Celestalia's Challenge - A Maple Journal

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NOTICE: Celestalia's Challenge is currently on indefinite hiatus. She will return when the time feels right to do so. There will be a few changes on the other side, however Book 2 will continue where it left off. Please enjoy the journal as it currently stands - it could be a while! Thanks as always for your patience.

Hello friends, and welcome to a special MapleStory campaign. As my first-ever challenge playthrough, I'm very excited to present and document this story for everyone. This will be fairly similar to other journals found here on the forums, but this will also be, however, a unique and possibly extremely tedious scenario.

Introduction/Backstory

Spoiler: Introduction/Backstory

Meet Celestalia. Celestalia is a member of the prestigious House of Vereina, a prominent family living in Henesys. The Vereina family made their modest fortune through agriculture (Vereina carrots are exported all over the world, to the extent that some ramen shops in Zipangu use them), and as such no family member has adventured up to today. In fact, the practice is unofficially banned in the family circle.

Celestalia, who has adored Athena Pierce from youth, wants more than anything to be like her. She will do anything, up to and including being disowned by her own family, to live up to her dream. This presents a major problem, however, as without any support or influence, Celestalia can hardly even travel around. Even taxis and stores, at least initially, won't allow her their services. The road between Lith Harbor and Henesys is at least somewhat navigable, but to go farther than that, Celestalia must master combat with the monsters around her and be as resourceful as she can to stay in good health.

Not all is lost, however, as when she was fleeing to Maple Island, Celestalia met another young adventurer who was just starting his own journey: Kaloichi of the House of Auburn. After a month or so of writing back and forth, Celestalia and Kaloichi have struck an important deal. Celestalia will have to take full advantage of this if she is to succeed...

Rules

Spoiler: Rules

There are quite a few, so I will keep them as brief as I can here. If an exception comes up later I will address it.

1. Maple Island goes as normal. After we get to Victoria Island, we can go to all the maps on the road between Lith Harbor and Henesys, but nothing beyond. To advance past this, we must collect all the monster card sets for the enemies in these maps. This includes the following 10 mobs: Snail, Blue Snail, Red Snail, Shroom, Stump, Slime, Orange Mushroom, Pig, Ribbon Pig, and Green Mushroom.

2. After this, maps can only be passed through if all major mobs on those maps have been cleared (got the set for them). So the Axe Stumps at the top left corner of the one map south of Ellinia don't count, because they're only on one platform. Basically, it has to be a primary mob in that map. Once a map has been 'conquered' we can pass through it as normal, and by conquering all maps between two cities, we can travel between them by the taxi as well.

Clarification to Rule 2. Mobs that inhabit the most direct path of travel from portal to portal are considered major mobs regardless of spawn count, UNLESS their spawn would be restricted by a stronger mob not in the most direct path of travel. The card furthest into the Monster Book will be considered the strongest mob.

Addendum to Rule 2. If Celestalia is in a guild and is partied with guild members, she is allowed to go past the normal boundaries of play as long as she remains with the group. For example, Celestalia can go to Ludibrium with guild members even if she has not yet unlocked the region. Celestalia cannot acquire monster cards at any time she is outside the boundary.

Addendum to Rule 2. If Celestalia is making a job advancement, she may travel anywhere in the world provided it is necessary to do so to complete the job advancement. She cannot attack mobs if outside the boundary.

Hidden Streets are initially unknown to us. They can be discovered once Celestalia learns of them through the Monster Book (if you don't know, getting a full set lets you know where that monster can be found). For example, Celestalia can learn about the Land of Wild Boar by getting the Dark Axe Stump card set. They can also be discovered by learning of them through the actions of other adventurers.

3. All items (at least initially), Bowman equips, and ammunition must be obtained by drop. This is the main reason why I'm doing this challenge with a female - my Crossbowman (Aescavon) hunts for his equips and so I know where almost all of them are. With some exceptions, this is basically starting from scratch. The MapleLegends Library is off-limits for the extent of this challenge; if we want to know where something drops, we must consult the Monster Book and see if any mobs we've unlocked drop what we're looking for. Additionally, equips can only be worn if I've gotten all of the previous equips in the line.

4. Gach tickets will be turned over to the Auburn family. In exchange, Celestalia will get a few amenities - including a Blue Potion chair*, free Air Bubbles for Aqua Road, and access to the Auburn family's storage and NX account. (She can't take anything out of their storage, but she can put her own items into the storage.) However, we can only buy one inventory row every five levels, starting at 30.
*Will not be available immediately

5. Trading, the Free Market, Leeching, Looting, and any other advantageous services are off-limits for this campaign. I also will not accept any donations whatsoever.

