| Region | Suthorn / Hyrule Field |
|---|---|
| Location | A narrow path between two stone walls at the edge of Suthorn Prairie, leading north into Hyrule Field (the shortcut back to the ranch); near the pond pillars and Verley’s walled enclosure |
| Quest giver | A man standing in front of the blocked path (no name tag) |
| Available | Early; this guide found him while exploring Suthorn Prairie right after clearing the Suthorn Ruins, a few minutes after Up a Wall |
| You’ll need | A fire echo to burn the wooden crates (the Ignizol works; it’s learned in Suthorn Forest) |
| Reward | 20 Rupees |
Someone has stacked wooden crates and boulders across a narrow walled path, and the man who uses it as his shortcut back to the ranch refuses to go the long way round. Burn the crates with a fire echo and carry the boulders out of the way by hand, then talk to him for a small rupee reward. It’s a two-minute puzzle that also teaches a useful lesson early on: fire echoes burn wood, and plain boulders can just be lifted.
How to Start
In Suthorn Prairie, near the ponds and carved stone pillars, look for a narrow grassy path running between two tall stone walls. A man stands at its mouth with a “No getting past that.” bubble over his head; behind him the path is plugged with a wooden crate and a pile of dark boulders. Talk to him: “This is the shortcut back to the ranch! Who’s the prankster that blocked it off?” He hopes you’re not planning to go this way, because the road’s blocked, and adds “I might consider taking another route, but that feels like admitting defeat.” The banner Side Quest: The Blocked Road appears.
Walkthrough
Step 1: Burn the wooden crates
The crates are wooden, so fire gets rid of them. Stand on the grass beside the blockage (the path’s north end is labelled Hyrule Field) and summon a fire echo onto the stack. The Ignizol, a white Zol with a flame on its head that sets anything it touches ablaze, is ideal: drop it right on top of the crate and the wood catches fire, burns down and disappears. The man keeps watching from the other side of the pile the whole time.
Step 2: Lift the boulders out of the way
With the crates gone, only the boulders remain, and you don’t need an echo for them. Walk up to one and a Lift prompt appears; pick it up, carry it out of the path and set it down on the grass to one side. Repeat for each boulder until nothing is left between the two walls.
Step 3: Talk to the man again
As soon as the path is open he notices: “*sigh* Not sure how much longer I can just wait here… Huh?!” Talk to him and he’s delighted: “It’s clear! And with the road cleared out, I won’t have to break my back climbing over that stuff.”
Reward
“You cleaned things up, huh? Well, thanks! That’s a big help!” Zelda holds up a red rupee: “You got 20 rupees! Excellent!” He sighs happily about “a cool breeze, a clear path, and the sweet taste of convenience”, heads off down his shortcut, and the Side Quest Complete banner for The Blocked Road appears.
Tips
- There’s no rush: you can start the quest, go and do something else nearby, and come back later to clear the road. The man waits where he is.
- While you’re on this stretch of Suthorn Prairie, grab the Piece of Heart on top of the pond pillar (stack Old Bed echoes to climb up) and help Verley in Up a Wall.
- If you haven’t learned the Ignizol yet, it’s in the red-rock cave by the pond in Suthorn Forest, after you beat one.
