Campout with Kass

Evening of Sunday, August 12, 2018

Campout with Kass

The storm blew off shingles and knocked the tops off our bottle trees. I hoped Meesh was all right.... She hates stormy weather....

But I would see her safe and sound the next morning.

But tonight.... DANG IT I WAS GONNA GET THAT SHRINE ON WASHA’S BLUFF.

I PARAGLIDED from Satori Mountain down to Kass’s place. I was getting better at covering more distance! I no longer feared missing the treeshroom’s platform—I could land well beyond its lip.

Once there, I camped.

....

And camped.

. . . . . . .

And CAMPED.

I lit fires. I spent flint. And when it rained I lit a fire beneath Kass’s wooden roof. Thing was fireproof, thank goodness. And I dropped something like four separate woodpiles before I found I could just relight spent campfires with a new piece of flint. And when my flint started running low, I switched to Fire Arrows....

And still Kass played his accordion.

For days he played his accordion.

I skipped around the platform to the endless waltz.

I was going koo-koo for cocoa puffs.

DANG IT WHERE WAS THE BLOOD MOON?

I could speak with Kass to quiet him, and then stand beside him after our conversation was over. He would look at me. And I would look at him. Or at Satori Mountain. Or at the sky. Or at the strange lands beyond Tabantha Bridge. But I couldn’t move away and leave him alone or he’d start playing the song again. It got.... kind of.... maddening....

I wondered who would win between he and Guru-Guru the organ-grinder.

Hmmmm....

Kass: V --- | i --- | VII --- | III --- | N6(???) - V7 - | i --- | i64 - V - | i ---

Guru-Guru: i --- | i --- | VI - III - | VI - V - | i --- | i --- | VI - V - | i ---

....Hhhhuh.

Is that even a Neapolitan sixth? Dang I don’t remember my music theory....

Well I guess Kass gets points for more sophisticated modulations.... but I think Guru-Guru’s strong half-cadence definitely makes for a more pleasing and attractive structure.

These are the things you think about when you campout with Kass for days.

The moons came in cycles of eight phases: waxing crescent, half, waxing gibous, full, waning gibous, half, waning crescent, new. I would light my fires eight at a time in rapid succession and sit through the days on Kass’ treeshroom before stopping to stretch my legs and watch for the rising of the moon.... And if the full moon were normal and white, I would warp through eight more night-fires to try it again....

Link doesn’t fall asleep when he is crouching. But I think he shakes a bug or something from his hand....

I had a sneaking suspicion that Blood Moons only manifested on full moons, and so between the fulls of one cycle I took a brief break to try for the Prison Korok again. But the statues’ bowls were just empty. And they wouldn’t take apples then, either. Ugh....

But at least I was free of the accordion for a spell.

I wandered nearer to the castle.

It had a music.... a Piano. I didn’t really get to hear much of what it did; there were other things going on the house. But it just felt.... malcontent.

I don’t know why, but I dared not pass the boundary set by the five Great Stones. Glowing pulsing pink in their sealing Sheikah designs. It felt.... like it would be wrong. Or like it bore the same taint that kept me from ever interacting with that SATAN statue again....

I was very near to one of them.

....

I didn’t want to touch it.

I inspected long-abandoned guard towers along crumbling parapets. Some of them had treasure chests inside. One of them was haunted by a Korok.

Skipping past a Guardian Flyer I scuttled up onto a large rock and stood in the bright, placid day.

I calmly observed the Guardian Stalker in the inner town. It was too far away to react to my presence. Just barely, I think.

A big, bubbly pool of Malice oozed and gurgled below the ledge where I stood. It was piled thick in all directions. I regarded the Guardian again....

If I fell in I would be.... in horrible trouble.

Off to my right was a pool of clear water. There were ducks. And fish. Even here.

I was tempted. To go into the castle. For long, dreadful moments I was tempted. But....

No.

No.

I returned to Satori Mountain and paraglided back to Kass’s home.... and that bloody accordion.

I kept camping.

But I didn’t want to strain my bows or burn through my Fire Arrows to keep lighting campfires.

So I pulled out one of my Meteor Rods.

The fireballs bounced everywhere.

One of them might have accidentally hit my host on the back of the head—I saw his shoulders tighten from behind.

Sorry, buddy.

WHERE THE FRICK WAS THE BLOODY BLOOD MOON??

There had to be a better way to do this—there was a better way to do this—I tried a cycle at Pepp’s, in the Deku Tree’s Navel. I just sat by the fire there, too—it was already made; no flint and tinder off my nose—passing night after night until the full moon night came round again, whereupon I sailed back to Kass’ place and waited for the wheeling of the sky....

But there was no Blood Moon.

ಠ_ಠ

It’s like the game knows.

ಥ∼ಥ

Dastardly....

I went back to the Deku Tree’s Navel and slept until the morning.

THE MOUNTAIN'S CURSE

Waking of Sunday, November 26, 2017 ~ 4

THE MOUNTAIN’S CURSE

I warped to Satori

This was what I made all those Stamina potions for.

Even in the growing light of dawn, the teal haze still cast an otherworldly cloud upon the mountaintop, shutting out all else but that shining, sheening music. The song that felt somehow.... off. Glorious and mystical to be certain, and yet.... not without talons. Not without dread. Not without a gaze that you fear to let meet your own.

I scurried to the top and IT WAS RAINING AND I COULDN’T CLIMB THE STONES, BLAST IT.

I peered between them—the Blue Beast stood in the pool—maybe it was only the rain that kept him from spying me at this distance....