6. Partying with other adventurers in the field is allowed, however during the time Celestalia is partied, and a party member is in the map and actively fighting, items cannot be picked up. The sole exception to this is equips Celestalia needs to advance; if she did not participate in killing the mob that dropped the equip, Celestalia can retrieve it from her teammate at a cost of 5,000 mesos x the Level of the equip. Said equip cannot be worn until the map has been conquered.

Addendum to Rule 6. If Celestalia belongs to a guild and is partied with guild members, she can pick up items as usual, but she should make a substantial effort not to acquire items that her teammates have farmed. The teammate equip rule remains in place.

There are a few other restrictions, but I'll bring them up as they become relevant.

- Book 1 -​

Journal Entries (1-50)

Spoiler: Journal Entries (1-50)

I. Maple Island (You are here!)
II. The Hunt Begins
III. Let's Conquest!
IV. Green Avelin vs. Green Mushroom
V. Back In Action!
VI. The Plank That Plonked
VII. 50-Card Pig-up
VIII. To Hill And Back
SPECIAL I. From One Bowman To Another
IX. The Decision Made
X. Primo Victoria
XI. The Intercession
XII. In The BAG
SPECIAL II. A Beginner Confounded Deeply
XIII. Sunday Stumpday
XIV. Monday Greens
XV. Lost In Time
XVI. To Drier Ground
XVII. Perion Ore Bust!
XVIII. Avelin Avenue
XIX. Anne of Grey Ables
XX. Yellow Avelin vs. Green Mushroom
XXI. Equip Drops Go Rogue
XXII. The Battle of Southern Forest II
XXIII. Huntress
XXIV. The Hunt Begins Again
SPECIAL III. A Path Less Traveled
XXV. Blue Friday
XXVI. Behind the Signpost
XXVII. The Battle of Blue Mushroom Forest
XXVIII. Reviewing Our Options
SPECIAL IV. The Youngest of the Clan
XXIX. Horn Tale
XXX. Return To Blue Mushroom Forest
XXXI. Mano: The Cards of Fate
XXXII. Look Ma, No Arrows!
XXXIII. Axes and Allies
XXXIV. The Sunset City
XXXV. Let's Conquest! Kerning Subway Edition
XXXVI. With Kimmy's Blessing
SPECIAL V. Diros Straits
XXXVII. The Special Stump
XXXVIII. Feathers and Firewood
XXXIX. The Grand Survey
XL. Wild Card
XLI. Chestnuts Roasting on a Fire Boar
XLII. To The Dungeon!
XLIII. The Last Reckoning?
XLIV. (Let's Try) Tidying Up the Empire
SPECIAL VI. Reflections of a Huntress
XLV. Shovels Not Required
XLVI. Where We Talk About Food
XLVII. Lady Blue? More Like Lady Luck!
XLVIII. Into the Ant Tunnel
XLIX. Charmed
L. Stirge and Scourge

Journal Entries (51-100)

Spoiler: Journal Entries (51-100)

LI. Digging Deep
LII. Look Out Ligator!
SPECIAL VII. The Polar Proposition
LIII. Celestalia Goes Skiing
LIV. Card Hunters to the Rescue!
LV. Queen Huntress and the Jack Boots
LVI. The Power of Vitamin C
LVII. The Great Ant Tunnel Equip Run
LVIII. On Your Marker
LIX. A Different Kind of Agriculture
LX. Garnet
LXI. Unboarable
LXII. As it Pleadses You
LXIII. A Pair of Very Brief Expeditions
LXIV. The Hunt for the Battle Bow
LXV. The Battle of White Hat Run
LXVI. Where We Talk About Toys
SPECIAL VIII. Lost in the Clouds
LXVII. The Rydenathon
LXVIII. Celestalia's Wild Ryde
LXIX. An Archaeological Grind
LXX. Fire Boar Frenzy
LXXI. Caution Falling Asleep
LXXII. Legend of the Red Huntress
LXXIII. Annoyances
LXXIV. The Holy Smegaphone
LXXV. The Battle of the Deep Ant Tunnel
LXXVI. Let's Conquest! Nihal Desert Edition
LXXVII. The Battle of Frilled Field
LXXVIII. Zumogi
SPECIAL IX. The Flight of Erenell
LXXIX. Early Huntress Gets the Armor
LXXX. The Garden of Three Colors
LXXXI. A Tranquil Evening in Orbis Park
LXXXII. Rise of the Snack People
LXXXIII. Planet of the Lupins
LXXXIV. The Siege of Garden Road
LXXXV. Crawling With Curse Eye
LXXXVI. The Long Push North
LXXXVII. Finding the Dwarven Stronghold
LXXXVIII. The Battle of Nomadia
LXXXIX. Early Huntress Runs Out of Title Ideas
XC. Celestalia in Toyland
XCI. The Yellow Ribbon Staring Contest
XCII. A Flash in the Panda
XCIII. Return to Orbis Tower
XCIV. Henesys Hat Hunting
XCV. Huntress With Distinction
SPECIAL X. From the Vault of Knowledge
XCVI. The Battle of Elevenia
XCVII. Where Not Even Bentos Can Save Us
XCVIII. Terrar's Reckoning
XCIX. A Tale of Two Leatties
C. The Speed of Light

