Explorers selection button
Explorers comprise the very first branch of character jobs available in MapleStory. Consisting of Warriors, Magicians, Bowmen, Thieves, and Pirates, their five individual modes of gameplay set the foundation and became the core archetypes of classification for all subsequent jobs to come.
They are the main group of Maplers who fought in the general effort against the Black Mage and his horde of evil monsters, with the Cygnus Knights, Heroes of Maple, and other Maplers later joining them to lead the battle against the Black Mage. Explorers are given their own storyline in the RED update.
Beginner[]
Beginners are the first Explorer job in MapleStory. All new players who are in the category of "Explorers" start the game as Beginners on Maple Island. At level 10, Beginners may make their first job advancement and become either a Warrior, Magician, Bowman, Thief, or a Pirate. Though Beginners are not considered one of the five character classes available for job progression within the Explorers, some people choose to remain as a Beginner past the first, second, or even third job advancement periods. They do this for a variety of reasons, the main one being that it is a challenge to take a Beginner that far.
Perma-Beginner[]
Permanent Beginners, also known as Perma-Beginners, are Beginners who choose not to make a job advancement. They get several perks, including no EXP-loss upon death and plenty of respect after reaching a certain level. However, disadvantages to being a Perma-Beginner include having less HP and MP (Health and Mana Points), lack of skills, and very limited access to equipment. Their build is similar to that of a Warrior's so they rely mostly on melee weapons, but they will also never hit as high as most Warriors. It is hard to level up as a Perma-Beginner since a majority of quests are job-restricted, and it is harder to take down most monsters than other characters.
Special[]
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"Special" or "Elite" Explorers are jobs that fall under one of the five classes but aren't available through conventional means. To access these jobs, one must choose them individually from the character creation screen. As of yet, these elite explorer jobs are only available to Thieves and Pirates and they all have their own lore created to set the stage for why and how they're different from their traditional counterparts. Aside from that lore, however, they tend to follow the general Explorer storyline introduced in the MapleStory RED update.
Another aspect that sets them apart from the rest of the Explorers, the Cygnus Knights (save for the Mihile job) and most Resistance jobs, is that while the player is free to choose the look, style and gender of the special explorer, there are canonized interpretations of these specific characters, an aspect drawing more from character types like Heroes, Sengoku, Nova, Child of God and Kinesis. The only exception to this possibly being the Dual Blade, though one could argue that the intent is to tell the story of a singular Dual Blade.
Bowman[]
Thief[]
Pirates[]
Story (Current)[]
Main Story[]
The Girl With the Maple Leaf Hairpin[]
On Maple Island, a young Beginner visited the library in the hope of escaping their dull, repetitive life. There, they discovered a dusty book, which contained records of the greatest heroes of Maple World. Amongst the many stories, they were captivated by the Maple Tree Legend, the story of the First Explorer. Enraptured, the Beginner would read the book every day underneath the Maple Tree that the First Explorer loved.
One day, the Beginner was heading to the Maple Tree when they found a girl named Sugar reading aloud the story of the First Explorer, born as a maple leaf who quelled the chaos of the world by forging his willpower into a weapon and slashing through the earth and the sky. In order to secure a lasting peace, however, he fell as a maple leaf until the day that another maple leaf would herald his coming when the pitch-black sunset would stain the northern sky.
Just as the Beginner arrived at the Maple Tree, a glowing maple leaf fell from the branches into the Beginner's hands. As the light faded, the Beginner wondered whether they had merely imagined it, though they decided to keep the leaf, as it felt special to them. Just then, Sugar noticed them approaching and introduced herself before asking if they could help her find her maple-leaf shaped hairpin. After the Beginner found the hairpin in the leaf piles, Sugar thanked them and asked for their name before giving them a gift for helping her, explaining that it would help them on their adventures.
Realizing that Sugar had mistaken them for an Explorer, the Beginner clarified that they weren't an Explorer themselves, though they liked reading about the adventures of other Explorers. They explained that they had come to the Maple Tree in order to read about the First Explorer. Sugar smiled and realized that they were talking about the Maple Tree Legend, to which the Beginner excitedly told her that Amherst and Southperry, the two towns on Maple Island, had been built centered around the Maple Tree in honor of the First Explorer.
Sugar asked the Beginner if they wanted to go adventuring and be part of the First Explorer's legacy, but the Beginner sheepishly explained that they were so weak that they had never thought about leaving Maple Island before. In order to repay them for finding her hairpin, Sugar decided that she would help them become stronger.
She lifted a heavy box of snail shells and told the Beginner that even though she was awkward, she was also strong. However, Sugar accidentally tilted the box, causing all the shells to break. As Sugar lamented that she needed the shells to obtain a ticket off Maple Island, the Explorer suggested that she hunt snails in order to get more shells.
Sugar excitedly told the Beginner that they could help her gather snail shells and led them over to the hunting grounds where snails roamed. After the Beginner brought half the shells, Sugar revealed that not only had she collected the other half, but she had also gathered enough for the Beginner to exchange for a ticket.
As the Beginner protested, Sugar told them that they had been afraid that they were too weak, but they had just proven that they were strong enough to hunt the snails. However, the Beginner told her that they couldn't drop everything and leave, as they believed that one needed to have a special mission in order to do so. However, Sugar replied that not every Explorer needed a special calling, and that some even decided to adventure for no particular reason.
When the Beginner asked Sugar whether she was an Explorer, Sugar confirmed it and told them that her reason for adventuring was to make new friends in order to help them. When she admitted that it was a dumb reason, the Beginner assured her that it was just as good a reason as any. Sugar then told the Beginner that the First Explorer whom they looked up to had just been an ordinary person who had saved the world because of his good heart.
She added that the Beginner had a good heart as well, as they had helped her despite having just met, which made her believe that they would make a great Explorer. She then laughed and said that people might tell their story as the Second Maple Tree Hero, though the Beginner told her that it was way over the top.
She then told them that they would experience hard times and happy times during their adventures, and that having someone with them through the hard times would make things go easier. She asked the Beginner whether they would join her on her mission, and after the Beginner considered it, they took the glowing maple leaf as a good sign and agreed to come. She and the Beginner then made their way to Southperry.
Along the way, they met a girl named Mai, who gave them their ship tickets in exchange for the snail shells, which served as proof that they were strong enough to handle exploring Maple World. They then gave their tickets to Captain Vasily and boarded The Sangri-La.[1]
During the voyage, they encountered three others hoping to become Explorers: a girl named Olive who hoped to become a bowman and gain riches, the aloof Tess who wanted to become a great pirate, and a boy named Rondo who wanted to become a thief. While conversing, Sugar told the others that she wanted to be a Cleric while the Beginner revealed their aspirations. They also explained that they had come across a glowing maple leaf, which intrigued Tess.
After arriving at Victoria Island, the five decided to split up and meet their respective job instructors. The Beginner asked Sugar whether she wanted to meet up after they finished their first job training, but Sugar told them that she had something to take care of first and encouraged them to keep training. The Beginner then met their job instructor and learned the basic skills needed for them to train, allowing them to officially become an Explorer.[2]
Stolen Treasure[]
Soon after, Tess reached out and told the Explorer that he might be able to help them learn more about the glowing maple leaf. After meeting at the Six Path Crossway, Tess examined it and concluded that it was a normal maple leaf, unlike what he had thought it might be. He then suggested that they keep training in order to uncover more details and suggested that they go help the locals in Henesys.
Soon after, the Explorer received a note that contained an announcement for all Explorers that Olive was wanted for stealing an important treasure of Victoria Island. Surprised, the Explorer went to the Bowman Instructional School and met Athena Pierce, who explained that someone had stolen the treasure while it had been in transit from Rien to Henesys.
She added that it was a very precious jewel, and so its owners had charged the Bowman Instructional School with its safe delivery. Though she found it hard to believe that Olive, her own disciple, was responsible, she asked the Explorer to join the search. The Explorer agreed to help, and so Athena sent them to reinforce the search party in Ereve.
While patrolling around Ereve, the Explorer thought to themselves that the treasure being precious meant that it must have been strictly guarded, and so they wondered how Olive could have managed to steal it. Soon after, they encountered Olive, who told them that she was on a mission to clear her name. The Explorer stopped her as she attempted to leave and fought her in order to keep her from escaping.
The Explorer, who believed that she was lying, told her to hand over the jewel, citing how she had mentioned that she had wanted to get rich when they had first met on The Sangri-La as proof of her intentions. However, Olive explained that she had been framed, and that she had come to Ereve following a lead as to who had really stolen the treasure.
Just then, Rondo arrived to apprehend Olive. As he dragged her away, Olive begged the Explorer to ask Neinheart about the Master of Disguise. Upon questioning Neinheart, the Explorer learned that he had once met the Master of Disguise, who seemed to have a penchant for precious jewels. Neinheart then made a copy of the Cygnus Knights' notes on the Master of Disguise and gave the document to the Explorer, who brought it to Athena Pierce.
Athena was relieved to know that Olive wasn't the culprit, but explained that there were still more complications, as the treasure stolen wasn't merely a precious jewel, but a Seal Stone. She told the Explorer that the Seal Stones had the power to reshape a continent, and that it had been created by one of the Heroes who had fought against the Black Mage. She added that there were several other Seal Stones on Victoria Island like the one that had been stolen, with each one being critical in its own way.
The Explorer asked about the Black Mage, whom Athena explained was a great villain who had invaded Maple World centuries ago and destroyed everything that he touched, even splitting the continent of Ossyria, which had resulted in the formation of Victoria Island. Regarding the Heroes, Athena explained that there were five Heroes who had fought against the Black Mage when he had invaded Maple World, and that one of those Heroes had created the Seal Stones.
The Explorer asked why the jewels were called Seal Stones if they had the power to reshape continents, to which Athena explained that they had been created to seal the Black Mage. She told the Explorer that before the final battle, the Heroes had created two contingency plans. The first one was that in the event that they lost the battle, the Seal Stones would bind the Black Mage for eternity. The second one was that in case the sealing failed, the Seal Stones would turn back time for the split continent and restore it, which was a last resort.
With their questions answered, the Explorer was sent to join Olive as part of an investigation team to infiltrate the Verne Mine in order to find the Master of Disguise and the Seal Stone. The Explorer and Olive traveled to Edelstein, where they met up with Sugar, Rondo, and Tess. Sugar told them that they would need to disguise themselves as Black Wings members in order to enter the mine. As they argued over the best way to obtain a hat, Tess suggested a majority vote between stealing a hat, asking someone for a hat, buying a hat, or charging in.
However, Tess ignored the vote, despite being the one who had proposed it, and decided to act on his own. He found a passing Black Wings member and began to fake cry, tearfully explaining that his late mother's dying wish had been for him to become a member of the Black Wings. He made up a story that he had failed to join the organization due to his incompetency and asked if he could borrow the hat just so that he could experience wearing it at least once in his life.
The boy, who was actually Xenon disguised as a Black Wings for a Resistance mission, gave up his hat, though he quickly revealed that he had seen through their façade and explained that a real Black Wings member wouldn't be fooled by such a terrible performance. When the Explorer realized that he wasn't a member of the Black Wings either, Xenon explained that he wouldn't ask for their identity if they didn't ask for his, although he agreed to answer any questions they had.
Xenon told them that the Master of Disguise's real name was Baroq, and that as a high-ranking officer, he wouldn't be easy to run into. He explained that the Black Wings had occupied the town and were a militarized cult trying to revive the Black Mage. He also suggested that they enter the mine and start their search in the room of another executive named Eleanor.
