You’re wandering through the dense, rainy forests of East Necluda, probably hunting for Hearty Durians or trying to dodge a stray lightning bolt, when you stumble onto Mount Taran. Suddenly, you find a Stone Tablet tucked between two flaming skull posts. It talks about "ancient orbs" and "giants."
Welcome to the quest for the three giant brothers botw fans either love for the loot or hate for the trek.
💡 You might also like: Why Halo 3 Multiplayer Maps Still Set the Standard for Level Design
Most players treat this like a standard "kill the big guy" mission. But there’s a lot more going on with the Hinox brothers than just a health bar and a shiny orb. From hidden treasure chests buried literally under their butts to the weirdly specific lore connecting them to the Sheikah, this isn’t just another checkmark on your way to 120 shrines.
Why Mount Taran is a Weird Place
Basically, Mount Taran is the epicenter of this whole thing. It sits right in the middle of Hanu Pond, Uten Marsh, and the Rabella Wetlands. If you look at the map, it’s like a hub. The shrine quest itself, officially called "The Three Giant Brothers," is a classic environmental puzzle.
You’ve got three pedestals. You’ve got three Hinoxes nearby. You do the math.
But here’s the kicker: the game doesn't actually force you to kill them. Honestly, the smartest way to do this quest—especially if you’re early in the game or playing Master Mode—is to be a total thief. If you have the Stealth Set from Kakariko Village, you can literally paraglide onto their chests while they’re sleeping, snatch the orb, and bolt.
It’s way faster than a fifteen-minute slog-fest with a Black Hinox.
💡 You might also like: The Doomsday Heist: How to Start This GTA Online Chaos Without Losing Your Mind
Meeting the Family: The Three Giant Brothers in BotW
The brothers aren't identical. They’re tiered by difficulty, color, and how much they actually care about their personal space. Nintendo put them in a very specific order of "don't mess with me."
The Youngest Brother (Red Hinox)
This guy is the "easy" one. He’s chilling on an island in the middle of Hanu Pond, northeast of the pedestals. He’s a standard Red Hinox. If you’re at the point where you’re hunting these guys, he probably won't even break your shield.
- The Secret: Check the broken-down house right near him. There’s a chest there with a Giant Boomerang. It’s a fun weapon, even if it’s not the most practical for a boss fight.
The Middle Brother (Blue Hinox)
Found in Uten Marsh to the southeast. He’s a step up. Blue Hinoxes have more health and usually wear wooden leg guards. Pro tip: use fire arrows to burn the guards off so you can actually damage his shins.
- The Reward: Don’t just grab the orb and run. There’s a tree nearby with beehives. Underneath it, you’ll find a chest with 5 Ice Arrows. They come in handy for the next brother.
The Eldest Brother (Black Hinox)
The "boss" of the family. He hangs out in the Rabella Wetlands to the west. This area is a nightmare because it’s usually raining, and he’s surrounded by a small army of Bokoblins. Some of those jerks have Shock Arrows. Getting shocked in the rain is a great way to drop your favorite sword and lose it in the tall grass.
- The Hidden Gold: This is what most people miss. The Eldest Brother is actually sleeping on top of a treasure chest buried in the dirt. You have to wake him up (or kill him) and then use Magnesis to yank that chest out of the ground. It has a Gold Rupee inside. That’s 300 easy bucks.
Tactics That Actually Work
If you decide to fight, don't just mash the Y button. That’s how you get sat on.
- Stasis+ is your best friend. Freeze them, then peg them in the eye. When they fall over, go to town on their legs.
- Use the environment. In the Rabella Wetlands, there are metal crates and sometimes stormy weather. If you're feeling brave, you can use Magnesis to smash crates into the Black Hinox's face.
- The "Hand Block." High-level Hinoxes (the Blue and Black ones) will eventually start covering their eye with their hand when they see you aiming a bow. You have to time your shot for the split second they move their hand to attack.
The Tawa Jinn Shrine Reward
Once you lug all three orbs back to the pedestals on Mount Taran, the Tawa Jinn Shrine pops out of the ground.
Since you did all the work outside, the shrine itself is a "Blessing" type. No puzzles inside. You just walk in, open the chest for a Great Thunderblade, and talk to the monk for your Spirit Orb.
The Great Thunderblade is actually a top-tier utility weapon. You can use it to create "shock traps" (dropping it mid-swing so it stays electrified) or just to disarm annoying enemies later on.
What Most People Miss: The Lore
There’s a weird theory in the Zelda community about these guys. Are they actually brothers, or is that just what the Hylians call them?
In Tears of the Kingdom, which is the 2023 sequel, these same three "brothers" actually move. They relocate to caves near Floria Falls because of the "Upheaval." This suggests they have a level of permanence and history in Hyrule that most random monsters don't have. They aren't just spawned by Ganon's Malice; they seem to be ancient residents of the Faron/Necluda border.
💡 You might also like: Play Free Games Solitaire: Why This Century-Old Obsession Is Still Winning
Some fans think the Sheikah Monks actually "tamed" or placed these Hinoxes there 10,000 years ago as part of the trial. Imagine being a monk and deciding the best way to test the Hero of Time is to give three giant cyclopses some jewelry and tell them to take a nap.
Actionable Next Steps
If you haven't finished this yet, here is exactly what you should do:
- Teleport to the Rabella Wetlands Skyview Tower (or the Hateno Tower if you're on the older map) to get your bearings.
- Equip the Stealth Set. It makes the orb-snatching strategy 10x easier.
- Bring Magnesis. Don't leave the Rabella Wetlands without pulling that buried chest out of the ground; 300 rupees is too much to leave behind.
- Check your Medal of Honor progress. If you’re a completionist, killing these three counts toward the Medal of Honor: Hinox that you get from Kilton after defeating Calamity Ganon.
The quest for the three giant brothers botw offers is more than just a shrine hunt. It's a test of whether you'd rather be a brute or a thief. Either way, the Great Thunderblade is waiting at the end of the road.