The Enchanted Maze Spring Ball '23

Interacting With: @Mahlioz Evethisawe-Open
Slightly mentioning: @Avery Leveret|@Lucia Fox

IC date: April 21, 2023
Dialogue: X

Outfit Image:

Reducio

Was it this way? Or was it that way? She swears that she had walked into the same dead end at least twice or thrice. Annoying, but she just laughed it off, finding it stupidly funny. Aside from that, after rounding one of the corners, she found herself greeted face to face by a massive wing although it does look beautiful, that much she admits. Funny incidents had already started and she wonders if the knight she saw wandering in the maze was an illusion or not. After a while of walking around herself, she paused, perhaps thinking if it was time to stop fooling around and actually try to get through the maze seriously. Then again, it was fun just to wander and encounter things she doesn’t expect in the maze. She stood there on the side of the path with crossed arms, watching as people come and go in front her. She doesn’t recognize most of the people she had seen, and with them in fancy dresses, suits and costumes, just made it harder for her. Then again, she wasn’t the best at remembering people’s faces if she had only met them once or twice and hadn't established a connection with them.

A voice made her head turn, finding herself staring at whoever called out to her. It was a girl with short and curly dark brown hair and with chocolate brown skin. Her costume looked quite cool in the young Gryffindor’s eyes, making her smile. She felt quite relieved to see a girl not dressed in a fancy ball gown. “Yo!” Raizel greeted with a bright smile. Yes, she was talking to a stranger and she does feel shy about that but she is trying her best to be friendly, especially when people take the first step in interacting with her. It’s kind of rude not to return the same energy and the girl does seem nice. “Oh, no, I didn't plan on coming here with someone although I might meet up with some friends eventually.” They all agreed they were going to the ball. Not together but they will just meet up whenever or if they see each other at the banquet. “And thank you.” The young girl thanked her for the compliment with a shy grin on her face, not used to getting one, especially about her choice of clothing at the moment. “How about you? Are you waiting for someone?” she asked. Most people she saw outside were either waiting for their friends or even their dates.

open to interactions
Action:Entering Maze

Reducio

Stats: Stamina:6 | Evasion:7 | Strength:2 | Wisdom:7 | Arcane power:6 | Accuracy:7

date: April 21st, 2023 | time: late afternoon

INTENTIONAL OR NOT, HARLAN FELT FAR TOO MUCH LIKE ICARUS. Caoimhe Kyle was the brightest sky in their orbit, a gravitational force that could send a wizard like Harlan off trajectory with a simple wave of her wand. He’d never admit it to her and being a first year, he hadn’t the grasp of understanding to understand the feelings that fluttered within his stomach but at the very least, the boy appreciated how Caoimhe made him feel. There was something about her specifically that made him think of home and of his mother – brilliant, compassionate, kind, but a bite that had him too curious not to continue down the path (dangerous or not).

And so he sent his parents a letter, not wanting to bother Harloe for this type of advice. What happened in the week before, he awkwardly asked Caoimhe to the Spring Ball and somehow (see - miraculously?) she said yes and it was a mad dash to get ready and be able to compliment this snake as her guest. In a matter of four days, three owls, and one howler, Harlan somehow found himself ready for his date.

Dressed from head to toe in an ivory and gold, regency regalia, gold-embedded sword sheath as the knight he was meant to represent, a small white box in hand, and his wand, Harlan was ready for the ball. The lions had taken a lot of time to get ready and with almost getting into a fight with a Niffler in his dormitory, Harlan looked at himself in the large mirror and nodded, thinking for the first time (perhaps ever) he felt a semblance of attraction to what he was exuding. Normally, in class or in the robes, he didn't care or thought he was too scrawny but there was a flash in this moment that gave him an injection of confidence that he hadn't had before.

After a group of them had been ready, they made their way down to the ball only to see a giant verdant maze in the way of getting to where they wanted to go. Surprised at the scene, Harlan hadn't heard of any of these shenanigans from the other two balls they had and through the murmurs of the group, they hadn't either.

That's when he saw Caoimhe and as always, she was quite the sight in orange.

" Well, don't you clean up nicely. " Harlan couldn't help to tease, flashing a smile as he presented the box to her. " My mom insisted I got you this present, so, well, here you go. " Fumbling slightly to open it, Caoimhe would see a beautiful golden snake bracelet tucked into what seemed like a cloudy packaging. He would help her put it in if she wanted, a hand free to support whatever she decided to do.

