Age of Burning Fields

Age of Burning Fields
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First appearance	Breath of the Wild (2017)
Country	Hyrule
Region	Throughout Hyrule
Occurrence	After Great Calamity and before the events of Breath of the Wild
Purpose	The Great Calamity surviving
Characteristics	Hyrule recovers and rebuilds after the Great Calamity Hateno Village is rebuilt and became self-sufficient

"The Great Calamity, yes... I didn't come along until everything was already over... I was born during the Age of Burning Fields. By the time I was old enough to be aware of it, the plants around Hateno Village were budding... We were self-sufficient. Even so, Hyrule Castle and the Castle Town remain a home ground for the forces of the Calamity to this very day..."

— Uma

The Age of Burning Fields is a time period mentioned in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It had occurred after the fall of Hyrule during the Great Calamity and the seal of Calamity Ganon in Hyrule Castle by Princess Zelda. During this period, the surviving peoples of Hyrule recovered and settlements like Hateno Village were rebuilt.

Story

Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.

Background

One hundred years before the events of Breath of the Wild, King Rhoam and Princess Zelda formed the Champions to use the excavated Divine Beasts to combat the return of Calamity Ganon, who had been defeated using the Ancient Sheikah technology ten thousand years earlier. After Link was nearly killed, and having entrusted the Master Sword to the protection of the Great Deku Tree, Zelda returned to Hyrule Castle and used her power to seal both herself and Calamity Ganon within it, bringing about a brief period of peace for the surviving people of Hyrule.

Age of Burning Fields

After these events, Impa, Purah, and Robbie decided to separate in order to ensure one of them would survive long enough to assist Link when he finally awoke. Although Ganon was sealed and the Divine Beasts became dormant, the Guardians and monsters continued to roam the land. The remaining Hyrulean Soldiers and Knights of Hyrule that survived the fall of Hyrule Castle relocated to the Akkala Citadel where they made their heroic final last stand against the Guardians but were defeated. Link was thus the only surviving member of the Knights of Hyrule and the armies of Sheikah, Gerudo, Gorons, Rito, and Zora were the only remaining military forces left to defend Hyrule.

However without the Royal Family to lead them, these races became focused on protecting their own people and territories though their people still engaged in trade and most remained on friendly terms. Most of the Zora Council of Elders, however, blamed Link and the Hylians for the Calamity and Mipha's death. King Dorephan, Prince Sidon, Elder Kapson, the younger generation, and Link's childhood friends among the Zora did not discriminate against Hylians nor blame any of them for the Calamity thus the Elders anti-Hylian sentiments did not spread among most Zora. The Sheikah also had to contend with the rival Yiga Clan a group of rogue Sheikah who served Ganon due to the mistreatment of their ancestors by the kingdom of Hyrule in the years following Ganon's defeat by the Divine Beasts ten thousands year prior. The Yiga Clan had attempted to assassinate Zelda twice before the Calamity but Urbosa and Link managed to foil each one separately. However they became dedicated to hunting him and any who opposed Ganon. While the Yiga Clan, Zelda's Sheikah allies, Great Deku Tree, and Koroks knew of Link's survival most assumed he perished defending Fort Hateno. A myth developed that Link had lead an army against the Guardians in defense of the fort when in reality Link was protecting Zelda and defeated countless Guardians wielding the Master Sword until both were exhausted. This forced Zelda to shield Link as he refused to flee from his duty causing Zelda's sealing powers to awaken which removed Ganon's corruption causing the remaining Guardians to shut down. Only a select few knew of his survival though rumors of his survival also circulated though were generally dismissed by most people as time passed. Additionally many assumed Zelda had sacrificed her life to seal Ganon unaware she had sealed herself with him which halted Zelda's aging at 17 (as the Great Calamity began on her 17th birthday).

