The Let's Play Archive

Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight

by Ragnar Homsar, Dr. Fetus

Part 30: Iced Eyeballs

Update 24: Iced Eyeballs



Heyyyyy c'mon c'mon c'mon, people, let's get moving!
Ugh... How're yeh so active n' chipper already?
Zachary is...enamored with coffee, I suppose? Yes, enamored is the right word.
Hmm... Note to self, investigate applications of caffeine for mysticism.
Magical applications of coffee. 's a new one on me.



H-h-holy gods I wasn't ready for this kinda cold.
That's why yeh gotta layer up! I can barely feel a thing!
I-in the sense that you can't feel the cold, or that you can't feel your limbs?
I should've asked Asriel how he lets cold not bother him...

Let's take care of some quests before going through 13F, shall we?


SYSTEM: You remember that you've accepted a request to investigate the truth behind the treasure in the back of a cave. Did this guard put up the request? You confirm to him that you're here to fulfill the assignment.
Yep, that's us.
Ah, nice. I've been waiting for you. The client had something big come up, so he gave me a message for you and headed home. I was a little worried nobody would show up. Good to see you. Sorry to skip the chitchat, but lemme get the message...
Go on, then.
"See that thick clump of trees? Take a closer look--the cave's hidden over there. And I guess the treasure's in there somewhere."
SYSTEM: Indeed, there seems to be a dense copse nearby. Within, you can faintly make out a cavernous maw, and a road leading in...
You'll be investigating this area, huh? Well, since I've been waiting here anyway, I could stand guard if you like. It's no problem for me, and safer for you.
Hmm...
Oh, did you have any questions?
SYSTEM: You must decide whether you will ask questions of the nonchalant guard, or begin exploring the cave.
Yeah, we've got questions. Who's the client for this job? Cass wasn't really clear about that.
Huh, lemme think. Well, he was looking down the whole time, so I couldn't see his face, but he seemed kind of a pushover. Kinda quiet guy. Couldn't make out much other than to tell any adventurers that the treasure was in the cave... So I did. Treasure's in the cave. There you go. Sorry, but that's all I know.
SYSTEM: The guard shrugs amiably, and asks you if there's any other questions. If you want to know anything else, you can ask now.
Have you actually gone inside that cave?
Oh, no. No way. You kidding? These kinds of places with hidden treasure are usually pretty dangerous. If you're going, make sure to be careful. Getting wrecked by a falling stalactite would just be embarrassing.
SYSTEM: The guard laughs heartily, assuring you he'll answer any more questions you have. You seem to have the full story, but if you want to ask or clarify anything more, you are free to consult him.
Hey, uh, we'll get right back to ya. Group meetin'!
Are we really sure we can trust this guy? Something about him seems...off.
While your reasoning might be a tad simple, Zack, I am inclined to agree. This situation isn't sitting well with me.
How do we tell the guard that, though?
Let Rheine handle it. She's the one trained in diplomacy.
Very well, then. Ahem... Sir Guard. We appreciate your offer, but must respectfully decline.
Huh? I was just going to be a lookout, and it's not a bad offer, even for you guys... Why are you refusing my offer?
Ah... Well...
SYSTEM: When you were asking questions, something the guard said did seem odd, and out of place. Whether he was mistaken or lying, you can't be sure, but you can't shake off the feeling that he may be trying to deceive you...
We don't trust yeh. Yeh're acting skittish, and yeh've said suspicious things.
I see. I'm sorry if anything I said made you feel uncomfortable... Well, then, what did I say that was out of place?
The way yeh talk, the fact that yeh're even here... Yeh're not even a real Duchy guard, are yeh?
...I...actually get that a lot. I guess I'm not really a model worker. But I keep this on hand to prove myself.
SYSTEM: With those words, the Guard fumbles out a thin scroll from his inner pocket, and hands it over to you. It appears to be a document: official parchment, with a statement confirming that he is a certified Guard of the Duchy...
Ack. Well, erm...
TYLER.
SYSTEM: You feel bad about accusing the Guard of being fake solely based on his attitude, and return the document with an apology.
Aheheh... Uh, sorry about that. That was...brash 'a me.
Haha, don't worry about it. I'm glad you believe me! After all, this is all I have to prove myself.
SYSTEM: Fortunately, the guard appears unusually tolerant--he shakes off the accusation, and simply laughs. You drop the matter for now. Instead, you must decide whether if you will enter the cave or not.
Let's just go into the cave. The guard's fine.
SYSTEM: You ask the guard to keep watch for you, and enter the cave.


