Ganondorf (Total War)

Ganondorf is the figurehead Emperor of the Gerudo Empire and the last of their males.

Etymology
Ganondorf's name means phantom of Ganon in the Gerudo language.

Physical Characteristics
Ganondorf is a tall man characterized by his blazing yellow eyes, red hair, and dark complexion. He has a prominent nose and eyebrows. Later in life, he grows shoulder length hair as well as an elaborate beard.

Ganondorf wears a suit of leather armor decorated with rubies, reinforced with Zuna-forged clawed gauntlets and vambraces. He also wears an ornate golden crown shaped like a stylized sun.

In combat he usually wears a distinctive helm composed of the skull of an unknown being set over a Hylian Knight's visor. Ganondorf wields a Gerudo scimitar and a Zuna-forged trident made in the likeness of Ganon's Trident of Power.

Powers and Abilities
Ganondorf has limited magical abilities, most notably necromancy, as he is able to raise slain Gerudo and enemy soldiers as Stalfos during the raid of Nal Ordona. He quickly loses control of them, however, and the undead begin rampaging and attacking both armies. He was likely taught these abilities by his surrogate mothers Koume and Kotake.

History


First Golden Age
In 71 AG, over seventy years after Ganon's curse left the Gerudo without a male, a son is unexpectedly born to the Gerudo woman Adieladorf. She names him Ganondorf after Ganon, as despite the curse he still managed to be born. The living Gerudo men, his father included, are all old at this point, and none survives long after his birth. The boy Ganondorf becomes the sole member of the Circle of Warlords, with his mother serving as regent until he's of legal age, but Adieladorf's regency doesn't last long; she mysteriously dies a few months into Ganondorf's reign. At this point, the Twinrova sisters adopt Ganondorf as their own son and become his co-regents.

In most of his youth Ganondorf is raised alongside Nabooru, a fellow orphan also fostered by Twinrova. When granted the right to choose any Gerudo to be his wife upon reaching the age of sixteen, Ganondorf chooses Nabooru above all others to become his queen.

Gerudo Wars
When he reaches adulthood, Ganondorf learns about the Triforce, the divine artifact that the Golden Goddesses left at Hyrule, with the power to grant a wish to anyone who can obtain it. Concerned about his people's survival and desiring to lift Ganon's curse, he decides to militarize the Gerudo against the Kingdom of Hyrule in an attempt to take the Triforce. Meanwhile, Twinrova strike an alliance with Vaati, mastermind behind the Darknut Legion, and Agahnim, head of the Sheikah Cadre, agreeing to pay them a city after the Kingdom of Hyrule falls. Ganondorf also successfully convinces Dakkon, the disgraced Sage of Fire, and the remaining Volvagians to aid him in the invasion. To help with the conquest of Hyrule, Agahnim gives Ganondorf the Goronu, an ancient device of Sheikah manufacture that is able to raise the Stalfos.

Following Agahnim's plan, Ganondorf raids Nal Ordona, forcing Princess Mahrala Zelda III to send an army to deal with them. At the same time Agahnim orders the assassin Azrily to incapacitate Princess Zelda III and her daughter so he could take over as regent and declare war on the Gerudo, allowing Ganondorf to legally attack Hyrule Castle, but the plan fails because Azrily was immune to the Eye of Truth's influence. However, when Ganondorf attacks Ordona Province, the Princess, General Kazakk and General Akazoo all personally come to investigate, so Agahnim can still take advantage of her absence to issue a formal declaration of war against the Gerudo. During this battle Ganondorf attempts to use the Goronu Agahnim gave him, though after the Stalfos go out of his control and turn on the Gerudo, Ganondorf has the artefact hidden away and stations an entire Gerudo army to guard it.

