#Etrian Odyssey 5

[definitelyimportantpost]

You gotta be lying to me Ramus there's no freaking way

[slaviiik]

something outside my usual wheelhouse- i've been playing around with modding custom portraits into Etrian Odyssey V in my free time and decided to take a crack at adapting some unused concept art i was fond of. little bit crunchy but feel free to use lol

[repo-net]

EO5-Styled intros for the stratums from EO1 and EO2!

I finished playing EO5 a while back, and one of the things I really liked about the game were the short narrated sequences that played when you reached a stratum for the first time. The voice actress kills the role, and just the music slowly kicking in as she introduces just what you're about to get yourself into - aaahh, it's so good.

To help practice a bit of my description writing when it comes to locations and short tidbits of lore, I decided to try my hand at doing my own renditions of these sequences for the EO1 and 2 stratums! Hopefully they look alright, eheh.

Spoilers under the cut!

EO1

Every adventurer has a dream: whether it be for glory, for riches, for knowledge, or for purpose. Without fail, all of them flock to this mighty tree.

Regardless of the purity in their heart, the first step into these vast greenlands is filled with ambition.

That very same ambition is what has led to the end of so many. And yet for you, it may just be the start…

The legendary story born from hope blossomed here.

The first stratum, Emerald Grove

Descending down the stairs, a new layer of the labyrinth welcomes you.

Darker than the last, the tropical wilderness buzzes your ear with the sounds of trickling water, and cries of a new set of beasts.

Those who basked in their success of survival of the basics; learned far too late…

… That here, nature reigns supreme.

The second stratum, Primitive Jungle

Conquering the lord of the jungle, a mesmerizing sight shines against your eyes.

A moist scent wafting in the air, with a cobalt hue that makes one forget you’re still within a forest.

A queen of the insects lies in wait here, and below even her grasp is a mystery only a handful have seen, yet one question continues to prod.

Has that secret been forgotten by age, or has it grown into something more?

The third stratum, Azure Rainforest

Layer after layer of blooming life, comes to a harsh, arid halt upon this new arrival.

These wastelands filled with long stretches of beige and grains scraping against skin, is the very home of an ancient race.

They speak of a century-old pact, fully ready to defend their turf. To hide what’s below, and to see what’s below.

Wills even in the face of death are about to be tested here.

The fourth stratum, Sandy Barrens

Only the cursed king on his throne in the abyss remembers that golden age.

A world overwhelmed by verdure and promises of revival. A time and tragedy that only one man can tell the true story of.

Structures and mechanisms that you have never seen the likes of, with memories so distant, but so near all the same.

The mysteries that have been kept under for a millenia, it is your destiny to unravel them and see for your own - the secrets of Yggdrasil.

The fifth stratum, Lost Shinjuku

Below even the origin of creation is a place past the naked eye. 

A system of organs solely out of the blood dripping from stratas above, drenching the pulsing and veiny walls with a sickening red.

Screams and wails of agony from a creature tortured by its purpose, engulfing itself in this cavern to take its revenge on trespassers that were never meant to reach here.

For descending to the roots of this labyrinth, its very core will stop at nothing to engrave you into it.

The sixth stratum, Claret Hollows

EO2

The second saga of a legend already born, or the first for the arisal of new ones.

Whoever the author may be, this story begins all the same, with an invitation from a new land to ascend to heights yet to be reached.

These grassy woods that surround the bottom of the mighty tree…

Mark the intro for an adventure unlike any before.

The first stratum, Ancient Forest

Pushing through the daunting beginning trials, an opening paves way into a new flavor of woods.

These orange lands filled with prickly tails and segwaying paths; they provoke the explorers with a dilemma.

Will you grit your teeth through thorns for instant gratification, or will you dance with the roars of beasts seemingly undentable?

Be decisive, lest you go a route that leads to a pitiful end.

The second stratum, Auburn Thicket

Biting through fragile flesh, as soon as getting past the heat of the thicket.

Grazing against the adventurers, a stinging test from the polar opposite on the journey up north.

This icy surface, disrupting the pursuit towards the top, has spelled the end of many tales thought to be on the road of destiny.

Pass by these freezing storms, and at the peak awaits a tragedy long foretold; yet this is only one of his many, many failings.

The third stratum, Frozen Grounds

Lagaard knew not what was past those snowy acres, until they arrived; and now - they continue to soar.

Like the monsters and curious souls that reside here, these pink, rosy blossoms mark the start of heights never been reached.

Through echoes heard upward, each footstep through this cherry territory serenades the adventurers.

Keep on climbing, recite a long lost grail, and you’ll be one step closer to the heavens. But tread carefully - the war ahead may overwhelm even those chosen by fate.

The fourth stratum, Petal Bridge

The world was once overtaken by Earth itself. Those fortunate enough, built a stronghold to survive.

Centuries passed. And eventually, not even the stronghold could hold its strength. 

The one constant… was him. 