Before he left, he also gave them dossiers on all the officers of the Black Wings. After he left, the group decided that the Explorer would wear the hat in order to enter the mine while Rondo used his Dark Sight skill to hide in the shadows in order to accompany them. Before they left, Sugar used her magic to buff the Explorer for their mission.[3][4]
In the distance, Xenon wondered why the Explorers were investigating the Black Wings, but he decided that it had nothing to do with him. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but note that there were five comrades who had gathered together. Inside the mine, the Explorer and Rondo encountered two rooms and wondered which was the right one. Rondo told the Explorer to close their eyes, after which he took off his hat and used his fox Anima ears to listen and determine the right room.
Inside, they found the Seal Stone of Victoria Island and a note from Baroq written to Eleanor explaining that he was leaving the Seal Stone in her room. Laughing at Baroq's stupidity at leaving such an important object unguarded, the Explorer and Rondo took the Seal Stone and the note and returned to the others. Outside, Rondo gave the note to Olive and told her that she could use it as proof that Baroq had impersonated her for his mission. Sugar then opened a Mystic Door to the Bowman Instructional School, where the Explorer gave the Seal Stone and Xenon's document to Athena Pierce.[5]
Though they wondered whether Xenon's document was trustworthy, Athena briefly looked through it and noted that they could trust the source. As they all began to leave, Olive stopped the Explorer and attempted to stammer out a thank you before giving up and instead leading them to a secret training ground. There, the Explorer trained by defeating a Blue Mushmom before Olive revealed that it was her way of thanking the Explorer for listening to her and getting the document from Neinheart, which had led to her exoneration. After Olive left, the Explorer felt happy to know that they were able to help people on their adventures. They then decided to return to Athena Pierce in order to ask her for a new mission.
The Miracle of the Maple Leaf[]
Athena told the Explorer that they had good timing, as she had something she wanted to discuss something with them. She explained that after looking through Xenon's document, she had begun to wonder why the Black Wings wanted the Seal Stone if they were planning to bring back the Black Mage. She explained that the Black Mage had split the continent, and so it didn't make sense that they would want an object that could put it back together.
The Explorer speculated that if the Seal Stones had the power to seal the Black Mage, then perhaps they held the power to break it as well. However, Athena told them that it was impossible for someone to undo the Seal of Time, as the Black Mage was sealed behind the Gate of the Present, which had been locked up ever since the seal had been activated. She explained that even if the Black Wings had the power to break the seal, there was no way for them to access it behind the Gate of the Present.
She also explained that she regularly sent scouts to monitor the Gate of the Present, and that all of them had consistently reported that there was no way inside. Nevertheless, she told the Explorer that she could never have too many scouts and asked them to visit the Temple of Time. She then teleported the Explorer to the Three Doors, after which she wondered aloud that if the Explorer was as special as Tess thought, then perhaps they would catch something that she and the others hadn't.
Upon arriving, the Explorer was surprised to find the Gate to the Present open. As Athena had emphasized how dangerous the Temple of Time was, they decided to report back to her. However, they felt something calling to them and instead decided to enter the Gate of the Present. Upon entering, they made their way to the Black Mage's throne room, where they found the Black Mage sealed behind the degrading Seal of Time.
The Explorer immediately noted that the aura of evil was like tar all over their skin, as well as the fact that one of the five Seal Stones powering the seal was cracked. The Explorer returned back to Athena Pierce and explained that not only was the Gate of the Present open, but one of the Seal Stones powering the seal was cracked.
They then suggested replacing the cracked Seal Stone with the Seal Stone of Victoria Island. Athena and the Explorer returned to the Temple of Time, where Athena noted that the Gate of the Present was shut. When the Explorer told her that it appeared open to them, Athena realized that they had a special power that allowed the Gate of the Present to open for them.
The Explorer entered the Black Mage's throne room, where the Black Mage himself began to speak to the Explorer, telling them to turn back because it was not yet time. He declared that he would soon break free, and through his power would the world come to order. He then offered the Explorer a place in his new regime, but the Explorer decided to ignore his words and began to replace the Seal Stone.
The Black Mage then asked whether the Explorer had chosen to walk a broken path, just as the cracked Seal Stone shattered. The Black Mage immediately broke free of his seal and quickly disappeared, teleporting the Explorer back to the Tree Doors. The horrified Explorer apologized to Athena Pierce for failing to fix the seal, though Athena reassured them that it wasn't their fault.
Saving Maple Island[]
Olive soon reached out to the Explorer and told them that black flames had engulfed Maple Island. She and the Explorer rushed back to Maple Island, where refugees were boarding ships to escape. They met up with Tess and Rondo, after which Olive explained that a dark shadow had set the island ablaze before disappearing.
The Explorer realized that it must have had something to do with the Black Mage and explained to the others about what had happened with the seal. Tess immediately blamed the Explorer for having unleashed the Black Mage, but the others jumped to their defense. They then realized that they could use the Seal Stone of Victoria Island in order to restore the broken land, just as Athena had mentioned. Tess took the Seal Stone in order to try using it, but he was unable to make it work.
As they wondered why the Black Mage had attacked Maple Island instead of a larger target, Tess accused the Explorer of having deliberately freed the Black Mage, claiming that it was too convenient of a story that the Explorer was the only one who could enter the Gate of the Present, with the seal breaking immediately after someone entered it for the first time in centuries. As Olive and Rondo began bickering with Tess, the Explorer told them to stop, admitting that it was all their fault. They then gave the Seal Stone to Tess and decided to leave with the refugees, believing that they didn't have what it took to be an Explorer.
As Olive attempted to change the Explorer's mind while they walked away, Rondo and Tess rushed over to call them back, explaining that the black shadow was heading to the Maple Tree where Sugar was. Recalling their fond memories with Sugar, the Explorer grew determined to save her and rushed towards the Maple Tree, fighting past the corrupted snails along the way. At the Maple Tree, the Explorer found an injured Sugar crumpled beneath the flaming Maple Tree as the Black Mage's Shadow towered over her.
Though the Explorer tried to help Sugar escape, she refused and told them that she needed to protect the tree, explaining that as long as the roots were safe, the leaves would one day grow again. Sugar sensed the Explorer's fear and told them that they could escape, promising that she would be able to take care of the tree. She explained that their roots were as strong as the Maple Tree's, and that it was okay if their leaves had to fall, as they would grow again one day.
The Explorer realized that Sugar still believed in them, even after knowing that they wanted to run away. As their determination to fight surged, a mysterious voice rang in their head and told them that a great strength of will slept within them. It reminded them to remember their heart's greatest desire, to protect others, as their heart was the key. With a sudden surge of strength, the Explorer tapped into a portion of the divine power of the Adversary in order to defeat the Black Mage's Shadow.
As the Explorer attempted to carry Sugar, she told them that there was no one who could heal her, for as her life force was connected to the Maple Tree, she would die once the tree's roots burned up. As the others rushed over, they began debating about what do, as water had no effect on the flames. Reflecting on the mysterious voice's words, the Explorer told Tess to hand over the Seal Stone. Even as the others looked at the Explorer unremarkably holding the Seal Stone, the Explorer focused on their strong desire to save Sugar and poured their determination into the Seal Stone.
Suddenly, the Explorer was transported to the Erda Flow and encountered Sugar, who transformed into the Goddess of Maple World. The Goddess explained that she had waited for many years under the Maple Tree as Sugar, her avatar, for someone like the Explorer. She thanked the Explorer for saving her with the strength of their will. She explained that she would need to return to her Goddess form, and though Sugar's journey had come to an end, theirs was just beginning. She then sent the Explorer back to Maple Island, telling them that one day, they would grow to become a great tree with roots deep and strong.
Back on Maple Island, the Explorer was surprised to find Maple Island restored. The others asked where Sugar had gone, and so the Explorer told them about their meeting with the Goddess. Though they all wondered why Sugar had decided to leave, they realized that they had no answers. Tess then apologized to the Explorer for the way that he had treated them throughout their journey. The four then agreed to make Maple Island their hometown, even though Explorers were meant to be wanderers.
As they went their separate ways, the Explorer recalled how Sugar in her Goddess form had told them that they had saved Maple World, although they felt as though their desire to protect Sugar and their friends was much more simplistic compared to the extravagant ideals of keeping the peace and protecting everyone's hopes and dreams that one often heard of larger-than-life, mythical heroes. They realized that the power which had allowed them to defeat the Black Mage's Shadow was neither the maple leaf, the mysterious voice, nor the strange power that had engulfed them, but rather, it was just their strong determination to protect.
Second Job Advancement[]
The Explorer then returned to Athena Pierce and told her about what had happened on Maple Island. Though they apologized for using the Seal Stone, Athena told them that they had done exactly what they had needed to do and asked them once again not to blame themselves when the Explorer noted that they had merely fixed the mistake that they had created. Athena then asked how they had been able to use the Seal Stone, as even she didn't know how, to which the Explorer told her about the mysterious voice that had explained how their desire to protect others was the key to using the Seal Stone.
Athena realized that she was right when she had declared that the Explorer had a great power, as they were no ordinary person to have walked through the Gate of the Present, face the Black Mage's Shadow, and use the Seal Stone. She then told them to become stronger, as the power they held may save Maple World one day. The Explorer then returned to their job instructor, who taught them stronger skills.
The Mysterious Voice[]
Third Job Advancement[]
The Explorer then continued training, but found that they still couldn't hear the mysterious voice. They decided to find new work to do and went to Henesys in order to ask the townspeople if they needed help. Camila suggested that they visit the Six Path Crossway, as many people passed through there and might need help. At the Six Path Crossway, they encountered Rondo standing before the Interdimensional Portal. After startling him as a prank, the Explorer was surprised to find that Rondo had fox Anima ears.
They then helped pick up Rondo's fallen hat and listened as Rondo explained that he was an orphan, and so he had no idea why he had been born with his ears. He told them that he had decided to become an Explorer in order to find others like him, although he had realized that the only animal ears that he had seen on people were all decorations. Suspecting that he was from a different world, he explained that he was trying to use the Interdimensional Portal in order to visit Grandis and find his people.
The Explorer decided to accompany him and the two traveled to Pantheon, where they asked Cartalion about people with fox ears. Cartalion told them that the Anima had animal features, although many of them had gone into hiding after the High Flora had declared war on the other species of Grandis.
He explained that Pantheon was perhaps the safest place on Grandis, as the Nova relics protected them after they had been forced to flee their capital of Heliseum. Rondo asked where the Anima refugees had fled, but Cartalion told them that he had no idea, as the Nova had rarely crossed paths with the Anima even before the war. Rondo suggested venturing out to old Anima villages, but Cartalion told him that it was too dangerous outside the Protective Shield.
To prove his point, Cartalion escorted Rondo and the Explorer to the border, where they found themselves overwhelmed by the Specters. Realizing that he stood no chance at his current strength, Rondo decided to become stronger in order to find his people and thanked the Explorer for accompanying him and keeping his secret. Rondo told the Explorer that he planned to stay in Grandis for a while and told them that they could return to Maple World. After the Explorer left, they noted that the flames of war engulfing Grandis were just like the disaster on Maple Island. Feeling sorrow for the unimaginable pain in the world, they resolved grow strong enough to help everyone.
Suddenly, the mysterious voice called out and told them that they had the will to be awakened. It told them to remember their heart's desire to help those in need, as their heart was the seed that would grow and flourish. Feeling new power awakening within them, the Explorer returned to their job instructor, who sent them to the Chief's Residence in El Nath. There, their respective chief taught them new skills for them to become stronger.
Monster Riding[]
During their adventures, the Explorer ran into Kenta at the Aquarium, who explained that he was a monster tamer working to show that monsters and humans could coexist peacefully. In order to do so, he had been developing a way to ride monsters with a special Pheremone. However, strange monsters had recently stolen his research notes and, fearing that it would fall into the wrong hands, Kenta asked the Explorer to protect his Oinker from the monsters and gather their Pheremone samples, while also recovering his research notes. After helping protect the Oinker from the Barnard Gray monsters, Kenta thanked them and promised to teach them monster riding as soon as he finished his research.
