The World Between Worlds

[victorjhurtado]

I did a mockup of a giant Deku Tree that holds the World Between Worlds together with its giant vines (yggdrasil style) with a tiny Link for scale.
Hello fellow scholars. I had this idea for a world between worlds and I could use your Zelda lore experience to find a way to make this make sense lore-wise. Any tips, feedback, discussion about Zelda games that could be pertinent and all criticism welcomed.
Here's an elevator pitch for the world I had in mind prior to deciding to play in Tears of the Kingdom. Some of my players liked the idea, but what do you think? Would it be worth it to develop this further?

In The Legend of Zelda: A World Between Worlds (or Echoes of the Forgotten or Echoes Between Worlds or Echoes of the Lost Kingdom), embark on a thrilling adventure in a dimension like no other. Enter a void realm that exists between the legendary lands of Hyrule and Lorule, where the very essence of the Zelda universe intertwines. This convergence gives birth to a diverse tapestry of landscapes, characters, and challenges from all the beloved Zelda games, forming a truly extraordinary world. Journey through time-worn temples with puzzles inspired by the ingenious dungeons of past Zelda titles.
The World Between Worlds came into existence as a result of a cataclysmic event that occurred during a monumental clash between the forces of light and darkness. In a climactic battle between YTBD, the very fabric of reality was torn asunder, creating a void space that exists between the two dimensions. This dimensional rift acts as a nexus, drawing elements, energies, and remnants from various Zelda worlds and games, giving birth to the unique amalgamation that is the World Between Worlds.

Alternatively;
Long ago, an ancient civilization sought to harness the immense power of the Triforce. Through a series of ill-fated experiments, their hubris led to a catastrophic event known as the Sundering.
The resulting cataclysm tore open a rift in space-time, creating the World Between Worlds as a dimensional void. This realm became a convergence point for fragments of the shattered Triforce and the countless worlds and dimensions connected to it. The remnants of the ancient civilization were scattered across the newly formed dimension, forever locked in a state of ruin.
Now, the World Between Worlds serves as a reminder of the consequences of unchecked ambition of mortals and the enduring power of the Triforce. Adventurers who dare to enter this realm must navigate its perils, seeking to restore balance and prevent further exploitation of the Triforce's immense power.
Legend speaks of the possibility of mending the shattered Triforce within the World Between Worlds, but it is a task of great peril and responsibility. Only those who can navigate the dangers and gather the scattered fragments may have a chance to heal the world and prevent further chaos from consuming the Zelda universe.

 

[Chevywolf:30]

So I could see the progression being one of two ways: Each game is a separate dungeon, or the progression is through the same part of each game. The second idea was my first, I was thinking you would hop through Kokiri Forest/Windfall/Ordon/Skyloft etc, and then through all the 1st dungeons and so on and so forth.

The idea of each game being a dungeon was my second idea and I like it much better. I can't really articulate any specifics, but done right, it could be really cool to do a dungeon that was a flying recap of iconic Zelda games. Also it would be cool if these dungeons were MASSIVE, taking a couple of hours to complete. Just something off the top of my head.

Also, it would be cool if each world/game/dungeon was warped. Broken. Things are obviously not right. There was an Undertale thing I was looking at recently, called HELP_TALE, the concept there was that all the Undertale AUs merged into one, and each character was this horrific algamation, and you had to free/separate them, then there was a settlement of each version of all the different characters. That's a bit of a tangent, but my point is I could see something along those lines happening in this, say you go to Kokiri Forest and all the Kokiri are just (TotK Master Sword spoiler) frozen in place like the Koroks were, or you go to Outset and there's some monster from another game terrorizing the populace, or go to BotW Hyrule and it's a constant blood moon and the waters are overflowing but instead of waters, it's Malice. Broken reality, that sort of thing. Termina would EXTREMELY ****ed, seeing as how things are weird enough there already, it would be some sort of extradimensional, eldritch, cosmic horror, near impossible to restore. I'm thinking full wrath and power of Majora unleashed.