Renewing it to his liking, a phenomenal palace not even fairy tales could mold. A castle glistening with gold, proudly idling above the skies where no one could reach him. No matter how long it takes. No matter how many will be lost.

Despite all the years, he’s always kept one promise burned into his mind.

“Humanity must survive.”

The fifth stratum, Heavenly Keep

Eternity - a word no mortal could understand the true weight of. 

An eternity of mistakes. An eternity of lives lost from obsession. 

An eternity of abominations created by his hand. Yet not one was worse than his first.

Over his created heaven, was a forest so eden, so seemingly tranquil; yet nothing was more dangerous. It’s a sanctuary with just a singular purpose.

A forsaken prison, to house his darkest criminal.

The sixth stratum, Forbidden Wood

[ragnar0c]

⚡️Sana used Thunder Fist!⚡️-Oc belongs to Crispies.

First Artfight attack!

[ninesnowfang]

*shits on single sword masurao for the longest time*

*uses one again but with a different, more defensive team*

why is this working now, why did mine just hit for 4.5k in stratum 3

[friend-of-a-cat]

A dumb meme I made a while ago. If you know, you know.

[theshatteredrose]

According to the Polls, the favourite Stratums Across the Games Are...

Etrian Odyssey 1/Untold 1: Stratum 5 - Lost Shinjuku

Etrian Odyssey 2/Untold 2 - Stratum 4 - Petal Bridge

Etrian Odyssey 3: Stratum 5 - Porcelain Forest

Etrain Odyssey 4: Stratum 4 - Echoing Library

Etrian Odyssey 4: Land 2 - Scarlet Pillars

Etrian Odyssey 5: Stratum 3 - Fetid Necropolis 

[luna--flare]

[lepospondyl]

happy halloween

[ohkay0]

HELLO

My brother is getting back into streaming! He's really funny, so if you're interested, check him out. He's playing Etrian Odessey 5.

[definitelyimportantpost]

Etrian Odyssey V: Primeval Forest Ring - Piano Arrangement by Verdegrand

[pitagain]

#365DaysOfVGM Day 169:

Tumult ~ Crest of a Violent Wave (Sekaiju no Meikyū III: Seikai no Raihōsha/Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City & Sekaiju no Meikyuu V: Nagaki Shinwa no Hate/Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth, including the FM Synth version [2010/2016])

This is a level of FM synth so good, that it keeps getting remixed! This time around, it’s a lot easier to distinguish the DS & FM versions, with the FM version having a Tubular Bell that’s borderline absent from the in-game DS variant, so with that in mind, more on the wonderful track itself!

How do you make a fast-paced battle track over 3 minutes long? This track has some satisfying answers to that! 1st thing to come to mind is that Elec Bass, you might already know how much I praised it in the Skeleton Boomerang entry from almost 2 months earlier, it’s a similar deal here!

The other Strings manage to be just as action-packed, helped by the perfectly-paced Drums and other generally uplifting FM staples; uplifting is what I can describe this track as, while not going too far in that direction, since most battle themes need to imply at least some form of challenge to overcome. Those wanting a more “serious/grounded” variant will probably prefer the DS version, because the aforementioned Tubular Bells of the FM version only contribute to the track’s uplifting energy. Yet again, I love both versions well enough to consider both favorites!

Gotta thank TheLinkToThePast (Discord) again for informing me of not just the soundtrack of the Etrian Odyssey DS trilogy, but also this day’s featured Etrian Odyssey V FM track, because while it's different enough to be its own entry, it’s worth mentioning here for all fans of the original track, including me!

Based on Etrian Odyssey IV’s “Raging Winds” take on the Etrian Odyssey III classic, V’s own “Raging Waves” leans further on the dramatic side, with a more concise loop too, given how there wasn’t much space left to expand on the original’s uplifting mood. The Bass is also more traditional, with a heavier set of Drum beats and Drum rolls for some much-needed intensity. Some melodies are altered to work more closely with the higher pitch this track uses in comparison to III, while the non-loop beginning and end parts leading up to the loop are completely new, both setting the tone for a familiar composition that’s not as upbeat. It’s almost like the RPG music styles of old have grown up, ready to take on the challenges of the future together with us!

(Length before loop [DS & FM]: 3.5+ minutes, [V FM]: Nearly 4 minutes)

[teenytinyteaa]

I got a new 3d so i started playing etrian odyssey V again and uhhh

Here be ocs

Under cut is random info on the ocs and pic of the 3ds lol

First off! Nevermore the warlock (he/him)

He has a raven looking skull on his head (because i thought it was funny)

He is very confident in his ability and is the leader of the team. He is extremely afraid of snakes.

Second across is Amani the masurao! (She/her sometimes buns/bunself

She is extremely powerful but very kind. Looks like they could kill you but is actually a cinnamon roll sorta vibe. She hums and sings to herself a lot. T-rex arms for the win. She has a hugee sweet tooth and will eat almost any lolly you give her.

