Kingdom of Hyrule (Conquest)

The Kingdom of Hyrule (pr. Hērule) is a playable faction in Hyrule: Total War. They are playable from start.

Description
The Hylians (pr. Hēlian) are a humanoid race characterized by their iconic pointed ears. Without a doubt they are considered the dominant race of Hyrule, and almost everything in the land is politically linked to their empire in some way. They are a reasonable but self-important race of beings. This self-entitlement is often attributed to the ancient religious texts of many races pointing to the Hylians as the race closest to the Goddesses (though even older texts point to the ancient Oocca as being the first race, a race so old that they served as mediators between the ancient Hylians and Goddesses). Regardless of having divine rights or not, the Hylians possess the will and the power to enact their desire to command and control the aspects of Hyrule through both culture and military might. The Kingdom of Hyrule without a doubt has one of the largest standing armies, with soldiers trained in a wide variety of combat skills. This diversity gives the Hylians a fairly well balanced force and allows them to devise fair counters for most situations they are put in. This broad cover of their bases though means that the Hylians don't exactly excel in any particular type of combat, so they rarely have a superior edge over an enemy force unless it's through numbers. Regardless, the Hylians are a powerful foe with an even more powerful sense of duty and loyalty to their Kingdom.

Physiology
Hylians are members of one of the most widespread species on Hyrule, being members of the same race as Sheikah, Ordonians, Cobble, Gerudo, Tarminians, Horonians, Lokomo, and Labrynnians, with the main ethnic difference being the shape of their ears. Modern Hylians, much like their Ancient Hylian ancestors, have horizontally tilted, pointed ears of varied length.

In the Ancient Age, Hylians were of a pale skin hue, with crimson eyes, and possessed very long lifespans (often centuries) and innate magical abilities. After millennia of interbreeding and colonization, these traits have diminished in all the Hylian-related peoples but the Sheikah. The lifespan of a modern Hylian has shortened to between and average of 60 to 70 years.

Society
Hyrule is ruled by an imperial military dictatorship, led by a hereditary monarchy that claims descent from the ancient royal bloodlines of Ancient Hyrule. In reality, the current regime is descended from nobles who seized power during the Hylian Civil War.

L​anguage
Hylians commonly speak the Hylian Dialect, which is derived from Ancient Hylian.

Ancient Age
The Ancient Hylian people emerged as a power some 5000 years before the Rise of Ganon. Noted for their crimson eyes, innate magical abilities, and long lives, they were ruled by powerful local nobles and warlords, such as those who constructed the Fortress of Snowpeak. When Sulkaris led her Gohma on a rampage across Hyrule, the Ancient Hylians were unified into alliance with the Huskus Imperium and Zora Dominion, and after a general named Gustaf slew the Fallen Sage on the Plains of Ordona, elevated him as their first king. Gustaf established the royal capital at the old citadel on Snowpeak, and the city of Vigjaro flourished in it mountain's shadow. The early Hylian Kingdom would operate in a loose confederation with its neighbors such as the Huskus and the Wind Tribe of Holodrum, and at various points in history acted one nation rather than separate peoples. Ancient Hyrule was strictly patriarchal, with women regulated into mundane, low-status task such as footsoldiers for forced into magical study. After the death of Gustaf and the ascendancy of Hylia during the war with the Blin Kingdom, the Ancient Hylians would experience a complete cultural shift, becoming matriarchal.

After Hylia's scourge of the Blin Kingdom and the Fall of Ikana, and with the Darknut Legion in a 5-millenia state of isolation, no major rivals remained to challenge Hylian power. The Hylians, assured of their supremacy, would go onto conquer and colonize much of the central Hylian continent, with its colonists becoming the ancestors of the Gerudo, Ordonians, Tarminians, Horonians, and Lanayru Hylian-Zora Hybrids.