Those are just some ideas off the top of my head, feel free to do whatever with them.

 

[victorjhurtado]

So I could see the progression being one of two ways: Each game is a separate dungeon, or the progression is through the same part of each game. The second idea was my first, I was thinking you would hop through Kokiri Forest/Windfall/Ordon/Skyloft etc, and then through all the 1st dungeons and so on and so forth.

The idea of each game being a dungeon was my second idea and I like it much better. I can't really articulate any specifics, but done right, it could be really cool to do a dungeon that was a flying recap of iconic Zelda games. Also it would be cool if these dungeons were MASSIVE, taking a couple of hours to complete. Just something off the top of my head.

Also, it would be cool if each world/game/dungeon was warped. Broken. Things are obviously not right. There was an Undertale thing I was looking at recently, called HELP_TALE, the concept there was that all the Undertale AUs merged into one, and each character was this horrific algamation, and you had to free/separate them, then there was a settlement of each version of all the different characters. That's a bit of a tangent, but my point is I could see something along those lines happening in this, say you go to Kokiri Forest and all the Kokiri are just (TotK Master Sword spoiler) frozen in place like the Koroks were, or you go to Outset and there's some monster from another game terrorizing the populace, or go to BotW Hyrule and it's a constant blood moon and the waters are overflowing but instead of waters, it's Malice. Broken reality, that sort of thing. Termina would EXTREMELY ****ed, seeing as how things are weird enough there already, it would be some sort of extradimensional, eldritch, cosmic horror, near impossible to restore. I'm thinking full wrath and power of Majora unleashed.

Those are just some ideas off the top of my head, feel free to do whatever with them.

Thank you so much for your reply! I appreciate taking the time to engage and some of the things you have suggested align pretty well with the idea I have in mind, which I will combine with me below. Bare with me .

Let me start by clarifying that my initial idea is geared more towards a tabletop rpg game than a video game so there's room for more creative freedom. On the old zelda.com site, there was an entry for Termina that suggests there are countless dimensions unintentionally created by the Goddesses. The entry reads:

"When Hyrule was created by the three goddesses at the beginning of time, there were certain side effects of its creation which Din, Nayru and Farore did not anticipate. As the three holy women breathed life into the world and chased away Emptiness, their potent breath slipped through tiny cracks in the folds of space and created millions of alternate worlds in the process. One of these worlds became the land known as Termina.
It is possible that we would know nothing of Termina's existence if Link had not been led there by the mischievous actions of Skull Kid. Termina is very similar to Hyrule, but at the same time extremely different."

This text gives a possible origin for World Between Worlds as an alternate world, just like Termina. Now, how can I turn tWBW into the nexus?


My proposed cosmology:


The World Between Worlds serves as the nexus which connects all dimensions with Hyrule and Lorule. The giant Deku (Yggdrasil) Tree would be the physical representation of this connection. But how did the tWBW came to be? I still haven't decided, but lets list possibilities some people online suggested:

1. The World Between Worlds came into existence as a result of a cataclysmic event that occurred during a monumental clash between the forces of light and darkness. In a climactic battle between YTBD, the very fabric of reality was torn asunder, creating a void space that exists between the two dimensions. This dimensional rift acts as a nexus, drawing elements, energies, and remnants from various Zelda worlds and games, giving birth to the unique amalgamation that is the World Between Worlds.
2. Long ago, an ancient civilization sought to harness the immense power of the Triforce. Through a series of ill-fated experiments, their hubris led to a catastrophic event known as the Sundering. The resulting cataclysm tore open a rift in space-time, creating the World Between Worlds as a dimensional void. This realm became a convergence point for fragments of the shattered Triforce and the countless worlds and dimensions connected to it. The remnants of the ancient civilization were scattered across the newly formed dimension, forever locked in a state of ruin.