Thirdly we have Namir (they/them) the rover and their goodest boy mame (pronounced mah-may)

They are mute. They communicate through sign language. They love a good dad joke and will be the first to make a corny joke given even the most dire of situations. They may or may not have made some deal with some sort of god or demon to allow mame to allow them to live as long as they live.

Even the team has never seen them with their bandana down. They will wait until everyone else is asleep or move to a secluded area to eat and drink. No one really knows why they wear the bandana around their face but with the ygdrasill being as dangerous as it is, most people dont dare to ask because they fear what they may see.

Next is Dreiax the botanist (he/they)

Dreiax and Lucian are siblings! Drei had a tendency to get sick a lot so when they were growing up, they learnt to make more and more food and drink with healing capabilities. They dont have traditional sort of magical skills. All their healing is medical related through medicinal plants and stuff. They love tea and are a stop and smell the roses kinda guy (and then promptly freaking out when they realise that is in fact not a rose and is in fact an enemy) they are very optimistic and are usually the last one standing in a battle due to them keeping back from the battle to make sure everyone is ok.

If you are sick, he is the type of person to have the perfect recipe to make you feel better.

His recipe book actually doubles as a sketchbook. He loves to sit on the lower levels of the ygdrasill and just sit there and draw.

(Drei is also the most fleshed out oc here, this version of him is more like an au version lol)

Last but certainly not least is Lucian the shaman (he/they)

Lucian is the older brother by a few years. He used his magic to try and heal drei whenever he got hurt since drei never really developed magic. Their parents travelled a lot to sell from town to town so they sorta raised themselves. When they were kids and drei was still learning to cook the accidentally spilt some hot water on Lucian and burnt his face. Due to his magic he was able to heal most of it but it never fully healed. Lucian almost blames himself for the accident, for not being more observant. He does not blame drei at all.

Their favorite pass time is stargazing. They love watching constilations at night and watching the world pass by. Because of this facination, his outfit is adorned with sun,moon and stat motifs.

When they perform their magic their horns, scar and the tips of their ears and fingers glow a cyan colour. Also their hair is not naturally blue its blonde like their sibling.

Despite dealing with cards for his magic. He is notoriously bad at card games.

And i think that's about it

Anyways cool minecraft 3ds go brr

[repo-net]

made a tier list template for eo stratums from 1-5 go use it

decided to make this its own post so the six eo fans on tumblr can find it

[thegreatpikminzx789]

Beyond the Stars - Etrian Odyssey V - Chapter 13

Wattpad | Ao3

Summary: After fleeing from the Toxipede that Byron aggravated, Korey and the other four guild members he brought ponder about the so called 'Eternal Treasures' from the bandit they ran into earlier on the second floor. Deciding to look for answers, they head out to find someone who may have an idea about the treasures in question.

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter (Not available yet)

A/N: Holy World Tree, it's been a long time since I've written anything regarding Etrian Odyssey. Guess that's sort of what happens when the burnout and/or writing yourself into a corner and you can't think of a way to make it work seamlessly into the next chapter, huh?

Apologies for any delay on this story, or any other of my Etrian Odyssey stories. I have some possible ideas I want to implement, though that might require rewrites or just adjusting the story heavily from the first chapters just to work some of them in. Others might still work once later chapters come around. Regardless of what I do, expect updates to…still be infrequent. I'll still be planning out chapter ideas and the like, but I'll probably stick to plotting out the rest of the first arc of the Beyond the Stars saga for now, maybe working on other stories and their chapters when I have the time.

"When did...?"

It had felt like an eternity since they had been running from the Toxipede, only to have to run from another that was between the sole road ahead and a nearby river. Ion's question of why the recent Toxipede felt no need to chase after them after losing sight of them felt more of a relief than a question of simply asking one.

"Seems like we've chased it off our trail," Amare noted, "Those Toxipedes don't tend to stray from their usual hunting grounds. We should be safe from having one of them chase us throughout the floor."

With the looming threat of the F.O.Es long behind them, the group advances as Bortos continued to map the floor as they went. "Why Byron so persistent in causing trouble?" Ion inquired to Hilda, seeing as she was the only source of information about Byron's trouble making attitude.

"I'll be honest, that's just how he's been for all that I've known him," Hilda remarked, "Perhaps it's odd to find such a difference in lifestyle interesting, but when I originally began to date him, it was a struggle to get him to change for the better."

"He definitely reeks of those typical adventurers who claim they'd reach the top of the Yggdrasil Labyrinth in a day." Korey commented, his tone coming across like someone who hated to talk about some rival from years ago, despite having only met the guy under terrible circumstances.

Understanding well what he meant, she continues, "Part of me hoped he would have grown upon having someone to express his hopes and dreams. But some people like that don't change easily, no matter how hard one tries." She finishes with a disappointed sigh, and gazes at the approaching signs of the stairs to the next floor.

Hilda takes a moment to gaze around the scenery as the sunlight continues to cast its gaze upon the open area. She then looks towards a collapsed pillar that she had once accidentally activated with her former guild, before approaching the crystal besides the stairs, reactivating it upon her touch as the light within it stirred from slumber.