Journal Entries (101-150)

Spoiler: Journal Entries (101-150)

CI. Turning Your Luck Around 101
CII. The Battle of Cloud Park
CIII. Pixie Parasols, Inc.
CIV. Full MP Power
CV. Retz, Robots, and Ridiculousness
CVI. Beat the Clock!
CVII. Zeitgeist
SPECIAL XI. Split Decision
CVIII. Anniversary Adversary
CIX. More Monkey Mania
CX. Amethyst
CXI. Heliosity
CXII. Let's Conquest! Aquarium Edition
CXIII. Into Eos Tower
CXIV. Platoon Plaza
CXV. The Slightly-Funnier-Hatted Timeghosts
SPECIAL XII. A Vereina Vacation
CXVI. Revenge of the Sunglasses
CXVII. The Siege of Piazza Piettra
SPECIAL XIII. The Call of the Orient
CXVIII. Little Trouble in Big China
CXIX. Trebuchets Forward!
CXX. Another Path to Piettra
CXXI. Let's Gardening!
CXXII. Through Old Memories and New Friends
CXXIII. Brace Yourself!
CXXIV. The Battle of Crokoland
CXXV. From a Chore a Choro
CXXVI. Where We Talk About Tanning
CXXVII. The Mobs Are Greener
CXXVIII. Revenge of the Crossbowman
CXXIX. The Final Fifty-Four
CXXX. The Great Sixexian Conquest
CXXXI. Adventures in Upper Perion
CXXXII. Duck and Cover
CXXXIII. Lessons From Agincourt
CXXXIV. Beep Boop, Bowman
CXXXV. End of an Operation
CXXXVI. Today Ludus, To-Maro the World
CXXXVII. Bigger Fry
CXXXVIII. The Western Seas
CXXXIX. Wraith Raid
CXL. Operation Icebox
CXLI. The ThRNGderbolt Strikes
CXLII. Finishing the Underwater Tour
CXLIII. Aquamarine
CXLIV. Lunar Labor
CXLV. Arrow Into the Sun
CXLVI. Coppers and Robbers
CXLVII. Drake the Second
CXLVIII. The Golem Wakes
CXLIX. The Battle of Oceanicia
CL. The Unobtainable Overall

Journal Entries (151-200)

Spoiler: Journal Entries (151-200)