SYSTEM: Further through the winding caverns, you notice a small hole in the limestone walls, and draw closer to investigate.
I think I've got something!
SYSTEM: Upon closer examination, you realize that the small hole contains some kind of cylindrical object deep within it. Could this be the treasure in question? You reach in to pull out the object, but your reach falls just short of it...
Perhaps I can use my War Edge to pull it up, with a little bit of--
SYSTEM: As you consider your options, you hear a distant sound--a high-pitched tone, like a flute. Immediately after, a monster's roar echoes through the cavern, and you hear the guard at the entrance cry out!
The guard!
SYSTEM: Something must have happened to the guard! You hurry back outside to his last position!


That is... That is a lot of crab-things.
They don't really look like crabs. ...Oh, look, they're movin'.
SYSTEM: As one, they notice you. Their jaws creak as they turn to face you, gaping hungrily, and they rush you without any hesitation!



Oh no. Five regular enemies. What can I do to end this battle quickly?


Heh heh, too easy.
That was... I must admit, that was impressive.


SYSTEM: However, the guard is nowhere to be seen. His post has no signs of a struggle, and nothing seems to have been left behind. However, on closer inspection, you notice the tracks of guardsman's boots, headed away from the scene of the monster attack. Following the footprints, you find food
scattered around the area. The tracks end in front of a clump of shrubbery. Perhaps he distracted the monsters with food, then seized his chance to escape? You are worried, but without any further clues, there is little more you can do here.
He's probably fine. Let's just get that treasure and go get our reward.
Agreed.
SYSTEM: Satisfied that the guard is safe, you return to your duties, entering the cave to find the treasure...


SYSTEM: Returning to the crevice in the wall, you realize with a jolt that the treasure is gone from its hole! You search through the wall, and across the cave's floor, but find no trace whatsoever of the treasure...
AaaaaaAAAGH! I knew we shouldn'ta trusted that phony guard! I betcha those papers were forged!


...Let's just go tell Cass what happened. I will take full responsibility for this.



Phoebe now has all of the elemental Walls where I want them. I'm gonna start buildling towards Sentinel Guard now.



Oh, yeh're back! So, yeh find the treasure?
Ah... No. It vanished while we were occupied with monsters.
Huh? The treasure wasn't even there? Well, c'mon, tell me what happened.
I've got a hunch that "guard" wasn't who he said he was.
...I see. I get the picture... He was a thief disguised as a guard. The monsters were a part of his plan all along... Pfeh, he put up the request to make fools outta both of us. So, while yeh were stuck battling the monsters, he just swiped the treasure and booked it... Heh. That damn weasel.
I feel terrible for having believed the thief over my guildmate...
Well, glad yeh came out in one piece! Gonna take a lot more than that to shut yeh lot down. Haw haw haw!
Ahaha! I like yer thinking, Cass!
...Indeed. I suppose I should be thankful we survived the monster onslaught.
With that in mind, I must ask: what about the reward? The posting said the reward was 8,000 en.
Ah...well, about that reward... I left the store for a bit, and when I got back, the reward was gone. That's my fault.
Crafty and complete. Ugh.
That weasel's probably behind this, too. Rrrgh... I won't forget this! Things're personal now... My reputation's on the line! I can't have rewards just disappearin'! ...Here, take this. It's comin' out of my own pocket. Sorry it ain't exactly what yeh wanted, but don't look so down, eh?
Hah. Uncharacteristically generous of ya, Cass. 'Preciate it.
Well... best we just move on from it. Hope yeh'll be workin' with me again soon.
Of course, Cass.



