Gnarled Root Dungeon - Zelda: Oracle of Seasons Walkthrough

Oracle of Seasons 100% Completion Walkthrough26 chapters

Getting Started in Holodrum and the Hero’s CaveImpa’s request, Mayor Ruul’s Gasha Seed, Vasu’s Ring Box, the Hero’s Cave ledge chest, shop Bombs and the Gnarled Key.
Gnarled Root Dungeon (Dungeon 1)Keys, map, compass, Seed Satchel, Boss Key, Aquamentus and the Essence of Fertile Soil.
Subrosia, the Tower of Winter and the Rod of SeasonsGasha Nuts, Boomerang, Ore Chunks, the Rod and the Ghastly Doll.
Woods of Winter and the ShovelPay the old man, bomb the 30 Rupee cave, get the Shovel from Holly, find the Mystery Seed tree.
Snake’s Remains (Dungeon 2)Compass, rupee room, Power Bracelet, Dungeon Map, bomb merchant, Facade, Dodongo boss, Heart Container and Gift of Time.
Farore’s Secrets and Princess Zelda’s RescueThree Pieces of Heart, a Gasha Nut, Vasu’s rings, the L-2 Ring Box, Zelda and the Blue Joy Ring.
Spool Swamp and the Floodgate KeyRicky’s Gloves, the Iron Pot trade, Pegasus Seeds, the Floodgate Key and freeing Dimitri for his flute.
The Tower of Summer and Rosa’s RibbonStar-Shaped Ore, Rosa’s Ribbon, Subrosian Market buys (Heart Piece, Bomb Bag), the Spirit of Summer.
Poison Moth’s Lair (Dungeon 3)Both Small Keys, Roc’s Feather, Compass, Map, Gasha Seed, Omuai, Boss Key, Mothula and the Bright Sun Essence.
Natzu, Sunken City and Zora’s FlippersDimitri’s swim, Gale Seeds, Master’s Plaque, Master Diver and the Pyramid Jewel in Oracle of Seasons.
The Hall of Secrets and the Noble SwordFarore’s secrets, Bombchu, the Noble Sword, Advance Shop rings, Vasu’s appraisals and a first Hero’s Cave visit.
Great Moblin’s Keep and Goron MountainBomb-catching boss fight, Heart Piece, Tokay secret, bigger Ring Box, 300 Rupees and a Gasha Seed spot.
The Strange Brothers, the Tower of Spring and Mt. CuccoWin back Roc’s Feather from the Strange Brothers, Spring power, Moosh, Heart Piece, Dragon Key and Dungeon 4.
Dancing Dragon Dungeon (Dungeon 4)All five Small Keys, Map, Compass, Agunima, Slingshot, Boss Key, Gohma and the Essence of Soothing Rain.
The Tower of Autumn and Eyeglass LakeGasha Seeds, ring appraisals, Seed Satchel, Treasure Map, Bomb Flower and Power of Autumn.
Unicorn’s Cave (Dungeon 5)Compass, five Small Keys, Magnetic Gloves, Syger and Digdogger, Heart Container and Nurturing Warmth Essence.
The Four Jewels, Tarm Ruins and the Lost WoodsRed Ore, Iron Shield, Round Jewel, Vasu’s rings, the Lost Woods seasons and the Master Sword.
Ancient Ruins (Dungeon 6)Dungeon Map, Compass, three Small Keys, Magical Boomerang, Vire, Manhandla, Heart Container and Blowing Wind.
Samasa Desert and the Pirate’s BellThe desert ring chest, the polished Rusty Bell and the way to Explorer’s Crypt.
Explorer’s Crypt (Dungeon 7)Beat the Poe Sisters, get Roc’s Cape and the Boss Key, defeat Gleeok and claim the Seed of Life essence.
Temple Remains and the Volcano EruptionMaku Tree secrets, Vasu ring appraisals, the Subrosian volcano eruption and the last Piece of Heart in the temple.
Sword & Shield Maze (Dungeon 8)Compass, Dungeon Map, Hyper Slingshot, Frypolar, Medusa Head and the Changing Seasons essence.
The Huge Maku Seed, the Last Trades and the Hero’s CaveThe Goron Vase to Phonograph trade chain, Gasha Seed planting, and the linked Hero’s Cave chest trial.
Side Quests and Collectibles Before Onox’s CastleGasha Nuts, Vasu’s rings, the Mirror Shield, the chest game, Maple and Biggoron’s Sword.
Onox’s Castle and the Final BattleClear the castle rooms, beat Facade, buy the Mirror Shield, then defeat General Onox and free Din.
The Linked Game FinaleBeat Twinrova and Ganon in the Room of Rites, then finish at the Maku Tree and find the Hero’s Secret.

