boardmaster: (Default)
BOARDMASTER ([personal profile] boardmaster) wrote in [community profile] pawnstorm2016-09-07 10:15 am

intro ♚ september

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!
youknowshesgone: (And You Think That)

[personal profile] youknowshesgone 2016-09-13 03:35 am (UTC)(link)
Willa came out, feeling about as comfortable in her uniform as that dress she had for when she's in court. Trying to look pretty, and normal, and not like a criminal. Hated it.

"So... was this land magical before or after you started drinking this morning?" Willa didn't like being at a disadvantage, so she tried to carve whatever advantage she could. This meant making things hard for them and trying to keep things going. "Wait, they kidnap us then arm us?"
interchained: (Everything I touch)

[personal profile] interchained 2016-09-13 04:29 pm (UTC)(link)
"Before," if he had any doubts, now he was absolutely sure that it was going to be a long morning. "What he said is true."

To prove it, Gilbert flicked his fingers to make a small sphere of fire appear above his index finger. As the time passed, it grew bigger, until it reached the size of a tennis ball.

"I know it sounds bizarre, but that's it...more or less. We arrive here, get weapons and fight for them or are made to fight for them," he ended with a shrug and turned his attention back to the food. "If you want to eat, feel free. There's plenty."
sakeplz: (Arm Candy)

[personal profile] sakeplz 2016-09-14 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
Munching on toast, he let Gilbert show an example before murmuring some words which caused a glittering butterfly to appear. It moved around the room, fluttered over to her, then flew back to him to land on his finger before it disappeared in a shower of sparkles.

"If you don't trust Gi-chan's food there's a cafeteria for the Heroes with free food. Or you can go out to eat at the restaurants. But Gi-chan's cooking is delicious so I'd recommend it."

He took a sip of sake then continued. "You're stuck here in this world but not in this room. You can really go just about anywhere as long as you show up to fight for Blanc when you're called."
youknowshesgone: (Answer my Call)

[personal profile] youknowshesgone 2016-09-16 07:03 am (UTC)(link)
Willa believes in the spirits, and that there is more to the world than what most believe. However her reaction to actual evidence of magic is to not believe it. Because she also knows that these things can be done with a mix of monkeybusiness and creative use of technology. She tried to cover her surprise at the displays with her usual mask of anger and teenage resentment to modest success.

"Whoever decided I was the right person to fight their war should get fired," Willa stalked over and grabbed up a few items of food. Not really a sign of trusting them, more than she trusted some public cafeteria less. Poisoning only certain items on a set of plates like that seemed like too much work when they could have just drugged her while she was out.

"And you two are just okay with this?"
interchained: (Darkness everywhere)

[personal profile] interchained 2016-09-16 07:19 am (UTC)(link)
"Their decisions are the most bizarre, I agree...but there's nothing we can do about it, really," As much as he'd like to, it wasn't that easy. "The worst thing is, they punish you if you neglect your duties."

At that part, Gilbert winced in disgust. Maybe he wasn't just best hero material.

"Not really, but as I said, there's nothing we can do...and it's not like we can go back home, anyway."
sakeplz: (Don't You Wanna Play?)

[personal profile] sakeplz 2016-09-20 08:56 am (UTC)(link)
"I do need to be with my saniwa but I'm finding what good I can in this situation. Besides, I'm afraid that being thrust into a purpose and used for that is what swords are made for to begin with."

Remember when he said he was a sword? That was still very much a thing.

"They do punish you though. One time Gi-chan was turned into a girl for a few days for failing something."
youknowshesgone: (And now I've Won)

[personal profile] youknowshesgone 2016-09-23 11:00 am (UTC)(link)
"At least they know how to play the power game when they kidnap people." So you play by their rules or bad things happen, and bad things were weird here. Not really what she wanted to hear. Of course that guy was still talking like he was a sword, but given he was either hungover or drunk she didn't give him more thought on that.

"...Did his being a girl screw up your relationship at all?" She didn't know if they were a thing, but she wanted to see what happened if she said it. Reactions are good for gathering information.
interchained: (Isn't dark enough)

[personal profile] interchained 2016-09-23 05:05 pm (UTC)(link)
She was going to get some great reactions from Gilbert, that was for sure. His jaw dropped when Jiroutachi casually told her something that he wasn't ever supposed to tell anyone and for long seconds he couldn't even spit out a single word.

"JIROUTACHI?! WHY DID YOU...?!"

He had a feeling that he wasn't going to survive this morning. Not with Jirou revealing stuff so carelessly. Needless to say that Willa's question didn't make things any easier for him.

"What?! You believe him now?!" She had been skeptic about the whole magic thing just a while ago...why this had to be his life.
sakeplz: (Here You Go!)

[personal profile] sakeplz 2016-09-24 11:05 am (UTC)(link)
"We weren't a couple at that time actually. Though I'd say it didn't since we are now."

He gave her a wink then actually offered her a cup of sake. Because she was the new roommate so she obviously deserved to have a chance to have a drink too.

"Drink?"
youknowshesgone: (And You Think That)

[personal profile] youknowshesgone 2016-09-24 11:39 am (UTC)(link)
"I didn't before you freaked out." It was hard for her to argue magic was real, two demonstrations she could argue were stunts. But his reaction to what the lush said? That just felt far too genuine to be anything but mortified by the truth.

And then the guy offered her a drink. Which she couldn't place as the creepy uncle or the fun uncle offering you a drink. But Willa didn't drink, so it hardly mattered. She just leveled a 'are you kidding me' glance on him and went back over to her bed to sit and eat.

"So magic is real, I've been kidnapped to be a child soldier, and they expect me to be a hero." Nothing about that felt good to say, and she'd do her best to undermine it all if given the chance. "I'm Willa, since I guess I'm stuck with you two for the moment."

She'd wait for later to try to snoop around. She was still feeling a little... off, so she didn't trust herself to pick their pockets. Well, Gilbert's pocket, anyway.
interchained: (What you can be)

[personal profile] interchained 2016-09-25 08:45 am (UTC)(link)
Who would have thought that his freaking out could be used as a proof. One thing was certain, he didn't. And then, just like it was a normal thing, Jirou offered her a cup of alcohol. Well, Gilbert knew that Jirou couldn't be simply bound by the time—early morning or not, every time was perfect for booze.

"Don't..." Apparently, there's no need for him to intervene. That much was clear once he noticed Willa's glance. "As for those things..you're not wrong."

Gilbert shrugged, nothing really could be done about all this, "Willa it is...welcome to Blanc. You should have a look around the Hall of Glory and get your weapon soon, I suppose."
sakeplz: (Caught With The Booze)

[personal profile] sakeplz 2016-09-28 02:12 am (UTC)(link)
He simply shrugged and went back to sipping at his drink. They didn't want any then it was more for him! He was perfectly happy with tha...

"Child? You're a child?"

Forgive him. He had a lot of trouble recognizing ages for people when sword age appearances were quite different from that of humans. After all, the tantous all looked like children but actually happened to be older than him. Which was why he was blinking now as he looked at her. No point in trying to figure out how old she was though, he knew he'd never guess that.