Fortress of Winds

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The Fortress of Winds is a location in The Minish Cap.[1] It is large complex that was once inhabited by the Wind Tribe;[2][3] however, they abandoned it and traveled to the Cloud Tops,[4][5] making it serve as the third Dungeon in the game. Instead of receiving the Wind Element from this Dungeon, which the Wind Tribe took with them to the skies, the Ocarina of Wind is obtained, allowing Link to fly to any uncovered Wind Crest in Hyrule.[2][6]

Entrance to the Fortress

The Fortress of Winds is located deep within the Wind Ruins. To access the Fortress of Winds, Link must bypass the Armos statues scattered across the Wind Ruins and make his way to the northeastern section of the Ruins, where the Fortress of Winds is situated. Shortly after entering the Fortress of Winds, Ezlo will warn Link to watch his step while in the Fortress.[7]

Themes and Navigation

The Dungeon is effectively a three-dimensional maze, as it has three floors and rooms on the same floor are rarely connected, moreso than in most other Dungeons. Thus, it routes from one part of the Dungeon to another involving both horizontal travel through part of a given floor and vertical travel between floors via ladders or holes that Link must fall through.[8] Much of the Dungeon requires the use of the Bow to hit Eyeball Switches, the White Sword in order for Link to hold down multiple floor Switches or push large blocks, and the Pegasus Boots in order to cross temporary bridges.[9] The main items of the Dungeon are the Mole Mitts, which are instrumental for navigation, as much of the Dungeon is filled with loose earth that must be tunneled through to proceed. Sections of the Fortress of Winds require Link to become Minish-sized to access other areas. A Piece of Heart requires Link to shrink down and fall down from the third floor, enter a crack in the wall and reemerge from a Minish Portal to obtain it.

There area total of five Kinstone Pieces within the Fortress of Winds. On the opposite sides of the first room, there is a Chest containing a Kinstone Piece and a large green Rupee. The middle-left room from the first room leads to an area with two Chests that contain Kinstone Pieces. The following rooms contain Kinstone Pieces within Chests that are surrounded by loose earth. The Compass is found in a room guarded by two Eyegore Statues. To activate them, Link must charge the White Sword and create a copy of himself to step on the two Switches in front of them. Once destroyed, the Chest containing the Compass will appear. The Dungeon Map is located on a raised platform in the central pathway on the second floor, though Eyegore Statues block the path to it.

A Red Darknut serves as one of the Sub-Bosses. When defeated, a blue portal appears, leading back to the entrance of the Dungeon. The Mole Mitts are located in a room behind a Bomb-destructible wall in a narrow passageway following the Darknut's chamber. Within the same room is a Chest containing 100 Rupees. The other Sub-Bosses are two Wizzrobes aided by four malicious Braziers, which guard a Chest with 80 Mysterious Shells. The red portal appears near the Boss's chamber. To activate it, Link must push a lone block towards the nearest wall, making it symmetrical with the other blocks in the room. The Big Key is located in the southeastern-most part of the second floor. To reach it, Link must descend from the right hole on the eastern section of the third floor. The left hole will lead Link to the left divide of the platform containing the Chest, which Link can jump down from to try again.

The Fortress of Winds is home to Mazaal, an automated mechanism that serves to defend the Fortress from intruders.[10] Unusual for The Legend of Zelda series, the Fortress of Winds has a post-Boss area. After defeating Mazaal, Link ascends to the roof of the Dungeon, where he finds the Ocarina of Wind and a plaque telling of the Wind Tribe's departure to the Cloud Tops and the true location of the Wind Element.[11][12]

Minor Enemies

Nomenclature

Names in Other Regions
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Trivia

  • Despite its name, the Fortress of Winds is not wind-themed whatsoever. The name refers to the Wind Tribe who previously inhabited the Fortress.
  • The Fortress of Winds is one of only two main Dungeons in The Minish Cap that do not reward an Element upon completion, the other being Dark Hyrule Castle.

Gallery

  • Inside the entrance of the Fortress of Winds

    Inside the entrance of the Fortress of Winds

  • The first floor

    The first floor

  • The second floor

    The second floor

  • The third floor

    The third floor

  • The top floor

    The top floor

References

  1. ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 272 (TMCThe Minish Cap)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 This is the home of the Wind Tribe. We left the surface long ago. Now, we guard the entrance to the Palace of Winds... ...In this palace, the Wind Element resides. — N/A (The Minish Cap)
  3. ↑ Although we are of the Wind Tribe, we, too, once lived on the surface. Once, the place you call the Wind Ruins was, to us, a home. — Caprice (The Minish Cap)
  4. ↑ The people who built the Wind Ruins. They now live above the clouds, suspended by their own magic ability to control the wind. — Figurine (The Minish Cap)
  5. ↑ Our tribe abandoned the place you call the Wind Ruins... With our magic, we moved our palace up into the skies. We are the Wind Tribe. — Siroc (The Minish Cap)
  6. ↑ I do believe this is where the Tribe of the Winds once lived. Hm... So they've left for the heavens, and taken their element with them. — Ezlo (The Minish Cap)
  7. ↑ Hm. To think the ruins were hidden within this cliff the whole time! Watch your step, Link. There may be traps in here. — Ezlo (The Minish Cap)
  8. ↑ Hmn?! Did something just fall down, or was it just my imagination? — Ezlo (The Minish Cap)
  9. ↑ Phew...! We barely made it! I was certain we'd run out of time! — Ezlo (The Minish Cap)
  10. ↑ Appears in the Fortress of Winds. Constructed by the Wind Tribe to repel intruders, this sturdy machine cannot be destroyed by any external force. — Figurine (The Minish Cap)
  11. ↑ We are the Tribe of The Winds. Long have we lived with the winds. We have mastered them. Now, we join them. Together, with the great winds at our backs, we head for the skies. Those who come seeking our power must play the notes Zeffa teaches. May they lead you onward to the power that you seek. — Stone Tablet (The Minish Cap)
  12. ↑ I do believe this is where the Tribe of the Winds once lived. Hm... So they've left for the heavens, and taken their element with them. It looks like the Wind Element is beyond our reach for the time being. We have no choice but to press on. Let's get out of here. — Ezlo (The Minish Cap)
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