Covers	The island in North Horon where the Gnarled Root Dungeon stands (winter season, no season change needed) and the whole dungeon
Dungeon	Gnarled Root Dungeon (Dungeon 1): Seed Satchel with Ember Seeds, mini-boss the Goriya brothers, boss Aquamentus, Essence of Nature Fertile Soil
Rewards	Seed Satchel (20 Ember Seeds), 10 Bombs, Dungeon Map, Compass, Boss Key, 1 Gasha Seed, 1 ring (unappraised), Heart Container, Essence of Fertile Soil. Small Keys: 2 found and used.

The Gnarled Root Dungeon is the first of the eight dungeons. You clear it for the Seed Satchel, the first Heart Container and the Essence of Fertile Soil. The short route: open the tree with the Gnarled Key, collect the two Small Keys, the Map and the Compass, ride the minecart to the Gasha Seed and the Bombs, beat the Goriya brothers, fetch the Seed Satchel, light the torches with Ember Seeds for the Boss Key, grab the ring, then fight Aquamentus.

Small island in North Horon with the withered tree in the middle and Link beside the stone

The withered tree opened up with a dark entrance in its trunk

Getting into the Gnarled Root Dungeon

Open the tree with the Gnarled Key

With the Gnarled Key from the Maku Tree, cross the bridge east of the lake to the small island in North Horon. It is winter, but you do not need to change the season. Walk up to the withered tree in the middle of the island and use the key on it. The trunk opens, and you can step inside to start the dungeon.

Link walking through the snow toward the bridge east of the lake in winter

Link crossing the wooden bridge toward the small island

Dungeon: Gnarled Root Dungeon (Dungeon 1)

Entrance rooms and the first Small Key

Go north through the entrance room, which is only an introduction, and continue north through a room of statues and Keese. In the second room, push the upper-right of the four central blocks to open the doors. The grass there is a good spot to restock hearts. A room east of it holds Stalfos, and defeating them all makes a Small Key appear.

Link walking north through the room of eye statues

Link pushing the upper-right central block in the second room

Dungeon Map

Take the Small Key back west and unlock the locked door. Beat the Stalfos in the room beyond, which has a floor of red and blue tiles, and open the chest for the Dungeon Map.

Link at the locked door with a Small Key in hand

Link fighting Stalfos on the red and blue tile floor

Minecart and Compass

Head north. The Zols here are harmless. Board the minecart on the rails heading north, and note that you cannot get off until it reaches the end of the line. The ride passes a room of Keese and carries you west to a room of Moblins, who throw boomerangs and fall to your sword. Take the stairs to the raised platform in the upper right of the rail room and strike the switch with your sword, which changes the track junction below. Then open the Compass chest nearby.

Link in the room with the minecart waiting on the rails to the north

Link riding the minecart west along the track junction

Gasha Seed chest (optional)

A block-pushing room near the Blade Traps hides the Gasha Seed chest. Push the block by the traps to open the west door. Inside, push the blocks that stick out on the right downward so you can enter the block pile. Push the block on your left to the left, push the middle block of the leftmost column left, then push the block below you down. The chest on the platform holds a Gasha Seed. Keep it and plant it in a patch of soft soil outside; it grows into a tree that gives a Gasha Nut after a while.