We still get the full reward. Cass saying what he gave us out of his pocket "wasn't exactly what we wanted" was just for flavor.



I leveled up Displace on Colette to 3, which unlocked Barrier. What Barriers does is it attempts to nullify a certain amount of ailments/binds for one turn. Key word: attempt. Barrier's chance to nullify ailments and binds ranges from 45% at level 1 to 85% at level 20. However, remember that War Lore Mastery "boosts the effects of War Lore skills." For Barrier, what this means it that War Lore Mastery affects its success chance. Now, the key part is that with a level 20 Barrier and level 15 War Lore Mastery, the chance becomes .85 + (.85 * .18) = 1.003--in other words, Barrier becomes a 100% chance. For several boss fights later on in the game, it cannot be overstated how useful Barrier is.



So close to maxing out Cross Charge.



I'll be leaving Link Order II at 9 for now, since a 40 TP cost is really unmanageable at this point in the game.



So what was that other quest about? Some girl's fiance went missing in this stratum?
Gist of it, yeah. 'S probably a safe bet he's somewhere on this floor-- Hm. Those're the herbs he was looking for, if I'm not seein' things.
Shall we investigate?


These herbs... I know these herbs. These are e͚̱̤͖͒͋̿ͨ͐̔̎̍k͖̘̲̖̮̘̼ͪ͋̌͑̚k̥͉̜̭̯̫̒͛͌̐͆i̧̠͙͎̥̻̞̓ͯ́͜ ̯ͮ́́̌͢b̷̺̆̊l̡̛͓̤̥̪̜̳̗̮͂̈́͢ó̧̝̜̻͕̂̀͒̂ð͎͔̞̞͓̙̬͉͆ͬ̒̀b̗̹̪̝̝̳͇͚ͫ͆͊̃̂̑e̶̻̖ͯ͗r̶̸̪͙ͭͤͦg̨ͮͦͦ̊͏̜̗̪͉̼͉.
Is, uh... Is the demonic soundin' part how you're supposed ta say it?
Yes it is.
Giant fish, 6 o'clock.
Wh--
SYSTEM: As you reach out to begin gathering them, a roar rips through the stillness behind you! You whirl, and are confronted with the dull glare of an approaching fish monster. Blood is spattered over its mouth...
If you came here looking for an easy lunch, you've got another thing coming!
SYSTEM: It must have been hiding at this dead end, to trap its prey and avoid a tiring hunt. Now, draw steel, and stand against the fishlike beast, its eyes agleam with murderous intent!






Mbenga
HP: 656, STR: 32, TEC: 24, VIT: 25, AGI: 20, LUC: 23
Skills:
Damage resistances:
125% 100% 100% 100% 50% 125%
Disable resistances:
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
100% 100% 50%
100% 100% 150%

Best to deal with this amphibious terror swiftly before it swallows you whole.

It's literally just a Fishman with more HP.


You're not worth my time!


SYSTEM: The monster that shattered the young bride's heart has at last been stilled forever.
At least the requester's fiance can rest easily now... Hm?
SYSTEM: After calming yourself and catching your breath, you notice something caught in the bushes nearby. Looking closer, you catch a gruesome glimpse...
Whew.
Oh gods.
Gruesome.
SYSTEM: It's a human arm!
Not it!
Not-- Ah dammit.
SYSTEM: It must have been caught in the bush in the final moments of the monster's attack on another passerby... Prying the gauntlet open, you discover that the dead arm was holding a sheaf of herbs.
...
SYSTEM: You now remember the details of the quest you accepted in the Stickleback Bar... The lady of Lagaard lost her fiance to the Labyrinth just before her wedding. He sought medicinal herbs for her illness... This must be the same man...
Hvíldu í friði.
May yeh find peace knowin' these herbs'll reach yer beloved.
SYSTEM: After a silent prayer for the unnamed man, you pull the remains free and stow them in your bag to bring back to the bar.