" I hope you weren't waiting long, the stairs were being an extra pain tonight getting down today. " Harlan gestured forward but didn't rush, ready to move forward and continue talking while making their way through the maze. For now, Harlan decided there was no reason to be worried, hopefully he was correct.

" bold " for speech, ' italicized ' for thoughts

items - wand, golden snake bracelet
action - harlan made it down the stairs with a gift for caomihe and with a little small talk, gestured the girl forward in the maze if she wanted to start finding their way to the ball.
stats ( ency ) :

Reducio

Stamina: 09 Wisdom: 08

Evasion: 07 ArcPower: 02

Strength: 01 Accuracy: 08

@caomihe kyle | wc - 521
notes - to first dates? lmao

Outfit

April 21, 2023 - The Spring Court Ball

Another Hogwarts Ball. Honestly, Stephen was questioning why he was even bothering. He had written EmmaLee and all seemed to have been going well until he made the mistake of actually asking her to be his date. Then all went to radio silence. It was too reminiscent of his attempt to make plans last fall with Kamila to that season's Ball. Truthfully, if it had not been for the Hexwizard tournament, Stephen probably would have stayed back home at Ilvermorny.

He had been here for five days and had not seen EmmaLee at all. That was fine. Maybe he would catch sight of her within and could briefly catch up to her then. If or until that moment arrived, he would simply focus on the banquet, be on the lookout for any crazed hag dolls, hope to catch up to any of his buddies, namely Louca and Jamie, and avoid the Durmstrang gang to the extent that would be possible. All in all, it sounded like a solid plan, but life had a way, always, of getting in the way of such things.

As he approached the Grounds area where the Ball was to take place, he could hear the music and laughter within. Upon reaching the entrance, he happily discovered it was a maze. Most excellent! He had read a lot about how to proceed when in a maze, but those books and articles were written by Muggles, or so he assumed. What Stephen reminded himself before entering was that that he was in the world of magic now. Don't trust, don't touch, don't taste, and don't smell ANYthing within or you might never get to your desired destination. Looking quickly around to see if there was anyone else who may want some company while wending their way through the hedge maze, and seeing no one, Stephen stepped in and walked straight ahead to the warm glow on the tall hedgerow up ahead.

As he reached the lantern's glow, his first decision would have to be made - to go right or to go left. He'd decided that left, and only left, would be his choice at any fork in the road until he could no longer proceed, at which point he'd turn back around and then continue on with his plan. It might take longer this way, but maybe not. Besides, it wasn't like anything or anyone was waiting for him. If he stayed all night long in the maze, as his very "single pringle" self, what would it matter anyway? If by daylight he hadn't made it to the banquet or out, he may relent and send up a signal for help.

Maybe. Okay, most definitely he would. He'd be starving by that point. Stomach over pride, 9 times out of 10. Not really, but the boy did like to eat.

As he proceeded deeper and deeper within, the flower hedges were not only beautiful, but also intoxicating. He noted, with some caution, that certain areas had magic mushrooms, and he meant that literally. They were actually running and dancing along and into the hedge growth. Or was the floral perfume drugging him into thinking he was seeing such things? Who knew? He could not tell himself not to breathe, so if he was breathing in some psychedelics, there was nothing to be done about it at that point.

Left. Left. Left. Left. He marched on. Turned around. Left. Left. Turned around yet again. Almost tripped on a large root. Had that been there or had it reached out to grab his boot? Hmmmmmm Four more lefts. Another dead end. Backtracking and about 25 more left turns later, he finally reached a wider path and ultimately entered the Royal Banquet. He stood there for a moment and simply took it all in, his eyes quickly scanning for any sign of anyone he knew as well as anyone anyone he wanted to avoid.

He chuckled at the memory of his run-in at the last Ball with "Filbert" and that girl whose name he still did not know. Ah, well. That could have gone so wrong, but not everything operated against him as it truly had been a few rare moments of levity in a night that had ultimately been a big a dud. Here's to hoping this one is more entertaining, he thought, as he started a quick march of his knightly self over to the banquet table where he planned to grab a chalice of some sort of juice and pile a plate high with roast beef, potatoes, and some fruit. Whatever else was going to happen tonight, at least he would be well fed when it did happen.

As he forked his first bite of the savory roast beast into his mouth, while now wandering the grounds, he saw a sign up sheet for a jousting tournament. Awesome! Setting his plate down, he hurriedly grabbed a quill. There was only one spot left and he quickly signed his name on the proverbial dotted line.

Maybe this night would not be such a dud after all.

