intro ♚ september

[boardmaster]

WELCOME TO Grantebrycge

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 ♟ Video Killed The Radio Star

Rise and shine, Heroes. It seems that today is filled with good fortune as the morning is very uneventful, aside from the monthly arrival of new comrades. This is the perfect time to grab your weapon, Carrier and uniform and use your time to look around Caissa. While exploring or catching up on the latest gossip, you might blow past the delivery carriages outside of the Hall of Glory, but you certainly won’t be missing the steampunk televisions and vending machines which will be set up around noon time by your lovely maids and butlers! The TVs are placed in every single bedroom as well as leisure rooms so you can enjoy your daily fix of popular cooking show Inferno Kitchen, primetime Cheoksan drama Summer Cantata or the Gammonian hit series Sport of Crowns! The vending machines can be found in the hallways and contain snacks and drinks such as canned mackin’ cheese (or as Noirs like to call it, Lovekraft Supper), Pooky, Cpt. Pepperoni, Mountin' Do, or Eight Up. You are free to come up with your own TV show or vending machine food items.

Thierry Toussaint My dearest Heroes! I hope today finds you well, and for once I bring good news! [ he laughs a little sheepishly. he’s dressed less formally than in previous somber declarations and his hair looks windblown, like he ran here ] As you well know, our recent victories and mostly importantly, a successful alliance with Gammon has brought no small amount of blessings: we have more resources, better manpower, and the invaluable help of our Gammonian colleagues not just in war, but also in advancing our civilization! And so it is my pleasure to unveil our new and improved broadcast technology— [ a pause, where he winks ] —do I look clearer to you? It’s a little harder to tell from this end, I’m afraid. You’ll be able to receive better, brighter and more varied content from our country’s talented producers. Oh… [ another, longer pause. teddy looks offscreen and then laughs ] I’m not getting paid for this, I promise. I don’t need any other motivation to be excited for my country, do I? In addition to the television programs, we will be helping with the release of newly developed vending machine technology that brings fresh and healthy snacks to the streets of our capital, and hopefully, beyond. It would be nice to have one for my office. I’ve mentioned our Gammonian friends, haven’t I? And I’ve saved the best for last: as a token of the friendship between our countries and all that we can do for each other, Gammon has assisted us in completing Platform 40— … 42 and 5/8ths, an instantaneous portal between our very own Caissa and Cochrane. I look forward to even more cultural and commercial exchange from all the way across the Rokirovka Ocean! And ah, speaking of exchange—the Platform has been completed just in time for you, dear Heroes. Gammon has actually extended another invitation to you: as national and international icons and users of magic, they would like you to visit their school of magecraft, Pigeonsblood, in Grant— Grant… [ … ] You will be able to reach the school easily through the Platform! Pigeonsblood’s Headmaster has assured me that you would be a great inspiration to their incoming class of aspiring mages; I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity. Gammon’s knowledge and mastery of magic, as you may have seen during your previous visits, is nothing to take lightly! And if you like what you see, I’m told Gammon would be happy to sponsor classes for Heroes at the school. I’m sure they want to keep the inspiration flowing, hm? Thank you once again, all of you, for making such wonderful things possible. I’m sure your achievements will continue to open doors, both metaphorically and literally, for Blanc and for yourselves.

Meet up with your chums, old and new, and head over to Caissa’s train station. Once there, locating the Platform 42 and 5/8ths is an easy feat. There are two guards standing watch and they will stop curious civilians from sneaking past them. They will only let Heroes use the Platform and as such require proof of identification. A Hero’s uniform, rank badge or a passport identifying yourself as such should do the trick. As the platform functions as one of Gammon’s checkpoints, you will need to pay a small fee of 200 colle to pass. Should you be a new arrival, the Prime Minister will suddenly show up and pay the fee.

Where’s the portal, you might ask? Take a deep breath, walk through the wall between the guards and you’ll find yourself in Cochrane! Heroes might experience some sudden vertigo or a near insatiable hunger for pork. Very minor side effects vary from person to person.

In order to reach Grantebrycge, Heroes must travel from Cochrane to Friedgood and then a little ways further. They are free to make this journey by foot, mount or train. Directions to Grantebrycge are vague but you can’t miss the landmark of the Great Face Cliff, a monument depicting the faces of the towns’s founding members. Poobin and Cemron seem especially stern as they glare down at anyone who dares to visit.

TWO ♟ Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

Upon entering Grantebrycge, Heroes will be immediately be ambushed by swarms of eager students from Pigeonsblood’s welcoming committee. This committee consists of upperclassmen from each of the Four Branches - Achroite, Prehnite, Bixbite, and Citrine, and they are dressed in uniforms in their Branch color (pictured here in the Bixbite red). Officially, they’re here to help you learn more about Pigeonsblood, give you a tour of the campus, and show you what each Branch can offer you so that you can make an educated decision about which to enroll in. Unofficially, they’re there to try to talk you into enrolling into their particular Branch and some will ramble on about how their Branch is the best while others fight amongst each other to try to get your attention.

