Chapter 9 covers Zora Domain. You'll open the waterfall with Zelda's Lullaby, win the Silver Scale, find Ruto's Letter at the bottom of the lake, and open the way to Zora Fountain and Lord Jabu-Jabu.
This chapter picks up 1 Heart Pieces and 1 Gold Skulltula.
Opening Zora Domain
At the end of the previous area, Zora River, the waterfall blocks the way into Zora Domain. On the round platform in front of it is a stone tablet with the Triforce on it. Stand in front of it and play Zelda's Lullaby (Y, X, A, Y, X, A). The waterfall parts. Walk across the walkway into the cave behind it.
Zora Domain
Zora Domain is a large cave around a deep pool, with a waterfall at the back. A new event, Spiritual Stone of Water, is added to your Threads of Time.
Heart Piece, the Torches
In Zora Domain there's a set of 8 unlit torches.
Light a Deku Stick from the lit torch in the room where King Zora sits and light all the other torches on the way down towards the shop, then continue going down to the left to find a few more torches all the way until you light the 2 torches behind the waterfall in the lower level. Once all torches are lit a chest appears behind the waterfall with a Piece of Heart.
Talk To King Zora
Go up to King Zora on his throne at the top of Zora Domain. He's King Zora De Bon the XVI, and he takes you for a messenger from the Royal Family. His daughter, Princess Ruto, is missing. The Zora have searched the domain and as far as Lake Hylia, and he wonders whether she's somewhere underwater.
Our next objective is to find her Letter, but it is underwater in Lake Hylia so we first need to get the Silver Scale to be able to dive for longer.
The Silver Scale
On the upper level of Zora Domain, a Zora stands on a ledge to the left of the throne room where King Zora sits. Talk to him and ask for a diving lesson. He throws 5 scales into the pool. Dive off the ledge and collect all five before the 40-second timer runs out.
He's amazed a non-Zora can move so freely underwater and gives you the Silver Scale, which lets you dive much deeper.
Ruto's Letter Location
Jump down to the water in the lower level of Zora Domain and dive into the deep pool and go through the underwater tunnel (which you can now reach thanks to the Silver Scale). It comes out in Lake Hylia.
Ruto's Letter
Lake Hylia is the big lake with the island, the bridges and the Lakeside Laboratory. From where the tunnel comes out, dive to the bottom and you will see a Bottle is lying there underwater very close by. Navi notices there's something inside. It's Ruto's Letter. And once you've delivered the letter you keep the empty Bottle.
Swim back through the tunnel to Zora Domain.
Delivering Ruto's Letter
Go back to King Zora and show him Ruto's Letter. It's in her handwriting, and it says she's inside Lord Jabu-Jabu. He can't believe their guardian deity would eat her, but admits Jabu-Jabu has been groaning and acting strangely ever since the Zora drove off a band of Gerudo who shouted something about Ganondorf as they fled. Navi wonders whether Ganondorf was here too.
King Zora asks you to save Ruto and keep it a secret, then shifts aside to open the path to Zora Fountain. The letter's Bottle is now an empty Bottle.
Catch a Fish In a Bottle
Before heading into Zora Fountain, walk back down to the lower level of Zora Domain and use the Empty Bottle to catch any fish you can see in the shallow part of the water near the waterfall.
Go up the stairs behind his throne to Zora Fountain.
Zora Fountain
In Zora Fountain, go to the back area on the right where you will see a tree, roll into the tree to make a Gold Skulltula fall out, defeat it and grab the Token.
(There is also another Gold Skulltula in this area on the wall at night, but ignore that once for now as you will need the Boomerang to reach it).
Farore's Wind Magic Fairy
Just behind the tree with the Gold Skulltula there is a cracked wall that you can destroy using Bombs, inside is another Great Fairy, this one will sell you the Farore's Wind Magic for 100 Rupees.
Head Inside Jabu-Jabu
Exit the cave and go back to the Zora Fountain entrance, walk up to Lord Jabu-Jabu, the giant fish in the water. Navi says he looks like he's in pain, and that Ganondorf must be behind this too. Stand in the round basin in front of him and use the Fish you caught in a Bottle earlier. He sucks it up, and you with it.
This is the start of the next dungeon which we will cover in Chapter 10.
Chapter 9 Checklist
- Silver Scale
- Bottle (4 of 5, Ruto's Letter)
- A Fish in a Bottle, for Lord Jabu-Jabu
- Heart Pieces this chapter, 1 (Zora Domain torches) running total 13 of 36
- Gold Skulltulas this chapter, 1 (Zora Fountain tree), running total 28 of 100
Next: Chapter 10, Inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly.
