Hylian (species)

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Hylians (“HY-lee-ən”) are the most widespread of people in Hyrule, renowned for their many cities and a broad cultural influence. In many ways hylians parallel real-world humans, but distinct, as real-world humans do not exist in most legends of Hyrule.

Hylians tend to be very sympathetic towards creatures outside their own people, sometimes even when the sentiment is not mutual. Perhaps this is why even folks as disparate gorons and zora often have close ties with hylians.

Though hylians are closely tied with Hyrule, a kingdom ruled over by a Royal Family of hylians, they are not unique to this land. Hylians can be found across the sea in seemingly any land hospitable enough to sustain their way of life.

Varied Appearances

Hylians come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, statures, and colors. Their appearances more diverse than almost any other lineage. Skin tones all have a tinge of tan, but range from so dark as to to be nearly jet-black to so pale as to be snow-white, with the majority landing somewhere in the middle as a sandy hue.

Hair color is typically black, brown, or blonde but can include red, white, red, blue, and on occasion even more esoteric colors. Eyes are most often brown, sometimes blue, and can often by rarer colors.

Those of strong sheikah ancestry typically have red eyes and white hair their entire lives, while other hylians' hair only becomes white with advanced age. Those of Lorulean heritage are more likely to have hair and eyes of a navy blue or dark purple color.

Most modern hylians have pointed ears, though some have rounded ears.

Hylia's Chosen

Hylians get their name from the goddess Hylia, who has been considered the patron deity of these people since time immemorial. According to legend she played a hand in vanquishing Demise, a demon so tainted with evil that his name itself has become foreboding. She paved the way for hylians to settle the land. According to other tales Hylia incarnated as the first princess of Hyrule, Princess Zelda, and every firstborn princess since then has carried this bloodline and this name.

The magical powers and supernatural perception wielded by some hylians is said to be a direct result of ancestry to this goddess, or at least the worship of her. Many hylians still uphold this deity, and some claim to even hear her words, but reverence of her is not universal. In lands where Hylia isn't revered as widely, such as Termina and Holodrum, the term "hylian" is less frequently used in favor of more regional names such as Terminan and Holodrumite.

Princess Zelda and the Hyrule Royal Family are the longest-lasting and most influential kingdom in the known world. They honor the legacy of Hylia in their regalia.

Capital Cities

Compared to most people, hylians as a whole are rather structured and hard-working. Their economies are very robust, their military forces are often well-trained, and their libraries of knowledge tend to be relatively deep and broad&mdashlat least compared to most other people in this world.

Castle Town, home to the royal family and many hylians, has sat in the heart of Hyrule since ancient times. It is the largest city in its continent, home to a bustling center of trade and study. The castle and surrounding town have survived countless raids by armies and monsters thanks to its organized military forces and stone walls. Even so, it has been rebuilt many times.

Castle Town is mirrored by many other cities across lands and worlds: Clock Town in Termina, Lynna City in Labrynna, or even Thieves' Town in Lorule. It seems wherever hylians settle they tend to create a particularly robust city or two.

Agriculture & Prosperity

Hylians' wide population doesn't come from nothing. Their prosperous ranches like Lon Lon, and farming villages like Hateno, provide a seemingly endless surplus of food and resources across robust trade networks that sprawl across the lands they call home. It's little surprise that travelers, merchants, and adventurers are most often hylians.

The culinary traditions of hylian are, likewise, legendary. Well-prepared hylian food is even said to heal wounds instantly, or have other magical benefits. This culture has come to influence even gorons. Gorons don't even eat the same foods as hylians, but nonetheless often reshape the rocks they eat to resemble hylian meats or other dishes.

For all this and more hylians seem to have a wellspring of goods to flood the markets of the world. Some say hylians are even the progenitor of the world's most widespread currency, the rupee.

Lineage details

 Alignment. Hylians vary wildly in alignment, but as a whole have a slight tendency towards lawful good.
 Age. Hylians reach adulthood in their late teens and have a life expectancy of just under a century. A rare few, especially those of the Sheikah subrace, have lived to see 120 years or more.
 Size. Adult hylians are usually between 5 and 6 feet. Your size is Medium.
 Diet. As a Medium humanoid, each day you require at least 1 pound of food and 1 gallon of water to avoid exhaustion.
 Names. Hylian names encompass many styles and originate from diverse cultures, but a name is most likely comprised of two syllables. Surnames are rarely used except for nobles. Male examples include Beedle, Dampé, Daphnes, Error, Gaepora, Groose, Gulley, Gustaf, Ingo, Jovani, Kafei, Link, Mutoh, Sakon, and Talon. Female examples include Agitha, Amei, Anju, Aryll, Cremia, Karane, Linkle, Irene, Marcy, Mallara, Malon, Peatrice, Romani, Telma, Tetra, and Zelda.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
4′ 8"	+2d10	100 lb.	× (2d4)

Character traits

Widespread and influential, the Hylia-blessed race is comprised of social creatures relatively advanced in the ways of magic and technology.

 Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
 Language. You can read, write, and speak Hylian.
 Vocation. You have proficiency with one artisan's tool, musical instrument, or vehicle. Alternatively you can speak, read, and read one additional language of your choice.
 Hylia's Chosen. The goddess Hylia has guided hylians since time immemorial, and her protection still subtly lingers in all modern hylians. When you make a saving throw in which you lack proficiency, add a +1 bonus to the roll.
 Subrace. As they come from many varied backgrounds, hylians have many subraces. Choose one from common, divine, lorulean, outlander, sheikah, skyloftian, wind tribe, and yiga clan.

