2021 Stage 3 Group D: Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Finished

Yes, Rose was trembling. You wouldn't really be able to tell unless you were touching her, but she was trembling. She wasn't even excited for this duel. She was barely even hopeful. For her last two duels, all that had happened was that she and her partner had gotten their butts kicked. It had been absolutely miserable both times. She didn't even think one of her spells had hit their target, while the other team absolutely obliterated them. She tried to stay open-minded about this last duel, but she had a horrible sinking feeling that this duel was going to go exactly the same way that her last two duels had- Horrible, miserable, with no taste of victory. Not even a faint whiff of victory. Just losing. Over and over and over again.

As she was called up on the platform for the third time this year, Rose steeled her emotions and her expression. It was bad enough to feel terrified, let alone look terrified. So nobody would be able to tell. The four duelists got into position, and she got a good look at the other team. Two girls. Two Slytherin girls. One of them, she had no bias against or for, but she thought she had heard her name as Santario from the Frog Choir auditions. She had crushed that audition.

The other girl? Bridget Collins. Rose had gotten into a fight with her over absolutely nothing, and she knew it was kinda her fault, but it was also Collins' fault too. She didn't have to retaliate like she did. Rose narrowed her eyes at Collins. Great. All she needed was for an invitation for the Slytherin to knock her out.

Rose glanced to her partner- Nicholas McCowan. He was a first year, so she honestly didn't think he would be much help at all. At least Eyre had known a lot more spells than he did. "Good luck," she murmured, trying her best to sound genuine and not absolutely hopeless.

Hopefully she wouldn't loose too bad.

Credit to Dmitri Jones, who made these here

Today was important. This weekend marked the third and final stage of duelling for this year, the last push to be the victors. Bridget wanted that. After all the hard work and extra practice, it would be painful to lose. Of course, plenty of duellists in the other Houses had put in the time and effort too, so now it came down to who wanted it more, who could go just a little harder for this last stretch.

For once, she was almost more nervous about the other duels than her own. Ravenclaw had narrowly taken the lead after last stage which meant they were fighting from behind. This was a team effort, so her and Santario winning their duel did not guarantee an overall victory. She only had so much control over that end result and it was stressful, though having all that pressure on herself would have probably been equally so. But with all that out of her hands, she'd resigned herself to simply trusting her team and hoping for the best. Right now she needed to focus on her duel.

It was time. At Amadea's call, Bridget would make her way onto the platform, wand in hand. She felt more confident this time; she'd still had a backfire last stage and missed her fair share of spells, but even that had been a vast improvement from the first stage. Her confidence in Santario had also grown, her partner having proved time and time again how competent a duellist she was, and a year of working together meant she also felt quite comfortable around the second year. They were used to each other's style of play, aware of where they did well and prepared to cover for any weaker areas.

This duel would be against the Gryffindor pair, although not one identical to what it had been in the previous stages. Eyre Reeves had been replaced by first year Nicholas McCowan. The newness would give him a slight element of surprise and this far into the year he was probably familiar with a good range of spells, though he was also inexperienced in a duel. As for Rose, she had plenty of in-game experience and seemed at least a decent duellist. After two losses, she was surely hungry for a win, something that could make underestimating her simply for her previous losses dangerous.

There was also their run-in back in January that had escalated rather unnecessarily. Judging by the narrowed eyes, Rose had not forgotten. Bridget, however, was determined to not bring any of her own dislike from that day to the duel. For one thing, such things would only serve as a distraction and she wanted to avoid any stupid mistakes. For another, what had happened then had much more to do with mounting internal pressure than the Gryffindor. If she could help it, this was going to be just as impersonal as her previous duels.

She gave the pair of Gryffindors a nod of acknowledgment as usual. To Santario, she smiled briefly. "We've got this." Reaching up to tighten her ponytail one last time, she adjusted her grip on her wand and squared her feet. You may begin.

Action: Doing as strategized

Fear, fear was the mind killer. The quotation was trite, overplayed and overreferenced, but it ran true for Nicholas that day. When he'd put his name on the dueling waitlist he hadn't thought for a moment that he'd be pulled into the team on his first year, let alone that he'd be participating in the final duel of the season. The apprehension was painted all over his face, his eyes dark and determined, nervousness having given way to the cold and angry desire to succeed that he was so prone to. There was a level of darkness to his intentions, and he was forcing himself to cultivate it, after all he would be casting spells at other students. Students who were both older and more experienced than he.

