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

[ Bolin's a fairly affectionate person by nature, and he's rarely every low on mana—both because he's awful at magic and hardly uses it, and also because he's always touching people. There had been one instance however, that he'd been in desperate need of mana exchange in the past, and even in his exhausted state then he'd noticed how different it was from regular touch.

So it registers to him what they're doing right now: they're exchanging mana.

His eyebrows raise in realization, piecing together the events that had just occurred. Naruto's likely experience mana exhaustion because he somehow healed his injuries from the fall without realizing it.

He grins then, shrugging off the apology as his hands slip from Naruto's face to hold the boy's hands instead, bloodied though they still are. ]

It's okay. I throw temper tantrums too sometimes. [ A joke. ] A couple of bruises are nothing anyway. You should've seen what my brother did to me when he was practicing lightningbending back in the day.

[The exhaustion peels away in layers and with it, Naruto feels himself making slow and steady progress into the world of generalized grogginess. Its a little bit like being in bed and covered by a mountain of warm, comfortable blankets- which is to say not only is it a a relatively new experience, but it's also a little weird to know he feels this way while he's covered in blood and colossal hail is coming down around them.

Bolin's hands cover his own and Naruto's fingers curl into the man's palms. He's just going to go with it.]

Lightning... bending?

[The words come out slow for their unfamiliarity. Lightning he gets- actually, he can sympathize because even able to survive it, getting hit was always the worst- but he's not sure what bending it entails. Maybe it's something like a nature affinity? Bolin's joke and his willingness to carry a less than fluid conversation is rapidly restoring some sense of normality to this fiasco, but even so.

When he looks at their joined hands it's hard not to think about what he's done to the guy. Not for the first time Naruto appears to let it go, but the guilt isn't so easy to release. Losing control and hurting someone- he thought he'd grown past that by now. And unlike Sakura back home or Bolin now, he doesn't have the ability to make it better.]

Then when you were fighting your brother, did you gotta heal yourself like this too? [Having not entirely grasped the concept of mana, Naruto rocks their hands slightly to gesture. He assumes that's what this is.]

I wasn't fighting my brother.

[ He feels like he has to clarify this, because it was an unfortunate accident more than anything else. They would practice together, that much is true, but the aim was never to actually leave visible hits on one another. (Though it can be hard when you're playing with fire or throwing large rocks around.)

Also, it takes him a moment to realise what Naruto means by healing—he's never thought of mana exchange like that, but it's not inaccurate. The replenishment is a form of healing, and even though Bolin isn't exhausted himself, it certainly infuses him with more energy and ease. He feels fuller. ]

No, I have no idea what this is. [ Well, he knows it's some kind of magic?? ] We don't have... mana where I come from.

[The clarification is absolutely necessary because where Naruto comes from, training and leaving a mark are often the same thing. Just because the intent to kill wasn't necessary, there could be nothing more insulting to another shinobi than to hold back in a fight. If you don't want to get left behind he'd been told, then get stronger than me.

Still, even though Bolin denies it, Naruto has a hard time imagining what training with lightning could entail without a fight.

He's halfway to looking back down at their hands (as if he might somehow be able to figure this process out by sight alone) when the metaphorical rug is pulled out from under him. Oh right, the mana thing.]

I'd never heard of it either so to be honest, I still don't really get it. Just you're supposed to fight with it somehow. [Were his hands not otherwise occupied, this would be the moment where he scratches absently at the whiskers on one of his cheeks. As it stands- priorities.] I didn't even know it could do this. It's weird, but it really helps yanno?

I didn't know it could be used like this for a long time either. [ Not until a month had passed and Adra had grumpily explained it to him. ] What you're experiencing is mana exhaustion. I guess it's like using up all your energy while fighting... except with magic.

[ There's actually so little that he knows about mana—whether or not mana "stamina" can be built to increase the amount a person has available to them. He should probably do some research if he wants to get any better at using magic. (He's really lamenting his rank—he'd never considered himself a melee fighter, but having to stand still to cast spells is really cramping his style.) ]

What we're doing right now is mana exchange. Basically you can replenish mana by touching another person. [ And then, like they hadn't almost fought to the death, he gives Naruto a sly look. ] Apparently the more intimate it is, the better it works.

[ It's hilarious. ]

[It's strange to have a name for the sensation, but maybe even stranger for Naruto to realize that he's feeling it at all. He's certainly worn himself out before, and over the years there've been many fights where he knew he was pushing himself to his limit, that he hadn't had any other option and then somehow, he managed.

