pawnstorm | intro ♚ september

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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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She just gave him a look. Silly Ichigo, it was important! Also sorry, she can not stop being weird. It's kind of what she does.

Though his logic leap does make her lips quirk.]

No, it doesn't work like that. It seems to be random. Besides, I have a feeling you wouldn't want to be a King.

Kings have more mana, but they're easy to kill, and they're healers, not fighters.

[Which she has to remind the various kings in her life about. A lot. A LOT.]

[Let it go, let it go. She's just going to antagonize him further if he keeps pushing it, so he'll bite his tongue.

For the moment.]

That... makes a little sense. Kings in chess aren't very strong, they're meant to stay behind the front lines.

Wait, does that mean I should hope they make me a Queen?

[Because they're the most powerful, you see, but that does seem a little silly.]

[Smart thing good thing Ichigo. Because she likes playing with her toys.]

Mmhm. If you want to be strong in mana, you want to become a Queen. If you want to be strong physically, you become a knight.

There are a few male Queens around here, in case you're wondering.

[Yes, he's starting to get that impression. Being a toy is a high stress profession, he's finding.]

Sounds like I want to be a Knight, then. I don't really care about using magic, just give me enough mana to make my sword work, and I'm good.

[Finally, a goal to look forward to!]

[There might be some benefits to being a toy down the line, maybe...]

That figures. Then the only way to teach you is to hammer it into your skull?

[Well. This is going to be fun teaching him.]

[Not buying it!]

Hey! I'm not just some meathead, and besides, someone's gotta stand there and hold the line while the spell slingers do their thing.

[He'd call it basic video game theory, except he doesn't really play many games.]

Physical learner then?

[She's smirking at him, just a little.]

But your'e correct. That's why my rank exists to get hit. And knights are the heavy hitters.

You'd still do well with a spell or two.

Can't think of a better way to learn anything than getting hands on.

[And there's nothing wrong with that at all, no matter what her smirk may be saying.]

I'd have guessed you to be more into spells than getting beat on, but whatever you're good at.

Eh... seems like a waste of time. My sword's probably faster.

[She shrugs. Some people learn differently. But well, she's having fun teasing him a lot.]

I'm a woman of many talents. You'd be surprised what I can do.

[She smirks, and finally lets his hand go.]

But sometimes, you can save someone with flinging a spell then swinging your sword, or you can startle your opponent. Or you can ensure that someone doesn't die until you can get to them.

There's always a reason to have another weapon on hand, Ichigo Kurosaki.

[That's not very nice. He's a very honest and good boy, why would anyone want to tease him.]

If... you say so.

[He's not sure what that's supposed to mean, but it feels slightly ominous. Oh, hey, were they still touching fingers? He'd up and forgot about that, to the point where it feels odd now not doing the mana share thing.]

Yeah, I guess that's all true. [wow, so dismissive.] If I get the chance, I'll think about see what I can learn.

[And what's with calling him by his full name so much? It's usually total jerks in his life that do that.]

I don't really have the magic kind of mindset, I'd rather work with someone else that's good at it, but it looks like I'm going to have to learn a lot of crap I'm not into in this place.

[Because he's cute when he's all flustered? But yes, she also makes a mean mapo tofu. And her laundry folding? Is awesome.]

I'm sure you will. Maybe I'll have to see what happens when you're surprise attacked.

It might be good for you.

[Though it does feel like it would be difficult to do. And she does the miss the sensation of his mana, but that's fine.]

But you're going to have to learn a lot of what you're not into in the first place to survive. I've heard that high school is the same way.

[In any case, she motions for him to keep moving.]

But I've taught you enough to start. I promised you lunch, didn't I? Let's feed you.

[This right here is why he really needs to stop falling in with strange, mysterious women. He winds up getting in way over his head.]

I'm not that easy to surprise, but we'll see.

[He prides himself on his dumb instincts and ability to react to flatfootedness. Call him cocky if you must.]

High school is easy compared to this. Anyone that complains about it is just too lazy to crack a book open and start reading, it's a walk in the park compared to fighting for your life every other week.

[Sometimes he misses his life before everything got crazy. Sometimes. But okay, yes, he'll keep on walking.]

Did you? [He forgot already.] Yeah, alright, that sounds good. Um, where are we going?

[Short, weird women. His weakness.]

We'll see.

[But cocky or not, she moves on. She gives him a bit of a look though for the talk about high school, and her lips curl into a smirk.]

If that's what you say. But yes, I did promise you that. There's a place nearby that should be work. Ever had fish and chips?

[And tall, buxom ones. And all-around average ones. Let's face it, girls are the oil to his water.]

If we have to.

[Frankly, he's still hoping to be outta here before that becomes an issue. He squints at her smirk, but wisely chooses not to say anything while he trundles along at her heels.]

Fish and chips? Unless that means something other than fried fish and potatoes, then yeah, I've had it.

[Odd. Part of him was expecting some exotic and bizarre cuisine, but he'll take an old standby.]

[Basically.]

Mm.

[She's still amused with him, but she'll let it go. Sort of.]

It's just as you said, exactly that. The local food isn't the most adventurous, but the alcohol is good. Unless you don't want it, that's what we'll get.

If you want adventuresome cuisine, we'll see about getting you something in Blanc.

[Or on Airy, maybe.]

[Alcohol? Seriously? But he's so young and pure, why would she- oh, right.]

Get yourself some alcohol if you want. I'll stick with water.

[Adventuresome cuisine, though... it's a thing to consider carefully.]

Fish and chips is fine. What do you mean by 'adventuresome', though? Weird ingredients, or what?

[He's eaten Orihime's cooking. It takes work to faze him anymore.]

Water? If that's what you want.

[He's so pure. It's cute she's gonna push him in the dirt.]

Adventuresome as in...spices, ingredients. Take your pick. I'm sure we'll find something that you'll find far more interesting than fish and chips at a later time.

[It'll be fun. She likes a challenge.]

Or... juice, I guess.

[He's not ready for booze, sorry. Not unless someone's going to spike his drink, which she shouldn't.]

Oh. Yeah, maybe some other time. If you want me to learn magic then I guess this isn't the last time you'll be around.

[Waitaminute, he told her his name, but she still hasn't told him hers, has she?]

Juice then.

[She won't spike it...today. It'd be too predictable.]

But you are correct. Not unless you want to take lessons with someone else, and you would have to ask around. I haven't heard of other veterans teaching.

[Not for some time in fact. Pity. And...no, she has not. Did she forget? Or is waiting? Well, it's not the former.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

intro ♚ september

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