When Zelda returns to Hyrule Castle and discovers Agahnim's involvement, he quickly evades arrest with Majora's help by escaping to Ganondorf's army stationed to the south of Hyrule Castle Town.Ganondorf then marches with his armies upon the capital for an assault. His forces prove too powerful for the Hylians, and he eventually manages to corner Zelda into the castle's courtyard and forces her into a duel. Though she manages to disarm and wound Ganondorf, he eventually overpowers her with his bare hands and murders her in front of the remaining Hylian armies. With the Princess dead, General Kazaak and Rauru surrender to Ganondorf. Hyrule Castle Town is sacked, but the Gerudo are immediately ordered by Vaati and Agahnim to retreat so the Darknut Legion can occupy the city.

For a year when Agahnim rules over Hyrule, Ganondorf leads the Gerudo around the country, taking over town after town.

Soon after Hyrule Castle's occupation, the Sheikah the captive Hylian soldiers in the city rise in rebellion against the Darknuts. Agahnim is killed in the battle, and without him the Gerudo-Darknut alliance breaks. Vaati takes the young Princess Zelda prisoner and flies to Ontheon, while Ganondorf abandons Hyrule and returns to the Gerudo Desert. Meanwhile, his wife Nabooru starts to dream of herself with a mysterious Darknut woman inside a sandstorm.

The Hylians pursue Ganondorf and Vaati into the Gerudo Desert, while Nabooru continues to receive the mysterious visions. She asks Ganondorf's permission to investigate Ontheon, but he denies it and forces her to stay with him to battle against the Hylians.

When they reach Ashinon, Twinrova and Ganondorf are betrayed by Nabooru, who breaks the locks to the gates of Ashinon, allowing the invaders to storm inside the city. Nabooru convinces Ganondorf to abandon the lost city, but he stubbornly refuses; just as they encounter two children sneaking inside the palace. Ganondorf prepares to kill them when Nabooru pleads to him not to. When Ganondorf ignores her, she puts a scimitar to his neck, holding him in place until the two children can run away. Nabooru apologizes to Ganondorf before running away.

Shortly after that, the Hylian army enters the palace, captures Ganondorf and brings him over to their commander General Kazakk. Ganondorf refuses to speak with the Hylians.

After the Hylians, with the help of Yaraxonal, the mysterious woman in Nabooru's dreams, who was imprisoned by Vaati but freed by Nabooru, defeat Vaati and kill him, many Gerudo leaders are put on trial and executed, but Ganondorf is spared and imprisoned after Nabooru pleads for his life.

Second Golden Age
Ganondorf spends twenty years in a cell in the fortress of Baral's Stand while Nabooru, who still loves him, spends her free time with him once in a while. After nearly a decade of imprisonment, Ganondorf manages to convince Nabooru to release him. She reluctantly agrees, and manages to stage an escape without Yaraxonal discovering her involvement.

Manifest Destiny
In 169 AG, Ganondorf is invited by the Lizalfos Queen Nardu the White to Faron Prime in order to form an alliance between the Gerudo and the Lizalfos. There Nardu offers Ganondorf her gift: Princess Tetralyna Zelda V. Pleased with the gift, Ganondorf accepts the treaty and announces his new cooperation with Nardu and formal declaration of war against the Kingdom of Hyrule.

Hyrule in Chaos
In 170 AG Ganondorf manages to cause an uprising amongst the Gerudo enslaved by the Darknut Legion. With the help of the Lizalfos, Yaraxonal is defeated and the Gerudo freed across the Legion's cities. Their forces outnumbered by the combined Gerudo and Lizalfos armies, Yaraxonal and the Darknuts are in turn enslaved.

In his march eastward to the Kingdom of Hyrule, Ganondorf stumbles upon the Tomb of Ganon. Curious, he ventures into the grave and discovers the reason for his birth: a sacrifice for Ganon and a puppet of Demise. Ganondorf's confidence and ambitions are put to question, and Nardu turns on him, though he manages to defeat her and drive her away.

A Tale of Two Swords
When Demise returns to the Moblins as their deity and unifies them into a fighting force, Ganondorf approaches him and offers his services in hopes that he could reverse the curse that Ganon had placed on the Gerudo decades past. Demise consolidates his forces and attempts to sacrifice Ganondorf and resurrect Ganon, concerned that Ganondorf might not be loyal to him. Ganondorf resists, but Ganon's ghost manages to merge with Ganondorf and warp him into a twisted beast.

At this point Ganondorf receives a letter from Princess Zelda, who offers to surrender to him south of Lon Lon Ranch. However, the meeting ends up being a trap - instead of Zelda, the Gerudo only find Dethl and Akazoo's Stalfos, Nardu's Lizalfos and Hylia's Wizzrobes waiting for them - all of them having been deceived by Zelda. Taking advantage of the fighting, Zelda's Hylians and Yaraxonal's Darknuts utterly crush all four armies. Nardu, Akazoo and Dethl are all killed while Hylia surrenders to Zelda. Ganondorf manages to retreat with what little forces he has.

Zelda and Yaraxonal pursue Ganondorf into the Gerudo Desert and confront his army as well as Ghirahim's Moblins. Nabooru argues with Ganondorf against continuing his war against Hyrule. She convinces him and through him Ganon that Demise had been the cause of the Gerudo's and Moblin's downfall, not the Kingdom of Hyrule. Ganon relinquishes his hold on Ganondorf, who turns against Demise and sides with the Kingdom of Hyrule.

The Gerudo fight alongside Princess Zelda and the Hylians against Demise, Ghirahim and the Moblins. During the battle Hylia, with the Master Sword, challenges Demise to a duel. She slowly overpowers him, but seeking redemption, Ganondorf intervenes before Demise could be slain. Ganondorf takes the Master Sword from Hylia's hands even though the sword begins to burn his hands. He successfully manages to impale Demise and destroy him before the power of the Master Sword consumes both of them in flames.

Bodyguard
Gerudadorf

Hero Power
Vengeance: All allied units on the battlefield gain a temporary boost in attack speed and will not retreat for a short time.

Traits
Firm Ruler

This person believes that exerting authority is necessary to maintain order. +1 to unrest (has a negative effect on public order), +2 to law (improves public order)

Dauntless

Fear is not something that troubles this person. He will valiantly accept grim odds without complaint.

+2 Morale for all troops on the battlefield

Convincing

Understands the basic principles of how to craft a lie, avoiding over embellishment.

-1 Loyalty, +1 Authority

Prolific

This person cannot indulge in carnal pleasures lawful or otherwise without a woman's belly giving them away months later.

Increases the chance of having children

Leader of the Mob

The kind of person who can champion the people with words, their belief in their ability and ideals, absolute.

+2 Authority, +4 to popularity (improves public order), +2 to unrest (has a negative effect on public order)

Ancillaries
Gerudo Scimitar

Favorite weapon of the Gerudo people.

+1 Attack

Zuna Trident

Ornamental trident crafted by the Zuna.

+2 Attack

Skeletal Helm 

Imposing helmet carved out of a skull.

+1 Authority, +1 Defense

Gerudo Warlord Armor

Armor worn by Gerudo Warlords.

+3 Defense

Warlord's Cape

Cape worn by Gerudo Warlords.

+1 Authority

Quotes

 * There was a time this land was fertile and prosperous. Our people had great cities and monuments to their name. Our empire stretched from the shores of Ontheon to the Zora River. Statues of Kings greater than I loomed before the people. The Gerudo were feared and respected even as the winds of Kovaloo beckoned. Not even the mighty Cliff Lords and their Legion would look down on us from on high. We had everything. Where is all of that now? Buried under sand. Strangled away slowly by the crusading power of the east. Dead. Forgotten. And for what? The Gerudo were a great garden standing firm in the desert. Now we are a wilting flower being strangled to death by the vine that is Hylian.
 * Of course I hate them! I hate everything about them! Their superstitious religion! Their self righteous dominance! Their smug superiority and their self appointed tyranny! Their Princess and their stupid, pointed ears! I hate them all!