2024/25 Stage 3 Slytherin vs Hufflepuff: Match 1

Seeing that Lea cast a Slippery Jinx on Astrea, Lindsey was fairly ready to follow up and swoop on her. With her bottom lip caught between her teeth, she forced herself to focus on the intended target, determined as she flicked her wrist and performed another Confringo. Expectantly her eyes followed the veering of the spell, yet much to her chagrin she again failed to nail her target. Lindsey huffed, feeling quite disappointed that she achieved nothing even with Lea’s aid, when suddenly she was caught in a gust of wind. Her eyes widened as she tried to accommodate the wind, before abruptly jumping backwards due to the crash of a returned Confringo by her feet. Oh Merlin. She knew this would be a tough much, but it definitely wasn’t going as well as what she had hoped.

Not a moment too soon, the faded fog signalled the end of a temporary lull and a re-ignition of temperaments. Once more, their ears were assailed by cacophonous explosions and Astrea, deftly prepared, could not consider herself a simple bystander to such destruction. She twisted away from one Confringo, a wonderful wave of healing magic washing over her wounds and minor contusions, before shooting out to send another back in due retaliation.

Biscuits. Hufflepuff had sunk lower than previously thought possible to flippantly appeal not to the staff but to their stomachs. One duellist’s absent-mindedness seemed almost a slight to the rest of the piste’s otherwise mutual seriousness. By now, Astrea surely should have known better than to put any stock in their most foolish opponent’s chattering. It would do little else but confuse her, which likely was the intention of such obvious distraction.

Framed by whistling winds and covetable routine, it was fairly uncommon for her to expect trouble underfoot. Though quick to recover, a clever trip spell had nonetheless shaken Astrea’s otherwise studied focus enough to affect her performance. Her explosions broke off to splinter hotly at another’s feet— not exactly ruinous for their cause, yet unintended nonetheless. This was likely fitting considering their own experiments at offendo. She righted herself cleanly with a professional reset of stance, ready and adaptably willing to rely on learned expertise to compensate for her apparent negligence.

Action: Doing as strategised.

Round 6

Astrea vs Lindsey & Haven

Reducio

Astrea Soleil Neptune spell spreads Nec Divinos Crepitus at Lindsey Springhall & Haven Bohannon
Wisdom DC: 12 + 2 [SS] = 14
Wisdom Check: [d20: 19] + 16 = 35 > 14 → Success
Blowback Check 1: [d20: 13] < 19 → No Blowback
Protego Check: [d10: 5] → The spell dissipates

Blowback Check 2: [d20: 15] < 19 → No Blowback
Accuracy Check 2: [d20: 1] +20-2[SS] = → Crit. Miss
New Target: [d4: 1] → Bridget (1: Bridget, 2: Ruby, 3: Lea, 4: Lindsey)
New Acc: [d20: 13] = 13
Bridget Auto-dodge Check 2: [d20: 6] < 19 → No auto-dodge
Bridget Evasion Check: [d20: 16] + 15 = 31
13 < 31 → Miss
Astrea Evasion Check: [d20: 20] + 20 = 40
13 < 40 → Miss
Ruby Evasion Check: [d20: 11] + 14 = 25
13 < 25 → Miss

Bridget vs Lindsey

Reducio

Bridget Collins casts Nec Divinos Crepitus at Lindsey Springhall
Wisdom DC: 12
Wisdom Check: [d20: 11] + 17 = 28 > 12 → Success
Blowback Check: [d20: 15] < 19 → No Blowback
Protego Check: [d10: 2] → The spell dissipates

