Update 25: The Forest of Shifting Sands



<Afon?>
[What?]
[It's time to go. You can't spend all day eating all these kinds of cheese.]
[Okay but Elly you don't get how good these things are.]
[I've...never had cheese, so I guess not.]
[Okay well open up then!]
[Wh--] Mgrph...!
[It's good, right?]
[...Very tangy, but not bad. What kind of cheese is this?] ...[And why does it have blue spots in it...?]
[Oh, uh, I think Ladette called it gorgonzola? Apparently those blue spots are mold!]
PFEH-PAH-AAAAAAAGH! BLEEEECH! AGH AGH AGH!
[...It's safe, Elly.]
[I don't care I am not eating that stuff again! Who would willingly eat something with mold in it?!]
[I mean, lots of people.]


At least we're not in a desert.


Animate sand. Hm.
[Betcha I can run over it!]
[Afon don't--]
WHOOPS-- Ow.
I already am dreading this.



𝄞♪♫
Converting Austin's stories to music?
𝅘𝅥𝅯
Smart.

T-Thierry, are you...sure about this?
I will be fine, Emmett. Why the sudden worry?
I've been up in the front! I know that it's PURE PAIN!

My rapier's...getting uncomfortably hot.


Rrrrragh!
[Hey-hey, the doc's not too bad at fighting!]
[Self-defense is more useful for a doctor than you'd think.]

Ah--!


Well, it saves me the trouble.


Hm. Easy.
You've been getting some practice in your time off, I see.
A girlfriend who's trained in another form of swordplay makes for a wonderful sparring partner.










That is unsettling.

Ah--!
...[It's inanimate.]
[I don't trust it.]
[If it was going to move, it would've by now.]
[I guess. Still don't trust it.]
[It being inanimate scares me more than anything...]







[Good thing Clanky-- Er, Vince, isn't with us.]
[Why?]
[He'd probably have sunk into the sand by now.]
[But... These moving sands are super shallow.]
[Never underestimate Clanky.]



Bwaaah!


...Oh, it...didn't chase us.
I don't think these tree-like monsters are mobile.
What a shame. I was ready to give it a good bashing! Hahaha!
...
...What?
Dr. Hannighan... You're not cut out for being a confident fighter.





[Afon.]
[Yes?]
[How do you plan to carry that tree all the way back to Etria?]
[Oh, that's easy! Look!]
...Help...


[...You think that deer's pelt is actual gold?]
[Surely it's of some worth to someone.]


I'm not even in the front!

[Thank you for opening that hole in its head.]
[No problem!]


...How did you anesthetize a monster?
Very carefully.
That's not an answer.
I'm aware.
_{Oh my god my doctor's actually just as silly as everyone else.}


[Anything we can use from this thing, Elly?]
[The tusks, perhaps...]
[Ooh, good idea, I could make a...ring, or something!]
[Jewelry is one use, yes.]
[A ring for you!]
Um uh erm-- [Sorry, what?]
[So flustered you forgot to sign~]


It's been too long since I last hunted a deer.










I have a feeling that we're being led in a literal circle around the actual floor.



What could possibly give you that idea?



Call it a hunch.



[I'm kinda surprised that I'm not getting sick from these.]
[Do you get motion sickness easily?]
[Yup.]
[...How does that work with all of the acrobatics you do on a regular basis?]
[Very carefully.]
[Please tell me we're not just going to respond to every hard question with that now.]


[So, what's everyone wanna bet on how this concrete wall got here?]
[Radha Hall put it there?]
[Ancient aliens?]
[...Natural causes somehow?]
[Have we all forgotten about the existence of that woman who summoned Corotrangul? Perhaps she did this?]
[...I mean, you're right, but you didn't have to ruin the fun.]















Whoops, dropped my lute, allow me one--
EMMETT NO!





_Oops.

Robbed of life, just as I had begun to enjoy it...
Sorry, Elly...
Emmett, you fool...


I'll be with you soon, Afon...
I didn't...mean to...