Impa chose to remain at Kakariko Village, while her sister Purah and Robbie left the village. Purah took up residence in the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab in the East Necluda region, which had been constructed before the Great Calamity with funding from Hyrule Castle, where she continued her research into upgrading Runes using the Guidance Stone that had been removed from Hyrule Castle before it fell to Ganon during the Calamity which Purah affectionately dote on as it was fundamental to her rune research. Robbie constructed the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab in the Deep Akkala region where he had to defeat a few Guardians and continued his research in order to develop high-tech weapons and armor to assist Link in the future eventually modifying his Guidance Stone into the Ancient Oven which he named Cherry after his first love. Purah was briefly assisted by Nanna but Nanna later returned to Kakariko Village to raise a family and eventually became a grandmother to Lasli. Impa continued to lead the Sheikah who remained loyal to the Royal Family and eventually sent Symin to Purah and Jerrin to Robbie in order to assist them with their research. With Ganon under seal, the people of Hyrule began rebuilding in the aftermath of the Great Calamity. Hateno Village, which survived thanks to Link and Zelda's actions during the battle at Fort Hateno, was rebuilt. Uma, who was born in Hateno Village during that period, spent her time studying the plants budding around the village, and the villagers became self-sufficient. Impa also guarded the Sheikah Heirloom as the women in her family had done for generations and eventually had a family which eventually lead to the birth of her granddaughter Paya. Jerrin later married Robbie and they had a son Granté who grew up to become a Armor researcher who later left home to study rare armor and see the world beyond Deep Akkala. Zelda's unnamed Sheikah court poet also survived the Calamity becoming close to the Rito and remained convinced Link would return though he would ultimately not live to see it. The Zora who age differently than other races easily maintained their monarchy thanks to the Zora Knights and King Dorephan who on the 100th anniversary of his reign single-handedly confronted and threw a Guardian that wondered near Zora's Domain from Upland Zorana into a ravine. Prince Sidon grew into a valiant Zora Prince who aided the poor Hylian fishermen of Lurelin Village who were being terrorized in Hateno Bay by a giant Octorok which Prince Sidon slew the story of which became a heroic tale in Lurelin Village. Despite having originally been opposed to Gerudo Chieftain Urbosa's becoming a Champion, following her death the Gerudo recognized Urbosa as a great heroine and leader remaining loyal to Hyrule out of respect for Princess Zelda for sealing Ganon. The Hylian and Gerudo people remained close due to Gerudo women requiring Hylian men to reproduce, though Gerudo Town's tradition of barring men from entering Gerudo Town remained Gerudo Town and nearby Kara Kara Bazaar became popular trade hubs for those willing to brave the desert. The Gerudo also continued to oppose the Yiga Clan which had constructed the Yiga Clan Hideout in Karusa Valley and continued to plot to steal the Thunder Helm which had begun before the Calamity as Urbosa and her soldiers had previously uncovered intelligence revealing there was a plot to steal it.

However despite the relative peace, the Guardians and monsters continued to roam the lands of Hyrule attacking anyone foolish enough to come into their territory. Any slain monsters were revived when Calamity Ganon's power reached its peak at midnight during a Blood Moon.

Despite the monsters and Guardians, the Hyrulean people grew resilient and learned to survive supported by the system of horse Stables and surviving settlements. As a result of many settlements being destroyed, many Hylians became travelers. Scavenging and treasure hunting also became a way of life for some people. The loss of Castle Town Prison allowed criminals like Misko operate with impunity though few people besides the Yiga Clan actually resorted to crime as it was unnecessary as scavenging and treasure hunting were legitimate alternatives. Additionally non-Yiga criminal and bandits would have to compete with monsters which formed bandit factions after the Great Calamity specifically Bokoblins, Moblins, and Lizalfos. While Calamity Ganon remained mostly under seal, Hyrule Castle had basically fallen under his control with portions of it covered by his Malice, and various areas in and around the castle patrolled by his minions. As a result, places like Hyrule Castle and the Hyrule Castle Town Ruins became no man's lands though Parcy suggests for a time Zelda's seal made Hyrule Castle safe to explore though eventually Ganon's power increased and Guardians began appearing around Central Hyrule in great numbers forcing treasure hunters like Parcy herself to stop approaching the Castle which became too dangerous. While most of the people of Hyrule chose to remain in the relative safety of villages and settlements such as stables, others became travelers who braved the dangers throughout the lands in search of adventure. The Great Deku Tree and the Koroks continued to stand guard over the Master Sword which had been entrusted to them by Princess Zelda. The Koroks even prepared for Link's return by sitting up shops and an Inn inside the Great Deku Tree's stomach with the Great Deku Tree's permission. The fabled Lost Woods that surrounded Korok Forest served as a formidable natural barrier protecting them from others who sought to acquire the legendary blade. Not even the Yiga Clan managed to penetrate the woods disorienting fog which could only be navigated using a secret method involving the wind and a lit Torch. Meanwhile the spirit of King Rhoam watched over Link as he slept within the Shrine of Resurrection, while Zelda continued to keep Ganon under seal for one hundred years.

At some point a member of the Yiga Clan named Dorian came to Kakariko Village and fell in love with a local Sheikah woman which lead him to severe ties with his clan to join the Sheikah lead by Impa, however the Yiga Clan murdered his wife and threatened the lives of his two young daughters blackmailing him to supply the Yiga Clan with intel on Kakariko Village where Dorian had become Impa's bodyguard, though eventually he grew strong enough to protect his family though keep his wife's death from his daughters though Koko figured out the truth and began helping Dorian care for her sister who was too young to understand but hid her knowledge of the truth from Dorian. Dorian was aided in guarding Impa by Sheikah archer and part-time Cucco farmer Cado. Paya took care of Impa in her old age and prayed Link would awaken for her grandmothers sake.

Spoiler warning: Spoilers end here.