The Link Between Worlds is a nexus that connects Kinolangdanzel, Morwitijaal, and Itnamzand with the Freezing Caves and Shattered Lands.
Because it connects these three dungeons, the Link can be used to quickly travel between Haafingar and Falkreath, or Skyrim and Solstheim.
The Link Between Worlds is composed of blue crystals and water, as well as Dwemer and Apocryphal architecture.
The Link Between Worlds is only accessible by opening gates in Kinolangdanzel Shrine, Morwitijaal Sanctuary, or Itnamzand Sanctum with the Song of Time.
Once the Link Between Worlds is accessed, Zelda's Bow can be found within. The Freezing Caves are also accessible.
A small cage is located by the entrance to Kinolangdanzel from the Link Between Worlds. This cage is opened with the same key that opened Kinolangdanzel Shrine. Inside the cage is a white crystal that will lower a bridge near the Link's Morwitijaal entrance, allowing access to a second cage and crystal. The Morwitijaal crystal is opened with the same key as Morwitijaal Sanctuary. The crysyal lowers a third bridge, allowing access to a third crystal near the Itnamzand entrance. This crystal, once it is unlocked with the Itnamzand Sanctum key, will allow access to the Shattered Lands.
Lore[]
The Link Between Worlds is a remnant of the Temple of Light, re-purposed as a connection between the Freezing Caves and Shattered Lands, which are both fragments of Hyrule. Kinolangdanzel, Morwitijaal, and Itnamzand were built around rifts between the physical realm and the ethereal realm in which the temple was located. The Dwemer and Ancient Nords who discovered these entrances fortified them. Upon entering the Link, Dwemer and Nords found that daedra from Apocrypha had established a presence there, as outlined in the book Twilight and Apocrypha. The mortals soon became overwhelmed by the Link, and abandoned their construction within it, sealing the fortified entrances they had made. The daedra of Apocrypha also left after finishing their studies of the Link Between Worlds, Freezing Caves, and Shattered Lands. The architecture they left behind grows and changes over time.
Crystals from the Link Between Worlds can be found in Kinolangdanzel, Morwitijaal, Itnamzand, the Freezing Caves, and Kakariko Village, usually near the connection these places have to the Link. The crystals outside the Link can be thought of ethereal anchors, keeping the Link Between Worlds rooted simultaneously to Skyrim's present and Hyrule's past, namely The Freezing Caves and Shattered Lands.
Background and Inspiration[]
The Link Between Worlds was added with Kinolangdanzel in version 3.0 of Relics of Hyrule. It can be seen in the Kinolangdanzel trailer as well as the Itnamzand trailer. It was designed to connect Kinolangdanzel to the Freezing Caves, and was expanded in 4.4 with the addition of Morwitijaal. At this time Itnamzand was already planned, so its entrance was added to the Link, but was inaccessible. When Itnamzand was added to the mod in version 5.0, the Link was given new lighting. Prior to 5.0, there was heavy fog in the Link.
In version 6.5.21, White crystals replaced valves that first existed in the Link to make it more unique, and to train players to use crystals of the same appearance in the Archive.
The connection between the Link Between Worlds and the Shattered Lands requires either Whirlwind Sprint or theRoc's Cape. This was done to ensure the player could traverse areas in the Shattered Lands and Ruptured Towers.
The Link Between Worlds is named after the Zelda game of the same name. At one point, the Link was going to be called A Link to the Past. However, JKalenad decided that its current name was more fitting of its nature as an intersection and potential means of travel between the Freezing Caves, Shattered Lands, Skyrim, and Solstheim. The addition of the Ruptured Towers further cemented this reasoning.
The Link Between Worlds uses assets from the interior of Azura's Star to give it a mysterious and mystical atmosphere and similar appearance to the Chamber of the Sages from Ocarina of Time, as well as to get more use out of the assets than a single location in a single quest.
See Also[]
Gallery[]
The Morwitijaal entrance of the Link Between Worlds prior to version 5.0
The Link Between Worlds prior to version 6.4
Video[]
The Phantom Hourglass and The Shattered Lands - Relics of Hyrule Video Guide
The Link Between Worlds is featured in this video starting at 1:39. Everything prior is outdated.