5 Mar 2021, 22:04
Stalemate
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Even Rhea Miller had to appreciate the ridiculous inefficiency of the Hogwarts castle.
I mean, come off it. These people essentially had limitless magic at their disposal - amounts of power that muggles could only dream of - and what did they do with it? Made a huge castle even more difficult to navigate. Logically, they would've added shortcuts that were retained among all the students, or reconstructed the castle's architecture to create simpler passageways, but nooo. They just had to make randomly moving staircases.
Frankly, Rhea had an excellent sense of direction. She was great at keeping an even head and an analytical thought process. Although capturing mental photographs of her surroundings was not something that came to her easily, she was able to map out the area in her mind, and just go from there. Typically that worked fine, but the strategy didn't apply when the contents of the map were constantly transforming. Oddly enough, that was why she appreciated it. It provided her with a challenge.
Needless to say, her journey to the second floor had been much much longer and more difficult than necessary, especially because she carried her wizard's chess set with her, and that painfully heavy thing was more trouble than it was worth. She had purchased it in Diagon Alley along with all her other magical possessions and yet somehow it had gone untouched throughout all these months. Rhea had been swept up by all of her other priorities and hadn't gotten an opportunity to play a game yet this year. She regretted this deeply and sought to fix it as soon as possible.
So, naturally, here she was. In the doorway of the study room. A drab, thoroughly underwhelming little space, one that Rhea spent quite a lot of time in, and one that she naturally gravitated towards when she was able. The tables were arranged somewhat haphazardly around the room; apart from a few softly chattering students, it was empty. Rhea relished the silence, the lack of screamingly bright decor, and even the disorganization. Just minimal simplicity and quiet.
She selected a table near the back wall and went to sit down, dropping her book bag on the seat beside her and setting her chessboard down on the surface. It clattered loudly, breaking the near silence. She winced, but proceeded to set up the pieces, as she had done so many times prior. The rhythm of the action was soothing. It felt like she was back at her flat, preparing to play against Hadley.
Of course, it was over in a moment, and her spread was complete. She reached out to grab her black knight, then froze. This was wizard chess, right? Maybe you weren't supposed to...
"Knight to f-6," she tried. To her astonishment, the piece moved on its own to the square. Well, that was convenient. Perhaps she had underestimated the logical abilities of qualified wizards.
She had everything she needed to play. Everything... except an opponent.
Reducio
Hello, anyone that has come across this post! Although I appreciate your interest, please do not join unless your character is (at least somewhat) skilled at the game. I want to provide Rhea with a challenge!
Last edited by Rhea Miller on 6 Mar 2021, 00:38, edited 1 time in total.
It is often said that fortune favors the bold;
If only fortune determined how stories unfold.
Fearless | Sta 6 • Eva 6 • Str 4 • Wis 8 • ArcP 5 • Acc 6
If only fortune determined how stories unfold.
Fearless | Sta 6 • Eva 6 • Str 4 • Wis 8 • ArcP 5 • Acc 6
6 Mar 2021, 00:10
Stalemate
Interacting: @Rhea Miller
Mentioning: N/A
Languages: English | French | Italian | Arabic | Russian
Outfit
Rumors/gossip you might have heard about Henry ~ReducioHenry Knight
is overall a quiet and background type of guy which means there aren't many rumours about him going around but there are still a few that are spread around the school about him. Maybe you heard that he's a know it all or a geek/nerd that is at the top of all his classes in his year. Maybe you seen/heard that his hand is always up in any class and the boy always has the answer for questions pertaining to academics. Or maybe you heard that the boy is a sight for eyes with his dreamy blue eyes and perfectly tan skin. Maybe you saw him in the corridors and like most think that the boy is quite cute or had such beautiful features. Or maybe you heard about the rather popular rumour that the boy teaches himself advanced lessons and learns from his older brother during the summer holiday. Then there's the true and popular gossip that Henry Knight is a Duelist on the slytherin dueling team which leads to the rather popular rumours that the boy knows a few advanced but dark spells and jinxes.
