The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass/Stranded

Link will be woken up on the beach on Mercay Island by a fairy named Ciela. Ciela asks Link how he came to arrive there, and Link tells Ciela the story about Tetra and the ghost ship. Ciela is immediately concerned about helping Link save Tetra. She suggests that Link talks to "Grandpa", the old man who has been taking care of her since she lost her memory. She points out the location of his hut on the map. At this point, you gain control of Link.

Link will run in the direction that you point to using the stylus. Ciela will always position herself under the location that you point to. Before you talk to Grandpa, there are very few places you can explore. You will be prevented from traveling east, and a man to the west stands near a Cucco. The man will teach Link how to lift objects. There are a few stones and barrels that you can practice on around the island.

Head to Grandpa's hut. Walk inside and talk with him. He will introduce himself to you as Oshus. After Link and Ciela fill Oshus in on the uncertain fate of Tetra, Oshus states that they might find a ship in the south-east corner of the island, but with an increasing number of monsters inhabiting the island, it safest to travel across the bridge and stay away from trouble. With little choice, Link and Ciela decide to go.

Obtaining a weapon
When you step outside of the hut, you may begin to explore the island a little bit, but an earthquake will take place. This earthquake will damage the bridge and render it uncrossable. Looking around, the man by the Cucco pen will also have a small problem. The earthquake will have caused several boulders to end up in the pen. If you clear them out for him, he will reward you... with a single rupee. Realizing that it was a small reward, he also points out the location of a tree that you might wish to examine if you can reach it. He also mentions that you can mark the location of it on the map if you like by using your stylus.

To the right of the man is a path that leads to a cave. Unfortunately, you will quickly discover that monsters inhabit the area, and with no weapon to defend yourself with, it's not wise to stay. Exploring the island a little further, you will notice another cave entrance to the right of Oshus' hut. If you head inside, you will see a few pots and barrels, as well as a sign in front of the door. Ciela remarks that Oshus stores items in the cave. Examining the sign, you see that Oshus asks that you speak to him first. But speaking to him again results in very little.

Ciela knows that you must try to find a weapon. If you re-examine the sign in the cave, she recalls seeing him opening the door by scribbling a number down on the sign. The number happens to be the number of palm trees that you can find on the beach. You must write that number down on the sign to open the door. Highlight the text between the parenthesis to learn the correct number: ( 7 ).

Once the door is open, you can run inside and open the chest. It will contain a sword. With the sword in hand, you can enter portions of the island that contain monsters. However, as soon as you step outside, Oshus will be waiting for you, having predicted that you would attempt such a move. He will offer to teach you how to use the sword properly. He will teach you the target attack, slash attack, and spin attack methods, which you can review in the controls section. Once he is convinced that you are suitably trained, he sends you off.

The underground passage
Head back to the path next to the Cucco pen that leads to the monsters. Using the target attack method, you can make short work of the little monsters that attack. They require only one hit to destroy. Along the way, you will encounter an odd statue with what appears to be a mustache. Hit it with your sword, and the statue will reveal a hint. You will find many more of these statues throughout the game. Now do as the statue says and roll into the big tree to reveal a red Rupee. Continue on, cutting down the trees in your path. You will reach the entrance to the underground passage. When you step inside, the map display will change from the island to the layout of the cave.

As you progress through the cave, the small red monsters that you encounter outside will leap out from the ground and attack you inside as well. As you run to the right, you will pass by a locked door. Far to the right is a treasure chest that contains a small key which you can use to unlock it.

Further inside, another locked door is surrounded by four switches located around the door. Two alcoves are adjacent to the central room. Each room is blocked by a box. If you tap the box, Link will run up to it and two arrows will appear. Press one arrow to push the box and the other to pull it. Either way, you need to move the box out from the opening in order to step inside.

In both alcoves you will encounter Keese bats which also only require one sword strike to kill, but they move around a little more rapidly. You may find using the slash attack a little easier if you find the target attack a little difficult. You will find a treasure chest in the right alcove that contains a red rupee. Also inside each alcove is a sign. The signs contain important messages. The left sign says, "First: Second from the left," while the right sign says, "Second: 1st on the left. Last: 2nd from the right." These signs are instructions on which levers to pull in the proper order. If the levers are named A, B, C, and D from left to right, the signs suggest that the levers be pulled in the following order: B, A, D, C.

If you pull the levers in the incorrect order, Roper snakes will appear and attack you, and the switches will reset. If you pull them in the correct order, the door will open and grant you access to the floor above. Upstairs, you will encounter another locked door, and a new enemy: Goozu mice. If you check the map, you may notice that a key continues to appear and disappear as if moving on its own. Some investigation will reveal that a mouse actually has the key. And every time you approach the mouse to attack it, it runs away and through a mouse hole.