CLI. The Siege of the Sleepy Dungeon
CLII. Minisiege
SPECIAL XIV. A Party at Henesys
CLIII. The Super-Duper Golem Marathon
CLIV. Temple of the Golems
CLV. The Battle of Golemfourd
CLVI. The Battle of Dracteal
CLVII. Lightning Fingers vs. Lightning Horns
CLVIII. Groovy Grupins
CLIX. Around the Lake and Back Again
CLX. Let's Conquest! Asiatic Edition
CLXI. Castle Mapleskull
CLXII. Forest of the Ancients
CLXIII. Ellin (Almost) Joins the Empire
CLXIV. Boomerang Bowman
CLXV. The Battle of Mushroom Hill
CLXVI. The Race to Seventy
CLXVII. Rangemaiden
CLXVIII. Mio
CLXIX. News From Around the Empire
CLXX. A Ghoulish Grind
CLXXI. The Mush-O-Lantern Carving Contest
CLXXII. The Hunt for Red Heartober
CLXXIII. A Lesson in Mob Throughput
CLXXIV. Where Someone Else Abuses RNG More
CLXXV. Celestalia's Weather Forecast
SPECIAL XV. I've Got a Secret
CLXXVI. Let's Conquest! Eos Edition
CLXXVII. An Outside Chance at Progress
CLXXVIII. Plan C: To the Moon!
CLXXIX. Lions and Bears Not Included
CLXXX. Eye of Tortie
CLXXXI. The Icy Underground
CLXXXII. Thighbone Thursday, or, Kneecap Recap
CLXXXIII. Emerald
CLXXXIV. The Plunge Into Mu Lung
CLXXXV. Let's Conquest! Mu Lung Edition
CLXXXVI. Go West, Young Rangemaiden
CLXXXVII. Tidings of Cards and Joy
CLXXXVIII. The Mu Lung Pay-ch-wall
CLXXXIX. The Most Willowful Time of the Year
SPECIAL XVI. The Sands Have Shifted
CXC. The March to Magatia
CXCI. Let's Alchemy!
CXCII. Racks and Rocks
CXCIII. A Surprise Assault!
CXCIV. Total Maplortion
CXCV. Chaos Reigns
CXCVI. Chilling and/or Willowing
SPECIAL XVII. Pathless
CXCVII. Back on the Path
CXCVIII. Further Reinforcements
CXCIX. Not Done Yet!
CC. Plz

Journal Entries (201-210)

Spoiler: Journal Entries (201-210)

CCI. The Strike Into Upper Zenumia
CCII. The New Farm
CCIII. No Bones About It!
CCIV. Beige Lineros vs. Beige Fruit
CCV. Terrar's Second Reckoning
CCVI. Opal
SPECIAL XVIII. Daedalus Beckons
CCVII. Two Brick Walls
CCVIII. Surprise, It's a Table!
CCIX. To Start a Lineage
CCX. The Siege of Sereni
SPECIAL XIX. The Ascent to the Celestial

Click here to skip to Book 2.

Alrighty, let's get started! First part of the campaign begins below.

~~~

PART I. Maple Island

Spoiler: PART I. Maple Island

Things started quickly, as while clearing out the Snails for Maria, Celestalia picked up her first card.

This bodes fairly well for the rest of the night. We'll see. Meanwhile, we get an early 30 Blue Potions for answering the shopping questions, and another few potions of various colors while knocking down crates for the Relaxer (including one White!).

For our hat from Maria, we get the Yellow Headband. Perfect, it matches Celestalia's hair!


Going back to Amherst, Lucas seems to believe we are destined for greatness, and sends us off to kill some more snails as a result. When we do so, the Red Snails have the gall to hit us for three damage. The nerve! But, we also get the second Snail card, plus some Grey Work Gloves for our trouble. No stat bonuses on that guy, I think we will have to replace it soon enough.

After taking care of the other quests, it was time to go to Mai and get the Razor. We're finally doing respectable damage, but unfortunately we're getting more Crossbow arrows than Bow, which just ain't right! We picked up some good food from this exercise (the 15 Lemons is nice especially) and at last we're headed to Southperry.

Finally, it was time to face the first boss of the game, the dreaded...Orange Mushroom.

A true test of courage.

We killed three of them, because reasons.

In Southperry, we exchange a few Etc. items for a Fruit Knife, and get a few more potions because Shanks needed something to drink. At last, Celestalia is off the island!

When we arrive in Lith Harbor, a mysterious lightbulb appears. It's from our soon-to-be best friend Rino, keeper of the Monster Book! Without her, this entire challenge wouldn't even exist. So, she's probably worth listening to. Do trust that the ring will be developed far earlier than in most cases...even my other characters!

Olaf down the road grants us the last experience we need to become Level 10, and with 42 DEX in tow it is time to make the journey towards Henesys. Celestalia had better memorize these maps, because they are the only ones she will be seeing for quite some time.

Upon reaching Thicket Around the Beach III, Celestalia notices the ground is littered with drops. Wonder why...?

Anyway, it wasn't long before our heroine arrives back to her hometown. Here too there were drops littered all over the place. Unfortunately, by the rules of the challenge we can't loot from other people.


Nevermind, let's go see Athena! Celestalia gets a bit of stage fright upon spotting the legendary teacher and her role model.


But soon enough she got up the courage to go up the stairs and get her bow.

I think we'll be good on arrows for a while.

In the next installment of Celestalia's Challenge, we'll see how the young archer fares as she begins her first true hunt.