"Hard to believe that I'm back here so soon, but the third floor is ahead of us." Hilda remarked with a more determined tone than the anguished worries of a former lover she had before. "It won't be long before we'll surpass what my previous journey in the labyrinth got me to..." A smile formed on her face as she began to think of what might lie ahead for her and her friends journeying with her.

"Now that I'm thinking about it," Bortos declared, "Something doesn't sit right with me about that eye-patched woman who was struggling against Lili."

Amare nodded in agreement, adding, "She also seemed to have recognized me from appearance alone. I can't shrug this off as her simply being a bandit who just happens to know who I am..."

 "She also didn't have any form of guild identification on her luggage or armor, so Ion not sure if eye-patched woman is a bandit or a mercenary..." Ion mentioned, from what he briefly saw of the Dragoon woman from earlier that day. Hilda looks to Korey, as if silently asking him for his thoughts on the matter.

"For all we know, she simply could be a bandit," He commented, "Though what she said about the... Eternal Treasures, was it? That definitely doesn't seem like your average bandit talk."

"Something definitely doesn't add up to her know-how of the treasures. But it's not like finding her and getting answers will be easy..." Bortos remarked, putting the map away after noting down a possible shortcut to this part of the floor.

Korey leaned back against a tree as if to rest a little and pondered to himself for a moment. "We've got little information about that woman to determine if she's a bandit or a mercenary," he noted, "But if we're going to find more of these treasures she mentioned, we may need to ask Ramus if there's anything related to the Eternal Treasures that we can get some lead on. We all good on that?"

The nods from Hilda and the others were enough to get the point across to Korey. "Much as Byron would love to taunt me for being so slow to best him to the next floor, I'm also intrigued about these Eternal Treasures." Hilda smiled, seeming to find the topic of great interest.

They decided to head on back to town early with the use of an Ariadne Thread. No need to rush the exploration of the third floor yet. Once they reached Iorys, they made their way to the Council Hall, seeing Ramus had just wrapped up a discussion with another guild.

"Ah, the Lux Guild," Ramus greeted upon seeing the group approach, "How's progress going on your journey?"

"We just got to the end of the second floor, and were about to head to the third floor." Korey explained, "But we ran into something earlier that's been on our minds since then. Have you heard of the Eternal Treasures, Ramus?"

Ramus couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Eternal... Treasures? Where did you hear such a thing?" He inquired not just to Korey, but to the others beside him.

Amare stepped forth to answer, "Some random Dragoon we found in the labyrinth uttered such a thing aloud when they attacked a fellow explorer. That, along with the fact that she seemed to be aware of me leads us to think she might be a bandit or a mercenary who might have happened to hear of the treasures."

All felt quiet as Ramus pondered on the answers given to him. "This is the first I've heard of such treasures. I'm afraid we don't have much information regarding them--at least, not publicly."

"Ion assume that such secrecy is for a good reason. After all, Ion was once mercenary himself." Ion declared.

"That, and the fact that such treasures may or may not possibly be tied to any one category we would assign to them, as we'd get plenty of people lining up and claiming one treasure should be labeled under a different category," Ramus added, "Not to mention, people could just submit faux evidence of such treasures and we'd be wasting time on such trivial matters to find out if its real or not. The council does not have the time to argue among over such things, but that has been what we decided upon ever since we decided to open the Labyrinth for all."

Such reasons for protecting such records made sense to Korey. He heard plenty of tales from his father about the times he thought he discovered something interesting from rumors, only to find out the treasure he found was not all that it was out to be--treasures designed to be fake or were made up for the sake of gaining someone's interests in it are about the lowest of the low any adventurer would resort to in the name of fame and fortune. 

Ramus continues, "There is one other reason we don't keep such records open to the public. And that is in regards to the Despot."

Amare's eyes narrowed upon recognizing who Ramus meant by that title. "Of all the people I wish I hadn't heard of again, it would be him." Her voice growling akin to those of the dog-like monsters in the labyrinth.

"The Despot, huh..." Korey placed his hand on his chin, desperately trying to recall the importance of that title. A shame he understood so little of what he knew when he had other interests when going from place to place.

"Ion not get it. Why Amare worked up over such fanciful words?" The other Celestrian asked, concern evident in his voice.

Amare turned to face the others beside her, maintaining her narrowed gaze. "Because, Ion, that man alone was the sole reason we've had that Legendary War to begin with. I remember hearing the horror from scared citizens of how the Despot razed the lands, and massacred villages whenever he desired them unfit for his ideal vision for the land. There was no end to what the Despot would do for the sake of getting a taste of the Yggdrasil's treasures and powers..."

Understandably, Amare's allies were greatly concerned with what they had heard from her. Considering she herself knows how much weight that word has, and how she and her husband lived for much longer than they did, none dared to break the ice for what felt like an eternity.