Link in the block puzzle room pushing a block toward the block pile

Link on the platform reaching the chest in the block room

Bombs

Get back in the minecart. With the junction switched, the rails now run east for two screens. Ride to the end, then walk back one screen to the chest next to the track. It contains ten Bombs, which you need to blow open a cracked wall soon after.

Link stepping into the minecart facing the rails heading east

Link riding the minecart east past Keese toward the chest

Second Small Key and the Blade Trap rooms

Return east, climb the stairs, then go down the neighbouring staircase to an alcove with a Spinning Blade Trap. Lure the trap through the small block maze to the switch, which reveals a chest with a second Small Key. Go back to the stairs, head west and bomb the cracked wall to open a way north.

Link in the alcove with the small block maze and a trap

The small chamber east of the block maze with the floor switch

The next area is a maze of Blade Traps, Gels, Hardhat Beetles and ropes among blocks. Move through it patiently, cutting the bushes that block the way and waiting for the traps to bounce off each other in front of the locked door before you unlock it with the Small Key.

Link among the blocks with Gels and a Blade Trap in the maze

Link in the block maze with a Hardhat Beetle and Blade Traps nearby

Mini-boss: the Goriya brothers

The locked door leads to a room ringed by blocks, where two Goriyas, one red and one blue, guard the way. They hurl boomerangs, so step aside and cut them down, or hit the boomerangs away. After both fall, a teleporter back to the dungeon entrance appears and the door onward opens.

Link in the block-ringed room with a blue and a red Goriya

Link slashing near the blue Goriya in the ring of blocks

Seed Satchel

Through the next rooms you reach a room where a diamond of blocks surrounds a staircase. Avoid the Blade Traps in the corners and push the leftmost block of the diamond up. Go down the stairs to a side-scrolling basement, hop the gaps and climb the ladder to reach the Seed Satchel. It comes with 20 Ember Seeds, which burn enemies and light torches. Equip it to a button to shoot them.

The diamond of blocks around the staircase with Blade Traps at the edge

Link pushing the leftmost block of the diamond

Boss Key

Climb back up and take the teleporter to the room with the sealed door flanked by two unlit torches. Drop an Ember Seed on each torch to unlock the door and go through. Defeat the Moblins inside while avoiding the floor pits, and a chest appears. Open it for the Boss Key.

Link at the doorway flanked by the torches after the seeds were used

Link slashing a Moblin in the room with floor pits

Ring chest

Go back east and use the Ember Seeds on the second pair of torches by the sealed door, then go north. Floormasters grab Link and fling him back to the entrance, so kill them in each room until they stop returning. In a small maze of blocks, a chest holds a ring. It is unappraised, so take it to Vasu in Horon Village later to learn what it is.

Link slashing a blue Floormaster in a block maze room beside the torches

Link in front of the sealed door flanked by the second pair of torches

Heart Container and Essence of Fertile Soil

Aquamentus drops a Heart Container, which raises your maximum hearts by one. Take it, then walk east up the carpeted aisle to the altar to receive the Essence of Fertile Soil, the first of the eight Essences of Nature. The Maku Tree speaks to you, and you return to the island outside.

Link holding up the Heart Container with the item message shown

Link walking east along the carpeted aisle toward the altar steps

Chapter checklist

Type	Name	Where
Small Key	Small Key	Dropped by the Stalfos in the room east of the second room
Map	Dungeon Map	Chest in the room behind the first locked door
Compass	Compass	Chest in the rail room, after flipping the junction switch
Gasha Seed	Gasha Seed	Chest in the block-pushing room near the Blade Traps
Item	10 Bombs	Chest at the end of the eastern rails
Small Key	Small Key	Chest revealed by the switch in the Blade Trap alcove
Item	Seed Satchel and 20 Ember Seeds	Side-scrolling basement under the diamond of blocks
Key	Boss Key	Chest in the Moblin room behind the first pair of torches
Ring	Unappraised ring	Chest in the block maze beyond the Floormaster rooms
Heart Container	Heart Container	Dropped by Aquamentus
Essence	Fertile Soil	Altar beyond the boss room

Gnarled Root Dungeon (Dungeon 1) Walkthrough

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