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Not to be confused with the Great Plateau Tower Region.

The Great Plateau is the starting Region in Breath of the Wild.[1]

Features and Overview[]

The Great Plateau is a large region of land that is secluded from other parts of Hyrule, as its steep slopes prevent anyone from traveling to and from it without special equipment, such as the Paraglider.[2] The only active inhabitant is the Old Man, a mysterious elderly fellow with a deep knowledge of the Sheikah.[3]

According to the Old Man, the Great Plateau is the location where the Kingdom of Hyrule was founded.[4] As such, it is a sacred place where no monsters are meant to roam.[5] However, due to the Calamity Ganon's growing influence, it has been corrupted by enemies. The Great Plateau features numerous changes in Master Mode, such as the inclusion of a White-Maned Lynel in the forest north of the Old Man's Cabin as well as the addition of several Treasure Chests guarded by Sky Octoroks. When traversing, you will find several camps with no inhabitants.

Eastern Abbey[]

Main article: Eastern Abbey
BotW Eastern Abbey

The Eastern Abbey with an inactive Guardian

The Eastern Abbey is a ruin surrounding Ja Baij Shrine on the eastern edge of the Great Plateau. The Eastern Abbey contains several broken down Guardians, three of which are still active and will come alive to attack Link if he comes within range of them. The formal entryway to the Ja Baij Shrine is blocked by a bombable wall, which can be broken with a Guardian's laser, Bomb Arrows or with the Remote Bomb Rune after retrieving it from inside the Shrine. There is also a metal wall you can lift with Magnesis, with which you can place it on top of the wall to make a ramp.

Forest of Spirits[]

Main article: Forest of Spirits

The Forest of Spirits is a heavily-wooded area in the north of the Great Plateau. It is lush with wildlife, inhabited by Boars and birds as well as a plethora of organic plant-based Materials. An uninhabited camp containing a campfire and a Cooking Pot can be found in the eastern reaches of the Forest of Spirits, allowing Link to cook various Foods with the Materials littered across the Forest floor. This camp also contains basic weaponry, such as the Traveler's Bow and a Torch. Also found in the Forest of Spirits is an enormous hollow log with the top rotted away, inside which a tall yellow flower can be found. If Link tries to approach this flower, it will vanish, and reappear a short distance away. After it does this several times, it reveals itself to be a Korok. Another Korok can be found by lifting the rock on the top of the small, strangely shaped hill.

A Stone Talus can be found in a rocky clearing in the Forest.

Great Plateau Tower[]

BotW Great Plateau Tower

The Great Plateau Tower overlooking Hyrule Castle

Main article: Sheikah Tower

The Great Plateau Tower is a Sheikah Tower situated in the northeastern region of the Great Plateau. Initially, it is buried beneath the surface of the Great Plateau, requiring Link to use his Sheikah Slate to reactivate it. Upon reactivation, it causes a chain reaction across Hyrule, raising Sheikah Towers across all of Hyrule and activating all Ancient Shrines throughout Hyrule.[6]

Hopper Pond[]

Main article: Hopper Pond

The Hopper Pond is a small body of water found west of the Forest of Spirits. A group of Bokoblins have established an encampment beside the Pond, guarding their treasure. Due west of Hopper Pond is another Bokoblin encampment.

Mount Hylia[]

Mount Hylia is a cold and snowy region in the Great Plateau, based beside the River of the Dead. It is dotted with several Bokoblin camps, and is inhabited with ice-themed enemies. Keh Namut Shrine lays near a frigid pond in northwestern region, and Owa Daim Shrine rests on the far eastern border of the mountain. After raising the Great Plateau Tower, if Link climbs up to its peak in the center, he is greeted by the Old Man, who teaches him about the Scope ability on Link's Sheikah Slate.[7] If Link has climbed to the peak using only Foods that give him Cold Resistance, the Old Man will be impressed with his ability to travel so far in the cold without proper attire, and gives Link the Warm Doublet.[8] On the stone wall near Keh Namut Shrine, a Korok can be found hiding inside a chunk of ice.

The peak contains a cairn from which Link may find minerals and similar Materials through searching.

River of the Dead[]

Main article: River of the Dead
BotW River of the Dead

The River of the Dead

The River of the Dead is a frigid body of water fed by Mount Hylia. It is located on the western portion of the Great Plateau. There are two magnetic pieces, which can be used to make a makeshift bridge. There are some chests in the up the River.

Shrine of Resurrection[]

The Shrine of Resurrection is where Link first awakens, upon hearing a voice pleading for his return to save Hyrule. It is situated in the center of the Great Plateau.

Ancient Shrines[]

Main article: Ancient Shrine

The Great Plateau bears four Ancient Shrines: Ja Baij Shrine, Keh Namut Shrine, Oman Au Shrine and Owa Daim Shrine. Link is tasked with the responsibility of clearing each of these Shrines in order to retrieve the treasure, the Spirit Orbs, granted by the eponymous Monks residing in each Shrine. In exchange for this treasure, the Old Man offers his Paraglider,[9] the only tool capable of allowing Link to leave the Great Plateau. After the Expansion Pass is purchased, three chests appear on the Great Plateau. One is found on the top of a wall within sight of Ja Baij Shrine, another to the left of Oman Au Shrine, and the third on the thick wall bordering the Plateau near Keh Namut Shrine. These chests are of a purple and silver coloration, and have the letters "EX" on the front. They contain the Nintendo Switch Shirt, a Ruby, and five Bomb Arrows, respectively.