Soon after, Kenta reached out and explained that he had learned that Pheremones could cause monsters to grow violent, and so he asked them to go to Leafre and purchase a special bottle of perfume from Chief Tatamo, which could help calm the monsters down. After purchasing it, the Explorer used the compound to tame a wild Hog, allowing them to ride it. Some time later, the Explorer went to visit Kenta again, where he told them that he had learned a way to strengthen the monsters that one could ride. After obtaining Green Hoblin Charms and Cracked Shells, the Explorer paid a hefty donation fee to Kenta, who then upgraded their Hog into a Silver Mane.
Birth of an Alliance[]
Some time later, Athena called the four Explorers to the Bowman Instructional School. She told them that she wanted them to meet the Heroes in order to consult with them, as the ones who had originally sealed the Black Mage might have knowledge on what to do now that he had returned. Olive immediately asked to speak with Mercedes, a fellow archer, while Rondo decided that he wanted to meet with Phantom, a fellow thief.
Tess decided to speak with Aran, as he remembered how she had protected them until the very end when the Black Mage had invaded, even going so far as to leave the escape ship in order to find a missing kid who had fallen behind. The Explorer wondered how old Tess was for him to recalled memories of Aran in the past, but nevertheless agreed to meet Luminous.
The Explorer traveled to the forests of Ellinia and found a Sentrobo guarding the area. After defeating it, Luminous appeared and began questioning them. The Explorer explained why they had come and asked if the Heroes could reseal the Black Mage, since they had all been freed from the ice. However, Luminous told them that it would be impossible for two reasons.
He first explained that he had lost his powers after emerging from the ice and assumed that the same fate had befallen the other Heroes. He also explained that Freud had used the Seal Stones to bind the Black Mage to eternity, not for eternity, and that the Seal of Time had fractured the fabric of time in Maple World. He confessed that using the sealing spell again could have catastrophic consequences.
Disheartened that it was impossible to stand up to the Black Mage, even with the Heroes and the Seal Stones, the Explorer returned to Athena Pierce. There, the four summarized their findings and concluded that they had no means of defending Maple World from the Black Mage. Athena reassured them that they wouldn't be defeated so easily and explained that she would call on them again when the time came. She then asked the Explorer to stay behind as the other Explorers left and explained that Empress Cygnus had sent a letter proposing to create an alliance between the major world powers of Maple World. She then asked the Explorer for their opinion on the alliance.
The Explorer told her that they felt responsible for the revival of the Black Mage and asked if they could really fight the Black Mage while they remained so weak. Athena reassured them that they could very well become a great hero who protected them all, but even if they couldn't, every hero had people standing behind them who all worked together to protect what they loved. She declared that it was time to stand together in order to face the Black Mage and asked them to join her at the upcoming conference.
After receiving unanimous confirmations, the First Continental Conference took place and the Maple Alliance was officially created.
Fourth Job Advancement[]
Athena Pierce called the four Explorers to Henesys and explained that the Black Mage had been eerily silent after attacking Maple Island. Because of this, she asked them to check on the towns of Victoria Island and look for any strange activity. As the Explorer set off to investigate Perion and Ellinia, Tess asked them to swap with him and investigate the Nautilus instead, though he refused to explain why.
Aboard the Nautilus, the Explorer met with Kyrin[6], who told them that she believed Tess to be suspicious because of the way that his skills had seemed to be far beyond those of a normal Beginner when they had first met, as well as the fact that he had a strange energy that seemed to drain hers as well.
As she had been unable to talk to him after his job advancements, she believed that he had something to do with the Black Mage. The Explorer told her that Athena would frequently give Tess important jobs, which made Kyrin feel as though she had misjudged Tess if Athena really trusted him. After confirming with her that the Nautilus was safe, the Explorer decided to intercept Tess in Ellinia and confront him about Kyrin's suspicions. In Ellinia, Tess was amused when the Explorer asked if he was part of the Black Wings and decided to tell them his full story.
He explained that his mother, Yuris, was a half-elf who had died soon after giving birth to Kyrin when a strange poison containing the Black Mage's power had corrupted Ellin Forest. While on a mission to scout Victoria Island, his father, Destonen, had found a suspicious tent and had discovered several research notes inside.
The notes had detailed how the writer, Kirston, had been curious about how the Black Mage's charisma was such that it could attract such a motley group of Commanders. Kirston had found himself enraptured by the Black Mage's mysterious ideals. Noting that the Black Mage had been sealed, he had resolved to break the seal, as he hadn't been sure whether the Black Mage had intended to be sealed away.
Another research note had revealed that Kirston had encountered several maple leaves with an entity within them. According to a prophecy which he had uncovered, he had feared that the entity would foil the Black Mage's plans, and so he had resolved to eliminate all obstacles that would prevent the Black Mage's resurrection.
Suddenly, Kirston himself had entered the tent and had cursed Destonen's bloodline so long as the Black Mage remained alive. Upon returning back to the camp, Destonen had found that Yuris had died from the poison soon after giving birth to Kyrin. He had then brought Tess and Athena to the area that he had been exploring, which would one day be known as Perion, and had told them about Kirston and the curse before passing away soon after.
Tess had soon realized that the curse had been split between himself and Kyrin, the two descendants of Destonen's bloodline, and that the curse worsened the closer they were to each other. In order to save both their lives, Tess had resolved to stay away from his sister, which was why he had stayed for as little time as possible around her on the Nautilus, and why he had spent centuries trying to find a way to break the curse.
After having heard the full story, the Explorer felt bad for Tess and resolved to become stronger in order to help him. Suddenly, the mysterious voice which they had heard during their previous job advancements rang out and told them that their heart wanted to be stronger for others' sake, and that their heart would lead them to their fate.
Feeling a new power within themselves, the Explorer returned to the Chief's Residence, where the chiefs sent them to the Forest of the Priest in Leafre. There, the Explorer encountered the Explorer Priests, who deemed them worthy of receiving their knowledge. They reminded the Explorer that their new strength was meant to help others, and that it was their duty to lead Maple World into the future as a hero.
Temple of Time[]
While exploring the Temple of Time, the Explorer's memories were drained by Dodo. After being told by the Record Keeper to return to where their adventure began, the Explorer decided to return to the Maple Tree. Upon arriving, they found Olive there, who told them that she had come on the off-chance that Sugar might have somehow returned. Olive told the Explorer that Sugar had really liked them, and that she would be proud of them.
The Explorer reminded her that Sugar had liked them all, to which Olive replied that the feeling was mutual. She then asked whether they thought that Sugar was still watching over them. The Explorer told her that Sugar was probably watching them every day, to which Olive smiled and replied that she should up her game, as she wanted to keep Sugar proud. She then suggested that they all meet up again with Tess and Rondo one day, which the Explorer agreed to.
Final Quest[]
The Explorer grew to reach the highest level of power and soon heard the Statue of the Goddess calling to them in Orbis. There, the Goddess spoke to them and bestowed her blessing upon them in order to help them protect Maple World. Soon after, the Priests of Leafre recognized the Explorer's strength and gifted them the Red Draco, a mount which only gave its loyalty to those who were strong enough.
Fifth Job Advancement[]
Upon entering the Erda Flow and meeting with the Goddess of Maple World, the Goddess asks the player what it is that they cherish most in the world. Explorers get to choose between their friends or the people of Maple World.
After speaking with the Goddess of Maple World and receiving an Arcane Stone, the Explorer asked the Goddess why she didn't come back as Sugar anymore. The Goddess explained that she would answer their question by explaining why she had appeared as Sugar in the first place. She told the Explorer that it was the duty of the Goddesses to protect their world, and that she had ben waiting for someone with the power to sense the Gate of Darkness, and to rid Maple World of it once and for all.
The Explorer was surprised to learn that they were the one whom she had been waiting for, to which the Goddess told them that she had come to witness the goodness not only in their heart, but the hearts of multitudes from around the world joined together for the sake of the world that they loved. She explained that mortals didn't need someone to intervene for them, as they had always had the power to save themselves, and that she merely helped them where she could. She then asked the Explorer not to forget the goodness that lives within before sending them on their way.
After speaking with the Goddess of Maple World, the Explorer heard the mysterious voice calling out to them. The voice explained that the Explorer was the incarnation of his will, just as they were representative of his will, adding that it would be their final meeting, as the Explorer had awakened their full potential. The voice explained that he was a man who had given his heart to calm the chaos of his time, just as the Goddess had willed. He then wondered aloud whether history remembered him.
He was surprised to learn that people of the present knew him as the legendary First Explorer, as he had been born merely as an ordinary human child. Though he had been an orphan, he had never been alone, as Sugar had always been beside him. He explained that eventually, he had realized who she really was, but no matter how much they had enjoyed spending time together, she had always seemed sad, as though she were consumed with guilt. Eventually, he had realized that she had created him to save the world, and that she would have to watch him die in order to do so - a cruel fate that the Goddess herself had laid out for him.
The Explorer asked about their power, to which the First Explorer explained that the power within them was a portion of his own power, which had been granted to him by “the ones who keep order”. Regarding their fate, the First Explorer told them that they were the one who had inherited his fate and asked that their good will be a torch to light the way.
When the Explorer asked if their fate was to defeat the Black Mage, he told them that if the chaos of their time had begun with him, then it was. However, he told them that how their fate transpired depended on them, because while his will was their will, his choices were not theirs. Having answered all their questions, the First Explorer told them to walk the fated path with awakened power, as the chaos that had long since faded was gathering again.
Sixth Job Advancement[]
At the end of the storyline, Explorers get some exclusive dialogue while saying goodbye to the Goddess of Maple World, in which they address her as Sugar and tell her that it was nice to see her again. The Goddess replies that it was nice to see them too, and thanks them for protecting everyone, noting that their good heart had saved the world once again.
Ellinel Fairy Academy[]
Upon accepting the quest to start Ellinel Fairy Academy, Tess will greet them and note that they've job advanced. Olive tells the Explorer that she's jealous, as the land of fairies likely has many gems that she's never seen before. Tess then warns the Explorer to be careful, as the fairies of Ellinel particularly hate humans.
After the Explorer finds the stage costumes, Cootie will suggest that they return back to Headmistress Ivana. The Explorer will then wonder whether Cootie had ever met Sugar, who had also been a magician from Ellinia. However, Cootie replies that her description doesn't seem familiar.
At the end of the storyline, the Explorer tells Tess and Olive about what had happened. Tess is surprised that the fairies had opened up to them, as it had been the first time in centuries that such a thing had happened. Olive asks the Explorer whether they had seen any sparkling gems. The Explorer tells her that there were many sparkling things, causing her to rush off towards Ellinel.
Ellin Forest[]
When Wiz tells the player about Ellin Forest, Explorers get exclusive dialogue that has them realize that Tess' father had died around that time. They also wonder whether it would be possible to prevent Destonen's death.
When Karen tells the player that she won't let them enter the Temporal Gate without good reason, Explorers get exclusive dialogue dependent on their completion of Limina. If the player hasn't finished Limina, the Explorer tells Karen that their friend has been suffering from the curse for centuries, and that they want to stop it from happening.
However, if the player has finished Limina, they tell Karen that despite his curse being lifted, he had still been suffering for centuries, and so they want to prevent it from ever having happened in the first place. In both cases, Karen tells them that she still can't let them through, prompting the Explorer to show her the book.
When the player meets Tess in Ellin Forest, Explorers get exclusive dialogue, in which they note that he looks exactly as he does in the present, which they find to be a warm welcome.
After the player defeats Ephenia and reads about the death of Destonen in the Chronicles of Ellin Forest, Explorers get exclusive dialogue, in which they note that if they were able to change the past by killing Ephenia, then they may be able to prevent Destonen's death as well.
