Sunset at the Spring

Near the settlement of Ordon Village, you sit and admire the serene view. “Tell me…” Rusl asks you, “Do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls?” But enough of this melancholy! Rusl is delivering something to the royal family of Hyrule in two days’ time.

Rusl encourages you to explore the kingdom and the world around it. You lead your horse, Epona, who is carrying some bundles of kindling you both gathered, over the Ordon Gorge Bridge. Rusl locks the bridge gate.

Rusl rejoins his family, Uli and Colin. He leaves you and Epona at your woodland home, and heads to the village entrance. Ilia takes Epona’s reins and leads her off to rest. You climb up into your home. A moment later, Fado yells up to you. He needs help wrangling a few goats!

Link: You’re a young man who is around 17 years old. You are a wrangler in a quiet village tucked away in the Ordon Woods, in a far corner of the kingdom of Hyrule. Away from Castle Town, you lead a quiet life and are a constant source of amusement among the village children. You are cheerful and truthful, but with a mischievous side, and you’re often admonished by Ilia, your childhood friend and daughter of the village mayor.

Rusl: A resident of Ordon Village, where you also reside, Rusl is between 20 and 30 years old. He is pregnant Uli’s husband, and Colin’s father. Rusl has a frank personality, but he’s an honorable soul and many people think of him as the village leader. He is the only swordsman around. He regards you as his younger brother.

Epona: Link’s favorite horse, Epona has been an integral part of your adventures in the past, but she’s now the favored steed for rounding up wayward goats at the pasture you tend with Fado. Epona is resilient but sometimes restless, until Ilia soothes her.

Uli: The wife of Rusl and mother of Colin, Uli is in her 20s and heavily pregnant with the family’s second child. She is relaxed, affable, and beautiful, and she has an air of generosity and caring.

Colin: The son of Rusl and Uli, Colin is between 7 and 10 years old. He is meek, mild, and timid, but good-natured, like his parents. The other village children look down on him. He adores both you and Ilia, and he follows her wherever she goes.

Fado: A friend of yours and around your age (about 17), Fado works with you in the same farmhouse. Fado is an easygoing, down-to-earth type of fellow, but he has a somewhat childish side and sometimes goads you into reckless behavior, before receiving a scolding from Ilia.

Head on over to Fado when the opportunity presents itself, and speak to him (the A button). He tells you to hurry up and bring Epona with you. You saw Ilia leading Epona down the forest path to the left of your house, so go this route.

Missing Links

Before you find your wayward steed, try a few optional plans:

1. Treetrunk Call

Turn around and inspect the sign by the ladder. It reads “Link’s House.” Inspect your abode by climbing the ladder and entering the door under the fluttering banner.

Inside the front door is your home’s main level. Check out the fireplace and two ladders: one near the entrance heading up, and another at room’s far end, heading down.

Climb the ladder up from the main floor to reach a balcony, with a bookcase and various objects. Did you spot a picture of Epona? Climb the next ladder up.

This leads to the observation deck, where you can check the hole with the A button. Press left or right on the Left Analog Stick to look out over Ordona Province. Watch the soaring hawk!

2–5. Grounds for Exploration

2. While Fado stands around, check the forest glade in which you’re standing. A cute squirrel skips around. You can’t catch him, though. If only you could talk to animals….

3. A target dummy—part scarecrow, part stress-reliever—stands near your home. You can lock-on to him, but you don’t have a weapon yet.

4. Search the glade to find boulders that are small enough to lift. Grab each one. You may find Rupees, Hearts, or nothing! Place a rock down with the A button. Throw a rock so it smashes by running, then pressing A.

5. Clumps of reeds and grass sway in the breeze. They also contain Rupees and Hearts if you run through the center of each clump.

Run northward, to the left of Link’s house, into the Ordon Woods. Follow the path onward toward the bridge, or stay and inspect the area for interesting items under the rocks and in the reeds.

While you’re roaming without a steed, roll everywhere, using the A button.

You’re looking for a way to the Ordon Spring, where Colin has taken Epona. As you reach the bridge, you’ll see Rusl has locked it, and you cannot move farther northward. Instead, choose one of two paths to the spring: one is hidden, the other not.

Follow the Path: Follow the main path northward, then turn left at the sealed bridge entrance. The radiant spring is inside this entrance.

Warren Peace: A sneaky way of entering the spring is to backtrack to the grassy wood area and check the western bank. Among the gnarled tree roots and grass is a small warren! Press the A button to enter when you’re near.

Crawl along this tunnel until you reach the corner, then make the turn when you’re prompted. You shuffle 90 degrees and continue your progress. Keep on crawling until you reach the light at the end. Step out into the spring, and head for your horse.

Missing Links

1–2. Woodland Wandering

1. Inspect every clump of grass, and turn over every rock before you meet Epona. You can find Rupees if you look hard enough!

2. Rupees aren’t only on the ground. Roll and knock yourself into the tree. Sometimes a Rupee is dislodged, and falls to the ground. Try this on every tree you see!

You step into the pool, and watch as a girl steps forward toward Epona. It is Ilia. She looks radiant in this dappled light. She’s washed your horse for you. You smile at her. When you catch your breath, head on over and talk to her.

Epona is ready for you to ride. Ilia reminds you that you have work to do at the ranch; Fado will be getting antsy. You should also pick up a piece of grass shaped like a horseshoe, also known as Horse Grass. There are two clumps on either side of the spring entrance. You play a sweet melody, and Epona canters to you.

Get onto Epona by moving to her side and pressing the A button. Dismount by pressing the same button, but only when Epona isn’t moving! Trot back the way you came. Head out of the spring.

Turn right, heading south toward your home. Pass the woods and your house, and head straight for the entrance to Ordon Village to the south. Spur Epona with the A button if you require extra speed.

Horseplay Spur Epona onward by pressing the A button. You dig your heels into her hide, and she speeds up. This is useful for traversing long distances, or areas with long, straight paths. You travel faster but can’t corner as easily. Don’t overdo the spurring! If you use up all six instances (shown at your screen’s bottom), you must wait a few seconds for Epona to recover. Spur her every few seconds, with a second or two of normal speed in between, for best results. Stop Epona, then pull down on the Left Analog Stick softly to pull her backward or pull hard to turn her around. This is useful if you ride into a wall or dead end, and during combat. To quickly mount Epona, approach her from behind, then dash toward her and press the A button. You leap over her tail and land in the saddle. This gives you momentum and is great for speeding away from areas.