pawnstorm | intro ♚ may

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intro ♚ may

WELCOME TO Caissa

We’ve all had those dreams: you wake up on a table, to blurry, ominous images and the certainty that you are absolutely buck-naked in a room full of strangers. This is not quite it.

Instead, you come awake to the sun on your face. The soft burble of water nearby. The hustle and bustle of a busy street and the faint, fortifying smell of bread. You open your eyes and there’s no one there at your bedside, but there is what appears to be the end of the world happening just beyond your window.

There’s a crack in the world across the sky, the “sun” is the totally unnatural light spilling from that crack straight into your eyes, and someone’s left a neatly pressed and folded uniform at the foot of the bed that isn’t yours. Somewhere in the room, there’s a strange clatter like beads, the click of claws on the floor.

Something’s in here with you.

Also, you are naked.

WARNING: Contains death and related graphic descriptions.

ONE ♟ P.S. I Love You

It's a perfectly ordinary morning in Caissa. Enprise’s two suns peer over the horizon and smack into your face through the large bay window. At half past six in the morning, the floor nanny’s built-in alarm goes off and plays Prime Minister Teddy’s hit song Love Me Like Your Doughnuts. Once everyone in their rooms is up and awake, this mechanical pigeon announces that letters and small packages have been delivered to every Hero’s personal box in the mailroom. Yes, even you, Naked Newcomer! These letters are from the Heroes’ many fans all over Blanc. No matter who you are, there are small tokens of appreciation attached to the letters: these may include candies shaped like stars, chocolates with a surprise gooey center, or even a can of rainbow beans for those not fond of sweets.

Letters for veteran Heroes are full of praise and gratitude for the success of the naval battle at Graupera. New Heroes receive mail that express support towards their future endeavors as the Blanc military’s most formidable task force. That’s not all the letters contain, however; the citizens also plead for our Heroes’ help with new problems that have arisen in the fields surrounding Caissa. However, the details the letters provide are scant and vague. The fans seem more concerned with recent damage caused by some unknown entity. There is a 15-page narrative of how a man built this beautiful house for his lovely, sweet wife who did nothing wrong, but nothing about why the house is in shambles now. A market on the outskirts of Caissa lost 30,000 colle’s worth of food, but the writer neglects to explain what happened to the food. All you know is that this person stayed up all week taking inventory and now it has gone to waste.

Sharing letters with each other might give you a clue on where to start your investigations and figure out which areas were hit the hardest. Or you can talk about how cute your adoring fans are. One way or another, you’ll have to get tongues wagging to make any progress. Unfortunately, Blanc isn’t going to save itself and from the sound of it, this problem is bigger than expected...

TWO ♟ Distant Howling

After pooling information, the new objective is clear: to investigate the damages. The vast, vibrant fields around Caissa seem a good place to start. They are mostly empty, but here or there you will see some people from nearby smaller villages and farms. The villagers will admit to having seen threatening shadows move over the fields and having heard harsh, high-pitched howling. They are willing to point Heroes toward possible shadow sightings, but are otherwise reluctant to act as guides. They are simple townsfolk who wish to return to their quiet lifestyle.

You may come up with small settlements (e.g. villages, farms, inns, taverns, etc.) as they are considered minor locations.

Heroes will soon discover that some of the smaller villages have been burned down entirely. The smell of ash and charred wood is thick in the air, though some buildings are also smashed as as though by something large and heavy. Nearby trees which haven’t been uprooted or knocked over are scorched and their blackened branches crackle ominously in the breeze. There are large marks dug deep into the ground and—is that a cow? Heroes will find tagged fruit cows scattered everywhere, scared, confused and mooing sadly next to their dead fruit cow friends. Fruit cows are usually found in Gresser, how strange...

A couple of days’ worth of exploration may help you realize that whatever is terrorizing Blanc doesn’t only devour hapless animals. While trying to navigate the numerous backcountry roads and farmlands, Heroes may stumble upon some gruesome clues: a charred limb—or what’s left of it; teeth, half-eaten ribcages, melted jewelry, and other smaller bits; the less fortunate may actually trip over a corpse staring unseeingly into the sky. It has been gutted, half-roasted, and seems to have lain in the sun for some time; and if someone is brave enough to roll the body onto its stomach, they may discover claw marks on its back. The victim must have tried to flee from something.

