Part 53: The Snow Blooms
The Snow Blooms
So we've gotten 50 entries in our Monster Codex, but that's mainly thanks to us bagging the Salamox kill. On a normal playthrough, there's one more enemy you can hunt down on the 12th floor to reach 50 monsters.
If you're playing EO2, you might've noticed that the first slot in the Item Compendium is empty. Don't worry about it, it'll be filled in later.
We're not gonna turn that quest in yet.
Also managed to snag that Ice Sheet for that other quest. We're also not gonna turn that in yet.
PC-88 Version
A nice way to start the update.
Ken gets a 3rd level of Kienzan, which now does 130% damage.
Aliara gets a 4th level of Curses, which unlocks Evil Eye.
It's an AOE terror skill, and there's a whole skill branch associated with it. Probably not gonna take Evil Eye or any of the skills associated with it. Bosses are susceptible to terror more than any other status effect, so that's something to keep in mind.
Back on the 12th floor, all the Helldra are awake now, and there's one patrolling this hallway down here.
At the top, we can see that there's a treasure chest.
Two of them in fact.
: Hey, I think that's the fish we're after!
: There's one way to find out!
PC-88 Version
Killfish
Type: Normal
Behavior: Stationary
Aggressive: Yes
HP: 693
AT: 25
DF: 26
Skills: Jaws
Item Drops: N/A
Description: After slaying a village girls fiance, it was slain by explorers in vengeance on her behalf.
Weakness: Volt (150%)
Resistance: Ice (50%)
Just a slightly stronger Fishman. Kill and turn in the quest.
: 
The other classes dealt enough damage to it that Ken didn't finish using Midareba on it.
PC-88 Version
The monster that shattered the young bride's heart has at last been stilled forever. After taking a few deep breaths, you notice something caught in the monster's jaws. Looking closer, you catch a gruesome glimpse...
: Oh god, is that his arm!?: Ugh, looks like it. 
It's a human armbone! It must have been caught in its jaws as its teeth sank into the surrounding gauntlet. Prying the mouth open, you discover that the dead arm was holding a sheaf of herbs.
: They must be the herbs he was getting for his fiance.You now remember the details of the quest you accepted in the Stickleback Bar... A lady of Lagaard lost her fiance to the Labyrinth just before her wedding. This must be the same man... After pulling the arm free, you stow it in your bag to bring it back to the bar.
: Think this is one of the Snow Blooms that minister wanted?: Has to be.Could this be the Snow Bloom that Minister Dubois asked you to retrieve? The flower blooms alone in the frigid night air...
Nothing happens if you say no.
You reach out to pluck the flower blooming quietly in the snow... Taking the icy, sublime flower in hand, you leave the area.
You have obtained one of the requested Snow Blooms. However, the number of them you possess falls short of the total required. Resume your search for the rest of the flowers!
Taking the path down just leads here.
Pauline gets a level up, but I forget to use up her skill point.
The next Snow Bloom we're after is near the Helldra in the top left corner.
Every one of the descriptions for these are the same except for the last one we collect.
Nick and Bellamy get a level up.
Now I remember to use up Pauline's skill point. Bows is almost maxed out.
Bellamy has taken a point in Analysis, which gives him a 5% damage boost to weakness damage.
Nick is two points away from getting his bait skills.
The 3rd Snow Bloom is guarded by this Helldra.
: All right! Just one more to go!
: I think this is the last one!: That should be all of them.You succeeded in obtaining four of the requested Snow Blooms! They shine radiantly in your hands...Hurry and return them to the Duke's Palace to complete your mission!
We're not going back just yet.
We need to get past this Helldra first.
Just two recovery items, nothing special.
Got some level ups on while I was wandering around the floor some more.
Kienzan now does 150% damage to all enemies.
Aliara has 5 points in Curses. If she didn't have any points in Torpor, we would've unlocked Dampen by now. I might relocate those points to Curses. Torpor isn't gonna do much for us at this point. It'll be super helpful when Poison falls off, but that won't be for a while. Dampen on the other hand would be really helpful for the boss, and maybe helpful in getting the condtional drop from it.
PC-88 Version
: Welcome back. Did yeh get revenge for the unfortunate lass?: Yep! We have proof! Right here!: Yeh have proof...? What the-- Those are his bones! Don't do that to me! For the love of... Couldn't it have been his gauntlet, or the herbs, or something... nicer?: They're all on the arm.: Yeh lot... Have yeh no common sense!? Have yer brains turned as twisty as the Labyrinth!?: What's wrong with the arm?: Yeh'll send her into a deeper funk than she's already in! How cruel can yeh be!? Just because yeh avenged her fiance doesn't mean he'll return hale and hearty, yeh know. 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!: So what about our reward?: The reward...? Yeh have some nerve, asking for that! Take it and get yeh gone! I'll be counting on yeh again, dammit!
