intro ♚ july

[boardmaster]

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.

ONE ♟ Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo

Your Carriers and the floor nannies in your rooms relay, in unison and in the curt voice of Secretary Alexandre Verdoni, a public service announcement informing all Heroes of the Delphine Grand Ball, a masquerade hosted by the Gammonian Embassy to celebrate the Heroes’ successful defeat of Noir in the Lasker Incident and the safe arrival of international foccer superstar, Ryder Wreckham. It will be held tonight at 6 PM at the White Rose Multipurpose Function Building. There will be dancing, a live orchestra, a buffet and flowing drinks, and plenty of Blanc’s finest to schmooze with, so don’t miss it! The abrupt and lavish invitation might rattle the new arrivals, but those who’ve been here longer don’t seem surprised, and many don’t look very pleased, either.

Masks and formal wear are both said to be an absolute must, but if you’re strapped for cash or festive spirit, you could get away with wearing a clean Hero uniform. But why would you when Gammon’s elites are willing to provide Heroes with complementary masks, suits and dresses precisely for the occasion? And if you need any help with your clothes, hair, makeup, or date, don’t hesitate to ask your friends or the Hall of Glory’s maids and butlers for help.

As you get ready for the ball, your floor nannies may flip through a few radio stations to set the mood; one of them just so happens to be airing Voices from the Other Tide, a popular radio show based in Lasker’s The Shield. Its target audience is comprised of international refugees and immigrant communities, so you may have caught the show before during your stay in Lasker or your visits to Sparrow Towns all over the country.

Rocco Ricci: You are listening to Voices from the Other Tide! This fine Delphine evening, the suns are shining, the moons are just about to change color, and do YOU know where your trains are? I’m your host, Rocco Ricci, coming to you live from the center of The Shield! We’ve been looking at the fallout of the latest chapter in the war with Noir, the railway attacks that happened a few weeks ago right here in the heart of our very own city. I have with me today Nokoru Nokozaki, and it’s about that time. Time to let the survivors have their say, eh? What do you say, Nokozaki?

Nokoru Nokozaki: Ah, I’d like to say thank you for inviting me, and thank you very much for doing this show. I apologize if I am not able to give many clear answers, it was a very confusing time. A very confusing trip. I still don’t know how I survived, to be honest.

Ricci: Don’t sweat it, no sweat, eh? I’ll be asking all the questions and giving you half the answers, all you need to do is work with me and give our listeners a taste of what it was like, getting trapped in the middle of all that. Explosions and magic fireworks and what was that I heard, the Blanc military running around like chickens with their heads up their—

Nokozaki: Yes, thank you very much. It was a normal trip, to visit family in the— in The Shield, I believe you call this? I am not a refugee, but I know many who tried to settle in what we call the Blackest Empire, and tried to start again in the Lawless Lands, and failed. They came here, looking for something. I came here to see how they lived.

Ricci: Right, right, that’s how it always goes, isn’t it? Better bacon, better wallpaper, it’s what we’re all here for. Why, back when I was a— [ a sudden whine of feedback ] … Thank you, thank you, I’ll have that mic back. A recap for our listeners, a train with some 800 refugees was attacked and destroyed by Noir infiltrators just a couple weeks ago! Nokozaki here is one of the very few survivors. My condolences. Condolences.

Nokozaki: Thank you… It was lucky for me, I was in the mines in Shatranj. I have endurance, you know, I can walk very long distances without food, without water. No shelter. In the mountains we passed through, there is only bad weather. And when they blew up the train cars, we had to walk home on our own. Ah, but not home, you understand.

Ricci: I sure do. What was it, there was a rumor you came back with Commander de Lisbrand of the Blanc brass? There’s a firecracker if I’ve ever seen one — not that I’ve clapped my own eyes on her yet, may I be blessed — word has it she was stranded up in the mountains all on her lonesome for a while when Noir blew the whole army off the map, and she walked her fine self back to civilization! Why, we could do a whole segment on that alone!

Nokozaki: Is that not what we are doing? I assumed… I was to talk about my experiences marching with the Lady de Lisbrand, they are calling it the Iron March, I hear? She was not alone, but trapped in the mountain with a very small number of soldiers. And us, we were in the car with them when the bomb went off, but we did not know what had happened then. Only after we returned to Lasker…

Ricci: Oh, we know all about the Iron March! Is it true you all had to survive on rock moss and wild mountain cat?! Our listeners have gone wild with speculation! [ some rustling and clearing of throat ] But of course, of course you’re quite traumatized, I’m sure. A very difficult time. This is just one of many, many stories we’ve heard coming out of the Sorokina Mountains in recent days, and many more of them feature our Lady de Lisbrand. Stay tuned for some important upcoming guests, several of whom are still searching for family members gone missing in the chaos…

Despite the flurry of preparations and rumors flying about the ball in every alleyway, not everyone is interested in Delphine’s most prestigious event. Many of Caissa’s most eligible maidens have never danced at something so public! Some otherwise upstanding citizens just can’t be bothered to go, especially since they’re not the ones getting sponsored for free clothes. What’s the point in dropping half a year’s worth in wages on a fancy suit and tie or a ball gown?