But the way Bolin explains it makes it seem a little clearer. If he thinks of mana as a replacement, then he just needs to be more careful about when he uses it- except maybe he's gotta figure out how much he has to begin with. He wasn't really using it up on purpose, that just happened... but if it happens again like this then he could end up hurting somebody again. So maybe he can train with it the way he's trained everything else. Then can help other people replenish their mana by touching them too! And it'll help if it's-]

In-inti-

[The word runs on repeat in his head. Klaxons are going off. INTIMATE, they yell. IN-TI-MATE

Naruto's entire face colors and then, like they hadn't almost fought to the death, while Bolin gives him a sly look, Naruto jerks his hands away and slaps him upside the head. Looks like it's time to scream.] WHY THE HELL DO YOU HAVE TO SAY IT LIKE THAT'ATTEBAYO?!

[ When Naruto turns red, Bolin immediately feels a sense of being cool. He's not embarrassed by "intimate", he's even done it. (Mostly it's just nice not to feel overwhelmed by something, and to actually feel comfortable with a concept.)

He's too busy gloating then, to see the slap coming. ]

Ow! Hey!

[ Clutching his head, he frowns at the other boy. ]

Haven't you hit me enough today? Why are you yelling??

I'M NOT YELLING! [He's shrieking.

While Bolin might feel comfortable with the concept, it's the kind of stage Naruto hasn't gotten to yet. He didn't grow up with family and he didn't have friends until he'd gotten out of the academy and been placed in a team- so acts of physical camaraderie aren't things he's ever really known. He'd seen them in others: a hug here, joined hands there, a reassuring palm on someone's shoulder- but he doesn't know them. He doesn't know how to respond when those gestures are offered to him.

Naruto knows that fighting someone is a sign of respect and he knows which punches and kicks are about connection and which ones are about growing. His face has colored each and every time Sakura had embraced him. The weight of his master's hand on his head had left him shy, but pleased. They're uncommon expressions, and all it takes to rile Naruto up is a good-natured tease. His ears are burning.]

Everything was going fine until you started makin' it all weird!! And I already told you I don't remember hitting you so that one doesn't count!

[ Unfortunately, Bolin has never been one for subtlety or tact. He's got a bleeding heart, but has trouble imagining himself in other people's positions. He doesn't take Naruto's outrage as much more than childish immaturity and embarrassment, so he just sulks at being yelled and just falls away from the boy's shrieking onto his back with a surrendering sigh. ]

It's not weird! It's the truth. Next time you go nuts like that, maybe you'll need a quicker way to get calmed down, so you should be prepared.

[ Though it's unlikely Naruto would let anyone get close enough to him when he's like that, Bolin certainly wouldn't like to try. ]

Or what if you find someone else passed out and you're in the middle of a battle? You can't just sit around holding hands.

[ btw this is something that has happened already in this game, thirst is unreal ]

[This is not helping. Bolin says he'll probably need to find "a quicker way," and Naruto's scandalized heart is ready to leap out of his scandalized chest.] I've just gotta make sure that never happens again'attebayo. [From the sound of that mumble, Bolin isn't the only one sulking.

His arms fold over his chest, gaze pointedly averted- but the thing is, he knows the guy has a point. Even with the best intentions, even when he'd been away training specifically to be able to control Kurama's influence over him, he'd still lost it and hurt Sakura-chan in the process. Unconsciously, his eyes move back to the bruises on Bolin's throat. Naruto may be stubborn, but there's no way he can let his pride come first when these are the consequences.

One beat passes, and then very quietly-]

What do you do, in situations like that?

[ Well that's an interesting question. Mostly because Bolin's never had to make that call. Sure, maybe he would've prefered to exchange mana a little faster during the naval battle when the mana canons had essentially drained him dry, but he wasn't about kiss Kija back then.

And for all his earlier smugness, he's kind of feeling embarrassed now thinking about it. Bolin's not really shy, and thinking about kissing Opal or a girl he likes doesn't fluster him. Even thinking about it with someone else just makes him roll his eyes because it's a funny idea—but to think about as something real and legitimate is embarrassing?! It's fine to be light hearted and joke around, but suddenly it's Too Real. ]

I've never had that happen. [ He mutters, squinting against the rain and the gentle pressure of hail, wondering if maybe he's being a hypocrite. ] But... if it were a life or death situation...

[ sweats ]

[It's a little reassuring in a way- to hear that someone with experience out here hasn't been in such a dangerous situation. He's wondering what "normal" is, what the best way to help a friend in the field is in any ordinary fight, but the Naruto knows that the reality will be much different. Battles are no certain thing. They change without notice and all it takes is one small mistake. Back home, mere hours ago, Sakura-chan's hand had been inside his chest- beating his heart.

Maybe he won't know until it happens.

That's fine. He's always figured things out for himself before anyway, and if he gets stuck, he's never been afraid to ask for help either.

Naruto pushes to his feet, hands on his knees as he straightens. The rain is steadily making a puddle around them and he's streaked now in equal parts blood and dirt. In the space between them he reaches out a hand, an offer to help Bolin to his feet.]

I guess I'll have to wait and see.

