Race:Zora

Zora is a playable race on Hyrule Castle. As one of the fourteen common races, any player can choose to make a Zora character.

Canonically, some form of Zora have appeared in nearly every game in the Zelda series. The green variety of Zora originated in the first title, while the now better-known light-blue variant debuted in Ocarina of Time. On Hyrule Castle, these two different types of Zora are distinguished as green Zora (or "River Zora") and blue Zora. Here, most of their differences are based on appearance and attitude, and the two are considered to be part of the same race.

Character Creation Brief

As a whole, the Zora are best known as the most prominent amphibious race of humanoids in Hyrule. Blue Zora live primarily in Lake Hylia and the depths of the Eastern Sea, while the green variety live almost exclusively in Moruge Swamp. While these two variants are of the race, it is a grave mistake to consider them one in the same. Blue Zora look at their cousins as bloodthirsty, mad savages who know only violence. Green Zora look at their relatives as arrogant fools who don't understand the importance of survival of the fittest.

Both varieties stand at a similar height and proportions to Hylians. Blue Zora have a slender appearance; they are covered with scales of either white or blue, have deep black eyes devoid of any white surrounding the pupils, and have elegant shimmering fins draping their bodies. Green Zora are comparatively stockier of body; they're lined with brown-green scales, claws and fangs, and bright orange spines, lips, and fins.

Though each variety considers the other inferior, they have comparable levels of intelligence, strength, and charisma, all of which are nearly identical to Hylians. Despite the fact most Zora live mostly underwater, they speak the Hyrulean language as well as most sentient races of the land. Needless to say, they're much more accustomed to living, fighting, and manuevering underwater compared to races which cannot naturally become amphibious.

A Zora begins with a PWC of either 1/2/1 or 2/1/1, having a 2 in either Wisdom or Power. This starting PWC can be defied by using the Exception racial perk during character creation.

A Zora character can have up to three racial perks of choice. In addition to the general perks available to every race, a Zora can also choose from:

• Amphibious: a trait enabling the Zora to breathe both above and below water; it is extremely unusual for a Zora to not have this trait, akin to a Hylian not knowing how to speak a language
• Aquatic Birth: a trait which makes it easier for the Zora to gain Water-based treasures
• Boomerang Fins: a technique enabling the Zora to grow, wield, and throw razor-sharp fins as natural weaponry
• Electric Aura: an offensive spell which momentarily surrounds the Zora in an electrifying barrier; it is more commonly used by blue Zora
• Fire: an offensive spell which throws a fiery projectile; it is more commonly used by green Zora
• Magic Proficiency: a trait which enables the Zora to start with more Wisdom-based treasures

Recommended Origins

If you've never made a character before and intend to make a Zora, it is highly encouraged that you base your character on one of the following three origins. If you've made a character before, these example origins may provide inspiration for your character.

Citizen of Zora's Domain

All your life, you have lived in Zora's Domain, a peaceful and majestic stronghold on the bottom of Lake Hylia. It's been a comfortable underwater life, where you've likely remained safe and perhaps even completely untouched by the invasion of Ganon. Like most of your blue Zora kin, your pursuits have probably been peaceful up until now, whether you were part of the Zora Guard, a member of one of the popular Zora musical bands, took your time studying magic, or something else entirely.

A Citizen of Zora's Domain begins with a PWC of 1/2/1. Its racial perks include Amphibious, Electric Aura, and Magic Proficiency.

Eastern Sea Zora

Brothers to the Zora of Lake Hylia, you and your people have lived instead in the depths of the Eastern Sea for centuries. The harsh environment under such depths has caused your people to become both hardy and stronger than your cousins. Not only are you constantly coping with immense water pressure, but deep-sea Octorobs and other oceanic monsters have needed to be warded off regularly by you or your fellow Zora. While your life isn't as peaceful as those of the Domain, it has been no less rewarding.

An Eastern Sea Zora begins with a PWC of 1/1/2. Its racial perks include Amphibious, Boomerang Fins, and Electric Aura.

Fighter of Moruge Swamp

To the south of Lake Hylia and to the North of the Eastern Sea lies the Moruge Swamp. This swamp is home to the less common green Zora, a violent fish-like race that has forever sought and failed to expand their borders. For reasons no one fully understands, this race and the blue Zora despise each other, and have been feuding and warring for centuries without a clear victor. As a green Zora, you have sharp claws, fangs, and spines with which to do battle, as well as strong and durable bodies comparable to the sea's Zora, and murky scales which blend well into the murky waters of Moruge. Your goal in life is almost assuredly to defend your homeland from both Ganon, blue Zora, and other threats of this vicious swamp, such as the Lizalfos race and Mad Scrubs. All the while, you seek to expand the borders of your people into the lands of those blatantly inferior blue Zora...