Ramus was the first to get the group's attention back on track, continuing from where Amare left off, "The Despot also had great military might to his name, using them as a means of quieting any who would contest against his rule, and demanded that they use whatever means necessary to silence any oppression. When he had taken notice of the World Tree, he didn't want anyone, regardless of country or race, to enter the Yggdrasil, declaring it his 'most desired prize'. No one knew what the Labyrinth was or what it held when he made that declaration, and most were either forced away when they approached, or worse if they dared to approach the Labyrinth..."

Ramus then walked towards four portraits, all depicting some sort of founding member of the Council, all of the different races currently known in the world. "Eventually, people were tired from how absurd the Despot ruled over their lives, and in secret, the leaders of the four races united against the Despot," Ramus continued, "Fighting with anything they could possibly find in the hopes of freeing themselves from his rule, marking the beginning of the Legendary War."

"After the Despot had surrendered and had his life taken away, many Celestrians mages of that time created stone golems, and placed them within the first strata, hoping there would come a time where they can be used to protect Yggdrasil from people such as him," Amare added, her gaze focused on the ancient portraits, "Those Celestrian mages have long since died off, and when they did, the four races gathered once more to discuss the matter regarding Yggdrasil and its labyrinth They argued for hours on what they should do with it now that the war had ended, and many shared their ideal myths about what may lie within the World Tree."

With Amare spoke of all she knew on the war, Ramus took a seat at his desk, continuing to look towards the group before him. "And that was when the Council decided to let explorers brave the labyrinth, believing it should be for everyone and not for the privilege of an individual, regardless of their title or race.  So far, nothing has changed since that declaration was made here in Iorys, and it's been quite successful thanks to adventurers coming to give the labyrinth a shot."

There was much of the world that Hilda still had yet to know about, and there was this whole ancient war to this lands' name. She had only heard rumors, sure, but hearing it from some more credible sources gave much more weight to how important the situation regarding the Despot should not ever happen again. One that she hoped she'd never live to see occur.

"Despite that, there may be descendants of the Despots' generals out there, maybe even one of his own descendants live to this day, plotting to take the Yggdrasil for their ancestors' sake," Ramus noted, "Whether they may be after these Eternal Treasures or something else entirely, I am unsure of. But I implore you to remain cautious at all times, even in the Labyrinth."

Korey, Hilda, Ion, and Bortos gave an understanding nod to Ramus. "Now then," Ramus sighed in the hopes that the topic can be shelved, "If it isn't too much trouble to ask, there is something I need to ask you and your guild to do, seeing as this is likely related to your questions about the Eternal Treasures." 

"Just tell us the details, and we'll figure out what to do from there, Ramus." Hilda declared. She couldn't help but look at Amare for a moment, feeling relieved that she can no longer see the Celestrian has since calmed down from the prior topic.

"Then I shall explain it plainly; while the Council doesn't have much recorded about the Eternal Treasures, or if they are tied to anything important, there has been someone I've been in contact with who has dedicated their time to finding, and recording the Eternal Treasures," Ramus elaborated, "If I recall correctly, when we last discussed with each other, they said they were heading to a place outside the labyrinth in the hopes of finding any hints to an Eternal Treasure there that could be found within the labyrinth's strata--wherever that may be located."

"But before I could ask if they should issue a quest to the local tavern in Iorys, or if they needed some help in keeping them safe, they claimed they can do it enough on their own and waltzed out of the Council without hesitation. And because of how far their destination is, communication has been rather minimal..." Ramus admitted, probably feeling guilty he hadn't thought to give assistance to this person of importance earlier.

"Ion get it." Ion exclaimed, enough to catch the usually focused Amare off guard with how fast he had understood the situation before her. "Ramus want us to go and possibly assist this person with the recovery of the treasure?" 

"Yes, that is the extent of it." Ramus nodded. "Help them out, and I'm sure they will help you find the treasures you seek in return, and help the Council gain a better understanding of how dangerous these treasures may or may not be."

Well, a lead is better than having none at all, Korey thought to himself. Perhaps some of these treasures might help them better explore the labyrinth, or at the very least, help them in staying alive through the many explorations they'll have there. There was just one more thing they would need...

"All right, we'll help out in finding them." Korey declared. "However," Amare interjected, "We'd need to know the name of this individual in question if we hope to find them.".

"Ah, my mistake. It must have slipped my mind..." Ramus chuckled a bit in embarrassment, recomposing himself  to recall solely on the name and their possible species. "...You'll be looking for a Therian named Elva Lucia. They're currently stationed in right around here." He added, grabbing a copy of the map and pointed at the location said ruins were located.

Following where he was pointing, Korey and the others see the place he was pointing to the Bloodwood Forest. Makes sense that a Therian would be exploring in a place where Therians most likely visited to gather for materials and the like. Perhaps there might have been something not many Therians have found deep within...

"Bloodwood Forest, eh? Sounds like it'd be a scary place..." Korey pondered aloud.

"I don't know how deep you need to go into the forest to find Elva, but take caution nonetheless." Ramus advised, "It may not be the labyrinth, but I ask to remain cautious all the same."

