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BOARDMASTER ([personal profile] boardmaster) wrote in [community profile] pawnstorm2016-04-09 04:30 am

intro ♚ april

WELCOME TO GRAUPERA



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.

ONE CAPABLANCA & AIRY
As much as Blanc’s capital welcomes its Heroes, new arrivals such as yourself won’t have much time to settle. Get dressed and pick up your weapon and Carrier, because sometime in the afternoon, all floor nannies and Carriers will broadcast an announcement by Commander Lisbrand. She delivers a brief greeting to their new members, but gets straight to the point: they will be headed for Capablanca and the open sea beyond, in order to restore the fortress of Graupera for battle with Noir looming on the horizon. All new Heroes are expected to report to the Airy at the Caissa aeroport on the 8th along with their seniors.

On the morning of the 11th, Airy alights on Graupera, an island about two hours away from Capablanca by ferry. From here, you can either help the navy with Graupera repairs or assist in Verdoni’s investigations and head for Capablanca proper. Heroes will be staying in the (in)famous Hotel Caruana: they say you can check in anytime you like, but you can never truly leave. Nobody will quite meet your eyes or tell you what it means.

Wherever you are, the Airy will remain parked at Graupera.

TWO GRAUPERA, CAPABLANCA SEA FORT
What was once a heavily fortified island rests a ways off the coast of Capablanca; it looks a little too much like one of the thunderclouds slowly swarming on the horizon. Graupera has seen many battles and withstood the ebb and flow of wars. Formerly the city’s first line of defense until it was abandoned after the Reclamation, its dilapidated condition is the current bane of the Blanc navy. Blanc needs to bring it back to its former glory before it can face a single warship, much less Noir’s fleet of magical cannons. Blanc’s government has no doubt Heroes will do a fine job at returning the fortress to its former glory!

A ♙ The great stone and iron wall facing the wide open ocean has seen better days and is full of holes overgrown with stubborn clinging vines; cannonballs used a lifetime ago litter the grounds. The vines are extremely thick and may tangle the careless beyond hope of escape, not to mention filled with a pungent sap that will seep into your clothes and hair for days. It makes a great adhesive, though? Conveniently, parts of the wall are strewn across the floor, so at least some of the cannon holes can be repaired with enough improvisation, desperation and a bit of spit. The rest need new material provided by our helpful Heroes in Option C. Furthermore, the lingering damage from a previous attack and old age have turned the floorboards weak and unstable. The wood creaks ominously beneath the mass of even a single average-sized person, so watch your step.

B ♟ You might want to get your weapon before you descend into the dank depths beneath the castle. Once you make it down the steep, slippery stairs, you’ll be meeting the gigantic, hostile rats that infest the castle cellar from top to bottom. It looks like magical residue from long-ago battles has seeped into both the foundation and its inhabitants. The cellars have become a huge warren filled with strange mana currents, and sometimes flooded with water. If you're going to start an extermination campaign, you may want to recall the magical residue: chopping off a rat’s head and limbs will barely slow it down. It will keep going for hours unless you either lop off all its limbs or pierce its heart.

If you manage to make it all the way up into the castle’s two intact towers (the other two are half-collapsed), the uppermost levels are utterly covered in bird crap. You’ll be encountering the kings of this castle: the unusually large, grey-feathered sea birds that have taken up residence here. Albatrosses, gulls, pelicans, even sand pipers: they all share nesting and pooping space here. The feathers of each bird seem to have taken on stone-like properties not unlike the castle’s walls. They’re extremely ferocious and protective of their nests, which are filled with all kinds of things: twigs, shiny things, coin money, Option C’s supplies, feathers of all kinds, and some completely ordinary tools that seem too small for human hands, and much older than anything else in the place save for the walls. If you look closely, you might be able to see a few baby rats scattered in amongst the eggs and the peeping chicks. They’re being fed, too.

You’re meant to be moving the birds out of the place, but you might have enough trouble just moving their offal.

