intro ♚ april

[boardmaster]

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!

Comments

[showsnopiety]

My own source was someone who has been here for a few months. The ship was more of a gambling resource if nothing else.

[She blows out a breath, and she holds out her hand. She channels mana, and lo, out comes a small star of light, hovering over her palm.]

It's focus and willpower; the way a person may focus varies, hence the unique gestures and phrases. It has to be something that will focus you into doing that specific spell.

So I've been given to understand.

[tsyoon]

You seem pretty good at it already. [ He sounds a little impressed, even-- and laughs at the comment about gambling. It's not like he has money or the desire to gamble it away even if he had some, so he never used those facilities, but she's not wrong. ]

Whoa... [ leaning in to look at the light, eyes big. ] That's a really useful spell!

Can you teach me?

[showsnopiety]

It's more of an application of will and focus. I'm used to doing...not this, but other tasks with distraction.

[She shrugs, allowing the light to fade and her hand to drop.]

I can't be certain I can teach the exact same thing, but I can try. Or at least, I can attempt to teach you what your natural affinity is.

[tsyoon]

That sounds really helpful, yes! How do you find out what your affinity is? [ Yoon presses, excited to finally be making some sort of ground... even if he hasn't really learned anything yet. Having someone willing to teach him is exciting all on its own though. ]

[showsnopiety]

I was told that it was as if I was moving a limb. That's what mana is.

[She moves closer to Yoon, pressing a hand against his arm.]

What you will need to do is breathe, and focus. You now have another arm-a tail, if you prefer, or wings. Whatever may help you visualize. And there is blood that flows through it. And here...

[Her hand goes down his forearm, to touch his palm,]

Is where you'll feel the pulse. Of your heart and of your mana.

[tsyoon]

[ Yoon looks a little startled at the closeness, blushing faintly, but then he takes a few breaths and buckles down to focus. Closing his eyes, he listens to the words, tries to visualize it... An extra part of his body to control, extending his life force as though blood throughout it.

Her fingers are warm. Yoon tries to imagine it. ]

Okay...

I think I get it, a little.

Now what?

[showsnopiety]

[Another time, she would have teased Yoon for it. But right now, she was sincere in helping him. She'll just enjoy his squirming later.]

Good. Now, what you're going to do is bring the mana out of your body, above your palm. Right here.

[Gently, she presses her fingers against the middle of his hand.]

You're flexing your new limb. Take a deep breath, and push when you exhale. Not with anything but your mana.

[Her hand shifts, until she's cradling Yoon's hand in her palms.]

All right?

[tsyoon]

Okay. I'll do my best.

[ ...not as easy as it sounds when he has no experience using his mana, and never knew he had any. Not in the same way, at least.

But Yoon is a diligent and determined study, so he'll try. Deep breaths, focusing his energy on the spot above his palm as indicated.

Nothing happens.




...except now the girl is holding his hand and his blush has gotten a little brighter, embarrassment and frustration at his inability to do anything. ]

[showsnopiety]

It's harder then it looks. You have to focus, but not focus.

[Caren can sense the frustration off of him. But while she enjoys it, now isn't the time to tease.

Sort of. Some might think her rubbing her thumbs again the sides of his hand as teasing.]

Breathe with me.

[She starts taking slow, deep breaths, her expression tranquil. He needs to be calm for this to work, and the flush says to her he's thinking too hard.]

[tsyoon]

Focus but not focus? [ he grumbles, annoyed.

But okay, okay. She's going out of her way to help him. He shouldn't be ungrateful.

Is the way she's rubbing his hand supposed to help somehow? It's... embarrassing... ]

I'm not really sure... what's supposed to happen, [ he whispers finally, after trying to match her breathing for another minute of nothing. ]

[showsnopiety]

It's similar to meditation, if you've ever done it.

[See, she's trying to be helpful, even with all of the hand handling. Caren offers him a small shrug, before glancing down at his hand. It might be more difficult because...well, she's used to being in such a state, as part of her priestess duties. It came with surprising ease, though spell casting is a different story.]