Welcome back. Did yeh get revenge for the unfortunate lass?
Mhm. We got proof, too.
Yeh have proof...?
Here yeh go, Cass!
What the-- This is his gauntlet! Don't do that to me!
Aheheh. Sorry, Cass. Just felt like bein' funny in spite 'a the request.
Ahem. We found this gauntlet near the herbs, near where the monster was waiting to ambush us.
...I see, near the monster, eh. He probably met a cruel end, that one. I'll give her the gauntlet m'self. Don't know how she'll take the news, but the poor lass deserves the truth. Just because yeh avenged her fiance doesn't mean he'll return hale and hearty, yeh know?
An unfortunate truth not just for the Labyrinth, but for life itself.
Taking revenge in anger only makes a body feel worse... But I s'pose it's human nature not to let bygones be bygones. Ahh, listen to me maunder on! I'd say it's time for some drinking songs!
Now you're talking!
Before we get to drinkin', how about the reward, Cass?
The reward...? Yeh have some nerve, asking for that! Take it and get yeh gone! I'll be counting on yeh again, dammit!



Recipes are always a welcome sight.




Alright, let's start 13F.


SYSTEM: Moreover, this time there is a monster flying above the ice.
A giant eyeball with arms and wings. 'Kay then.
To be honest, I've become desensitized to bizarre monsters by this point.
SYSTEM: You doubt that a flying creature will share your difficulties moving about on the ice... You will have to keep a close watch on the distance between you and the monster as you go if you hope to avoid it. Once you have a firm grasp on the situation, you can begin moving about.

Evil Eyes, like the game says, move without caring about the ice. Once we aggro them (once we're within a 2-tile radius area around them), they'll try to directly chase us until we leave their normal patrol area. It's worth noting that Evil Eyes get one turn whenever we start sliding on ice--if we step on ice while it's facing where we'd step on the ice, it would catch us and start a fight.



Just have to wait until it's on the other side of the ice lake, at which point it's safe to slide.



First Take point of the floor, with Meltwater for its ingredient.


Hey, look. One of those giant ice blocks that the others mentioned.
Don't think we can really push it from here.



Now those things look like crabs.


Great Hermit
HP: 296, STR: 24, TEC: 22, VIT: 22, AGI: 19, LUC: 29
Skills:
Drops:
Damage resistances:
50% 50% 150% 150% 150% 150%
Disable resistances:
100% 100% 100% 50% 100% 100% 100%
50% 100% 100%
150% 100% 100%

A hermit crab the size of a large dog! Their shells fetch a high price though...

Great Hermits can be annoying to take down if you let them cast Shielding Shell (or if you just don't have elemental damage, like I do right now), but otherwise there's not a ton to say about them.


I would be more worried if we actually had any command of elements.


COLD COLD COLD!


Make it stop!



Ailing Slash is technically Cut damage, but it bypasses the target's Cut resistance, making it useful for enemies that resist physical damage.



Great Hermits' greatest threat is that they can prolong battles against annoying enemies like Snow Lizards.




Even though I have to cross multiple ice tiles, the sliding only counts as one turn, meaning the Evil Eye will only get near us instead of colliding with us as we cross the ice.


Excuse me for one moment while I recover from that...
Panicking as we're crossing the ice only makes those after-effects worse.


SYSTEM: You look around and spy a raccoon cub under attack from a forest monster! There is no reason or reward for rescuing the cub, but you feel compelled to act...
We're comin', little raccoon!
Z-Zack! Wait!
SYSTEM: You rush in to protect the cub by moving between the monster and its prey! Quickly understanding, the raccoon cub escapes into the forest. The monster, however, is furious at losing its prey, and will not let you go without a fight!
Bring it on, yeh overgrown elephant!







Evil Mammoth
HP: 1314, STR: 32, TEC: 21, VIT: 28, AGI: 16, LUC: 22
Skills:
Drops:
Damage resistances:
100% 50% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Disable resistances:
50% 100% 100% 150% 100% 100% 100%
100% 100% 50%
100% 100% 50%

A woolly beast, bred to endure extreme cold. Get too close and you might see its tusks up close!