But how was I supposed to get—

Okay, topo, topo—I studied the map, read the lines carefully....

That rock to the left, the one I never climbed, that one seemed to be the least steep one....!

I scrambled for it, slipping time and again in the slick rain BUT SUMMONING MY ENERGIES I MADE IT TO THE TOP. BARELY.

Augh it was nearly MIDDAY at this point. But still the teal spell held....

I paraglided down, trying to turn in the air—for the beast was facing me and I didn’t want to land on it backward—NO IT STARTED TO MOVE I MOVED WITH IT—

I landed on its back. In the right direction.

And it started to buck, and I soothed it like mad, and my stamina burned away, rings counting down so fast, and I ate stamina-filling things, and I soothed, and I ate stamina-things again, again—

AND I SOOTHED IT.

And it stood still.

OH MY GOSH I SOOTHED THIS THING NOW IF I COULD ONLY GET IT.... SOMEWHERE....

I swiveled the camera in a wonder—

IT HAD FOUR EYES, LIKE SOME DOUBLE-FACED JANUS OWL.

FLOOFY ANTENNAE LIKE A MOTH.

THE EYES ALL BLINKED AT DIFFERENT TIMES? Some Greek god reared its dusty head in my memory—

GOLDEN YELLOW CLOVEN HOOVES.

No not golden—like—just a BURNING SUN COLOR.

SUN-COLORED HOOVES.

RUNES ON ITS BODY—

THOSE WERE THE SAME SHAPES AS SHOWED IN MY SHEIKAH SLATE.

THE SAME SWIRLS AS LIVED IN THE EMPTY BLUE BEYOND MY MAP.

THIS WAS THE LORD OF THE MOUNTAIN.

The ground glowed where its feet touched.

Its feet glowed so bright....

I walked it back and forth, back and forth, back and forth in the pool, hardly daring to kick above a canter, there was so little room. I soothed it for its obedience to my every turn and change, but it returned little acknowledgement. It felt so precarious. I’d never yet been bucked off a tamed mount, but.... How could I tell what this one’s limit was?

I would be gentle, until I could get it down from this awful mountain. Study the topography, study the topography, look at the land, find a way please....

I could see a place on my map where the lines seemed farthest apart.... but it was still so steep. I considered the glimmering, rippling rocks in the downpour; the rain would do nothing to help me there.

I started slowly out along a narrow ledge—this had to be the way; the topo didn’t lie—this was the best and only way—

A flash of bright blue in the dark—the blupees still had the run of the mountaintop. No but that one there was.... on flat-ish land just below me and to the left?

I looked again at my map.... now I saw it: a clear winding path cut safely through the jagged elevations. Still steep, but consistent in its descent. How had I never seen that?

....Well, I never was one to give much thought to roads—and that when they were plain.

I turned the Lord of the Mountain back, reached the steady slope, and followed it carefully downward in the drumming rain.

And in just a moment.... the sun came out. And in the warming sunshine I could see the blupees still roamed and there were other animals around.... before the wrack of cloud enfolded us again. We seemed to move in and out of the mist—a normal, grey mist; the teal haze had gone. But the mystical, creeping, piano-string-tight music still watched us intently from every side. Watched me intently. ._.

But at length as we descended further the sun came out the final victor, and even the haunting music melted away.

Man there were goats everywhere.

The Lord of the Mountain had only hearted at me once, maybe twice, up on the gloomy mountaintop, but no more. Not once since then. And yet it did not snort and turn of its own will, or deny the directions I gave it. Did it bond fast?

It seemed to make a tinkling as it cantered over the grass.... like jingle bells....

Miraculously, unbelievably, we reached the level Nima Plain—this glowing, godly, blue thing down on the common sunny grass—and traveled thence to Sanadin Park.... and come Sanadin Park, the Lord of the Mountain followed the path on its own.

Good work.... good work.... well done.... well done.... I chanted under my breath—

It still felt fragile as glass and ice.

We crossed Manhala Bridge, and came into the Outskirt Stable as the sun was readying to set. Oh my gosh when David saw this.... but I was alone right now.

“Looks like you’ve caught yourself a new steed! Do you want to register it?” said Embry.

HECK YES. “Yes, please.”

“Understoo—Uh...” Embry looked up.

“Wh-what is that?

Can that...THING you’re riding be the

fabled Lord of the Mountain?!”

YES AND I WANTED TO REGISTER IT OH MY GOSH THIS WAS GONNA BE AWESOME WHAT WOULD THE TACK LOOK LIKE OH PLZ PLZ PLZ COME ON GAME DO IT....

Embry yelped in fright and trembled where he stood.

“Why in Hylia’s name would you bring

something like that here? We’ll all be

cursed!”

THE TV TURNED OFF BY ITSELF.

Gone Fishin'

Waking of Sunday, November 26, 2017 ~ 3

Gone Fishin’

I turned my attention to something that wouldn’t require a horse. Or rather something to which a horse would be most ill-suited, I suppose....

I recalled the time when Finley had sent me down the river with her love letter to Sasan—I had happily collected a lot of fish that day, and by doing no more than drifting with the current and floating right into them.

My Sheikah sensor was still tuned to detect the Hearty Bass I would need to upgrade my Zora Armor.

It was time for another ride down the lazy river.

I warped to Zora’s Domain, put on my Zora Suit and Lizalfos mask, and started floating down the river to pick up fishies. The pickings were rather slim however until I came to the Bank of Wishes. But the fishies weren’t the only things that showed up—the Lizalfos population increased dramatically as well. I remembered.

