intro ♚ december

[boardmaster]

WELCOME TO POLGAR

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 ♟ My Anaconda Don’t

Brace yourselves, Heroes, for Prime Minister Teddy has a special announcement for you today. It’ll be delivered either via carrier or mechanical pigeon.

	Woman? Hello, Heroes! Hmm? Who am I? If I don’t tell you who you are, you’re calling the police? Ahaha, no need to be so hasty!
	Thierry Toussaint It’s me, Teddy! The prime minister. This might be overwhelming for the new arrivals, but we need everyone’s help for this mission. Have you heard of the Alfersa? They’re a proud warrior race that live in Polgar. They’re said to be blessed by the goddess Gladia since they’re naturally strong, sensitive to mana, and skilled in combat. I guess they’re pretty much like our Knights? Without the magical talent, of course. We’re hoping they’ll lend us a hand in protecting Blanc. The Alfersa are distrustful of men, so negotiations have been difficult… Now that the Gladia Games are underway, I’m hoping to meet some beautiful women—I mean, recruits! It’s a recruitment drive, after all! Right, Alex?
	Alexandre Verdoni Prime Minister, I don’t know what possessed you to think your ridiculous ideas will actually work, but please refrain from making a scene at the Games.
	Thierry Toussaint Ah, ah. [ waves a finger at ] It’s not Prime Minister. It’s Zeed Stun, an enigmatic beauty from the East! Alex, come with us!
	Alexandre Verdoni No. Please refrain from making transparent aliases undercover. Heroes, the Alfersans have an extremely matriarchal society. The Prime Minister recommends that you follow his example to fall in their leader’s good graces, but I personally find it unnecessary. Stand tall, be proud, and may Gladia bless you on your journey. Oh, and… dress light. Get some sunscreen.

You’ll be given time to prepare before heading out. This is when you decide if you’ll follow after PM Teddy’s example or not. He has provided a generous number of colorful dresses to choose from. Unsure of how to pull off a good look? Ask your fellow Heroes or the maids and butlers of Hall of Glory for assistance.

Once you’ve made it safely to Polgar, you’ll be greeted with a feast for the eyes. A procession appears to be underway with several nubile women dancing to the beat of drums. For every pause in the drumming, anklets fill the air with a sweet, chiming sound. Leading the parade are scantily-clad shrine maidens. Should you happen to stumble too close, you will be greeted with an icy stare. Waiting at the end of the road is the matriarch of the Alfersans…

	Thierry Toussaint O Gracious One, I am Zeed Stun. Today, I am here to show you the dance of my people—
	??? You have a snake.
	Thierry Toussaint I’m sorry?
	??? You have [ grabs between his legs ] a snake.
	Thierry Toussaint Guh!
	??? [ in one fluid motion, the woman smears Teddy’s makeup off and makes him her personal footrest. for the first time since the Heroes’ arrival, she smiles. ] … Oh, praise Gladia. So these are the Heroes She said I would meet. I am Diana Serpente, Queen of the Alfersa, Lady of the Serpents, and head priestess of Gladia’s temple. Gladia has been telling me all about you. Ever since you put the soul of my ancestor to rest, I’ve been thinking of a way to repay you. After receiving this [ digs her heels into Teddy’s back ] pitiful man’s request, I should have known it all along… Lending you our strength was the answer.
	Thierry Toussaint Thank y—ugh!!
	Diana Serpente [ steps off Teddy… ] However, we don’t help just anyone. What’s friendship… [ lifts the chin of the nearest female Hero ] without a little intimacy? The Gladia Games are underway. I invite you all to join us in the festivities! Before we fight, let us make merry in the name of Gladia!

As you walk around Polgar, you’ll lay eyes on the various shops, with those specialized in weapons and armor the most renowned and high quality of them all. Female Heroes are in luck as they will receive discounts. Male Heroes will have to pay the regular price regardless of what they look like. However, those who didn’t decide to look pretty for the occasion will find a much increased price tag. If you’re in desperate need of colle, these shops will let you polish and arrange their merchandise for a decent wage.

