A Token of Friendship

Key takeaways

Use the following points to plan the quest before leaving Zora's Domain.

Unlock condition The quest does not become available until after the Water Temple is completed and Mucktorok has been defeated. Unlock condition
Quest giver Speak with Yona in Zora's Domain to receive the search objective and learn why the greaves matter to the Zora. Quest giver
Entrance The intended route begins at East Reservoir Lake, where a whirlpool provides access to the Ancient Zora Waterworks. Waterworks entrance
Main obstacle A Stone Talus guards part of the underground route, so the expedition includes a substantial combat encounter as well as navigation. Main obstacle
Set completion Recovering the Zora Greaves is necessary for players who want to assemble the full Zora Armor set. Zora Armor progression

A Token of Friendship overview

A Token of Friendship is a post-Water Temple side quest in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Yona asks Link to recover the Zora Greaves, a gift that she and the Zora had intended to present to him.

A Token of Friendship begins in Zora's Domain after Link has completed the Water Temple and defeated Mucktorok. Yona explains that the Zora wanted to give Link the Zora Greaves as a token of their friendship, but the armor piece is no longer readily available in the domain. This makes the quest a continuation of Link's relationship with the Zora rather than a separate challenge unrelated to the Water Temple story.

The search leads to the Ancient Zora Waterworks, an underground area reached through a whirlpool at East Reservoir Lake. The route changes the nature of the task from a conversation-driven objective into an exploration sequence: Link must enter the waterworks, follow its cave system, and search through the interior for the armor piece. The environment itself is the main navigational obstacle, so careful exploration is more useful than simply following the surface roads around Zora's Domain.

The Ancient Zora Waterworks is not entirely safe. A Stone Talus guards part of the route, creating the quest's most significant combat obstacle before the greaves can be recovered. Once the Zora Greaves are found, the quest supplies an important piece of the Zora Armor set. Players pursuing the complete set should treat this side quest as necessary progression, even though it is not part of the main story sequence.

Where this sits

Water TempleRequired story milestone

MucktorokRequired defeat

A Token of FriendshipCurrent quest

Zora Armor setLonger-term collection goal

1Complete the Water TempleprerequisiteThe quest is unavailable before this milestone.
2Defeat MucktorokprerequisiteThe post-temple boss defeat is also required.
●Speak with YonacurrentStart the quest in Zora's Domain.
4Enter the Ancient Zora WaterworksobjectiveUse the whirlpool at East Reservoir Lake.
5Recover the Zora GreavesrewardSearch the waterworks and overcome the guarded route.

This quest follows the Zora story's Water Temple chapter and contributes to the Zora Armor set.

Requirements

The quest has a clear story prerequisite and a location-based search objective.

RequiredComplete the Water TempleFinish the Water Temple before attempting to start A Token of Friendship.
RequiredDefeat MucktorokThe quest becomes available only after the Water Temple boss, Mucktorok, has been defeated.
RequiredReach Zora's DomainReturn to Zora's Domain and locate Yona to receive the quest.
RecommendedPrepare for underground explorationThe destination is a cave system with a Stone Talus encounter, so bring a workable combat loadout and enough supplies for exploration.

Objectives

Speak with Yona in Zora's DomainLearn about the intended gift and begin the search for the missing armor piece.
Travel to the Ancient Zora WaterworksReach the whirlpool at East Reservoir Lake and use it to enter the underground destination.
Navigate the waterworks cave systemExplore the interior route until the location of the Zora Greaves is found.
Deal with the Stone Talus guarding the pathOvercome the major encounter that blocks or complicates progress through the waterworks.
Recover the Zora GreavesClaim the armor piece to complete the quest's central task and advance collection of the Zora Armor set.

