Table of Contents
- Awakening & The Shrine of Resurrection
- Exploring the Plateau
- The Plateau Tower & Shrines
- Meeting the Old Man
- Leaving the Plateau
Awakening & The Shrine of Resurrection
Link awakens inside the mysterious Shrine of Resurrection to the sound of Zelda’s voice guiding him. Grab the Sheikah Slate from the pedestal in front of you – this ancient device will be your key to activating technology and navigating the world. The chamber lights up with blue runes as the door opens, leading you into a small adjoining room. Here, open the two chests to collect the Old Shirt and Well-Worn Trousers, and equip them from your inventory for a bit of armor.
Approach the next pedestal and place the Sheikah Slate on it to unlock the exit. A bright light floods in as the massive stone door slides open. Climb up the ledges out of the Shrine (jump with the X button and use the analog stick to climb). At the top, step outside into the daylight. A sweeping cutscene will show you the expanse of the Great Plateau and distant Hyrule – your first look at the world. Once you regain control, you’ll see an old man by a campfire in the distance. Before heading his way, pick up the Tree Branch weapon leaning against a rock just outside the shrine (this will serve as your first makeshift sword). Also, grab a couple of Hylian Mushrooms growing on nearby rocks – these can restore a bit of health when eaten and introduce you to foraging. Now, with the Sheikah Slate in hand and a basic weapon equipped, begin making your way down the slope toward the Old Man.
Exploring the Plateau
As you descend into the Great Plateau’s meadow, take time to get familiar with the basic mechanics:
- Movement & Climbing: Link can climb almost any surface. Practice by climbing trees to pick Apples (there’s a tree with apples near the path) and scaling rocks – just keep an eye on your green stamina wheel. If it runs out while climbing, Link will fall, so plan your climbs on short ledges for now.
- Weapons & Combat: Equip the Tree Branch or the Woodcutter’s Axe stuck in the stump by the Old Man’s camp. The axe is a stronger weapon for combat (press Y to attack). You’ll encounter weak enemies like Bokoblins in this area. For your first fight, try using the branch or axe to strike a lone Bokoblin wandering near the camp. Target it by holding the left trigger (LZ) to focus your camera, and dodge its attacks by jumping aside. A few hits will defeat it, and you can pick up any weapons it drops (likely a Boko Club, which is a decent early weapon). Remember that weapons will break after extended use – when a weapon is badly damaged, you can throw it at an enemy with R for extra damage and then switch to a new one.
- Foraging & Health: Gather anything you find – mushrooms, apples, acorns – by pressing A near them. You can eat raw items from the inventory to heal a little (press + to open inventory, navigate to Materials or Food, and select Eat), but cooking them will yield better healing and effects. There’s a cooking pot at a Bokoblin camp to the south and one at the Old Man’s cabin (we’ll get there soon). For now, note that you can roast food by dropping it near an open flame (e.g. hold an apple and drop it by the campfire to make a Baked Apple, which heals more hearts).
When you reach the Old Man by the campfire, speak with him. He’ll give a lighthearted quip about his Baked Apple (which you may have already picked up from the fire) and then provide some backstory: you’re on the Great Plateau, the birthplace of Hyrule’s kingdom. Nearby, you’ll see the Temple of Time’s ruins in the distance. The Old Man hints at its significance but leaves you to explore. He also offers you a Torch lying by the fire. Take it – it can be used as a weapon or to light fires. If you equip the torch and talk to him again, he’ll joke about it being a torch and suggest you can light it (press Y) and use it to ward off the darkness or cold. For now, stash it or any new weapons by switching back to your axe or branch (use the D-pad left/right to switch weapons on the fly).
Take a moment to explore the immediate area:
- Head into the Temple of Time ruins to the east. Inside, you’ll find some Keese (bat-like enemies) at night or Chuchus by day – they’re weak, so a couple of hits will take them out. Search the ruin: there’s a Traveler’s Bow in a chest on a collapsed ledge (climb up the rubble to reach it) and some Arrows near the altar. You’ll also see a large statue – this is the Goddess Statue. Make a mental note of it; after collecting Spirit Orbs from shrines, you can pray here to upgrade your health or stamina. (Optional: There’s a Korok seed hidden here – climb the Temple’s dilapidated wall to the roof, and you’ll find a small rock. Lift it to reveal a Korok. These seeds are collectibles used to expand inventory capacity later.)