You'll need to get that key to proceed, so you'll need to find a way to stop the mouse. A block stands unused to the left of the left mouse hole. Setting the box up so that it blocks the mouse hole will prevent the mouse from using that as an escape. Of course, the right mouse hole is still open, and there is no other box. In order to collect the key, you will need to direct Link south a bit so that the key mouse thinks it is safe to run from the right mouse hole to the left. Once it comes all the way out and has made it around the bend, that is your chance to run in after it and trap it. With no mouse hole to enter, it will have no choice but to turn around and try to run right past you. Slash it before it can, and the key will be yours. Once you open the door, all that remains is for you to run down through the rest of the cave, avoiding or attacking the bats as you travel.

The village
Once you've made it out of the cave, you'll arrive at the village. There are a few folks standing around outside for you to talk to. There are also a number of huts. The lowest hut contains a shop. In addition to 10 Bombs and a Red Potion which she sells for 50 Rupees each, she sells a wooden shield for 80 Rupees, which you should be sure to pick up as soon as you can. There is also a piece of treasure (its identity will vary from game to game) and a mysterious red object which she will only part with for a whopping 500 Rupees. This red object is a Power Gem. At any point in the game when you have 500 Rupees to spare, visit any shop in any village and pick up the Courage Gem. You can't buy bombs yet, unfortunately, without a bomb bag.

If you're short on funds, a slow but sure way to earn rupees is to continuously cut down grass. You'll even uncover a blue rupee every now and then. The highest hut contains a sign which reads, "TREASURE TELLER Opening soon!" Any attempt to visit the north east portion of the island will be thwarted by Ciela who insists on finding Linebeck at the port.

Traveling to the south east corner of the island, you will happen upon a man who speaks with Link automatically. He is in love with the ship parked at the dock, and doesn't know where the owner Linebeck is, but suggests that the Milk Bar servant might know. The Milk Bar is the largest building to the west. Run inside, and inquire about Linebeck. The servant will tell you that he's gone to visit the Temple of the Ocean King. He and the patron both warn you of the curse that's been placed on the temple. But the servant points out its location to you anyway in case you decide to ignore their warning. And with that, you'll be free to visit the north portion of the island.

The Temple of the Ocean King
To get there, you'll have to travel through the north passage. This area will be populated by more small red blobs, and even a crow or two perched up on the trees. You may see a staircase to the left, but without bombs, you can't advance beyond the blocks. That's fine, since you may as well investigate the tree that you were told about by the man by the Cucco pen. If you roll into the tree, you will dislodge a giant green rupee that is worth 100 rupees. From the tree, continue traveling west to the next path.

As you run left, you will pass a wall with a crack in it. Make a note of this crack on your map, and any other similar cracks that you see, so you remember to come back later when you have bombs. Continue running left and up the staircase to find the entrance to the Temple. Ciela will suggest that you head right on in. Once inside, you will discover three skeletons along the floor. Their souls are still active and will tell you a bit of their story. From here, you can only move deeper into the temple.

When you move into the next room, Ciela will think she heard something. Deeper in, you will find Linebeck stuck behind a trap, and he will ask you to free him. Just as you are about to start, he reveals one more bit of important info: the beige areas on the map will drain your life. The only safe parts are the animated purple tiles. The jars they hold usually contain hearts, so you need to carefully cross from one safe zone to another, and break the pots to keep your strength up.

The left safety zone in the middle contains a purple orb. If you strike it, the spikes in front of Linebeck will lower, and he will free himself from the temple. If you run to the other side of the center, you will find a treasure chest, but it has apparently been picked clean. Run back to the entrance to find Linebeck waiting for you. After Ciela explains your circumstance to him, he agrees to help you with the Ghost Ship. Assured that Link would like to glory of exploring the temple himself, he hands Link the small key he found in the chest, and leaves it to you to find more clues about the Ghost Ship.

Use the key to open the locked door to the left of the center. In either top corner are two more switches. Not only does hitting them prevent the nearby spikes from rising, it also starts a timer. You must run to the opposite side and hit the other switch before time runs out. Be careful of the trap door in the corner above the right portion of the center. Strike both switches in time, and the door in the middle of the top will open. Run inside to the safe zone behind the door, and open the treasure chest. Inside, you will find a sea chart. With the sea chart in hand, you can return to Linebeck… only to find that Linebeck has left the temple. Once you get outside and show it to him, he will immediately run off with it. Ciela will suggest that you try to find him at his ship at the dock.

Examining the sea chart
When you reach the dock, Oshus will already be speaking to Linebeck. He will ask Linebeck what he thinks of the map and Linebeck will say that it's unremarkable. Oshus will ask you to examine it as well, and instructs you to touch it. If you pass your stylus over some of the islands, the stylus will appear to reveal a mark under one of the islands. Scratch it fully and Oshus will inform you that it is the Isle of Ember. He suggests that you go there and ask for information from Astrid. He also asks Ciela to travel with you. If you have no other business to attend to on Mercay, you may feel free to leave with Linebeck and set sail. If you have not bought a shield yet, Linebeck will ask you to buy one. You don't have to, but it's a good idea.