The amount of damage grows the more our Heroes travel south. What could be awaiting them?

THREE ♟ Breath of Fire

Let’s put the clues together. Fire? Check. Claw marks? Check. Large shadows seemingly from something flying overhead? Check and check. Congratulations, Blanc, you are suffering from a dragon plague.

It will take several days for the Heroes to locate the source of the rumors. The dragons seem to have taken up residence in the hilly area near Caissa, where the slopes grow steeper and then drop suddenly off into cliffs. The beasts are quite willing to greet guests warmly: there’s nothing like a burst of dragonfire and a deafening screech to brighten your day.

The only warning you’ll get before they launch themselves into the air and at Heroes is the sound of trees bursting beneath their claws. Beware: a single swipe can cause some serious damage and their fire breath, fast, frequent and garnished with the occasional, boiling hot drop of saliva, is nothing you want to stick around for. The dragons cannot be reasoned with, nor can they be tamed. A queen’s Charm magic WILL NOT work. Should someone try and reach out with their senses to see if the dragons are somehow hurting, they will only feel something alien and terrible.

Heroes aren't the only ones suffering under the dragons’ claws, unfortunately. Scattered around the area are a few small and isolated farms, and the animals and the farmers are easy prey and unlikely to flee in time. Heroes will want to intervene before the dragons can devour and destroy. If they are too late, they will need to provide support. Put out fires, heal the injured, catch panicked cows before they become pot roast! The dragons might be coming around for another attack, so it would be a good time to test barriers and other damage control skills.

To make matters worse, Blanc’s weather has decided that now is the perfect time for a hailstorm. It’s barely anything at first, beginning with small kernels the size of corn here and there to wet the grass and ruin your footing. Then it becomes much larger and greater in number. Dragons are not exempt from this hailhole: large enough pieces may rip holes in their wings! Heroes may want to use this to their advantage; additionally, casting ice and wind spells will suddenly become a lot easier, and the dragons will struggle to navigate in the stormy weather, forcing them to land more often. Better get up on that dragon’s back!

In the end, survivors of the dragon horde let out one last, collective shriek before they turn southward. The battle has been won, but the war is just beginning: the dragons have only been chased away. Their nest seems to be elsewhere and that is a worrying prospect. Dragons aren’t native to Blanc, which can only mean one thing…

Meanwhile, a new job opening has appeared at Gresser. At least you finally know what to do with all those fruit cows.

INFO ♟ Welcome!

Welcome to Crosscheck's May intro log! For any further questions, please see the FAQ or reach us at the Contact Us page. Have fun!

Also by request, here are some Player Endorsements that may be of interest!

Heaven's Feel: Looking for something else to do? In the mood for more light-hearted mingling? Check out Heaven’s Feel, Caissa’s first heroic matchmaking service! Opening week is going on now.

Training Notice: This training notice is located on the bulletin board. You might want to take a look.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hey! [ QUICKLY TOWARD THE BURNING KID ] Your shirt's on fire!

[He's ready to sprint for his life when the piece of metal comes down, folding the dragon's body to the ground as if it's nothing. Almost hesitantly Naruto straightens. The guy who just swooped in to save the day is shouting something at him and Naruto, caught up in the triumph of the moment, raises both arms to agree. He's not sure what just happened but man did it look cool.]

Hey hey! Nice job'attebayo! You totally just saved my a- MY SHIRT'S ON FIRE!

[ HIS SHIRT IS STILL ON FIRE.

And assuming that Bolin learned a little something dealing with unwanted fires having a firebender for a brother, he probably knows all about stop, drop, and roll. Except that there is no stopping, dropping, rolling happening and instead there's just a lot of screaming.

So Bolin makes the most logical decision he's capable of.

He doesn't slow down. ]

I've got it!

[ As in, he's got Naruto. Literally. He doesn't slow down his run on the least; instead bodily tackling the younger boy to the ground and taking them both out for a nice roll. ]

[The sound that breaks out of his mouth is the sort of undignified squawk that only a truly unfortunate bird would make. Naruto, preoccupied by the lightshow he's creating by waving his flaming arm in the air, does not see his hero literally barreling into him until the force is literally lifting him off his feet. His hands reflexively lift, clutching onto Bolin's arm for dear life and getting a noseful of dirt for his troubles.

There is so much screaming.

