Storyline text and attempted translations from...

ゼルダの伝説:神々のトライフォース
The Legend of Zelda: Triforce of the Gods


Index
 
Opening Sequence

The opening starts as text, with simple drawings in shades of brown (as if from an ancient text) to complement the information. The first drawing is of three golden triangles arranged in a larger triangle, drawn as if glowing, with a mountain range in the background.

はるか昔 山と森にかこまれた
美しき ハイラルの大地…
Long ago, surrounded by mountains and forests,
there was the beauteous land of Hyrule...
Long ago, in the beautiful
kingdom of Hyrule surrounded
by mountains and forests...

Adjectives would end with ~き (-ki) when modifying nouns in an older form of Japanese, as 美しき (utsukushiki) does here. Such archaisms occassionally appear in modern times for poetic effect or to make something sound ancient.

全知全能の力を持つ黄金が
この地方のどこかにあると
伝えられていました
It was passed down in tales that somewhere
in this region was Gold possessed of the powers
of omnipotence and omniscience.
legends told of an omnipotent
and omniscient Golden Power
that resided in a hidden land.

The drawing changes to a massive battle, fought mostly with swords.

そのハイラルの王国で
黄金がかくされた聖地への
入口がみつかり
The entrance to the sacred land where
the Gold was hidden was discovered
there in Hyrule Kingdom,
Many people aggressively
sought to enter the hidden
Golden Land...
多くの人々があらそって
聖地へと消えていました
and many people fought over it,
vanishing into the sacred land.
しかし 戻ってきた者はなく
また、悪しき力がそこから
わきでてきたと言うことです
However, it is said none returned,
and what was worse, evil power
came surging forth from there.
But no one ever returned.
One day evil power began to
flow from the Golden Land...

Throughout this speech, sentences end with things like と言うことです (to iu koto desu) and そうです (sou desu) to indicate that the speaker did not witness these events firsthand, but heard them from another source.

The drawing changes to show seven robed figures holding staves.

そこで 国の王は
7人の賢者に命じ聖地への
入口を封印させたそうです
And so, they say, the king of the land
gave orders to seven sages to have them
seal the entrance to the sacred land.
So the King commanded seven
wise men to seal the gate to
the Land of the Golden Power.

The drawing now shows the seven circled around a mystic symbol of some kind, making various gestures.

封印は 2度と解かれる事は
ないはずでした
The seal should never again
have been released.
That seal should have remained
for all time...

"Should" here, はず (hazu), gives the sense that there was no reason to believe it would happen, not necessarily that it would be wrong or prohibited, though the narrative also seems to imply that. The point is that the seal would have lasted indefinitely if left alone.

……しかし、それらのでき事が
伝説となったころ…
...however, when those events
had become but legend...
... ...But, when these events
were obscured by the mists of
time and became legend...

The ancient-text style part ends. The screen shows a vast realm, surrounded by mountains and forests, then zooms in on a castle in the center. The view switches inside, showing an old (possibly skeletal) figure seated on the throne, and the text resumes.

ここに、封印をとこうとたくら
む、ナゾの司祭アグニムがいま
した。彼は国王をほうむり…。
The mysterious priest Agahnim
plotted then to release the seal.
He disposed of the king...
A mysterious wizard known as
Agahnim came to Hyrule to
release the seal. He eliminated
the good King of Hyrule...

The scene changes to a dungeon, where a creepy guy in creepy robes oversees soldiers escorting a girl out, while another (wearing a princessly dress and tiara) watches from her cell.

城の兵達をあやつって7賢者の
血をひく娘達を、つぎつぎイケ
ニエにささげていったのです。
Manipulating the soldiers of the castle,
he gave as sacrifices maiden after maiden
from the bloodline of the Seven Sages.
Through evil magic, he began
to make descendants of the
seven wise men vanish, one
after another.

The censorship hit this part hard.

The scene changes to a creepy altar where the creepy guy does some creepy ritual and the girl taken from the dungeon vanishes.

そして、王女ゼルダがイケニエ
にささげられる運命の時も、
もうそこまでせまっていました
And even the fateful time when
Princess Zelda would be given as a
sacrifice had already drawn so near.
And the time of destiny for
Princess Zelda is drawing
near.