Ruby vs Lindsey

Reducio

Ruby Cazares castNec Divinos Crepitus at Lindsey Springhall
Wisdom DC: 12 + 2 [LC] = 14
Wisdom Check: [d20: 19] + 17 = 36 > 14 → Success
Blowback Check: [d20: 4] < 19 → No Blowback
Protego Check: [d10: 7] → The spell ricochets off to a random target (including allies, avoidable)
New Target: [d5: 4] → Lea (1: Astrea, 2: Bridget, 3: Ruby, 4: Lea, 5: Haven)
Accuracy Check: [d20: 5] + 17 = 22
b]Lea Evasion Check:[/b] [d20: 2] + 17 - 4 = 15
22 > 15 → Hit
Damage: (50+ 12 ARC× 15 ) = 230
Duration: 1 round (2+targets)
Lindsey Auto-dodge Check: [d20: 5] < 19 → No auto-dodge
Lindsey Evasion Check: [d20: 17] + 8 - 4 =21
22 > 21 → Hit
Damage: (20+ 12 ARC× 8 ) = 116
Duration: 1 round (2+targets)
Haven Evasion Check: [d20: 16] + 11 = 27

Haven vs Astrea

Reducio

Haven Bohannon casts Confringo at Astrea Soleil Neptune
Wisdom DC: 17 + 2 [LC] = 19
Wisdom Check: [d20: 6] + 11 = 17 > 19→ Failure to cast

Lea and Lindsey

Reducio

Lea Hirsch spell spreads Reparifors at herself and Lindsey Springhall
Wisdom DC: 11 + 2 [LC] + 2 [SS] = 13
AFC Check: [d20: 9] < 19 → No AF
Wisdom Check: [d20: 2] + 12= 14 > 15→ Crit. Fail (CF range was 1-2 due to SS).
Damage: 20 * .9 = 18

Lindsey

Reducio

Lindsey Springhall cast Protego
Wisdom DC: 12
Wisdom Check: [d20: 17] + 17 = 34 > 12 → Success
Effects: Suffering for the Mod - and this stuff:

• 1: The spell pierces the shield (avoidable)
• 2-5: The spell dissipates.
• 6-8: The spell ricochets off to a random target (including allies, avoidable).
• 9-10: The spell rebounds back towards its caster (avoidable).

10:30 on Saturday the 3rd, May 2025...

Some of the audience was still able to hear. The duelists did not like that.

The duel would roar back to full volume. Every single Viper would conjure up a Cracker jinx for the Badgers - Astrea would even produce two. Lindsey did the smart thing, casting a protego, while Lea and Haven fumbled with their casts. Haven would fail to produce the Confringo she was working on, and Lea would fail so badly that her Reparifors' healing would turn into hurt.

One would expect that four spells shooting across piste at a team that only succeeded in casting a single spell meant complete and utter doom for said team, but that one spell had been one of the best strategized casts that Galton had seen. The Protego would be hit by three cracker jinxes. Two of which it dissipate, the other it would send towards Lea who would take the full brunt of the explosions. Lindsey would be caught by a radial explosion, but Haven would evade. The only cracker not pointed at Lindsey wouldn't even make it across to the Badgers. Horrible accuracy or a premature explosion? Whatever the reasoning, the Vipers would find themselves the target of the 4th cracker jinx. While dodging it would be no issue, it was still a missed opportunity, and luck that the Badgers needed.

When the crackers had stopped popping, the piste would have one less duelist standing atop it. Without that Reparifors, it had all finally been too much for Lea. "PAUSE!" Galton's magically enhanced voice would call out as mediwizards made for the downed participant. Once she was cleared, Galton would call out the expected "Resume!"

Despite the chaos of whatever one would call the last bout of spells, the Vipers had managed to pull ahead. As time ticked on they seemed to be the favorites. But as this bout showed, you should never get too comfortable.

Information

1. You have 96 hours from now to write your posts. A minimum word count of 50 is needed per post.
2. In the same time period, send me (Galton Lansdale) your team's actions per owl. Do not hint at your actions in your post.
3. Unless asked not to, if all actions have been submitted and posts made, I will (hopefully) be moderating before the deadline
4. If you don't post in the allotted time frame, your action is void.
5. Your Stats, Abilities, and Spells have been locked to what they are now for the duration of this duel.
6. Please owl or message me if you have any questions or concerns!
7. Best of luck, let's have some fun!