For those who don’t wish to have anything to do with Blanc’s upper echelon or its martial celebrations, Uptown Caissa is abuzz with the biggest civilian event of the month: Festivale de la Ceinturonne, named after the sparkling, silver galaxy you can see on clear, summer night skies.

How about you, Hero? Which celebration will you choose? Or perhaps you'd like to double dip?

TWO ♟ Delphine Grand Ball

As two men in dapper suits greet you with synchronized bows and throw open the doors to the grand ballroom, the mellow strains of a live orchestral waltz flow out, filling the extravagant hall with the sound of soulful strings and whimsical woodwinds. Beautifully-dressed dancers move in pairs on the marble floor, swaying and gliding under a brilliant, crystal sky of chandeliers. The large, open arches that line the west side of the hall are decorated with massive velvet curtains that billow gently in the night breeze and hide both shyer dancers and small tables of finger foods. Young, passionate couples and colleagues in cahoots alike—sometimes it’s hard to distinguish the two—throng the balconies outside, enjoying the clear starred sky and the glow of Oubliette close at hand.

The crown jewel of the evening is, of course, the exquisitely bedecked and room-length tables laden with high-class food and drink the likes of which neither you nor the vast majority of ordinary Caissans have ever seen or heard. And they keep bringing out more! No spot on the table is to be left bare for the remainder of the evening! (Gerald, Hall of Glory Head Butler, highly recommends the champagne!) Some tables, however, might hold familiar dishes from French and British—er, Blanc and Gammonian cuisine. Most eye-catching are the tiered displays of pastel marshmallow cups and the tall and ornate fondue fountains of cascading chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla. They’re a homage to the mallow-colored moon of Delphine, the goddess of love, and tradition suggests you share a mallow with someone you care about.

Blanc’s richest and most influential are all present and accounted for. If they’re not waltzing or eating caviar, then they will be conversing among themselves over exquisite wine. Some try to catch the attention of Ryder, whose giant and suspiciously realistic fur coat and suit look wholly inappropriate for the weather. He smokes an expensive-looking pipe encrusted with diamonds while a small, diligent bodyguard serves as his very own footrest. Prime Minister Thierry Toussaint mingles with the noblest of families, his mask adorned with feathers that fall nearly to the floor. Both individuals are as sought after as they are difficult to approach… You’d have better luck simply mingling with other VIPs and soliciting their opinions.

Most are full of hot air and idle gossip, but some express open discontent with Ryder’s views; must be that speech he made a while ago. Others take issue with the Prime Minister’s handling of affairs; still others have whispered doubts of Secretary Verdoni’s loyalties to share with you; Commander de Lisbrand does not escape scrutiny either, despite not being present. There’s also talk of the new wave of Blanc leadership, though you can never quite get a name to go with the ambitious rumors. However, you will notice that, despite their poisonous tongues, Blanc’s best and brightest seem to be quite taken with you!

This is your chance. What you say to the VIPs can influence their opinions of Blanc’s leadership, the Lasker incident, and Blanc’s course of action from here on out, for better or for worse. (You are allowed to control the unnamed VIP NPCs. What did you tell them?)

THREE ♟ Wish Upon A Star

Maybe you looked at the people around you, the ones you’d be dancing and schmoozing and seen with in the papers the morning after, and thought, ”Not happening.” Perhaps the ballroom is too grand, the people too snazzy, or the music too classy; it makes your head spin right round. Some fresh air and eavesdropping on the veranda may just clear your head.

On the way out, you may notice a certain someone sitting at one of the veranda tables, surrounded by paperwork and a delicately stacked pile of beignets. Shouldn’t Secretary Verdoni allow himself to celebrate for once in his life? Upon closer (and discreet) inspection, it looks as if the paperwork is exclusively composed of reports on the Lasker incident. Does Verdoni look increasingly unhappy the deeper he digs into the stack? It’s also possible his face is just stuck that way.

