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If you’re looking to prove yourself to the inhabitants of the Gerudo Desert, consider completing “Riju of Gerudo Town” in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. Like most Main Quests, this endeavor is no easy fetch-quest assignment but involves solving multiple puzzles, including the entirety of the Lightning Temple. To start this quest, you must first travel through the desert to reach Gerudo Town. To do so, you’ll need clothing or armor with Heat Resistance, such as the Desert Voe Headband. Traveling at night also helps to avoid the sun’s blistering heat.
How to Start the Riju of Gerudo Town Quest in TotK
To begin the Riju of Gerudo Town quest in TotK, you’ll need to meet with Riju at the North Gerudo Ruins, north of the settlement. If you encounter Buliara first beneath the throne chamber of Gerudo Town, she’ll direct you to the ruins. After arriving at the site, Riju will greet Link and request that he help her with her training.
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You must carefully pay attention to Riju’s lightning strike mechanic at the North Gerudo Ruins. It works because Riju will raise her scimitar, causing a large field to expand around the immediate area. Once your targets, which are the practice dummies in this case, are enveloped in the lightning field, fire at them with Link’s arrows. You’ll use this mechanic multiple times when figuring out how to beat “Riju of Gerudo Town” in Tears of the Kingdom.
After Riju’s training, Kara Kara Bazaar will suffer an assault by waves of Gibdos. The heinous-looking abominations are weak to lightning attacks, so you’ll need to utilize Riju’s electric field ability to defeat the monsters. Make sure to take down the mushroom-shaped Gibdo Hives by firing at their bulbous purple weak points. Once you’ve successfully defended Kara Kara Bazaar in “Riju of Gerudo Town,” return to the townlet for the next portion of the quest.
Similar to the Kara Kara Bazaar minutes ago, Gerudo Town will also be under attack by Gibdos. However, you have a few moments to speak with the military leaders of the town before the battle begins. Once prepared, push back the monsters from breaching the village by destroying their hives. Be sure to utilize lightning and fire to your advantage, as the gangly monstrosities are weak to these two elements.
Once the Gerudo Town is safe, your next stop is the mural within the Gerudo Shelter. Recall where you spoke with Buliara first if you didn’t head to the North Gerudo Ruins straightaway at the start of the quest. At the back of this hideaway, you’ll find Riju examining the “Riju of Gerudo Town” mural, involving a riddle and three red pillars.
Riju of Gerudo Town Quest Red Pillar Puzzle Solutions
The first tower of the three “Riju of Gerudo Town” red pillars is located off in the distance, directly behind Riju’s throne room. Its location is hinted at in the riddle’s phrase, “standing back-to-back with the throne.” You can reach the tower on foot or fast-travel to the Soryotanog Shrine and Paraglide your way to your destination. However, be mindful of the sandstorm obstructing your minimap and the Gibdos wandering the desert sands. You can use the pillar-shaped wind currents along the way to glide to the first red pillar.
How To Solve the First Red Pillar
To solve the first puzzle of the “Riju of Gerudo Town” mural riddle, do the following:
- Climb up the southwestern side of the tower, where there’s no curve in the structure to block you.
- Inside the spire, smash apart the circular rubble at the center. You can attach a rock to your weaponry if you lack a heavy blunt weapon.
- Once the lightning stone has been exposed, follow the beam of light to the next pillar.
How To Solve the Second Red Pillar
Once you’ve made it to the next tower, here’s how you can solve its lightning stone puzzle:
- Use Ascend to access the spire from ground level.
- Look for a smaller tower in the distance, and use your Paraglider to reach it.
- Turn the x-shaped contraption to activate the second light of the “Riju of Gerudo Town” quest red pillar puzzle series.
How To Solve the Third Red Pillar
To reach the spire of the third red pillar, use the nearby wind current.
- Like the first tower, use a blunt weapon to break apart the rubble at the center, revealing two wooden stakes and two Zonai Device platforms.
- Attach one of the wooden planks to one of the Zonai Devices, and use Ascend after raising it high enough twice to reach the top.
- Attach the wooden stake to the mechanism in the middle and turn it.
- A cutscene will play, showing that you must travel to the POI at the center of three red pillars.
If you’re struggling to find where the center point of the three towers is, look for the sandy area slightly elevated above the rest. Atop this hill is where you’ll find your next objective for “Riju of Gerudo Town” in TotK. Using Riju’s lightning power, activate the unearthed device to excavate the Lightning Shrine. However, before you can enter, you must defeat Queen Gibdo, the Scourge of the Lightning Temple.
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Once the queen has been subdued, it will retreat to the top of the Lightning Temple. To complete “Riju of Gerudo Town” in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, you must progress through the temple and clear all its challenges and puzzles. In the entrance hall, you’ll find multiple Korok-Frond Gusters. Use them to clear away the sand covering the pressure plates that open the way into the inner sanctum.
After getting past several Gibdos and puzzles that require utilizing Link’s abilities, you’ll reach the Room of Hopeful Light. To open the locked doorway, pick up the round eye-shaped device buried in the sand and hold it under the pillar of light. Aim the reflected light beam at the symbol above the door to activate its unlock mechanism.
The next portion of the Lightning Temple involves finding the four batteries that power the lift in the Room of Ascension. Using your map as a guide, use Riju’s lightning strikes and your projectiles to activate these batteries.
Before you can finally complete “Riju of Gerudo Town,” you must face Queen Gibdo in a final battle. Fortunately, you’ll still have Riju at your side for support, so be sure to utilize her elemental attack. Once the queen is defeated, you will have cleared this Main Quest in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. If you’d like a video walkthrough of the “Riju of Gerudo Town” quest red pillars section, here’s gameplay by ZaFrostPet:
