2023/24, Stage 1 Slytherin vs Ravenclaw: Match 1

Credit to Hanako Tone

There were faster ways to end this duel, to be sure, but the Confundus Charm was the best way to ensure Aida didn't Flipendo Astrea straight off the piste, as they seemed so set on doing. That was the priority, just securing any loose ends, and now wasn't a bad time to get some practice in for spells they had less opportunity to cast under the pressure of a live duel. The duel would end sooner or later with the timer anyway, so as long as they maintained a lead, they weren't the ones who had to act with any urgency. She wondered if Aida was attempting to rush them into making mistakes, which might be their only chance at winning.

To Aida's comment, more frustration, she simply shrugged. "I planned my homework around having a duel today." She was in no dire rush to get back to the books; in fact, after the number of explosions she'd taken to the face, she might take the rest of the day pretty easy.

Action: Doing as strategized

Banner by the lovely Hanako Tone

Cocky - Shea Coulee (Explicit)

Roleplaying as Dmitri Kazimir Jones
Perfectionist II | Spell Spread | Terrible Presence | Evasive Maneuvers II | Blindvision
Sta 19, Str 2, Eva 10, Wis 18, Arc 11, Acc 15

There was a reason all of Dmitri's dueling opponents wanted him incapacitated and unable to cast spells during their bouts—and the power of his most recent jinx was just one example out of many. A quick bolt of light effortlessly emanated from his extended wand, striking the lone Ravenclaw squarely on their ankles in a white-hot flash, seizing control of their lower leg for just a moment—enough to knock both of their feet against each other, causing the Ravenclaw to trip quite dramatically.

Any more powerful, and the spell might have just as well flipped its target over.

A meticulously-cast Offendo—the perfect spell against a desperate, defiant, deafeningly-noisy dueling opponent. Not an incantation the seventh-year has ever attempted to manifest outside the confines of the Charms classroom where he had first learned and mastered it, but in light of a suddenly-too-easy duel, he was feeling a little bit... experimental.

"I mean, if you have better things to do," Dmitri would make a grand gesture towards the huge wooden doors of the Dueling Club, "please feel free. As for me..." He just could not resist hammering the nail further into the coffin, as they say. "...it might just as well be a vaction with how easy this has all gotten to be."

———

Doing as strategized.

Very easily dodging the Flipendo thrown her way, it was only the strange and momentary chill of Dmitri’s presence that managed to affect Astrea’s own aim, their singular target’s dramatic trip aside.

It seemed that the Vipers had reached an unspoken consensus. The rounds, now capped at a certain time limit per duel, would continue regardless of the minor victories and stumbles. Astrea, too, had already coordinated her schoolwork and extracurricular matters around duelling, so she shared little of the frustrated Ravenclaw’s trademark desire for academic preparation.

No longer was it a singular battle for glory and strategy, but a war of showmanship — a war of attrition. Far from a clean duel, and exactly one that levelled similar useless banter that Astrea often despised, yet only thrice a year did they hold championship stages. Every other moment spent in the duelling halls were in preparation. Daily homework and studying could be easily be dealt with on a regular basis, yet these stages could not be redone. Their taunting prolonging of the duel did little else but salt the public wound of humiliation… but even the Sorting Hat could not deny that Slytherins — or at least these three representatives, the best of the best within the senior league — had a flair for the dramatic.

Action: Doing as strategised.

Round 9

Astrea vs Aida

Reducio

Astrea Soleil Neptune casts Incendio Duo at Aida Mòrsgor-Ama
Wisdom DC: 12
Wisdom Check: [d20: 1] + 12→ Crit. Fail (TP)
Damage: (60 + 10AP * 20) * .9 = 234
Duration: [d3: 1] → 1 round (1d3, 1-2: 1 round, 3: 2 rounds)

Bridget vs Aida

Reducio

Bridget Collins cast Avis at Aida Mòrsgor-Ama
Wisdom DC: 16
Wisdom Check: [d20: 12] + 15 = 27 > 16→ Success
Effect: -6 ACC( -4 -1*(10ARC/5)) for this round

Dmitri vs Aida

Reducio

Dmitri Jones casts Tempest at Aida Mòrsgor-Ama
Wisdom DC: 17
Wisdom Check: [d20: 13] + 18 = > 17 → Success
Number of Strikes: 1 + (11ARC/5) → 3
Auto-Miss 1 (10): [d10: 10] = 10→ Auto-Miss(TP)
Auto-Miss 2 (10): [d10: 1] < 10→ No Auto-Miss(TP)
Accuracy Check 2: [d20: 10] +15 = 25
Evasion Check 2: [d20: 13] + 13 = 26
25 < 26 → Miss
Auto-Miss 3 (10): [d10: 10] = 10 → Auto-Miss(TP)

Aida vs Astrea

Reducio

Aida Mòrsgor-Ama cast Incendio Duo at Astrea Soleil Neptune
Wisdom DC: 12 + 2 [LC]
Wisdom Check: [d20: 3] + 15 + 2 [CL] = 20 > 14→ Success
Auto-Miss (10): [d10: 1] < 10→ No Auto-Miss(TP)
Accuracy Check: [d20: 12] + 14 + 2 (Wand) - 6 (Avis) = 22
Evasion Check: [d20: 13] + 16 = 29
22 < 29 → Miss
Extra Spell(10): [d10: 4] < 10 → No Extra spell(Phoenix Feather)

4th November 2023- Morning

The funny things about dueling was that the moment you thought you knew how it would play out was the moment you suddenly knew nothing. Anyone in the crowd who thought that the lone Raven would be made quick work by the Vipers would be surprised.