Divine

 Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution, Wisdom, and Charisma scores all increase by 1.
 Hylia's Sword. You know one cantrip of your choice from any sage spell list. Wisdom is your casting ability for it.
 Hylia's Shield. Whenever you roll a 1 on a saving throw, you can re-roll the die and use the new result.

The ancestry of a divine hylian has particularly strong connection to the goddess Hylia herself, whether they realize it or not. Consequently, these hylians often have features characteristic of Hylia's mortal incarnation such as particularly fair hair and skin, ears with prominent points, and remarkable kindness. These hylians are most abundant near Hyrule Castle.

Outlander

 Ability Score Increase. Your Strength, Constitution, and Wisdom scores each increase by 1.
 Tenacity. When you are reduced to 0 heart points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 heart point instead. You can't use this trait again until you finish a long rest.
 Improvised Skills. When you make an ability check that would use a skill in which you lack proficiency, add a +1 bonus to the roll if no other bonus applies to the roll.

These hylians live far from what most other hylians consider civilization, including remote farms or even dimly lit caves. Compared to other hylians, outlanders are particularly prone to hair colored black, brown, or red.

Sheikah

 Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom scores each increase by 1.
 Divinely Guided. When you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can re-roll the die and must use the new roll. You must complete a long rest before you can use this trait again.
 Fleet of Foot. Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet.

Sheikah are an ancient race that was once considered separate from hylians—a tribe whose existence has been forgotten by many, perhaps including you. You are one of the few sheikah whose genes have not yet been completely diluted among hylians. Your silver hair and stark red irises signify this. Sheikah heritage is most abundant near Kakariko Village.

Lorulean

 Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity, Constitution, and Wisdom scores each increase by 1.
 Darkvision. Accustomed to a realm of darkness, you can see in the absence of light better than most. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
 Survivor. The population of your people has been dwindling since the decline of your kingdom, but you have learned to persevere better than most. You have proficiency in the Survival skill.

Loruleans hail from the dark, parallel realm known as the Dark World, where the Lorulean Kingdom is in decline. This dark and unforgiving world forces Lorulean hylians to be more resourceful than their Hyrulean counterparts. There are few ways for an individual to travel between Hyrule and Lorule, and most often it is a one-way trip resulting from an unintended magic effect.

Skyloftian

 Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity, Wisdom, and Charisma scores all increase by 1.
 Animal Kinship. Universally, skyloftians rely on the aid of animals for life and for travel. You have proficiency in the Animal Handling skill.
 Loftwing. You enjoy the faithful service of a loftwing, whom you cannot sell. You can ride your loftwing for travel and for mounted combat, but it will not accept another rider. If your loftwing is within hearing distance, it will come at your call. During combat, if you are not riding your loftwing it is controlled by your DM and will make every reasonable effort to escape the combat by itself, and will never willingly attack any creature. Your loftwing will not fly during nighttime, nor in dim light or darkness, and if forced to do so it will land at the earliest opportunity. Your loftwing can carry one more Medium object or creature weighting no more than 300 pounds, but while carrying an additional creature its movement is halved and attacks which target it have advantage. If your loftwing falls while you ride it, you fall too.

Since time immemorial, your people have lived on floating islands in the sky called Skyloft. Your kin relies on the giant birds, loftwings, for transport between islands. Even with their help, it is difficult for you to reach the surface—such a place may seem like a foreign, exotic land to you.
     Your people share the same land once used by Hylia Herself to protect hylians from Demise. It is said by some that skyloftians are close to Hylia.

Wind Tribe

Spell Slot Alternative

Some players may prefer traditional spell slot levels over Hyrulean magic points. If this is the case for you, consider using the following trait in place of Magic Adept and Wind Magic.      Wind Spells. You know the touch wind cantrip. You can cast feather fall as a 1st-level spell; you must finish a short or long rest to cast the spell again using this trait.

 Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores each increase by 1.
 Magic Adept. Members of the wind tribe are abnormally talented with spellcasting. Your magic point maximum increases by 2.
 Wind Magic. You know the touch wind cantrip. You know the feather fall spell, and can cast it as normal using magic points.

This tribe is separated from most hylians generations ago. These scarlet-haired people primarily live in a magically enchanted region of the sky, known as Cloud Tops. Unlike most hylians, their hair is always of a pinkish-red hue, and they have inherent mastery over some wind-based magic.
     Though they are amicable to skyloftians, these two sky-dwelling tribes live far away from each other and seem to have few relations.

Yiga Clan

Spell Slot Alternative

Some players may prefer traditional spell slot levels over Hyrulean magic points. If this is the case for you, consider using the following trait in place of Yiga Magic.      Yiga Spell. You can cast warping step as a 1st-level spell; you must finish a short or long rest to cast the spell again using this trait.

 Ability Score Increase. Your Strength, Dexterity, and Charisma scores each increase by 1.
 Yiga Training. You have proficiency in a disguise kit, a forgery kit, or a poisoner's kit.
 Yiga Magic. Your magic point maximum increases by 2. You know the warping step spell, and can cast it as normal using magic points.

This sect of hylians are a secret society that works against the endeavors of the Hyrule Royal Family and therefore most other hylians, but especially against sheikah. Yiga symbols and culture are often inverted versions of traditional sheikah counterparts, intended to be both an insult and a mission statement.
     Most yiga are trained from birth in the arts of disguise, subterfuge, and assassination for the sole purpose of taking down the royal family and those who support it. It's even common for them to practice magic. Despite their small numbers in the modern era, the yiga are one of the largest threats to the Kingdom of Hyrule. The spiteful culture among yiga seems to draw them towards evil.

The material on this page is based on content found throughout the Legend of Zelda series, which is copyright Nintendo Co., Ltd.