The Mirror Shields of the Desert are a unique pair of heavy armor shields. They are reforged from the respective Mirror Shield (Damaged) and may be converted into light armor variants.
Characteristics[]
There are two instances of the Mirror Shield of the Desert, and each is only different in design. One shield bears the cobra-like Gerudo symbol, while the other has the original moon-based design (internally referred to as the "Spirit" variant).
The Damaged Mirror Shields are initially between Iron and Dented Iron Shields in protection with a similar weight. After being reforged, the shields become equal to Ebony Shields with a heavier weight. The light armor variants are between Glass and Chitin Shields in protection, with twice the weight of a Glass Shield.
The Damaged shield cannot be tempered, but the reforged versions may be tempered with both a Quicksilver Ingot and Dwarven Oil.
Effects[]
The Damaged Mirror Shield is initially unenchanted and cannot be enchanted. Once reforged, the Mirror Shield reflects up to 500 points of spell damage while blocking.
Location[]
The damaged Gerudo shield is located within Ansilvund. It can be found in an Ancient Chest between two Nordic dragon statues in the final room.
A route to Ansilvund from Shor's Stone
The damaged Spirit shield is located within Kagrenzel. It can be found in an underwater Ancient Chest at the bottom of the pit that the player first falls into, near the Southernmost waterfall. It is not far from another, expert-level locked chest.
A route to Kagrenzel from Shor's Stone
Crafting[]
Each Mirror Shield (Damaged) can be reforged into the respective Mirror Shield of the Desert at an Ancient Enchanter. They may then be freely converted between heavy or light armor forms at an Alteration Table.
Ancient Enchanter[]
| Required Items | Match Conditions | Alternate Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Mirror Shield (Damaged) | N/A | N/A |
| Light Essence (1) |
| Required Items | Match Conditions | Alternate Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Mirror Shield (Damaged) | Nayru's Ward | N/A |
Lore[]
Little information exists regarding the Mirror Shields of the Desert. The shield bearing the Gerudo symbol is said to have been used by Nabooru, the Sage of Spirit, during the Last Great War of Hyrule, while the shield bearing the moon symbol was used by the Dark Army. Other sources indicate the opposite.
The Gerudo shield was unearthed by the Nords building Ansilvund and used in battle. During her usurping of the crypt, Lu'ah Al-Skaven moved the chest aside, having little regard for it.
The moon shield was found by the Dwemer of Kagrenzel and studied for its magical properties. How it reached the bottom of Kagrenzel's pit is unknown. One possibility is that Kagrenzel was originally larger, but collapsed. Another possibility is that the Dwemer intentionally hid the shield.
Background and Inspiration[]
The Mirror Shields of the Desert were originally part of a standalone mod before being added into an early version of Relics of Hyrule. The shields' locations remained unchanged from the standalone mod.
The model and textures were made by DMagnus. In version 6.5.19, the Mirror Shields of the Desert were given updated textures. Additionally, the shields were made to be found in a more weathered and damaged state, requiring them to be reforged before regaining their reflective properties.
The Mirror Shields of the Desert are based very closely on the mirror shield from Ocarina of Time. The shield has had two designs in its history - the "Spirit" variant being from the original N64 release, with the "Gerudo" variant replacing it in rereleases such as Ocarina of Time 3D - and both designs are represented in Relics of Hyrule. JKalenad chose to keep the designs separate, rather than two alternatives for one shield, to allow both designs to stand on their own as equals.
The shields' placement in two ruins of such close proximity was unintentional; the ruins were originally chosen for their hiding places and challenge. JKalenad was nevertheless pleased that the two were ultimately located so close to each other.
Gallery[]
Video[]
The shields are included in the Mirror Shields video, and are the last two shields featured:
Relics of Hyrule Video Guide - Mirror Shields