I am leaning more towards the second one and combining some of your ideas. If I go with the Legend of Zelda: Echoes of the Lost Kingdom as the title, I think that this lost kingdom could be a version of hyrule that existed on the main timeline. Perhaps somewhere before the Sheikah in BotW and the old timeline. Perhaps their Hubris was to try use the Triforce to unite the timelines, for reasons unknown. They succeeded, but that version of Hyrule was cast into this WBWs. No one is aware of this, except maybe the Sage of Time (the zelda of this world?) who receives glimpses of the events of all timelines from the games and keeps a record of them in murals inside the temple of time.
This would explain why elements from all games exists and connect with tWBW. Things perceived as lost or forgotten end up here. The deku tree that died in Oot becomes the giant deku tree holding tWBW. Where do all enemies slained in BotW with an ancient arrow go to? tWBW. Where did ganon send phantom ganon when he said a crack through the void? tWBW.

 

[Chevywolf:30]

Thank you so much for your reply! I appreciate taking the time to engage and some of the things you have suggested align pretty well with the idea I have in mind, which I will combine with me below. Bare with me .

Let me start by clarifying that my initial idea is geared more towards a tabletop rpg game than a video game so there's room for more creative freedom. On the old zelda.com site, there was an entry for Termina that suggests there are countless dimensions unintentionally created by the Goddesses. The entry reads:

"When Hyrule was created by the three goddesses at the beginning of time, there were certain side effects of its creation which Din, Nayru and Farore did not anticipate. As the three holy women breathed life into the world and chased away Emptiness, their potent breath slipped through tiny cracks in the folds of space and created millions of alternate worlds in the process. One of these worlds became the land known as Termina.
It is possible that we would know nothing of Termina's existence if Link had not been led there by the mischievous actions of Skull Kid. Termina is very similar to Hyrule, but at the same time extremely different."

This text gives a possible origin for World Between Worlds as an alternate world, just like Termina. Now, how can I turn tWBW into the nexus?


My proposed cosmology:
View attachment 71563

The World Between Worlds serves as the nexus which connects all dimensions with Hyrule and Lorule. The giant Deku (Yggdrasil) Tree would be the physical representation of this connection. But how did the tWBW came to be? I still haven't decided, but lets list possibilities some people online suggested:

1. The World Between Worlds came into existence as a result of a cataclysmic event that occurred during a monumental clash between the forces of light and darkness. In a climactic battle between YTBD, the very fabric of reality was torn asunder, creating a void space that exists between the two dimensions. This dimensional rift acts as a nexus, drawing elements, energies, and remnants from various Zelda worlds and games, giving birth to the unique amalgamation that is the World Between Worlds.
2. Long ago, an ancient civilization sought to harness the immense power of the Triforce. Through a series of ill-fated experiments, their hubris led to a catastrophic event known as the Sundering. The resulting cataclysm tore open a rift in space-time, creating the World Between Worlds as a dimensional void. This realm became a convergence point for fragments of the shattered Triforce and the countless worlds and dimensions connected to it. The remnants of the ancient civilization were scattered across the newly formed dimension, forever locked in a state of ruin.

I am leaning more towards the second one and combining some of your ideas. If I go with the Legend of Zelda: Echoes of the Lost Kingdom as the title, I think that this lost kingdom could be a version of hyrule that existed on the main timeline. Perhaps somewhere before the Sheikah in BotW and the old timeline. Perhaps their Hubris was to try use the Triforce to unite the timelines, for reasons unknown. They succeeded, but that version of Hyrule was cast into this WBWs. No one is aware of this, except maybe the Sage of Time (the zelda of this world?) who receives glimpses of the events of all timelines from the games and keeps a record of them in murals inside the temple of time.
This would explain why elements from all games exists and connect with tWBW. Things perceived as lost or forgotten end up here. The deku tree that died in Oot becomes the giant deku tree holding tWBW. Where do all enemies slained in BotW with an ancient arrow go to? tWBW. Where did ganon send phantom ganon when he said a crack through the void? tWBW.

Ah ok. I'm admittedly not as familiar with tabletop stuff, having never done anything of the sort before. I like the idea of the Sage of Time being the lorekeeper, maybe have her be the place the players go to get the next quest or something?