The Kingdom of Hyrule emerged in its modern form at the conclusion of the great war with the Moblins and the disappearance of the Goddess Hylia. At the height of its power, Hyrule ruled territory ranging from the Lanayru Coast in the north, the vast Plains of Ordona to the southwest, the Faron Woods and half of the Kokiri Forest to the southeast. However, the forested Faron Province was never prosperous because of its remote location until the Kokiri Bandits annexed it.

The Kingdom of Hyrule dominated the land with an iron fist, forcing those not of their creed to follow the royal family and crown. While open full-scale war with the Moblins ended, border skirmishes are very frequent.

As a result of the warfare and decay, Hyrule would gradually lose control of its territories, especially remote ones like Peak Province and the Lost Woods until it had shrunk to occupying Hyrule Field, Eldin Province, Ordona Province, and Lanayru Province by the Rise of Ganon.

Rise of Ganon
In 1 BG, the Moblins become united under King Ganon declare war on the Kingdom of Hyrule, first raiding Lon Lon Ranch and capturing Princess Nylin Zelda I who was on vacation there. Seeing a danger to the Triforce, King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule has it moved from his throne room to the Water Temple under Lake Hylia, without telling it to anyone else.

The Moblins then take over Kakariko and many other settlements before assaulting and taking over Hyrule Castle itself with the help of the Darknut Legion and the Dark Interlopers. King Nohansen's precaution proved its worth - Ganon kills him but fails to find the Triforce in Hyrule Castle. The Sheikah traitor Bongo, using the Eye of Truth, manages to extract the location of the Triforce from the dying King, but she lies to Ganon and tells him it's in the Fire Temple on Death Mountain.

Ganon then lets Princess Zelda I to see her father just before she is executed as well. Before she could be killed however, Impa is able to save her and aid in escaping Hyrule Castle. With their capital destroyed and armies scattered across Hyrule, Princess Zelda I and Impa leave for Snowpeak where they could regroup and strike back at Ganon's Moblin army and stop him from stealing the Triforce from the Fire Temple. She has Impa held the fortress against Moblin forces while ordering Rauru to gather as many knights as he could for a counterattack.

The Hylians then march onto Death Mountain where they discover that the Volvagians, including their ruler and the incumbent Sage of Fire Dakkon have betrayed Hyrule and sided with Ganon. Princess Zelda negotiates with the Gorons and their King Darunia for their aid, promising to free the Gorons.

The Hylian and Goron armies assault the Fire Temple and Ganon's forces. After Dakkon is injured by Darunia, Zelda sneaks into the Fire Temple and finds Ganon sobbing on the ground. She easily cuts him down without being resisted. Discovering neither the Triforce nor the traitor Bongo is present, Zelda, Impa and Rauru realise the traitors must have been chasing after its real location - the Water Temple - and quickly order the army to quickly march to Hylia Marine.

The Hylians are forced into an alliance with Demise, who uses his powers to teleport Zelda, Impa, and Rauru near the Water Temple and aid them in battle. Once there they and Demise join the Zora army of General Rutela and lead an assault against the Dark Interloeprs as well as Twinrova's Gerudo and Veran's Fairies, who recently learned of the Triforce's location. The traitorous Sheikah and invading forces are stopped and the Triforce is secured.

The Hylians are victorious, but at a terrible cost: their King is dead, all of their southern holdings, including the capital, were more or less hit by the war. Her Kingdom in ruins and unable to deal with the prisoners captured at Lake Hylia, Princess Zelda offers them to the Gerudo Circle of Warlords as a peace offering.

First Golden Age
Princess Zelda I is officially crowned after the war ends. She refuses to be called Queen due to her hatred of her mother, and turns Hyrule from a patriarchal kingdom to a matriarchal principality.

Hyrule ushers in a century of peace. Keeping her promise, Princess Zelda forbids all contact west of Ordona Province, crowns Darunia King of Death Mountain and makes him Sage of Fire, while the traitor Dakkon is stripped of his power.

