#dampé

[n64retro]

Dampé The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Nintendo EAD Nintendo 64 1998

[nodepthzelda]

Sometimes you’ve just got to doodle your own version of The Legend of Zelda. I’ve made up a cast of characters that live at the castle. It’s… not actually for anything.

Hagen. Democratically elected leader of Hyrule in this era.

Rozudo. Retired from being king when his wife died, made his middle son the new king rather than his eldest son.

Hera. High priestess of the golden goddesses, but also oversees worship generally, right down to local spirits.

Sonia. Oldest gal around, knows her stuff! Misses her daughter.

Evenin. Currently waiting around for someone to find the mirror. Where could she be peering from?

Kasuto. Overly serious, dramatic elite guard of the royal family.

Impa. Named after a fallen Sheikah master, struggles with the responsibility.

Palu. A diplomat that fell in love with a handsome fool, now trains the guard.

Proxim. Very formal, romantic fellow who’d rather be arranging flowers than guarding the castle. Still pretty good at his job.

Crenel. Grumpy about it.

Ternio. A calm king, friend to all and usually a bit sleepy, especially during long speeches.

Floria. Priestess, outrider, magician. A formidable queen.

Ludfo. Politely, wants all the money.

Rauru. Quiet orphan who spends all day in the royal library reading tales of adventure. Protected by the owl Kae.

Rist. Already a world famous singer and dancer. Hopes to find an ancient monument in the desert to unlock long lost dance moves.

Eagus. First in line to the throne, and don’t you forget it! Very big on tradition.

Zelda. A jolly girl that loves magic and hopes to become a priestess one day. Hates her formal Princess dress (too heavy!) so tries to avoid it when possible.

Mineru. Zelda’s younger sister. A technological genius, she’s already invented what she calls “roller skates” which will soon be all the rage in Castle Town.

Menoat. In charge of construction, really can’t help but add fountains to things. They just look nice and keep the place humid!

Dracozu. Toddler with a strong bite! Loves bugs!

The Seer. Everyone is suspicious except the king. Where did they come from? What… are they?

Torin. Keeps the dang garden right. Yup.

Link. Torin won’t admit it, but he needs the help in his old age. A nice boy here to help.

Rhoam. A rabbit in the garden that no one can catch. Seems to like Link nevertheless.

Parapa. Visiting king of a vast kingdom to the west. Quick to laugh, but he’s so big it’s a bit intimidating!

Agaat. Powerful sorcerer, most profound—never gets listened to. Old friend of the queen.

Pip. Pip blows the horn when people enter the king’s throne room. Pip blows the horn!!!

Washa. Carries letter to and fro (honestly never read them).

Ulri. Give metal or leave Ulri alone!

Serenne. Works too much, especially since no one is asking. Often has nightmares, something about sage and thyme? Must be something she ate.

Quince. Eh, being a maid is a living. Found at the milk bar after work.

Dampé. Boss of the archaeologists and the cavern delving teams, because the work tends to overlap in Hyrule. Practical chap.

Rayne. Keeps folks in line when it comes to hot air balloons, the main way people travel these days.

Fado. In a time of peace, champion is more an honorary title. Nice guy, just a bit jumpy.

[rawliverandgoronspice]

when I die, I'd love to become a little poe-like specter who just fucks around in a big mausoleum and dares adventurers to a race and then give them some item as a reward if they win, that sounds super chill actually

[mortfiedandawesomeii]

[divineprank]

Solving a 25 year old mystery...

Very early on in the game, we're informed that if the Kokiri dare step outside of the forest, they will die. That's a fairly heavy statement, but it does line up with more lore that we end up picking up as the game carries on. This forest is a secluded, protected and magical place, a small haven that is effectively cut off from the rest of the world. As we carry on through the game, we learn that anyone who is lost within these enchanted woods--anyone who is NOT a Kokiri--will twist into one of two creatures: a Skull Kid if you are a child, and if you are an adult you will transform into a Stalfos. Why this happens is still a mystery, but one can guess it's likely connected to the Deku Tree's magic and the Kokiri being a vulnerable race. They're so precious to the Great Deku Tree; he views them as his children after all, and his children MUST be protected!

Makes sense, right?

So why is it, at the end of the game, we actually see a bunch of Kokiri outside the forest, partying it up with Guru-Guru at Lon Lon Ranch? They're spinning him on his organ grinder, and we even see a lonesome Mido situated next to a heartsick King Zora, both of them missing their special person.

Q: The Kokiri tribe is outside the forest at the ending. And the Zora too...

A: This is because Link's success has wiped out the evil forces, and the range of the Deku Tree Sprout protecting the forest has been expanded. The Zoras do not need to be immersed in water all the time. (Kawagoe, Cinema Scene Director).

And there it is! The answer to a burning question that many people have been wanting to know for twenty-five years now! The worst part is, this interview was published in an April 1999 issue of Nintendo 64Dream Magazine! We've had the answer to this question given to us only FIVE MONTHS after the game launched, and yet still to this day I think it is one of the most-asked questions about Ocarina of Time! Funny how things happen that way, huh?

[Source!]

...Aaactually, since I mentioned it...

Remember the cute little boy who is practically enamored with Dampé, the grave keeper? The one whose father you give the Keaton mask to and the very same child you give the Spooky Mask to?

According to this very same Dream64 magazine interview, this child ends up going missing before Link wakes up seven years later. In fact, five years after Ganondorf had invaded the sacred realm, this poor kid ended up taking it upon himself to search for his missing father, (the Hylian soldier stationed in front of Death Mountain's gate - the guy you trade the Keaton mask to!). Upon searching the forest for his father, he became lost and tragically succumbed to the forest's curse. He transformed into a Skull Kid at eight years old and apparently had an encounter with Link. He didn't bother to attempt communicating with Link, asking if he knew where his father was because Skull Kids don't trust adults. He attacked Link instead and I hate to think where that ended up.

Q:  Where did the little stalker in the graveyard go when you were in your time (became an adult)? A: Five years later, when he was eight years old, he wandered into the Lost Woods in search of his missing father and got lost. At that time, he became a Skull Kid. Skull Kid don’t talk to adults, so when he encountered adult Link, he just attacked him and didn't ask him what happened to him. (Koizumi, 3D System Director).

Grog is actually mentioned in this magazine, too... You know, the "People are disgusting!" guy? After we are given the medicine from the Odd Mushroom he had given us, we don't get to see Grog again. Instead, Fado appears and tells us that everybody who enters the forest turns into a Stalfos. Everybody. Stalfos. The dark and frankly unsatisfying conclusion to Grog's story, just after giving the poor fellow an ounce of hope, is quite jarring and it only left folks with more questions.

Q: What happened to Cucco Lady’s brother after he gave you the mushrooms?

A: Fado, the Kokiri girl who is waiting for you, is saying a meaningful message. "They all become Stalfos.” That's right, everyone who wanders into the Lost Forest becomes a Stalfos and lives in the Forest Temple. What? What about the human Link? Well, they are not Kokiri... Why is that? (Koizumi, 3D System Director).

While it's not a lot of information, we are given a piece of lore that gets my imagination firing off... Why would Grog--or any Stalfos--be drawn to the Forest Temple? Interestingly, if you show the Skull Mask to some of the Deku Scrubs, they will refer to the mask as looking like their "sacred forest totem". Could the Stalfos be related?

And for THAT matter... Why does the Skull Mask look so similar to Phantom Ganon's face?

[fieldsofbran87]

Short, sad Impa fic that I wrote in a frenzy the other night

[almostfini]

Justice for Dampé, everyone is so mean to him 😤

[geekysteven]