- To the south of the Old Man’s fire, in the Forest of Spirits, you can find more items and enemies. There’s a Bokoblin camp with a cooking pot where you can experiment with cooking. For example, cook an Apple and a Hylian Mushroom together by holding them and dropping them into the pot to create a Simmered Fruit dish, which heals more hearts. (Optional: Deep in the Forest of Spirits, a stone giant called a Stone Talus sleeps in a clearing. This miniboss is tough for now, but if you’re adventurous you can try fighting it by climbing onto its back and striking the ore deposit. It’s not required at this stage – feel free to return when you have better weapons.) Also, keep an eye out for a yellow flower that moves when you approach – follow the trail of flowers to reveal a hidden Korok.
- Just north of the Old Man’s campfire is a small pond. Check the water for Hyrule Bass (fish) – you can jump in and grab them, useful for cooking recipes. Across the pond, you’ll find stamina-restoring Stamella Shrooms at the base of trees and perhaps another Bokoblin to practice combat.
By now, your Sheikah Slate has likely chimed with a main objective: “Follow the Sheikah Slate.” A waypoint appears on your map guiding you to a location marked by the slate. When you’re ready, head toward the waypoint – it’s near the center of the Plateau, at the base of a strange pedestal on the ground.
(Tip: Save your game often by pressing +, then R to scroll to the System menu and choose Save. This lets you retry difficult encounters without losing progress.)
The Plateau Tower & Shrines
The Sheikah Slate’s waypoint leads you to a circular stone pedestal. Stand on it and place the Sheikah Slate into the slot. A cutscene will trigger: the ground will rumble and the Great Plateau Tower will rise dramatically from beneath the earth, lifting you high into the air! Once it stops rising, examine the glowing terminal to download the local map onto your Sheikah Slate. Blue icons will fill in the Plateau’s topography, and you’ll hear Princess Zelda’s voice for the first time, urging you to remember your long slumber.
Climb down the tower carefully – look for ledges you can drop to bit by bit, or simply hold the climb button and descend the tower’s ladder-like exterior. When you reach the bottom, the Old Man will paraglide down to greet you. He explains that mysterious towers have appeared across Hyrule and hints that your appearance is tied to these events. You ask him for the Paraglider so you can leave the Plateau, and he agrees – but only in exchange for the treasure from a shrine. He points out the glowing Shrine of Oman Au nearby and thus begins the main quest “The Isolated Plateau.” He actually wants you to retrieve treasures from four shrines in total before he’ll give the Paraglider. Now your task is clear: locate and conquer the four shrines on the Great Plateau.
Surveying the Plateau: From the tower or a high vantage point, you can spot the shrines by their orange glow. Bring up the Sheikah Slate Scope (press the right stick in) and look around for orange pillars of light:
- Oman Au Shrine – Close to the tower, south of the Shrine of Resurrection, in a pond.
- Ja Baij Shrine – In the ruins of the Eastern Abbey (northeast, near some dilapidated walls and dormant Guardians).
- Owa Daim Shrine – On a higher ledge to the south, near the snowy Mount Hylia region.
- Keh Namut Shrine – Across the cold mountain to the west, on Mount Hylia’s peak.
Use the Scope to mark each shrine with a pin (place a pin by moving the reticle over the shrine and pressing A). These pins will appear on your mini-map, making navigation easier. Now you can tackle the shrines in any order, but an optimal route for new players is: Oman Au (for Magnesis) → Ja Baij (Bombs) → Owa Daim (Stasis) → Keh Namut (Cryonis). This order minimizes backtracking and ensures you have useful runes early. Below, we’ll guide you through activating each shrine, solving its puzzles, and collecting the Spirit Orbs and rune abilities within.
Map of the Great Plateau, with the four shrine locations marked in blue. The Great Plateau Tower (center-right) and other landmarks like the Temple of Time are also shown.
Activating the Great Plateau Tower
(If you haven’t already activated it in the steps above, make sure you’ve raised the Tower by following the Sheikah Slate to the pedestal. The Tower provides the map and a fast-travel point.) After descending the tower, you have the Plateau’s map and your objective. Before heading to the first shrine, consider a few preparations:
- Stock up on weapons and food: If your Tree Branch or axe is badly damaged, find another branch or club from Bokoblins. You should have a bow from the Temple or a defeated Bokoblin; if not, try to obtain one by raiding a Bokoblin camp (many have archers you can defeat to get a Boko Bow).
