The shadow temple

(first post):XD
I've often found myself playing through the shadow temple of OoT wondering about it's purpose, it's true that it is one of the temples for the sages, but it along with the well in Kakariko village were created by the shiekah. The story clearly states in the beginning that the land was at peace.
So I would like to know what's with all the references to death, the bells on the boat, the skeletal grim reapers, the bloody floors etc....
why in times of peace would the shiekah create something so... well un-peaceful....?
Perhaps to show their darker side, or in a way mourn for the great tragedy that befell them(the tear in their symbol)
Maybe I am over thinking things and the designers had no intentional purpose behind it's design.
I'm more then open for any discussion so if anyone has any thoughts, I'd be more then appreciative.

If my memory serves there was a war that killed Link's parents.... Maybe it was set up for a turture chamber for the prisners of war.... or maybe the Shiekah r just that kool!

It's a temple. Just like the water temple is devoted to water, fire temple to fire and lava, the shadow temple is devoted to death. All of the elements there are medallions for, are necessary for our world to exist. That's why each one has a temple devoted to it.

Also, the darker side of the Hyrule Kingdom is portrayed there, it may have been used as a wartime prison (along with the well). The skulls along the wall give you rather vague messages but that's one way you can piece it together.

You pose a good point, but if it was made as a torture chamber, what of the well back in the village? This too was made by the shiekah and it holds the same basic design, mysterious and deathly, but this instead was made to seal the spirit bongo bongo.
Also, if it was indeed a -temple- of shadows, as in somewhere of high importance or dignity, why not use the well to torture the prisoners or somewhere else that may not be as -holy- I guess you could say.

Which brings a thought, does anybody know just how old the temples, or the well, are?

Originally Posted by MajorasWrath1

It's a temple. Just like the water temple is devoted to water, fire temple to fire and lava, the shadow temple is devoted to death. All of the elements there are medallions for, are necessary for our world to exist. That's why each one has a temple devoted to it.

Also, the darker side of the Hyrule Kingdom is portrayed there, it may have been used as a wartime prison (along with the well). The skulls along the wall give you rather vague messages but that's one way you can piece it together.

that's true, but shadows doesn't necessarily mean death, I took it more to the way the shiekah are interpreted, as the shadows of hyrule, or along those lines, sorry if I'm wrong. oh and I meant to reply to betramland in my last post sorry for any confusion. (didn't expect many people up this late lol)

Originally Posted by Dehvad Darknut

You pose a good point, but if it was made as a torture chamber, what of the well back in the village? This too was made by the shiekah and it holds the same basic design, mysterious and deathly, but this instead was made to seal the spirit bongo bongo.
Also, if it was indeed a -temple- of shadows, as in somewhere of high importance or dignity, why not use the well to torture the prisoners or somewhere else that may not be as -holy- I guess you could say.

Which brings a thought, does anybody know just how old the temples, or the well, are?

I think it was intended as a temple, and the Hyruleans chose to use it as a prison too (maybe the Well had no room left?), which "tainted" it in a sense. That could be why the skulls seem to have negative remarks about it. Or, you could say that it's a temple to greed and sins, as well as to death, since the world needs both bad and good, sort of a yin-yang thing. I'm not really certain, but I think that's possible.

Originally Posted by MajorasWrath1

I think it was intended as a temple, and the Hyruleans chose to use it as a prison too (maybe the Well had no room left?), which "tainted" it in a sense. That could be why the skulls seem to have negative remarks about it. Or, you could say that it's a temple to greed and sins, as well as to death, since the world needs both bad and good, sort of a yin-yang thing. I'm not really certain, but I think that's possible.

I agree with what you say on the matter of the well, being filled, and the balance of the world is also interesting, perhaps leading into whether or not temples are opposites of each other, but on the matter they may have used it as a prison would not be quite right, after all, isn't that what the arbiter grounds were used for in TP, which is the same hyrule, just slightly different.

You're right about the skulls, they say something along the lines of "here lies the bloody history of hyrule's greed", but if that's the case, what was so bad? The war, something before that, or maybe it's referring to the great tragedy of the shiekah. It's all really interesting.
whoa too many questions sorry

Before the village was transformed into what it is in OoT, the well could have served as an entrance to a prison, like you guys have said. Who knew what that village could have looked like prior to Impa turning it into a place for the lost and homeless.

To me, the temple portrayed the dark part of Hyrule. A constant reminder of the sins committed throughout time in their pursuit of power and control.

Hyrule did have a war, that much we know. It could have been a war between two races, or a war with another part of the world, or a civil war.

"here lies the bloody history of hyrule's greed"

This quote: For all we know, Hyrule could have been responsible for the war rather than just defending it. Maybe the king wanted to expand the country and went out too far and invaded the wrong lands. In his lust for power, he caused many deaths.

