Helpful ZeldaWiki article to reference the map as a whole:
zeldawiki.org/Places_in_Oracle_of_Ages~Lynna City~The bustling center of Labrynna, Lynna City has nearly tripled in size since Link's departure. While the majority of the population is still human, the city is now home to notable populations of Zoras, Deku, Gorons, and some others. Known for its massive marketplace, the central district is full of various shops, pubs, restaurants and a few other attractions like a theater, the famous
Blade Brothers dojo, and the historic Lynna Town Hall. In the exact center of the city stands a stone statue of the revered
Mayor Plen, who stepped down from office shortly before his death. His successor, Mayor Gasha, the
son of the Bipin and Blossom, does a fine job of managing the town, and was behind many of the choices that led to the rapid expansion of the city.
As you progress towards the outskirts of town, it's primarily residential neighborhoods, with the nicer homes to the western edge of town, and the slums over on the east.
Lynna Palace, home to King Richard and his court, borders the town to the north and neighbors the
Maku Shrine, a long cave leading to a secluded garden marking the spot where the majestic tree sage, the Maku Tree, once rested before it perished twenty years ago. The townsfolk often visit the shrine to leave offerings, believing that it brings good fortune upon the city to do so.
A trail leading out of the southern end of town leads to the Tower of Ages, a massive multi-storied temple dedicated to the study and worship of the mystical
Essences of Time. The first two floors are a worship hall and a small reception area. Unavailable to the public are the chambers of the Covenant of Ages, an organization of priests, scholars, and scribes who dedicate their whole lives to study of the Elements and the history of Labrynna. Their libraries, laboratories, meeting rooms, and living quarters stretch on for many many floors, until the top floor, which houses the Chamber of the Essences. As it houses the eight essences which maintain balance and harmony in Labrynna, it is heavily guarded and can only be entered by the most senior members of the Covenant.
~The South Shore~To the south of the Black Tower and bordering the Zora Seas is the South Shore, the busiest port town in all of Labrynna. Governed by the old dockmaster
Rafton, this port sees the arrival and departure of nearly a hundred ships each and every day, although things have been a bit less busy now that all contact with Holodrum has been lost. While it is home to its fair share of houses and general shops, the South Shore is mostly made up of inns, taverns and fishmongers due to its proximity to the coast and its popularity as a common point of departure. However, it is among the less safe places to live in Labrynna; with scores of people coming and going every day and plenty of precious cargo aboard the ships that dock there, it is a breeding ground for thieves and other shady characters, a fact that isn't helped by its proximity to the Isle of Storms.
~Isle of Storms~A small island surrounded by jagged rocks and treacherous whirlpools, often used as a refuge for pirates needing to lay low for a while. Only seasoned pirates know the secret path through the dangerous waters that border this island hideout, making it near impossible for King Richard to send Knights there to drive them all out. Non-pirates looking to find passage to the island should inquire with ships with black sails docked at the South Shore, but even if one pays the price to ferried across the Sea of Storms, they will find little more than a large series of docks and caves, a few taverns and inns, and an island full of people looking to kill and rob each other. Made to withstand months of blockade, the island is fortified with deep interior caves full of food and provisions and rows of cannons on
sea platforms surrounding the island.
~Fairies' Woods~If one leaves Lynna City and travels several miles west, they will encounter a tranquil forest full of lush, green trees. Home to the mystical race of fairies and their leader, Venus, the wise and powerful Queen of Fairies. While the people of Labrynna often visit the forest for its beauty and the chance to see a rare stray fairy, the bulk of the fairies are hidden deep within the woods and can only be found by seasoned adventurers with pure hearts. Venus herself resides within the
Wing Shrine at the center of the woods, and very rarely appears to outsiders, although many still pray to her.
~Forest of Time~To the east of Lynna City is another forest, although quite different. While the Fairies Woods are known for their lush greenery and idyllic grottoes with ponds and wildflowers, the Forest of Time is a much darker, thicker forest with tall, old trees who have seen the passage of time and cast long dark shadows on the earth. It is home to many wild animals, some docile and majestic, others brutish and bestial. The few souls that do make their home here are mainly woodsmen and hunters, and there are no large settlements in the region at all. Deep within the forest is a shrine to the Oracle Nayru, where her house once stood in Link's time. It is a popular spot to visit and leave gifts, and it is said that one who sits and prays long enough can even hear Nayru's angelic singing voice echoing down from the treetops above.