王女 (oujo), the term for princess here, specifically means royalty. Elsewhere, the game tends to use 姫 (hime), either by itself or as a respectful suffix with her name. That term can apply to any young woman of the nobility, and probably comes closer to "Lady" than "Princess".

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A House in the Middle of the Night

Two people sleep in this plain one-room house. A message appears across the bottom of the screen, not enclosed in a textbox.

たすけて… …
たすけてください…
私は、お城の地下ろうに
捕えられています。
私の名前はゼルダ……
6人のイケニエが ささげられ
私は さいごの1人…
城にやって来た司祭アグニムは
イケニエを使い、7賢者の封印
を再び開こうとしています。
 … …
私は、お城の地下ろうの中…
たすけて… …
Help me... ...
Please help me...
I am being held captive
in the castle dungeon.
My name is Zelda...
Six have been sacrificed,
and I am the last one...
Agahnim, a priest who came to the castle,
is trying to use the sacrifices to open the
Seal of the Seven Sages once more.
 ... ...
I am inside the castle dungeon...
Help me... ...
Help me...
Please help me...
I am a prisoner in the dungeon
of the castle.
My name is Zelda.
The wizard, Agahnim, has done...
something to the other missing
girls. Now only I remain...
Agahnim has seized control of
the castle and is now trying to
open the seven wise men's
seal. ... ...
I am in the dungeon of the
castle.
Please help me...

The lights come on. The boy in bed sits up. The blue-haired man who is already up speaks.

リンク、わしはちょっと
出かけてくる。
心配する事はない。
朝までには戻ってくる。
家を出るんじゃないぞ。
Link, I'm going out for a bit.
It's nothing to worry about.
I'll be back by morning.
Don't leave the house.
Link, I'm going out for a
while. I'll be back by morning.
Don't leave the house.

He leaves, carrying a sword and shield. Despite the reassurances, Link is worried and gets up. It's unclear what he thinks he can do, since he's equipped with nothing but the clothes he's wearing (a green tunic green tunic and a forest green hat that covers most of his pink hair) and three heart containers (used as the life meter). But he goes anyway. Before leaving, Link opens the chest in the corner.

カンテラを 手に入れた
Yボタンでとうろうに火をつけ     lantern
れるぞ!
I got a Lantern.
I can light lamps with
the Y button!
You got the Lamp!
Now you can light torches and
see your way in darkness.

The Lantern lets Link see his immediate surroundings in dark areas, and can also cast flame a short distance to light torches. Casting flame consumes 4 magic (a full meter is 128, allowing 32 uses of the Lantern).

You can also skip the chest. It's linked with two other upcoming chests in a fine example of Schrödinger's Gun, such that whichever of the three you open first will contain the Lantern, and the two remaining chests will then contain five Rupees each.

Link goes outside. It's pouring, but he heads north towards the castle anyway. There's nowhere else to go regardless, since all other paths are blocked off.

At present, only a small portion of Hyrule is accessible, consisting of the castle itself in the center of the kingdom and the area immediately around Link's house just south of it. A large rock blocks the way east from the castle, and soldiers blockade the remaining exits from the area.

If you manage to leave the expected area, by whatever means, you'll find the rest of Hyrule strangely empty. Rain continues everywhere, and the usual overworld entities haven't been loaded yet. That means no monsters, no NPCs, no heart pieces or other items that would normally be sitting out in the open, and none of various other interactable objects. Indoor areas still work as usual.

Stranger still, everything that appears in the Light World after the introduction? It's currently hanging out on the Dark World map! Though most of the sprites get jumbled. But as for why they're there at all... I have no idea.

The ALttP Randomizer, when using the Standard (or Retro) world state (in which the player starts from the usual beginning of the game), adds another guard behind the heavy rock to prevent leaving the area even if the Power Gloves turn up early.

Unsurprisingly, the castle gatekeepers are unhelpful.

こら こら 城へは入れんぞ
子どもは 早く帰って
ねなさい!
Hey, hey, you can't go in the castle.
Run on home and go to bed, kid!
Hey hey! You're not allowed in
the castle, son!
Go home and get some sleep!

But Link hears Zelda's voice in his head every so often...

...she's far less annoying than Navi, though, if only because she stops nagging after the intro.

たすけてください…
私は お城の地下ろうに
捕えられています。
お城のまわりから
中庭へ通じる抜け穴が
あるはずよ。
Please help me...
I am being held captive
in the castle dungeon.
There should be a passage
leading into the courtyard from
the vicinity of the castle.
Help me...
I am in the dungeon of the
castle.
I know there is a hidden path
from outside of the castle to
the garden inside.