Much like War Bison, Evil Mammoths are both very durable and hurt a lot. Good luck chewing through 1314 HP before the Evil Mammoth can act! I thankfully have Phoebe here, but parties using Beasts or neither can have pretty bad issues dealing with these things.



13F is short enough that I have no qualms about using Zack's Force Boost and Hurricane to kill this elephant.


Step away from the cub!



This might be slightly overdoing it, but eh.


My spear feels like it's bendin' on this thing's hide!

That 50% resistance to Stab means that Tyler deals pitiful damage to the Evil Mammoth.



No-one died, thankfully.



SYSTEM: You see that it clutches something in its mouth, and it scurries over to you and places it on the ground. It seems to be a type of rare material found in the forest. This must be its thank-you gift for the rescue.
Aw, thanks!
SYSTEM: You gracefully accept it and the raccoon cub gives a happy squeal before rushing back into the underbrush. You watch the cub go before putting away the material and leaving the area.



Can't say no to rare gathering materials.


SYSTEM: Searching for a way through, you come upon a large block of ice. Though it is hard to see due to the obstacle in your way, you notice a monster flying further down the path. Seeing the ice block and the monster lined up this way gives you an idea...
Yeh guys thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?
If your idea's to do this...


Then yeah.
SYSTEM: You push the block of ice, which glides along the slick ground and strikes the monster blocking your way! The collision is so fierce that the block shatters, killing the monster! You have successfully eliminated the obstacle in your path without fighting it! You mark what happened here, in case it proves useful later, before proceeding on your way.
Hmm. Impressive thinking, Tyler and Zack.


Hm. This place's a flying eyeball minefield.
Not only that, is that a giant tree protruding from the ice?


Yep. It is. Ow ow ow.
Perhaps you should consider how quickly you approach the ice next time.

Trees in the middle of ice are solid objects, and will stop you while sliding.


How convenient. Several ice blocks.
Let's use 'em to kill those eyes.

The only way we're getting to 14F is by using these ice blocks to kill the Evil Eyes.



First one was basically already set up for us.



The other Take point on this floor, which gives Goatgrass for its ingredient.



Got a level up from a random encounter not worth documenting. The skill point goes into TP Up.


If we just push this ice block...


And then push it into this Evil Eye...


Easy.


Ha. This one's already set up for us.


...Wait, that's it? Did we miss somethin'?
I saw no branching paths while we were traversing this floor.
Hey, I'm not gonna complain.

Yeah, 13F is really, really short, like 9F was. EO2U has a few really short floors, but they're thankfully not too numerous.


Would everyone be okay with going back to town for now to rest?
We weren't really on that floor for very long. Maybe we should continue?
Nah. Maybe Cass has new quests for us.
And you're not just sayin' that to get some drinks.
C'mon, I'm being serious here.




Let's begin our brief respite by talking to Hanna.

Ah, yeah, sure. ...There, no problem.
Sorry about that, couldn't quite reach the top shelf... Thanks! There's some fine tableware in there. I didn't think I'd have any use for them, so I put them away, but now some important guests are visiting, and I need them quick.
Hm? These are quite different from the tableware we are normally given.
Oh, I didn't mean any offense by not serving you with these! But I don't think you want to consider how much you'd have to pay if you accidentally broke one of these while eating, eh?
Good point.
Besides, it's not the plates that make a meal delicious. But my daughter suggested that it would be nicer to have prettier plates, so I'm making an exception this once. ...Plus, I wouldn't mind impressing these fancy visitors. Bahaha!



That floor wasn't long enough for any of us ta get hurt.
Um... Actually, I accidentally cut myself when I was cooking the other day. I wasn't bleeding that much, but it still hurt a lot...
Even the smallest cuts can sting quite a lot.
We know that because us front liners end up with about a billion of them.
But then... I remembered about all of you, fighting in the Labyrinth. You probably get hurt a lot worse when you're exploring, don't you? It must be really painful...
There is no pain greater than death... At least we have ways to reverse it.
...I'll try to study more! A-And I'm going to ask Dad to make even stronger armor! I promise I'll do my best... so that none of you will have to get hurt any more!