He shot a nervous glance to his partner, his inexperience and fear breaking through his facade of determination and rage. Where his eyes had appeared dark, in that moment they were bright and childlike, his hands shaking, whether from fear or anticipation he did not know.

She wished him luck, and he returned it in kind, "You too.". His voice was soft and quiet, hardly more than whisper.

Still, he took to the duel despite his worries of failure, his hand gripping his wand as if it were a lifeline back to reality. His eyes turned to scan the two Slytherin girls, a third year and a second year. The swiftness with which he had been called to fill Eyre's spot meant that he had not done sufficient research as to their names, although he knew they were undefeated and an absolute force to be reckoned with. He nodded toward them, a final acknowledgement before the wizards would commence with the spell-slinging.

His first ever duel, Nicholas hoped that it would be one that he could look back at fondly, and not with the bitter taste of regret. Regardless of what was to come, he was ready.

Mentioning @Rose Moon, @Bridget Collins, @Santario Martin

Doing as strategised.

Everything slowed as adrenaline started pumping through Santario’s veins while she approached the stage. This day was as exciting for her as the day the first snow of the year began to fall. On that day, unless she was in class, Santario would run outside with a rare childlike glee hardly ever seen by even those closest to her, just to stand outside as the soft flakes floated down. It was a sense of peace and happiness in the ever-chaotic life that was lived at Hogwarts.

San took a slow and deep breath as her eyes scanned the all too familiar room. A place she had basically lived in, practicing over and over, occasionally forgetting to eat or even see her friends. Winning today would prove to her that it had all been worth it, and winning the entire season would give her something to truly be proud of. Though even if they lost their season, Santario would still be proud of all of them. While winning was important to her, it was not an end-all like it was for most other Slytherins. Failure to win just meant that they would have to practice harder and prove themselves better next year.

Santario stepped onto the stage as her eyes wandered over her opponents. Rose, a girl she had met briefly here and there sometimes. She knew nothing really about her other than she seemed to be close to Henry Knight, someone they had in common. Nicholas was someone she didn’t know, so she immediately guessed him to be a first-year. However, that would not mean that she would underestimate him; he had a hardiness to his person that Santario had learned to recognize by analyzing other duellists who all tended to have deceptively lean frames.

Santario would give each of her opposing duellists a nod of respect as she took her place by Bridget’s side. Bridget and Santario had never spent enough time together to consider each other friends. Sure they practiced together, and they were co-captains together, but that was all for the sport. That did not stop them from creating a unique bond with one another, and on the field, it was as if they could read each other’s minds. Santario knew Bridget would always have her back and vice versa on or off the field.

A cherrywood wand was drawn from the pocket of her robe, and nodded at Bridget. “We’ve got to, or we’ll never hear the end of it.” Santario murmured with a smirk to her partner, almost able to hear Dmitri’s incessant chirping if they failed today. A loss would sting as it would be their first, but Santario would still be happy win or lose if they performed with excellence. After all, she was glad to give credit where credit was due to other duellists.

Santario took her stance, allowing a passive expression to befall her features. Even if she had been friends with the two across the field, this was not a place for friendships. No, friendships and friendly acquaintances were left at the door for her. There were never hard feelings on the field, at least not for Santario.

Action| Doing as strategized.

ROUND 1

Rose vs. Bridget

Reducio

Rose casts Blindfolding Spell at Bridget
Wisdom DC: 10
Wisdom Check: [d20: 1] → Crit fail
Effects: Rose suffers 0 Evasion and 0 Accuracy until blindfold is removed (requires action to remove)

Nicholas vs. Bridget

Reducio

Nicholas casts Fire Making Spell at Bridget
Wisdom DC: 9
Wisdom Check: [d20: 4] + 6 = 10 → Success
Accuracy Check: [d20: 8] + 4 = 12
Auto-Dodge: [d10: 4] → No auto dodge Bridget’s Evasive Maneuvers
Evasion Check: [d20: 2] + 9 = 11
12 > 11 → Hit
Duration: [d6: 1] → Not aflame
Effects: Bridget takes 50 + 4 × 10 = 90 damage

Santario vs. Nicholas

Reducio

Santario casts Ventus at Nicholas
Wisdom DC: 11 + 2 = 13 Rose’s Lovely Creature
Wisdom Check: [d20: 8] + 8 = 16 → Success
Split Check: [d10: 10] → Success
2nd Target: [Bridget | Rose] = Rose
Accuracy Check: [d20: 6] + 8 = 14
Evasion Check Nicholas: [d20: 10] + 6 = 16
14 < 16 → Miss
Evasion Check Rose: [d20: 1] + 8 = 9
14 > 9 → Hit
Duration: [d3: 2] → 1 round
Effects: Rose takes 50 + 9 × 10 = 140 damage