When the player returns back to the present to check if their actions have changed the future, they travel to the Nautilus and speak with Kyrin. In order to see if the curse has been averted, they will ask her if she knows who Tess is. If the player hasn't finished Limina, Kyrin will tell them that Tess is a suspicious individual. If the player has finished Limina, Kyrin will tell them that Tess is her big brother, after which she thanks them for lifting the curse and reuniting her with him.
Fox Valley[]
When Explorers arrive at Fox Point Village, they immediately notice that the Anima villagers look similar to Rondo.
Black Heaven[]
Before the Black Heaven operation, the Explorer met with Tess, Olive, and Rondo on Maple Tree Hill in order to catch up. They told the Explorer that as space was limited on the Lumiere, they wouldn't be able to come and fight alongside them. However, the Explorer promised to fight harder on their behalf and received buffs from each of them.
After Athena Pierce and the player fight their way to the main deck, Athena gives a word of encouragement to the player as they charge into battle, which depends on their class. For Explorers, including Special Explorers and Jett, Athena tells them to show their enemies their skills as an Explorer.
Vanishing Journey[]
After the player defeats Arma, Kao will speak to the player while being carried through the cave. For Explorers, Kao talks about how they had lived a long, free life with Sugar's help. However, they had found out too late that it wasn't easy to protect what they love, though they tell the player that there's hope now because of them. This dialogue is shared with all Special Explorers, despite the fact that Pathfinder and Jett do not follow the main Explorer storyline and never meet Sugar.
Labyrinth of Suffering[]
After the Adversary collapses into despair as a result of Hilla's machinations, they pass out in a void of darkness within their own mind. As their morale and strength threaten to diminish completely, the mysterious divine light speaks to them in the form of someone close to them and provides them motivation to continue.
For regular Explorers, the voice of Sugar asks them why they risk their life to save others. The Explorer tells her that it's because everyone is that precious to them, to which Sugar asks them why they care so much for Maple World, and what their purpose is. The Explorer replies that Maple World is the home where their loved ones live, and that it's a precious place, filled with all their memories.
Sugar asks them if they can remember what they need to do now, to which the Explorer begins to say hopelessly that everyone is already dead, and that they couldn't protect anyone. They add that there's nothing that they can do, and that they're completely helpless. They then ask what else they can do, to which Sugar tells them to open their eyes and see for themselves, explaining that even if Hilla covers their eyes, she can never cover the truth.
She asks them to open their eyes, pick themselves up, and do what they have to do, reminding them about the maple leaves drifting in the sky. She then tells them that all roads exist inside their heart, and to never forget that. As the voice fades away, the Explorer recognizes the voice as belonging to Sugar.
Limina[]
When the Adversary faces the Black Mage, he tells them that their path has always been preordained. In response to his words, Explorers vow that they'll transcend the destiny that he's created for the sake of Maple World.
After the Adversary scatters into Erda after killing the Black Mage, they awaken in the Erda Flow, where the White Mage thanks them for putting an end to the battle and helping him liberate the world from the influence of the Overseers. After the conversation, the Adversary will return back to the real world. As they do, the White Mage will give them a unique title based on their class; the title he gives to Explorers is "The One Who Walks Down the Path of Adventure".
Before the Explorer storyline revamp in the Destiny update, the title that the White Mage gave to Explorers was "Explorer of Legend", although this is a mistranslation of the actual KMS title, "Brave Explorer From Another World". The KMS title was a reference to the original Explorer storyline, in which it was said that Explorers came from another world.
After the battle of Tenebris, the Adversary will meet with Neinheart and several members of the Alliance, which is dependent on the player's class. For Explorers, Athena Pierce, Grendel, and Kyrin arrive and congratulate the Explorer for all that they've accomplished. They reminisce about how curious and wide-eyed the Explorer had been when they had first met, and how much has changed since then.[7]
Aftermath[]
After the defeat of the Black Mage, Tess returned to meet Kyrin, who explained that Athena had told her about their family curse. Upon looking at her hand, Tess was relieved to see that the curse mark had vanished with the Black Mage's death. As they tearfully reunited, Tess asked Kyrin to wait for him, as he had somewhere to be.
On Maple Island, Tess reunited with the Explorer, Rondo, and Olive. Just as they all wished that Sugar could reunite with them one last time, Sugar herself popped out of the Maple Tree. Sugar greeted the Explorer and told them that it had been a while since they had met in her current form. The others then decided to give Sugar and the Explorer some time to catch up.
Sugar told the Explorer that she had been watching them every step of their journey, and that she would always continue to do so. When the Explorer asked if they could meet again, Sugar told them that it would be difficult for her to manifest her human form, though she reassured them that she would always be there and asked them to come visit her again one day under the Maple Tree.
Pirates[8][]
Aboard the Nautilus, the pirate met with Kyrin, who was surprised to find them standing quietly while waiting for her. She told them that their awed silence reminded her of her first sailing adventure, where she and her crewmates spent ages listening to their captain wax philosophical about the pirate life.
She added that being a pirate hadn't always been as glamorous as it was in the present day, as technology had been much more rudimentary. However, she had been determined to be out on the open seas and recalled how she had felt true freedom the first time she had stepped foot on the Nautilus. Because of that, she vowed to do whatever it took to protect that freedom. With that, she decided to set sail for their next destination.[9]
Odium[]
After saving Alter, Explorers get exclusive dialogue, in which they notice his ears before apologizing for staring, explaining that they have a friend who has animal ears like his. Alter is intrigued and replies that he finds it more surprising that they don't have ears like his, adding that everyone in his village has ears and a tail like his.
Arteria[]
Before the Adversary leaves to rescue Cygnus, Shinsoo calls to the Adversary and addresses them with a unique title based on their class; the title she gives to Explorers is "You who walk the path of adventure".
Story (Old, Pre-Destiny)[]
Main Story[]
Maple Island[]
On Maple Island, a new Explorer appeared from a Maple Tree and saw a mysterious girl dressed in green leaves running away from them. While chasing after her, they ran into a girl named Mai, who introduced herself and explained that she was a student at hero school who longed to become an Explorer: brave adventurers who came to Maple Island from other worlds.
Mai took the Explorer through some basic training, after which she had them meet Lucas, the chief of Amherst. Lucas welcomed the Explorer to Amherst, though he told them that they couldn't stay, explaining that they needed to go out into the world and get stronger instead. He then gave them a ticket for a ship to Victoria Island and told them to go to the port at Southperry.
On their way there, the Explorer ran into Mai again, who asked them what they wanted to specialize in. After telling her their choice, Mai told them that she would write a letter of recommendation to their job instructor at Victoria Island. Soon after, the Explorer arrived at the dock and gave Captain Vasily their ticket. Vasily told them that their ship, The Sangri-La, was still undergoing maintenance and asked them to wait for a moment.
While they were waiting, a shy girl named Sugar approached them and explained that she had lost her ticket. The Explorer reassured her that they would find her ticket and began searching Southperry, where they found her ticket inside a box. After returning the ticket to Sugar, Vasily told the Explorer that a monster had boarded their ship and asked them to defeat it. In the cargo hold, the Explorer fought and defeated Mano, allowing the passengers to begin boarding. On the deck, the Explorer and Sugar met three other adventurers: Rondo, Tess, and Olive.
Tess immediately recognized the Explorer from Ellin Forest and called them Kao, claiming that they looked identical. After realizing that the Explorer really had no idea who Kao was, Tess concluded that he must have mistaken them for someone else. Sugar then asked the Explorer which job they wanted to be.
Warrior: The Explorer told Sugar that they wanted to be a warrior. Sugar told them that they would make a great one and explained that she was thinking of becoming a magician.
Non-Warrior: After telling Sugar their choice, she told them that they would make a great one and explained that she was thinking of becoming a warrior.
Paths Converge Here: After arriving at Victoria Island, the five Explorers went their separate ways. The Explorer then traveled to see their job instructor, who taught them the basic skills needed for them to train.
Non-Bowmen: Their job instructor then sent them to Henesys, explaining that Athena Pierce would help them settle into their new life on Victoria Island.
Starting Out on Victoria Island[]
In Henesys, Athena Pierce told the Explorer that they were in one of the safest towns in Maple World and suggested that they stay in Henesys until they get a better grasp of their new skills. The Explorer also received an Explorer Book to log their adventures. Just then, they noticed a Maple Leaf sticking to their clothes. They realized that it must have landed on them while they were on Maple Island and decided to press it into their Explorer Book.
Warrior: While training around Victoria Island, the Explorer ran into a distressed Sugar at the Six Path Crossway. After asking her what was wrong, Sugar explained that she wanted to take the job advancement test in order to become a Cleric, but she was too scared of the bugs near the path to get to Ellinia. The Explorer defeated all of the bugs and cleared the path for Sugar, who thanked them for their help.
As she began walking into the forest, however, she noticed that a tree had been damaged by the bugs and asked the Explorer to go see Sabitrama in Sleepywood. In order to heal the tree, Sabitrama told the Explorer to find an Ellivera Fruit in Ellinia. After healing the tree, Sugar confessed that she believed that she wasn't cut out to be an Explorer. However, she added that something terrible would be happening in Maple World soon, and that she needed to prepare for that day.
Magician: While training around Victoria Island, the Explorer ran into Rondo at the Six Path Crossway and noticed that he was trying to convince himself to enter the Interdimensional Portal. The Explorer tapped on Rondo's shoulder in order to get his attention, but when he didn't notice, they tapped him a bit harder, accidentally knocking his hat off. Rondo yelled at the Explorer, fervently trying to cover up his furry ears. He then made the Explorer go look for his hat so that he could blend in with humans.
The Explorer went to speak with Luke, a Victoria Guard, and asked if he had seen any hats. Luke showed them three hats and asked them to pick the one they were looking for. Rondo revealed that he had been born with his furry ears, but as he was an orphan, he couldn't ask his parents about his origins. He explained that he had hoped to find others like himself by becoming an Explorer, but as he hadn't had any luck in Maple World, he was planning to use the Interdimensional Portal in order to search for his people in Grandis. As the Explorer had gotten dust on his hat, Rondo explained that they were indebted to help him and took them with him into the Interdimensional Portal.
In Pantheon, they asked Cartalion whether there were any people with animal ears in Grandis. Cartalion explained that the Anima possessed animal characteristics, but added that the war had displaced many of them from their homes. Rondo asked where he could find the Anima, to which Cartalion replied that he didn't know, as the Nova had never been too close with the Anima.
Rondo then asked where the Anima used to live, hoping to find clues of their whereabouts, but Cartalion explained that the trip would be too dangerous, as the land outside Pantheon was filled with enemies. When Rondo and the Explorer insisted, Cartalion agreed to escort them to the border in order to show them how dangerous it was.
Outside Pantheon, Rondo and the Explorer were faced with waves of Specters, forcing them to retreat. Rondo accepted that he was currently too weak, but he swore to become stronger and find his people. He told the Explorer that he would stay in Grandis for a while, but added that they were free to return to Maple World, adding that he was grateful for their help.
Bowman: Athena Pierce contacted the Explorer and asked them to help her old friend, Kyrin, aboard the Nautilus. There, Kyrin asked the Explorer whether they had seen a suspicious person on the ship that they had taken to Victoria Island. When the Explorer told her that they couldn't recall anyone suspicious, Kyrin explained that an Explorer named Tess had come to the Nautilus in order to become a pirate. However, two things had made her suspicious of him. First, Tess had seemed much more experienced than he was letting on. Second, he had been wearing a mask to hide his face.
Though the Explorer didn't remember Tess, they promised to keep an eye out for him. They decided to go to the Six Path Crossway to begin their search, and sure enough, they saw Tess walking nearby. They followed him towards the path to the Nautilus, where they found him facing a masked rabbit. When the Explorer began questioning him, Tess asked them to help him capture the rabbit, promising to answer their questions if they did.