The Vipers kept a similar strategy to their last trio of spells. One would go for some immediate debilitation, while the other two struck. Bridget would have the honor of restricting Aida for the round; this time with an Avis. All the while, Astrea and Dmitri would be the two fangs, with an Incendio Duo and Tempest, respectively. Dmitri would have no trouble conjuring the barrage of lightning, but the flames would give Astrea issues. Who knows what the final straw that broke the magical camel's back was but her cast would fail miserably, firing back at her.

Flames seemed to be a minor theme for the round, as the lonesome Aida would conjure their own bundle of flames. They would not be consumed by them though. Birds were another story. Bridget's avis would swarm the Raven in fowl friends. Aida's aim would be thrown off, and their ball of flames would not join those already eating away at Astrea.

It seemed fate (or Merlin) did not want to see any true success this bout. Dmitri would have no more luck past casting his trio of lightning bolts. That feeling had returned, the one that made your skin crawl every so slightly, though you knew there was nothing there. Two of the bolts would stray so far off target it was hard to even tell if Dmitri had tried to aim them. The last would strike close, but not close enough. Shockingly, Aida went unscathed.

The Viper's coils had momentarily loosened, but the Raven was still caught firmly in its grasp. It seemed that time was nearing an end for Merlin's single Murderer.

Information

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

"GAWSH, you guys are being SO unprofessional. Can I go outside now? Ugh. I thought you Slytherins were ambitious but you apparently just want to joke around. Still, I know a jester who is funnier than you, and he’s not even a professional. SIGHHHHH…" Aida’s blueberry-violet eyes could have rolled right out of their sockets with exasperation. Still, Aida would stick around to the end...

Stats: Stamina✵ 10 / Evasion✵ 13 / Strength✵ 1 / Wisdom✵ 15 [17] / Arcane Power✵ 10 / Accuracy✵ 13
Abilities: Blindvision - Sixth Sense - Beast Master - Wandmaker - Comprehend Languages (Mermish)

Wand: Chestnut, Phoenix Feather, 26,6 cm, Whippy; "Ancient, ideal for magizoology, has a will of its own, showy, prone to giving away tells"– details

Reducio

Credit to Hanako Tone

Aida continued to chatter on about something or other, Bridget had mostly tuned them out at this point. The strategic side of her had written it off as bait that she wasn't very interested in getting distracted by. She also half-wondered if it had gotten worse since she hit them with the Confundus Charm, but it was what it was. The duel would be over soon anyway.

Her birds went off without a hitch, more of a feat than the simple cast she'd expected when Astrea's fire exploded in her face and Dmitri was shooting lightning in places that drew more audience screams than actual pressure on Aida. Not the best showing from Slytherin's top duellists, but considering they could fumble a volley that badly and still have a firm upper hand on this duel, there were worse things. All they had to do now was finish it out.

Action: Doing as strategized

From childhood, it had always been Astrea who had forced a magical waver — a barrier of sheer unwanted vicinity —, yet it was evidently the work of karmic retribution at its finest if the similarly perturbing presence of her former co-captain could affect her magic so much. She, ever serious and now the victim of her own magic, could but recognise the fire of hypocrisy licking up the sides of her dignity.

It was clear now; She had been led astray by the deceptive harmlessness of her teammates’ nonchalant taunting. Considering their overall demeanours and enviable duelling record, it was foolish not to account for tactical(?) arrogance to encroach on sacred grounds. Even the incessant complaints of their white-haired opponent could not sway Ravenclaw’s clear disadvantage, but who was Astrea to establish such disregard towards both opponent and ally banter while simultaneously indulging in frivolous strategy? She could not identify exactly how long they had left, but it was clear that the duel had long outlived its perceived urgency. Recognising her unprecedented cognitive dissonance in this momentary break of seriousness, Astrea quietly placed her austere mindset back upon the duelling piste where it belonged.

Action: Doing as strategised.

Banner by the lovely Hanako Tone

Cocky - Shea Coulee (Explicit)

Roleplaying as Dmitri Kazimir Jones
Perfectionist II | Spell Spread | Terrible Presence | Evasive Maneuvers II | Blindvision
Sta 19, Str 2, Eva 10, Wis 18, Arc 11, Acc 15

For the first time in a long time, Dmitri felt... giddy while dueling. In a match where the outcome is assured, there simply is nothing to overthink—and thus, so many possibilities opened up before him. The boy took advantage of this and mentally flipped through his mental Rolodex of spells he had deemed inferior or had not ever tried to cast in a professional setting before.