~Rolling Ridge~At the northeastern edge of Labrynna, tucked away behind the end of the Forest of Time stands the majestic Rolling Ridge, a chain of mountains and valleys with a complex network of interconnecting caves linking them together. It's considered one of the most dangerous places in Labrynna due not only to its harsh and treacherous geography, it is home to the largest population of fearsome beasts in all of Labrynna, who roam unchecked due to the fact that hardly anyone lives there. Rolling Ridge was once home to the town of
Kasuto, a small mountain famous for mining and its skilled smithies. However, long ago it was raided by monsters and burned to the ground. Word has it that criminals and other lowlifes used the ruins of the old town as a hideout, making it a popular hub for criminal activity just like the Isle of Storms. Because of the lack of population and the danger that navigating the Ridge presents, it is among the few locations in Labrynna that King Richard feels is better off not patrolled.
~Moblin's Keep~Without a doubt the most dangerous place on the continent, the Moblin's Keep sits at the edge of Rolling Ridge, and already dangerous neck of the woods. Although Link defeated the Moblin King here and demolished his castle in the process, evil and ferocious beasts have made their home in the rubble once more, although not in a kingdom as organized as it once was but more of just a savage den of monsters. Ruled over by the mythical beast,
Aquamentus, the ruins of the keep are so dangerous that not even the town of hardened criminals living nearby dares to go anywhere near it. Rumors say that the keep is the resting place of the magical
Noble Sword of Labrynna, which Link himself wielded during his adventures here, and it can only be claimed by the one who slays this powerful beast. As of yet, no one has been daring enough to try.
~Zora Seas~While the Sea of Storms and the Crescent Strait occupy the eastern half of Labrynna's southern coast, the Zora Seas stretch across the western half. Although the seas have notoriously suffered from pollution in the past, since Link's intervention they've more or less returned to normal. Various small islands are scattered throughout the seas, although they're mostly deserted save for fishermen and the occasional small island port town. Unlike the Sea of Storms, the Zora Seas are known for a thriving population of fish, making both human and Zora fishing vessels a common sight to see when sailing around. Further inland, the beautiful coral reefs and sprawling sandy beaches make the seas a popular vacation spot.
Despite their beauty, the Zora Seas are not without their dangers. Because hardly any commercial ships venture into the Sea of Storms, pirate vessels often prey on ships traversing the Zora Seas, and have been known to board ships and pillage islands from time to time. While King Richard can protect the settlements on land, he doesn't have anything like a standing navy; the seas are mostly patrolled by Zora naval vessels, operating under the authority of the King Zora. Although stories of them are rare,
Big Octos have been known to attack ships at sea by trapping unsuspecting sailors in their inescapable whirlpools.
~Zora Village~The main part of the Zora Village is inaccessible to most, not for political reasons, but physical ones. On the western end of the Zora Seas lies a large inlet of ocean littered with small, but mostly empty peninsulas. Beneath the waves of this inlet rests the Zora Village, an underwater city that is home to most of the Zora people. Most of the Zora folk make their homes in hollowed out underwater trees or sea caves, but the largest sea cave in the center of the city is home to the King Zora, the wise and kind ruler of the Zora Seas and the Zora people. The King swears fealty to Richard, but he only truly answers to the guidance of Lord Jabu Jabu, the whale-like guru who resides in an underwater shrine just north of the village.
On the surface, some of the peninsulas are home to docks and the homes of small groups of fishermen. The Zora naval vessels usually depart from a large cave that can be found along the western side of the inlet, nearer to the outside ocean.
~Eyeglass Island~A small island just off the South Shore, along the eastern side of the Zora coast, named for its peculiar shape. A small town resides here, but the main attraction is the Eyeglass Island Library and the attached Eyeglass Island Academy. While the Tower of Ages is home to the magical and historical scholarship in Labrynna, the bulk of the study of the natural sciences takes place on Eyeglass Island. Many great inventors have taught and lived on the island, but the most renowned of them all is undoubtedly the great Cheval II, the son of the inventor of the Zora flippers and
Cheval rope, both of which are now essentials for any sailor worth their salt in Labrynna. Cheval II serves as dean of the academy, but still continues research on his own. Rumors have been circulating regarding his designs for a new submarine meant to be used by Zoras. Attached to the island on its own sea platform is the
Marine Research Lab, a facility dedicated to monitoring the health of Labrynna's oceans.