Though the Explorer defeated the rabbit, it managed to escape before they could capture it. Tess also tried to leave covertly, but the Explorer caught him before he could escape. Tess relented and agreed that since he had promised, he would tell them everything. He explained that he was Kyrin's older brother, and that their mother was a half-elf, which was why he and Kyrin aged so slowly. He told them that he had been trying to capture the rabbit because it was part of a shady organization, though he refused to say anything more.
However, he warned them that something major would be happening in Maple World soon, and that it was the reason he had come out of hiding. He added that he had worn a mask because he didn't want Kyrin to recognize how similar they looked, even though the last time he had seen her was when she was an infant. He explained that he wanted to be as careful as possible, but that he would one day tell her about their relationship. He then noted that the Explorer even behaved just like Kao before he took his leave.
Thief: In Kerning City, a bowman named Olive introduced herself to the Explorer and asked for a favor. She explained that she was interested in jewels, and that she had heard a rumor about a special type of jewel. These jewels were scattered all across Maple World, and one of them was rumored to have been discovered in the Nihal Desert. The jewel was said to be in possession of the Thieves' Guild, but as Olive wasn't a thief, the Guild wouldn't give her any information about it.
Since the Explorer was a thief, Olive asked them to learn more about the jewel from the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord confirmed the existence of the jewel and asked how the Explorer had found out about it. When they claimed that they had learned about it by accident, the Dark Lord grew suspicious, as information on the jewel was top secret, even within the Guild, and so he refused to say anything more. The Explorer returned to Olive and told her that the Dark Lord had refused to tell them any details as well.
Undeterred, Olive told the Explorer that it didn't matter, as she had learned that the jewel was being kept in a hidden room inside the Thieves' Hideout. Once again, as she wasn't a thief, she asked the Explorer if they would find it, explaining that she didn't want to steal it, but rather, she merely wanted to know what it looked like. The Explorer entered the Thieves' Hideout and found the hidden room where the jewel was being kept. There, they encountered a suspicious rabbit looking for the jewel.
Just as the Explorer defeated the rabbit, the Dark Lord arrived and the rabbit managed to escape. The Dark Lord explained that he had just been about to ask Athena Pierce about the jewel's properties when he arrived, adding that he never would have expected someone to break into the Thieves' Hideout. He realized that there must have been a breach in their intelligence network and apologized to the Explorer for doubting them. The Explorer then returned to Olive and explained what had happened. Olive told the Explorer that the jewels she was interested in were said to have special powers.
She explained that each time she had heard news of a jewel's location, it had already been stolen by the time she had gotten there. She suspected that the rabbit they had encountered was the one who had been stealing the other jewels, adding that it was most likely part of a larger organization. She was glad that the jewel in the Thieves' Hideout had not been stolen and thanked the Explorer for the information.
Pirate: Kyrin contacted the Explorer and asked them to help her old friend, Athena Pierce, at the Bowman Instructional School. There, Athena asked the Explorer whether they had seen a suspicious person on the ship that they had taken to Victoria Island. When the Explorer told her that they couldn't recall anyone suspicious, Athena explained that an Explorer named Tess had come to the Bowman Instructional School in order to become a bowman. However, two things had made her suspicious of him. First, Tess had seemed much more experienced than he was letting on. Second, he had been wearing a mask to hide his face.
Though the Explorer didn't remember Tess, they promised to keep an eye out for him. They decided to go to the Six Path Crossway to begin their search, and sure enough, they saw Tess walking nearby. They followed him towards the path to the Nautilus, where they found him facing a masked rabbit. When the Explorer began questioning him, Tess asked them to help him capture the rabbit, promising to answer their questions if they did.
Though the Explorer defeated the rabbit, it managed to escape before they could capture it. Tess also tried to leave covertly, but the Explorer caught him before he could escape. Tess relented and agreed that since he had promised, he would tell them everything. He explained that Athena Pierce was an old friend of his parents, Destonen and Yuris, and that the reason he kept calling them Kao was because they looked practically identical. He told them that he had been trying to capture the rabbit because it was part of a shady organization, though he refused to say anything more.
However, he warned them that something major would be happening in Maple World soon, and that it was the reason he had come out of hiding. The Explorer told him that Athena Pierce wanted to see him, to which Tess replied that he wanted to see her too, but he added that he had urgent business to first take care of. He then noted that the Explorer even behaved just like Kao before he took his leave.
Second Job Advancement[]
Soon after, the Explorer returned to their job instructor, who conducted a test to see if they were worthy of reaching the next stage in their job. The Explorer was sent to collect Dark Marbles from monsters in a special area, after which their instructor taught them more powerful skills.
Theft of the Seal Stone[]
Non-Thieves: While training around Maple World, the Explorer was contacted by Athena Pierce, who told them that an emergency had come up and asked them to come to Henesys right away. At the Bowman Instructional School, she explained that a jewel had been found in the Nihal Desert, and that it had been stolen by a masked thief while it was being transported to Henesys. As the jewel was both powerful and important, all the Explorers were being mobilized to find it.
Just then, Pia came in and told Athena that someone had been sighted running up the Hill North of Henesys. Athena realized that it had to be the thief and asked the Explorer to chase after them. The Explorer defeated the thief, a masked rabbit, and successfully took back the jewel. Just then, Olive appeared and told them that she was the one who had been delivering the jewel to Athena Pierce when the thief had stolen it from her. She then asked the Explorer to return the jewel to her. Believing that she was telling the truth, the Explorer gave the jewel to Olive, who thanked them and left.
The Explorer then felt that something was off and decided to check with Athena Pierce in order to see whether Olive really had delivered it to her. When they asked Athena whether she had received the jewel, Athena was confused and told them that no one had stopped by. She realized that Olive must have stolen the jewel for herself and told them that they needed to find her at once, explaining that the jewel was actually a Seal Stone created centuries ago by the Heroes as a safety device designed to protect the people of Maple World in case the Black Mage destroyed their homes.
Over time, people had forgotten that the Seal Stones existed, but with the return of the Heroes, more and more people were seeking them out. Athena feared that there were some who wanted to exploit their power for a darker purpose than what they had originally been made to do, and so she asked the Explorer to help investigate Olive and the people she was working with.
Thief: While training around Maple World, the Explorer was contacted by Athena Pierce, who told them that an emergency had come up and asked them to come to Henesys right away. At the Bowman Instructional School, she explained that a jewel had been found in the Nihal Desert, and that it had been stolen by a masked thief while it was being transported to Henesys. As the jewel was both powerful and important, all the Explorers were being mobilized to find it.
Just then, Pia came in and told Athena that someone had been sighted running up the Hill North of Henesys. Athena realized that it had to be the thief and asked the Explorer to chase after them. The Explorer defeated the thief, a masked rabbit, and successfully took back the jewel. Just then, Olive appeared and told them that she was the one who had been delivering the jewel to Athena Pierce when the thief had stolen it from her. She then asked the Explorer to return the jewel to her. The Explorer noticed that Olive was strangely nervous and asked if she was alright. Olive laughed and told them that she was fine, adding that it was sweet of them to ask. The Explorer immediately raised their guard and told her that she hadn't been this nice when they had last met in Kerning City.
Annoyed that the Explorer had seen through her disguise, Olive revealed that she was actually Baroq. The Explorer voiced aloud their shock that Olive had turned into a middle-aged man, which irritated him greatly. He then teleported away with the Seal Stone, just as the real Olive rushed to the scene. After learning what had happened, Olive berated the Explorer for having confused her with a middle-aged man.
The Explorer then returned to Athena Pierce and told her about how Baroq had stolen the Seal Stone. Athena thanked them for uncovering Baroq's plot, as the Explorers' Guild would have otherwise suspected Olive. She then explained that the jewel was actually a Seal Stone created centuries ago by the Heroes as a safety device designed to protect the people of Maple World in case the Black Mage destroyed their homes.
Over time, people had forgotten that the Seal Stones existed, but with the return of the Heroes, more and more people were seeking them out. Athena feared that there were some who wanted to exploit their power for a darker purpose than what they had originally been made to do, and so she asked the Explorer to help investigate Baroq and the people he was working with.
Third Job Advancement[]
The Explorer's job instructor soon contacted them and recommended that they take another job advancement test. They told the Explorer to go to the Chief's Residence in El Nath in order to speak with the job advancement instructor there. At the Chief's Residence, the job instructor told them that in order to survive in Ossyria, they would need to get stronger.
To test the Explorer's skills, their instructor told them to go to the Holy Ground at the Snowfield and touch a special stone there, which would warp them to another dimension, in which they were to defeat the enemy waiting for them and take the object they were carrying. The Explorer followed the instructor's directions and were warped to a different dimension, where they found a dark clone of their 1st job instructor. After defeating the clone, the Explorer took their Black Charm and returned to the Chief's Residence. Satisfied with their performance, the instructor taught them even more powerful skills.
Monster Riding[]
During their adventures, the Explorer ran into Kenta at the Aquarium, who explained that he was a monster tamer working to show that monsters and humans could coexist peacefully. In order to do so, he had been developing a way to ride monsters with a special Pheremone. However, strange monsters had recently stolen his research notes and, fearing that it would fall into the wrong hands, Kenta asked the Explorer to protect his Oinker from the monsters and gather their Pheremone samples, while also recovering his research notes.
After helping protect the Oinker from the Barnard Gray monsters, Kenta thanked them and promised to teach them monster riding as soon as he finished his research. Soon after, Kenta reached out and explained that he had learned that Pheremones could cause monsters to grow violent, and so he asked them to go to Leafre and purchase a special bottle of perfume from Chief Tatamo, which could help calm the monsters down.
After purchasing it, the Explorer used the compound to tame a wild Hog, allowing them to ride it. Some time later, the Explorer went to visit Kenta again, where he told them that he had learned a way to strengthen the monsters that one could ride. After obtaining Green Hoblin Charms and Cracked Shells, the Explorer paid a hefty donation fee to Kenta, who then upgraded their Hog into a Silver Mane.
Catching Baroq[]
Warrior: While practicing with their new skills, the Explorer was contacted by Athena Pierce, who explained that she had uncovered new information on the jewel thief. She told them that the thief was a bowman named Olive and explained that she wanted to question Olive in person. Having received information that Olive was in Ereve, Athena asked the Explorer to bring her to Henesys.
In Ereve, the Explorer found Olive, who told them that she was on a mission to prove her innocence, as she believed that someone had impersonated her and stolen the jewel. Just then, Rondo arrived and attacked Olive, claiming that the Dark Lord had sent him on a quest to capture her. Before she was dragged off, Olive yelled for the Explorer to ask Neinheart about the Master of Disguise, believing that it was the key to proving her innocence.
Neinheart told them that the Master of Disguise had once infiltrated the city, though a certain Knight had managed to stop him. He then wrote a lengthy letter to explain all he knew about the Master of Disguise and gave it to the Explorer to deliver to Athena Pierce. After reading the letter, Athena realized that Baroq had likely disguised himself as Olive and thanked the Explorer for uncovering the truth.
Magician: While practicing with their new skills, the Explorer was contacted by Athena Pierce, who explained that she had uncovered new information on the jewel thief. She told them that the thief was a bowman named Olive and explained that she wanted to question Olive in person. Having received information that Olive was in Ereve, Athena asked the Explorer to bring her to Henesys.
In Ereve, the Explorer found Olive, who told them that she was on a mission to prove her innocence, as she believed that someone had impersonated her and stolen the jewel. Just then, Rondo arrived and attacked Olive, claiming that the Dark Lord had sent him on a quest to capture her. Olive begged the Explorer to help her, and so the Explorer told her to remove Rondo's hat, knowing that he would focus on trying to cover his ears.
Sure enough, Rondo hid himself in the bushes while Olive and the Explorer went to speak with Neinheart. He told them that the Master of Disguise had once infiltrated the city, though a certain Knight had managed to stop him. He then wrote a lengthy letter to explain all he knew about the Master of Disguise and gave it to the Explorer to deliver to Athena Pierce.