- Optional Exploration: Now that the map is unlocked, you can identify points of interest. To the northwest is the River of the Dead and beyond it Mount Hylia (a cold region we’ll handle soon). Near the river’s western end, there’s a broken bridge and a waterfall – behind that waterfall lies a hidden chest with a Soldier’s Broadsword and some arrows, accessible by using Magnesis on a metal plank to bridge the gap (optional treasure hunt for the bold). For now, let’s focus on the shrines.
When you’re ready, make your way to the Oman Au Shrine marked by one of your pins. It’s the closest shrine, located just north of the Temple of Time in a pond at the foot of a wall.
Oman Au Shrine – Magnesis Trial
The shrine entrance is surrounded by water in a small pond. Approach and place the Sheikah Slate on the pedestal to open the shrine’s door. Enter inside to begin the Magnesis Trial. Each shrine in this area will grant you a new Rune (ability) from the Sheikah Slate that is crucial for solving puzzles.
- Rune Acquisition: Examine the glowing console inside. The Sheikah Slate will download the Magnesis Rune, which allows you to telekinetically lift and move metallic objects.
- First Room – Using Magnesis: Use the rune (activate it with the L button) and target the large metallic slabs on the floor. They are covering a passage. Highlight one slab (it will glow pink when targeted) and press A to lift it with Magnesis. Pull it up and away, and set it aside. Do the same with the second slab to reveal a path into a tunnel of water.
- Crossing the Water: Jump down into the now-uncovered passage. There’s a pool of water blocking your way. Use Magnesis again to manipulate the metallic bridge submerged in the water. Raise the large metal plank vertically, then set it across the gap to form a bridge. Climb up and cross over.
- Enemy Encounter: A small Guardian Scout lurks beyond the water. As you approach, it activates. You can fight it with your melee weapon (move in close and strike, being ready to backflip away if it charges energy), or you can defeat it creatively: lift one of the metal slabs from earlier and drop it on the scout with Magnesis for a one-hit kill. Once it’s defeated, collect its Ancient Screw or other parts.
- Optional Chest: In this area, there’s a metallic chest submerged to the left. Use Magnesis to fish out the treasure chest from under the water and pull it to you. Open it to obtain a Traveler’s Bow. This bow is stronger than the Boko Bow and a great ranged weapon early on.
- Final Puzzle – Exit: Ahead is a tall stone door that’s sealed shut. Notice the metal bar locking it. Use Magnesis to grab the metal bar through the door and slide it out to the side, unlatching the door. Now swing the double doors open with Magnesis or simply push them open.
- Shrine Completion: Proceed to the altar where Monk Oman Au sits. Examine the altar; the monk will commend your resourcefulness and grant you a Spirit Orb (your first of four) which fills one segment of your health temporarily. After the cutscene, you’ll be teleported back outside the shrine, and it will now glow blue, indicating it’s completed.
Outside the shrine, the Old Man will glide down again to congratulate you on obtaining the treasure. He still withholds the Paraglider, of course, and hints that there are three more shrines on the Plateau to investigate. He suggests using your map and looking from high places to find them, reinforcing the idea of using the Scope and pins. He then mysteriously vanishes. Time to move on to the next shrine.
(Optional: Now that you have Magnesis, you can find a couple of treasure chests in the lake south of Oman Au. Near the River of the Dead entrance (west of Oman Au shrine), use Magnesis to pull up two submerged chests containing some useful early-game loot like opals or amber.)
Your next target is the Ja Baij Shrine to the east. Check your map for the pin at the Eastern Abbey ruins. As you travel eastward, be cautious: the Eastern Abbey is littered with decayed Guardians. Most are inert, but one or two will activate if you get too close, firing deadly laser beams. Plan your approach to the shrine carefully.
Ja Baij Shrine – Bomb Trial
The Ja Baij Shrine is nestled in the Eastern Abbey ruins. You’ll see large dormant Guardian machines around. To avoid their lasers, try approaching from the high ground or zigzag behind ruins for cover. You can also come from the north side by climbing the wall above the shrine. There is a slope with boulders you can climb, bypassing the most dangerous Guardian. If a Guardian targets you (you’ll hear a piano trill and see a red targeting beam), sprint and dodge behind cover immediately – one hit can kill a new player.