Once the tour is finished, the committee will lead Heroes to the administration building. There, they’ll part with you to attend to other duties, leaving you with a reminder to head to the center plaza in an hour for the freshman orientation party. Heroes can enroll in classes if they so choose and have made a decision as to which Branch is the best for them. It’s recommended as it’s free, courtesy of Gammon. If they enroll in classes, they will receive their class schedule, a permit for a uniform, and a key to their dorm room. Head to the university shops later to have them take your measurements!

NOTE: The rooming and class schedule are up to player discretion. If there is an official mission the professors will allow an absence - Heroes can’t save the world if they’re worrying about their GPA, after all!

For those who choose to not enroll in Pigeonsblood, they can explore the campus some more, but either way make sure to head down to the central plaza before the party!

THREE ♟ The Part Where They Rope You in with Free Food

Stepping into the center plaza puts you in the middle of excited back-to-school buzz. Several event booths line the plaza, all eager to get your attention. Some will try to recruit you to their school club. Others are simply there to provide information, such as maps of the school and information about the Four Branches. Still others get even more specific, headed by banners marked “THE TOTAL IDIOT'S GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL ACADEMY LIFE” and “GUIDE TO HAPPINESS: HOW TO NOT DIE DURING EXAMS”. A few generous booths will provide you with free food like “Splotted Richard” or “Bangers and Mash” to fill your tummy, as well as school merchandise, such as Branch-specific pens, face paint, flyswatters, and other bits of merchandise.

If those don't get your attention, the freshmen running your way definitely will. They're beyond excited to see a Hero among their ranks, and approach you eagerly, yelling things such as, “Did you enroll? Let's do our best together!”, “You're my inspiration! I hope we're classmates!” and “Please let me know if you need a tutor! I wouldn't mind…” Thankfully, their enthusiasm is brought to a stop by the welcoming committee, who make their way to the center plaza and hush the excited freshmen. After a heartwarming speech about youth and school spirit, the committee flashes their new classmates a bright smile and finishes with: “And now, it's time for some fun!”

What do they mean by fun? The freshmen are more than eager to demonstrate! Aside from the fun offered at the various booths, there are many magic games to partake in. There's “Splash Tag,” where players must use water magic in lieu of touch to play tag, “Air Races,” in which racers use psionic, gravity, or wind magic to boost their movement, “Hot Potato,” in which the temperature of the potato is increased with each pass until it explodes on the loser, and Illusion-based Pictionary.

A few steps away from the commotion, near where the welcoming committee made their speech, is a tall bulletin board. Various flyers are posted here-- club announcements, dating ads, tutoring offers, and of course, Pigeonsblood help wanted ads.

INFO ♟ Welcome!

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

Remember to check out the uniform contest for ranked Heroes!

Comments

[tailend]

[Okay, he's been smacked in the ass with a heavy bag. This isn't what he's expecting at all- in fact, he looks over his shoulder at the sound of her stuttering just seconds too late to avoid being smacked in the ass, and has time to sputter out something like "WAIT—" to no avail.

The force of the smack and the dumb way he's standing sticking his ass out send him stumbling forward, tripping on the bag of snacks, and down sprawling onto the ground.]

Ow... I didn't mean anything like that. [Now he's on the ground with his ass in the air, so give him a moment to turn and flop uselessly onto his back, tugging at his pants. The faint muttering of 'this time' is surely just a rustling of the wind. He would never. Anyway-]

—What gives, assaulting an innocent person in the street?! [innocent.]

[maidhem]

[Felicia is going to pretend she didn't hear his muttering-- or, maybe she really didn't at all with how focused she was on this singular problem that she was faced with.]

A person dropping their pants in public isn't that innocent, [she said pointedly.] That's indecent. You really should have more respect for yourself and the people around you!

[tailend]

[Is she just going to stand there and give him a hard time? What a brat. Favaro scoffs, shoving himself upright and swiping her bag off the ground as he gets to his feet. That'll leave a mark, falling like that...]

There's no shame in it, lady. No shame in having a look, either, but usually the girls don't throw things at me to get a peek.

[maidhem]

I'll have you know that I didn't want a 'peek'. It's unseemly to-- to do that in public!

[Her cheeks flushed floridly even with her stern words-- she was a woman with tame sensibilities, and one who firmly believed that such activities should be kept somewhere private!]

I can help you if you need healing once I figure out the magic in this place, but that's all-- I can't protect you or your honor if you keep doing things like this!

[tailend]

[Ha ha oh wow, a real live little lady. Favaro sees that flush and he is amused, taking a few steps toward her and leaning minutely closer with his hand on his hip, the other one holding her bag over his shoulder. Hmmmm.]

My honor, huh? My lady, you already took a swing at it!

[His ass is his honor. Maybe.]