"Your concern is appreciated, Ramus," Amare chuckled, "But I assure you, we'll be fine. I may not have quite the confidence in exploring full-time to say for sure, but we won't let you down."

Despite being nervous of sending them to lands unknown, Amare's reassurance seemed to calm Ramus down a little. "I'll arrange the transportation for you and Elva for tomorrow, should you find them. Be sure to get plenty of rest by then." Ramus remarked, rolling up the copy of the map and handing it to Amare.

"Thanks, Ramus. We'll go ahead and take some rest for today after informing our other guild members." Hilda replied, leading her friends out of the Council Hall.

Hours passed since leaving the Council Hall, and after retrieving their fellow guild members up from the first stratum, they explained everything that happened to them and what they're going to be doing tomorrow.

"I've definitely heard much about the Bloodwood Forest," Demetria wondered, "But admittingly, I am worried that this Therian historian would risk their life for the sake of getting to know these Eternal Treasures..."

"I'm concerned as well," Hilda replied, "Since you two are the only Therians in our guild so far, any information you two may have will be useful regarding this place."

Demetria looked towards her sister, who had been staring off into space ever since the topic of the forest was brought up. Figuring she has something on her mind, Demetria turned to her friends and began to speak in her sisters' place. "Monsters were typically slain there whenever we needed a good supply of food, with them getting stronger the deeper we went. When me and Keiko were young, we knew that the forest was also used as a rite of passage for upcoming Masuraos."

"Interesting," Charon mused to himself, "So it's sorta like how the first stratum is used to train new guilds, is what you're getting at?" He inquired, trying to gain some sort of understanding for how the Therians viewed this place.

Demetria nodded in response to his question. "Granted, the first part of the forest is typically what new Masuraos are required to explore," Demetria noted, "No one typically goes deeper than the first part of the forest."

"It's better you don't know why new Masuraos never tread deep into that forest. Not since that day..."

Keiko , as every guild member present looked at her, seeing her hands tremble and her gaze away from everyone. Her sister was quick to pick up on Keiko's trembling, and moved from her spot to help Keiko calm down. Beta followed suit, staring up towards Keiko in the hopes of her presence being there will help her out.

"Is friend Keiko ok? Friends of Keiko are concerned for you." Ion inquired, seeing Keiko look up to see Demetria and her friends' concerned looks, seeing Hilda sit right beside her to help her best friend calm down. 

"I... I'm not quite sure I'm alright, Ion." Keiko sighed, after taking a bit of time to try and recollect herself. "I didn't think I'd ever hear, let alone, likely return to that place... Just thinking of that place fills me with dread."

Beta placed their head under one of Keiko's hands, his tail starting to wag once Keiko began rubbing her hand through his head. "Ever since an incident occurred that day, Therian villages often keep their Masurao training held inside their villages. It's rare for anyone to discuss, let alone remember what happened that fateful day, preferring to keep the place available to hunt for food and shutting down any opportunity for Masuraos to train there."

Though he doesn't understand the magnitude of the incident in question, since this was the first he ever heard of it, Korey pondered to himself if Keiko shouldn't travel to this place if it brings back such terrible memories. The Labyrinth is a whole different matter, and so far, to his recollection, nothing in the Labyrinth has scared her to the degree that this event had caused her yet. Not that the silence around him is helping him make his decision any faster.

Understandably, he didn't want to press the issue if it would be too much for her right now. If she desired to speak about it, she will find the right time and place to discuss it once her mind is cleared. But there still needed to be a decision to be made of who's gonna stay in Iorys and explore the Labyrinth, and who's going to find the Therian historian.

"Hey, Keiko," Korey cleared his throat, breaking the silence in the room. "If this topic is bringing back some bad memories, I'll respect your decision if you choose to stay in Iorys."

Keiko slowly turned to look at Korey, then back at Beta, who continued to ensure he is comforting the worried Therian. It was frustrating to not be able to come up with an answer that may satisfy Korey and the others; on one hand, she understands the importance of being able to save the Therian historian and how much of a role they will play in finding the treasures. On the other, the memory of the screams that she heard that fateful day in the Bloodwood Forest might trip her up during a battle, and cause her life to be lost before she realizes her dream of exploring the Labyrinth.

After giving Beta a few more rubs on his head, she lifted her hand away and gazed into Korey's eyes so she can focus on giving him her answer.

"...I appreciate the offer, Korey, "Keiko enunciated, her voice trembling as she tried her best to put her thoughts into words. "However, I cannot give you a concrete answer at this moment. Please give me until tomorrow morning, and I might--no, I will have my answer by then."

Korey gave a single nod in response to Keiko's response. "Alright, I can accept that, Keiko." He , "I know this isn't an easy decision for you to make on the spot like this, and I apologize for how sudden this all feels. Just know that I want to make sure I'm not breaking any boundaries by asking you to go with us to a place that you might not be fond of anymore."

Korey looked at Hilda and Demetria, "I'll also extend the offer to you two; in the event you want to keep her company should she have her answer by then. You've been friends for a long while before me and Kyo arrived, so I'll let you three discuss the matter alone if necessary."

