Of all the characters roaming the vast wilds of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, few are as legendary as the “Duchess of Downhill.” Not only is she an incredible mountaineer who is capable of living atop the freezing cold Hebra mountains, but she’s also a Shield Surfer without compare. I am talking, of course, about none other than Selmie, the owner of the Shield Surfing mini game atop the Hebra mountains in both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. However, even legends are not immune to hubris, and the queen of the mountains finds herself in a nasty predicament after surfing a little too close to the sun.
In Breath of the Wild, Selmie has a less active role in the world. Though she does allegdly own multiple houses in the Hebra Mountains, she simply acts as the host for the Shield Surfing Game near the peak. A traveller, Baumer, mentions that a Shield Surfer once saved his life, though he doesn’t remember the name of the person who saved him. It’s likely Selmie, considering she’s one of the only notable Shield Surfers in Hyrule. After her compartively cozy life in Breath of the Wild, Selmie finds herself in some trouble in Tears of the Kingdom.
In her attempt to break record times on the Expert Shield Surfing course, Selmie attempts to use the East Biron Snowshelf Cave as a shortcut down the mountain. In theory, her plan is actually very sound, the cave has a favorable angle and skips a large detour, coming out right near the finish line. However, in practice, Selmie was unable to navigate the unfamiliar landscape of the cave, and found herself trapped. After being saved, she’ll return to Selmie’s Spot up in the heights of the mountains and once again host the Shield Surfing mini game. After seeing Link display impressive Shiled Surfing skills, she has a brief internal struggle about asking Link to attempt using the same East Biron Snowshelf shortcut that she was trying when she was trapped, though she decides against it out of concern for Link’s safety. If you do end up completing the course in record time using the shortcut, you’ll be rewarded with a very impressed Selmie and a free Royal Shield.
Personally, I found Selmie’s personal quest in Tears of the Kingdom to be a really fun one to explore. Finding her in the cave, learning what brought her there, and then attemping the stunt yourself, made for a great little story to experience within the otherwise desolate Hebra Mountains. The region is somewhat lacking in human presence, so it’s a refreshing detour to briefly accompany Selmie and her fellow surfers during your snowy trek through Hyrule’s northwest.