The Explorer first went to see Rondo and showed him the letter in order to convince him that Olive was innocent. However, Rondo refused to believe the Explorer, as they had betrayed his trust by revealing his secret, and so he took Olive to see the Dark Lord. The Explorer then gave the letter to Athena Pierce, who realized that Baroq had likely disguised himself as Olive and thanked the Explorer for uncovering the truth.
Bowman and Pirate: While practicing with their new skills, the Explorer was contacted by Athena Pierce, who explained that she had uncovered new information on the jewel thief. The Explorer went to the Bowman Instructional School, where they were surprised to see that Tess was also there. He explained that he had been telling Athena that he believed the thief to be a member of the Black Wings, rather than an Explorer.
He explained that the Black Wings were the organization he had been researching and told them that the jewel thief was most likely their Master of Disguise, who had likely impersonated an Explorer in order to throw the Explorers' Guild into chaos. Tess asked the Explorer to accompany him while he continued investigating, and so the two of them decided to head to the Verne Mine in Edelstein, which Tess explained was the headquarters of the Black Wings. However, he told them that they would need to convince the Black Wings that they were members if they wanted to go inside, which meant that they would need to obtain Black Wings hats.
Just then, they saw a boy wearing a Black Wings hat nearby and convinced him to give them his hat. Though he gave them his hat, the boy warned them that it wouldn't help them find what they were searching for. He explained that the leaders of the Black Wings were on missions throughout Maple World, leaving only Le Tierre the secretary to manage things at headquarters.
As Le Tierre had no useful information on the Black Wings' operations, the boy told them to wait there and promised to return. Tess was sure that he was bringing back Black Wings reinforcements, but to his surprise, the boy returned with several classified Resistance documents containing information on all the high-ranking members of the Black Wings. The boy smiled and told them to never say that the Resistance hadn't done anything for the Explorers before leaving.
Tess then told the Explorer to deliver the documents to Athena Pierce, as he planned to stay behind and investigate the Verne Mine. After delivering the documents, Athena thanked them for the information, which proved that the Black Wings had a Master of Disguise. She also added that she would let the Dark Lord know about it.
Thief: The Dark Lord contacted the Explorer and asked them to confirm their story that the jewel thief was a man disguised as Olive. He explained that the disappearance of the Seal Stone had caused a lot of problems, adding that it would've been even worse if they had erroneously concluded that the culprit was an Explorer. He then asked them to locate the real culprit and recover the Seal Stone, suggesting that they speak with Neinheart and Claudine, as the Cygnus Knights and the Resistance were the two other major powers in Maple World aside from the Explorers' Guild.
In Ereve, Neinheart told them that the Master of Disguise had once infiltrated the city, though a certain Knight had managed to stop him. He then wrote a lengthy letter to explain all he knew about the Master of Disguise and gave it to the Explorer to deliver to the Dark Lord. Next, the Explorer went to Edelstein and met Claudine in town, who told them to meet her at the Secret Plaza in order to talk freely.
At the Secret Plaza, Claudine explained that the Resistance's intelligence network had already informed her why the Explorer had come, and so she had prepared a file in advance for the Explorer to take back to the Dark Lord, which contained information on all the high-ranking members of the Black Wings. She explained that the Resistance owed much to the Dark Lord and Athena Pierce and added that they always paid their debts.
The Explorer returned to the Dark Lord and gave him the documents they had obtained. After reading through them, he was convinced that the Black Wings had been behind the theft of the Seal Stone and resolved to tell the other job instructors. He suspected that the Black Wings had disguised themselves as an Explorer in order to cause tension within their ranks, but promised that they would be ready next time.
Paths Converge Here: Some time later, Athena Pierce summoned the Explorer to Henesys and informed them that the Master of Disguise had been tracked down to the Holy Ground at the Snowfield in El Nath. Given that it was the site where Explorers completed their job advancements, Athena wanted to stop him before he could complete his plans.
The Explorer went to the Holy Ground at the Snowfield, where Tess, Olive, Rondo, and Sugar were waiting for them. They all touched the stone and were transported to the other dimension, where they heard two voices speaking. As none of them could properly hear what they were saying, Rondo had no choice but to remove his hat and use his animal ears to hone in on the conversation.
He overheard Baroq telling Hiver that he had been told that there was a Seal Stone hidden in the pocket dimension, though he couldn't find any traces of it. He began complaining that the executives needed to get their facts straight and wondered why they even needed the Seal Stones in the first place. Hiver replied that it was above their pay grade to know and asked if Baroq still had the Seal Stone from their last mission, reminding him that Orchid would dock his pay if he didn't bring it to her soon.
After Hiver left, the Explorers realized that now was their chance to capture Baroq, but found that there was a large stone blocking their way. Sugar told them to stand back and used a powerful attack to break it. They then cornered Baroq and told him to surrender the Seal Stone. Seeing him for the first time, Olive voiced her disgust that the Explorer could have confused her with someone as ugly as him.
Irritated, Baroq used his powers to attack the group, but Sugar pushed the Explorer out of the way just in time. The other four completely vanished, leaving the Explorer to face him alone. After defeated Baroq and successfully taking back the Seal Stone of Nihal Desert, they returned to Athena Pierce, where the others were waiting for him.
Though Athena was happy that the Seal Stone had been recovered, she wondered why the Black Wings wanted them so badly. Rondo told her what he had overheard, and Athena was interested to know that even the middle management of the Black Wings had no idea what the Seal Stones were for. However, she told them that she had heard that the founder of the Black Wings had once been a Commander, and so she couldn't shake the feeling that the Black Mage was somehow involved in all of it.
Though she couldn't say for sure, she thanked the Explorers for their help and told them that she would let them know of any other leads. Sugar then apologized to the Explorer for pushing them and hoped that they weren't hurt. Remembering that Sugar was strong enough to destroy the giant rock earlier, the Explorer told her that they were alright and thanked her for her concern.
Birth of an Alliance[]
Some time later, Teo reached out to the Explorer and told them that long ago, Kyrin had asked him to keep an eye out for any strange pieces of wood adrift. Recently, he had found such a piece of wood while fishing, and as he couldn't leave, he asked them to take it to Muirhat, a crewmember of the Nautilus, as Muirhat likely wouldn't let them see Kyrin.
Sure enough, Muirhat stopped them from seeing Kyrin and demanded to see the ominous relic. After brushing some sea moss off the wood, Muirhat discovered a strange carving and took the Explorer into a private room in order to investigate further. After removing the rest of the moss, several tree-like monsters manifested and began to attack the Explorer, who managed to defeat them.
Muirhat recognized them as Guwaru's Vestiges and, believing that they had a connection to the Black Mage, asked them to show the relic to Kyrin. Upon examining it, Kyrin immediately recognized the carving as Guwaru's symbol and told the Explorer that Guwaru was one of the Black Mage's Commanders, adding that he was also the strangest and most wild of all the Seven Commanders.
As the relic's untimely appearance gave her a bad feeling, she asked them to bring it to Athena Pierce while she prepared the Nautilus crew for possible attack. Athena was surprised to see the relic and wondered why Guwaru's mark would appear in present day. Though she hoped that it was merely a coincidence, she also realized that they couldn't afford to ignore it, and so she decided to purify the relic of its dark aura and told the Explorer to cover their eyes. After a flash of light, a dark spirit was exorcised from the relic, confirming Athena's suspicions that it was a warning from Guwaru that the Black Mage was returning to Maple World.
A few days later, Athena called the Explorer to Henesys and told them about the letter she had received from Ereve. While she was happy to hear the news about a new alliance, she was concerned that it would place restrictions upon the Explorers, believing that it wasn't the Explorers' Guild's place to ask their members to follow those restrictions. However, she added that she also couldn't stand by and watch Maple World fall to chaos, and so she asked them to send her confirmation of attendance to Cygnus. Cygnus was pleased to hear Athena's decision and added that she hoped to see them at the conference.
After receiving unanimous confirmations, the First Continental Conference took place and the Maple Alliance was officially created.
The Black Mage Returns[]
Athena Pierce summoned the Explorer back to Henesys and warned them that the Black Mage's return was imminent. She then asked them to check on different towns across Maple World in order to ensure that nothing was out of the ordinary.
Warrior: The Explorer checked on Perion and Mu Lung, where nothing was reported out of the ordinary.
Magician: The Explorer checked on Ellinia and Magatia, where nothing was reported out of the ordinary.
Bowman: The Explorer checked on Henesys and El Nath, where nothing was reported out of the ordinary.
Thief: The Explorer checked on Kerning City and Ludibrium, where nothing was reported out of the ordinary.
Pirate: The Explorer checked on the Nautilus and Orbis, where nothing was reported out of the ordinary.
Paths Converge Here: After reporting back, Athena Pierce told them that the final place they needed to check was the Temple of Time, which was especially important, as it was the spot where the Black Mage was sealed. She explained that the Alliance frequently sent people to check out the Temple of Time, and though all of the reports normally came back negative, she had a bad feeling this time around.
She told them that upon arriving at the temple, they would find three doors. She explained that only the Gate to the Future worked, as the Gate of the Past had been destroyed and no one had ever entered the Gate of the Present.
The Explorer arrived at the Three Doors, but they were confused when they saw that the Gate of the Present was open. They decided to enter the door and walked through an oppressive hallway, where ruins of a fierce battle littered the ground, and soon arrived at the entrance of the Black Mage's throne room, where the outer seal on the door was gone.
Inside the throne room, they were shocked to see the Black Mage frozen behind the Seal of Time, which they noticed was cracked and degraded. The Explorer inspected the five Seal Stones used to power the seal and discovered that one of them had been broken. They wondered whether replacing the broken Seal Stone with another Seal Stone would repair the Seal of Time, and so they returned to Athena Pierce and told her everything that they had learned.
Athena was surprised to hear that the Gate of the Present had opened to them, as well as the fact that the Black Mage had been sealed there the entire time, and that the seal was in such poor condition. They traveled together to the Temple of Time, where Athena was confused why the Explorer had said that the Gate of the Present was open when it was clearly closed.
When the Explorer told her that it was open to them, she realized that the door distorted spacetime in order to reject anyone not from Maple World. As the Explorer wasn't originally from Maple World, the door had altered itself for them. The Explorer was confused by her words but Athena told them that they didn't have to understand the logic and handed them the Seal Stone of Nihal Desert.
She told the Explorer to use the Seal Stone to fix the Seal of Time, adding that they were Maple World's only hope. The Explorer went back to the Black Mage's throne room and attempted to fix the seal. Just then, the Black Mage awoke and ordered them to step away from the seal. Terrified, the Explorer spoke with the Black Mage, who promised them power if they agreed to serve him.
The Explorer decided to ignore his words and instead focused on fixing the seal. However, the Black Mage grew furious and used his strength to destroy the seal. Having freed himself, the Black Mage promised that the price of the Explorer's disobedience would break them before disappearing. The Explorer returned to Athena Pierce and told her what had happened. Realizing that the worst had come to pass, Athena told the Explorer to get some rest while she handled the situation.
Saving Maple Island[]
Soon after, the Explorer received a distress call from Sugar, who told them that Maple Island was in trouble. They rushed back to Maple Island, only to find it in ruins. In Amherst, they met with Chief Lucas, who told them that the Black Mage had attacked the island, causing the Explorer to wonder why the Black Mage would attack Maple Island of all places.
Lucas noted that the Black Mage could have easily destroyed Maple Island if he had wanted to, and the fact that he hadn't made him believe that the Black Mage had an ulterior agenda. Just then, the Explorer asked where Sugar was. Lucas told them that she had fled towards Maple Tree Hill while the rest of the town had been busy putting out fires.