But my new mask made the passage much, much easier. Albeit a little alarming at times. As night fell I ventured onto the shore to catch my breath and regain my stamina again, when the single Lizalfos that had started eyeballing me was joined by three Stalizalfos bursting up out of the ground nearby!

In a trice and two steps they all stood in a tight semicircle before me with their noses inches from my own, creaking and chirruping their interest as they all looked at me. O.O

I excused myself back into the river. ^_^;;

And I did catch a few Hearty Bass along the way! The sensor was a big help—it can get so difficult to see the fish beneath the water’s surface, especially at night. Let alone tell what breed they are.

I scoured the wetlands below for the Bass as well. I had to switch between my Lizalfos mask and my Bokoblin mask quite a bit, but I’d say I did pretty good! If only those guys would have just kept out of the way....

They like to make small talk I guess.

After a time, my sensor could locate no more fish. And so with nine Hearty Bass in my pockets I warped back to Kakariko. I wasn’t sure exactly how many fish I needed, but nine seemed like a good hefty number to start with.

I checked with Cotera—it took five fish per piece for the Zora set, as it turned out.

What does she use from all these fish anyway?

I upgraded what I could anyway, as it started to rain.... again.

Thanks, Cotera.

I peered through the gloom.

Satori Mountain was still not lit up.

It was just such a rainy, rainy time these days. -_-

I wandered eastward; I thought I remembered hearing a shrine over there that I couldn’t find, somewhere along the Hateno road, long, long ago.

On the way I scaled one of the magnificent peaks surrounding Kakariko Village (there was a Korok on top) and took a moment to look around through the thinning drizzle.

Satori was alight now?

It glowed tealy green. Right before my eyes.

But it was 7:50 in the morning!

I kept looking.

The light did not dim as the time passed eight.

I thought it only lit up at night....

Decisions, decisions.... Shrine? Or Satori?

....

Satori.

The Shrine wouldn’t go anywhere.

Distraction

Waking of Saturday, November 25, 2017 ~ 2

Distraction

Time washed ugly hours over me as I watched the ink dry on the unending archives of my magpie brain. No blasted Delete key....

I wish.... I could be forgetful like some people.

I don’t like buzzkill.

Is it wrong of me to so want to honor the cinematic experience?

It was made to be seen and heard. And felt, depending on your rumble settings.

First impressions.... shouldn’t be cheapened.

And for some things.... every impression is important. Every meeting must be respected.

Am I wrong?

I did not save. I reloaded from before I had even spoken to the returned Oily Adventurers, and when I spoke to them this time, I took note of their words, so that I would have them for when I would have composed the previous entry.

Are you confused yet?

I took out Thrice and rode him hard all the way to the Outskirt Stable, and boarded him there.

Then I climbed up the back side of the Coliseum.

I just wanted to run away, be about something, plunge headlong into anything. And there was a Lynel in there.

Handy that the Coliseum was built up against the side of a great, jutting mountain, spiking into the air like Weaver’s Needle. From its top I could peer down inside the structure. But I couldn’t quite see the bottom....

I crept down closer and got on top of the ancient wall.

More than the Lynel met my gaze—there were ringing walkways, each level populated by a different kind of beast.

The Moblins were highest and nearest, then Lizalfos, and then Bokoblins down near the Lynel, who prowled the main floor. Three of each.

I had to clear part of the Moblins’ level for Bomb Golf to be any good. The bombs—they disappear if they roll or fall too far away.

But bombs were far too slow against this Lynel. I think it was a blue one. Very powerful.

Did I venture down into the Lizalfos level?

How close did I get before I reached the optimum range for archery....?

I used almost all my specialty arrows to kill the Lynel, and then cleaned out the rest of the Coliseum. This yielded plenty of monster bits, but only a couple of minor chests.

The Lynel gave an excellent bow, though.

The Lynel....

When I saw it give off that sudden flash as I was pelting it.... I ducked back, fearful of incoming Shock Arrows.

But it wasn’t firing at me.

It was doing something else.

I caught a glimpse of it later, as I struck it again.

It teleported.

A short distance away.

I didn’t know Lynels could do that.

Afterward I went outside to talk to Dai about what I’d done, but he cowered as he ever did behind that big chunk of stone.

As long as the Coliseum was clear, I took the opportunity to chase up what Koroks I could in the area. A bit tricky in the rain.

After this it was a venture into the field and another saving of Mils and Mina and from there.... I looked at my map.

There was another Korok circle I hadn’t noticed before, on Satori Mountain.

And so to Satori Mountain I went, and chased up Koroks and gathered various plants and captured bugs and things.... It was all in a little glen there, on that mountain, that I had not been in before. Cool, and shaded, and quiet, and peaceful. With the laughing of the water so soft and lovely. It was very relaxing.

Except perhaps for the occasional Octorok, but I dealt with them easily enough.

As I ventured farther and farther from the Glen of Quietude in my quest for plants and critters, I came upon the Satori Mountain Stalnox, as they are called. Rather the opposite of calm and peaceful, but I was feeling refreshed, and wanted a go.

My Compendium said if I could destroy its eye I could defeat it.

The Stalnox’s tack was quite unexpected however: as soon as it caught on to my presence and intentions, it retreated down the mountain. Right down the steep path on the western slope, toward the baobabs far below.

I tailed it, but did not want to get too close, or too low—fighting on uneven ground might take unexpected tolls on my stamina.