[maidhem]

[If anything, she stood taller under the man's gaze, her back straight and the high heels of her shoes dug into the dirt as she matched him with equal stubbornness.]

I don't know what you're talking about-- that was hardly anything that anyone would find honorable.]

[Were they in Hoshido or Nohr, the man would have noticed the ambient temperature slowly plummeting. Fortunately, they were in Caissa, and the hoarfrost in her veins had thawed enough to be useless.]

[tailend]

[Yeah, well- he's taller, so there!! He's still here and talking to her because she hasn't wilted out of the conversation, at least. That's kind of interesting!]

Says you. Maybe I'l do it again, just to be sure!

[His hand... is going again for his belt... stop him.]

[maidhem]

You can keep those snacks if you will stop doing that!

[Felicia hid her face now and turned away, not wanting to catch yet another unpleasant sight-- she already felt like she was scarred for life!]

[tailend]

[Whoa, really?? He stops almost immediately, looking at the bag over his shoulder instead.]

No kidding? What'd you fill this with? It hurt like hell, just so you know!

[maidhem]

Those cute sweet cakes from those strange machine, and some bottles of tea,

[she replied, completely serious.]

But the sweet cakes are probably crushed by now, no thanks to you. I can never show them to Lord Corrin or Jakob now.

[tailend]

[BOTTLES of TEA!! Bottles!!]

You hit me with a bunch of bottles?! Are you serious? [Ah, he's ignoring the terribly tragic crushing of the sweet cakes... Not even his ass got to enjoy those because he was hit with bottles.

He shrugs the bag off his shoulder to look inside, fishing immediately for one of these tea bottles.] I should dump this out right here...

[maidhem]

No!

[Felicia dove for him now, trying to grab the bag from him.]

If you're going to waste it, then I'll keep it! There's nothing good or kind about wasting good tea!

[tailend]

[Whoa, hello! He steps back quickly, holding the bag just out of reach.]

Ah ah ah, you just gave them to me! Are you going back on your word already? Where's the honor in that?

[they are just snacks]

[maidhem]

There's even less honor in throwing them away!

[She's standing on the tips of her toes now, trying to make a grab for that bag...!]

I'm a maid in a castle, I don't like watching people waste food!

[tailend]

[Oh, a maid? But she acts like the little lady of the house all on her own! Huh.]

I'll hand over the tea, but the cakes are mine. How's that for a deal?

[Who cares if they're a little smushed? Cake is cake.]

[maidhem]

[Her true political situation was far more complicated, but she also had very prim and proper moral standards-- after all, a maid in a royal castle couldn't be anything less.]

As long as you eat them and not throw them away, [she said, dropping her arms and her gaze with a tired sigh.] Someone somewhere must have worked very hard to make them, and I feel bad for letting their work get messed up like that.

[tailend]

[They're just cakes... He looks down at the bag to hide how he rolls his eyes, fishing out the cakes and thrusting the bag with the tea bottles left back at her.]

I'm throwing in the bag in honor of your sad story, so here. Someone worked real hard to let you throw that at me.

[maidhem]

Well, if you hadn't....uhm, exposed yourself, then nothing would have been thrown!

[But she gladly accepts the bag and the bottles of tea, pertly bobbing her head in gratitude.]

But thank you for letting me have the tea and the bag back-- I really want to show my Lord these fascinating things, if he hasn't seen them already.

[tailend]

Who's never seen a bottle of tea before?

[Like, honestly... He's already ripping open one of these slightly squashed cake's packaging and taking a huge bite. Not bad for smacking him to the ground.]

[maidhem]

I haven't before today, [She said, as if that were obvious.]

And I don't know how long those machines have been here, or how long my Lord has been here either. But they look really neat!

[tailend]

[It's just tea in a bottle...! These cakes wrapped in tiny hell packages are way weirder - of course, he's already shoved the rest of this one in his face and moved on to number two.]

Sure, sure. Nothing more exciting than a box that spits out food.

[maidhem]

A box with a window that spits out the food you asked for, [Felicia corrected, a pleased little smile on her face.]

They don't exist where I'm from, but I really wish they did!

[tailend]

Okay, okay... don't split hairs. [It's a box that spits food, whatever! He could make a box that spits food easily, it's not impressive or anything. Not that he has tried, but still...]

They don't look that hard to put together, if you ask me.

[maidhem]

Maybe not, [Felicia said, eyeballing one of the bottles of tea as if to try to figure out how to open it. The little white cap on top had an arrow pointing around in a circle...]

But what about the insides? It has to be more than a box with a window and a drawer. Is there an invisible man in there pulling the drinks out or something?

[tailend]

[An invisible man... Sorry, he stops to laugh at that, covering his mouth so he doesn't wheeze out cake pieces. That's it, he's dead, cakes and invisible men have killed him. He's never seen a vending machine before himself, but if he had to guess—]

You can't be serious! [pfffFFFFF okay, okay. He's winding down from laughing.] It's probably mechanical.