How would you imagine Hyrule?

[Mysterious F.]

Basically, if you could choose what the next Hyrule would be like, how would you make it?

Well I, for one, would make my Hyrule based on actual feudalistic and manorialistic European society. Hyrule would be divided into a number of provinces, like in Twilight Princess, but should have at least twice as many. For this discussion, lets have fifteen provinces. All the provinces are divided walls, and on each side of the wall is a pair of soldiers under the command of that province's lord. The central province (being actually in the center of Hyrule) will be ruled directly by the King of Hyrule (who will also have the title King of the Hylians), and will include Hyrule Castle, Hyrule Castle Town, and the small area around it. The rest of the provinces will be ruled directly by a feudal lord, but all of these lords are vassals to the King of Hyrule. Some of these lords might be members of the Royal Family, giving the King of Hyrule effective control over that province.

Additionally, all of the races that aren't Hylian will all live together in one province (except special exceptions, like traders, messengers, when it is necessary for the game, etc.). There will be two Zora provinces. The first is generally close to the Northern border ruled by the King of the Lake Zoras, and that is where the Zora River will start, too. The other is a coastal province that is mostly sea, and is ruled by the King of the Sea Zoras.  For the most part, these two leaders don't hate each other. The Zora River will eventually split in two; one river will go towards the sea province, the other will flow into a lake basin (Lake Hylia) ruled by the Hylians.

There will also be two Goron provinces, one being a small mountain range centered around Death Mountain (which is, once again, a volcano), ruled by the Big Boss of the Gorons; the other being a really, really large snow-covered mountain (Snowpeak) located directly north of the Zora province and on the very northern border. The snow from this mountain melts and becomes a waterfall that is the actual source of the Zora River. The King of the Gorons will rule this province. Both Goron leaders will accept the other's authority over the Gorons not subjected to their own rule, so both Goron provinces are friendly to each other.

There will also be a Deku province ruled by the King of the Dekus, which will be a very deep forest with tree buildings. A Gerudo province in the desert, which is essentially something like Ancient Egyptian and Ancient Babylonian society (the buildings will be like both civilizations), and is ruled by the only male member (it's not Ganondorf this time, though). For the most part, the Gerudo province is cleaner and more cultural than Hyrule Castle Town. There will also be a "dark" province filled with monsters, and should generally be rather creepy, with little sunlight, dead things everywhere (dead trees, skeletons, whatever). The ruler of this province doesn't really live there; he is just in charge of getting rid of the monsters (obviously he isn't doing very well). Prominent monsters would be Moblins, Stalfos, and Lizalfos. Despite these monsters at first appearing as only a horde of rampant beasts, they actually have a small village, including a shop. Link has to transform into a monster to make it safely through this province, because if he goes in as Link, you'll enter a cut scene where monsters swarm and kill you, and you'll reappear in front of the province and lose one heart. As for how you transform into a monster, it will probably be something like a ring or spell.

The rest of the provinces are Hylian. There is one that is taken up mostly be Lake Hylia, and a foresty province, but the majority are plains. These provinces are almost exactly like the average feudal village. The commoner must work on something like a farm or a guild in a small village, both of which are near the estate of the province's lord. The lord lives luxuriously, while the commoners live in poverty. Link, unlike before when he is just a commoner, is actually the son of one of these lords (this lord is actually much less demanding of his subjects compared to the other Hylian lords). Link, however, is free spirited and likes to sneak out disguised as a commoner, much to his father's annoyance. His mother, however, forgives his behavior and is quite kind to him. Yes, Link ACTUALLY has his parents that are alive this time. This is going to be the foresty province, because I like the idea of Link living in a forest.

The province ruled by the King of Hyrule, however, is unlike the other Hylian provinces. This province is based entirely around Hyrule Castle Town. There are many buildings, many of which have signs hanging from them, indicating they are a business or guild. Hyrule castle town (at least where the people live) is, for the most part, rather dirty and unclean. There is a university, although only the rich can attend (Link, of course, counts as rich). There is a library in the university, and Link can research stuff on monsters or people or places there, or ask students in the university for advice. There is also a festival at one part of the town, which includes a clown, a juggler, a bear, and other typical things for medieval town festivals. There is a jousting rink, but it is located in the Castle grounds and off limits to commoners. Link, being rich, has free admittance into the Castle, until, of course, a point in the game where Ganon takes it over. Link can also switch between commoners clothes (the Hero's Outfit) and his rich clothes, like how he switched tunics in Ocarina of Time.