Naruto's legs wriggle as if he's spontaneously become a jellyfish while he thrashes between Bolin and the ground, sliding progressively lower and thus climbing out of his jacket to a deafening chorus of:] PUT IT OUT PUT IT OUT PUT IT OUT

[ R.I.P. Bolin's hearing; it was taken from this world too soon, unable to grasp all that life would offer in the years to come.

But really, the fire's not that big and considering the fact that Bolin and Naruto, separately, have helped save the world and stuff, they shouldn't be struggling so much.

Resolve strengthened, the earthbender pushes himself so that he can manoeuvre better, grabbing a hand full of dirt in one hand and beginning to throw it on the burning sleeve. ]

Hold still!!

[ Casually slapping Naruto with dirt. ]

That's iN MY MOUTH [Or at least, that's what he would be saying, if there wasn't dirt in his mouth, but the amount of thrashing he's done has managed to get Naruto's arms stuck in the not-yet-memorized folds of his uniform and he's eating most of it, so instead what comes out is at's ib my mowf.

So, close second.

But their combined, if theatrical efforts are finally paying off. (It's mostly Bolin. It's entirely Bolin.) The fire is out and with it, the crisis averted. Naruto goes still, chest heaving.]

Is... Is it over'attebayo?

[ It's over.

Heaving a relieved sigh, Bolin just rolls off the younger boy, collapsing on the grass next to him and breathing deeply. ]

Yeah, the fire's out.

[ He's got a small smile on his face, glad that it's all over. ]

[ At least until the dragon bursts back out of the thin sheet of metal that Bolin had trapped it in. ]

[timE TO GO]

[The metal screeches as the dragon breaks free and in the mere seconds they have, Naruto grabs his cloak in one fist and Bolin's collar in the other. In one solid movement he pulls the man to his feet, dragging him out of range just in time for the pair of them to avoid another blast of fire.

Left behind, Naruto's freshly extinguished jacket goes up in flames.]

[ Bolin starts when Naruto grabs him (he's just not used to being handled so roughly outside the bedroom), but follows after the younger boy, trying not to panic had the sound of leathery wings flapping angrily as the creature pursues them. ]

Should we kill it??

[ It's not about to leave them alone, and the heat from the fire licking the flames is too warm behind them. But it feels weird to kill a dragon—Fire Lord Zuko probably wound't approve. ]

[He doesn't think about it- that little jolt Bolin makes when he starts to drag him. Naruto's experience with tactile expression has only ever been rooted in necessity- the exchange of fists a conversation, extending an arm an act of support. They're straightforward, just like he is.

It's the guy's question that makes things complicated. The thing is, Naruto isn't sure he has an answer.

He's fought all kinds of enemies before and he's no stranger to killing when it needs to be done- he's a shinobi. But he's in the middle of someone else's war here and there's a lot to this story he just doesn't know. So far he hasn't seen anyone able to talk to the dragons, and they haven't been ready to give up. Naruto goes wide, just enough that Bolin is a few paces ahead of him- just in case. When he catches the guy's face in profile his expression is as conflicted as he feels.]

You can't talk them into backing off, can you?

[ There's a wide frown marring Bolin's normally cheerful features, as he considers the dragon. He doesn't normally have an issue with taking down monsters, but this is a dragon. It would be like killing a polar bear dog. (And those are considerably cuter.)

But the thing is ]

They've burnt down a bunch of villages, and killed a bunch of people. I don't... think you can reason with them.

[ They're just animals.

Bolin grabs his staff from his back, shooting Naruto an uncertain. ]

I can [ sort of ] use magic if you can distract it?

[It's the same reasoning Naruto teeters on. He doesn't want to be used, especially not when he isn't seeing the whole picture, especially when he's being used to kill. But there doesn't seem to be any way around it. The dragons won't stop coming and they've been following the trail of carnage for days now.

People are dying. They have to do something.
Naruto pulls the cloak around his neck, a streak of gold riding the wind. Given the chaos of their meeting only a few moments ago, the nod that follows seems uncharacteristically solemn.]

That metal stuff again? [His gaze travels back over his shoulder, to the flames they only narrowly avoid and he looks back just in time to dodge a heavy chunk of hail.] I- whoa'ttebayo- got it.

[His centre of gravity lowers and just like that, he takes off like a shot, peeling back in the opposite direction and cutting in dangerously close to the dragon's flank.] Hey hey hey! OVER HERE YOU BASTARD!