WalkthroughSpoilers

01
Unlock A Token of Friendship
Finish the Zora story prerequisite
Complete the Water Temple and defeat Mucktorok before looking for Yona's quest. If the conversation does not begin, verify that both parts of the prerequisite have been completed rather than searching the waterworks prematurely.
Location: Water Temple and Zora's Domain
TipReturn to the domain after the boss encounter so you can check for Yona's post-temple dialogue.
02
Receive the quest from Yona
Speak with Yona in Zora's Domain
Find Yona in Zora's Domain and talk to her to start A Token of Friendship. She explains that the Zora intended the Zora Greaves as a gift for Link, turning the next objective into a recovery search rather than a purchase or crafting task.
Location: Zora's Domain
Checkpoint
03
Find the whirlpool entrance
Travel to East Reservoir Lake
Leave Zora's Domain and make your way to East Reservoir Lake. The entrance to the quest area is a whirlpool in the lake, so searching for an ordinary cave entrance or surface doorway will not take you to the intended route.
Location: East Reservoir Lake
Watch outDo not abandon the search at the lake's shoreline; the whirlpool is the access point identified for this quest.
04
Begin the underground search
Enter the Ancient Zora Waterworks
Use the whirlpool at East Reservoir Lake to reach the Ancient Zora Waterworks. Once inside, treat the area as an underground cave system and inspect the available passages rather than expecting a direct walk from the entrance to the armor.
Location: Ancient Zora Waterworks
TipKeep track of explored passages and return to junctions if the route appears to dead-end.
05
Locate the route to the greaves
Explore the cave system toward the guarded route
Progress through the waterworks and search the interior for the path leading to the Zora Greaves. The waterworks combines navigation with combat, so a passage that appears to be the obvious route may first require dealing with the Stone Talus encounter guarding the way.
Location: Ancient Zora Waterworks
Watch outA retreat from combat can leave the exploration objective unfinished; make sure the route forward has actually been opened before backtracking.
06
Clear the major combat obstacle
Defeat or overcome the Stone Talus encounter
A Stone Talus is present in the waterworks and guards the path through the area. Use the open space around the encounter to avoid its attacks, look for an opportunity to reach its weak point, and resume the search only after the guarded route is safe.
Location: Ancient Zora Waterworks
TipDo not spend all of your attention on attacking: preserving room to move is especially important in an underground fight.
07
Recover the Zora Greaves
Find and collect the Zora Greaves
Continue through the accessible waterworks passages until you locate the armor piece. Collect the Zora Greaves to finish the quest's recovery objective; this is the item that makes the quest important for anyone assembling the full Zora Armor set.
Location: Ancient Zora Waterworks
Checkpoint
08
Complete the quest
Confirm completion and continue the armor collection
After collecting the Zora Greaves, confirm that the quest objective has advanced before leaving the waterworks. The recovered piece completes A Token of Friendship's central purpose and counts toward the full Zora Armor set, although the source material does not specify a separate final dialogue sequence.
Location: Ancient Zora Waterworks
TipIf the armor-set goal is your priority, record the greaves as obtained before moving on to other activities.

Mission mechanics

The quest is built around a two-part progression gate. First, the Water Temple and Mucktorok must be resolved; only then does Yona provide the request in Zora's Domain. Second, the objective shifts from dialogue to environmental navigation, sending Link through the whirlpool at East Reservoir Lake and into the Ancient Zora Waterworks.

The waterworks functions as both destination and puzzle space. Its cave system requires the player to identify the useful route among underground passages, while the Stone Talus prevents the expedition from being purely passive exploration. The quest therefore tests preparation, movement, and route-finding rather than asking for a conventional open-field delivery.

The reward is meaningful beyond this individual quest because the Zora Greaves are part of the Zora Armor set. Players who are collecting armor should prioritize this quest after its prerequisite becomes available, even if they are not otherwise following every optional objective in the Zora region.

