Just across the Kakariko Bridge, Link finds a large Korok named Hestu. Like the first Korok Link met, Hestu is surprised Link can see him. Hestu has a problem, however; a nearby group of Bokoblins stole his maracas, and despite his size he’s not able to go get them back himself. So, it falls to Link to get them back. Two short rides and three dead Bokoblins later, Link gives the maracas back to Hestu, who’s happy to have them back, but disappointed the Korok seeds inside are all gone. He says if he had even just one Korok seed, he could expand Link’s inventory, so Link gives him a seed and gets an extra weapon slot. (He “Dah-na-na-na-naaaaaaa!”s along with the lesser Item Get jingle.) Link is able to trade one more seed for a bow slot before Hestu decides to go home, even though Link has enough seeds to get a few more inventory slots. Link caught up with him again at the Riverside Stable and was able to get two each weapon and shield slots and another bow slot before he left again. He’s apparently gone to the Korok Forest, which would be a helpful hint if I had any idea where that was.
As Link heads into Kakariko Village, the villagers react to the Sheikah Slate, saying that Link having it marks him as the legendary hero. He’s directed to Impa, the village elder, who lives in a distinctive house. There are guards in front of stairs leading to the house who block Link’s way at first, but recognize the Slate and send him up. At the door to the house, a young woman is scrubbing the deck, and becomes flustered at meeting Link, holding her head in her hands. She finally manages to introduce herself as Impa’s granddaughter, Paya. As soon as Link opens the door, Impa recognizes him and welcomes him, although she doesn’t realize at first that Link’s lost his memory. She says Zelda left Link a message, but will only pass it along if Link promises to accept the responsibility for carrying out Zelda’s wish.
Once Link does that, Impa begins by telling Link about the history of Hyrule and (Calamity) Ganon. Ganon’s has been held back through the ages through numerous conflicts with a Hero and a princess, which have faded into legends. (I hardly recognize the drawing of the Hero as Link. If you showed it to me and asked who I thought it was, I’d have said Ganon(dorf).) Her story goes back to a time 10,000 years ago, when Hyrule was at its peak and built the Divine Beasts – a bird of some sort, a lizard, a camel, and an elephant – and the Guardians. And… to sum up, they’re never going to make a game based on this Link and Zelda, because Ganon didn’t corrupt the Divine Beasts and Guardians and was thoroughly outmatched, defeated, and sealed away. So, when he came back 100 years ago they tried the same thing again, and this time didn’t go so hot.
And so we have Zelda’s mission: “Free the four Divine Beasts.” Impa names the Divine Beasts and their champions: Vah Rudania (Daruk/Goron), Vah Medoh (Revali/Rito), Vah Ruta (Mipha/Zora), and Vah Naboris (Urbosa/Gerudo). She tells Link to seek out the four races for their help freeing the beasts and marks the locations on the Sheikah Slate. In doing that, she notices the Sheikah Slate is incomplete. She directs Link to Hateno Village, a village to the east that was largely untouched by the Great Calamity, and says someone there might be able to help.
Outside Impa’s house, there are five bowls, and a few have apples in them. If Link places apples in the empty bowls, a Korok appears. (Link can take all five apples after receiving the Korok seed. It feels a bit like stealing from the church collection basket, and honestly I have more apples than I can ever imagine using and sell a bunch for three rupees each every time I sell off junk, but… free apples/rupees.) Across the way, there’s a Goddess Statue, so Link doesn’t have to teleport to the Temple of Time every time he wants to redeem Spirit Orbs. He’s got enough now to get another Heart Container [1].
Next: Questing in and around Kakariko Village.
[1] Right now my plan is heart containers to 10, get a second stamina wheel, then alternate two hearts and one stamina orb until I max something out.
