King of the Hill Wargames fin

mentioning: @Avery Chen | @Hui Ming

Not exactly a prodigy at spells. Not really your average genius, hardly someone who even did her best on assignments. Sure, Maggie was pulling a solid E with the exception of Charms, where an O average was upheld by a particular deftness for the lighter things, but it wasn't her full potential. Mostly, she skimmed the assignments and simply searched for the information required of her, didn't make too much of an additional effort to do well on assignments that she didn't find particularly useful. The work assigned to Hogwarts students was more beneficial than most muggle homework, yes. Learning spells and how magic worked was pretty important, more important than a stupid gym class, but Maggie supposed that both had their drawbacks. After all, a flying class wasn't really necessary when you got down to it, was it? Did a flying class matter? Was Hogwarts training each and every student to be a professional Quidditch player or something?

Whatever. Didn't matter. Maggie had a game to win.

Low stakes, high ego. The realization that she had withstood the potential wrath of Liana Kerr and lasted until the final two were standing was finally setting in. She could win this and, even though she didn't particularly care much about dueling and didn't plan on pursuing it beyond little favors for Ming here and there, the excitement that came with a win was enticing. A win was a win was a win, in Maggie's book.

"I haven't even been trying. You have no idea what's coming to you, Avery!" Maggie jeered. Of course, she was just attempting to psych Avery out. The two spells she knew that were beneficial in a duel such as this were being used to the best of her ability. Saying she was doing it all effortlessly, though, just sounded altogether so much more impressive, didn't it?

action: doing as strategized

━━━━ PARTICIPANTS ━━━━
────────────

[ Liana Kerr ]
0% HP (0/500)
────────────

[ @Avery Chen ]
70% HP (420/600)

────────────
Dacing Feet @ Maggie

Reducio

STA: 6 | EVA: 6 | STR: 6
WIS: 7 | ARC: 4 | ACC: 6
Blindvision

Wisdom DC: 9
Wisdom Check: [d20: 16] + 3 = 19, success
Accuracy Check: [d20: 8] + 7 -2 = 13
Evasion Check: [d20: 8] + 10 = 18
13 < 18 → Miss

[ Geoffrey Donovan ]
100% HP (700/700)
Withdrawn from Event
────────────

[ @Maggie Hawkins ]
42% HP (210/500)

────────────
Dancing Feet @ Avery

Reducio

STA: 5 | EVA: 10 | STR: 4
WIS: 3 | ARC: 6 | ACC: 7

Calming Presence

Wisdom DC: 9
Wisdom Check: [d20: 4] + 3 = 7, failure

[ Hildegard Schneider ]
0% HP (0/400)
────────────

[ Matthew Gray ]
25% HP (125/500)
Forfeited due to inactivity
────────────

[ Della Barfield ]
0% HP (0/500)
────────────

━━━━ POST ━━━━

For all of the bluster shown by the two Slytherin athletes, this round seemed to be a reverse of the previous round. It was Maggie, this time, who seemed to trip over herself while attempting to cast a spell, only for Avery to attempt to take advantage.

He missed of course, landing anything on Maggie was no simple task, so it apparently left everyone where they started. No harm, no foul.

Or did it? It was hardly the first time that Maggie had trouble casting, and maybe Ming would step in quietly after the match and see if he could do anything to help her. If there was actual danger in any situation, then he would rather she knew how to take care of herself.

After a moment’s considerations, he filed that thought away, turning back to @Vale Ashwood and the rather unexpected invitation. There was no way he could attend, of course, given how far behind he was in his academic curriculum. But he could hardly tell her that.

Instead, the quiet first-year latched on to the other part of the conversation.

“That is Miss Decipio,” he responded, unimpressed at Ashes’ apparent interest in the older girl. “Perhaps you’d like to meet her firsthand, to sate your curiosity?”

────────────

Two small notes:
1/ Apologies for the slow replies, I have been struggling to put pen to paper in a manner that has been acceptable as of late. Moderation posts should now be more regular.
2/ I have been struggling with replies, and have thus merged my own actions with the developments of the dice rolls. If people find this obejctionable, please raise in DMs so I may rectify in the future

Players have until January 30 23:59 PST to post and send in actions
If there was an error in the dice rolls, feel free to owl or DM me.

Action: As strategized.

Vale blinked, staring down at Ming as he spoke of the older girl. No response, about her party? With cake and even alligators? Games, too! Was the boy losing his mind? But like nothing, Vale was already hooked on the next portion of the conversation. She was jumping and giggling in excitement at Ming's offer.

"Would I! That'll make Ashes' day! Decipio, hm..." Vale paused, looking back up to the battle between Avery and Maggie. It was intense; the last two hoping to find one of them a victor. It was a glorious battle. And, it was legal too.

Vale could only hope she'll have a chance at her own form of legal glory some day.

Suddenly, Vale stopped in her fixation to pull Ashes next to her ear. There was no sound, but Vale nodded to herself and turned back to Ming with a smile. "Thanks Ming. Ashes says he owes you one." She whispered out, showing her doll off once more before snatching her head up to watch the rest of the battle that was going on.

Vale moved back with Ashes in her hand to watch the rest of the match. She felt that it is nearly at the end with its only two, active competitors on standby.