And so I simply remained on the shelf where I was. There were a few large boulders nearby, obviously meant to be rolled down the hill. My aim was terrible, though, and the Stalnox got away.

Where was it going?

Did the music fade away?

I don’t remember.

But I did not have to wonder long. Presently the Stalnox started lumbering back up the same path again. Maybe I could get a shot at its eye as it neared....

Its gaze stayed fixed upon me as it came closer and closer.... and when it was in a decent range, I fired.

Khing! Direct hit to the eye!

And his slow recovery cycle allowed me to keep him pinned!

Khing! Khing! Khing! Down went his health meter.

But when it reached about the halfway point, THE STALNOX RATHER FELL ALL TO PIECES AND HIS EYEBALL POPPED OUT AND DISAPPEARED BELOW THE ROCK I WAS STANDING ON. Oh shoot, was it going to roll away before I could kill it? I jumped forward to chase it—the collapsing bones MURDERED the framerate in cold blood—I came free and caught sight of the eyeball just exploding in a puff of evil.... and.... the thing was dead.

Monster bits spilled down the slope in a small avalanche. That was unexpected....

I guess.... somehow that did it!

After a while I finally sailed back down to Sanadin Park and thence to the Outskirt Stable, and did some business with the bespectacled Botrick—bought every last one of his arrows, and sold him what I could sell him.

And I chased more Koroks.

There were plenty of water-goal Koroks I hadn’t been able or willing to reach before, but I wanted one of them now—that one near Manhala Bridge.

I went upstream and fetched the boat from those flooded ruins with the near-sighted Lizalfos, and sailed it down the river....

It’s easy to put a rock in a water-goal when you have a boat.

Is it really cheating my guts out if I’m only using what is at my disposal?

I got the Korok seed.

And then it was off to Kakariko to see if any of my clothes could be upgraded—and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the fairies were back! 8D I had gone through a couple of the ones in my pockets, and they respawned here! That was encouraging. ^_^

It turned out Cotera could only upgrade my Ancient Helm, if I gave her ten of my Ancient Gears. Right then and there.

Didn’t she know how hard those were to come by?

I forgot that idea, and checked the rest of my wardrobe. It looked.... like the next enhancement to my Zora ensemble could be reached easily enough.

I just needed some fish.

Fortunately, I had a sample of what I needed on me—I threw a Hearty Bass on the ground, took a picture of it, loaded it into my Compendium, and tuned my sensor.... If I could just get enough of these....

But first I headed down from Cotera’s spring into the village proper, and found Paya up in Impa’s house.

“It’s almost dawn,” she said, “If you haven’t slept yet, you really should... Staying up late can’t be great for your health.”

....

I considered the hour.

It was quite late. Not as late as last time, but.... still quite late.

I’d been all over the map.

I know from experience that it’s hard to go to bed without having caught something you’ve been chasing.

I think.... it’s the same going to bed without having escaped something you’ve been fleeing.

My rage was not done.

But.... maybe Paya was right.

I saved my game,

and quit,

and went to bed.

Blue Bedlam

Waking of Saturday, October 28, 2017 ~ 5

Blue Bedlam

The tack the stable gave me for Dragmire was.... exquisite! Guess they had to make it specially for him, as he was so huge. Heh, bright orange tassels to match his fire-bright mane and tail.... cool.

But there was one more thing left to do that would make his appearance perfect.

I boarded my new giant steed and warped back to the Outskirt Stable. It was Dragmire I would take out past Digdogg Suspension Bridge and into the desert; that was only fitting. But first....

I took Dragmire back out, and walked him over to the girl by the manger.

She was going to give my horse the Mohawk befitting the lineage of his grandsires.

The girl automatically began to ramble off her spiel asking if I’d like her to do up my horse’s mane and tail, but she stopped in mid-sentence.

“Whoa!” she said, looking up, “That’s no pony you have there, is it!”

She remarked on his size, and said she wasn’t sure they had any implements big enough for him, and went on to mention that he didn’t seem like the type to enjoy having his hair messed with anyway.

:c

So....

No Mohawk for Dragmire.

Hhhhhhh.

I looked at some of my other horses.... changed Memory’s braids to a single French braid.... yes that looked good.

I guessed the Dark Horse was too special to mess with.

Well.... that was fine, Nintendo.

I’d still take him out into the desert lands—his desert lands—as I pressed forward in my journey.

....

Or I would, in a little bit, anyway.

Satori Mountain was glowing again.

Back went Dragmire into the stable, and back I warped to the high, cold peak of Satori Mountain.

This time I scrambled all the way to the top of one of the three stones at its crest, giving myself an open view into the high clearing.

I felt like I’d stepped into a Studio Ghibli film.

Blupees pattered around everywhere, taking slow little hops and sniffing the airs, the grasses, each other, their ears perking and twitching. They seemed drawn in toward the center, toward the perfectly round pool beside the cherry tree, but they would not touch or enter the shallow water. The sight of them—twenty at least—ringing the edge of the pool, gleaming like lanterns in the ghostly teal haze.... was striking.

And standing once again in the water.... the blue beast. The Lord of the Mountain.

I paraglided in this time, and landed on its back.

And it dawns on me, the brazen disrespect my avatar must have for these holy mystical creatures.

Unsurprisingly, it began to buck and kick. But to my amazement, the unmistakable Soothe-button icon appeared.

I pressed it. Repeatedly. I patted the creature’s neck and murmured soothing sounds, but my stamina was burning away fast.