The spectator thread for this duel can be found here.
Come cheer for your House and friends!

“…whoa.” Casting Protego was probably the best choice she had made so far, as every single viper seemed determined to send crackers towards her. For the first time today, Lindsey felt secure behind the invisible shield, her muscles slightly relaxing despite the ongoing (and growing) explosions. Er. Wait a second.

Easiness turned into horror when Ruby’s spell bounced off the shield and veered towards Lea. Oh Merlin. Her boss’ spell was obviously powerful enough to eliminate her captain while simultaneously nailing herself with splinters. Lindsey groaned as Lea was removed from the stage. “I’m so sorry.” She mumbled, pretty much to herself. Now she was convinced that she wasn’t being of much use to the team.

She gave Haven an expectant look. How long could they possibly survive in this 2v3 game?

Credit to Prat Pass

They acted as one, sending out three Cracker Jinxes--no, four, Astrea had spread hers--all at Lindsey, loud and threatening. Bridget was used to the explosions, a staple in duelling at this level, but this was a lot, blinking and ringing in a way they should probably get checked out later because at some point they were going to damage their hearing. To act so perfectly together was perhaps the culmination of their training.

They'd also all misread the situation, which became very apparent almost as soon as the incantation left her mouth. Lindsey had thrown up a very timely Protego and if Bridget had expected a Protego from anyone, it would have been Lea, on her last legs as she was. But Lindsey must have seen the triple-attack coming and it sent all their spells either into dissolution or wildly off course, so Bridget watched for one to fling back their way. One did, sort of, except it came from her side rather than from the shield and she had to hop back from the wayward jinx.

When the dust settled, or in this case, the sparks cleared, Lea was down. It had been the Vipers' goal, they'd been trying to knock out the Hufflepuff and have the numbers advantage for a while, but Bridget wouldn't have expected the outcome in the middle of all of... that. Protego did make spells go haywire, especially when there were so many that you had no chance of angling the rebound, so luck had simply not been on the Hufflepuff's side. Though it was messier than she would have preferred, Bridget couldn't complain; one opponent down brought them one step closer to winning this.

Action: Doing as strategized

"NOOOOOOO!" Haven yelled so loudly you would have thought it was her who got hit, though it was Lea who went down. She felt so bad for the poor girl. Really, why did they let a bunch of CHILDREN duel until they all passed out? They deserved some cookies or something. Haven would be getting them one way or another, she was sure. A tad less confident, she gave a scared look over to Lindsey before turning back to the other team, putting her determined face back on (though it looked kinda like a smolder???).
"Let's get those cookies."
Hopefully Marcus wasn't too worried about her.

Four Cracker Jinxes shot out of the Slytherins’ wands. Unfortunately, three of them were headed for a perfectly timed Shield Charm. Two dissipated and one – Ruby thought it was hers, though in the chaos, she couldn’t quite be sure – bounced off of the shield, hitting two of the Hufflepuffs. Busy dodging the crackers that hadn’t made it across the piste, Ruby almost missed what was happening on the Hufflepuff side. Had the Healing Charm worked, perhaps the girl wouldn’t have fallen. But she did. It was honestly amusing to Ruby that the round had gone so differently to what had they intended, yet the end result was still the same, with the girl unconscious on the ground. One down, two more to go.

