In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake, freeing the four carpenters in Gerudo Fortress is one of those classic adult-Link errands that can feel like a stealth section mixed with short fights. After you talk to the Master Craftsman (the head carpenter) across the bridge in Gerudo Valley, he asks you to track down his four apprentices who got locked up within the fortress.
This quest requires you to sneak past guards and free all four of them. After this, the Gerudo will finally stop throwing you into jail every time they spot you. In this guide, I will explain how you can free all the carpenters inside Gerudo Fortress.
All Four Carpenters in Gerudo Fortress in Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake
To begin your quest, you need to talk to the Master Craftsman first in Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake. Then, head to the fortress. But before you can do that, make sure you either have Epona or the Longshot so you can cross the bridge.
In here, if a guard or a Gerudo Thief spots you, Link will be tossed into the high prison cell.
Once locked inside a cell, use your Longshot on the window frame above and pull yourself out. You will be using this gadget a lot, especially for hunting Gold Skulltulas. Land on a ledge, and simply drop down and rejoin the route. If you don’t use the Longshot to get out, you will get sent all the way back to the tent in Gerudo Valley instead. Once you are out of the cell, here’s how you can get to each of the carpenters inside the fortress:
Shiro (First Carpenter)
Take the vines down from the ledge and then go right till you spot a wooden door.
Open the door and keep following the hallway till you reach an open room. Shiro’s cell will be to your right.
Talk to him through the bars, and then a Gerudo Thief will spawn behind you in the open area. Fight her, and she will drop a Small Key.
Use it to open the cell and talk to Shiro once more so he can leave. To the left of his cell, you will be able to see an exit to the courtyard outside. Open the door and go out.
Saburo (Second Carpenter)
Right after leaving Shiro’s cell, enter the building immediately on your left. While doing this, watch for the guard on the right and stun her with an arrow if she is in the way.
Inside, hide from the guard patrolling the stairs; stun her with an arrow once her back is turned. Then run up the right staircase and exit outside.
You have to climb the next staircase on the left, stun that guard as well, and then go through the left doorway.
Talk to Saburo and beat the Gerudo Thief here the same way as before. Take the Small Key and free the second carpenter. Once done, leave through the stairs and top door in his room.
Ichiro (Third Carpenter)
After you are outside once more, go down the ladder in front of you.
Enter the wooden door straight across.
Head down the stairs, and you will reach Ichiro’s cell. Just like before, talk to the carpenter, defeat the Gerudo Thief, and unlock the cell with the help of the Small Key. Talk to him once more so he can leave, and exit the area the same way you came in.
Jiro (Fourth Carpenter)
From outside Ichiro’s area, climb the ladder to the opposite side. It will take you through the left wooden door into the big kitchen-like area.
Longshot the target across the room so you don’t have to deal with the guards on the floor. Climb the left staircase and exit the top door.
Drop down the ladder on the right and keep to the right till you enter the next doorway.
Here, hide behind the brick wall from the patrolling guard. Wait for her to turn and stun her with an arrow. You can now sprint past her and go down the left staircase to Jiro’s cell.
Repeat the process of talking to him, beating the Gerudo Thief and taking the Small Key, freeing him, and finally talking to him one more time so he can leave.
What Happens After You Free All Four Gerudo Fortress Carpenters?
Once the fourth carpenter is free, a Gerudo Warrior will approach Link. She will offer you a deal where you agree to help look into what happened to Nabooru, and she will hand over the Gerudo Pass.
This pass will allow you to walk around the fortress without getting arrested, and do things like opening the Mirage Desert gate, using the Horseback Archery Range, and entering the Gerudo Proving Ground.
That concludes the guide on how to free all four carpenters inside Gerudo Fortress in Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake. The fights against the Gerudo Thieves are the same each time you face them. Keep your shield up and wait out the aggressive spinning attack. After that, just hit them when they recover. Stun the regular guards with arrows whenever you need a clear path.
Once you have the pass, the carpenters will also repair the broken bridge in Gerudo Valley, so you can cross it normally once you visit the area later in the game. I also recommend backtracking to the fortress later for secret areas that can offer you some good loot and help you out with future upgrades.