C ♙ Don’t feel like dealing with pest control? No problem! Blanc will need materials for rebuilding and other supplies for the coming battle! Everyone knows how important it is for the fortress to remain standing, so Heroes will be provided with gadgets and weaponry that should make it difficult for enemies to penetrate the walls yet again. Word has spread that the Heroes are transporting valuable goods, though, so you might have to fend off the occasional hopeful man or annoying mouse (rat) who wishes to borrow much-needed material.

Of course, all this rebuilding will be for naught if you are not prepared to defend the stronghold! Ammunition such as cannonballs, bullets and arrows needs to be transported to Graupera en masse, pronto. Equally important essentials include first aid supplies and enough non-perishable food and water to last a small army (you) a month or two. You wouldn’t want to have to scavenge for rat meat.

No one knows just how long this battle is going to last.

THREE Training
It’s time for you landlubbers to learn how to swim! Commander Lisbrand won’t be tolerating any sinking stones on her task force. The upcoming battle will be fought on the sea so your instructor, one of Blanc’s many fine captains (when she isn’t intoxicated), will make every single individual who hesitates at the sight of the open ocean walk the plank. She’ll even give you a helpful kick if necessary! Once that’s over, she will show you how to steer a ship. However, wandering eyes that land anywhere on the inebriated captain’s assets will be swiftly and spectacularly dealt a large bottle of the harbor’s best swill right where it hurts.

Blanc has also provided training dummies dressed suspiciously like prominent figures of the Othellian underworld. Now might be a good time to branch out and learn about your affinities. Heroes who have recently been promoted in Rank might want to set some time aside for getting used to their new abilities, too. Power and responsibility come hand in hand, after all!

INFO Welcome!
Welcome to Crosscheck's April intro log! For any further questions, please see the FAQ or reach us at the Contact Us page. Have fun!
burnmydread: (and now it's time to sleep)

i hope so because this train ain't stopping

[personal profile] burnmydread 2016-04-13 04:56 am (UTC)(link)
[ She's super cute, which makes this even more worth it. Is he there to help out? He wasn't before, but he sure is now. Minato nods simply like it was his plan all along. ]

Sure am.

[ Gotta love them panda cubs, yep. He steps forward and let's the door shut behind him.

Wait, did she want him to try it? ]


...

[ And that sure is the sound of his stomach rumbling. It's pretty audible. You'd think he hadn't eaten in days instead of like an hour.

Does he look pathetic enough to feed, yet? ]


...Yeah, I do.
plumblossom: (❀ laughing)

YEAHHHHH

[personal profile] plumblossom 2016-04-13 07:44 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Real smooth, Minato. She doesn't seem to have caught on, so he's safe. The sound of his stomach gets a chuckle out of her, too. Did he work too hard, or is he just really hungry? ]

I think it's pretty good myself! But I need a taste tester just to make sure.

[ After taking a spoonful of hot and sour soup and blowing it cool for Minato, she holds it out for him to eat. ]

Here!

[ waifu intensifies ]
burnmydread: (i'll lift my face)

[personal profile] burnmydread 2016-04-15 04:22 am (UTC)(link)
[ He worked so hard, Taiwan. So hard and long and really, he's a martyr for the cause if the cause is a fresh meal. The job of a taste tester was basically created for a person like him, so if she thinks he's going to turn it down...

...no, she probably doesn't. Thirty seconds into it and he's already made it clear he's going for the food.

Her waifu levels are out of control. This is awesome.

Unsurprisingly, Minato reaches out to take the spoon. He won't even blow on it, assuming her waifu powers were enough to get it to the perfect temperature. Without hesitation, Minato slurps the spoonful.

Bamboo shoot is always an interesting taste. A little bitter? But not bad. Not bad at all. ]


It's good.

[ A pause. ]

...But maybe I should taste it again just to make sure.
plumblossom: (❀ smile)

[personal profile] plumblossom 2016-04-15 03:00 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He is right about all her waifu powers. Amused, she takes a new spoonful, leaning in as she slowly brings it closer and closer to his mouth...