There are eight dungeons, not including the final dungeon of Hyrule Castle. One is in the Foresty province, one in the Deku province, one in each Goron province, one in the sea province, one in Lake Hylia province, one in the Gerudo province, and one in the dark province. The foresty province has spiders; the Deku province is plant/forest themed; the Death Mountain province is fire themed; Lake Hylia water; Snowpeak ice; Sea Zora electricity/water; Gerudo desert, and the dark province one is something like a dark themed dungeon (not undead themed, like the Shadow Temple, but dark themed, like Wizzrobes and a lot or traps). The Hyrule Castle dungeon would be something like Twilight Princess, except tougher. I felt that Twilight Princess made it easier than it should have been.

The provinces without dungeons are centered around Hyrule Castle province, and are essentially just there to lengthen the travel. Some things happen there, though, like getting and item and/or fighting an important battle (like the Bridge of Eldin battle in Twilight Princess).

One last thing: Unlike before, when there is a really high cliff blocking you from outside Hyrule, this time it should be something like a gate guarded by soldier directly under the command of the King of Hyrule. They won't let you through unless on official business. You won't ever get through, though.

[Hi no Seijin]

I don't like how you make it seem like the King of Hyrule would rule over the Zoras and Gorons.  Each race should have their own government.  You know, like in past games.

Or do you mean that Gorons and Zoras live there, but Hylians do as well and the King of Hyrule rules over just the Hylians and not the Gorons and Zoras?

[Commodore Axilon]

I thought the Zoras and Gorons were always under the control of the King of Hyrule. I mean, they both live in Hyrule, don't they?

[Hi no Seijin]

They do live in Hyrule, but I figured the King of Hyrule didn't rule over them since the Zoras and Gorons always had their own leaders.  I thought they were allied to the Hylians.

[Mysterious F.]

No, it's actually kinda like the 13 American colonies before they declared independence. They were free to take care of their own affairs, but the King of England had power over them, and his decisions had mre ground then the colonies.

Simply put it, the Zoras and Gorons have control, but the King of Hyrule can override their authority.

[darkphantomime]

No, it's actually kinda like the 13 American colonies before they declared independence. They were free to take care of their own affairs, but the King of England had power over them, and his decisions had mre ground then the colonies.

Simply put it, the Zoras and Gorons have control, but the King of Hyrule can override their authority.

Great job whocarees, telling us how to think.

[Hi no Seijin]

Actually, JQ, this is his version of Hyrule, so he kind of can tell us what to think.  But still, it's really stupid how one race is ruling over all the others.  They're separate races living in different geological landscapes (as in, Gorons live in mountains, Zoras live in waters, and Hylians living on the plains).  Why should a Hylian king decide what's best overall for a Goron when they have entirely separate needs?

Besides, how often in fantasy works do you see a single human ruling a forest full of elves?  I'll warrant not many if any.

[Keaton]

Besides, how often in fantasy works do you see a single human ruling a forest full of elves?  I'll warrant not many if any.

*coughlordoftheringscough*

[Hi no Seijin]

wut?

At no point do I remember humans ruling over elves.  Then again, I'm not obssesive about TLotR, so I might have missed it.

Still, I think it's a stupid idea that Hylians would boss Gorons and Zoras around.  If that was in a game, I would be making it a spin-off RPG (probably a strategic RPG, knowing me) where the Gorons, Zoras, and any other race conquered by the Hylians would revolt.

[Keaton]

Well, the elves were really repressed by Sauron.  Sauron had his orks and Uruk-hai, and Daphnes Johansen Hyrule had his guards.

[DW]

They must not have had much control over the Gorons/Zora, if any, due to the fact that the Gorons cut off contact with them in TP and there wasn't much of a big deal made about it.

[Keaton]

Well, maybe the struck a pact or something.

[Mysterious F.]

I thought they just cut off relations so they could handle their own problems without foreign interference.

And HNS is right, JQ. This is my version of Hyrule as I see it, and I have the right to imagine it any way I want it to be. You, too, have the right to imagine Hyrule to be however you want it to be without me having the right to interfere.

And notice how I put "Basically, if you could choose what the next Hyrule would be like, how would you make it?" as my opening sentence. I am quite curious to see how someone else's Hyrule will contradict the Hyrule in existing games, my own version, and the versions of others.

[o0Zelda0o]

TP Kinda just hit the nail on the head for me - but I would like to see the Kokiri Forest back =D

[Vaati]

I imagine it being like another small European country. Like Germany, or something. Because Germany is about the size of Wisconsin and in the game, (I know it's just smaller because it's a videogame) but Hyrule is really small. Plus, the little market places kind of remind me of the market place pictures we have in our German books.
But the fact that they seem to have all different kinds of climates and landmarks like mountains, deserts, forests, fields and all these different mixes of races like Goron, Zora, Hylian, and Minish makes Hyrule seem more like the United States.
As for the government, it seems like it would be like modern-day England's monarchy.