Here's what I unlocked since the last time I offloaded materials.

Ochiba (+98 ATK) is made from 4 White Metals and 1 Giant Tusk. It is wholly unremarkable.

Nalnari (+77 ATK) is made from 1 Crabshell. It is similarly unremarkable.

Caftan Dress (+28 DEF) is made from 3 Crabshells. Yawwwwwwn.

Hide Boots (+13 DEF, +1 AGI +1 LUC, can be equipped by Beasts) are made from 1 Elephant Hide. These things are actually pretty nice for Survivalists (for the AGI and LUC boost), Hexers (for just the LUC boost), and Gunners (for just the AGI boost).

Medica III (restores 200 HP to one target) is made from 1 Strawberry. They're considerably more expensive than Medica IIs (800 en vs. 100 en) for double the healing. They're slightly overkill right now, but if you're not running any reliable source of healing (Medics, War Magi, etc.), you might want to stock up on them later on.



Well, yeah. We've only been at this for two months or so, and we're already halfway through the third stratum.
I guess I don't realize it because I see you everyday...but you're all quite amazing.
Aw, well, I dunno...



Well, that floor we just finished was a cakewalk.
Why don't yeh come in here with some fire in yer eyes for a change? Yeh lot are the signature guild of my place, yeh know?
Really now?
Y'haven't noticed? People in the bar are craning their necks to get a look at yeh! There's even folks that're starting their own guild 'cause they were inspired by yeh!
Heh. And Colette said we were "bein' hasty" with callin' ourselves heroes.
Recognition is merely one part of being heroes, Tyler.
Yeh want my advice? Act a little more like me! Haw haw haw!
...I'm quite certain that is not how one becomes a hero.



Almost everyone in town knows you now. Ask anyone in High Lagaard. They'll tell you Lumen's a well-known group of veteran explorers.
Ehhhhh, Colette?
I don't understand why you're being persistent about this, as well as equating popularity with heroicness.
But you must remain steadfast and honest. If you're going to be a model to these people, you have a duty to them. Well, that's all I have to say for now. Try to avoid any unnecessary risks.



That's a pretty big book, yeah. What is it?
Ho ho ho, it is nothing so grand. This is merely the Lagaard Chronicle. Simply put, it is a historical record of High Lagaard, from its origin to what it has become today. As an explorer, as long as you remain in this place, you are considered a citizen of this country. You would be able to find it in the Grand Duchy's library. If you're curious, why not take a look through it?
Perhaps when we're not the active exploration party.
As long as our nation exists, the Chronicle will be written. Our great Duke's works are also recorded in this... Splendid, isn't it? Fighting monsters is all well and good, but I believe it would be good for you to acquire new knowledge as well. ...Oh, I apologize for keeping you for this long! I look forward to your safe return.



At this point, I sent the Byeahs out to get the Take materials for the 3rd Stratum, and predictably got some Narcissus, which we need to finish Playing Cupid II.



This flower signifies a pining heart, or undying love, if I ain't mistaken. There's an old wives' tale...if a lass gets one of these from the one they fancy, they'll live out their lives in wealth an' happiness. All the girls in the town chatter on and on about gettin' this flower from the person of their dreams...
Hm. I can see the appeal of believing in a story like that.
...Of course, the local girls have a tendency to jump on any pretty-soundin' rumor or tale, long as it's romantic. Still, it's thanks to one of them tales that yeh got a job and a reward, eh? And, well...let's keep an eye on him and see what happens. Wanna make a bet? I'll bet...that he'll be forever alone. It'd be hilarious! Wouldn't it?
Ah, well... I mean, it's fun watchin' someone fall flat on their face with this stuff, but isn't that gettin' a bit mean-spirited?
Haw, relax, I'm kidding. Mostly. Alright, I'll take it from here! Here, take yer reward. See yeh next time!



I don't think I've talked about Somas yet. They're basically party-target Medicas, and restore 80 HP to the entire party.