Until she takes it all back and sips the soup herself! ]


Mm, it is good! Wait for me to serve it at the table, okay? It wouldn't be fair to everyone else otherwise. You'll get fat faster. [ She totally knew what you were up to, Minato. ]

I'm glad you think it's good. The first meal together is always special, don't you think?
burnmydread: (i still live)

[personal profile] burnmydread 2016-04-17 04:53 am (UTC)(link)
[ Oh.

Oh she's a tease too. He's so into that. Although it's a little hard when he just...wants to eat. Which is always. He lives a difficult life. ]


Mmm...

[ Alright, he can respect that. He'll play nice. ]

Okay.

[ That's a cute sentiment. He raises his brows slightly, sliding his hands back into his pockets. ]

I like to think all meals are special...but...

[ There might be the hint of a smile on his lips. It's hard to tell for anyone who isn't used to his subtle expressions. ]

Does that mean there's going to be others?
plumblossom: (❀ ear to ear)

[personal profile] plumblossom 2016-04-17 05:23 am (UTC)(link)
Mm, you can always have more!

[ She answers without hesitation. If she's aware of his ulterior motives, she doesn't show it— ]

But on one condition.
burnmydread: (and started pouring rain)

[personal profile] burnmydread 2016-04-17 06:36 am (UTC)(link)
[ Putting conditions on it already? She's a more formidable opponent than he thought. He should know better not to underestimate people based on their appearance. She's so cute, though... ]

What's that?
plumblossom: (❀ smile)

[personal profile] plumblossom 2016-04-18 09:56 am (UTC)(link)
From now on, you have to protect me.

[ Don't let her playful smile deceive you — she's pretty serious. ]
burnmydread: (for the reasons that i'm there)

[personal profile] burnmydread 2016-04-20 01:25 am (UTC)(link)
[ Oh.

Well then. He can't really argue with that, can he? She's a girl that knows what she wants. He's down with that. ]


Mmm...

[ There's a pause as Minato blinks, before he takes a moment to seemingly consider. ]

I think I can do that.
plumblossom: (❀ cawaii)

[personal profile] plumblossom 2016-04-20 02:56 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Taiwan has joined your party! She claps her hands in joy. ]

Yay! Then I think we'll get along just fine. I'm Taiwan, by the way. What should I call you?
burnmydread: (you don't know me)

[personal profile] burnmydread 2016-04-24 03:05 am (UTC)(link)
[ He's not sure exactly who is being social linked here, but...on cue, here come the strange voices in his head.

> You sense her inherit waifu powers. ]


Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Sun Arcana...


[ Hmm...yes, that makes sense. The Arcana, at least, given her disposition. He is a little surprised when she introduced herself with...a name like that. But Minato's not really the type of person to judge. She must have had interesting parents. ]

Minato.

[ He gives a short nod of his head. ]

But I'll respond to other things.
plumblossom: (❀ smile)

[personal profile] plumblossom 2016-04-24 06:28 am (UTC)(link)
[ The Sun for her sunny personality! She's just glad she made a friend. In a new world like this, she could use a few. With a mischievous grin and a tap of her chin, she asks Minato, ]

Then... can I call you honey?
burnmydread: (i still live)

[personal profile] burnmydread 2016-04-25 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
[ Sweetie, you can call him whatever you want at this point. He'll respond to Paperbag, even. ]

If you want.

[ Sunny disposition indeed. It might even be enough for his own expression to lighten. ]

People might start getting ideas.
plumblossom: (❀ laughing)

[personal profile] plumblossom 2016-04-25 03:18 am (UTC)(link)
[ Unable to contain her mirth, she hides her mouth with her wrist and breaks into laughter. Well, isn't he easy to get along with? ]

Then I'll be in your care, Minato!

[ After turning the stove off, she tugs on his sleeve. ]

C'mon, let's call the cubs. It's time for lunch!