It may be best to leave him to his work; though trying to engage him in conversation will lead to:

Verdoni Do I look like I have the time to speak with you? [ he says briskly, but relents quickly ] Perhaps just a moment. The situation in Lasker is improving, thanks to your efforts. Well done. Your work in reaching out to residents of The Shield has eased tensions, though it’s still a long ways away from what I’d consider good. Of course, our work is never done. [ his gaze flicks back to the paperwork before him; it’s clear by ‘our’ he means ‘my’ ] That’s not even getting into the reports I’ve been hearing from Petrosian. People disappearing, strange things in the river… it may be nothing, but keep your eyes open.

Should you leave the premises entirely and walk on through Uptown Caissa, you’ll find the chance to experience an entirely different aspect of Blanc culture. Around this time of the year, the week-long Festivale de la Ceinturonne is taking place in the streets and skies of the capital: the people of Caissa are heavily encouraged to write poetry about their dreams and desires so as to receive blessings from Delphine, goddess of love and the arts. These small wishes are folded and tied to trees around the Oubliette Temple Shrine.

Many commoners appear cheerful as they gather and offer their wishes to Delphine. The bright, star-shaped lanterns hanging from buildings and trees create a mellow atmosphere and attract crowds of lovey-dovey couples around who seem too happy to have wishes at all. Maybe you feel up to taking a peek at some of the local merchandise: colored cookies and good luck charms lovingly made in bird and mermaid shapes, or well-coveted couple bracelets with two parts that make one whole. But be careful! Losing your bracelet is said to bring bad luck!

The streets are also absolutely bustling with errant performers of all kinds, many of whom tell their own versions of the story of la Ceinturonne: said to be the sash of Delphine herself stretched across the sky in a river of stars, it separates the famous doomed couple of legend. The bluebird Ilatar and the mermaid weaver Geva are said to have been cursed by Delphine for their carelessness, and may only meet once a year at the mouth of the great river. Some performers may be looking for helping hands to play roles in the story! Let your inner thespian shine!

But not everyone can be happy, even once a year: the rumblings of civil unrest in Lasker have increased in volume ever since the train attacks. Many of the aforementioned street performers this year seem to have added a political or darker bend to our annual tale of great romance: in some versions, Ilatar and Geva backstab Delphine outright, while in others, the river itself turns against the lovers, and so on and so forth. A great deal of graffiti has been smeared over the pristine walls behind the temple, lambasting the Prime Minister for selling his country to the Gammonian and Noir old money.

If you wish to quell the unrest, you may put on counter performances, clean the graffiti, or invent your own, more creative means of quieting the people. Be advised, though: Blanc’s masses have had their eyes opened, and it will take some fancy footwork to close them again.

INFO ♟ Welcome!

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

Comments

Anna | ota

[sommer]

2a: a picture of sophisticated grace ♫
[ Her first crazy adventure started with a ball not too long ago, and it seems like history is about to repeat itself again. She's even wearing a green dress that's not too different from the one back home! Having lived a lonely life, the experience of attending a ball for the second time ever isn't any less marvelous than it was the first time. Anna doesn't know which way to look and how long she's allowed to stare until it becomes weird. It's probably weird anyway. ]

Hi, I'm Anna-- no, that's too casual...

[ Is she practicing how to say hello to a stranger?? Don't ask. (yes) ]

Hello, my name is Anna of-- I-I mean, it's Prin-- aaaah, okay-okay, deep breaths!

[ Now she practices a curtsey along with her greeting. ]

Salutations-- n-no, that's too formal... Howdy! That's worse, nobody says that. I don't say that, why did I say that--

[ someone please help her ]


2b: i wanna stuff some chocolate in my face ♫
[ Anna never hides the fact that she's a big fan of chocolate. In fact, one of her nervous tics that she has discovered is that she'll fill up her mouth with food if she starts speaking faster than she thinks, which... happens more often than not. Unfortunately, someone (could be you, could be an NPC) accidentally bumps into Anna with all that chocolate dessert in her mouth, causing some of it to get stuck in her throat.

HOW IS SHE A PRINCESS???

Needless to say, Anna is flailing around frantically, either trying to take your drink (be it water or alcohol) so she can wash it all down, or communicating that she needs a drink if you don't have one (since not everyone is thirsty here, right?). ]

2a

[femmefailtale]

How about 'Sup?'

[Sorry Anna, your existential crisis seems to have attracted the attention of a woman wearing both an eyepatch and a feathered purple mask.]

Sorry for eavesdropping, I can't just leave someone hanging like that when they're clearly having an existential crisis over how to say hi. Which leads me to my next point, I guess...

[She leans forward with a smile.]

Sup... Anna, right?

[sommer]

W-What? Who, me? I wasn't having an existential crisis! Hahaha! You're so funny, I was just, I was-- 'sup.