And so Link finds a passage hidden under a bush near the castle wall. The man from earlier is here, wounded.

うう…。リンク、お前だけは
まきこみたくなかった…
家を出るなと言ったのに…
…こ、この剣と盾を持って行け      sword
よくきけ…Bボタンを押し続け      buckler
剣に力をためるのだ。
そうすれば、ある一族だけに
伝わる秘剣が使えるはずだ…。
リンクよ、お前ならできる…
ゼルダ姫を、お救いするのだ。
お、お前は、姫の … …。
Urgh... Link, you're the last person
I wanted to drag into this...
And I told you not to leave the house...
...t-take this sword and shield with you.
Listen well... Hold down the B button
to build up power in your sword.
You should be able to use the secret sword skill
passed down in only a certain clan if you do...
Link, you can do it...
Save Princess Zelda.
Y-you are, the princess's ... ...
Unnh... Link, I didn't want
you involved in this... I told
you not to leave the house...
Take my sword and shield and
listen. You can focus power in
the blade (hold the B Button).
...Then release it using the
secret technique handed down
by our people...
Link, you can do it!
Save the Princess...
Zelda is your... ... ...

The princess's last hope, I'd assume.

The man's use of なら (nara) when saying that Link can do it implies that not just anyone can.

As noted above, 姫 (hime) probably comes closer to "Lady" than "Princess".

Link takes up the sword and shield. The sword is an ordinary one with a fairly short reach and unremarkable offensive ability, and the shield is a little blue one that can only block simple projectiles like arrows and rocks, but they're better than nothing. The secret sword skill is the charge-up spin attack that has become Link's trademark, and usually inflicts extra damage.

In Standard (or Retro) world state, the ALttP Randomizer ensures that your uncle will give you some sort of weapon that works on the dungeon guards (unless Sword mode is Assured, in which case you start with a sword, but can't use it until now due to game logic). In other modes, the item he gives you is as random as anything else.

Link continues into the courtyard and fights off the remarkably aggressive (but completely unskilled) guards, then heads into the castle...

Return to table of contents
Hyrule Castle: Saving Princess Zelda

One interesting part of the castle is the tower door on the roof. Link can't enter, because it's blocked off by some kind of magical energy barrier that is impervious to anything he can do.

Anyway... finding the stairs down into the dungeon, Link continues fighting off attackers, and before long...

MAPを 手に入れた!
XボタンをPUSHすると
現在地と全体がわかるはずだ!
I got a map!
When I push the X button, I can see
where I am and the whole area!
You got the Map!
You can use it to see your
current position and the rest
of the dungeon (Press X).

Every one of the labyrinths Link has to clear has a map and a special treasure. The treasure here is lightly guarded, and doesn't even rate a special chest, but it's still quite useful...

ブーメランだ!
STARTボタンで、選んで       boomerang
使ってみよう!
A Boomerang!
Let's select it with the Start button and try it out!
You got the Boomerang!
Give it a try! (To select an
item, press the Start Button. )

The Boomerang flies a short distance and returns when thrown. It will carry items it hits back to Link, and will also stun most enemies, though some are immune, and some take damage instead (normally half the amount of a swing from the starting sword).

Deep in the dungeon, Link finds a tougher enemy with a ball and chain weapon. His sword works, and the Boomerang can cause a very brief stun, but there are some pots nearby that Link can throw to finish the enemy more quickly, easily, and safely.

The ball and chain attack also has a surprisingly large blind spot directly in front of the trooper, especially when he's facing down (which centers the ball's smaller spin further up, making it safe to get closer than otherwise), so pinning him against the north wall and slashing away works, too.

The foe drops another item found in every labyrinth...

大きなカギを 手に入れた。
小さなカギでは 開かない
ジョウ前を開く事ができるぞ!
I got a big key.
It can open locks I can't
open with small keys!
You got the Big Key!
This is the master key of the
dungeon. It can open many
locks that small keys cannot.

...such as the cell door. Princess Zelda is expecting Link inside.