Once at the shrine, tap the Sheikah Slate to open it and head inside for the Bomb Trial:
- Rune Acquisition: At the altar, download the Remote Bomb Rune. You actually get two types of bombs: spherical bombs (which roll) and cube bombs (which stay put). Both are infinite in supply (no ammo limit) but have a short cooldown after detonation.
- Bomb Basics: Switch between round and cube bombs with the D-pad while the rune is selected. Detonate bombs by pressing L again after placement. Use the round bomb when you want it to roll into places (like down slopes) and the cube bomb when you need it to stay where you put it.
- First Room – Blocked Path: You’ll see breakable boulder piles blocking two paths. Use a bomb to destroy the rocks. Try the right path first: place a bomb next to the stone debris, move away, and detonate. This reveals a side chamber with a chest.
- Optional Chest: The chest behind the right-side rocks contains a Traveler’s Claymore – a two-handed sword that deals high damage. It’s slow to swing but very powerful; definitely grab this. Two-handed weapons can also be used to perform a spin attack if you hold Y.
- Main Path: Now blow up the rocks that were blocking the left path. Go through and climb the ladder up to the next area.
- Moving Platform Puzzle: In this chamber, a floating platform shuttles across a gap, and more breakable blocks clog the far doorway. Use a cube bomb here: drop the cube bomb onto the moving platform as it comes near you. When it carries the bomb close to the obstructing rocks, detonate it to clear the path.
- Launchers and Second Chest: Next, you’ll encounter two bomb launchers (concave stone panels that act like trampolines). To your immediate right is a launcher aimed at a sealed alcove. Switch to a round bomb, drop it into the launcher, and watch it fling the bomb across the room into a wall of breakable blocks. Detonate it mid-air or upon impact to destroy the blocks and reveal a hidden nook. In that alcove, use the moving platform or simply glide (later) to reach the now-unblocked chest, which holds an Amber gem.
- Launcher to Exit: Use the left-side launcher to propel Link across the wide gap. Stand on it and jump just as it launches (or simply walk on and it will toss you). You’ll land near the altar.
- Shrine Completion: Approach Monk Ja Baij and receive your second Spirit Orb. Two down, two to go!
Back outside, you’re still in the Eastern Abbey. With the Bomb Rune, you can now collect some optional goodies here:
- (Optional: Around the Eastern Abbey ruins, use bombs to blast piles of rocks for items like Amber, Opal, or Flint. There’s also a metal door slab nearby that you can lift with Magnesis to uncover a hidden Korok puzzle – fit the metal door into a gap in a stone pattern to earn a Korok seed.)*
- (Optional: If you didn’t already, consider exploring the adjacent ruins of a structure just south of the shrine. There’s a chest on top of a ruined wall and maybe some arrows or a bow carried by a Bokoblin patrolling here.)*
Now, for the third shrine. The remaining two are in the colder region up on Mount Hylia (to the west). Before rushing there, prepare for the cold climate: if you go unprepared, Link will start losing hearts due to frigid temperature. You have a couple of options to handle this:
- Cook a Spicy Meal: Near the base of Mount Hylia (and around the Old Man’s cabin in the south), you can find Spicy Peppers (bright red peppers). Cooking these in a dish grants cold resistance. A simple recipe is Spicy Sautéed Peppers: cook 2–3 Spicy Peppers together to create a dish that gives you a few minutes of Cold Resistance. Even better, combine a pepper with a Hyrule Bass and some meat to make Spicy Meat and Seafood Fry, a longer-lasting cold-resist meal (the Old Man’s diary hints at this recipe).
- Obtain the Warm Doublet: The Old Man owns a Warm Doublet, a piece of clothing that passively keeps you warm in cold areas. You can get it early by either cooking his favorite dish (Spicy Meat and Seafood Fry) and showing him, or by finding him at a high elevation. Easiest way: Go to the Old Man’s cabin in the south of the Plateau (the map label is near Mount Hylia’s base). Inside, read his diary which mentions the missing ingredient (fish) for his recipe. If you cook that exact recipe (Spicy Pepper + Raw Meat + Hyrule Bass) and talk to him, he’ll reward you with the Warm Doublet so you don’t need food to stay warm. Alternatively, if you choose not to do the cooking, you can still get the Doublet by climbing Mount Hylia without it – when you meet the Old Man later on the mountain, he’ll be impressed and give it to you If all else fails, he leaves the Warm Doublet in his cabin after you’ve completed the shrines, but by then you won’t need it on the Plateau.)