Hyrules greed..... if my memory serves me (fat chance) The hero of men Guastuv stopped a war that was raged over trying to gain possesion of the triforce. Now I can't say anything more then that suggestion, but I still want to through the idea out there.

Originally Posted by Adrian Shadow

Before the village was transformed into what it is in OoT, the well could have served as an entrance to a prison, like you guys have said. Who knew what that village could have looked like prior to Impa turning it into a place for the lost and homeless.

To me, the temple portrayed the dark part of Hyrule. A constant reminder of the sins committed throughout time in their pursuit of power and control.

Hyrule did have a war, that much we know. It could have been a war between two races, or a war with another part of the world, or a civil war.

"here lies the bloody history of hyrule's greed"

This quote: For all we know, Hyrule could have been responsible for the war rather than just defending it. Maybe the king wanted to expand the country and went out too far and invaded the wrong lands. In his lust for power, he caused many deaths.

that's true, but I thought impa opened it up when you're an adult, also you play through the well as a child, but bongo bongo isn't released, I thought implied that it was sealed during the imprisoning war.
No matter what the case is for the meaning of the shadow temple, you're right in how it's the darker side, as majora'swrath1 also stated earlier.
And it's true that they had a war, but in OoT when I think of greed, ganondorf comes to mind, not really the king, yes he didn't believe zelda, but it never implies he's that bad. So in a way somehow maybe ganondorf has something to do with why the skulls say such things, or perhaps the temple was were they would bury traitors to the royal family, there is a lot of dirt for it to work... hmmm

it was probably just a place to house the medallion and the sage and it had to do with death because it is the temple's natural element or it could have possibly been a prison or torture chamber

Impa opened up the town before the start of OoT. She mentions it to you after she leads you out of the castle as a child. Then when go to the town, they mention it to. Say something along the lines of "Impa turned this place into a town for the poor to have a place to live."

It must have been recent within the last few years because the contractors are still building up things. Though they could taking forever because their lazy and lollygag most of the time.

Also I never said the King not believing Zelda made him evil. I wouldn't believe my kid either she came spouting nonsense at me. That's just what adults do.

I was saying that perhaps Hyrule had something evil in its past. But I was mistaken and thought this quote was in the well. If it was in the Temple of Shadows then I can see how it fits Ganondorf. Because he is, in the adult timeline, the one that caused all the grief, death, and pain in Hyrule.

Originally Posted by Adrian Shadow

Impa opened up the town before the start of OoT. She mentions it to you after she leads you out of the castle as a child. Then when go to the town, they mention it to. Say something along the lines of "Impa turned this place into a town for the poor to have a place to live."

It must have been recent within the last few years because the contractors are still building up things. Though they could taking forever because their lazy and lollygag most of the time.

Also I never said the King not believing Zelda made him evil. I wouldn't believe my kid either she came spouting nonsense at me. That's just what adults do.

I was saying that perhaps Hyrule had something evil in its past. But I was mistaken and thought this quote was in the well. If it was in the Temple of Shadows then I can see how it fits Ganondorf. Because he is, in the adult timeline, the one that caused all the grief, death, and pain in Hyrule.

thanks for clarifying, I wasn't sure. I only remembered somebody saying that when you're an adult.

sorry, wasn't implying you meant the king was evil, just trying to throw that out. I'll word it better next timed

Perhaps the evil thing that ganondorf did relates to the great tragedy that befell the shiekah, The shiekah might have been paying homage to their loss with all the symbols of death, or maybe ganondorf's not related to it at all. none the less it is a very creepy dungeon. the traps and enemies I understand, but the dead their, their must be some reason. I don't know, anybody?

The old guy in Kakariko states that a house stood where the well is now. The person who lived there probably used it as a basement. The basement could've been used as a prison. The other Sheika eventually found out about it. They then tore down his house for his evil deeds. He probably had to relocate. He decided to build Shadow Temple as his new prison.

Usually things that happen in the shadows are unknown to the public. Since it was secret he named it Shadow Temple. Once he finished it he made the big gap to keep intruders out. For some unknown reason he died. The old man explains how he could see things normal people can't. The Shieka person could possibly be Bongo Bongo since he had the one eye which was out of the ordinary.

Yeah just oe little problem, The sages built the temples.

Originally Posted by MDMwaker

Usually things that happen in the shadows are unknown to the public. Since it was secret he named it Shadow Temple. Once he finished it he made the big gap to keep intruders out. For some unknown reason he died. The old man explains how he could see things normal people can't. The Shieka person could possibly be Bongo Bongo since he had the one eye which was out of the ordinary.

you're right, he did say that he had another way, but I assumed that was the eye of truth. Also, if he was bongo bongo, why would impa imprison him in the same place he tortured, he would know how to escape from all the traps.
hmm, but it could be he became bongo bongo, any ideas on that? it never does say why or where the shadow thing came from.

Maybe Impa imprissened him there becouse she didn't wanna risk bring him out into the open world.