion, but it was so worth vaporizing that 'blin. I also somehow managed to not wake anyone else up. Blin’s are heavy sleepers, I guess. I make to sneak over to him to take him out next, but before I do I see that I have a good vantage point of the other treefort from where I am. Just a bunch of sleeping bokoblins, all laying around even more explosive barrels. I notch a bomb arrow and let loose more pretty fireworks.

*chef kiss*

I seemingly destroy almost everyone on that tree except a single dark bokoblin. I float right over on my paragliders and finish him off before floating back to the first tree. There are only two bokoblins still alive and I take them out quickly. Once all is said and done, I open not one but two chests, containing an Opal (again) and 10 Arrows. Thanks. Alone on the ground beneath the treefort, I suddenly remember that I left my horse back near the tower. So grumbling to myself, I follow the path back west and up the hill towards the tower’s base. Once I’m close enough I use my whistle and see Fabio galloping downhill towards me. I hop on him rather spectacularly as he nears me and we take off into a gallop that I sadly have to stop almost immediately. Something’s caught my eye - a cave.

I hop off Fabio and leave him by the path again. A cave means keese and I don’t feel like trying to fight those annoying little fucks on horseback. But before I see my first bat, thee chus ambush me. I switch to my weakest weapon and take them out quickly and gather up the delicious Chu Jelly. Then I approach the cave proper, and see that it is actually a tunnel.

From here I can see at least a dozen or so keese, all sleeping on the roof of the cave. I also see another moblin about halfway down the tunnel, facing away from me. A hero’s work is never done. I take a few of the keese out with arrows before just saying fuck it and floating down to the moblin. I end up knocking out most of them as I swing my weapon at him, and whatever is left after is easy pickins. I break open the nearby ore deposits to replenish some of my rupees once I hit Hateno. Then I exit the tunnel.

...why are you here?

Oakle’s Navel

I see...a big hole. Well it’s a pond really, since there’s water in it. But it is a loooooong way down to it. Oakle has a very very deep bellybutton. (Who the fuck is Oakle? Is he from one of the Oracle games? I didn’t play those.) Also a pretty empty one, as the only other living thing I see in here is an octorok. I take him out as he floats up, before he notices me, and watch as the spoils fall into the water below. I also see a ring of lily pads like I did on the plateau. Korok! I spot a cliff perfect for diving placed near it and jump, collecting my seed.

...oh goddamnit I have to climb all the way back up? No. Fuck that. I fast travel to the recently activated Hateno tower and float back down to Fabio. Suck on that, Oakle.

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Heart Containers: 5
Shrines Completed: 9
Koroks Found: 31
Tower: Nonflammable (& Climbed)
Blood Moon: Has Awful Timing
Oakle’s Navel: Deep and Full of Monsters

Over the River and Through the Woods

I exit Bosh Kala Shrine and make my way back to the path alongside the ruins. Only one direction to go – I start to cross the bridge.

Proxim Bridge

It’s a big bridge, and it’s well lit with torches. Normally that would mean someone was maintaining them but…video game. Actually…hold on. There’s a person on this bridge! Like an actual living breathing not-a-ghost (as far as I know) person. Well, video game wise. His name is Brigo, so I’m guessing this is kind of his “thing.”

...He's dead, Jim.

He talks about the towers springing from the ground, and the shrines “waking up.” I couldn't exactly check anything before I activate the first tower so I’ll take his word for it. Talking to him further, he also lets me know how terrified he is of the guardians – in particular a disabled one on an island in the middle of the river. There are apparently some that are still fully functional closer towards the castle. That’ll be fun.

I can see a bokoblin camp along a riverbank nearby, but not close enough to want to go over to fuck their shit up. I’m sure I’ll get over there eventually. Not really wanting to check that guardian to see if it’s active or not, I say goodbye to Brigo and continue my trek to Kakariko. The path follows along a river, with some hills to my right and a small forest on the left. It’s not long before my attention is drawn off the path again – this time towards giant hollow logs, similar to the ones I saw on the plateau. I bet there’s a Korok around here somewhere.

What happened to the rest of the giant forest?