For now, let’s assume you cooked a quick spicy meal. Eat your Spicy Pepper dish right before entering the snowy area (the cold zones are marked on your temperature gauge by a blue meter). The buff icon will show how long you have before it expires. With cold protection active (or wearing the Warm Doublet), head toward the Owa Daim Shrine.
Getting to Owa Daim: From the Eastern Abbey, go south and then west, climbing up toward Mount Hylia. You’ll cross into the snow line (Link will shiver if not protected). Follow the path that winds upward along the mountain’s edge. Along the way, you might encounter icy Chuchus (defeat them from a distance or with a quick combo, but be careful: they explode into freezing mist). Keep the cliff to your right; eventually you’ll see the orange glow of Owa Daim Shrine on a ledge ahead. There’s a broken stone bridge on the path – use a tree trunk or simply climb down and up the ravine to continue. Clear out the Bokoblin camp on the way (you can roll a boulder or toss a bomb to thin them out), then approach the shrine.
Owa Daim Shrine – Stasis Trial
Inside the Stasis Trial, you’ll gain a rune that can control the flow of time for objects:
- Rune Acquisition: Download the Stasis Rune from the pedestal. This ability lets you freeze objects in time for a short duration. While frozen, objects can absorb kinetic energy and release it all at once when the effect ends.
- Gear Platform: Test Stasis on the large cogwheel that’s turning a platform in front of you. The wheel is spinning a heavy stone platform, making it hard to run across. Aim at the cog and activate Stasis (L). The gear will halt. Quickly run across the now-still platform to the other side before time resumes.
- Rolling Boulder: On the next slope, boulders periodically roll downhill. Wait for a boulder to roll by, then run up halfway. Use Stasis on the next boulder just as it appears to stop it in place, giving you time to reach the top of the incline safely. (Alternatively, you can stand to the side in a safe nook as boulders pass, but Stasis makes it trivial.)
- Optional Chest: At the top of the ramp, before the next obstacle, look to your right. There’s a ledge with a treasure chest. Use Stasis on one of the rolling boulders to give yourself a window, then quickly climb up to the ledge. Open the chest to get a Traveler’s Shield – a sturdy shield upgrade from your starting pot lid or Boko shield.
- Large Immovable Boulder (Energy Storage): The final challenge in this shrine is a huge boulder blocking the path to the exit. It’s too heavy to lift or push normally. This is where Stasis’s secondary feature comes in: hit a frozen object to build kinetic energy. Activate Stasis on the big boulder – once frozen, whack it repeatedly with your weapon (you’ll see red arrows indicating stored energy). Five or six hits with a strong weapon like the Traveler’s Claymore or the Iron Sledgehammer will do. When Stasis wears off, all that stored energy releases and sends the boulder flying out of your way!
- Note: There’s an Iron Sledgehammer leaning against the wall nearby when you enter this room – if you picked it up, use it for this task as it’s designed for heavy hits. If not, your Traveler’s Claymore or even bombs can impart some force, but the hammer works best.
- Shrine Completion: With the path clear, head to Monk Owa Daim’s altar. Claim your Spirit Orb (that’s three now) and prepare to exit.
Outside Owa Daim Shrine, you’re still in the cold, so be mindful of your remaining cold-resistance time or equip the Warm Doublet if you have it. Right next to the shrine, you’ll notice a large boulder on a ledge. Now that you have Stasis (and hopefully the sledgehammer from inside), you can do an optional task:
(Optional: Use Stasis on that boulder and whack it a bunch to launch it. It will smash into the ground below, revealing a hidden treasure chest in the crater. Inside is another Traveler’s Bow, a nice reward and replacement if your first bow is worn out)
(Optional: With Magnesis and Stasis, you can explore Mount Hylia more. In the snowy area, if you head north of the shrine you’ll find a frozen pond with the Keh Namut Shrine. Also, check behind the Keh Namut shrine’s area for a glowing ice block. You can melt it by hitting it with a lit torch or creating a campfire with wood and flint, and inside is a Korok Seed)
Now only one shrine remains: Keh Namut Shrine, visible atop a cliff across a frigid pond to the northwest. If you’re not already there, make your way further up Mount Hylia. The quickest route from Owa Daim is to continue west and a bit north, climbing as needed (watch that stamina and cold!). You can also descend and circle around via the path that leads up from the southwest side of the Plateau (near the Old Man’s cabin) if you need a gentler slope. Clear any Bokoblins camped along the way (one camp has a cooking pot you can use to make another spicy meal if your cold timer is low). When you reach the base of Keh Namut’s hill, you’ll see a frozen pond with the shrine in the middle.
