While improved defense is certainly nice, it doesn't do anything for mobility, so it's time to keep going. Using the Ocarina to reach a high ledge in the desert and the Powerful Gloves to lift a rock, Link can reach the Dark World swamp with Misery Mire, the sixth labyrinth. The swamp is predictably swampy, and it's pouring rain. There's no apparent entrance, but there is a platform in the northwestern area with a symbol that looks a lot like a medal engraved with a lightning bolt. Link tries standing there and using the Ether Magic. Sure enough, this stops the rain, and the entrance rises out of the water.
Misery Mire, properly speaking, refers only to the dungeon itself. The surrounding swamp is named only on a signpost found further east:
この先 はいる道はなし
出て行く道もなし
| ← | Swamp of Demons |
| This way | no way in |
| no way out |
No Entrance
No Escape
The ALttP Randomizer randomizes which medallion opens this dungeon, modifying the tile accordingly. In addition to a medallion, reaching the dungeon normally requires the Ocarina and Powerful Gloves (Titan's Mitts) to reach the area. Additionally, the entryway has a pit that requires the Hookshot or Pegasus Shoes to cross. In Inverted mode, the Ocarina alone is enough to get into the swampy region, and using the Mirror from the Light World desert also works.
This labyrinth seems rather goopier than the previous ones, but functionally its main differences are the (puny) wizards that appear out of nowhere and fire at Link, and that it's probably the most maze-like labyrinth, with at least four more keys (and a locked door for each) than are actually required to complete it.
While searching for the big key, Link finds a telepathic tile:
４つのあかりをともせば
すすむ道が開けるじゃろう。
If you light the four torches,
the way forward will open.
the elder! You must set fire
to four torches to open
the way forward.
The four torches are in two different rooms, making them easier to overlook. Lighting them slides back the wall in the room with the tile, revealing a pit that leads to the big key.
Runners often make use of a curious property of pushable blocks, that projectiles pass through them while they're in motion, to more quickly hit the first three torches with the Fire Rod from near the middle door, then shoot the fourth through the railing at right.
Now Link can open the big chest, more easily reached by using the Hookshot and dashing toward it before the floor collapses.
うまく使えば、とてもやくに
立つ、ふしぎなつえだ！
It's a mysterious staff that will really
come in handy if I use it well!
It will be very helpful if you
make proper use of it!
What a mysterious cane!
Another candidate for the most useless description ever...
When Link swings the staff, it makes a block appear, which is mainly useful for holding down buttons in the floor, though they also obstruct and damage enemies, and can be thrown around. Swinging the staff when a block is present makes it burst into fragments that fly off in four directions, striking with the same power as the block. Creating blocks consumes magic power (8 if not halved); exploding one costs nothing.
Predictably, using a block to hold down a button in the basement of this labyrinth is required in order to advance.
The basement also has two rooms with rupee caches, one through a locked door and the other behind a Bombable wall. Neither really seems worth the trouble at this point in the game, quite frankly. Maybe if you're in an Inverted or Entrance Shuffle Randomizer run, get here early, and need Zora money?
Eventually, Link reaches the boss, a giant eyeball sitting in slime and surrounded by smaller eyeballs. The smaller eyeballs hop out and attack while the giant one stays where it is and periodically shoots lightning down the middle of the room. One simple strategy consists of standing in a corner swinging wildly to keep the smaller eyeballs at bay, until they die. Once only four small eyeballs (which don't do anything for the whole battle) remain, the giant one hops out and attacks Link. The remaining challenge should be minimal. Explosion, the other little ones die too, heart container, crystal.
魔族の手から、のがれる事が
できました。ありがとう…。
ガノンが私達を集めたのは、
ガノンの力では７賢者の封印を
やぶれなかったからなの。
そこで、司祭アグニムを使って
賢者の力をうけつぐ娘７人を
闇世界におくりこませたの。
７人の力をりようして、封印を
やぶったあと、ようがすんだ
私達はクリスタルに封じられ、
魔物達にあたえられたわ。ただ
あなたの事を知らなかったのは
ガノンのミスだったわね。
さあ、ゼルダ姫がカメイワで
あなたをまっています。
急いで行ってあげて下さい。
勇者の行く道がトライフォースイ
へと、みちびかれますように。
the fiend's clutches because
of you. Thank you...
Ganon gathered us because he
was unable to break the Seal of the
Seven Sages with his power alone.
So he used the priest Agahnim to have
the seven maidens who inherit the power
of the Sages sent into the Dark World.
After he made use of our power
to break the seal, we were shut up
in crystals and given to monsters
since he had no further use for us.
Not knowing about you was
Ganon's only mistake.
Now, Princess Zelda awaits
you in Turtle Rock.
Please hurry and go to her.
May the way the hero travels
be guided unto the Triforce.
escape from the clutches of
the evil monsters. Thank you!
Ganon captured us because he
couldn't break the seal of the
wise men with his power alone.
And then, using the wizard
Agahnim as his pawn, he drew us
to the Dark World.
After cracking the seal with
our powers, he sealed us inside
of these crystals.
He then gave us to his loyal
monsters. But Ganon didn't
plan on your getting this far.
Now, Princess Zelda is waiting
for you inside of Turtle Rock.
Please hurry!
May the way of the Hero lead
to the Triforce.
By Ganon not knowing about Link, I think she means that he didn't realize Link's significance, not that he didn't know Link existed (though that's also possible).
Regardless, for Randomizer purposes, the Misery Mire dungeon contains a map, a compass, three small keys, and a big key (if these aren't shuffled beyond their usual dungeons), and just two other items. Two of the chests (the vanilla compass and big key locations) require the Lantern or Fire Rod to light torches. I don't think any of the other chests have any requirements beyond entry to the dungeon, except possibly the big chest, which may very well require Hookshot or Pegasus Shoes due to the room layout and collapsing bridge (though, come to think of it, you need one of them to enter anyway). The boss's lair lies beyond several torchless dark rooms and the button noted above that needs to be held down, so reaching it requires the Staff of Somaria and logically requires the Lantern.
The dungeon also has one small key dropped by an enemy and two hidden under skulls, one of which is far enough out of the way (in the far northwest of the main area) that no one ever seems to bother with it. Since the locked door in the dark area just leads to 45 rupees, being one key short is never a problem.
The basement includes several simple crystal switch puzzles. Runners will sometimes shortcut these with the Spooky Action glitch, which involves confusing the game about where to place the Fire Rod's lingering flame. This allows for triggering the switches in unintended ways, sometimes when they aren't even on the screen, avoiding some maneuvering and the otherwise-necessary time it would take to Bomb through a wall to reach one switch.