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Posted on November 30, 2008 4:19 PM by Dennis Smith
Category:
Bombers Articles, Races & People, Roundup Articles, Theory Articles
Due to the miscellaneous
patchwork of canon resources in regards to this study: The segments
being analyzed will not be noted chronologically according to game
release date or towards any timeline theory; other than the obvious
orders developers have led fans to believe. The following article
contains some theory and only reflects the opinions of the writer and
of the architects of other said theories, and not ZeldaInformer as a
whole... That said, enjoy the article damn it!
~ Exposing the Sheikah ~
Shadow Temple"What is hidden in the darkness...Tricks full of ill will...You can't see the way forward..."
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.
Protected Secrets:
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.
The Dominion Rod & Ancient Sky Book
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."
- Japanese Translation
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:
- 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.
- They served the Royal Family directly in special and secret affairs.
- 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.
- Impaz shares a tradition passed down by the Sheikah and remains selflessly loyal in respect to their laws of the past.
Triforce and Temple Legends
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..."
- Sheik in the Temple of Time
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."
- Kaepora Gaebora
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:
- They had knowledge about an unknown Triforce legend.
- 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.
- 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.
- The "age requirement" of the Hero of Time was not known to anyone in Ocarina of Time Hyrule.
Melodies
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.
This poem is dedicated to the memory of the dearly departed members of the Royal Family.
The rising sun will eventually set,
A newborn's life will fade.
From sun to moon, moon to sun...
Give peaceful rest to the living dead.
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:
- 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.
- 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.
Well of Three Features
"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..."
- Old Man in Blue Robes (daytime)
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:
- The chambers hidden beneath Kakariko serve as an example what was done to those that were enemies of the Royal Family.
- Illusions were used to mask their secrets.
- 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
"Shadow Temple... Here is gathered Hyrule's bloody history of greed and hatred..."
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:
- The chambers within the Shadow Temple serve as an example what was done to those that were enemies of the Royal Family.
- Illusions were used to mask their secrets.
- 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.
- 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.
Magical Artifacts:
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 Mask of Truth
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.
The Hero's Charm
 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.
Lens of Truth
"The Shadow will yield only to one with the eye of truth, handed down in Kakariko Village."
- Voices from within the Shadow Temple
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.
- Inscription on Haunted Wasteland Plaque
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.
Gossip Stones/Howling Stones
 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.
Pirate's Charm
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.
Hover Boots
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..."
- Old Man in Marketplace (Twilight Princess)
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.
Genesis
- 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.
- They had knowledge about an unknown Triforce legend.
- 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.
- 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.
The Prophecy
- 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
- 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
- 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.
Rumors and War
- Various items were made to interrogate people
- 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
- 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.
Revelations
- The Sheikah used the Sun's Song to give ease to restless souls
- 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.
- 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.
Conclusion
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...
...Thus truth and justice would prevail forever and ever with righteousness!
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!
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