So many jinxes, countless charms, innumerable curses...

With how long this "duel" had lasted, he was pretty sure there was only room for a few more, but that would be enough. Flicking his wand in the air, Dmitri pretty easily conjured three lightning bolts out of seemingly nothing, raising the hairs on his arm just as they zapped toward their lone opponent.

However, with such a relatively new spell, he had grossly overestimated their trajectory. Dmitri watched as each bolt struck everything but the Ravenclaw.

Not the outcome he was expecting, but it still felt quite good for him to have been able to finally use that spell.

Sighing, Dmitri raised his wand for what he was certain would be the last time this duel.

"Try again, next time, I guess."

———

Doing as strategized.

Round 10

Astrea vs Aida

Reducio

Astrea Soleil Neptune casts Flipendo at Aida Mòrsgor-Ama
Wisdom DC: 9
Wisdom Check: [d20: 14] + 12 = 36 > 9 → Success
Auto-Miss (10): [d10: 8] < 10 → No Auto-Miss
Accuracy Check: [d20: 8] + 18 = 26
Evasion Check [d20: 11] + 13 = 24
26 > 24 → Hit
Damage: (100 + 10AP * 20) * .9 = 270

Bridget vs Aida

Reducio

Bridget Collins cast Flipendo at Aida Mòrsgor-Ama
Wisdom DC: 9
Wisdom Check: [d20: 3] + 15 = 18 > 9→ Success
Auto-Miss (10): [d10: 9] < 10 → No Auto-Miss
Accuracy Check: [d20: 3] + 15 = 18
Evasion Check [d20: 5] + 13 = 18
18 = 18 → Impaired Hit
Damage: ((100 + 10AP * 20)/2 Imp. Hit ) * .9 = 135

Dmitri and Team

Reducio

Dmitri Jones spell spreads Reparifors at Astrea Soleil Neptune and Bridget Collins
Wisdom DC: 11 + 2 [SS]
Wisdom Check: [d20: 14] + 18 = 32 > 13 → Success
Healing: 50 + 11AP * 10 = 160

Aida

Reducio

Aida Mòrsgor-Ama doesnothing
No actions received

4th November 2023- Morning

The end of the match would come as a whisper compared to how the duel had started. That's not to say it would be quiet, but against a barrage of explosions? A whisper.

The Vipers would get one last bout of strikes in. Astrea and Bridget would return to the classics with a duo of flipendos. Dmitri would choose to heal the bruised and beaten flipendo-casting duo; a safe choice, or maybe a merciful one. There would be no incantation from Aida. Though unscathed, the wix seemed too exhausted to lift their wand one last time. Who could blame them.

Purple light would rain down over Astrea and Bridget while they sent their flipendos flying towards Aida. Astrea's would slam into the lone Raven squarely with a solid thud. Bridget's would clip the Raven's wing, a partial hit just managing to collide with Aida's thigh.

Galton's voice would ring out. "GAME! Cease you casting!" The duel was over, time had finally run out. "Victory goes to SLYTHERIN! What a match." Though it was a forgone conclusion, who could say what would have happened if they'd played for double the time? As Galton was beginning to move towards the middle of the broken piste a mediwizard would tap on his shoulder and whisper into his ear. "Duelists, before you go please make sure to check in with a mediwizard no matter your physical state. I have been advised that proximity to that amount of explosions can have some side effects." He would flash a smile at each team and then make his way towards the Vipers.

When he arrived at the trio he would slide three licorice wands out from the sleeve of his robe and fan them out. With a small nod of the head he'd raise them to the team and allow them each to take one. "GRE-" He would adjust his volume, seemed his ears were ringing a bit more than he figured. "Nice spells - I mean I figured it would be fun, but I 'adn't quite expect that. Enjoy these, and maybe catch you later." He'd give them a wink and make his way over to Aida before they were gone.

"What a last stand you made! I'm not sure I'd be able to pull that off." As he spoke he would pull another licorice wand from his sleeve and hand it over. "Don't worry - have two more for your partners. Should we go see them?" No matter Aida's response, Galton would depart to the Hospital wing. Sure he needed to deliver the candy, but he also wanted to avoid whatever clean-up needed to happen here. Even with magic, repairing the piste would take some time.

Slytherin Wins!

Information

• Congratulations to all duelists! Both teams put on a great duel. Fun (and chaotic) duel. Be proud! It's been a pleasure to mod for you lot.
• Feel free to do an exit post, I will have the thread locked in a week or so, to give you ample time for it if you’d like
• Please owl or message me if you have any questions or concerns!
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Eligible for Rewards
To be eligible for rewards, your team should have won the duel and you shouldn't be disqualified.

@Astrea Soleil Neptune
@Bridget Collins
@Dmitri Jones

Please link to this post in the trunk updates if you wish to claim your +1 stat point from this duel.