The Explorer rushed to the Maple Tree, where Sugar was desperately trying to stop it from burning down. She asked the Explorer to get a bucket from Lucas, which they obtained and filled with water. They returned to Sugar and used the water to put out the fire. They then noticed that Sugar's hands were covered in burn marks and asked if she had been trying to put the fire out with her bare hands. After getting a refill of water, the Explorer gave the bucket to Sugar in order to treat her hands, but Sugar instead used it to put out the last of the fire.
Just then, Rondo, Tess, and Olive came in response to Sugar's distress call, where they were shocked to find Maple Island in flames. The Explorer filled them in on what had happened with the Black Mage's seal and his attack on Maple Island. Rondo was surprised that the Black Mage was real, as he had thought that the Black Mage was a story used to scare orphans like himself.
Olive was both disturbed and bemused that the Black Mage had destroyed the island out of petty revenge for the Explorer not obeying him. However, Tess believed that his other reason for destroying Maple Island was to intimidate the Explorers, who all started their journey on the island, though he was confused why the Black Mage hadn't destroyed the island entirely, as new Explorers could still arrive and get to Maple World.
Sugar then reminded them that their first priority was still to save Maple Island. Tess recalled the story that Athena Pierce had told them about the Seal Stones, explaining that their original purpose was to restore ruined continents. They then wondered whether they could use the Seal Stone of Nihal Desert in order to save Maple Island. However, they were unsure of how the Seal Stone could be used in the first place.
Tess reasoned that Athena didn't know either, or else she would have used it to help them. He decided that they would need to ask the Heroes, as they were the original creators of the Seal Stones. Rondo was surprised to know that the Heroes were real too, expressing his excitement that he would finally be able to meet one.
Warrior: Tess told the Explorer to seek out Aran and suggested that they go speak with Tru in Lith Harbor. The Explorer went to Tru's shop and asked if he could arrange a meeting with Aran. After learning what had happened to Maple Island, Tru told them that he would have Aran meet them in Rien and instructed them to go see Lilin first.
In Rien, they traveled to Lilin's house, where she told them that in order to meet Aran, she would need to test them. She first asked them what job Aran was. Next, she asked them what sort of weapon Aran used. Finally, she asked what gender Aran was.
Just then, Aran arrived and greeted the Explorer, who asked her about the Seal Stones. She explained that she had lost her memories, and so she couldn't remember how the Seal Stones had been created. However, she showed them the Seal Stone of Victoria Island so that they could compare the two. The Explorer noted that though both of them appeared identical, the Seal Stone of Victoria Island was cold, whereas the Seal Stone of Nihal Desert was much warmer.
Aran told them that she believed that each stone held the energy of its respective continent, explaining that the temperature difference was based on the region it had been made for. The Explorer asked if Maple Island had its own Seal Stone, but Aran told them that she wasn't sure. She mentioned that the Black Wings had already obtained many of the Seal Stones, though she wasn't sure of precisely which ones they had stolen. Apologizing for not being more helpful, she promised them that she would continue researching on her end.
Magician: Tess told the Explorer to seek out Evan and explained that he was from a small farm near Henesys, which was where he recommended that they start their search. He also suggested that they talk to Evan's brother, Utah, if Evan wasn't home.
The Explorer went to the pig farm and met Utah, who told them that Evan was rarely at home ever since becoming a hero, though he told them that they were welcome to wait for him. The Explorer was surprised to learn that Utah was Evan's older brother, as Utah's relatively young age would mean that Evan was a child. They wondered briefly whether they were at the right place when suddenly Mir landed, with Evan riding on his back.
Evan welcomed the Explorer, who asked if he was the Dragon Master. Evan laughed and told them that they could just call him Evan, as Dragon Master sounded lofty. He asked the Explorer why they had sought him out, when suddenly, he grew afraid after assuming that they had come to kill Mir. The Explorer reassured him that they hadn't come to hurt Mir and explained the situation on Maple Island. Evan gave his sympathies, but explained that it was his predecessor, Freud, who had created the Seal Stones, and so he couldn't help them.
Just then, Mir pointed out that Afrien might know about them. Evan realized that Mir was right and decided to go ask him on Turtle Island. However, Utah interrupted them and explained that their noisy entrance had scared away his piglet. He then ordered Evan to find it.[10]
After the piglet was found, Evan returned with files from Afrien detailing the basics about Seal Stones. The Explorer thanked him and added that he was a great magician, even in spite of being so young, to which Evan laughed and pointed out that they were around the same age.
The Explorer opened the report and read that, in summary, a Seal Stone consisted of three components: a medium for the continent that would act as the core of the Seal Stone, five different powers to give the intent for how the power was to be directed, and a strong will to bring peace and prevent destruction to tie it all together.
Bowman: Tess told the Explorer to seek out Mercedes and explained that she was the queen of elves, meaning that she could be found in Elluel. He also added that they should speak with Philius, the Elder of Magic, if they couldn't find her. In Elluel, the Explorer met with Philius, who told them that Mercedes was away, though he invited them to wait for her.
While they were waiting, Philius asked them for a favor. He explained that Moonie, a child who had been kidnapped by Orchid, had been freed from the ice, and that he was often lonely, since none of his friends had been freed yet, and so he asked the Explorer to play with Moonie for a while. Moonie was amazed by the Explorer and asked them to recount stories of their adventures.
After hearing the Explorer's stories, Moonie hoped to visit all the amazing places that the Explorer had been to. The Explorer told Moonie that he should have adventures himself, especially since he didn't appear much younger than them. Moonie explained that ever since his kidnapping, he was afraid of most things. The Explorer asked if there was anything that made him feel brave, to which he asked them to play a new song on the Music Box so that he would feel brave. The Explorer obtained a Magical Score from Astilda, who explained that it would play the song written on their heart.
The upbeat theme made Moonie feel much braver, who thanked the Explorer. Just then, Mercedes arrived and thanked them for playing with Moonie. The Explorer told her about the Black Mage's attack on Maple Island and asked about the Seal Stones. Mercedes gave her sympathies, but explained that since Maple Island didn't exist centuries ago, the Heroes had never made a Seal Stone for it. Mercedes apologized for being the bearer of bad news, but reassured them that with hard work, they could rebuild their island manually, after which she blessed them with Sylvidia's protection.
Thief: Tess told the Explorer to seek out Phantom and explained that he traveled by airship, meaning that he would be difficult to find. He then explained that the Explorer's best bet would be to go to Ereve, where Phantom had first made his public debut. As he was said to visit from time to time, Tess recommended that they speak with Empress Cygnus.
After explaining their story to Cygnus, she told them that she would dispatch some knights to Maple Island in order to help however they could. She then explained that she had no way of contacting Phantom, as he would come and go as he pleased. However, she mentioned that Phantom occasionally flew in the Lumiere above Ereve from time to time and suggested that they place a sign at the highest part of Ereve.
The Explorer went to the Small Bridge and created a sign that would draw Phantom's attention. Soon after, Phantom arrived and the Explorer told him about the Black Mage's attack on Maple Island. Phantom told them that the Black Mage was a vengeful being, and that he had attacked Maple Island in order to cause them pain, as well as to scare new Explorers.
He asked them if they were ready to become the Black Mage's enemy, as well as what their drive was. After the Explorer told him their reasons, Phantom decided to see whether they had the power to back up their convictions. He then stole one of the Explorer's skills and remarked that they had a number of useful powers.
Satisfied with their resolve, Phantom told them that he would answer their questions. The Explorer asked him how they could use a Seal Stone to restore Maple Island, to which Phantom told them that no one knew, as Freud was the only one who fully understood the Seal Stones. He added that without Freud or another magician who had spent years researching the Seal Stones, the Explorer would need to find another way to save Maple Island. With that, Phantom disappeared and stole the sign that the Explorer had made as well.
Pirate: Tess told the Explorer to seek out Luminous, as pirates hadn't been around hundreds of years ago. He suggested that they speak with Grendel the Really Old in order to find out where Luminous could be. The Explorer went to the Magic Library and explained what had happened to Maple Island to Grendel. Though he sympathized with their plight, Grendel wasn't sure where Luminous was either. However, he explained that Luminous had recently placed a Light Barrier around Ellinia and offered to send the Explorer to the source of the barrier.
After being teleported to the forests of Ellinia, the Explorer continued their search for Luminous. However, they soon realized that they seemed to be walking in circles. After wasting much time circling around, the Explorer encountered the Sentrobo, which immediately began to attack them. The Explorer destroyed the Sentrobo in self-defense, and soon after, Luminous appeared. He demanded to know who the Explorer was and why they had destroyed the Sentrobo. They explained that they had sought him out and told him about the Black Mage's attack on Maple Island.
After understanding the situation, Luminous explained that the Heroes had made the Seal Stones as a safeguard in case they lost against the Black Mage. However, he regretted to admit that he never fully understood the nature of the Seal Stones. He also told them that Freud had discovered another way to use the Seal Stones, which was to add magical seals that drew upon the stolen powers of time.
The Explorer asked if it meant that they could use the Seal Stones to reseal the Black Mage, but Luminous replied that it wouldn't work for multiple reasons. Firstly, Freud was the only one who had known how to add magical seals to the Seal Stones. Secondly, the power of time was so volatile that it would be dangerous to use again, especially since Maple World was on the brink of a time collapse. Finally, he doubted that the Black Mage would fall victim to the same trick twice. He also added that he unfortunately didn't know how to use the Seal Stones to restore cities, as he had been frozen in ice from the Black Mage's curse before he could test it.
Paths Converge Here: Having completed their mission, the Explorer returned to Maple Tree Hill to rendezvous with the other Explorers. After everyone arrived, Tess compiled what they had learned from the Heroes and summarized it. First, there were multiple Seal Stones, but they were limited in power to the area they were created for, which meant that Maple Island would need its own Seal Stone. However, Olive pointed out that there was no Seal Stone for Maple Island, as it hadn't existed when the Heroes had made the Seal Stones.
As they couldn't think of any other options, Tess suggested that they take a break, since everyone was exhausted. As everyone went to rest, Olive told the Explorer that she had been thinking of ways to save Maple Island, but realized that the only means that they had was to rebuild by hand. She told them that the Alliance had sent them tools and asked the Explorer to pick them up from Athena Pierce.
In Henesys, Athena gave them the tools and explained that the people of Victoria Island had gathered the tools for Maple Island. The Explorer returned back home and distributed the tools to the people of Maple Island. They then went to Maple Tree Hill and gave seeds to Sugar so that she could restore the greenery.
Just then, Sugar felt an evil presence and told the Explorer to follow her. On the outskirts of Amherst, Sugar and the Explorer found Tess, Olive, and Rondo confronting the Black Mage's Shadow. They told Sugar and the Explorer that they had been trying to fight the shadow, but that their attacks seemed to have no effect. The Explorer charged in to attack the shadow, but found that they were dealing no damage to it either.
The shadow then raised its hand to launch a powerful attack on the Explorer. Just as it fired, Sugar used her powers to protect the Explorer from harm. Following her lead, the others also lent their powers to the Explorer. Because of their support, the Explorer felt much stronger, though they realized that it still wasn't enough.
Just then, they felt another power surging up inside them. From their Explorer Book, the Maple Leaf shot out and transformed into the Seal Stone of Maple Island. Simultaneously, the Goddess of Maple World appeared and bestowed her blessing upon the Explorer. Empowered by the collective strength of their friends and the Goddess, the Explorer fought the Black Mage's Shadow once again and was able to defeat it for good.
After defeating the shadow, the Goddess thanked the Explorer for saving Maple Island and explained that she had been watching them throughout their journey through Sugar, her avatar. Though the Goddess' energy had been infused into the Maple Tree over time, as she had no physical body, she had sent Sugar after sensing something ominous brewing in Maple World. She then thanked them for saving both Maple Island and Maple World.