And I had no more elixirs to extend it.

The Lord of the Mountain bucked me off and vanished.

The Blupees scattered where I rolled to a halt off the side of the pool. I rose back to my feet, exhausted, wondering if I’d blown another opportunity.

But the teal haze did not dissipate. Before my eyes, the blue beast rematerialized in the pool, standing peacefully as it had before, pawing the pool’s shallow bottom and dipping its strange head.

It was not facing me—otherwise I think it would have bolted. I think it also helped that I stood several paces away from it.

It stood in perfect perpendicular profile to me.

Was it a mount? Or was it game?

Maybe it was remembering how ineffective my previous sword strokes had been that made me draw my strongest bow and nock a Bomb Arrow to the string.

I overestimated the arc, and the arrow just shaved the creature’s back before detonating on the far side of the pool.

There was lantern-blue bedlam on the mountaintop. The blue beast bolted, evaporating into thin air in a heartbeat, while the Blupees darted confusedly in all directions.

And yet, after a moment had passed and the rabbitkabobs had calmed down.... the blue beast appeared yet again.

This time I didn’t miss. But there was little difference to the result—the blue beast, now on fire, turned and ran, disappearing in mid-stride as it had before. The Bomb Arrow had not been able to fell it.

And this time, the ghostly teal haze did evaporate, the night became clear, the Blupees were gone.... and I was alone.

Guess it’s three strikes and you’re out.

Something glimmered on the far side of the pool.

I walked across the shallow water to find.... rupees.

I guessed I’d blown up a few Blupees with that first Bomb Arrow.

I pocketed the money.

....

Is that why it’s spelled Blupees and not Blupies?

The Ultimate Game

Waking of Saturday, October 28, 2017 ~ 3

The Ultimate Game

It was strange remembering that there were other climes I loved. There were too many mysteries on the volcano; I wasn’t ready to leave them unsolved.

But at length I paraglided down to the Foothill Stable. There was something I’d seen David do in his game.... maybe it was the only thing that could get me to finally come down, for I wanted to try it, too....

~

David had been at the Outskirt Stable. I had directed him there and told him there was a man named Trott who would buy his Raw Gourmet Meat for a hundred rupees a cut.

And as he visited around with the other people at the stable, he came to that girl by the stalls and manger, and she made the offer to style his horse’s mane and tail.

“They can change the mane and tail design?” David blurted through an open grin.

“Yeah,” I said, and then added wryly, “Man, you really don’t talk to anyone, do you?”

David laughed.

I guess we’re each ahead of the other in our own ways.

I myself hadn’t even looked at the mane designs. But David did then, with.... Shooper I think was that particular horse’s name.

There were so many fun and amazing styles.... XD

~

Now at the Foothill Stable below the volcano, I took out Brown. I knew I could have just warped, but....

I like riding the roads.

I rode Brown aaaall the way to Kakariko Village, by way of the Sahasra Slope, and then aaaall the way to the Outskirt Stable.

But.... I couldn’t bring myself to do up his mane and tail. He just looks so good the way he is!

Thrice, however, I gave a long mane and tail, reminiscent of his wild upbringing.

And Memory? Mmm with his royal tack he did not look out of place wearing braids. Ehhhhhh BECAUSE.

And as long as I had a mount under me, thinking of new lands and new stables.... I decided it was time I took the road out across and beyond Digdogg Suspension Bridge.

And so Memory and I set out toward the desert canyon....

But we hadn’t been traveling for more than five or ten minutes—game minutes no less—before my swiveling view gave me a glance of Satori Mountain.

It was lit up.

The sun wasn’t even down.

I looked at the clock: the time was five pm, and the whole of the night lay ahead of me.

....

I brought Memory to a screaming halt, dashed back to the stable, and boarded him again.

I wanted to try and catch those Blupees at their meeting!

When I warped to Satori Mountain it was raining, and I shivered in the cold, but my Warm Doublet was enough for that.

I hiked up the slippery slope to the three-way crevasse at the mountain’s peak, and creeping forward to the highest split, I once again saw those little blue rabbitkabobs visiting with each other in the ghostly teal haze.

I was able to snap their pictograph this time. Blupees, my Compendium said.

Huh, from David’s mention of their name I’d thought of it spelled ‘blupies’ in my head.

Ah well.

I edged toward them, wondering how they would react—

There was something else in the clearing beyond.

Big. And glowing.

Crystal-blue like the rabbits.

Was this the Beast that Quince had told me about so long ago?

I snapped this one’s pictograph, too. And—

The Lord of the Mountain, my Compendium called it.

Huh. o.o

This was that beast.

It pawed the ground like a horse, looking about like a nervous deer, and its face.... made me think of an owl for some reason. Strange antlers sprang from its crown.

The ultimate game, I thought.

Wasn’t that what somebody had said?

Satori Mountain was the place to find game.

And this Lord of the Mountain.... wasn’t this the ultimate game?

I nocked an Ice Arrow, took aim, and let fly.

The thing reared and froze and I was paragliding in. The nearby blupees scattered and disappeared. I hit the beast again and again while the ice held, but when it finally broke free—

It vanished.

It was gone.

All the blupees were gone, too.

And the night was clear; the teal haze evaporated, and I could see the stars.

It seemed the mountain wouldn’t light up anymore, if that one got scared off.

Bird-Man Returns

Waking of Saturday, August 12, 2017

Bird-Man Returns

One of the folks at Tabantha Bridge Stable had heard tell of some kind of platform out on a place called Washa’s Bluff. I could see the spot plain enough on my map. So I gave it a visit.

