Lantern Caverns
This game features numerous special caverns that can best be understood as miniature dungeons. A few of these caverns are very dark and require the use of Link’s Lantern in order to be able to see your way through. These are the Lantern Caverns, and they are typically filled with treasure, which it’ll be worth your time collecting. Each time you enter a Lantern Cavern, however, make sure you have a full supply of Lantern Oil before you go in, and preferably more in one of your Bottles as well. There are technically three Lantern Caverns in the game, however since the first such cavern is little more than a connecting path between regions of Faron Woods and is required for progressing in the game anyway (see Chapter 1 for details), this section will focus solely on the two optional Lantern Caverns.
Lantern Cavern #1 – Hyrule Field
After you’ve obtained Bombs, you can access this first cavern (though it might be advisable to wait until you’ve gained the ability to turn into Wolf Link at will). Go to the region of Hyrule Field known as Kakariko Gorge. In the southwest corner of this area is a Bomb Rock in the wall. Blow it up to gain entry to the Lantern Cavern.
As you enter, a web blocks your path. Simply burn it away by swinging the Lantern at it. Soon, the path will fork–go north (i.e. straight ahead). Dispatch a couple Deku Babas who attempt to lunge at you on the way. The road forks again, so veer right (i.e. northeast). You’ll seem to come to a dead end, but then a Yellow Chu will drop from the ceiling to attack you. Defeat it, then quickly scoop up its remains if you have an Empty Bottle to obtain Yellow Chu Jelly–this will be your source of Lantern Oil if you run low! (Note: If you don’t have an Empty Bottle, just scoop it with your Lantern instead to refill it instantly.) Go back, and this time take the northwest path at the previous fork. Burn another web, then eliminate the Skulltula on the other side of it. Behind the Skulltula is a small treasure chest containing a Red Rupee (20). You’re now done in this region of the cave.
Return to where the path first diverged, and this time venture west. Battle past a pair of Keese, then burn the web beyond them. Two more Keese await, as well as another web. Ahead is a kind of doorway, where a couple Tektites will meet you. Introduce them to Link’s sword, and move on. Light a torch at this next junction, and you’ll again have two paths to choose. If you go north, you’ll find Rats guarding skulls and suspended jars that will give you various goodies like Recovery Hearts, Arrows, and Rupees. Go west to continue through the cavern.
More enemies lurk in the upcoming corridor, so take care of them accordingly. When the path diverges again, take the left route (i.e. leading southwest). Burn a couple webs in your way, exterminate a Keese, and finally engage a Skulltula at the end. Light a torch in this room, and open the treasure chest for a Purple Rupee (50). Return to the previous fork, and this time go northwest.
Take out more Keese as you approach the final fork in the road. Only go right (i.e. northeast) if you have the capability of turning into Wolf Link. For at the end of this path you’ll find an Imp Poe! Defeat it after activating your wolf sense and add a Poe Soul to your collection. (If you can’t turn into Wolf Link yet, you’ll have to come back here later if you want the Poe Soul.) Now return and burn the web leading northwest to reach the final room of this cavern. Destroy the sole Skulltula in here, and light both torches you find. This will cause a treasure chest to appear and give you your true reward for trekking this far: a Piece of Heart! To exit, it’s just a simple matter of following your in-game map all the way back to the entrance. (Any enemies you defeated along the way will still be gone, so that makes the return journey much easier.)
Lantern Cavern #2 – Lake Hylia
From the entrance to Lanayru Spring in Lake Hylia, follow the wooden walkway east to a grassy ledge, then across to the next walkway. On this next stretch of land, you can find a wooden bridge leading southeast–take it. Climb up the ladder you find on the other side, then up onto the next ledge. On your right against the south wall is a Bomb Rock concealing a cave entrance. Destroy the rock to create an opening. Now this is the most advanced of all the special caverns in the game (except the Cave of Ordeals), so make sure you’re well prepared before going inside. In addition to lots of Lantern Oil, make sure you’re well stocked on Bombs too, and maybe Arrows.
Go forward through the dark hallway, and light the torch when you reach the first room. There are Bomb Rocks in each of the three directions you can go, so blow them all up. Open the treasure chest in the east alcove for Bombs (5) and do the same in the north alcove (beat back the swarm of Keese as you do) for a Yellow Rupee (10). The way forward is through the west opening.
Make your way west, then north to the next room, and light another torch. You’ll be assaulted by a Yellow Chu in here, so dispose of it, and be sure to use an Empty Bottle or your Lantern to scoop up its remains to gain some Yellow Chu Jelly, which can come in handy in here. Blow up Bomb Rocks to the west and east; in the east alcove is a treasure chest containing a Red Rupee (20). Now keep going west.
Torch Slugs line the ceiling as you enter this next corridor. Either defeat them as they drop or just run/roll quickly by. In the next room ahead is an Imp Poe, which is only relevant if you can change into Wolf Link and fight it for a Poe Soul. If not, you’ll have to avoid its attacks as you light the torch in here and destroy Bomb Rocks to the west and north. In the west alcove, you can find a treasure chest with Arrows (10) inside. Now take the north passage.