Aaaaaaaaagh!
That's the first time I've seen you enter this place angry, I think.
That was entirely avoidable! If that fool hadn't stepped back to retrieve that accursed lute, we'd still--
Wait, hold up. Lute?
_Sorry.
Oh, look, another visitor. Welcome to this weird void.
...
...
...
...
...I'll just go fix this.
















Now this, I can really work with.
I'm normally suspicious of pure green liquid, but...





[So much for that chest.]





I have a tight hand on my lute this time!
...Thank you.
Huh?
Never you mind.






Ow...
I have experienced this...more than any person ever should...
The Hexroots are blocking us--!
...Wait, there's a small path through the trees!


Ah, good eye! <Afon! Let's go!>


...So, Emmett was the one that saw a way out of that?
Mhm.
Well, that makes up for earlier...
Uh, for what earlier?
Ah, pay that no mind.
Dr. Hannighan, do you...need to rest?
Nothing more than the usual sleep routine.
...Alright then.





[Thank you, whatever gods exist!]



...
Elowen?
Shh. Someone's close.
You stop and look around, but there is no one in sight.
...I know what I heard. Someone's nearby.
There's no-one in sight, we need to-- Oh.
As you start walking again, you notice what appear to be the belongings of an adventurer scattered on the ground. Among them is a dirty seven-colored bandana...


[...Another person lost to the Labyrinth.]
[I feel sorry for Valerie. Breaking that news isn't gonna be fun.]
[I know what I heard, the Rainbow Warrior is still here.]
[If he's still alive, there's a chance I can save him.]
[But... Where is he? If he's not on the beaten path, then he's somewhere among those trees, and...]
[Probably best if we just keep going, honestly. Whatever time's left on his clock is shorter than how long it'll take us to get to him.]
[...Afon's right.]
...


...Dammit.
Your first instinct was to help. You stuck to your oath. Let that comfort you, at least?
I suppose...




[Hello there!]


<Fuck you.>


Elowen, please... Why did you have to map out everything...?
A complete map's never hurt anyone. An incomplete map has probably killed someone.
I agree, but... We're all quite tired now.
[Yeah...]
I feel quite fine!
Let's at least see where the stairs are.
Aaaaablehpppppttt.
[I'll, um... I'll make it up to you, Afon. I promise.]
[Alright...]


A man-made hollow is in the tree before you, waiting to receive something. You remember the stone tablet dropped by the mysterious shadow not long ago. Perhaps it would fit here... You resolve to fetch it from Radha Hall's storage.
...Great.
[All in favor of sending whoever's awake at the mansion to get the tablet, nod.]
<Okay.>



Uh.
Kinda surprised to see Doc's arms 'round Bard Boy's shoulders, honestly.
...Hello there, everyone...?
Hi...
Oh, jeez, Siggy, c'mon, lemme walk you back to our room.
Judith, can you plea...zzz...
...What he meant to say was "can you please take care of our end-of-floor stuff for us, and also get the stone tablet back from the Radha?"
Suuuure? Did something happen?
Please tell me there aren't more Petaloids.
Besides everyone feeling very tired from hours of mapping-driven exploration? No.
Oh thank the gods it's not Petaloids.



...Gods, but that was careless. Elowen could've gotten some of them killed...



...Oh, right. Uh, here. One...rainbow bandana...



I feel sorry, for the both of them. She'll be so sad to hear it... But doing something as reckless as taking on the Labyrinth by yourself is always going to have risks. You all need to be careful, too.
Don't need you to tell us that, Val.







Hi yeah about that we kinda need it back to go further.
What? You need the tablet in order to proceed in the Labyrinth...? Could you wait a moment? I cannot authorize that. You would have to ask the Chieftain.