Doing as strategised

Round 7

Astrea

Reducio

Astrea Soleil Neptune does nothing
Failure to post - action is void

Bridget vs Lindsey

Reducio

Bridget Collins casts Confringo at Lindsey Springhall
Wisdom DC: 17
Wisdom Check: [d20: 17] + 17 = 34> 17 → Success
Auto-miss Check: [d20: 11] < 19 → No auto-miss
Auto-dodge Check: [d20: 13] < 19 → No auto-dodge
Accuracy Check: [d20: 2] + 17 = 19
Evasion Check: [d20: 1] + 8 = 9
19 > 9 → Hit
Damage: (150 + 10 ARC × 15) * .9[TP] = 270

Ruby vs Haven

Reducio

Ruby Cazares castConfringo at Haven Bohannon
Wisdom DC: 17 + 2 [LC] = 19
Wisdom Check: [d20: 5] + 17 = 23 > 19 → Success
Accuracy Check: [d20: 13] + 17 = 30
Evasion Check: [d20: 7] + 11 = 18
30 > 18 → Hit
Damage: (150+ 12 ARC× 15 ) = 330

Haven and Lindsey

Reducio

Haven Bohannon casts Reparifors at Lindsey Springhall
Wisdom DC: 11 + 2 [LC] = 13
Wisdom Check: [d20: 8] + 11 = 19 > 13→ Success
Healing: 50 + 10 ARC × 8 = 130

Lindsey vs Astrea

Reducio

Lindsey Springhall cast confringoat Astrea Soleil Neptune
Wisdom DC: 17
Wisdom Check: [d20: 17] + 17 - 3 = 31 > 17 → Success
Accuracy Check: [d20: 2] +14 = 16
Evasion Check: [d20: 7] + 20 = 27
16 < 27 → Miss
Damage: (10 + 12 ARC × * .9 = 95.4

10:30 on Saturday the 3rd, May 2025...

Galton was going to be bringing earplugs to the next duel he attended.

Where the cracker jinx had stood last bout, confringo would take its place. Bridget, Ruby, and Lindsey would all incant the spell as Galton moved his hands to plug his ears. Haven would cast a reparifors at Lindsey, perhaps trying to heal some of her hearing damage. Finally, Astrea would not cast anything. Maybe her ears were ringing so loudly she hadn't heard his yell "resume!"

Soaking up that good healing magic, Lindsey would be the first to take a confringo full force. Haven would be next. Neither Badger would be able to escape the Snake's strike this round. Astrea, while not able to cast (or hear?), was still an agile duelist, and would avoid as much of Lindsey's confringo as one possibly could.

As time past the Badgers were looking more and more bruised. Were the outnumbered pair trapped in the Snakes' coils or would they be able to blaze ahead towards victory?

Information

1. You have 96 hours from now to write your posts. A minimum word count of 50 is needed per post.
2. In the same time period, send me (Galton Lansdale) your team's actions per owl. Do not hint at your actions in your post.
3. Unless asked not to, if all actions have been submitted and posts made, I will (hopefully) be moderating before the deadline
4. If you don't post in the allotted time frame, your action is void.
5. Your Stats, Abilities, and Spells have been locked to what they are now for the duration of this duel.
6. Please owl or message me if you have any questions or concerns!
7. Best of luck, let's have some fun!

The spectator thread for this duel can be found here.
Come cheer for your House and friends!

Credit to Prat Pass

They weren't done yet, two of their opponents still up and fighting. Lindsey looked worse for wear, yes, but she was also receiving a steady flow of healing from Haven, the witch stepping up in the support position as her team dwindled. While Bridget aimed another Confringo at Lindsey--the explosion was almost mundane at this point, the sharp sights and sounds dulled by repetition--Ruby went for Haven, likely thinking that they should cut off that support. They both hit and Astrea was only grazed by the chips off Lindsey's Confringo, not sending a spell of her own but perhaps focusing on dodging to maintain her strength since she had taken the worst of the duel on their side. The status quo did not tip much further, not yet, but anyone watching would be able to tell Slytherin had all the momentum.

Action: Doing as strategized

More explosions echoed around them as three incantations of "Confringo" rang out. This time, there was no Shield Charm to get in the way; Ruby's spell just went exactly where she had intended it to. She did love the Blasting Curse – that was one she didn't think she would ever get bored of – even if its repeated use by her and others was unkind to their hearing. She chose to ignore the lack of action from Astrea – for now, at least – but hoped that the other girl was still capable of continuing to participate.

Doing as strategised