Zora Dominion (Conquest)

The Zora Dominion is a playable faction in Hyrule Conquest.

Description
The Zora are an elder race whose origin traces back to the times of ancient Hylians. They are an aquatic species that resemble humanoid fish but while they display many characteristics of aquatic life they also have vestigial mammalian traits (such as female chests) that imply they might have had mammalian ancestors. Some scholars believe the Zora might have originally been an artificial cross of the feral River Zola and Hylians of ancient times. Regardless, the Zora are a fairly dominant force in Hyrule. They admire physical beauty above all else, and believe themselves physically superior to all life. An average Zora spends most of their life forcing their body to grow into certain forms through the use of constraints and manipulation. As a result most Zora are unnaturally thin and graceful, and they have little tolerance for any Zora who does not abide by this custom. The Zora's need for appearing perfect reflects in their military force as well. Their soldiers usually are outfitted to look more imposing rather than fight and perform effectively, and most of their armor, weapons, and outfits are designed for form over function. For this reason the Zora generally are not very durable, but their high discipline and morale usually helps them last longer in a fight when most soldiers would make a run for it. They also have a natural advantage in the water, an advantageous trait none of the other races can claim to have.

Language
The spoken and written language of the Zora is known as High Zoran. The Zora language is completely unrelated to most other languages of Hyrule - it originated in the Empire of Bellum as a simplified version of the Parella language adapted by the River Zora and split from it after the Zora betrays Bellum.

Their written language is based on the Zoran alphabet developed by DeviantArt user Sarinilli.

Ancient Age
The Zora of the Dominion are an offshot of the River Zora, an alien race that serves the Druthulidi Bellum, created by the crossbreeding the Zola and Hylians. They were once Bellum's favourites until they betrayed their dark god and turned to worship the Golden Goddesses.

Around 5000 BG, the young Oshunite Jabun fled his doomed empire in the Great Sea and made his way to continental Hyrule, where the Zora began to worship him, believing him to be Malkorbagia's successor and the Wind Fish of their legends. He established the Zora Dominion and formed the monarchy that would rule over for the next several thousand years.

Rise of Ganon
In 0 AG, when the Zora guards at the Water Temple inform the Dominion about a Sheikah army that invaded Hylia Marine in search of the Triforce, King Farkos sends the general Rutela and an army to the temple to help defend the holy artifact. There the Zora work with the Hylians and Demise to repel the Interlopers.

Following their victory, the Zora army returns to the Domain.

Gerudo Wars
Around 99 AG, hostilities between the Zora and the Gorons begin to break out and escalate, and King Farkos threatens to invade Death Mountain.

In 100 AG, King Farkos launches an invasion of Death Mountain in an attempt to claim the enormous rupee mine Gor Forgaru for the Zora Dominion, and plans to oversee the operation personally. However, his plans were all correctly predicted by the Goron King Darunia, who, with the help of the Dodongos, stops the Zora army in its tracks. The Zora manage to kill King Dodongo, but Darunia is still able to confront and challenge King Farkos to a duel. Despite having to fight on foot against King Farkos and his battlecrab mount, Darunia ultimately dismounts the Zora king and crushes his skull with a hammer, bringing an end to the Zora invasion of Death Mountain. Darunia then decides to launch an invasion of the Zora Dominion in order to end their threat once and for all.

Meanwhile, the Zora Dominion is receiving Laruto, an ambassador from Lanayru Province, who asks for a trade agreement between the Dominion and Lanayru. Princess Ruto, daughter of King Farkos and Queen Rutela, flatly refuses, claiming that it would cause the half-breeds from Lanayru to come taint the purebloods, even though Ruto herself is a half-breed as well. However, the meeting is interrupted by Zaleen, who reports a Twili and River Zora raid.

In the caverns underneath Domain Prime, Ruto discovers General Onox swimming upstream and intercepts him, and manages to kill him with the help of Zaleen and Laruto. However, when the Zora and the Twili are occupied, the River Zora have planted numerous Sols around the capital, and with Onox dead, they abandon their Twili allies and detonate the Sols. The Zora Dominion is destroyed, and the Zora people are forced to seek refuge in Greshou in Lanayru Province.

Strengths, Weaknesses and Abilities

 * Disciplined Mentality: The Zora have a high sense of duty and loyalty to their superiors, and as such do not retreat as often as other empires would in a terrible fight.
 * Body Obsession: The Zora obsess over their physical grace and appearance. As such most Zora are relatively frail in combat and their armor is designed to shape and mold their bodies rather than protect them.
 * Aquatic: The Zora are able to travel over any body of water.
 * Vulnerable to Ice: The Zora are unable to survive in sub zero temperatures, and tire very quickly in snow.

Civilians

 * Servant
 * Vendor

Standard

 * Infiltrator
 * River Patrol
 * Halberdier
 * Blademaster
 * Boomeranger
 * Healer
 * Spark Mage
 * Shock Trooper
 * Hydrophant Lancer
 * Hydrophant Demolisher
 * Kyameron Master
 * Morphite
 * Sapphire Warden
 * Floodmaster
 * Domain Supreme

Siege Weapons

 * Mage Cannon

Hero Units

 * Hydrophant Canopy
 * Nayru's Blessed
 * Healer Supreme
 * Stormbolter

Special

 * Kyameron

Heroes

 * King Farkos Zora De Bon XVI
 * Princess Ruto
 * Zaleen
 * Telara

Titan

 * Jabun

Civilian

 * Domain Ministry
 * Aqueduct
 * Domain Commune
 * Fishery
 * Coralmold Bed
 * Depository
 * Incubator
 * Public Baths
 * Market Circle
 * Healing Gallery
 * Beauty Spire

Military

 * Dormitory
 * Mage Chambers
 * Hydrophant Nest
 * Morpha Pool
 * Coralmold Crafter
 * Library
 * Theater

Defensive

 * Dominion Walls
 * Crystal Tower
 * Bastille

Wonder

 * Shrine of Jabu

Trivia
The Zora Dominion's faction symbol is that of the Zora Sapphire, the Spiritual Stone of Water in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.