A Fighter of Moruge Swamp begins with a PWC of 2/1/1. Its racial perks include Amphibious, Aquatic Birth, and Fire.

Physiology

While not vital information, the following includes further detail on the race's appearance and biology.

While Zora are a two-gender race, the differences are subtle to outsiders who can't tell the difference in scent between genders. A male blue Zora is more likely to have a tailfin from the back of his head than a female blue Zora, but even this is not a certainty. Generally, a female Zora of either variety has a more slender body than a male.

When Zora give birth, several soft eggs are produced at once. In the rare instance a blue and green Zora mate, the offspring typically take after the mother; hybrids which share feature aspects of both varieties are not known to happen. An infant Zora takes on the shape of a pale tadpole-like creature which can't leave water, until it develops a more humanoid shape during childhood. While most Zora retain the ability to breathe water, some lose it, but even these sorts can relearn it later in life with consistent effort. A Zora ages at a rate nearly identical to a Hylian.

An average adult Zora has size, height, and weight proportions almost identical to an average Hylian. Blue varieties tend towards more slender forms, while green Zora tend towards bulkier ones. Because a typical Zora lives almost its entire life underwater, however, it often takes a Zora a great deal of effort and training to move above water as skillfully as a Hylian does, but most Zora adventurers accomplish it on their own.

A blue Zora's body is completely covered in slick scales of snow white, and nearly any shade of blue. As such, their bodies overall tend towards light blue. Darker spots or other patterns may form on the body, particularly the backside. Slender fins fall from the forearms, and smaller ones form the legs. Males always possess, and females occasionally possess, a finned tail-like apendage on the back of the head which aids in swimming. Skilled Zora are able to harden these fins into blades, for use in combat. A blue Zora's face is pointed, as if to move better through water, with glistening eyes usually a solid black.

A green Zora's body is completely covered in hard scales which are almost uniformly a musty green color. They have spinned, orange-red fins across their backsides, arms, and usually their head. The exact placement of fins on the head vary from one Zora to another. Their lips and usually their eyes match the color of these fins. A green Zora's face is able to look similar to a Hylian's, but can also seem closer to some form of monstrous fish, in either case with prominent lips. Females tend towards the more Hylian-like faces.

Most Zora have an inborn organ to create either an Electric Aura or spit a ball of flame, or occasionally possess both. Blue Zora tend towards the aura, while green Zora tend towards fire.

Culture & History

While not vital information, the following includes further detail on the race's origins, development, and society.

The origins of the Zora race are mysterious, but it is likely their oldest ancestors hail from somewhere deep in the unexplored ocean of the Eastern Sea. While blue Zora worship one or more giant, great, and wise fish, even these Zora admit that these deities or pseudo-deities had no part in creating their race.

The polarity between the attitudes of blue and green Zora is staggering, which might contribute partially to their rivalry, or--as most green Zora see it--the wiled animosity and hatred between them. Although the Zora are better at recording their own history than most, even they can't trace the origins of the separation of their race, nor even where this race-wide conflict originated.

Green Zora, the less common of the two, make their home almost exclusively in Moruge Swamp, with both sentries and outcasts who instead fill the rivers and various lakes of Hyrule. This harsh land is shared between themselves, Lizalfos, and other countless monsters in this wasteland, all of whom are constantly seeking to destroy each other and expand the influence of their kind. This largely prevents peaceful pursuits or study of magic, as even the most feeble of green Zora focus on survival above everything. It is perhaps for this reason that green Zora themselves lack the resources to properly invade their more peaceful blue relatives' seas, which border to the north in Lake Hylia, and to the south in Hyrule Bay. The most peaceful of green Zora often forsake all of their kind, to infamously live alone in small ponds or similar bodies of water, attacking all who approach.

The Blue Zora of Hyrule primarily make their home beneath the surface of Lake Hylia, in an underwater town known as Zora's Domain. Many more are known to exist in the depths of Hyrule Bay in smaller settlements, and an untold number in the depths of the Eastern Sea. While these varieties do work to protect their homes, the underwater locations keep them safe from all but their green relatives and the rare sea monsters. As such, most blue Zora can afford a very peaceful lifestyle. Many are well-known for practicing esotetic magic, and have found favor with many instruments, both of their own making and other races'.

Despite their geographical separation, blue Zora known to be on extremely well terms with the Hylians, perhaps moreso than any other race. Green Zora will usually attack other races on sight, but thanks perhaps to their scarcity outside of the east, can be welcomed into nearly any settlement. Green Zora are one of few non-"monster" races which routinely inhabit Monster Village.

Largely because of these exotic homelands located mostly in Northern Hyrule, most Zora have been almost completely untouched by the invasion of Ganon. Notably, a small amount of green Zora were incorporated into his forces, praised similarly to Lizalfos for their ferocious and tenacious nature.