Gives the party some Ice resistance. I do like this quest if only for Cass' dialogue at the end. I like how your guild is implied to be a bunch of dicks in some of the quest dialogue. He's one of the more interesting quest givers. Right there with Missy from EO3. They're definitely more interesting than the bartenders in EO1 and 4.
: Welcome back, yeh lot. Let's have a gander at all those monsters yeh've researched. Ahh, very nice! Yeh picked up a lot of good info! The other guilds have nothing on this! Not that I ever doubted for a second than yeh'd outshine that rabble... Here's the reward. I'm always counting on yeh!
: Yeh actually got it!? I can't imagine what yeh must have gone through for that...: How about getting ambushed and nearly trampled on by bulls!?: I don't even know why I keep helping out with the amount of monsters that love to ambush us while we gather.Seriously, fuck gathering in EO2. It got changed from kind of tedious in EO1 to one of the worst game mechanics in EO2.
: If I were yeh, I'd have sold it to the jewelers instead of bringing it here...!: You have no idea how tempting that was. Stupid bulls.The worst part is that you do need to sell 1 Ice Sheet to the store to unlock some gear.
: I admire yer sense of duty. I'll make sure this finds its way into the right hands! Between yeh and me... Do yeh really think this proposal scheme will work?: Oh hell no. Not from what you've told us.: Not a chance in hell, eh? The poor man'll end up with no rock and no girl. Mark my words! But I guess we'll have to wait and see... Well, here's the reward. Keep it up, yeh lot.
We get a second one of these. Now let's turn in that mission.
PC-88 Version
PC-88 Version
PC-88 Version
: There is one last ingredient mentioned in the ancient documents... Please wait here, brave explorers, I must consult my Lady...Fade to black.
Fade to black.
: He says that the renowned Guild Firefly is the one to obtain the Snow Blooms. My father is bedridden with a grave illness... In his absence, I thank you. I had thought to enter the Labyrinth myself to cure my father's malady... But as Lady of High Lagaard and the Duke's only daughter, I was unable to do so. It is only through your courage that my spirits are lifted. I understand that no monetary reward is adequate to the risk you have incurred thus far... But that is currently my only concrete means of expressing gratitude. I pray you accept this reward for your hard work in the spirit it is meant.
: Oh, uh, thanks. Very generous of you.: Mmmmmmph.: Not. One. Word.: I know I ask much of you, who have only just returned from the quest for the Snow Blooms. But... there is more to do. I beseech you to listen to my next request. Our lore states that the royal family descends from residents of the floating castle. Many ancient texts support the legend, and my parents believe it to be true as well. One source also makes mention of something called the Grail of the Kings.Incidentally, Grail of the Kings is actually the Japanese subtitle for the game. Or something along those lines anyway.
: This Holy Grail, said to lie in the center of the floating castle, can heal any illness... With further research, we were able to identify the components necessary to create this cure. You know them as the Fire Plume and Snow Blooms. By mixing them within the Holy Grail, we can create the Panacea that cures all illness. Thanks to your guild, we have obtained the two ingredients that must be combined. We lack only the container to brew the medicine. All that is left is to find the Holy Grail. Legend says this Holy Grail is enshrined in the center of the castle in the heavens. I would ask that you continue your journey until you gain access to this castle. Should you discover the Holy Grail there... I beg you use it to save my father... nay, to save High Lagaard!Fade to black.
: We won't force you. But if you discover anything of use, I beg you to inform this old man. You'll be rewarded, of course. Forgive us for laying this burden on you...: We'll uh, keep an eye out for it. Whoa.: You know, I didn't expect to sign up for this, but what the hell, eh?Lady Gradriel is actually another cameo, although one that people aren't as likely to recognize. She was the protagonist of a game called Princess Crown. It was an action RPG on the Sega Saturn, and it was rereleased on the PSP. The game did not see a release outside of Japan. I'm afraid I don't know much about the game aside from that. Anyways, we can get past Artelind now, so let's go do that.
PC-88 Version
: Well. Looks like you finished that mission the Minster asked you to do...Her enthusiasm is halfhearted, as she wears a dark and rather melancholy expression. She continues in a low voice...
: Maybe it's useless, but... I have to try.
Saying yes just has Artelind take your word for it, and she goes on as normal.
: What!? There's no way we would do that!: We're on an important mission for Lagaard!The impish girl smiles sadly upon hearing your response.
: Figures... You'd need a better reason than my say-so, I guess. Then I'll tell you one thing.She looks up to the heavens from the snowy forest and continues her speech.
: People in High Lagaard say there's a floating castle above the Yggdrasil Labyrinth. That's where the ruler of the skies and his relatives live... There, they collect the souls of the ones who die down here.Artelind catches a snowflake falling from the sky and gazes at it in her hand.
: It sounds like just a legend, but it's not that simple. Something terrible is past here that no one can defeat... I'm warning you now. If you still want to go up there, I won't stop you... Not yet, anyway.The black-haired witch quietly mutters the last sentence before turning her back on you.
PC-88 Version
: What was that about?: No clue. Best to move on, I suppose.
And we're completely done with the 12th floor.