Snowhead Region: Mountain Village and Goron Village Walkthrough

On the western road out of the Mountain Village, where icy ledges and wooden bridges run beside a deep chasm, the owl Kaepora Gaebora waits behind a fence. Speak to him. He says you may have the strength to change the fate of this mountain, so answer yes when he asks whether you will proceed. He tells you to follow him to the shrine across the way, not to be fooled by appearances, and to use the item waiting there when you come back. Then he glides across the chasm and leaves a trail of feathers; each feather marks a block of ice you cannot normally see. Jump from feather to feather, without the Bunny Hood, until you reach the cave on the far side. If you fall, climb back to the owl and try again.

Talk to Darmani and hear him out, answering yes to his questions. He was a renowned warrior who marched up Snowhead alone to drive off a demon that was wreaking havoc on Goron Village. The blizzard blew him into this valley, where he died. He can only watch as his village is buried in ice, and he cannot rest. He begs you to bring him back to life with your magic, and when that is beyond you he asks you to heal his sorrow instead. Take out the Ocarina and play the Song of Healing. His spirit finds peace, and leaves you the Goron Mask, the second of your three transformation masks.

Back in the graveyard cave, stand behind Darmani’s gravestone as Goron Link and push it back one space. Hot spring water wells up from beneath it and floods the room. Scoop it into an empty bottle straight away: if it sits too long it cools and turns into ordinary water. A second source of hot water lies under the ice on one of the islands on the Twin Islands road, in case you want a spare. You need this water for the next step.

Return to the Goron Shrine as Goron Link. The gatekeeper opens the door for you again, so go through and climb to the upper floor. Stand in front of the baby and play the Lullaby Intro on the Goron drums. He recognises it as the song his daddy always plays before he goes to sleep, says he will sing the next part and asks you to play along with A and C. He drifts off (“Zzzz”), and the Lullaby Intro becomes the full Goron Lullaby, a song that blankets listeners in calm while making their eyelids grow heavy. Stand directly in front of him if the game does not register the notes. You will use the song again just below the temple.

Carry the Rock Sirloin back to the Mountain Village, avoiding enemies on the way. Go to the high ledge to the left of the village and throw the meat up to the shivering Goron stuck there. He is so grateful that he gives you Don Gero’s Mask, which lets you talk to frogs. It starts the frog choir quest that you finish in spring; see the Heart Piece list and the mask guide. Afterwards he heads back to Goron Village, hoping spring will come soon.

Enter the cave shop in Goron Village as Goron Link and talk to the big Goron who sells Powder Kegs. He will not let you use one on your own until he has tested you. Answer yes when he asks whether you will give it a try, and he hands you a keg that is already lit. He explains that you must blow up the boulder that blocks the entrance to the Goron Racetrack without the keg exploding on the way, and warns you that the fuse is short. Carry the keg out of the village toward the racetrack and put it down against the boulder. When you are done, go back and see him.

With the boulder gone, follow the path to the racetrack: out of the village, over the rope bridge above the water, up the snow path and through the wooden door to the starting area. Speak to the Elder’s son at the starting line and answer yes to enter. You race as Goron Link against rival Gorons, and rolling into the green jars along the course refills your Magic Meter, so use them to keep your spin attack up. Rivals can knock you off your roll, so steer clear of them.

The Mountain Smithy sits in the middle of the Mountain Village, run by Zubora and Gabora. A signpost on the way reads that the smithy sharpens any sword. Talk to the smith and accept the offer to have your sword reforged for 100 Rupees. (The furnace is frozen until Goht falls, but Hot Spring Water or a Fire Arrow thaws it earlier.) He warns that after 100 swings the reforged sword loses its edge and goes back to its original sharpness, and he keeps your Kokiri Sword until the next dawn. Come back on the following day to collect the Razor Sword; start this on the First Day if you can, because the Gilded Sword needs a second day.

The spring thaw adds four Heart Pieces to the region, but each needs an item from further on. The lake chest on the road to Goron Village needs the Zora Mask to dive for it. The invisible ice path on the road to Snowhead needs the Lens of Truth, the Goron roll and, later, the Hookshot with the Scarecrow’s Song. The Business Scrub in Goron Village takes the Swamp Title Deed and gives you the Mountain Title Deed; as a Deku, use his flower to reach a ledge above, where a Heart Piece waits (he says he wishes to go home to a place full of trees and grass, which is why he wants the swamp deed). The fourth is the frog choir, which needs Don Gero’s Mask and all five frogs. See the Heart Piece list for the rest.