It was near those scablands with the mushroomy treethings. The platform turned out to be another one of those orange pedestals I’d seen here and there. And nearby, atop the largest treething in the vicinity, there came that dulcet waltzing accordion....

“Kass!” I said.

I tried to climb up to him.

The treethings (I really don’t know what else to call them) stood in a fairly dense little cluster just there, and it looked like I might be able to climb from one to another to get to him....

But those things flare out wide as you go up. The trunks bell outward like a trumpet. The surface was soon so inverted that I lost my grip, and fell.

Rather missed my paraglider that time. Ouch.

How could I get up to where Kass was?

I cast my eyes about my surroundings, and they fell on Satori Mountain.

It seemed.... tall.... I supposed....

I looked again at Kass’s treething, and at Satori Mountain.

Maybe....

Yes, it seemed like an angle similar to the one I’d exploited to paraglide from that other mountain to that Sheikah Tower so easily.

Which by the way had been David’s least favorite tower. Those Wizzrobes, he said, he couldn’t handle the Wizzrobes.

I did not draw any happy faces from him when I told him how quickly and easily I’d done it.

My turn to be smug for once!

But the height of Satori Mountain seemed like it might just be enough to get me up onto Kass’s treething by paraglider.

I warped to the shrine near Satori’s peak, and gave it a shot.

I clambered up to the very highest point I could get to, one of those three tall jutting stones at the crest, and got my bearings, reorienting myself to this new angle. There was Washa’s Bluff waaaay down below me, with its little cluster of treethings. It was the very same; I made sure on my map. That was the bunch where Kass stood and played his accordion.

I stood tall and regarded my intended destination. Hm. Looked like it might be close. I’d definitely need a good start....

I jumped, deployed my paraglider at the highest.... and started to sail.

It was a long way.

You know, sometimes you can tell, as you near a target, whether you’re going to make it or not. But as I drew nearer and nearer to Kass’s treething....parallax did not draw the choice landing-zone up or down my range of sight. It stayed fixed directly in front of my waist as I flew down through the air. Course corrections became costly and precious. I was on a razor’s edge.

I really wasn’t sure I was going to make it! It was a close thing.... But at last I came to the end of my long, long paraglide PRECISELY on the very outer lip of the big mushroomy top of Kass’s giant treething.

I’d made it!

And with a song, Kass told me the platform had something to do with the Blood Moon. I guessed if I stood there during the next one I’d find out more.

But there was more atop this treething than just Kass—there was a little hut of some kind, pleasantly open to the air and with a few simple furnishings and a bed.... and with Kass’s journal in it.

I read it; it contained the lyrics to all the songs his late teacher had taught him. Some I recognized, some I didn’t. Seemed there were many shrines yet to scare up.

Ah, I do love crossing paths with Kass. ^_^

Bird-Man

Waking of Friday, August 11, 2017 ~ 3

Bird-Man

On top of the cliff west of Serenne Stable I heard another shrine, but just like the one in the Forgotten Temple, for the life of me I could not pin it down!

It took a couple of flying leaps from the cliff top for me to notice—and get to—an explodable bit of rock halfway down the sheer rock face.

A Blessing Shrine was inside.

I was feeling just dandy by this point! ^_^

I kept climbing the mountain until I got just about to its crest, from which I had a clear and open view of a Sheikah Tower somewhere between south and east.

I knew this tower. It stood in the center of a body of water atop a roundish, bald plateau. From a distance it had always looked easy enough to reach, though I was certain there had to be some trick or riddle to it. For I had passed this tower many times in my wanderings, but never yet attempted to climb it.

It was time to try it now. I considered my altitude.... and took more direct approach: via PARAGLIDER! 8D

As I sailed toward it I wondered whether I’d come up short and land in the water. I hoped not; there could be baddies in there, maybe creeping evil things I hadn’t even encountered before. Deep water does things to your mind—you don’t know what could be lurking in the depths....

But as I drew near, I could tell that my course would keep me from getting wet. Only just! But that was good enough. And it was a good thing, too, because I saw what the resident obstacle was: the water teemed with awful things that would surely wish to do me harm at first sight. Electric Lizalfos churned through the surface, wielding strange Thunder-weapons I’d never seen before; more Lizalfos patrolled the shore; and a handful of Lightning Wizzrobes skipped gleefully around the lower airs.

Hm, wish I’d been able to come in a little higher.

I wondered if this were the tower David said was his least favorite....

I landed on the lowest platform, and waited only long enough to regain my stamina. Lucky for me Wizzrobes like to skip around invisible for a while after they spot you. If these had been flying wolves.... I’d’ve had problems. But I climbed as quick as I could, resting only as long as I needed, and the shots from their Lightning Rods were easy to dodge.

Still.... I couldn’t help but recall my experience at the Lake Tower. Would they cook up some kind of super lightning storm if they couldn’t catch me after a while?

Plink! Plink! Plink! They continued to stalk me invisibly, ascending as I did up the tower...

I might’ve taken just one hit, but it wasn’t bad, and there was a platform just beneath me. Otherwise I made it to the top in a trice without a hitch.

There was a man up there.

His name was Branli, and he seemed to have been stranded a la Gruve as the Sheikah Tower burst out of the ground.