(Optional: In the frozen pond by Keh Namut Shrine, use Magnesis to spot a chest submerged under the ice. Break the ice by striking it or dropping a bomb in the water’s edge, then use Cryonis (which you’re about to get) to lift the chest. Inside is an Opal, which can be sold for rupees or used in crafting.)
Keh Namut Shrine – Cryonis Trial
For this shrine, if you’re running low on cold resistance, eat another spicy dish now (the shrine itself is not cold inside, but getting there and afterward you’ll need it). Approach Keh Namut Shrine and use the Slate to enter the Cryonis Trial:
- Rune Acquisition: Download the Cryonis Rune. This grants the power to create pillars of ice from bodies of water. The ice blocks can lift you or objects and serve as platforms or barriers. You can create up to three ice pillars at once, and you can also shatter them by targeting and pressing A again.
- First Water Pit: Immediately you’re faced with a pool blocking your path and a raised gate on the other side. Aim the Cryonis Rune at the water near the gate and press A to create an ice pillar. The pillar will form and lift the gate from below, propping it open. Climb onto the ice block and jump over the gate.
- Enemy Encounter: In the next area, a Guardian Scout shoots at you from a ledge ahead. You can create an ice pillar beneath it to knock it off balance, or simply rush and attack it. Using the shield parry (press A at the moment a laser hits) is risky but can reflect its shot. Easier: raise an ice block as cover, then approach and destroy the scout with your weapon or a bomb. Pick up any Ancient Springs/Screws it drops.
- Vertical Passage: A tall wall with a small gap at the bottom blocks your way. Use Cryonis on the water right under the gap to create a vertical ice pillar that lifts Link. Climb onto that new ice block; from it you can vault over the wall to the other side (or simply climb the ice then the wall if reachable).
- Optional Chest: Before leaving this room, notice an alcove on the left with a high ledge. Form an ice pillar beneath the ledge and climb up to reach a chest containing a Traveler’s Spear. This long spear has good range for poking enemies.
- Shrine Completion: Proceed to the altar and meet Monk Keh Namut, who will give you the fourth Spirit Orb. Congratulations – you’ve now completed all four shrine trials on the Great Plateau!
Upon exiting the Cryonis Shrine, the weather will still be cold on Mount Hylia, but you won’t need to return here again. At this point, Link doubles over as the voice of the Old Man echoes from above. He congratulates you on conquering the shrines and says, “With this, you have now acquired all of the Spirit Orbs from the shrines on this Plateau… In exchange for four Spirit Orbs, I will hand you the paraglider, as I promised.” He then gives you a riddle-like instruction: “Meet me… at the place where lines connecting the shrines would cross.” The cryptic clue refers to the Temple of Time, which lies roughly at the intersection of the imaginary lines drawn between the four shrine locations. The Old Man then disappears, urging you to find him there.
If you haven’t already explored it, the Temple of Time is back in the central Plateau (southwest of the Shrine of Resurrection). Rather than trekking all the way back on foot, you can use your Sheikah Slate’s fast travel: open the map and select the Great Plateau Tower (or any shrine) and choose Travel. Warp to the Plateau Tower (you’ll spawn at its top), then carefully climb down or simply fast-travel to the Shrine of Resurrection, which is very close to the Temple of Time. Make your way to the Temple ruins.
Meeting the Old Man
Inside the Temple of Time, approach the Goddess Statue that we noted earlier. Now that you have four Spirit Orbs, you can pray and exchange them for an upgrade. Choose Heart Container (for +1 heart) or Stamina Vessel (to extend your stamina wheel). For beginners, a Heart Container is often recommended to survive tougher hits, but stamina is useful for climbing and gliding – the choice is yours. After you claim your upgrade, you’ll hear the Old Man’s voice again telling you to go outside to the roof of the Temple.