...
SSssup!

[ Okay, Anna, you already said it, stop trying to fit in. ]

Booyah. Pow-wow. Bing. I don't know what I'm doing. -- Anna! Yes. T-That's me, haha...

2a

[sky_sharkling]

[Agito had talked him in to going, given he does love being around people and while he still feels kind of down from everything that's happened, maybe this would help him feel better?

He can't help but notice the poor girl who seems to be having a meltdown over talking to people. Akito's not in the mood for fancy, so he's settled for the normal hero uniform, walking over to where Anna is practising]

I think you'll find it's a lot easier if you're just...yourself, you know? You don't have to play up being a Hero or whoever you were back home. [He's quiet so no one else overhears, for her sake, a small smile on his face]

[sommer]

Me? O-Oh, I... I'm not a hero or anything, heh. I mean, I am to these people, apparently. But it's kinda weird, 'cause I haven't really done anything?

[ She smiles back at least, finally grounding herself back to her comfort zone. ]

I just don't normally see so many people - I haven't until recently, I mean.

2A

[drawmecute]

*Lola was going to see if the girl was okay. Cause, she was acting a little weird, even if she had all the look of someone who belonged here. Well, minus the creepy talking to herself thing. Which as Lola closed in became more obvious. Awww, cute. She's nervous. Lola considered, undid the tie on her mask and removed it.*

Hello, I'm Lola Pacini. How are you enjoying the festivities.

*You've been caught, but she is giving you a nice easy pattern to use.*

[sommer]

[ Talking to herself or paintings on the wall is like second nature to Anna, so she's definitely a weirdo. Lola is brave to approach a stranger like that. ]

Lola Pacini... o-oh, Anna. [ She curtseys proper now. ]

Anna of Arendelle.

[ She... curtseys again because she had to fix her introduction. ]

...
Princess... Anna of Arendelle. I'm still getting used to that title, heh.

[ ...........she curtseys once more. THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM. ]

2a

[ateaist]

[It turns out talking to yourself is a great way to attract attention, apparently. During Anna's crisis over socially appropriate greetings a figure approaches, the side of her face visible marked with an obvious curiosity.]

Howdy? [She's never heard that greeting before...it's quaint though.] You're overthinking it, you know.

[sommer]

Hey, first impressions are important! Not that I... not that I'm off to a great start, heh. Maybe I should've found my mask, or... the other half of yours.

[ Can't make a fool of yourself if you're anonymous! Also, that mask looks pretty cool. ]

2b

[yaoihand]

[ He was actually trying his best to stay out of the paths of the dancing ballroom guests, but in doing so, his scaly hand goes smacking right into Anna, and ... disaster occurs.

Kija's immediately alerted to the sound of spluttering and coughing. ] M-My apologies! Are you all ri -- You're choking?! [ OH GOD. He has NO IDEA what to do in this situation. Kija starts to flail about too, trying his best to understand her. He's not medically trained in any way, and he's never had to deal with this kind of situation! ]

W-Will a punch to the stomach help?! [ In his mind, a punch might dislodge the food from her throat??? Like a botched heimlich maneuver?? In response to his words, his hand seems to grow on its own in anticipation, nails sharpening and gleaming.

i wanted to give you a princely tag and charm anna but idk what happened i'm sorry ]

[sommer]

Aaaahhhgfhakfg--

[ In the middle of trying not to choke to death, here's a man with some kind of dragon hand offering to punch Anna in the stomach, to which her natural response is to scream and kick him in the nuts.

She would have aimed for his head but he's not as small as Olaf, sorry. ]

2b

[burnmydread]

[ No one can blame her for liking chocolate. Really, they're both by the food for a good reason. And who doesn't love a full on desert display with a chocolate fondue fountain included? Minato has already raided most of the savory sides, so now it's time for sweets. Distracted as he is in his own pursuit of food, he doesn't notice that there's someone in his way as he's moving to snatch a few (tons) of fudge to his left.

Whoops?

One second there's a cute girl next to him and the next she's doing some sort of interpretive dance. ]

...Huh?

[ Oh, she wants his drink? Er--]

--that's--

[ Something of an local take on Irish coffee. That is fresh. And hot. Very hot... ]

[sommer]

[ Too late bro, Anna has already grabbed the coffee and wastes no time consuming it. As soon as the hot drink makes contact with her lips, however, she throws the cup out of an open window and falls on her knees.

Thankfully the shock of burning herself is enough to force a massive cough that clears up her airways. ]

--ohhmygod, who put lava in a that cup...! [ WHEEZE. ]

2A.