[ Not exactly the metal stuff. Bolin's weapon is like a poor man's metalbending—he can't bend any metal that his hands haven't already touched, and he doesn't have anything on him right now. (Well, he does have buttons, he'll use those if things get really bad.)

For now he's going to have to settle for the weird magic that Korra had been teaching, doing his best to focus, even while he's thinking about Naruto, dangerously close to the dragon and its flames, knowing that he has to be fast enough to keep the other Hero from getting hurt—

But he's focusing, and the casting circle lights up, and then it's just like earthbending (not really), the ground cracking around him to pull up a boulder that he sends swinging toward the dragon like an arc through the sky, weightless and rapid.

Except he misses. He's not really good at magic. ]

Crap!

[ The dragon swoops away, spitting fire and Bolin really can't concentrate. Also the boulder, now free from Bolin's holding makes a sad curve back toward the ground. ]

Watch out! We're gonna have to try something else!

[It isn't his first time around a dragon, and that's part of why he feels confident enough to get so close. For some reason, every time he's gotten into the field with someone else it's like these creatures don't even notice him. For someone who's never been particularly interested in practicing the stealth aspects of the shinobi life, calling it "weird" is an understatement. Here he's constantly aware of how hard it is to keep these things from attacking the person he's with- an uphill battle he just can't seem to win.

Wait- if that's the way it's gonna be-]

Hey hey metal guy!! [To be fair, they never did get to the introductions thing. The dragon thrashes with annoyance and Naruto only barely skitters out of the way. A piece of upended rock smashes into his side hard enough that dirt breaks off of it and Naruto is momentarily jolted by the impact- just not jolted enough to stop moving.] Make this thing chase you instead! I got an idea!

[ (There's a second while Bolin stops, just watching Naruto as he runs, a little fascinated by his weird running posture. Does it really make him go faster??)

It's a little weird to be referred to as "metal guy" when metalbending was something that he'd never been able to master as an earthbender back in the Four Nations, but sure. He'll take it on as a new identity. Naruto's request isn't that difficult to follow through with in any case, the dragon's head already snapping in his direction as it readies itself to spit fire again.

Well, Bolin has no trouble running around. ]

You got it!

[ And he's off, bolting to the side and trying not to yelp as a hissing trail of fire follows him. ]

[He does run faster this way. Google says so. Apparently a study was done. So the real question is why Bolin is running for his life without utilizing this ~~sick ass~~strategic technique. From his perch on the dragon's side, where he clings to the scales for dear life, his voice can barely be heard.]

Don't die!

[Because that's a useful recommendation. He skins his knee impressively on the way up and nearly loses his handhold at least twice as a result of the dragon's enthusiastic chase- but Naruto manages to hold on tight. He's done this once before already, so at the very least he has an idea of what he's after, but the process isn't made any easier. The creature sways, head whipping from side to side as it attempts to snap Bolin up. When Naruto manages to jam his blade into the creature's neck it connects at an angle and the resulting jolt pitches him forward hard enough to promise a black eye. He has to push both hands into it, all but sacrificing his tenuous sense of balance, but it's worth it. Just as before he slices through the notch of the dragon's spine, severing the connection of brain to body.

Oh right, this was the part that sucked last time too.

The falling.]

[ It is pretty stupid advice, but it gets Bolin to grin nonetheless. He doesn't think that he's ever been chased by a dragon, but he's gotten in some practice with mosters since arriving in Enprise, and he's certainly no stranger to being chased by angry firebenders.

Bolin's lucky that he's always been pretty light on his feet for an earthbender (thanks, pro-bending), and his heels only catch on fire a little bit before Naruto manages to sink his knife into the dragon's neck, the creature replacing its efforts in spitting fire to instead issue a deafening shriek. The sounds of its wings frantically flapping fill the clearing, the dragon quickly changing course and ascending rapidly in an attempt to shake the boy off or suffocate him. It's enough to get the earthbender to stop, watching, expression tense, as Naruto draws the blade across it's neck, and suddenly the creature goes limp.

Well, now they've got a different problem on their hands. ]

Ohhh, boy!

[ More like oh shit, and Bolin's heart drops straight through his stomach as the pair of them crash to the ground. The dragon hadn't gotten very high up before Naruto had delivered the final blow, so the fall hadn't been too steep, but he also might have a dragon on top of him. ]

Hey, kid!