However, the Explorer pointed out that Maple Island was still in ruins. The Goddess told them not to worry, pointing out that their collective determination had been poured into the Maple Leaf, transforming it into the Seal Stone of Maple Island, just as the Heroes had done centuries ago. She explained that in order to restore Maple Island, they needed to channel their desire in the same way they had done to create the Seal Stone.
The Explorers poured all their hope for a rebuilt Maple Island into the Seal Stone, triggering its divine power to restore their home. With that, both the Seal Stone and the Goddess disappeared. The Explorers all congratulated each other on a job well done. Rondo asked Sugar if she would return back to the Maple Tree, since the island was saved, but Sugar replied that she would stay for a while until things settled down. With that, they exchanged their goodbyes and promised to stay in touch, even as they all went their separate ways once again.
Fourth Job Advancement[]
Soon after, the Explorer grew strong enough to attract the attention of the Chiefs of El Nath. They recommended that the Explorer undertake the test for their 4th job advancement in Leafre. In the Forest of the Priest, the Explorer encountered the Explorer Priests, who explained that the Explorer had ascended to the highest of their ranks.
They told the Explorer that they would conduct an examination to see if they were worthy of learning the strongest skills they could teach and asked the Explorer to defeat the monsters Manon and Griffey and obtain the Heroic Star and Heroic Pentagon. After defeating the two monsters and obtaining the objects, the Explorer returned to the Priests, who bestowed their knowledge upon the Explorer. They reminded the Explorer that their new strength was meant to help others, and that it was their duty to lead Maple World into the future as a hero.
Temple of Time[]
While exploring the Temple of Time, the Explorer's memories were drained by Dodo. After being told by the Record Keeper to return to where their adventure began, the Explorer decided to seek out their first job instructor, who reminisced about how strong they had become since their first meeting.
Final Quest[]
The Explorer grew to reach the highest level of power and soon heard the Statue of the Goddess calling to them in Orbis. There, the Goddess spoke to them and bestowed her blessing upon them in order to help them protect Maple World. Soon after, the Priests of Leafre recognized the Explorer's strength and gifted them the Red Draco, a mount which only gave its loyalty to those who were strong enough.
Fox Valley[]
When Explorers arrive at Fox Point Village, they immediately notice that the Anima villagers look similar to Rondo.
Black Heaven[]
The Explorer met with Sugar, Tess, Olive, and Rondo on Maple Tree Hill in order to catch up before the operation to take down Black Heaven. They told the Explorer that, as space was limited on the Lumiere, they wouldn't be able to come and fight alongside them. However, the Explorer promised to fight harder on their behalf and received buffs from each of them, just like when they had saved Maple Island.
After Athena Pierce and the player fight their way to the main deck, Athena gives a word of encouragement to the player as they charge into battle, which depends on their class. For Explorers, including Special Explorers and Jett, Athena tells them to show their enemies their skills as an Explorer.
Labyrinth of Suffering[]
After the Adversary collapses into despair as a result of Hilla's machinations, they pass out in a void of darkness within their own mind. As their morale and strength threaten to diminish completely, the mysterious divine light speaks to them in the form of someone close to them and provides them motivation to continue.
For regular Explorers, the voice of Sugar asks them why they risk their life to save others. The Explorer tells her that it's because everyone is that precious to them, to which Sugar asks them why they care so much for Maple World, and what their purpose is. The Explorer replies that Maple World is the home where their loved ones live, and that it's a precious place, filled with all their memories.
Sugar asks them if they can remember what they need to do now, to which the Explorer begins to say hopelessly that everyone is already dead, and that they couldn't protect anyone. They add that there's nothing that they can do, and that they're completely helpless. They then ask what else they can do, to which Sugar tells them to open their eyes and see for themselves, explaining that even if Hilla covers their eyes, she can never cover the truth.
She asks them to open their eyes, pick themselves up, and do what they have to do, reminding them about the maple leaves drifting in the sky. She then tells them that all roads exist inside their heart, and to never forget that. As the voice fades away, the Explorer recognizes the voice as belonging to Sugar.
Limina[]
When the Adversary faces the Black Mage, he tells them that their path has always been preordained. In response to his words, Explorers vow that they'll transcend the destiny that he's created for the sake of Maple World.
After the Adversary scatters into Erda after killing the Black Mage, they awaken in the Erda Flow, where the White Mage thanks them for putting an end to the battle and helping him liberate the world from the influence of the Overseers. After the conversation, the Adversary will return back to the real world. As they do, the White Mage will give them a unique title based on their class; the title he gives to Explorers is "Explorer of Legend", although this is a mistranslation of the actual KMS title, "Brave Explorer From Another World". The KMS title was a reference to the original Explorer storyline, in which it was said that Explorers came from another world.
After the battle of Tenebris, the Adversary will meet with Neinheart and several members of the Alliance, which is dependent on the player's class. For Explorers, Athena Pierce, Grendel, and Kyrin arrive and congratulate the Explorer for all that they've accomplished. They reminisce about how curious and wide-eyed the Explorer had been when they had first met, and how much has changed since then.[7]
Aftermath[]
At Maple Tree Hill, the Explorer met with Tess, Olive, Rondo, and Sugar. As the avatar of the Goddess of Maple World, Sugar thanked the Explorer for saving Maple World and apologized for leaving them with such a heavy burden. Olive asked Sugar if she would disappear, since the Black Mage had been defeated. Sugar told them that she had fully expected to return back to the Maple Tree, but her continued presence meant that there was still more for her to do in order to ensure Maple World's safety.
The Goddess of Maple World then manifested before them and explained that Maple World had not yet reached harmony, as a destructive Transcendent still threatened both Maple World and the Other World. However, she told them that, just as a simple Maple Leaf had defeated the Black Mage, so too would the determination of the people protect Maple World, adding that her blessing would always be with them.
After she vanished, Sugar told them that she was glad to know that she would remain with them, though her continued presence signified that the world was still in danger. Olive, Tess, and Rondo headed out to prepare for the next big adventure, leaving the Explorer and Sugar alone. Sugar told them that they had been through a lot together and showed them past memories of all that they had accomplished. The two then made a promise to meet again one day with the others under the Maple Tree.
Pirates[8][]
Aboard the Nautilus, the pirate met with Kyrin, who was surprised to find them standing quietly while waiting for her. She told them that their awed silence reminded her of her first sailing adventure, where she and her crewmates spent ages listening to their captain wax philosophical about the pirate life.
She added that being a pirate hadn't always been as glamorous as it was in the present day, as technology had been much more rudimentary. However, she had been determined to be out on the open seas and recalled how she had felt true freedom the first time she had stepped foot on the Nautilus. Because of that, she vowed to do whatever it took to protect that freedom. With that, she decided to set sail for their next destination.[9]
Sixth Job[]
In this questline, an Explorer has additional dialogue when speaking to the Goddess of Maple World, again referring to her as Sugar and thanking her for guiding them. She responds by warmly wishing him good fortune.
Trivia[]
- Just like how the names of the five Heroes spell out MAPLE (Mercedes, Aran, Phantom, Luminous, Evan), the names of the five Explorers spell out STORY (Sugar, Tess, Olive, Rondo, and You - the player).
- There are many differences between the original Explorer storyline from the RED update and the revamped Explorer storyline from the Destiny update:
- The original storyline took place from levels 1-100, while the current story condenses many of the original quests into a streamlined storyline from 1-30 and several job advancements.
- The original storyline takes several branches that slightly alter the story depending on the Explorer's job. The current storyline is the same for all Explorers, regardless of their job.
- All references of Tess recognizing the Explorer as Kao from Ellin Forest have been removed in the new storyline.
- The original storyline states that the Explorer comes from a different world. This explains why the Gate of the Present opens to them, as it only opens to those who are not a part of Maple World, just as it does for Shade, who was erased from Maple World. However, this has been changed to the Gate of the Present opening because the Explorer has a special power, which is likely a reference to the power of the Adversary contained within the maple leaf they carry.
- The Explorer's characterization has been changed in the current story to have more self-doubt and feelings of unworthiness, whereas the original Explorer characterization was much more confident and upbeat.
- Sugar's role in the current storyline has been greatly reduced, as she loses her avatar form and returns to the Maple Tree at level 30, while Sugar in the old storyline remains throughout the entire journey.
- Whereas the Black Mage's Shadow was defeated at level 100 by the Explorer, who received buffs from their allies and the Goddess of Maple World, the current storyline has the Explorer defeat the Black Mage's Shadow at level 30 by tapping into the power of the Adversary within the maple leaf.
- Destonen, who only received a mention in the original storyline, has his role greatly expanded in the current storyline, which also adds a new storyline for Tess and Kyrin.
- In the original storyline, the stolen Seal Stone was the Seal Stone of Nihal Desert, while the new storyline has the stolen Seal Stone be the Seal Stone of Victoria Island. The original storyline states that Seal Stones can only restore the region they were created for. It features the five Explorers combining their will together in order to create the Seal Stone of Maple Island in order to restore their home. The current storyline has the Explorer use the Seal Stone of Victoria Island alone in order save Maple Island.
- The original questline has the Explorer seek out the Heroes in order to learn about how they can save Maple Island. The Hero they visit depends on their job. This quest has been adapted to become the Alliance prequest and the Explorer meets Luminous, regardless of their job.
- The requirement to kill your job instructor clone for the third job advancement and Manon and Griffey for the fourth job advancement has been removed. The corresponding quests have been changed to adapt several questlines from the old storyline.
- The new Explorer storyline is the first to feature an exclusive scene for their story during the quest to obtain the Arcane Stones.
- The Black Heaven exclusive cutscene is largely the same, but has Sugar removed. The Aftermath cutscene adds a resolution to Tess' storyline and features a reunion with Sugar, who temporarily returns in her avatar form.
Gallery[]
.png "ClassArtwork Beginner (Original).png (107 KB)")
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.png "ClassArtwork Explorers (RED).png (178 KB)")
.png "NPCArtwork Beginner (Male 1).png (44 KB)")
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Videos[]
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| Bowman | Special | |||
| Thief | Special | |||
| Pirate | Special |
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| Flora | ||||
| Sengoku | ||||
| Anima | ||||
| Monster | ||||
| Beast Tamer | ||||
| Child of God | ||||
| Kinesis | ||||
| Wu Shen | ||||
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- ↑ If the player is Cannoneer, Vasily will tell them that the ship is full. They will then board a second ship, which leads into the Cannoneer's story on Coco Island. After escaping with Cutter and Monkey, the Cannoneer will resume the Explorer storyline.
- ↑ If the player is a Dual Blade, the Dual Blade storyline will commence here. After completing it, the regular Explorer storyline will resume.
- ↑ If the Explorer is a magician, Sugar will tell them that though she's sure that they know how to use Bless, she still wanted to do something for them. The Explorer will tell her that they can't actually use Bless just yet and thanks her.
- ↑ If the Explorer is a thief, Tess will note that since the Explorer and Rondo are both thieves, they can both use Dark Sight. However, he tells the Explorer to hold on to the hat in case they need to drop their Dark Sight.
- ↑ If the Explorer is a magician, they'll wonder how Sugar already knows how to use Mystic Door when she's just a Cleric, as it's a 3rd job skill.
- ↑ If the Explorer is a pirate, Kyrin will note that it's been a while and asks what brings us back. Otherwise, she'll welcome us to the Nautilus and ask if we've come to be a pirate.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 If the player is a warrior or a thief, Athena Pierce will tell them that their job instructor sends their best regards, despite not being able to make it. For warriors, this will be Dances with Balrog. For regular thieves, this will be the Dark Lord. For Dual Blades, this will be Lady Syl.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 This section only takes places for Pirate classes, including Cannoneer.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 If the player is Cannoneer, Monkey will cheer at the end of this scene.
- ↑ The player gets the choice to either find the piglet themselves, or to let Evan find it. If the player chooses to let Evan find it, they must wait 3 minutes.