[rememberher]

[ "Howdy?" Standing behind the other girl, Lux giggles a bit. Politely. Behind her hand. She's not laughing at you, Anna, she's laughing with you. ]

I believe "hello" typically works well in situations like this, but I could be wrong.

[sommer]

You mean like, "hello, I have no idea what sort of situation like this has happened to anyone ever" because this place is definitely foreign to me.

...Hello!

--oh hey, that actually works! Sorry, I didn't mean to... sound weird or anything. T-Trust me, I'm as ordinary as they get!

[ Yeah right, Anna. ]

wildcard, i hope this is okay!

[sediments]

[ There's a table that gets set up halfway through the night near the exit, filled up with a towering display of small, cute bags of shimmering paper that reveal the yummy contents of the cookies and chocolates inside. They're party favours, for all the esteemed guests that had come to visit. These are the simplest of the favours, and there are grander gifts that will be handed out by the staff later of course. But for now, a majestic tower of cute bags.

This is where Bolin is having a problem. In his party fever, he knocked right into one of the decorations close to the table: a large and elegant tree, surrounded by floating glowing lights. It's unfortunate placement really, so of course the trajectory of that decoration would be the lovely tower of party favours if not—

If not for Bolin! Bolin, who manages to catch the tree right in the time!!

And is not leaning so far back to hold the tree that he can't move one way or the other. Please ]

Help!

more than okay! (i forgot to include a wildcard option oops)

[sommer]

I got it!!

[ Anna runs up to the scene, only to realize that... she doesn't know what she's supposed to do. Time for small-talk as she thinks of a way out of this, quickly scanning her surroundings while also trying to keep an eye on him. ]

I'm guessing that's not your dance partner, huh? [ Yeah, try to make the man laugh, good start. ]

2b

[dilemmic]

[ But that's her glass of root beer.......

It's also very full. This might result in a wardrobe mishap. ]

[sommer]

[ But is it the alcoholic kind? Either way, Anna chugs some of it down, while the rest of it spills around her face and down to her dress. ]

Than-- [ BURP ] --s-sorry. Wow, that's... it's kinda gross. I mean, thank you!! I'm so sorry!

[ What did she just drink?? ]

2b

[accoutered]

[ everyone here is thirsty.

and while bishamon is a little hesitant to hand over her flute of champagne to someone who looks... a bit too young and inexperienced to handle it, she also doesn't want the poor girl to choke or anything. and so after a simple moment of hesitation, the woman in the sharp black suit will quietly hand her glass over, brows knitting in concern.

once the younger woman has downed the alcohol, bishamon will venture a tentative, ]

Better...?

2b

[quaria]

[ Ah... Setsuna sure witnessed all of that unfold. Poor girl, poor NPC-kun. As the girl flails in front of the dessert buffet, choking, the NPC-kun meanwhile falls to the floor after the girl's plate of chocolates fly and land right on his head. He seems to have been knocked out.

The guy can't be recognized because of the mask he's wearing, and all that chocolate fondue surrounding the rest of his face. Not that it matters. The maids and butlers smoothly gather around, and then proceeds to carry him somewhere to clean him and the floor up. Within just a few seconds, it's as if nothing happened.

Well, the girl is still flailing and choking. Now in front of him. ]

Um...

[ He only has a glass of milk on hand... He hopes the girl isn't allergic to it. Well, if she's eating that much chocolate, it probably should be all right. And so, Setsuna holds it out towards her. ]

2b

[avantguard]

[ You caught her at a bad time.

Asuna is by the pastel mallows in a dress that looks more bird than cloth (what the fuck) so when Anna finds her she has chocolate on her cheek and marshmallow in her mouth.

She can't talk either, the fluff gluing her teeth together. What is happening...

Drink? Does she want a drink?? UM. Sorry she doesn't have one SHE LOOKS APOLOGETIC ]

2a

[timetogetdown]

"Hi" sounds fine to me, Anna.

[He'd been to fancy dress parties before. He'd tried sounding polite and educated, and generally hadn't had a lot of luck with it. He couldn't recommend it.]

It's a party, not a verbal minefield. The more you think about what you're saying, the more trouble you're in.

wildcard

[rollin]

[ Before Anna can waltz into the balcony with handfuls of pralines and chocolate truffles, Yata grabs Anna by the wrist and pulls her behind the drapery with him. Goodbye, chocolates. ]

Shh!

[ There are VIPs out there and he wants to listen. ]

2a

[chronosynthesis]

... Hello! [She may or may not be talking to him directly (or... anyone directly), but he'll acknowledge her. Looking bemused.] You said your name is Anna?