Forsaken Fortress

The Forsaken Fortress (魔獣島) is a dungeon from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. This fortress, located in the far northwest of the Great Sea is where Ganondorf has constructed his lair. It was once the base of operations for a rather low level gang of pirates that competed with Tetra and her pirates.

Story
The Forsaken Fortress is an evil-looking island, and is generally avoided by inhabitants of the Great Sea at all costs. The stone fortress is well-guarded with Cannon Turrets, searchlights, and hordes of Moblins and Miniblins, who patrol and attack any invaders. Ganondorf's servant, the Helmaroc King, has made his home there as well. It is also the place where Link's sister, Aryll, is held prisoner, along with Mila and Maggie.

Ganondorf placed a curse on the Forsaken Fortress so that it was locked in an eternal night.

The first time Link visits the fortress, Tetra and her pirates shoot him out of a catapult (in a barrel) into the fortress so he can save his sister. When Link comes to, he finds he has lost his Hero's Sword after impacting a wall at a very high speed. After reaching his sword, he enters the chamber where his sister and the other girls are held. Just as he is about to free them, the Helmaroc King captures Link and throws him out to sea, where he is saved by the King of Red Lions. Also, this is the first time the player sees Ganondorf in the actual game.

During the second trip, after Link has obtained the Master Sword, Tetra and her pirates distract the Helmaroc King while Link sneaks in, although Link is not aware of this. After defeating Phantom Ganon and scaling the fortress once more, Link is faced with the Helmaroc King while Tetra's Pirates free the imprisoned girls.

After defeating the Helmaroc King, Link meets Ganondorf face to face. Link charges at Ganondorf but is defeated easily. Here Link learns that the Master Sword has lost its power. Just as Ganondorf raises his sword to kill Link, Tetra attacks him. However, she too is defeated quickly. As he is choking her, his Triforce of Power resonates, and he realizes that Tetra is the owner of the Triforce of Wisdom, and that she is Princess Zelda. Just as things look hopeless, Quill and Prince Komali swoop in and take them to safety. Valoo then appears and burns Ganondorf's lair at the top of the fortress. Ganondorf, unfortunately, survives the attack and abandons the Forsaken Fortress.

If Link returns there afterwards, the fortress is completely abandoned. The only enemies are Rats and Keese. The searchlights are shut down, the curse of eternal night is dispelled, and the path to the central tower is blocked by rubble. In the final dungeon, Ganon's Tower, Link can open a portal to the Forsaken Fortress, which is the same portal Ganondorf used to escape the sealed Hyrule.

Dungeon
The fortress requires stealth the first time it is visited. This is due to the searchlights and the loss of Link's sword. To sneak around, Link had to hide under barrels to avoid the notice of Moblins. If Link is discovered by a Moblin or a searchlight, or captured by the Floormaster, then he would be sent to a cell at the second floor, which luckily, has a hidden passage for escape. Also, if either a Moblin or a searchlight catches Link moving while inside a barrel, they will know something is wrong and send him to the cell. On his second trip, this time with a sword, Link had no need to be stealthy, and enemies would now attack him and searchlights would attract the attention of Cannon Turrets and hoards of Miniblins.

In addition to the areas Link needs to explore, the Fortress has several rooms on the 1st floor that are optional to visit, though most contain nothing but Pieces of Heart and are best left for the second visit. Interestingly enough, this is the first Piece of Heart in the entire series to be found within the depths of a dungeon.

Items

 * Skull Hammer
 * Piece of Heart
 * Heart Container

Enemies

 * Bokoblin
 * Cannon Turret
 * Floormaster
 * Keese
 * Miniblin
 * Moblin
 * Moblin Statue
 * Octorok
 * Rat
 * Real Bombchu

Mini-bosses

 * Bokoblin (first trip)
 * Phantom Ganon (second trip)

Boss

 * Helmaroc King (second trip)

Theories
The Forsaken Fortress may once have been the Gerudo's Fortress from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, as they are both in the same area of Hyrule, both are thieves' hideouts, and in both Link can be imprisoned if he is caught by guards. Also, it makes sense that Ganondorf would set up his fortress in the same place he used to live. As the Gerudos have been Pirates in Majora's Mask, they may have become pirates once again after the Great Flood.