TWO ♟ It’s a Jungle Out There

As per tradition, everyone participating in the Gladia Games must hunt down the monsters near the city. It is believed that Gladia herself sends them a different beast each year. This year, giant spiders crawl dangerously close to Polgar’s outskirts. Bring parts of the spider back to the city as proof of your skill and valor. Those who kill fifteen or more spiders win ONE of these fabulous prizes: one high quality weapon or armor, their very own pet anaconda or a night with Teddy!

In the Polgarian jungles, the humid air is thick with blood. Ferns and heavy branches covered in thick moss make the area difficult to navigate. Reedy sunlight filters in through the trees. You have a feeling that you are being watched… In fact, venomous snakes might jump out of the underbrush! Should you get bitten, have another Hero heal or help you suck out the venom. But don’t get distracted; danger looms from above as well. Like in the forests between Caissa and Petrosian, leafy vines are prone to descending and embracing Heroes rather intimately.

Heroes who have paid a visit to Salamanca Temple back in the day might recognize the spider nests once they’ve found them. These arachnids the size of a car will leap very high into the air and scuttle between branches to camouflage themselves during the battle. Some might even spin a cocoon for you until they come back to snack on you later. Avoid getting bitten—their venom can render you numb and unintelligible.

Kill the spiders and take down the nests, but remember: no one wants a forest fire. Safety first!

THREE ♟ Light and Sweet, Hot and Heavy

The Alfersans will welcome you back once you return to Polgar and are happy to take the spider parts off your hands. You didn’t forget to bring them with you, did you?

The festivities are now in full swing! Heroes, hit the streets for the citywide party! Large trays with food are being passed around as Alfersans view the close sharing of food as an act of camaraderie. It is customary for men to feed the women by hand. Yes, with their fingers. Alfersans will also encourage Heroes to join their dances, and some will keep dancing in front of you until you agree. As it turns out, dancing together actually only means holding hands and taking a jovial stroll around the shrines. You should be light on your feet and stay in rhythm, but the ritual isn’t too difficult.

Dancing may be good for the soul but your feet can only carry you so long until you are tired. Why not check into one of the many resorts? Or check out the far more numerous high-class brothels? Or perhaps you’d rather spend a relaxing day at the hot springs, spas or restaurants? The hot springs in particular are quite special here, as they are heated by the kiss of molten hot magma, blessed by Gladia herself. They possess healing properties, yes, but more curiously, if you happen to soak in the warmth for too long, you may start to feel a bit… virile.

INFO ♟ Welcome!

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

Comments

[sunderings]

I will have you know that I contested fifteen giant arachnids over the course of the day, and despite the trials of the Gladia Games, I remained wholly unscathed. [ The harness? Discarded, the leather falling atop the ledge of rock and left for dead as Alice sees fit to shove him, and rather than simply flow along with the motion, Sion offers a bit of resistance (in play) bracing himself the (show of affection) impact such that—for once—he is not caught off guard; he does not sway. ] Worry not, my Lady, for I am able to look after myself, but...

[ As she leans against him, he is unable to resist the idea of looping a protective arm about her middle, holding her to him in an expression of gentleness; of love. She hasn't yet recovered from their venture to Gisela Palace, this he knows, but he finds himself at a loss for how he might reassure her, save for with warmth, with the security of shared proximity which is still so very new to them both. ]

...you will have me for the rest of the night, the whole of tomorrow, and the day after that. This, I promise you.

[ For the beasts threatening the citizens of Polgar have been laid to rest by both himself and others, and festivities are in full swing—though it is distant, the sounds of music and merriment waft to the hotsprings by way of a warm breeze, and it is heartening to know that the locals are at ease enough to celebrate the victories they've shared with the Heroes. ]

Have you taken part in the celebration? I have been told that there is a ritual involving the touring of the local temples and shrines.

[digophelia]

[ Resting her head atop of his shoulders, Alice peers down at the water in curiosity, almost tempted to stick her hand in it and see how warm it is for herself. About the only thing Alice can say in response to him is let out a sigh. She wants to protest his assurances that he can look after himself. Alice has no doubts about it, but- ]

Fifteen? That's a bit excessive.