What should happen is a manifestation of mana. My alignment is holy; thus the light. Yours might be any of various elements. Fire, air, water, earth. Perhaps others that I am currently unaware of.

[tsyoon]

Not really, but I know a priest... [ He laughs softly, a little wistful, and then takes another deep breath. ]

Is it always an element?

[ He considers each, trying to see if it elicits any reaction. No luck, though there's some small flicker of something, a tingle in his fingertips as he tries. Fire seems to elicit a more pronounced feeling, but no visual cues.

He opens his eyes, staring at their hands. ]

I think I'm getting a better idea of what mana feels like, though.

[showsnopiety]

And now you know a priestess.

[Her mouth quirks, but she doesn't tease him further than that.]

I don't know if it is always an element. Holy isn't techincally elemental but...

[Another shrug. She things she feels something but...it's so small. Like a feather brushing her fingers.]

But it's good that you're getting the feeling of it. It might help that we're currently in the midst of a...exchange.

[tsyoon]

[ A priestess? He doesn't ask about that now, but he remembers, intrigued. ]

Oh, right. Touching helps replenish mana, right? Does it also strengthen it somehow?

[ He's gotten distracted. No flickers of flamer or water or such showing in his hand yet, but he has a better idea of how to focus now. It's a step in the right direction. ]

[showsnopiety]

Right now you have more mana to draw upon then you would on your own.

[She nods to their hands together. He's getting distracted, but she doesn't scold him to get back to work. This is more important.]

You have some of mine right now, and I have a little of yours. The more intense the exchange, the more you'll gain.

[tsyoon]

Oh. Okay, yeah... That makes sense.

[ He closes his eyes again, trying to concentrate, before the words catch up.

Yoon's eyes open once more, suddenly. ]

What do you mean intense?

[showsnopiety]

It means....

[She smirks. And one of her hands that had been cupping Yoon's? Is now going up and lightly brushing over his cheek.]

Intense. Do I need to be explicit?

[tsyoon]

[ Yoon's shoulders stiffen, and he nearly takes a step back, startled. Going red. ]

Nope! That's not necessary! [ he didn't mean to shout. whoops. ]

[tsyoon]

[ AND ALSO. ]

Didn't you just say you're a priestess?!

[showsnopiety]

[That was quite the shout. She tweaks his cheek just for that, and she lets her hand drop.]

Part of my duties as priestess is to give myself to those in need. I have taken no vows of chastity.

And that in itself is a story not relating to mana or mana exchange.

[tsyoon]

[ Yoon swats her hand away testily and this time does take a step back. He... does he want to know what she even means...?? Probably not.

THIS CONVERSATION IS GOING IN AN ENTIRELY UNEXPECTED DIRECTION.

The boy rubs his cheek as if that'll scrub the blush away and scowls. ]

Then I think I'd rather not hear about it if it's all the same to you.

[showsnopiety]

[She doesn't try to touch him again, but she is smiling. Clearly she's enjoying herself. Sorry Yoon. YOU ASKED AND GOT AWFUL.]

That's fine. I'd rather continue assisting you in your mana attempts.

Shall we proceed?

[C'mon palm out, they have work to do.]

[tsyoon]

[ Eyeing her hands suspiciously... Squiiint. ]

Fine.

[ He puts his palm back out with a grumbling sigh, struggling to get his focus back. ]

I heard there's healing magic. I'd be interested in trying that. What affinity does that fall under?

[showsnopiety]

[She raises her eyebrows, still amused at his huffing.]

Good.

[There, cupping his palm back in hers. He's all huffy. How cute.]

I'm not entirely certain if it has its own alignment or not.

[For a moment, her expression darkens.]

But I could assist you in finding someone who would know, and specializes in it.

[tsyoon]

[ He's also still a little pink but PLS IGNORE THAT??? ok. Yoon sighs again, then tries to stop sighing and actually just breathe deeply. It was working fine a minute ago. The touch does help.

And then the offer distracts him a bit from his annoyance and he perks up again, interested. ]

Really? You know someone?