Leave the statue and climb the ladder located at the side of the temple’s main hall to reach the roof (alternatively, climb the ruined walls if the ladder is inaccessible). As you reach the top, a cutscene will trigger: the Old Man appears, surrounded by a mystical glow. He reveals his true identity – King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule, the last king of the kingdom that was destroyed 100 years ago.
This spectral king recounts the tragic tale of Calamity Ganon’s rise and the fall of Hyrule. He confirms that the Great Plateau was once the cradle of the kingdom and that the shrines and towers emerged when you were awakened. He implores you to defeat Ganon, and identifies the voice that guided you as that of his daughter, Zelda, who has been containing Ganon within Hyrule Castle for a century.
After imparting this knowledge, King Rhoam finally fulfills his promise. He hands over the coveted Paraglider. This simple piece of cloth will allow you to sail off the Plateau’s cliffs and safely glide down to the vast world beyond. The King instructs you to seek out a wise woman named Impa in Kakariko Village, marking your map with your next destination. With his duty done, the King’s spirit fades into the afterlife.
You are now left on the Temple roof with the Paraglider in hand. The main quest updates to “Seek Out Impa,” directing you off the Plateau. Before you rush off, make sure you’ve wrapped up any remaining tasks here:
- If you haven’t gotten the Warm Doublet and want it, check the Old Man’s cabin now – the chest inside will contain the Warm Doublet after the King’s cutscene is done.
- You can also use the cooking pot at his cabin to prepare any food for your journey ahead. Consider cooking a few health-restoring meals or stamina-boosting items.
- (Optional: There are a few remaining Korok seeds you can still snag on the Plateau. For example, on the roof of the Temple of Time itself, next to where you met the King, there’s a small glowing leaf symbol – interact with it to reveal a Korok. Another is on the southeast cliff of the Plateau (near the cabin) where a circle of lily pads floats in a pond; jump into the center of the ring to get a Korok.)*
When you’re ready, it’s time to use your new Paraglider.
Leaving the Plateau
Stand at the edge of the Great Plateau’s cliff and look out over the expanse of Hyrule. The world is now open to you. To use the Paraglider, run toward the ledge and press the X button in mid-air to deploy it. Leap off the Plateau from a safe spot (for instance, from near the Temple of Time or the Tower) and glide outward. The Paraglider will catch the wind, allowing you to descend gently. Steer with the left stick and adjust your height – you’ll slowly lose altitude as you move forward. Keep an eye on your stamina wheel while gliding; if it runs out while you’re still high up, the glider will close and Link will fall. So plan to touch down or land on a lower slope before stamina is exhausted. Generally, you can cover a lot of ground with one full wheel.
Your likely direction will be eastward toward the Dueling Peaks (as Impa’s village lies beyond them). From the Plateau’s edge near the Tower, glide toward the grassy fields below. You might aim for the path that leads off the Plateau – there’s a dirt road and the Bridge of Hylia (Plateau) that connects to the Lake Hylia region or the path toward the Dueling Peaks. As you land, you’ve officially left the Great Plateau.
Take a moment to revel in this milestone: you’re now free to explore Hyrule Kingdom at will. The next story objective is to head for Kakariko Village to meet Impa (which is to the northeast, through the Twin Peaks canyon), but you can also wander elsewhere – perhaps visit the Dueling Peaks stables along the way or explore Lake Hylia to the south. The Plateau tutorial is complete, and the entirety of Breath of the Wild’s world is open for you to discover.
(Optional: You can return to the Great Plateau at any time via fast travel to collect anything you missed. With the Paraglider, you can also access some areas of the Plateau that were hard to reach by climbing alone. For instance, you could glide into the pit of the Shrine of Resurrection – there’s a Korok seed waiting in the spot where Link first awoke
Congratulations! You have successfully finished “The Journey Begins: Great Plateau.” You’ve gained the four fundamental runes, learned to cook and survive, and earned the Paraglider. Equipped with knowledge and gear, Link (and you, the player) are prepared to venture forth into the wilds of Hyrule. Glide down and let your adventure truly begin!