Dear me I take too much time wandering; this Branli could have starved to death—

Branli was very into studying the Bird-men. In fact, he asked me if I were one of them, as he wasn’t sure how else I could have gotten onto the tower. We got to the topic of how to get down, and he was shocked at my claim to be able to simply fly down. He asked me to demonstrate—I put him off for only a moment, so I could activate the tower—

Hey, it was an easy way down, but there was no telling whether the game would bring me back up to the top!

I downloaded the map, was delighted to finally have an image of Satori Mountain and a setting for all my stamps and shrine-icons, glanced over the features of the land with all their interesting names—and shuddered as I FINALLY discovered the name of that great toothy CRACK in the earth just north of Jeddo Bridge....

The Breach of Demise.

Uhhhuhuhuhuhhh....

I thought of the proximity of the Forgotten Temple.... and that giant Goddess statue.... and wondered....

But at length I came back to myself, and this Branli, and agreed to demonstrate flying on my paraglider for him. He told me to go for distance, and so I flew directly into the lower lands of the Breach, touching down, as it happened, just about in the middle of that nest of Bokoblins with their two skull-dens....

But fortunately, the game did zip me right back up to the tower, and Branli’s report: I had flown over six hundred meters! He was quite impressed, and invited me to come and give it another go whenever I had the chance.

Heh, funny man. ^_^

Loose Ends

Waking of Friday, June 30, 2017

Loose Ends

And promptly ignored my log for a week.

You know, it is great to take Link romping all over the hills and through the woods and up and down the mountains but ahhh—there is just something really nice about doing it yourself. Bugs and sweat notwithstanding.

The extra six or seven thousand feet of elevation wasn’t so bad either. Lovely climate. <3 Mm, got a little burned that day at Big Lake, but hey, more vitamin D for me, cool.

Only problem left is what to do with the rest of those six hundred and forty-two gingersnaps we made. Mother and I had combined our forces for three days baking those. I don’t know whether to be madly unimpressed that our multitudinous relations didn’t make a bigger dent.... or delighted that there are so many left over for us.

Mmm I think I’m leaning toward delighted.

Okay. I wanted to go back to Akkala. It was time to get my Hero back on track. Dang these Zelda games.... so much wandering.... sirens over every hill.... Hhhh. <3

Akkala.

But I’d sew up some loose ends on the way.

My first stop was the Scary Tower. I mean the Central Tower. I’d seen a Korok’s pinwheel on my way from there to that northern shrine, but I hadn’t stopped to play; I hadn’t been able to find whatever I was supposed to shoot. The targets—sometimes they are silent, and obscure.

But I returned there now—Guardian lasers pointed at my back as I sailed toward those woods! And taking my time with a much more careful eye.... I found the Korok and got his seed.

The next Korok I scared up was much easier—that one that had been hiding beneath the memory tree by the lake. That rainy, rainy memory.

And after that, I really wanted to try to somehow harvest a bit of Farosh’s horn! But loiter all I might atop the Lake Tower, the bridge towers, or along the Bridge of Hylia itself.... he did not show himself.

I warped to Satori Mountain, near where I had seen him for the very first time; perhaps he would show himself there....

No such luck.

I looked at far away, as yet unreached shrines from the top of the mountain, marking them with beacons so I could see how far away they were on my map.... and then deleting those beacons.

“What are you doing?” David seemed shocked. “Don’t you want to leave the marker there?”

ô_ô

It had never really bothered me before, leaving the shrines not in my present path lost in the blue. But.... I found a suitable stamp to mark the spot, and slapped it on the map, and David was sufficed, and I grinned sheepishly.

I didn’t find Farosh from Satori Mountain.

I did however find that giant skeleton in the high meadow again.

It was on its feet and moving around this time. o_o

It was David’s first time seeing it, too.

I didn’t take a picture but I was pretty sure it must have been a Stal-Hinox.

The sun came up and it burrowed back into the ground.

There was still no sign of Farosh.

I went after another loose end in the meanwhile—long ago on my search for Mei, I had left my green marker on a shrine I had seen, in a cave beneath a pockmarked grey hill very near the castle.

I warped to the shrine in that giant Crack-in-the-Earth north of Jeddo Bridge—can’t remember the name of it—and upon rematerializing I remembered that, you know? That was the first shrine I encountered with.... different music; I’ve come across shrines bearing different musical flavors now and again—

And from there I was able to paraglide over the river and onto the grey hill, in the western regions of the castle lands.

The cave was blocked by briars and explodable boulders, easy enough to overcome with some flint and a bomb.

David and I.... rather blanched when we saw it was a combat shrine.

But it was only a Minor Test of Strength.

We exhaled in unison and shared a soft laugh of relief. ^_^;;

When I’d done the shrine I climbed up on top of the hill, looking for Koroks. I found a couple in the nearby vicinity, skirting round the creeping Guardian Flyers.... I also found a Talus on a hill that had looked promising.... I’ll have to remember that....

And as I swept my eyes over the wooded land surrounding that hill, I saw what must definitely have been a Korok’s hiding place: little statues with shallow bowls for offerings before them. They stood even nearer the castle.

I paraglided down into the place—Hyrule Castle Prison or something it was called. I don’t really recall exactly, because just then a laser settled over my heart and the triplet Piano started up at a tempo rather faster than normal. o_o

Korok would have to wait—I ran for cover behind a tree—ran with all the strength I had, but my stamina failed me within a yard of it—

The blast came and blowed me right up.

But Mipha covered me, as I knew she would.

But if I was in real trouble, I couldn’t count on her aid a second time so soon—I swiveled my camera—

A loose, six-legged Guardian.

Its health meter reflected 2000 hit points.