Colette's skill point goes into Barrier, which is a measly 45% chance to block an ailment or bind a maximum of 3 times per use.



And I'll have Phoebe start building towards Sentinel Guard now.



The 14F quests. No new bar patrons, unfortunately.

The sun shines down:

That quest, eh...? I see yeh're in the mood for a challenge! Well, here's the story. The Grand Duchy says a monster on the 13th floor is thrashing guilds left and right. They even sent out the guard corps to look into it, but it was a real mess... Even they got wiped out. The Grand Duchy's cuttin' their losses and pullin' the guard corps out, but a bunch of adventurers saw it as their big chance.
Welp, I see where this is goin'.
One by one, all the lads went up to the 13th floor, lookin' to get the glory...and they all fell like the rest of 'em. So by now, the Grand Duchy's realized that things went from bad to worse, and they're askin' top explorers to wipe the beastie out.
Sounds pretty typical so far.
Listen, though--that ain't what bothers me about the whole thing. There's somethin' fishy about all this. I got word from the fellas who got sent out to clean up...and everythin' the fallen had was gone. No armor, no weapons, nothin'. Lemme ask yeh. Do monsters steal crap from humans? No. I think there's somethin' else goin' on here.
I'm fairly certain it's not the spirits of the dead adventurers coming to reclaim their equipment...
Listen up. The request is for yeh to defeat the monster itself, but, eh... I think yeh and I got a little more in mind, huh? Yeh get what I'm sayin'...?
No?
Wait, yeh really don't!? Geez, maybe yeh're more naive than I thought... Think about it. Lots of adventurers done in... all their stuff probably still around the place somewhere...? Treasures! Loot! Goodies! C-A-S-H! C'mon, wouldn't yeh lot want to make some extra dough on top of yer reward?
C-Cass... Pilfering the equipment of fallen adventurers? That's monstrous, we would not stoop to that.
Haw! Call me whatever yeh like! Those things don't belong to anyone now, so if I pick them up, I'd say they're mine! It's not like the Grand Duchy has any law about returnin' property folks lost in the Labyrinth. This is a huge opportunity!
I'd like to avoid wearin' cursed armor, thanks.
Ahem... Ignoring all of that, where exactly is all of this taking place?
...Oh, right, almost forgot. Still got some info that I gotta give yeh lot. If yeh go off of everyone's stories...it sounds like the monster always attacks during specific hours of the day. It comes out around lunchtime. Sometime 'round noonish--between 10AM and 3PM. Yeh figure monsters know what lunch is? Anyways, if yeh wanna find it, yeh'll just have to loiter 'round the 13th floor between 10AM and 3PM. Remember, this thing took out a whole guard company on its own. It's gonna be a tough sucker... but yeh lot can handle it, eh? Awright, then, g'luck!

Yggdrasil cider:

Ah! This one's a very special quest! The client is... me! Haw haw haw! See, yeh lot are becoming notorious here in the city. Yeh heard me! Yeh lot came from nowhere to make it all the way to the 3rd Stratum! No guild's ever done that before. Of course yeh're famous!
...
I'm done with bein' loud about our fame, Colette. Yeh can relax.
Never underestimate the power of rumors... Thanks to them, I get a lot more customers now. Thing is...well, normal hooch is easy to get, but my secret whiskey's another story. It's damn good, and very popular, but I need ingredients from the Labyrinth to make it. Which I'm sure yeh could have guessed... Haw! Yep, I'll need yeh to fetch them. Here's what I need... 3 Red Fins and 2 Crabshells. That's all! Nothin' more... For those, yeh'll need to fight monsters, but no problem, right? There's no rush, so don't feel like I'm pressuring yeh into this.
The quest implies that you're running out of this special brew, though.
Hmm...? Well, yeah, I don't have much of the good stuff left... I just know yeh're busy too. Awww, I told yeh not to worry about it! When yeh've got everything, just bring it here.

We've already seen Crabshells (and now I'm kind of regretting selling off the ones we got), but Red Fins come from Redfishes on 14F.

And that's all for now. Next time: 14F.