Bridget vs. Rose

Reducio

Bridget casts Ventus at Rose
Wisdom DC: 11 + 2 = 13 Rose’s Lovely Creature
Wisdom Check: [d20: 5] + 10 = 15 → Success
Split Check: [d10: 2] → No split
Accuracy Check: [d20: 17] + 8
Evasion Check: [d20: 11] + 6 = 18
Duration: [d3: 3] → 2 rounds
Effects: Rose suffers -4 Evasion for 2 rounds and takes 50 + 7 × 10 = 120 damage

And with that, the duellists were off. The sparks flew between them as spells were cast. Rose attempted to cast the Blindfolding Spell at Bridget, but unfortunately, she was thrown off guard as the spell backfired, the blindfold spilling out of the end of her wand to wrap itself around her head rather than her opponent's. Amadea felt bad for the Gryffindor; spells backfiring was always embarrassing but something that happened to everyone and was hard to control. That was part of what made duelling so fun; the reliance on the spell succeeding was an important part of duelling. Nicholas had a bit more luck, casting a successful Fire-Making Spell at Bridget. The girl took the impact well, and luckily for her, she did not remain aflame from the hit.

The Slytherins had a different approach, casting the Wind Jinx at both of their opponents. Santario's spell split in two directions, heading toward both Rose and Nicholas. While Nicholas was able to see it coming and quickly evade it, Rose was not as lucky, being hit with the force of the spell. Bridget's jinx also headed toward Rose, hitting her as well. Amadea wished she could rush over to Rose and make sure the girl was okay; she had been hit with both of her opponent's spells and was now blindfolded as well but that would be against the rules. As much as she loved duelling, it could get brutal at times. But the first round was over; it was time for the teams to regroup and strategize for the next round.

1. You have 96 hours from now to write your posts (50 words min)
   In the same time period, send me (Amadea Campbell) your team's actions per owl. Actions happen exclusively in owls so do not give anything away in your initial post. You can post your reactions after every mod post for each round. Please have one person send in both actions for each round.
2. Failing to give actions means your team does nothing but passively dodge. Failing to post even though your action has been submitted means your action is void.
3. Your spells, stats, and abilities are now locked in for this duel; you can still update your trunk but the changes will not be made for this round of duelling.
4. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask! Make sure to read up on the duelling updates. Good luck and have fun!

@Rose Moon | @Nicholas McCowan | @Santario Martin | @Bridget Collins

Santario’s wand flourished in the direction of Nicholas. “Ventus.” San tended to do more damage than Bridget on average, so it made sense for her to target the more sturdy target from the get-go. However, what Santario had not anticipated was that her Ventus split!

Her jaw dropped as she watched the ever-rare Ventus split and go after both of her opponents. In fact, this was such a rare event that she did not even care that Nicholas dodged her spell. She had never been prouder of herself than she was right this instant, and San had hoped that the people that mattered were watching, but she could not be sure. Her heart was pounding so hard Santario did not know how the others could not hear it and her hands shook just slightly from sheer excitement. She reminded herself to take deep breathes to get herself under control as there was still a duel to participate in. The other unexpected thing that round was poor Rose, who had managed to blindfold herself. That was indeed unfortunate, and Santario felt terrible for her. She knew Rose had lost her previous two duels, and she knew she must have come into this one hungry to try and win.

Her attention would swiftly shift towards the fire careening towards Bridget and hitting, making it one of the only times she had seen her partner actually hit and from the first year. Credit where credit was due as even some far more experienced duellists could not hit her. “Good?” Santario inquired as she looked back towards their opponents, never being one for many words while in the midst of it.

Action| Doing as strategized.

Credit to Dmitri Jones, who made these here

The tension had mounted, and now there was a release, four wands moving to cast their spells. In accordance with the strategy they had discussed, Bridget leveled her wand at Rose. She was glad to see the spell strike true, though was hesitant to celebrate; the first few rounds had consistently been a bit of a struggle for her with backfires each time, so she needed to really focus in until she got into a rhythm.

Nevertheless, she couldn't help the thrill of excitement that sparked as she watched Santario's spell split in midair, careening toward both Gryffindors. It missed Nicholas and hit Rose, but the really impressive part was that she'd managed the split at all; it wasn't something Bridget had seen happen in a match so far. Later, when there was more time, she'd compliment her partner for the feat.

