pawnstorm | intro ♚ april

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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!

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[Minato, if you are a were rat, Caren will kick you so hard. So hard. This isn't the time to be thinking you're a were rat.

But no real need to be scared really. Not even with just the two of them, the rats weren't much of a problem. And if they try to swurm...well, Caren has been hoping to get some spell practice in. What better way is there than a field test? It's the shonen way.

You know, almost die and then amazing powers. Right?

But anyway, Caren glances the same way as Minato does and nod.]

I was until I was delayed.

[Kinda salty about not killing that rat tbh.]

[ As long as no one has to scream for three episodes in order to do this, they should be just fine. Minato's voice is quiet enough as it is. He wouldn't last.

That way seems as good as any, since he's mostly wandering aimlessly. ]

Let's keep going, then.

[ He steps in that direction, the gentle splash of water sounding beneath his shoes. ]

This place looks pretty old.

[Thankfully, Caren is not much of a screamer. Not unless she's in serious pain, and even then, that can be...well, depends on why.

But hey, now they're moving. They're moving, and she's walking beside him, keeping her hands limply by her sides. Better to keep it there, then to try and get all tense. She might cramp something.]

And run down. It might have been abandoned since the last war.

[What little she knows of the war is...there hasn't been one since Blanc broke free. And now...it has purpose again.]

[ Cramp his style? Not likely. (Har har.)

He should really do more research before he comes to these places, though. A part of him is kind of used to the information being conveniently fed to him by his ~~NPCs~~ peers. Where's his nerd squad when he needs them? ]

Mm...

[ A quiet hum as he looks up just as they reach a turn in the corridor. ]

You think they can really restore it?

[Heh.

But she would have loved more research herself. But she was basically woken up and tossed into this situation. Which she found COMPLETELY RUDE. Just. Putting that out there. Totally rude.

His question has her glance up.]

I think they have no choice. We're the clean up crew. Some way or the other, it will be in working order.

Or, at least, it will appear that way on the outside.

[ Extremely rude. Not that Minato had been terribly upset about the waking up naked in a strange land part--the waking up at all was surprising enough to be worried about the rest. But he gets that it's not everyone's favorite way to meet their roommates.

Hopefully hers are cute. ]

...I guess as long as they don't invite anyone over for dinner. [ He pauses as he ears the scurrying of feet up ahead. ] Unless they're serving rat.

[It is kind of nice to wake up, after expecting to be dead. Kind of weird but...you know. Caren had almost expected to wake up in a different bed, with no memory and somewhere in Italy, maybe.

...as for her room mates, some of them are cute? Some people think one of them is her older brother for some reason.]

Rat isn't very appetizing. You've never know where it's been.

[Look, Caren made a joke. Speaking of rats though...she glances his way, before motioning for him to wait as she moves closer. She'll be the bait. She at least has a way of subduing them, making it easy stabbing for Minato. Ah, teamwork.]

[ Italy would be nice. The food is awesome. The only way waking up and not being dead could be upped would be if you woke up, alive, and were offered bruschetta in the same breath. No joke.

The quiet huff he gives in response might be laughter. Rat isn't exactly what he'd look forward to.

He picks up her plan easily enough--it looks like both of them are more inclined to silent communication. He nods, but slowly draws his sword, to be ready. ]

[The best part of waking up from the dead is bruschetta in your mouth. Really, bruschetta and a morning cup of Italian coffee would be amazing.

But he actually laughed. Maybe she actually made a good joke for once, who knew.

Still, that wasn't the important part. The important thing was...bringing out the rats. With his nod, Caren moves forward, silently, relying more on her hearing than on her sight. She doesn't know if it's one or a nest; it's hard to tell. But she's silent as she draws her shawl away from her waist, letting it rest in her hands so the fabric won't trail in the water. Slow, careful and...

There's a shiver of mana if Minato can detect it, running through her shawl before she swings it over her head-more like a biker chain if anything else-and cracks it like a whip into the darkness.

Caren is rewarded with a satisfying squeal. Show time!]

[ Or they're both just crazy. Might be a little of A, a little of B at this point.

He can hear the scuffles of clawed feet along the stone. Poor guy doesn't know what's about to hit him. It might actually be easier to feel sorry for them if then weren't so...large. And troublesome.

He watches quietly, the way that her shawl comes to life in a short instant, moving like a whip rather than a more delicate piece of fabric. Begins to crouch, ready to spring. As soon as it squeaks--or rather, screeches in surprise and sudden pain--Minato jumps into action. He can see the prone figure of the rat peering out of the shadows and makes an educated guess as he lunges forward, driving the end of his sword into the creature.

The scream does, unfortunately, let him know that he's off. ]

...Ah.

[ Give a moment.

Pull it out, and--yep. Got it that time. ]

[They're heroes for a reason; it seems almost part of the job description.