Hills of Baumer

I make my way up the hill and through one of the logs, and am greeted by the familiar site of a yellow flower. Touching the flower moves it further up the hills, and I give chase. Surprise! About halfway up I run into another boulder booby trap. Eventually I make it to the top and find my Korok buddy. Thanks for almost killing me. I skip walking back down and just jump and glide. I continue on the path, the trees growing thick enough that I think I can call this a forest, officially. Off in the distance through the trees, I can see a bokoblin camp on the river bank. This one close enough to have their shit fucked up.

I explore the forest around me first. There are a few things of note. The first being a big hole in the ground, and a boulder nearby. I solve the Korok puzzle without breaking a sweat. Second, there is a large rock formation in the middle of the forest, not too far from the camp but far enough that they won’t notice me exploring as long as I stick to one side. Doesn’t seem to be much at first - I find a new ingredient on top, a Mighty Thistle that will raise my attack power. Then I see a weird little statue that seems to be looking at a bombable wall on the side – this thing is hollow! I blow myself an entrance and see what we have inside. A rock. With a Korok! Cool, that’s 2.

Don't act like you haven't thought about it.

There’s nothing else of interest in this cave, so I exit and move towards the bokoblins. There’s a bunch of explosive barrels...but not really any cover, so I just take a direct approach do my best to sneak up on the group as they sit behind a fire, and once I’m close enough pull out the biggest sword I have. I like seeing the red ones go flying before disintegrating into nothingness. I collect a pretty strong Soldier’s Shield from a chest afterwards.

Squabble River

It’s not much further up the path that I find yet another roadside attraction. Another Hylian! I guess Hyrule isn’t completely abandoned then. He’s another merchant, Giro. He’s got a nice little campfire setup, so I take a sec to rest and see what he’s selling. A few ingredients I haven’t seen yet, but nothing I think I want to buy. Not that I have much money to begin with. I talk to him again to open the sell menu, I’m sure I have some stuff to unload…

Protip: Always go towards smokestacks.

Wow. So some of those precious stones I’ve been gathering are worth a pretty penny. Granted, I’ve mostly got ambers and those seem to be the cheapest, but if they continue to be this common, it seems like money won’t really be an issue. On top of that, I’ve got a metric fuck-ton of monster parts that I can unload if I needed to. All the more reason to make sure I pick up everything I see!

I say goodbye to Giro and decide to give the hills behind his camp a once over. More to the east past a small lake there is a valley leading to a location undoubtedly full of monsters, but I’m sticking to just the hills for now. Don’t want to get too distracted from the mission yet. I see…something on the peak of one of the hills. On closer inspection, it’s a pinwheel, orange and glowing faintly. When I approach, I hear a Korok sound effect (like a rain stick? I dunno) and three balloons
appear in the air with an audible *pop*!

This is getting ridiculous.

They have what I assume to be targets painted on the side. Not hard to figure out what I need to do – I need the bow practice anyway. After a few minutes and several misses, I take out all three, revealing my next Korok buddy floating in the air. Thanks for the seed.

Time to get back on the road. I can see Dueling Peaks ahead of me. Much bigger up close. I also see the red-orange glow of another Sheikah Tower across the river at the mountain’s base. Before I have a chance to contemplate any further, the game’s music suddenly changes into something…eerie. Distorted sounds grow steadily louder as strange black and red objects flicker like flames on the screen around me. In the real world, I am completely freaking out. What did I do!? Did I wake up another weird boss monster? Where is it!? WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?!

Then, I see it behind me.

*inaudible shrieking*

The moon is full and has turned a bright crimson red, steadily rising into the sky. The music grows louder as the entire world takes on a red hue, the keys of a piano being played faster and with more force until with a loud BOOM everything goes black. Is this game over?

No, it’s Zelda. And this is something called the Blood Moon. As she explains what is happening, I am treated to visuals of monsters across Hyrule respawning – that’s why the plateau stayed so empty, and that answers my early questions about monsters respawning. Very creepy, and a very well done in game explanation.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to try and convince my heart not to explode.

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Heart Containers: 4
Shrines Completed: 5
Koroks Found: 13
Rupees: 20
Blood Moon: Risen
Jon’s Anxiety: Thriving