~Talus Peaks~A chain of majestic mountains stretching across the entire western border of Labrynna. Unlike the dangerous Rolling Ridge, many choose to make their home along the mountainside, as it's among the most beautiful and tranquil regions of the continent and remains free of monsters for the most part. Atop one of the larger mountains, Mt. Gasha, sits a crater lake full of crystal clear water which serves as the source of the roaring rivers that flow down the Talus chain. The renowned Restoration Wall stretches down the side of Mt. Gasha and houses an observatory dedicated to observing the skies over Labrynna.
At the base of the mountain chain and adjacent to the neighboring Nuun Highlands lies the Goron mining village of
Darunia, home to most of the Gorons in Labrynna. While the main feature of Darunia is the large ore mine just outside of the village, which provides most of the continent's coal and iron, it also home to a host of natural hot springs and talented smiths. The few Subrosians that do make their home in Labrynna also reside in Darunia, enjoying the hot springs and, oddly enough, the stuffy hot depths of the ore mine.
~Nuun Highlands~The large expanse of plains and countryside to the west of Lynna City. In order to reach the Talus mountains or the Fairies' Woods, one must first cross these highlands. Although the worst you might encounter on a typical trip through the plains is a pack of wild wolves, the large amount of cattle ranches and farms along the way make the occasional Moblin bandit raid a worry. A small but persistent river flows through the highlands, originating from the crater lake atop Mt. Talus, and those looking for a speedy and safe trip downriver ought to consider the ferry.
The town of
Rauru is the most notable settlement in the Nuun Highlands. It exists as a popular waystation along the road to Darunia from Lynna City, but is also the closest human settlement to the Fairies' Woods, making it a popular place to stay for travelers on their way into the forest. The Seashell Knights in charge of patrolling the Highlands make their base here, in a fort attached to the north side of town. The captain of the outpost,
Captain Viscen, is a decorated veteran of the Labrynnan military and served under King Ralph himself as a general for many years, but he was mysteriously demoted to this relatively menial post shortly after Richard took the throne. With all the public unrest about the crisis in Holodrum, Viscen has found it tough to receive the reinforcements necessary to combat the increasing number of bandit attacks and monster sightings in the Highlands.
~Symmetry City~On a perfectly rectangular plateau near the peaks of the northern most mountains of the Talus chains lies Symmetry City, a perfectly designed mountain settlement in which the left and right sides of the city are mirror images of each other. Two constantly guarded gates serve as the only entrances to the village, and the soldiers on duty always make sure to only admit visitors in pairs to maintain balance. Known as a popular tourist spot because of the strange symmetrical customs and the beauty and simplicity of the city's design, the city is also home to the Temple of Balance, in which the Monks of Symmetry live.
The Monks of Symmetry are paired with another child at birth and raised to mirror his image perfectly, including speaking and breathing in unison. The Monks never leave the Temple of Balance, which is perfectly rectangular and lies in the exact center of Symmetry City. They instead spend all day meditating around the
Tuni Nut, the sacred symbol of the City, in an attempt to discern the true way to attain perfect balance in one's life. The monks also serve as the sworn protectors of the nut, and the perfect magical harmony between them and their symmetrical double allows them to hurl powerful combination spells at their would-be foes.
~Yoll Graveyard~If one travels east through the vast Forest of Time, they will arrive in the forest of dead trees that houses the Yoll Graveyard. A ghastly and barren place, the northern section of the graveyard contains the graves of the common folk, separated from the southern section by a nearly dry, shriveling river that flows into a dank and foggy swamp. Crossing the bridge to a small island in the swamplands to south reveals the tombs of the Labrynnan Royal Family and the Seashell Knights, guarded at all times by an elite sect of the Seashell Knights known as the Mausoleum Guard. In addition to being a post of great honor and renown, the Mausoleum Guards are all versed in holy magic meant to defend against the attacks of restless spirits in the area.
A wishing well on the easternmost edge of the graveyard has been rumored to be a portal into the other world, and has been notorious for ghost sightings in the past. One can purportedly summon the presence of restless souls in the form of a reflection on the well's surface by casting an item of theirs into the water, but perhaps these are ghost stories meant to fool children. Wizzrobes and Poes are known to roam the Yoll region at night, so it is highly advised to only visit during the night if at all possible.