You’re riding through a thunderstorm in Hyrule, minding your own business, when you hear it. Someone at a stable mentions they saw Princess Zelda. But wait—she was riding a giant, terrifying beast? Or maybe she was seen ordering a group of researchers to strip down to their underwear in the freezing cold?
Honestly, the potential princess sightings totk questline is one of the weirdest, most sprawling adventures in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. It’s not just a single mission; it’s a massive 12-part investigation that takes you to almost every corner of the map. You aren't just a hero anymore. You’re a journalist.
Getting Started at the Lucky Clover Gazette
Before you can start hunting down leads, you have to actually get hired. You’ll find the Lucky Clover Gazette situated in the old Rito Stable location, just outside Rito Village in the Hebra region. Look for Traysi—she’s the editor-in-chief and a total powerhouse. She’ll pair you up with Penn, a giant Rito who looks suspiciously like a pelican.
Penn is basically your partner in crime for this whole thing. He flies from stable to stable, chasing whispers of Zelda’s return. To kick things off, you need to have at least started the "Regional Phenomena" main quest. Once you talk to Traysi and Penn at the Gazette, the world opens up.
Every Potential Princess Sightings TOTK Location
You can’t just stumble into these quests. Well, you can, but you need to find Penn at the specific stables to actually trigger the "Potential Princess Sightings!" sub-quests. There are 12 in total.
The Heavy Hitters
Some of these stories are more involved than others. Take Zelda’s Golden Horse at the Snowfield Stable. You aren't just looking for Zelda; you're tracking down her actual horse, which has gone missing in the tundra. It’s a beautiful creature, but getting to it means dodging a Frost Gleeok if you aren't careful.
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Then there’s the Serenade to a Great Fairy at Woodland Stable. This is arguably the most important one because it kicks off the entire Great Fairy questline, which you absolutely need if you want to upgrade your armor. You’ll be fixing a wagon and escorting a troupe of musicians to a giant flower bud. It's chaotic. It’s loud. It’s classic Zelda.
The Weird and the Wacky
- For Our Princess! (Foothill Stable): You’ll find a group of researchers standing around in their undies because they "heard" Zelda told them to explore a monster-filled cave without clothes or weapons. Spoilers: Zelda didn't actually say that.
- The All-Clucking Cucco (South Akkala Stable): A "prophetic" chicken is giving out orders that sound like the Princess. You end up fighting Yiga Clan members because, of course, it was a trap.
- An Eerie Voice (Highland Stable): People are hearing a ghostly voice at night that sounds like Zelda. This leads you to a well where... well, I won't spoil the punchline, but it’s more wholesome than scary.
The Full List of Quest Locations
- New Serenne Stable: The Beast and the Princess
- Wetland Stable: The Missing Farm Tools
- Outskirt Stable: The Beckoning Woman
- Riverside Stable: Gourmets Gone Missing
- Tabantha Bridge Stable: White Goats Gone Missing
- Dueling Peaks Stable: Princess Zelda Kidnapped?!
- Gerudo Canyon Stable: The Blocked Well
Why Bother With the Lucky Clover Gazette?
Is it worth the trek?
The short answer is yes. The long answer involves the Froggy Armor. This set is the holy grail for anyone tired of slipping down cliffs the second a drop of rain hits the ground. Each piece of the set is handed out as you hit milestones in the questline.
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- 4 Stories: Froggy Sleeve
- 9 Stories: Froggy Leggings
- 12 Stories: Froggy Hood (The final piece from Traysi)
Beyond the armor, you get a decent chunk of Rupees. The pay starts at 50 Rupees per story but scales up as you become a more "senior" reporter. By the end, Penn is handing over 300 Rupees for a single lead. Plus, you get the Lucky Clover Gazette paraglider fabric, which is easily one of the cleanest designs in the game.
The Truth Behind the Sightings
As you work through these potential princess sightings totk, a pattern emerges. Most of these "Zeldas" are either Yiga Clan decoys or just massive misunderstandings by the local populace. It’s a clever way for Nintendo to show how much the people of Hyrule look up to her—and how easily that hope can be weaponized by Ganondorf’s followers.
One of the most interesting leads is "The Beast and the Princess" at New Serenne Stable. It leads you all the way to the southern Faron region to discover a new species called Dondons. It turns out Zelda wasn't commanding monsters; she was protecting a rare animal. This adds so much flavor to her character even while she’s technically missing from the present timeline.
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Practical Advice for New Reporters
Don't try to do these all at once. Hyrule is huge. If you try to marathon all 12 stables, you’ll burn out.
Instead, visit the stables as you naturally explore each region for the main story. If you see Penn standing near a stable entrance, talk to him. Most of these quests only take 10-15 minutes but provide a nice break from the gloom-filled depths or the high-altitude sky islands.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Head to the Lucky Clover Gazette (coordinates -3251, 1772, 0118) to officially start the quest.
- Prioritize the Woodland Stable quest first to unlock the Great Fairy.
- Keep a stash of Stamina Elixirs or meals; some of these leads require a lot of climbing or chasing after fast NPCs.
- Once you finish all 12, don't forget to return to the Gazette HQ to talk to Traysi for your final reward.
- If you miss Penn after the quest is over, look for him at Washa’s Bluff—he likes to hang out where a certain accordion-playing Rito used to stand.