ありがとう リンク
あなたが 近づいてくるのを
感じていたわ。
 … … …
リンク よくきいて
この城の兵たちは、みんな
司祭アグニムの、魔術に
あやつられているの。
お父様は、たぶん もう …
司祭は、人間ではないわ!
強い力を持った悪魔よ!
 … … …
じゃあ、司祭に気づかれる前に
急いで逃げましょう!
私 秘密の抜け道を知ってるの
とにかく、1Fのホールまで
私を連れて行って。
さあ、急いで…。
Thank you, Link.
I felt you coming
closer.
 ... ... ...
Link, listen well.
The guards in this castle are all
being manipulated by the priest
Agahnim's dark magic.
Father is probably already...
The priest isn't human!
He's a devil with vast powers!
 ... ... ...
Now, let's hurry up and escape
before we're noticed by the priest!
I know a secret escape route.
For now, take me to the hall
on the first floor.
Now, hurry...
Thank you, Link. I had a
feeling you were getting close.
Link, listen carefully. The
wizard is magically controlling
all the soldiers in the castle.
I fear the worst for
my father...
The wizard is an inhuman fiend
with strong magical powers!
... ... ...
All right, let's get out of here
before the wizard notices. I
know a secret path, but first
we have to go to the
first floor. Let's go!

Still fighting off the occasional guard, Link escorts Zelda to the first floor hall...

お父様の部屋から教会に抜ける
通路があるわ。神父様はきっと
私達の力になってくれるわ。
There is a passage from father's
room that leads to the church.
The abbot will surely aid us.
There is a secret passage in
the throne room that leads to
Sanctuary. I'm sure the old
man there will help us.

The term I rendered "abbot" here is a different term for "priest" than the one used for Agahnim. These kanji, 神父 (shinpu), mean approximately "holy father", while Agahnim's, 司祭 (shisai), mean something more like "director of rituals", but both roughly translate to "priest" in normal usage.

Inside the throne room, Zelda stops in front of a large decoration.

このかざりだなが開くはずよ。
何かあかりはある? 中は
まっくらで、何も見えないの。
よういが良ければ行きましょう
左側から押すといいわ。
力をかして!
This display case should open.
Do you have a light of some sort? It's
pitch dark inside, you can't see a thing.
If you're ready, let's go.
We need to push from the left side.
Give me a hand!
That ornamental shelf should
open. Do you have a light?
It's pitch dark inside and you
can't see without one.
If you're ready, let's go!
Help me push it from the left!

The base game won't allow you to push the decoration out of the way unless you have the Lantern. The ALttP Randomizer removes this requirement, and in Standard (or Retro) world state provides light while passing through here even if you don't have it. In other modes, you're free to enter whether you have the Lantern or not, but won't get any lighting without it, making whatever's in there technically reachable but out of logic.

The passage is dark and full of bats and snakes. Eventually, they come to a very wet section.

この水路をぬけてしまえば、
教会まであとすこし…。
気を付けて行きましょう。
Once we're through this waterway,
it's only a bit farther to the church...
Let's proceed with caution.
After passing through these
sewers, we will be very close
to Sanctuary!
Let's be careful!

They cross the watery area and reach a section that is both dry and lit. There are badly cracked walls here, but they don't react to anything currently available.

Come back with Bombs or the Pegasus Shoes to break down the weakened walls. Chests in the room beyond contain 300 Rupees, plus some Arrows and Bombs. And in a Randomizer run, there might even be something critically important in there. Regardless, once you have the Power Gloves, you can drop directly into this section by pushing the northwestern headstone the graveyard (it's blocked by rocks), instead of going all the way through from the castle.

Eventually, they come to a room with two levers in the wall.

この先が、教会の中なの。
この部屋のスイッチを引っぱる
のよ。
We'll be in the church once we pass here.
Pull the switch in this room.
Sanctuary is just beyond that
door. Pull the switch over
there.

She doesn't say which switch, but it's only when Link approaches the one on the right that she adds:

ここのレバーを引くのよ。
Aボタンを押したまま
十字ボタンを手前に入れてみて
Pull the lever here.
Try pushing the keypad toward
you while holding the A button.
You have to pull the lever to
open the door. (Press the A
Button and hold Down on the
Control Pad. )

The Randomizer community calls this whole section of the game the escape sequence. The castle dungeons are referred to as the "front of escape", the room behind the cracked wall is the "back of escape", and the chest (originally a key) in a cross-shaped dark room along the way is "Dark Cross".

For Randomizer purposes, the escape sequence (everything from the castle dungeons to the church) has a map and small key (if these aren't shuffled beyond their usual dungeons), and six other items. The three chests in the front require only some sort of weapon, Dark Cross logically requires a Lantern, the three chests in the back require Power Gloves or a Lantern (except in Standard or Retro world mode) to get there in addition to Bombs or the Pegasus Shoes to open the room, and the chest in the church has no requirements. Link's uncle and the chest near him are another two item locations, and have no requirements.

There are also two small keys and a big key dropped by enemies in the dungeon, and a small key dropped by a rat in one of the later dark rooms between the castle and the church. These are not randomized and will always be in their usual locations.

When using Entrance Shuffle, keep in mind that the main section of Hyrule Castle has three different entrances, plus the back section also has its own drop-in entrance and one-way exit. Depending on the settings, these might all connect to completely different areas on the overworld.

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教会 Church

When Link pulls the lever, the door to the south opens. On the other side is the church. An old man dressed as clergy is here.

おお ゼルダ姫無事でしたか!
リンク お前が助け出して
くれたのですね。
Oh, Princess Zelda, you're safe!
Link, you rescued her, I see.
Princess Zelda, you are safe!
Is this your doing, Link?
神父さま、本当に リンクの
おかげです。
司祭が 言ってました。
『さいごのイケニエのお前を
ささげれば賢者の封印は開く』
って… … …
ねえ リンク お願い!
このハイラルの国を
司祭なんかに わたさないで。
7賢者の封印が 解かれたら
魔の力が どっとおしよせて
くるわ。
その前に … … …

その前に司祭を倒して!
この国を守って!
あなたなら きっとできる
   … あなたなら …
Abbot, this truly is thanks
to Link.
The priest said,
"Once I offer up you, the final
sacrifice, the seal of the sages
will open." ... ... ...
Link, please!
Don't give our country of Hyrule
over to the likes of the priest.
If the Seal of the Seven Sages
were to be released, diabolic
power would rush in on us.
Before then ... ... ...

Before then, take down the priest!
Protect our country!
You can surely do it.
   ... I know you can ...
Yes, it was Link who helped
me escape from the dungeon!
When I was captive the wizard
said, "Once I have finished with
you, the final one, the seal of
the wise men will open."
.........
Link, you must not let the
land of Hyrule fall into the
wizard's clutches.
If he releases the seal of the
seven wise men, evil power will
overwhelm this land.
Before that happens...
before it's too late... destroy
the wizard before he destroys
all of Hyrule! You can do it!
You can...

The old man speaks.

うむ、どうやら司祭には魔物が
とりついている様ですね…。
あやつを倒すには 伝説の
退魔の剣『マスターソード』が
必要でしょう。
くわしい事は私には わかりま
せんが、村の長老が7賢者の
しそんの1人だと言う事です。
まず 彼を訪ねると良い
でしょう… …
地図に印をつけておきます。
でも、気をつけて行くのですよ
今ごろは城の兵が あなた達を
探しまわっているはずです。
 … … …  ゼルダ姫は、
ここに、かくまっておきます。
心配せずに 行きなさい。
Yes, it seems that a monster
is possessing the priest...
In order to beat him, you will
most likely need the legendary
exorcising Master Sword.
I don't know the details, but they
say the village elder is one of the
descendants of the Seven Sages.
You should probably visit him to
start with... ...
I will put a mark on your map.
However, be careful when you go.
I expect the castle guards to be
hunting around for you two by now.
 ... ... ... I will keep
Princess Zelda hidden here.
Go without worry.
I sense that a mighty evil
force guides the wizard's
actions and augments his
magical power. The only
weapon potent enough to
defeat the wizard is the
legendary Master Sword.
It is said that the village elder
is a descendant of one of the
seven wise men. Maybe
he can tell you more...
I will mark his house on your
map. But watch your every
move! I am certain that the
castle soldiers will be looking
for you now! .........
I will hide Princess Zelda here.
Do not worry! Seek the elder!

退魔 (taima), literally 'repel' + 'magic/demon', is not a "real" word as such, but appears relatively often in fiction when driving off or slaying monsters or demons. "Exorcising" works well here since a sword is primarily offensive, while I've translated it as "warding" in more defensive contexts for other games. On a side note, several later Zelda games have 退魔の剣 translated as "blade of evil's bane."

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Index

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