Action: Entered Royal Banquet through Enchanted Hedge Maze

Ency: All there is to know

Stats: STA: 8 || EVA: 7 || STR: 8 || WIS: 8 || ARC: 5 || ACC: 6

Abilities: Perfectionist 1 || Evasive Maneuvers

ENGLISH || RUSSIAN

Mentions: @EmmaLee LeDames @Emma Wynn as Louca Dufort @Gemima Sable as Jamie Ziegler

DATE ┊ April 21st, 2023 -----RESPONSES DURING EVENT ┊ 1, 2-----MENTIONS ┊ @Harlan Montgomery
-----WC ┊ 571/200-----ENGLISH ┊ "words"-----FRENCH ┊ "words"-----ARABIC ┊ "words"

-----In spite of the short amount of time that had passed since Caoimhe had arrived at the Courtyard, the thoughts running through her head were moving at a rate of one thousand miles per hour. Before she knew that some of the students were from other wizarding universities, she would smile warmly at them and offer her warmest greetings before they entered. She was glad that her date would be from Hogwarts; in contrast to other students who had close friendships that take place across long distances, she would have a familiar face that she could observe whenever the mood struck her.

She put her mirror into the concealed pocket of her dress as she stood back and observed the emerald maze from a distance. After some time had passed, a specific Avery Leveret showed up decked out in all shining armour. Of course, she had only come to distinguish him by his strutted walk and the helmet exposing a sliver of his features. Caoimhe would smile and nod politely to the fellow Slytherin, despite the fact that she was unsure of whether or not they were friends or foes. Immediately after he walked in, she would see Ava Winchect, Duvessa, and Nico follow suit, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. She appeared to be under the impression that the Gryffindor had ditched her.

But, as it turned out, this was not the case at all.

Caoimhe would swivel as though she were exiting, but her hazel eyes would land on the well-groomed lion clad in ivory and gold regency regalia with a gold-embedded sword sheathed at his side. She would come to a halt, mesmerized by the familiar form that was drawing nearer to her. The color of her own clothing, a rusty orange with bright golden metallic embroidery that looked as if it had been plucked from the richest tomb of Persia, would blend well with the suit he was wearing.

"Farisiun fi aldire allaamie My knight in shining armour ," she would speak softly in her arabic tongue while giggling at his tease before returning it: "I suppose I could say the same for you,"

Caoimhe, while listening to his words, shifted her focus to the ivory box in his hands and observed as he opened it. She gasped from the breathtaking grandeur of the golden snake bracelet. She would gently grasp to his arm for support as she gazed up at him with soft eyes, afraid her legs would give. She had never seen anything so beautiful, and she couldn't believe it was hers. 

"Oh, Harlan, thank you," she whispered kindly while grinning at the sight, "Please send my thanks to your mother, as well, this is so lovely."

Caoimhe would hold Harlan with one hand while extending her other hand for him to put the bracelet on her. She would observe as he did so tenderly, the gold gleaming in the light and complementing the other gold jewelry she donned. After putting on the bracelet, Caoimhe would observe as he motioned their entrance. She held his arm, allowing her knight to lead as they continued conversing within the maze's mysterious interior.

"You're okay, I didn't wait too long," she spoke while taking in his tall and mighty figure. She didn't expect her date to look prettier than her, but she was happy and satisfied nonetheless, and even more excited for what the night may bring.

Notes - Nice banner! Here's to first dates

Action: Small talk, Harlan put the golden bracelet on her, and Harlan and Caoimhe entered maze
Stats: sta 5 • eva 9 • str 0 • wis 8+1 • arc 5 • acc 8+1
Abilities: Statistically Relevant
Inventory: Wand, shawl, golden snake bracelet, and small pocket mirror

When the sun peeks over the horizon, it emits a feeble glow that gradually gets warmer over time until the entire world is bathed in mellow light. The hedges was now covered in emerald green foliage and have birds tweeting amid the colourful spurts of blossoms.

The maze was instantly bathed in colour, graced all the landscape, and only at first glimpse, when one has been drawn in by the maze, across the velvet turquoise palette of the heavens, lazily fringes of marshmellow vapors floated in lethargic grace. The atmosphere had a pristine, zesty sensation, as one was gnawing on a meadow ripe fruit. It was now "out with the old and in with the new," and a soft breeze was voluntarily blown to greet the changes. The warmth of the sun reached those who had been submerged in the maze as of late that spring has indeed arrived, bringing with it the calming melody of birds and those radiant hues that, as if by some natural magic, rekindled the hopes.