Hilda sighed, relieved to hear him give some time to think of an answer for him. "Thanks for the offer, Korey," Demetria expressed with a slight bow, "Out of all the Therians in the land, I understand Keiko's hesitance about the Bloodwood Forest the most."

Keiko nodded in agreeance, recalling that she had told her twin sister everything that went down once she returned from what was supposed to be her final Masurao training session. As she continued to think of her answer to give to Korey tomorrow, she turned to look skyward, seeing some stars show up from the setting sun. The others soon followed their gaze once they noticed Keiko peeking at the stars above them all.

"That time already, huh?" Altum grumbled, getting up from his chair as he helped Amare from her seat, "Guess we'll discuss the matter of who's exactly going to that forest tomorrow morning. Wouldn't be best for us to keep this discussion going if we're giving her time to think about it."

"Yeah, that ought to be good for us all, I think. Most of us seem to be on the verge of nappin' over here. I'll be lookin' forward to tomorrow's discussion." Charon yawned just as he finished speaking, slapping his face a little bit so he can keep himself awake enough to get to his room.

Most of the guild members started advancing to Jenetta's Inn, trying their best not to lose their balance from bumping into any civilians on their way there. Hilda, Demetria, Keiko, and Beta started to follow suit in getting some sleep for what's to come tomorrow morning. Kyo began to follow them, stopping only once she noticed Korey wasn't following them yet, seemingly lost in his thoughts.

"You gonna be okay leaving the option to her, Korey?" Kyo inquired, seeing Korey look up to the approaching Celestrian. He took a deep breath and exhaled, likely out of relief that she understands him to know the feeling, or likely needing to destress himself a little bit.

"It's better for her to have the freedom to choose, than be forced to do something that she does not want to do," Korey sighed, heading towards Jenetta's Inn as Kyo walked beside him, "I...did make a promise to Hilda, after all."

"A promise, huh?" Kyo raised an eyebrow, fascinated a bit by the mere mention of it. "Goes to show how sidetracked I was during a conversation with the Therian twins when we first arrived to Jenetta's Inn. Any...particular reason why you decided to make a promise then and there?"

"I just wanted to make sure that Hilda and anyone in our guild is appreciated for their efforts," Korey replied, after giving it some thought, "After all, a guild should be founded on the willing cooperation of the many, not the selfish few. Such a thing should not be sullied by mercenaries or those with ulterior motives."

The Celestrian giggled once he had finished his train of thought. He raised an eyebrow in confusion, thinking to himself that he hadn't really said anything funny in what he thought was a possible creed for him and the guild he hoped to build.

"Sorry, what you said sounded like one of those heroes back in those books we read as children. It just felt...too heartfelt that I had to make sure I wasn't just dreaming." She elaborated, not making an effort to hide the smile her lips formed.

Korey chuckled in embarrassment, seeming to have realized what Kyo meant. Still, those words could serve as a reminder for anyone, not just for him alone. It could probably be refined here and there, should he make it an official creed someday.

Once the conversation between the two of them died down, the walk to Jenetta's Inn was rather uneventful, each member having dedicated themselves to their designated rooms.

Tomorrow, a decision will be made on who shall go to the Bloodwood Forest.

[crystalelemental]

Etrian Odyssey 5 completed. This was...a pretty effective run.

I mentioned in the last post about it, but the team composition this time was Chain Dancer Fencer, Barrage Brawler Pugilist, Hunting Hound Rover, Divine Punisher Shaman, and Elemancer Warlock. I wanted to make Chain Dancer work more effectively than the first time I tried it, and Elemencer Warlock wound up running Clever Strike over any of its actual spells, which it turns out is just far more effective.

Divine Punisher Shaman was the biggest improvement of the run. Previously, I had pegged Punisher Shaman as one of the worst units in the game, citing terrible magic DPS and the removal of buffs being too steep a price for many of its skills to be justifiable in practice. However, this neglected Dance Oracle, which only removes its own elemental buff to inflict a 50% debuff to that element's resistance on all enemies. This in tandem with Chain skills from the Fencer results in excellent damage, while also turning Clever Strike into an actual elemental attack that also retains weapon properties. With a Cannon, Elemancer is now doing tremendous damage that counts as any element and Bash, for the cost of 10TP. A level 5 elemental spell costs 12. This is a massive improvement, and the only reason for spells past this point is AoE coverage, which is seldom needed.

Hound Rover was also pretty decent. While the lack of revival is incredibly painful, it offers a lot of benefits through "passive" healing each turn as the dog acts, as well as interesting utility in Arm/Leg binds and a potential Stun effect, backed by a solid Def debuffing attack that keeps the rest of the team in play. It's not a heavy damage dealer, but it offers a lot of utility. Early on before the Shaman introduction, its bow being a Stab attack meant Chains were able to activate even without the elemental effect.