Be very careful as you move through this corridor, and definitely make sure you have your Lantern on. For you’ll have to cross a bridge over a bottomless pit here. Note that the game registers this entire cavern as a single room, so if you fall into a pit at any point, you’ll respawn all the way back at the very beginning of the cave! Be careful too of the Tektites that jump out to meet you as you cross the bridge. If you’re concerned, you can just take them out from a distance with the Hero’s Bow. Continue on to the next room, and deactivate the Beamos in here with an Arrow to the eye. The torch in this room is against the west wall. Blow up Bomb Rocks on the north and east walls next. In the north alcove is another treasure chest, this one containing a Red Rupee (20). All that’s left is to go east.
You’ll have an uneventful journey through the next tunnel, hopping down some steps, until you reach the following room. You have two torches to light, and doing so causes a treasure chest to appear in the center, this one containing an Orange Rupee (100)! Moreover, a Yellow Chu is in here, ready to provide you with some oil-based jelly if you’re in need. Bomb Rocks impede your progress north and east once again, so destroy them. From the north, a pair of Tektites will emerge, but taking care of them is easy. They’re guarding a small treasure chest with another Red Rupee (20) inside. Keep going east.
Follow the tunnel east, then north to reach another room. In here, the torch is already lit for you. Dispatch the Dodongo you meet in this room, and ready more Bombs (or Bomb Arrows) for the Bomb Rocks in all three directions you haven’t been yet. Another pair of Tektites will bounce out of the north alcove, so put them down. The treasure chest they were guarding will give you Bombs (5). Be careful of the west alcove, as it contains a beam of light that provides one of the cavern’s exits. Don’t go that way! We still have lots to collect here, so continue east.
Caution is in order again, as you’ll have to cross another bridge over a bottomless pit. There is another pit on the right after that, as you hop down the steps–make sure you don’t hop into the abyss! (Definitely have your Lantern out for this segment.) As you approach the next room, take out the Beamos with a well-aimed Arrow. Light the torch behind it, and you’ll have three more Bomb Rocks to destroy. A swarm of Keese will attack you from the south alcove, so use a Spin Attack to eradicate them. Open the treasure chest in that alcove for Arrows (10). Do the same in the east alcove for a Purple Rupee (50). Now the next part of your trip takes you north.
This next corridor starts going north, then curves around toward the west. Destroy the Torch Slugs that drop from the ceiling as you progress. Soon you’ll come to a wider portion of the corridor, and you’ll have to take extra care here, as there are bottomless pits scattered all over the place–and both Torch Slugs and Keese are in this area too! Take them out methodically, especially when you find yourself on narrow ground with the abyss on either side of you. To be completely safe, you might want to take out the enemies from a distance with the Bow.
After you’ve safely made it through, another Imp Poe will meet you in the following room. Destroy it for a Poe Soul if you’re Wolf Link, or avoid it if you can’t fight it. Light the torch in the center of the room, and blow up another three Bomb Rocks. More Tektites will meet you from the west, so dispatch them. Open the treasure chest in the west alcove for Bombs (10) as well as the chest in the north alcove for a Purple Rupee (50). Continue your journey southward.
Simply go a short ways south and west to reach the next room, where a torch is already lit for you. This time, you have two Dodongos to deal with (preferably engage one at a time so you’re not having to dodge fire breath coming from two different directions). Take out the two Bomb Rocks in this room, and in the north alcove you’ll find a small treasure chest holding Seeds (50). Also in here are a pair of Yellow Chus that you can defeat and use for free Lantern Oil. Next, resume going west.
After a short trip to the next room, light the torch and blow open Bomb Rocks to the west and south. A legion of Keese will assault you from the west alcove so meet them with a Spin Attack or whatever tactic you like best. Open the treasure chest they were guarding to collect an Orange Rupee (100). Don’t worry, we’re almost there! Head south for the final leg of this journey.
Bring out your Lantern in this final hallway, as you have more bridges over bottomless pits to cross, plus Keese who will do what they can to knock you into those pits. Whenever you’re on safe ground, wait for them to come to you, then slash them with your sword. You can try picking them off from a distance with Arrows too. Once the battle music ends with that characteristic flourish, you know you’re safe!
A third Imp Poe welcomes you as you enter the final room. Destroy it with Wolf Link and claim one final Poe Soul if you’re able, or just do your best to evade it if not. Light both torches in this room to cause a treasure chest to appear. Open it to receive the prize you’ve come all this way to claim: a Piece of Heart! Unlike the previous Lantern Cavern, you can exit this one by simply stepping into the beam of light at the south end of this room to be transported back to Hyrule Field.
(Note: If you’re not able to transform into Wolf Link your first time through this cavern, you’ll have to return later after you’ve obtained that ability in order to collect the three Poe Souls in here.)