Mention: Everyone

spectating

━━━━ PARTICIPANTS ━━━━
────────────

[ Liana Kerr ]
0% HP (0/500)
────────────

[ @Avery Chen ]
70% HP (420/600)

────────────
Dacing Feet @ Maggie

Reducio

STA: 6 | EVA: 6 | STR: 6
WIS: 7 | ARC: 4 | ACC: 6
Blindvision

Wisdom DC: 9
Wisdom Check: [d20: 5] + 7 = 12, success
Accuracy Check: [d20: 1] = 1
Evasion Check: [d20: 2] + 10 = 12
1 < 12 → Miss

[ Geoffrey Donovan ]
100% HP (700/700)
Withdrawn from Event
────────────

[ @Maggie Hawkins ]
42% HP (210/500)

────────────
No Post

Reducio

STA: 5 | EVA: 10 | STR: 4
WIS: 3 | ARC: 6 | ACC: 7

Calming Presence

[ Hildegard Schneider ]
0% HP (0/400)
────────────

[ Matthew Gray ]
25% HP (125/500)
Forfeited due to inactivity
────────────

[ Della Barfield ]
0% HP (0/500)
────────────

━━━━ POST ━━━━

It was perhaps a sign of the exhaustion of the event, that even when Avery took a chance to slip in a spell amidst the banter, that it was way off the intended target. Perhaps taken by surprise, or perhaps equally exhausted, her attempt at a dodge was far below her normal standard. Mentally, Ming made a note to himself to limit the duration of future events, so that he did not make the participants suffer the way they were here.

He was drawn from the sudden movement by Miss Ashwood, who accepted the invite to go meet the Gryffindor prefect, before talking to her doll and moving back to watch the match. “Uhm…”

Perhaps the girl was offended that he’d not enthusiastically agreed to partake in her invitation. Or maybe it was something else, but he had clearly offended her somehow, and he was not entirely certain what the appropriate course of action would be. Choosing to play it safe, Ming simply nodded before heading back to his fellow moderator.

“Apologies. That was…”

────────────

Players have until February 13 23:59 PST to post and send in actions
If there was an error in the dice rolls, feel free to owl or DM me.

OPEN TO INTERACTION

───Interactions─── [font=century gothic]@Hui Ming @Della Barfield[/font]

OUTFIT Reducio Zimmerman Fall 2021 Collection

────Mentions──── [font=century gothic]@Avery Chen @Maggie Hawkins @Vale Ashwood[/font]

The duel had been continuing for quite some time. With every spell cast, it became ever more clear that the two remaining duellists were among the least likely to have made it as far as they had. Perhaps there was something to be said of that. It had been the most prodigal of students who had first been targeted as high priority lest they sweep the platform and dominate. The underwhelming had been largely ignored, initially, given time to take stock of the dynamics and plan accordingly. It was a trend Evelynn had come to learn early on: life wasn't always survival of the fittest. More often than not, survival favoured those that avoided attention. Something she found increasingly difficult over the years.

Still, as impressive as it was for them to remain standing, it certainly didn't make for a particularly interesting duel. Spell variety and accuracy could certainly use some polishing, and there was little flourish to speak of. Lights continued to flash as they did their best to finish each other off, but Evelynn found her attention more drawn to the—to her—silent conversation between the young Mister Hui and the doll-clutching girl. Curiosity had been peaked all the more when they had briefly glanced in her direction as though she, herself, had come up in conversation.

Soon enough, however, a stirring of another sort drew her focus away even from that. "You're awake," Evelynn observed aloud, hands dropping to clasp one atop the other against her lap as her steps carried her languidly towards the rousing young lioness. "Barfield, is it not?" She had been privy to the list of participants. "How are you feeling?" Her tone was low so as not to disturb the competitors, her expression neutral. Even as she asked, her gaze roamed her underclassman's form, assessing for any outstanding damages. Not that she expected to find any. Nurse Brumby was exceptional, of course.

And when Hui had returned, apology on his lips, Evelynn glanced up with a demure smile, a hand waving to dismiss it. "All is well?"

@Evelynn Decipio

OPEN TO INTERACTION

───Interactions─── [font=century gothic]@Della Barfield[/font]

OUTFIT Reducio Zimmerman Fall 2021 Collection

────Mentions──── [font=century gothic]n/a[/font]

A friendly reception would greet Evelynn's greeting as the prefect approached the returned-to-consciousness duellist. Mirroring the younger girl, a demure smile would be returned along with a dip of the chin.

"Mn... A pleasure to make your acquaintance," came the confirmation and response, making use of neither name. Those who knew Evelynn would know given names were not something customarily employed by the prefect and so she would drop their use entirely sod as to preserve the comfort of the pair of them.

Her scan of the girl would concluded swiftly enough, no apparent lasting damage having befallen the younger Gryffindor. Good. Granted, it was far from uncommon for students to bear scars in one form or another, visible or otherwise, from the various fights that would break out at functions or events... but it was still early into the school year. She was only in her first academic year at Hogwarts. And this was a sanctioned, albeit unofficial, duel setting. It wouldn't do for the young minds to be marred so early. And preferably not at all.

But as the girl who stood before Evelynn continued, it seemed clear that while her consciousness had been stolen briefly, there had been no dousing of her inner spirit. The fire that the upperclassman had seen at the start of the match, that had compelled her to place her bets on the girl... it was very much alive. "I am glad to hear you are feeling well," she conceded, smiling lightly and turning her attention back towards the ongoing duel.

"A lot of firsts, you say?" It had only been quietly uttered, but as near as she was, Evelynn picked it up regardless. Still, she would do the justice of lowering her own voice to match the register and avoid the invitation of any others who might have wandered in to spectate. "A first time away from home; a first time entering into formal magical education; a first to have your knowledge tested and demanded to quite such a level. Perhaps a first with magic at all?"

She would hazard a glance over to the girl as she spoke to gauge the reaction of her suggestions. Most were fairly generalized statements, granted, but she had a gut feeling that perhaps Mister Hui hadn't been the only one among the group to come from a muggle rearing. Perhaps there were others for whom she might offer counsel and advice along a path similar to her own. "How have you been finding your first year thus far?"