But amid the maze, where getting to your destination looked to be a long, inexorable route, was there any chance of finding optimism again? Without a little traffic from the throng of arriving students, obstructing views of the tiny stream that crossed the walkway, the day wouldn't get off to a good start. Unexpectedly, even Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry professors couldn't resist the lure of what had been characterised as a labyrinth of deception.

Laughter of joy could be heard from some divided by the boundaries the labyrinth created, while some saw it as an opportunity to become devious. People were arriving in great numbers, drawn by the beauty they saw outside the hedge.

With each passing second, things became increasingly exhilarating as some people caught up with their cherished friends and others looked for ways to impress the people they had come with. It was not necessarily a horrendous idea to concoct a banquet of flowers to impress the other's queen, even though it had appeared to have some sort of nice concept notion in it.

Valentin Schnell has inadvertently summoned a floral banquet for the empress of his heart in an effort to impress her. Women should actually keep a close eye on him because he is a truly desirable gentleman.

Valentin Schnell (@Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood) casts Orchideous to impress Malai (@Beatrice Dupont)

Wisdom Difficulty Check → 9
Valentin's wis→ 15
WDC vs Valentin's WIS

t!roll 1d20+15(Visit the staff roll channel for evidence)
[d20 : 11] + 15
Results → [26]
26>9 → Success

As the event goes on, everything appears to be running smoothly, but it's intriguing that some people found their paths faster than others, while some chose to remain inside the maze to take in its beauty. A wise man once advised, "Seek and you shall find."
It was nice to see that the maze's appeal had drawn people like the elegant @Maya Galim, the professor of Muggle Studies, @Galahad Browne, the Head of Griffyndor House, and @Orion Lécuyer, the professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts. The only thing that developed between these three grownups was a meet-and-greet and pleasant reunion.

A care free rabbit hopped by wandering the maze mischeviously in and out. Mischief has always been a part of a fellow Hufflepuff's behaviour. The relation between the two indivisuals was uncertain as one attempted to cast Anathema Daphnis on his fellow housemate.

@Clark Baird Casts Anathema Daphnis on a fellow Housemate @Aurora Griffith

WDC of Take Root → 9
[Auto-miss]

"Due to the spell's failure to reach its intended victim, a rabbit hopping by was unfortunately struck down by the chaotic hufflepuff's spell- causing the rabbit to take root."

WDC vs Clark's WIS

t!roll 1d20+5(Visit the staff roll channel for evidence)
[d20 : 16] + 5
Results → [21]
21>9 → Success against Mr Rabbit & failure against Aurora

It seems only fitting that Clark Baird, a fellow Hufflepuff who went out of his way to cast a spell against another Hufflepuff, would be bad news before the sun has already fallen.
Funny how it hit our adorable hopping rabbit after failing miserably. The creature had abruptly morphed into a tree. Yet, the tree would make a lovely addition to the area's décor.

When two doves that soar the heavens met, it was clear that love has evidently bloomed everywhere the wind blows and that romance is at its beautiful height. Professor Browne and Professor Lécuyer's love tale was unquestionably the night's highlight. It served as the cherry on top and a huge, astounding revelation, and even we were fascinated by discovering how these two gorgeous men had met; similar to Maya Galim, excitement peaked and curiosity needed to be fed

For OOC Consideration
Welcome dear travelers to the Spring Court! May the maze treat you well as you step through. Tread lightly and watch your step! A few rules to follow, lest you be shunned by the Court.

◉ You must be indexed (have your name on the list here) to participate in the Ball.

‎◉ Each character is allowed one action per round.

◉ The Spring Court is separated into two main threads, the Enchanted Maze and the Royal Banquet. For ease of moderation, leaving and entering a thread require a full action. Clearly write if you are entering/leaving, and specify which thread you are entering if moving to the other. You are able to move through an area and post an arrival to another area within the same round.

◉ To access the Royal Banquet, you must enter through the Enchanted Maze. This is the same for leaving, unless you are participating in the Knights Tourney (Kindly be sure to explain all of your actions and include a conspicuous place on your post for your character's statistics and unique abilities. It's okay if it's on banners. This is done for moderation purpose.). The Tourney is adjacent to the Royal Banquet within the Maze.
‏‏‎ ‎
◉ There are magical and muggle plants within the maze. Do be careful as the night continues...
‏‏‎ ‎
◉ The Knights Tourney is a side activity adjacent to the Royal Banquet inside the Maze. You do not have to participate. Sign ups has commenced.

◉ Moderation posts will occur weekly on Saturdays.

Maze Moderators: Ashley Dinero Montez and Clark Baird

Locations/Official Threads (Part of the Ball): Royal Banquet | Tourney Sign Ups