And it was RIGHT up in my grill now—the flames from its first attack hadn’t even gone out—

I was obliged to leave.

I warped once again to the Lake Tower.

But Farosh still did not show himself. Stubborn dragon.... where was he?

Soooo I decided to sew up a few more loose ends: I’d left a few of my beacon markers all over the map—like that green one for the shrine under the hill. I wanted to go try and pick the rest of them up.

The purple one was in the southwestern part of the Lynels’ Corridor, signifying some explodable rocks I had seen. Cleaning those up was easy enough—nifty weaponry!

The red one was away south of Hateno, on the slope before a prominent shrine overlooking the sea. I had visited that shrine once, but as I had not been able to best the Modest Test of Strength inside, I had decided to reload an earlier save in order to escape. This was before I had stopped grouping the activation of shrines with the completion of them in my mind; it hadn’t occurred to me to just lock down the warpable spot, if nothing else. I kinda wish it had....

But I went to the red marker, and found it to be floating in the air beside a tree. That was all. Nothing special. Guess from a distance I’d thought it was something else.

The blue one was far, far away to the northwest of the Elma Knolls. What had I seen there....?

It was too far away for me to care just then. I didn’t feel like running all over those hills, and so went back to the Lake Tower to see if Farosh would show his face.

He didn’t.

Satori Mountain was glowing though.

I’d never gone to visit it during a glowing time, and so decided.... What the hey.

I warped to the shrine near its top, and started climbing. I got onto one of the three highest boulders, and the very air around me took on that phantom teal glow....

I looked down into the little three-way crevasse at its peak.... There at the open end of one of the passes.... three of those little mystical rabbitkabobs sat facing each other.

“Are those blupees?” David asked in excitement. “They’re having a meeting!” he laughed.

....Blupees?

“....Did you know.... that’s what they’re called? Sorry....” he added.

“It’s okay,” I said.

They were right there, but.... still too far away.... I dropped down to get closer, the curvature of the mountain momentary blotting them from my sight! Would they startle and bolt if they saw me coming?

I moved toward them....

But just as my line of sight topped that little rise in the ground—what were those little yellowy dinglethings on their ears?—the teal glow faded, and.... they were gone.

Haaooohhhhhhh it made me want to come back heeeeeere....

I really was procrastinating. It was late and I had to go to bed. David kept reminding me of this. And I kept brushing him off as I swiveled pointlessly around on my map, looking for excuses....

But he knew how to get me off the game. “How about you watch me do that Ishto Soh Shrine?” he suggested.

“Okay!” I agreed immediately as I gamboled through the crows around Satori’s crown. That was a good idea.

But I found one last excuse on the map before I stopped: that big weird island-thing near Mount Daphnes, with a long bridge to reach it in the middle of a large pond of some sort....

“Come on,” David groaned.

I warped to the beloved Shrine of KAAM YA’TAK....

Had to take out a couple of Moblins on my way—I rather laughed at how the one second-nearest the bridge didn’t really seem to care at all as I bombed the living daylights out of his fellow who was nearest the bridge.

No honor among Ganon’s Minions I guess.

The “island” it turned out was a giant stump. Called The Ancient Stump, in fact. The surrounding pond churned with Lizalfos like an evil moat. The bridge was kept by one solitary blue bokoblin, and on the Stump itself, another bokoblin and a moblin, both blue, sat doing nothing.

I ran in to alleviate their boredom, but they couldn’t quite keep up with the exercise.... When I’d taken care of them both, I had a good look at what was stuck in the stump on the far side: a Great Fireblade.

Ohh-ho-ho-ho it was pretty. OuO Two-handed and heavy, like the Great Thunderblade, but of the fire element rather than the electricity element.

Cool. X-)

“Okay!” David pressed, but I dragged it out for one moment more as I jumped into a Korok ring in the moat far below, and collected a seed....

And then it was back to the Lake Tower and OFF with the game! ^_^

David’s turn!

I ran off to brush my teeth or something while he made his way toward the shrine. And when I came back, I had the delight of watching him interact with Moza. X-)

Now, typically, the shrines I suck at, David aces, and the shrines David sucks at, I ace. But the Ishto Soh Shrine proved quite as maddening for him as it had for me.

I could only encourage him along the route that I had taken, which was to lay out some bombs by the switch, get up the first stair by bow and/or paraglider, get up the next two stairs by the previously laid bombs, and get up the last stair by one more very clever bomb....

And eventually, David got it that way too.

This was all after watching him try the most amazingly outlandish tactics to advance, and seeing them not work; and telling him of all the ridiculously crazy tactics I had tried, and how those had failed; and laughing a lot in between.

But afterward, David went back in the shrine to see if he couldn’t figure out the right way to do it....

I noticed the music was different, after the shrine had been beaten. A soft difference. Subtle. The chimes seemed gentler, and muted....  as if.... as if this were only the ghost of the task you’d had to do. A shadow. An echo.

It was quite nice. <3

But David was busy squeezing his head around that Bravery’s Grasp title of the shrine-task.... and he inspected the laser....

AND WE BOTH THOUGHT OH NO WAY....

AND THEN HE PICKED UP THE LASER.

OH MY GOSH—what heavy palms I dragged down my unbelieving face.

“I wanna take this outside!” said David! 8D

He set the laser on the moving platform and moved up the stairway in seconds.

Dang.

Ah, Zelda.

Delightful.

David paraglided down into the Corridor and—oh my gosh—rode the Lynel for all his stamina . . . . and then I went to bed.