Soon after, realising that the throne room of Hyrule Castle is not a safe location for the Triforce, Rauru works with the Oocca to transform the Temple of Time into a portal to the Sacred Realm. Once completed, Rauru and the Oocca create the Temple of Light inside the Sacred Realm and bring the Triforce to rest there.

In 53 AG, Princess Zelda I dies and is succeeded by her daughter Princess Yanera Zelda II. Princess Zelda II leads the Kingdom of Hyule for nearly forty years and is notable for maintaining the peace and rebuilding the land after Ganon's invasion. After freeing the Gorons causes a breakdown of relations between the Kingdom of Hyule and the Zora Dominion, she devotes much of her time to maintaing a peace between all three people.

Princess Zelda II dies in 92 AG of old age, and her daughter Princess Mahrala Zelda III succeeds her as the new ruler of Hyrule. Upon her ascension, her husband Agahnim is discovered to be a Sheikah, and he is condemned as a criminal for having violated the Sheikah blood pact and marrying a Hylian. Agahnim is forced to use the Eye of Truth to remove all records of his marriage with the Princess and reinstall himself into the Hylian government. Only Princess Zelda III and their young daughter Princess Oraiya Zelda IV remember Agahnim as their husband and father.

Strengths, Weaknesses and Abilities

 * Generalist: The Kingdom of Hyrule fields a selection of soldiers that cover all disciplines.
 * Dominant Empire: The Kingdom of Hyrule begins the campaign with notably more territory than any other faction.
 * Plains Fighter: The Kingdom of Hyrule excels at combat on open plains.
 * Universal Tyrants: Many races dislike Hylian mentality and zealotry. It is harder for the Kingdom of Hyrule to make alliances in the campaign because of this.

Campaign

 * Faction Leader: Princess Nylin Zelda I
 * Settlements: 5
 * Hyrule Prime (city, capital)
 * Vigjaro (town)
 * Kakariko (large town)
 * Lon Lon Ranch (town)
 * Hylia Marine (large town)
 * Diplomacy:
 * Allies: Ordona Province, Sheikah Cadre
 * At war: Stalfos
 * Goals:
 * Short Campaign: hold 20 regions, including Ashinon (5 turns).
 * Long Campaign: hold 30 regions, including Ashinon (5 turns), Demise (5 turns).

Standard

 * Town Guards
 * Swordsmen Recruits
 * Mounted Recruits
 * Hylian Infantry
 * Crossbowmen
 * Castle Guards
 * Hyrulean Knights
 * Mounted Hyrulean Knights
 * Flail Knights
 * Ironclad Elites

Siege Weaponry

 * Repeater Crossbow
 * Hylian Trebuchet

Special

 * Triforce Vanguards

Command

 * Hylian Captain
 * Hylian General

Agents

 * Hylian Diplomat
 * Goddess Priestess
 * Sheikah Assassin
 * Sheikah Spy

Hero Characters

 * Princess Nylin Zelda I
 * Princess Yanera Zelda II
 * Princess Mahrala Zelda III
 * Princess Oraiya Zelda IV
 * Princess Tetralyna Zelda V
 * Rauru
 * Link
 * King Kazakk

Hyrule Historia

 * General Akazoo
 * King Gustaf
 * Siroc
 * Hylia
 * Ancient Knights
 * Ancient Archers
 * Ancient Mages
 * Loftwing Cavaliers
 * Wind Tribe Soldiers
 * Wind Tribe Civilians
 * Wind Tribe Armos

Tech Tree
The Hylian's techtree is largely similar to the old standard tree: They have a single generalized barracks that can be upgraded as a city increases in size and a handful of economy and social structures that follow the same mold. As such they have a very tiered techtree, encouraging a player to focus on their economy and city size in order to upgrade to better soldiers and armor. The Hylian techtree is unique in that they have no prerequisite structures: once a city reaches the appropriate size you can build any of their structures. This comes at the cost of most Hylian buildings needing to be upgraded to higher levels in order to maximize their potential.