Henry Knight has always been one that preferred books and knowledge to specializing with others his own age. Some would call this weird but the twelve year old wouldn't care as he always been pretty much a outcast his whole life so spending a day alone either reading a one to a dozen books or studying ahead in his studies or teaching himself advanced lessons was a normal day for him.
March 2nd, a tuesday. After classes were out for the day the second year didn't enjoy hanging around his dorm mates like most. Finding most of them to he quite odd or suspiciously hiding something so instead the boy decided to head to the study room for a bit of reading.
Henry left his messager type bag, orange feline; Loki, and anything that said his house in his bunk room. From a far you couldn't tell that the second year was in the house; slytherin but there were a few that knew the boy was on the slytherin dueling team so.
Anyway the second year would enter the study room to find it awkwardly empty except for the girl that caught his eyes.
A single girl wiry a chessboard. Possibly looking for a opponent.
Always loved chess and is technically very skilled at the game having played it for years with his older brother, and not really caring if its muggle or wizarding even if he grew up play wizarding chess Henry would approached the girl with a book under his arm and smile on his face Henry would speak " Hello, are you waiting for someone or could I join you?"
"There's no such thing as strange creatures, only blinked people" - Newt Scamander
7 Mar 2021, 01:29
Stalemate
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So apparently the chess pieces had opinions as well as motor skills. That's what "motor skills" meant, right? A definition that did not exactly fit the scenario occurred to her and she pushed it away.
Anyway, the chess pieces were oddly effective at communicating their emotions, despite the fact that they lacked vocal cords (and mouths, for that matter). She tried to move her rook to g-8, but as she attempted to grasp it, the wooden piece slid out of her reach. She played around with that for awhile, cupping her hands around it and unfortunately knocking over all the surrounding pieces (they stood up quickly, clearly affronted at her clumsiness). Her next strategy was to follow the rook with her fingers as it continued to evade her; they had a bit of a race around its square and the one beside it that had been previously occupied by the knight. Eventually she managed to get her hand around it but it promptly stabbed her palm with its little sword. She almost released her grip but was able to cling onto the carving; it jabbed her again and again until she was finally forced to let go.
"What do you want?!" she hissed. Of course it did not answer.
It was at that moment that a voice interrupted her interrogation of the tiny castle, and she turned to look at the source of the words. It was a boy. A young boy, possibly about her age, dressed in a green jacket and carrying a book under his arm. He looked friendly enough.
"Yes, come sit," she said, gesturing to the seat across from her. "I was actually just thinking that I needed an opponent. These pieces seem reluctant to permit me to practice alone. Do you play?"
She would tell the pieces to move back to their squares, and introduce herself - "I'm Rhea, by the way, who're you?" - before waiting politely for him to make himself comfortable. It was his move, after all.
It is often said that fortune favors the bold;
If only fortune determined how stories unfold.
Fearless | Sta 6 • Eva 6 • Str 4 • Wis 8 • ArcP 5 • Acc 6
If only fortune determined how stories unfold.
Fearless | Sta 6 • Eva 6 • Str 4 • Wis 8 • ArcP 5 • Acc 6
7 Mar 2021, 16:45
Stalemate
Interacting:@Rhea Miller
Mentioning: N/A
Languages: English | French | Italian | Arabic | Russian
"What do you want?!"
The girl at the chessboard snapped causing Henry to stumble back a bit. Just because he was a second year now didn't exactly mean the boy wasn't still suffering from anxiety and at times fan be quite awkward or clumsy.
Recovering from that first attempt at talking to the girl in front of him, Henry pushed back a few strands of hair from his face before giving the girl a bit of a smile when he heard her speaking again.
Upon hearing her question it allowed Henry to remember playing chess with his older brother; Arthur. Memories started flowing in as Henry thought about learning the art of chess with his brother and how they would spend hours playing together during the summer holiday.
Smiling a bit, Henry would speak" uh, yes I do play," leaving out the part that he mainly played at his home wiry his brother although he did play with Alexa Mackenzie that year at Hogwarts, once and things ended before they could finish their game.