Temple of Time[]

BotW Temple of Time Climbing

Link climbing the Temple of Time

Main article: Temple of Time

The Temple of Time is situated near the center of the Great Plateau, at the foot of the River of the Dead. With the decay of the Kingdom of Hyrule, it has fallen into disrepair, but it was once used frequently for sacred rites.[10] Inside rests a Statue of the Goddess, Hylia, which Link can pray to in order to receive her blessing.[11] After Link has four Spirit Orbs, he can receive a Heart Container or Stamina Vessel from the Goddess.

Old Man's Cabin[]

Main article: Old Man's Cabin

The Old Man's Cabin is a small building based in the southwestern region of the Great Plateau.

Nomenclature[]

TMC Forest Minish Artwork Names in other regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite
LanguageNameMeaning
JapanJapanese始まりの台地Plateau of the Beginning
ChinaChineseSI初始台地Plateau of the Beginning
Taiwan, Hong Kong, MacaoChineseTR初始台地Plateau of the Beginning
NetherlandsDutchVergeten HoogvlakteForgotten Plateau
CanadaFrenchCAPlateau de l'ÉveilPlateau of Awakening
FranceFrenchEUPlateau du PréludePlateau of the Beginning
GermanyGermanVergessenes PlateauForgotten Plateau
ItalyItalianAltopiano delle originiPlateau of Origins
South KoreaKorean시작의 대지Land of Beginnings
RussiaRussianВеликое платоGreat Plateau
SpainSpanishEUMeseta de los alboresPlateau of Dawns
Latin AmericaSpanishLAMeseta de los albores[12]Plateau of Dawns
This table was generated using translation pages.
To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Gallery[]

References

  1. "Great Plateau" — Map (Breath of the Wild)
  2. "Here, on this isolated plateau, we are surrounded on all sides by sheer cliffs, with no way off or down. If you were to try and jump, well...no death could be more certain. Or foolish. Of course, if you had a paraglider like me, that would be quite another story!" — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  3. "Seems you managed to get your hands on a Spirit Orb! Well done! [Paraglider, please?] Let's slow down for a moment there, my young friend. The appearance of those towers and the awakening of this shrine... It's all connected to that Sheikah Slate you carry on your hip there. [What do you mean?] It has been quite some time since I've seen or heard of the Sheikah Slate... Long ago, an advanced civilization known as the Sheikah inhabited these lands. It was the power and wisdom of the Sheikah that saved this land time and time again. But their civilization disappeared long ago...or so it is said. It is interesting, however, to think...that something of them might still remain hidden away in a shrine such as this. These shrines are tucked away in numerous places all across this land." — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  4. "This is the Great Plateau. According to legend, this is the birthplace of the entire kingdom of Hyrule." — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  5. "This area is supposed to be a sacred area, where people can't easily come nor any type of monsters. But, now they actually do, so the story is: "What's going on here?"" — Eiji Aonuma, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Beyond the Plateau Gameplay - Nintendo E3 2016, YouTube (video), published June 14, 2016, retrieved June 28, 2016.
  6. "My my... It would seem that we have quite the enigma here. This tower and several just like it have erupted across the land, one after another. Very interesting... It appears that some long-dormant power has awoken quite suddenly. Did anything...odd happen to you while you were on top of that tower?" — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  7. "Ahhh... I enjoy gazing out at the world from here. [B-b-breathtaking view...] This may be the best place to get a full view of the entire plateau. Did you know about the scope on your Sheikah Slate? Look through it, and you can stick a pin anywhere you'd like to mark on the map.
    The pins on your map serve as reference points for your travels. Just stick a pin anywhere you're interested in! [How do you know?] Oho ho! Just a few tricks I've picked up after many, many years in the wild... You may take my advice or leave it. Go ahead and take a look if you feel inclined to do so.
    " — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  8. "You did well to make it this far without the proper clothing. Please take this warm doublet as a reward for your tenacity. I assume you will want to try it on right away, yes? I thought you might be eager to see how it looks... It's quite fetching! Well, I suppose it matters not. It is yours now. Do take care to put it on before you get too cold, though." — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  9. "[Give it to me!] Har har har! Sure! Why not? But there is no such thing as a free item in this world, you know. Let's see now... How about a trade for a bit of treasure that slumbers nearby? Come. Let me show you something." — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  10. "That temple there... Long ago, that was the site of many sacred ceremonies. Since the decline of the kingdom, it now sits abandoned, in a state of decay. Yet another forgotten entity. A mere ghost of its former self..." — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  11. "The goddess smiles upon you." — N/A (Breath of the Wild)
  12. "Meseta de los albores" — Map (Breath of the Wild)
Great Plateau
Oman Au ShrineJa Baij ShrineOwa Daim ShrineKeh Namut ShrineShrine of ResurrectionGreat Plateau TowerTemple of TimeGreat Plateau#Hopper PondGreat Plateau#Forest of SpiritsGreat Plateau#Woodcutter's HouseGreat Plateau#Eastern AbbeyGreat Plateau#Hylia RiverGreat Plateau#Mt. HyliaBotW Great Plateau Map
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