What works and what does not

Strengths

The quest gives the Zora Greaves a story context by presenting them as a gift from Yona and the Zora.
Its entrance is distinctive: the whirlpool at East Reservoir Lake clearly separates the quest destination from ordinary travel routes.
The waterworks combines exploration with a Stone Talus encounter, giving the recovery task a meaningful obstacle.
It directly supports completion of the Zora Armor set.

Weaknesses

The quest cannot be started during the earlier part of the Zora storyline because its availability is gated behind the Water Temple and Mucktorok.
The cave-system layout can make the search less direct than the initial objective suggests.
The Stone Talus can interrupt what might otherwise be a straightforward armor-recovery trip.

Best uses

Prioritize it when collecting the Zora Armor set.
Use it as a post-Water Temple return activity in Zora's Domain.
Approach it as an exploration objective with a combat checkpoint rather than as a simple conversation quest.

Phases

1
Approach and positioning
Starts: Reaching the Stone Talus encounter in the Ancient Zora Waterworks
The Stone Talus guards part of the route through the waterworks. Before committing to the fight, identify the available space and avoid being trapped against the cave geometry.
- Stone Talus attacksTell The enemy's large body and movement make its attack commitment easier to read in open space.Answer Keep moving, create distance when necessary, and attack when a safe opening appears.
- Preserve room to circle the enemy instead of standing directly beneath it.
- If the encounter becomes unsafe, reposition before attempting another attack.
2
Weak-point assault
Starts: A safe opportunity to attack the Stone Talus
The encounter is designed around reaching and striking the Stone Talus's weak point. The exact weapon setup is flexible, so prioritize a method that lets Link attack without losing mobility.
- Weak-point exposureTell The vulnerable ore deposit provides the target for the damaging part of the assault.Answer Climb, jump, or otherwise reach the weak point when the battlefield permits, then disengage before the next dangerous attack.
- Do not trade health for repeated hits if the enemy is about to retaliate.
- Use the surrounding space to reset the encounter rather than forcing a low-health exchange.
3
Route reopened
Starts: Stone Talus defeated or the guarded passage safely cleared
Once the obstacle no longer prevents progress, return to exploration mode and continue through the waterworks. The combat victory itself is not the final objective; the Zora Greaves still need to be located and collected.
- Resume checking passages after the encounter instead of assuming the armor is automatically awarded.

Checklist

Complete the Water TempleRequired before the quest becomes available.
Defeat MucktorokThe second part of the availability condition.
Speak with Yona in Zora's DomainThis starts A Token of Friendship.
Locate East Reservoir LakeThe lake contains the quest's whirlpool entrance.
Enter the Ancient Zora Waterworks through the whirlpoolUse the specified route to reach the underground area.
Search the waterworks cave systemThe armor piece is inside the underground destination.
Prepare for the Stone Talus encounterA Stone Talus guards part of the path.
Recover the Zora GreavesThis completes the quest's main objective.
Add the greaves to your Zora Armor set collectionThe quest is necessary for full-set collection.Optional

Characters in this mission

Aftermath

A necessary stop for Zora Armor collectors

The Zora Greaves are more than a one-off quest reward: recovering them is necessary for anyone who wants to collect the full Zora Armor set. After the Water Temple chapter, return to Yona and complete this underground search before treating the Zora equipment collection as finished.

Relationships

characters

YonaQuest giverYona gives Link A Token of Friendship in Zora's Domain.

locations

Zora's DomainStarting locationThe quest begins after speaking with Yona here.
East Reservoir LakeEntrance routeA whirlpool at East Reservoir Lake leads to the Ancient Zora Waterworks.
Ancient Zora WaterworksQuest destinationThe underground cave system where the Zora Greaves are found.

story

Water TemplePrerequisiteThe Water Temple must be completed before the quest becomes available.
MucktorokPrerequisite bossMucktorok must be defeated before Yona provides the quest.

enemies

Stone TalusGuarding encounterA Stone Talus guards part of the route through the waterworks.

equipment

Zora GreavesQuest rewardThe armor piece recovered during the quest.