[ As if she has any room t criticize him in that regard. Alice being notorious for taking on too much at once. Even when overwhelmed, she's never backed down from a fight. She knows Sion has nothing to prove, only that he's an ambitious man. It's as much as a positive and attractive quality as much as it's an infuriating one. Still, the smallest gestures offer some degree of comfort -- for the small parts of grief she's familiar with. Her deep-rooted fears and feelings, however, are another story. She's now reminded of the possibility of Sion being harmed again.

Not all of those feelings she can address and they continued to be bottled up. One day, they'll spill over, on the worst ways. For now, Alice seems calm, not once recoiling. ]

It didn't seem like it was very interesting to partake in it alone. [ She confesses easily. For Alice, large gatherings are too much and she prefers ones with small groups of people, people she knows. But at least she's wandered out on her own, to some degree. ]

I've been to one temple, briefly. I can't say I care for spiders. I must confess, however, this place- well. I don't think I like it as much as the other places we've been to. Maybe I need to see more of it, with someone else. [ Whether or not it's Sion, someone else alongside her will make her feel more at ease. That part seems to have not changed in Alice, not since Capablanca. ]

[sunderings]

Fifteen, to secure for myself the prize of an audience with the Prime Minister.

[ Excessive? It is a good word, and ambitious is another—perhaps both might be applied to Sion's motivations for choosing to so brazenly pursue the spiders which lurked in the jungle's deep. But as culling the beasts protected the civilians of Polgar, so too had it been freeing, in a way, satisfying something within Sion himself which sang one song, one story as old as the worlds of Enprise and Menoris both. Though this is something which he will never speak of, much like Alice who knows not how to voice the feelings which Sion can only begin to perceive through the link of their mana, the bonds of energy forming from the way they linger together, Alice's head a grounding weight as it rests against his shoulder.

Shifting slightly, he glances down at her, bends so that he might press a kiss against the crown of her hair—they are the only two who have chosen to patron the hotsprings at the moment, the rest of the Heroes partaking in the festivities, so...

It should be all right, shouldn't it, to chance this one bit of affection...?

Smiling, he pulls back up and away, a thoughtful expression crossing his face: ]

Or shall I say Zeed Stun, for that is the name he has adopted since our deployment to Polgar.

[ And it is a rather curious name at that, one which inspires the soft beginnings of a laugh from Sion. ]

In any case, will you rest with me here for a time? The water is quite warm, and after we've had our fill of it, we can join the celebration.

[ A slow lean forward— ] Here.

Allow me to help with your shoes, my Lady. [ For he'd discarded his heels long ago, casting them aside atop the rocks. ] It is the very least I can do after you freed me from that foe of a harness.

[digophelia]

[ The way she looks up at him, her eyes growing wide in mild surprise. Alice feels comfortable enough that her posture, for once, could be considered a little lazy. It's not the same tense, rigid posture she always carries. ]

Secure an audience with the Prime Minister...? May I ask for what?

[ She's curious, as always, wondering what could possibly be discussed between the both of them. Or if the Prime Minister would be serious enough at all for an audience. Alice wondered many things, like what he would act like, if he was just that eccentric, or if he really did at all cared for the Heroes. While Sion finds the name humorous, Alice makes a sour expression. ]

What a ridiculous name.

[ Then again, she thought it so purely learning about the spiders of Polgar. But then Sion offers to help her with her shoes, something that Alice seems unsure of. Shoes aren't a major article of clothing, but they're still an article of clothing. This may be the only thing Alice offers some mild protest. She shifts herself so that she's not entirely curled up against him, pausing, looking at the water and then back to him. ]

I couldn't quite possibly- [ She's not sure what to make of the offer, torn between confused and mildly flustered. In that case, Alice holds out a finger to Sion. ]

I shall only put my feet in the water, I'm not going in it completely. I'm hardly dressed for the water.

[ Anything else would be simply immodest and fortunately for him, she's not wearing her boots, the red shoes that were given to her none other than by Teddy himself. ]