In my first playthrough of Breath of the Wild, the first legitimately intriguing location I encountered after leaving the Great Plateau was Hickaly Woods. I was still getting used to the open world around me, grappling with how big Hyrule truly was, and Hickaly Woods felt like an exciting example of how much detailed lore and mystery had been sewn into Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule. The forest clues the player in on what this saga of a game will hold.
Learning of the devastating apocalypse can be a punch to the gut, while watching civilization flourish as a stable network is a breath of fresh air. After finishing the Great Plateau tutorial segment, stumbling across the Dueling Peaks Stable was a relief for me. There, Link meets Domidak and Prissen, twin adventurers who are on the hunt for a secret treasure stash left by Misko, the Great Bandit.
This stash, as it turns out, is located at the head of the river that runs underneath the Little Twin Bridge, and Link is required to pass through Hickaly Woods in order to get there. It’s a quaint forest nestled beside a river small enough to be considered an offshoot of the Squabble River, which flows between the Dueling Peaks. The Toto Sah Shrine is hidden behind a loose cluster of rocks built into the cliff overlooking the river. A bomb needs to be placed in the river; if timed correctly, the explosion will blow the rocks away.
The forest itself is home to two Koroks who will provide Link with Seeds, as well as multiple low-level enemies like Octoroks and Bokoblins. Interestingly, a Blupee can also be seen sprinting through the trees. It’s isolated and, like all Blupees, incredibly skittish. When I returned to Hickaly Woods after playing the game for a while, I initially thought that it might be hinting at a nearby Fairy Fountain, but that turned out not to be the case. However, in my search I came across a Stalnox, which was a surprise to see so close to what’s considered a “beginner location” in the game.
Misko’s stash contains several gemstones (Opal, Amber, and two Sapphires) and a Luminous Stone. There are also some quality weapons, including a Flameblade, which may be the player’s first encounter with an elemental weapon. They’re all very valuable things, and I believe that is the purpose of the seemingly random Blupee. If Link has already heard of Blupees, then he knows that they are a symbol of good fortune and wealth; striking one with an arrow even makes it drop a Rupee or two. It could be said that this Blupee is a ghost of the reputation that Misko carried with them.
Misko is a figure shrouded in mystery. It’s possible that their legacy as a folk hero is specific to Necluda, as nearly all the people who mention Misko reside there. Once a myth that flourished beyond the region prior to the Calamity, they have since been demoted back down to the status of local legend. This tracks with Misko’s journal, an exclusive DLC item, which can be found in the Deya Village Ruins.
Hickaly Woods, to me, represents everything that Link will encounter throughout his adventure once he leaves the Plateau. Local legends are just one part of the picture. Shrines will sometimes be hidden, and creative solutions will be required to uncover them. The game doesn’t have much in the way of linear progression — dangerous enemies can be lurking around any corner, and the ability to run from a fight is often an overlooked feature. Climbing, swimming, solving riddles, and coming to your own conclusions about the lore are what make Breath of the Wild the game that it is.