[ Peering at the hand for a second, Bolin gives no thought to how the same appendage had been wrapped around his neck mere minutes ago, and accepts the offer, pausing only for a moment to grab his staff with his other hand. The spark of mana exchange thrumming between their hands for the second that it takes Bolin to get to his feet, and disappears again.

He's apparently put the moment of awkwardness behind him as he shoots the younger boy a friendly smile. ]

Well, hopefully it won't come to that. [ Even though this is the first time they'd met and it had already come to that. ] You're pretty capable anyway, aren't you? You basically took that dragon down on your own!

[ In ability to deal with his burning jacket aside. ]

Basically my ass, it's not like you were just standing around the whole time! You did all that cool metal stuff and even after all that you still saved me.

[Naruto is as quick to rile up as he is to forgive. While he isn't one to downplay his actions, he's also unwilling to let others go unrecognized. Bolin knew what he was doing, at least to some extent, and Naruto knows that the only reason he pulled out of this alright is because he was there.

A wide smile slips from view as his elbow lifts. With this much mess he has to use his forearm to push his hair out of his face and even then, he manages to leave an unattractive stripe of blood from eyebrow to scalp. Oh well. Nearly shoulder to shoulder his hand hovers- awaiting a fistbump.]

I'm Uzumaki Naruto.

[ HECK YEA FISTBUMP ]

I'm Bolin. [ He meets the fist with his own, spirits uplifted. ] I guess we make a good team.

[ If they had known each other longer than an hour, Bolin might've thrown his arm over Naruto's shoulders, leading the two of them away from the dragon carcass back toward the farm, a triumphant little skip to his steps.

Unfortunately they aren't at that level of friendship yet, so instead they walk side by side, Bolin tossing glances at the other boy until finally - ]

What's up with your face?

[It is a truth universally acknowledged that two bromosexual dudes in the throes of their bromance must be in want of a fistbump.

The gesture has never failed to cheer Naruto up either, but it's the question that follows that makes his expression wrinkle.] My face?

[One hand lifts, fingers patting his forehead and nose, feeling for something awry enough to warrant the question (he didn't think he broke anything, nothing feels crooked) when the lightbulb goes off.]

Oh, my cheeks? [Come to think of it-]

I dunno, they've always looked like this. But since my mom [Uh, how does he explain. "Jinchuuriki" isn't going to mean anything to Bolin, and neither will "Kurama" ...which is sortof a new development anyway.] had a demon fox sealed inside her it's probably from that. [Now there's a thought.]

Ahhh! I wonder if it'll be like that if I'm a mom too? Dad! I mean dad!!

[ ...

Suddenly Bolin looks a little suspicious, gaze shifting down to Naruto's chest. ]

Are you actually a girl?

[ HE NORMALLY WOULDN'T ASK, but there's been a lot of boys here that Bolin thought were quite feminine. He'd never seen guys that were so pretty back in the Four Nations. ]

[Naruto is almost... a little insulted. He'd created his own special jutsu as a kid and has had years to perfect it- so when he means to look like a girl he knows he's a lot more convincing than this.

His head moves in slow motion, tracking to Bolin's face and the look hovering over his bare chest.]

What're you tryin' to say'ttebayo.

[ Suddenly it feels weird again, and Bolin sweats a little at seeing the expression on Naruto's face. ]

I'm not trying to say anything! [ LOOK THIS IS A NEW PLACE AND ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. ] It's just a question!

[ His hands are up in defense and he really doesn't want to be hit again. ]

[Naruto isn't about to hit him ~~yet~~ but the color is back in his face full force.]

You're sayin' I don't look manly!! I'm manly!! Look at this huh huh [Mother of god, he's flexing. He's showing off his arms which are- okay admittedly it's clear he's pretty much constantly working out- but then he follows it up by pointing at his jaw line, which isn't really square??? He's useless.] See? And here!

[ Bolin has no idea why Naruto is pointing to his arms and jaw. Women have those too?? ]

I didn't say that?! I was just wondering! Because you said you were gonna be a mom! [ He takes a good step away from the other boy, physically distancing himself from the conflict. ] But I get it! You're a boy!

[Because they clearly don't have them the way Naruto has them. That's what he's getting at. (It's not very effective. At all.)]

I can be whatever I wanna be when I grow up'ttebayo. How come guys don't ever get to be moms? I could be a mom if I wanted to!

[Naruto??? You are talking yourself in a circle???]

Uh, sure. I guess you can be a mom if you want.

[ His agreement sounds a little confused, mostly because he's not really sure what's got the other boy so mad. Is this that big of a deal? Doesn't anyone really care about the distinction between a mom and a dad this much?

Maybe there's something that happened in Naruto's home life. ]

I bet you'd be a great mom. [ Said mostly in an attempt to placate Naruto, and calm him down. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

intro ♚ may

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are you really inserting angsty meta

excuse u it's just canon

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