Rose had become the unfortunate victim to three spells, one of them her own. Bridget could empathize with the Gryffindor, being more familiar with the feeling of her own magic failing her so disastrously than she would have liked. Nicholas, however, did quite well for his first round of an official duel. His Fire-Making Spell was well-aimed and Bridget moved to dodge a little slower than usual, the spell just barely hitting her. She was not aflame, thankfully, and after three years at Hogwarts, the sting of the spell was plenty bearable.

At Santario's check that she was fine, Bridget responded with a quick, "Yep." In fact, she almost felt better than before. There was something about getting hit that gave her a rush of adrenaline, sharpening her senses and jolting her fully awake. It wasn't a feeling she'd really had before due to the instances of her failing to dodge being few and far between. Of course, getting hit too much was a bad thing, but this time it was fine and she was only slightly worse for wear. Now she just needed to use that to fuel the rounds to come.

Action: Doing as strategized

Rose took in a deep breath and steeled her gaze at the Slytherins. She would do this. She just had to do this. She couldn't let her dueling partner and her dueling team down again, not a third time. "Obscuro!" she said, pointing her wand in Bridget's direction. But a moment later, it was not Bridget who could not see. It was Rose. Right after the blindfold was firmly tightened around her eyes, Rose was hit with two gusts of wind. Rose tried her best to stay on her feet and preserve her dignity. Had both of the Slytherins targeted her?

Because of the Blindfold, Rose would not see the miraculous Ventus split that Santario had managed. She would not see Nicholas' successful spell, and wouldn't be able to congratulate the first year on hitting a spell. It was only the first round, and it was better than anything she had ever done in a duel.

Rose didn't know why, but she had a strange feeling that it all went downhill from here. She had a horrible feeling that felt like she had already lost, and it would be a waste of time to duel it out. For a split-second, she was tempted to forfeit the duel and quit the team. Well, maybe she did know why. She had just blindfolded herself and was hit by two wind jinxes. It was feeling the exact same as both of her other duels- her failing over and over and over again. She could almost feel the pitying looks from the onlookers and the other duelists. Everyone probably pitied her, and she hated that. She didn't want their pity- she was strong enough to do this herself. Pity never helped anything or anyone.

But Rose Moon, no matter how much of a failure she was, was not a quitter. She wasn't going to quit this duel. Not ever, and especially not now, when she still had a chance to come out on top.

@Bridget Collins | @Santario Martin | @Nicholas McCowan
Last Action: Fail at Casting Obscuro at Bridget Collins
This Action: Doing as Strategized

"Incendio!" Nicholas exclaimed, his wand flourishing in the direction of Bridget. He hadn't expected much success, especially considering the calibre of duelist who they had been drawn against, but was pleasantly surprised to see that the spell hit true, the third year signed by the fire-making spell, if not set alight. The latter was unfortunate, but he was positively elated at his success. Not a few seconds earlier, he had been dreading stepping into the arena, and already he'd made contact with his first attempt. Perhaps he would be better at this whole dueling thing than he thought he could ever be. The smile that formed on his face was hyena-like, the excitement mixing with his earlier dark thoughts to create a visage that was downright predatory.

However, such the look that painted his face barely lasted a second as he realised that whilst he had cast his Incendio charm, so too had his opponents cast their spells. Bridget, for her part, cast a successful wind charm at Rose, and Nicholas couldn't help but to feel some sort of twisted selfish relief that he had not been targeted. However, it was the even more successful incantation of Ventus by Santario that panicked the first year, the spell had been so successful in fact that it had split and was coming toward both himself and Rose. The boy to move his body out of the way. By some wild stroke of fortune, he managed to avoid the spell, although the method and means through which he managed it were entirely lost to him. Instinct and dumb luck had carried him out of harm's way more than skill ever had. Nicholas had never believed much in luck, or in fate, but he was feeling like he'd definitely won fortune's favour somehow that day.

Having both successfully hit his spell and avoided the one that had come towards him, the smile that had adorned his face earlier returned, although he found that it faded when he finally shot a look toward his partner. It seemed that Nicholas had stolen Rose's luck, the second year's spell had unfortunately backfired, and the blindfold that had been intended for one of the Slytherin captains now covered her own eyes. More than that, both wind spells that had shot toward her appeared to have made their mark.

Nicholas wasn't sure what to say, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he should say at least something, "Let's get 'em."

The words were rushed and slurred, and had very little meaning, but his tone could not be hidden. He was excited, and more than that, he wanted his partner to be too, bad luck be damned. Nicholas was finally beginning to enjoy himself.

Doing as strategised.