Barrage Brawler Pugilist remains extremely effective, though for different reasons in this particular composition. While the damage output of this form can be useful when an opponent is fully bound, what I found to be most effective this time was Clinch. A potential full bind on a target in one turn is extremely good, and it being usable regardless of your own binds makes it really useful lockdown. Since skills do not activate Chain effects due to their non-Stab properties and inability to function with the elemental buff, you don't miss the punching, but Breather into Leading Blow as decent damage output that could offset the Chain effects. I never really tried Lash Out. Maybe I should have, but it never felt relevant.

This team handled the bulk of the game, with various Mists for status being applied for conditional drops as needed. The only times we really needed to use Formaldehyde were "kill boss with status specifically." So like. Curse damage or Poison damage being the finishing blow tended to just not work. I will mention Clinch being absolutely ridiculous for the full bind conditions. It's so effective.

But let's get to the fun stuff: boss and random mob clears.

Encounters, by and large, were pretty easily handled by raw DPS off Fencer, Pugilist, and Rover. Clever Strike tended to one-shot something, and it was fun using the weapons that aren't considered "The best" to maximize Int for the Warlock, and survival features for the Shaman. Random encounters really didn't have too much going for them here.

Boss fights, in most situations, had even less. FOEs would get obliterated in one turn once set up. Chain Plus, Clinch, Target Arrow, elemental buff of choice, and Amplifier turn 1, then Dance Oracle, Chain element of choice, attack with Rover and Pugilist, and Clever Strike. By the time we were in Stratum 6, around level 70 and pushing that level higher, we could beat the Mounting Horror FOE in just those two turns. Taurus Demon could drop on turn 3, provided Shaman activated Ancient Memory to re-apply that elemental buff. Similarly, Dryad went down in three turns, which was...staggering.

Zombie Dragon and Lamia presented more of a problem for the usual reasons. Status (especially blind) and binds can really disrupt the chain order. Fortunately, neither was particularly scary offensively for us. But those are usually manageable.

The big threat is, as always, the Star Devourer. I hate Star Devourer. I think it's bullshit. This thing has way too many possibilities to just shut your entire team down, including Parry from the swords to block physical, some elemental shield, evasion boosting, accuracy debuffing, the tank's ability to heal 10% of its HP which is like 9.5k, and the fact that if you didn't charge your Limit on the Brouni specifically by the time all six pieces regenerate, you basically died. I am not a fan of its gimmicks. Previous teams have absolutely smashed the rest of the game to pieces, only to be hard walled by Star Devourer. I'll never forgive them for blanking Ephemeral Reap with "It can just remove all debuffs without warning sometimes." Previously, the most effective solution was raw offense, in the form of Cannon Bearer Dragoon, Impact Brawler Pugilist, and Sword Dancer Masurao. They take some time to get set up and really finish the job, but the raw power thrown around can succeed. This time we did not have that kind of offense, so the solution had to be a bit different.

Fortunately, it checks out. First thing's first: Chain All sucks. Hitting all targets is a garbage plan, Fencer only follows up against all opponents if an attack hits all of them, otherwise it only chains the parts that are hit. As a result, using an extra turn for the AoE was never once worth it. What was worth it was the raw single-target DPS on Star Devourer itself thanks to this setup. 20% of its HP was the threshold in a single turn. Every turn that Shaman re-applied the buff was around the same. It's honestly higher than that when we're lucky, because we had it under 50% once in just those three turns. That said, there were several losses, but I did learn some things.

First: binds are incredibly effective, because they prevent it from regenerating its parts. If it tries to regenerate a part that's bound, it completely wastes its turn. Clinch is a god-tier skill for this, and stacking as much Luck as possible on your Brawler feels like a very good play. Rover's Hunter Shot and Foot Pierce can also bind arm and leg, as complements to when Brawler fails. Should pieces materialize again, the order of priority, I felt, was tank first (it cannot regenerate HP), rocket boosters (damage dealing accuracy debuffs are a massive pain), swords (Parry will block all damage and waste one of our turns), then the other two. Eventually it will regenerate everything and hopefully the Brouni has max limit, because if so and you avoided the heal, we found ourselves in an immediately winning position. Another fun tidbit is that Dance Oracle hits all foes, so Clever Strike can deal its usual like 5k to a single target if you just need to snipe one of the components.

On the whole, this was pretty fun. Shaman still ranks lower on my overall effectiveness ratings, but it's nice to know it has an excellent niche. Similarly, Chain Fencer was very effective, but its compositions are extremely restrictive. Elemancer gets a massive boost with the realization of Clever Strike. This is a game changer, even without the elemental buffs. Barrage Brawler Pugilist was already one of my top meta picks, Binds rule, but knowing it shuts down Star Devourer regeneration is a massive W. Hound Rover is better utility than I gave it credit for, it's a much better alternate healer than I initially suspected, and the binds, Def debuff, and Stun effects are pretty nice. Also it can inflict Panic if you really want, certain conditional drops like that effect. It was a good comp.

Now maybe some day I'll actually main the Falcon. Sky Drop meta when?