Caren has no sympathy for the rodent of enormous size, but then, she usually doesn't have such an emotion for most. The cloth lures the rat out, Minato makes the lunge and...the rat is no more. Caren gathers up the shawl with practice ease, ready for the next lure out.

Though she does do one thing when it's gathered up. She offers him a single clap.]

Well done.

[ Heroes of the underground sounds a lot better than rat exterminators. But, you know, whatever pays the bills. Minato isn't so self-important that he thinks he's above this.

He looks up at the clap, brows raised slightly. ]

...It was a group effort.

[ Look at that, sharing the credit. He pulls his sword back, holding it loosely at his side. ]

That's an interesting choice of weapon, though.

[It almost sounds like a rock group. But hey, rat killers also works. Holla holla for a colle rich time.

Caren shrugs at him. She lured, but he did the stabbing. Which, in his shoes...or in hers after all that time smacking a rat, was the satisfying part.

Kinda sorta.]

Perhaps. As for the weapon, the one I had at home was far more useful. But perhaps its me who's the useless one.

[She shrugs, already peering into the dark for more rats. Just in case any of them were lured this way.]

[ More like Death Metal. Or some old 80s band. But they could totally make this be a thing.

But hey, he's a protagonist. He knows that in order to gain Social Links he needs to share the love a little bit. He's still surprised to her hear afterthought. ]

Why do you say that?

[Either are good. Or both. Both are good. They could be the leads in a death metal band. Or he could. Because he's a protagonist.

But what love would come from this link, who's to say...]

Because my attacks were ineffective. If any harm had come to you, it would have been my fault.

[She says it so calmly and matter of fact, it's...a little creepy.]

[ What would really decide it is who has the better screaming voice. MInato's is actually fairly quiet. He can share the spotlight for the good of the band.

He actually doesn't mind her being right to the point. If anything, he can respect that. But still, he shakes his head. ]

Every member of the team is important. [ Wow, he might as well be a motivational poster. But it's also said rather matter-of-factly. He's used to giving at least some style of directions to his party members. ] Not everyone has to be on Full Assault.

[Her own voice is rather quiet. They need to link up with a screamer. Things they have to do so that their death metal band would succeed.

But hey. He's handling the creeper vibe very well. Or he's more focused on other things. Like....team spirit. Or something.]

Full Assault?

[She echoes, tilting her head. Direction, sure, she might listen to that if it makes sense. But the way he says it has her kind of confused. Explaaaaaain, explaaaaaaain.]

[ This sounds like the best plan. Tucks it in his mental pocket for later.

That's part of the reason. Mostly he's used to creepers. Nothing like having death watch you while you sleep to make you pretty much OK with everyone else. At least she's cute. ]

It's when members of your party will attack a single target until it's defeated. No support or healing tactics.

[ Look at that, he read the manual for his own game. ]

[Back up idea for benefit concert. Perfect.

At least Caren isn't much for watching people while they're asleep? And she has nice legs too. When they're not covered with muck at least.]

Ah. That...isn't completely strange to phrase it. However...

[She frowns, and shrugs. Some of Gil's video game playing must have rubbed off of her. She's sure she's heard that phrase before...]

Nevermind.

[ Nice legs are very important. Her next weapon should be some classy stockings. Minato will help her train if she wants. Because he's generous like that. ]

It's how my teammates wanted to receive orders.

[ Or at least those were his only options since he couldn't give Direct Commands. Alas. One installment too early for that. Souji has it easy. ]

We should keep moving.

[She could just wear some classy stockings, or something just as pretty. She wouldn't mind if he helped her with the training either.]

You're a team leader then?

[He doesn't seem the type. But she shrugs, and starts moving forward. Time to kill more rats. Or lure them out for his leaderness.]

[ He's here to help. He's a good person to learn from that makes no bad decisions. CLEARLY.

To her question, he nods. ]

Sometimes.

[ To be honest he never really asks for it, but when it's thrust upon him, he goes along with it. Someone has to be, after all. ]

[Clearly. CLEARLY. They're going to be great friends.]

I've difficulty seeing you willingly taking the lead. But I could be judging you too quickly.

[ THERE'S A SOCIAL LINK IN HERE SOMEWHERE. But he hasn't gotten prompted yet. Hmmm...what does he need to do to start one?

Minato shakes his head, actually looking somewhat amused. ]

No. I was asked. I didn't offer.

[ Which...kind of sums up a lot of his life decisions up until the last few, to be honest. Huh. He never thought about it that way. ]

I'll take your judgment once we've cleared the area. Deal?

[Good...question...after all, there's death and suffering, it's her kind of place tbh...]

Ah.

[Okay, that does make sense. But points for him for stepping up, even when he technically didn't have to. Caren's eyes sweep over him for a moment, before she nods, once.

If they're going to work as a team here, this may be the best place to do it.]

Deal.

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intro ♚ april

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