And you ain't aged a day, Visil.
...Now, you were asking about that stone tablet you brought back last time, correct? We were successful in deciphering part of it. Would you like to hear what it said?
We probably should!
The beings you encountered call themselves the forest folk. They evolved completely within the forest, and consider it their holy land. They despise humans who enter it. There have been cases in which adventurers went to the depths of the Labyrinth, never to return. That must partially be their doing. We would like nothing more than to search the newly discovered depths... ...But it seems we must prepare for battle against these forest folk if we are to get any further.
...!
Uh.
...
That is why I have a favor to ask, in exchange for letting you use the stone tablet. I would like you to accept the mission I am about to issue. I will leave the details to my subordinate. I'm counting on you.


No...


No, no, no, no no NO! I-- I'm-- I'm NOT doing this again!
Judith?!
Uh... What...just happened...?
...I'll go after her. Probably went back to the mansion.
...So, uh.
Can we...not take this? Can you just give us the tablet?
Yeah, uh, fighting monsters is one thing. Fighting living, thinking people is...well, not what I signed up for.
...
...
...Quinn, if you weren't a government official, I'd kick you right in the face and--
We'll...do it... _{Listen, we can talk more about it once everyone else knows...}


Fuck you.
Katya.
The Chieftain has told you most of what you need to know. Your task is to infiltrate the 16th floor where the forest folk dwell, and exterminate them. Honestly, were it up to me, I'd seek a peaceful resolution first, but...
Then override him, you--
Katya...
The Chieftain insists they are a threat, and that my views are too permissive. The Chieftain says that we must protect exploration of the Labyrinth, Etria's livelihood. In which case, I have no objections. The Chieftain speaks, and the Radha follows. Members of Tenebris, I bid you good luck.
...AAAAAAAGH! I'm going to go punch something!




You buying those because Sigrid'll look good in them?
No, actually. Kinda hard to think about that right now.
...Wow, we're not gonna get to just...be happy for a while, are we?
Probably not.


...
Let's just take care of getting to the stairs for now.











Trust me, we're tire'd. For all the wrong reasons.
Also, if you have the time... I would love to hear a little about your adventures.
No.



And it feels amazin'! Sometimes I t'ink I only keep makin' weapons because o' t'at feelin'.



We're being asked to do literally the exact opposite of that.
Encountering the unknown is similar to seeking the truth. I find them both very enthralling, don't you?
Not at this moment.


I served her some tea, but she seemed disappointed that you were not here to see her.
I doubt she wants to see us right now.



That's one way to put it...
Hmm... I'd like you to handle some quests for me, but I guess now's not a good time, huh?
Thank you, Valerie.


Hm? What, are you adventurers? I'm the master carpenter of the Carpenters Guild, but right now we're critically short on lumber. You'd think there would be a tree we could cut up for timber just sitting around somewhere, right? Ah, well...
Hello there. Are you having fun fighting the monsters?
I was. Wut's that?
Huh? Oh, this? It's Bound Feet. You should be able to get one if you bind the legs of a Giant Moa. Hmm...? Is it okay for me to be telling you this even if you haven't bought me anything? Hahaha, I'm on a diet right now.
If it isn't Tenebris. Would you listen to me for a moment? I get the feeling that the Hall is restricting the information about the forest that reaches the public. I had thought that I, a child, may be able to get some data... For example, the Sandfish is characterized by its protruding eyes, but its fin is the real danger. With that blade-like fin, it can unleash an attack to strike an entire line... That's all I was able to find. I am...displeased that this is all I was able to discover.
Hey, Tenebris. I've been hearing about your adventures. We've been toughing it out... Actually, things have been kinda strange lately. You see, a lot of people have been coming up to me and asking about items. Just a moment ago, I was asked what you'd need to make something to attract monsters to you. I told him to make Luring Bell using Sandfish Eye...and he was enthralled. You know, it's not a bad feeling. I even threw in the recipe for Axcela for free. Well, I might as well tell you, too. For Axcela, a potion that raises Boost, you need Bound Feet. Haha, I learned all this stuff from that mixer guy, though.



Man, I'm jealous of you.
Don't be.



<Fuck off.>
...

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