Part 29: Way of the Forest
Music: The Trees Have Eyes 
A grisly site welcomes us at the entrace of the Whisperwood.
(This was not done in the name of survival.)
(It sleweth these men and beasts for no reason, other than as a fearsome show of its dreadful power.)
One of the wolves comes closer to H'aanit, clearly disturbed.
(...I see thou tremblest, little one. Thine heart is fillede with fear. Thou witnessedst what the beast did. It madeth thee bear witness.)
But first, they shallen be avenged.
After a brief pause...
I shall returne anon.
(A life for a life. So it hath been since the dawn of time. But to slayen for sport--for pleasure or greed--is to betrayen the law of nature.)
(I hunte not merely to keepen Lord Ciaran's people safe.)
We now get free rein to explore. The area has a lot of branching paths all over the place, so much so that it's rather difficult to find the main path to the boss. Most of the forest dungeons in this game seem to follow this format from what I remember. You're literally lost in the woods, so to speak. Or at least would be if the radar didn't point you in the right direction.
Two-hit spells are bonkers, and Cyrus could've possibly wiped this encounter solo if I bothered boosting it.
Some new foes. They do things, I guess.
Another bullet in the chamber. By saving H'aanit as the sixth character, she gets access to much more potent foes right off the bat than early on when the enemies haven't fully scaled yet.
There's the save point and traveler, and you can see up north our fearsome foe...
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SILENCE 
https://img.mega64.net/ot/u029/034.mp4
...
Gurrrrrr...
The wolves take the opportunity to flee.
Music: For Master 
Bested by a beast more powerful, thou fledst and foundest thyself here.
But to turnen thy grief and anger against innocent creatures...that is a sin of men. It was thy duty to adapten to the forest, to letten it finden a place for you... Instead, thou wouldst rip out its heart and claim it as thine own. This cannot be forgiven.
Thou hast trespassed, beast.
Video: Boss: Ghisarma Music: Decisive Battle I 
Today's boss is this ugly monstrosity.
It's H'aanit's boss, so I start out assuming it has a bow weakness and gamble that I'll rip through its shields with Rain of Arrows. I was right.
The Ghisarma is hardy, and it'll take a lot of firepower to rip through its HP.
Rampage deals three random attacks. Nothing Ophilia can't fix.
This is a boss that favors high HP over allies, and with four characters these Chapter 1 foes are simply no match for my shield-busting onslaught.
And it just so happens I've got four characters ready to throw out some max-boosted attacks its way!
I was not expecting this. That's a fifth of its HP just in one attack! Utterly obscene.
H'aanit's not to be outdone, though. That Giant Boar hits like a dang truck. It's nice to not be on the receiving end of these for once!
Primrose and Ophilia also help. I mean, this is respectable damage, it's just I'm already falling into "break the game in half" mode and I'm not even done with Chapter 1 yet.
It deals a feeble attack post-break. This isn't going to cut it.
And this is its HP after all that. It was clearly not equipped to absorb such an offense.
A 2BP boost Ratkin deals a hefty 1500 damage.
I misclicked the regular Lightning attack, or I would've finished it here.
But I wanted to pretend it had a fighting chance, I guess. Either way, it didn't.
Video: To Whence They Came 
And so the fearsome ghisarma has been hunted.
Music: H’aanit, the Hunter 
Thou art of the forest now, and in the forest, naught is lost.
The animals that eateth the grass becometh food for the animals that eateth meat. The eaters of meat in their turn, feedeth those yet stronger. And when the strongest of all dieth, his life is returned to the forest. His flesh feedeth the soil, the grass... His blood becometh sap, his bones wood... He becometh the food of the plant-eaters, and the circle beginneth once more... Lives entwined, a tapestry woven anew each dawn, every thread a part of the whole.
"To surviven and honoren those felled by thine own arrows."
If only that were all the cared about...
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Music: The Trees Have Eyes 
Back at the entrance, the man who gave us our contract is taking care of the fallen.
The beast will troublen thee no more. These graves...
I took the liberty of digging them while I waited for your return. Thanke thee. But I have a request.
That is the way of the wood. As you wish, milady.-----
SILENCE 
Hägen! Thou returnst to us!
...! Music: On a Knife’s Edge 
Grrroaaar! He is confused...and frightened.
Ow, ow, owooooooooo!
There, there, now... That's a good boy.
...
Hägen, canst thou guide me to Master? Ruff!
Master Z'aanta seems to be in danger, so H'aanit is off to rescue him with the help of her new allies.
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Video: Setting Out Music: Determination 
It seems H'aanit has a going-away party.
Grrrrrr! In his letter, he said he was bound for Stonegard. We shall begine our search there.
For Hägen to cometh all this way alone... I cannot helpe but feare the worst. Prithee takest care. We will.
Thanke ye, Chief. Fearen not for us. We shall be back before the next moon, with Master at our side.
Six travelers, six journeys, six paths...
...That's two too few! Pick our seventh recruit!
Next time, S'warkii and probably a bunch of Side Stories since I'll probably be too distracted with Smash Bros in the coming days to write a proper update.