We just barely manage to pass Nayru’s Silent Realm and finally receive the Clawshots as reward. Able to access new areas, we explore the Lanayru Desert, meeting two new Gorons named Golo and Gortram along the way. Finding ourselves facing an ancient sea now turned to a sandy wasteland, we meet an Ancient Robot named Skipper once charged with captaining the ship that protected the Sacred Flame.
With his help we find the elusive vessel and board, ready to find the next flame.
Some fun gifs from this section:
Shownotes
These are our literal shownotes, and may not reflect the content of the final episode in full.
Last Time
Last time on Tandem Legends, Link explored the Ancient Cistern, received the Whip, and briefly met up with Ghirahim before facing off against the Ancient Automaton, Koloktos.
The way clear, Link finally reached Farore’s Sacred Flame, tempering the Goddess Sword and transforming it into the more powerful Goddess Longsword. As if this weren’t enough, Link apparently received the Triforce of Courage, though no one makes any mention of it.
Link then returned to the Isle of Songs where he learned Nayru’s Wisdom, key to the next Silent Realm.
This Time
Today Joe and I will be discussing Nayru’s Silent realm and the Sand Sea.
After toughing out a much harder Silent Realm we finally receive the Clawshots! Eventually overcoming the brief distraction our new toys bring, we begin our search for Nayru’s Sacred Flame.
We cross paths with a Goron named Golo and meet an Ancient Robot called Skipper, who had once captained the ship that protected Nayru’s Flame. Skipper leads us around the Ancient Sea in search of the ship stolen from him.
We search the shipyard, where we meet yet another Goron named Gortram, and the Pirate Stronghold, where we finally catch wind of the Sandship’s trail. We chased the invisible ship down, hurling bombs at it before it finally runs aground, giving Link the opportunity he needs to climb aboard and find the next Sacred Flame.
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General Discussion
Nayru’s Silent Realm
No.
So hard. It feels like if you don’t gather the tears in a particular order you’re sunk.
Clawshots
Yes.
A pair! Having two was first introduced in Twilight Princess
On our way to the Sand Sea
Golo
Meeting more Gorons!
Gossip Rocket
Unexpected callback to OoT’s Gossip Stone easter eggs.
Port
Cool smokestacks and such. Get the feeling this is definitely some kind of industrial port rather than a touristy/general population transit hub. Wish we could see the whole thing at once with the Time Shift Stones.
Sand Sea
Skipper
Pirate robot!
Knows he needs Time Shift Stones? Time Shift stone powers boat?
Sailing
Fun and relaxing. Skyward Sword’s style lends to water environments, a shame we don’t get a whole lot
Music makes for a great atmosphere.
Skipper’s Retreat
Kind of a bummer, pictures hung on the wall, “This image would indicate that the ship’s captain spent many happy days among his many crew members.”
Titanic reference
two broken robots that can’t be revived
Shipyard
Gortram (Goron entrepreneur)
Gorons are made of living stone?
Rickety Coaster
Lots of trial and error
Kinda fun tho, the fast pace of it is kind of addicting
Becomes a mini game
Moldarach
Mixed feelings about revisiting what had been the final boss of the Mining Facility
Further cemented that the Mining Facility was a stall–not its own major story beat/dungeon
Shannon struggled this time, out of practice with Gust Bellows
Signs on wall talking about safety and the drought
Felt a little cheated that at the end there was literally no reason to be there, i like exploring and would have done so on my own, don’t force me to do busy work
Pirate Stronghold
“Pirate captain is a mechanical maniac” Who makes bad robots?
Big shark/monster mouth (fisher price toy sets)
Why are there ruins of the ship (mast and sails)
Shannon didnt mind the logic puzzle nature of stronghold
Fun to carry the timeshift stone around and see things change in real time
What does that mean? Do they lose control of their technology?
Interior doesn’t really match the supposed purpose, even OoT Gerudo and MM Gerudo Pirates had like, communal areas and more functional rooms in it
Chasing the ship down
Ghost ships are amazing.
How is it not grounded like Skipper’s schooner/tugboat was at the port? “Sandship” assumes it can sail sand, but it couldnt have always been a sandship since it was built when there was water. When you hit it why does it only then become grounded?
Enemies
Metal Shield Moblin
Guardians
Watchers
Wooden Shield Moblin
Furnix
Sand Spume
Lizalfos
Red Bokoblins
Thunder Keese
Cranioc
Armos
Beamos
Technoblins
Deku Babas
Quadbabas
Electric Chuchu
Music:
Nayru’s Wisdom – Harp
Don’t mind Fi’s part in this song, less overpowering.
Like the delicate section at the end, feels like Christmas
Nayru’s Silent Realm
Less spooky than the Farore’s Silent Realm theme
Feels much like a music box
A bit ominous, melancholy
Lanayru Sand Sea
Synthesized woodwind (makes me think sand dunes)? Panpipe? slow steel drum in back (makes time feel slower here)? Oboe or clarinet chirping (makes me think of desolate expanses)
Lanayru Sand Sea (Past)
Prrreetty sure its the same.
Sailing the Sand Sea
Triumphant, happy. More instruments as you speed up.
Good travel music
Sim City-esque (in motion, builds)
Big bass drums
Vaguely desert
Minecart Ride
Loooovee the variable speed of the beat according to your cart speed
Twang with cabasa (beaded instrument) sounds like hidden traps
With some of the instrument choices i expected more creepy crawlies
Pirate Stronghold (Past)
More bass
Synth in background
Timpani
Busy, lots going on, overlapping and building, then receding again
Metalic
detective/murder mystery sort of feel
Like the descending portions
Joe:
Silent Realm was surprisingly difficult/stressful vs Farore’s. I really love that we actually got to go out onto the Sea that has been mentioned several times now. Interesting that Skipper knows he’s dependent on the Time Shift Stones to continue to exist, kind of dark. Hope when we leave Skipper for the last time we see him riding off into the sunset on his time shifted boat, i dont like the idea of him becoming a rusted heap again. I felt kind of teased in some areas of this section, but I enjoyed the mine cart portion and so I guess I’ll forgive. I’m excited to see some robot pirates.
Shannon:
Agreed. With the exception of the Silent Realm which was TERRIFYING, I really enjoyed exploring the Sand Sea on a little timeshift power boat canoe thingy.
Increasingly I’m sad that we’re nearing the climax of this game. For all my whining about not getting to the crux of the story, now that I’m there I don’t want to leave!
I have many questions about the Gorons. I’m thinking that perhaps Gorons at this point in time are in their colonization era. They are out and about traveling the world searching for ways to create roots. Maybe? I still have questions.
WHY IS THE SACRED FLAME ON A BOAT?! That is all.
The theme music for this podcast, Overworld, was created by Kevin Macleod of incomepetech.com, licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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