[ Bolin's like right there, super fast, completely ignoring the gaping wound at the dragon's neck and the blood all over the grass from the fall and the impact to kneel by the younger boy, grabbing him to drag his lower half out from under the dragon's shoulder. ]

Oh my god, are you okay? You should've had a landing plan!

[ Did he die?? ]

[He should've had a landing plan, but then in his defense, he did technically land. He just... landed really hard. And with a dead dragon on part of him. There should be so many broken bones. Naruto doesn't know how he's still mostly okay, but that isn't a new experience for him and by extension it isn't a question he meditates on. At all.]

I think- [His head is killing him. He's pretty sure something is ringing but he can't figure out where it's coming from but every time he tries to open his eyes it gets worse. He just. He just needs a minute.] I think I broke my butt'attebayo.

Are you okay? [He sounds okay. Naruto hopes he's okay.]

[ He does seem weirdly okay. There doesn't seem to be any signs of extenuating pain on his face, even his voice comes out clear, though winded from the impact but certainly not broken from the effort of distracting himself from broken bones.

Helping him sit up, the comment is enough to get him to crack a smile, though it doesn't stop him from reaching out to feel along Naruto's legs for injury.

It almost seems impossible that the bones aren't broken. ]

What? Me? [ He's shooting the blonde a look of wonder now. ] Yeah, I'm fine. But so are you! How is that even possible? I thought you were gonna die.

[It isn't until Bolin is helping to peel him off the ground that Naruto realizes just how not great he's feeling. The thing is, he really has lived through worse. He's been set on fire, had his head smashed in, been stabbed clean through, been punched through the chest with lightning and back home- this wouldn't be any different. But all he can hear is that ringing. It rises in pitch and screams over the sound of Bolin's voice and the last thing he can remember thinking is that he's breathing too fast.

Then his fist smashes into Bolin's face.

The rest of him follows shortly after and Naruto scrambles off the ground with an absolute absence of grace. He doesn't move like a person when he turns on the man at his side, his muscles are taut and his centre of gravity is too low and all of it is turned on the earthbender. Bolin is the nearest living thing, and Naruto wants nothing more than to snap his ribcage open.]

Urgh—

[ It's a lucky thing that Naruto doesn't get him in the nose, instead crushing his lip against his teeth. But when Naruto scrambles up, Bolin does the same, jumping quickly in the opposite direction, blood welling up in his mouth. ]

Hey, what was— [ He quickly shuts up.

He's not familiar enough with Naruto to be able to identify what's happened to him, but even he can pick up on the fact that something is different. He thinks carefully back to Henry and Edward, two people trapped in the same body and he wonders if this is the same.

Whatever it is, it doesn't look good. ]

Okay, it's cool. [ Maybe he can be reasoned with? Bolin got Edward not to stab him at least. ] I can ignore the fact that you just punched me. It's water under the bridge even!

[ His words are a little mumbled from his busted lip, but his tone is still carefully jovial. ]

[There's something unfocused in his eyes- a hyperawareness of everything in their immediate vicinity that has his blood singing. Naruto is beyond the point of exhaustion and doesn't have enough experience with his weapon or with mana itself to recognize the process, much less guard against it. He was all but crushed, and though he's managed to survive, the cost is high. The cloak he wears has done what it can to protect him, but it doesn't eliminate the experience of pain and right now Naruto can't tell the difference between help and hurt.

He needs mana, desperately.

His weight sways on his feet, as if his body can't decide whether to run from this new threat or to attack until it stops moving. Mindless noise falls out of his mouth, wet and ragged, while his fingers clench and unclench in nonsensical intervals.]

[ If he's honest, Bolin has no idea what he's dealing with. There were all kinds of characters back in the Four Nations, but he can't think of anyone who's demeanour would suddenly shift like this.

Except. Maybe Korra?

He remembers now that Avatar's automatically go into the Avatar state when their lives are in danger—it's what Zaheer had used against her. Bolin hadn't felt any broken bones when his hands had passed over Naruto's legs, but maybe there was something else that triggered this strange, protective change.

He spits blood before talking again, hands up in a show of friendliness. ]

Hey, it's okay. [ This is a lot more animalistic than the Avatar state though. ] Did you get hurt? I bet we can find a healer if we head back to the farms.

[ Cautiously, he edges one foot closer, testing the waters. ]

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2/2 surprise

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