You're paragliding over Hyrule, looking down at those massive, sprawling white chalk drawings on the grass, and honestly, it’s a bit overwhelming. Those are the geoglyphs. Specifically, they are the key to finding the Tears of the Dragon TotK, and if you’re playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, you probably realized pretty quickly that these aren't just collectibles. They are the entire emotional backbone of the game.
Most people just fly to the one that looks coolest. Big mistake.
If you stumble into the wrong memory too early, you're going to spoil the biggest twist in the franchise's history within the first five hours. I’ve seen it happen. A player finds a late-game tear near the Gerudo Highlands, watches a thirty-second cutscene, and suddenly the mystery of where Zelda went is completely ruined. It sucks. To get the most out of this story, you need to understand how the Dragon’s Tears function and why Nintendo hid them in plain sight.
The Map in the Forgotten Temple is Your Best Friend
Before you go hunting, head to the North Canyon. There's a spot called the Forgotten Temple. You’ve probably been there in Breath of the Wild, but it’s different now. Deep inside, past the fallen statues, there’s a room with a massive floor map of Hyrule.
This isn't just decoration.
The map shows you exactly where every geoglyph is located. Even better, the walls of that room show the sequence. If you look at the murals from left to right, that is the chronological order of Zelda’s story in the past. If you care about the narrative pacing, take a screenshot of that wall. It’ll save you a lot of "wait, what just happened?" moments later on.
Essentially, the Tears of the Dragon TotK tell the story of the founding of Hyrule. You see Rauru, Sonia, and a much younger (and arguably more menacing) Ganondorf. But finding the geoglyph is only half the battle. Once you’re standing on that giant piece of art, you have to find the actual "tear."
Look for the solid bead.
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Every geoglyph is made of hollow shapes and solid shapes. The tear is always hidden in a "solid" part of the design that looks like a droplet. When you get close, the water will shimmer. Interact with it, and you get a cutscene.
Why the Master Sword is Tied to These Memories
There is a mechanical reason to do this, too. It’s not just for the lore nerds.
Once you collect all 12 tears—well, 11 main ones and then the final "secret" 12th one that spawns—the game basically hands you the location of the Master Sword. You can get the sword earlier if you’re stubborn and have enough stamina, but the "intended" path is through the Tears of the Dragon TotK.
The 12th tear only appears after you’ve seen the first 11. It drops in the middle of the Akkala region, at the Rist Peninsula (the big spiral thing). Seeing that final memory is, frankly, gut-wrenching. It explains the title of the game in a way that makes you look at the dragons flying around Hyrule very, very differently.
Where to Find the Geoglyphs Without Getting Lost
Let’s talk locations. You don't need a perfect checklist, but you do need a sense of direction.
The first one is almost always the "Zonai Swirl" near New Serenne Stable. Cado will be standing there with a broken hot air balloon. Impa is there too. This is the game’s way of saying, "Hey, look at this." It’s the easiest one to find.
From there, it gets tricky.
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- The Temple Geoglyph: Found in the Hebra region. It looks like a classic Hylian temple.
- The Purah Pad: Way over in the Eldin Canyon area.
- The Molduga: This one is in the Gerudo Desert. It’s huge and hard to miss from the sky, but the desert heat will kill you if you aren't prepared with chilly elixir or the right armor.
- The Sword: Located on the cliffs of the Akkala Highlands.
Each of these Tears of the Dragon TotK fills in a specific gap. For instance, the "Sonia is Treacherously Slain" memory is one of the most pivotal. If you find that before you've seen the memory where Zelda and Sonia are just hanging out drinking tea, the emotional impact is totally lost. You’re seeing the ending before the middle.
Dealing with the "Dragon" in the Room
Here’s a tip most guides miss: use the Skyview Towers.
Don't try to find these on horseback. It’s a nightmare. Launch yourself from a tower, open your paraglider, and look down. The "solid" tear shape is much easier to spot from 1,000 feet up than it is while standing in the middle of a forest.
Also, keep an eye on your stamina. Some of these tears are in high-altitude areas like the Tabanta Tundra. If you run out of green circles while paragliding toward a geoglyph, you're going to have a long, annoying climb back up.
Interestingly, the Tears of the Dragon TotK aren't just static movies. They change Link’s dialogue options with certain NPCs. If you know what happened to Zelda, Link’s interactions with the "Zelda sightings" across the map feel much more poignant. You know the truth, but the rest of Hyrule is still chasing ghosts.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 12th Tear
A lot of players think they’ve finished the quest after the 11th geoglyph.
They haven't.
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After the 11th cutscene plays, a dragon will fly overhead and drop a literal tear of light into the world. It’s a cinematic masterpiece. You have to go to the Rist Peninsula to trigger the final sequence. This isn't just "another memory." It is the conclusion of the questline and the moment the game’s map truly opens up.
If you’re wondering why you can’t find the 12th geoglyph, it’s because there isn't one. There’s just the memory in the sand.
Expert Strategy for Efficient Hunting
If you want to knock these out quickly but still enjoy the story, follow this specific path:
- Start at the North Hyrule Plain (The Zonai Swirl).
- Head to the Forgotten Temple to see the sequence on the wall.
- Go to the Tabanta Hills (The Temple).
- Move toward the Gerudo Highlands (The Molduga).
- Circle back through the Faron region (The Dragon).
- Finish in the Akkala Highlands.
This roughly follows the narrative arc without making you backtrack across the entire map twelve times. It keeps the mystery alive while respecting your time.
The Tears of the Dragon TotK quest is arguably the best storytelling Nintendo has ever done in a Zelda game. It’s tragic, it’s grand, and it makes the final boss fight feel personal. When you finally face Ganondorf, you aren't just fighting for Hyrule. You're fighting because of what you saw in those tears.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Journey
- Visit the Forgotten Temple immediately: Don't guess the order. Go to the canyon, find the map room, and record the sequence of the murals.
- Prioritize Stamina over Hearts: You'll need at least two full wheels of stamina to comfortably reach some of the higher geoglyphs and eventually claim the reward they lead to.
- Use the Camera: If you find a geoglyph but can't find the tear, take a picture of the whole pattern from the sky. You can then look at the photo in your Purah Pad to see which part of the drawing is "filled in."
- Check your Adventure Log: The "Dragon's Tears" quest tracks which ones you've found. If you're missing one, cross-reference your log with the murals in the Forgotten Temple to see exactly which part of the timeline is blank.
- Prepare for Akkala: Ensure you have the travel medallion or a nearby shrine unlocked in the Akkala region, as you'll be heading there for the final emotional payoff once the first 11 tears are collected.
Following this structure ensures you experience the narrative as the developers intended, turning a simple scavenger hunt into the defining experience of your playthrough.