Hamlet

 * Basic Urban Farms: Economy structure that aids in income as well as population growth for the Kingdom of Hyrule. The Hylians have mastered the technique of growing their crops within their cities in these Urban farms. While they are not as effective and yield less than traditional rural farms, they are enough to support a small sized settlement.
 * Recruitment Base: A Basic armory stocked with weapons and offering minimal training for new Soldier Recruits.
 * Gardens: A simply plot of land devoted to flora, Gardens increase the health of their host settlement as well as the happiness of those that live there.
 * Bar: Often the center of entertainment and social gatherings in small Hylian towns, a bar helps improve the happiness of all the workers who toil day in and out.
 * Bazaar: A basic shop that can be set up early on, the Bazaar sells any extra supplies or items produced by its host settlement.

Village

 * Fertile Urban Farms: With better fertilization techniques these Urban Farms are able to yield a larger crop for their host settlements, improving population growth.
 * Small Barracks: With enough resources a Recruitment Base can be upgraded to a Small Barracks, offering both weapons and armor for Hylian infantry and ranged units.
 * Market Plaza: A series of shops that sell various goods and services within its host settlement, increasing both its economy and the happiness of people within.
 * Inn: By expanding the town's Bar into an Inn, travelers can visit the settlement and social gatherings can expand, increasing the happiness of its host settlement.
 * Milk Distributor: By Offering the sale of Lon Lon Milk at the Town's Bazaar, the city's economy is greatly aided and happiness of its citizens soars.

Town

 * Arrayed Urban Farms: By combining the resources of several Urban Farms together they are able to collectively yield a much larger crop, improving population growth.
 * Medium Barracks: The Medium sized Barracks adds further training facilities and quarters for soldiers, allowing the training of more unit types.
 * Hospital: By building a dedicated hospital, the host settlement's health increases as well as the healing of injured soldiers, decreasing retraining costs.
 * Large Gardens: By expanding the Gardens of a settlement both its health and the happiness of its people increase.
 * Fairgrounds: Installing Fairgrounds at the settlement's Market Plaza increases both the happiness of the people there as well as the settlement's income.
 * Tavern: Expanding the capabilities of the Inn makes it a hot spot for social gatherings and nightlife in its host city. Happiness amongst the people is greatly increased.

Large Town

 * Urban Farm Network: By linking all Urban Farms together with an irrigation network and supportive fertilization effort, these farms are able to yield their best crops to support the populations of cities.
 * Large Barracks: Further expanding the armories and equipment of the Barracks allows the training of Hyrulean Knights, as well as keeping law in order of its host settlement.
 * Siege Workshop: The expensive Siege Workshop is capable of producing Trebuchets and Repeater Crossbows for the Kingdom of Hyrule, giving them city destroying capabilities.
 * Market Festival: Hosting weekly festivals at the Market Plaza further inspired happiness amongst the Settlement's citizens, as well as boosts the economy for periods of time.

City

 * Dedicated Armory: A large barracks devoted entirely to the production and storage of armor, this structure increases the upgrade level of soldiers trained in its host settlement to their first level.
 * Grand Barracks: This massive Barracks can train and host the best soldiers in the Hylian army, allowing the deployment of the mighty Iron-clad Elites.
 * Great Bimaristan: Putting more money and resources into a settlement's hospital greatly increases the health of the city as well as lowering the retraining cost of soldiers.
 * Goddess Festival: By hosting an annual Goddess Festival at the Market Plaza, citizens have a goal to work for every year. The Goddess Festival dramatically increases happiness and the income of a city.
 * Bank: A dedicated bank can help stimulate the economy of the entire Kingdom, lending out loans and encouraging rapid business growth.

Large City

 * Royal Armory: The Royal Armory can put finishing touches on Hylian armor, upgrading all soldiers trained here to their second upgrade level.