Sitting down opposite from the girl, placing his book next to the board as he watched the pieces set themselves up before hearing the girl introduced herself as Rhea and asking what his name was seeing that his color is white.. a small part of his wished to being played black having played that side a lot more but really not minding as he spoke" nice to meet you Rhea, I'm Henry," before eyeing the board and in a soft voice making his move, " pawn to b4."
Last edited by Henry Knight on 9 Mar 2021, 18:52, edited 1 time in total.
"There's no such thing as strange creatures, only blinked people" - Newt Scamander
9 Mar 2021, 18:29
Stalemate
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He started off with a pawn. Okay, that was unsurprising. He hadn't made enough moves for her to begin analyzing his strategy, so instead she concentrated on her own. The girl began carefully circling her hand over the board, very nearly gracing the pieces but never quite making contact. Finally she made a decision.
"Pawn to g5." The pawn slid across the board to the square specified.
"So, Henry," she would say, trying to think of what sort of introductory queries to present to him. He looked somewhat familiar, in the sense that she had come across him in the corridors at some point. She would tilt her head, regarding him. He spoke softly. That gave her the impression that he was shy. Or perhaps he just had a naturally quiet voice?
Well, she wouldn't know anything for sure until he confirmed it.
"So, Henry," she would repeat. "I have a lot of questions for you. Not in a weird way; I'm just trying to get to know my opponent. If we're going to play, why not become companions as well? It'd be odd for me to defeat a stranger." She would smirk then. "Well, I'm a half-blood, if you care. What're you? Also, how did you learn to play chess? I taught myself when I was very young. What other hobbies do you have?"
She would listen, her expression returned to a cool poker face, doing her best to make him uncomfortable. Perhaps he would say something that would get a reaction out of her, although she doubted it. Rhea had perfected this look, this statue-esque glare, and it would not be broken. That she was (almost) sure of.
At any rate, her self-confidence and bravado was not so fragile. This interaction had become a game to her too.
It is often said that fortune favors the bold;
If only fortune determined how stories unfold.
Fearless | Sta 6 • Eva 6 • Str 4 • Wis 8 • ArcP 5 • Acc 6
If only fortune determined how stories unfold.
Fearless | Sta 6 • Eva 6 • Str 4 • Wis 8 • ArcP 5 • Acc 6
9 Mar 2021, 19:05
Stalemate
Interacting:@Rhea Miller
Mentioning: N/A
Languages: English | French | Italian | Arabic | Russian
Henry watched the pawn slide to g5. Looking over the whole board for his next move when he realized that one of the most important rules in chess is to control the center and his first move on far from it...
This is why I play black usually...
Henry would eye the board and saw two options mainly, he could go for a checkmate of his opponent in four moves or less. Or the second was he could take control of the center hence controlling the game then checkmate his opponent.
"Pawn to E4," Henry spoke as strategy for the chess game played in his mind. Different scenarios and moves flashed throughout his mind.
Henry would listen to Rhea's words but upon hearing defeat a smirk appeared on his own face as he replied" I agree, it wouldn't be the same to defeat a stranger compared to a friend," a light smile appeared on his face however upon hearing her voice he would nod a bit before speaking" I don't care about blood status but I'm a pureblood," a slight look down before looking back up at the girl as he continued, " my older brother taught me, are parents weren't around much so we would usually play during holidays and breaks."
Henry felt like he shouldn't have said that as his eyes drifted back to the board before speaking" I also like to read, learn, play the violin, dueling, and a few others things," the second year would look back to his opponent and speak" and what are your hobbies?"
"There's no such thing as strange creatures, only blinked people" - Newt Scamander
10 Mar 2021, 22:19
Stalemate
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She could feel the heat rising in her neck as she studied the board. Dammit, dammit, dammit! Rhea had connected the dots all wrong; you were supposed to control the center of the board. She had instead constructed a strategy wherein she would surround Henry's miniscule army, instead of pushing them to the sides. It was what she was used to since it worked best on Hadley back home, but she had no idea what kind of strategist Henry was. Well, maybe she could play for a bit, meander, adjust according to what he did. That was... well, a bad idea, but whatever. It was better than operating under an assumption.
Rhea rested her chin on her open palm, poker face intact, and said quietly, "Knight to c6." It still bothered her that she had no intact plan.
Ohhh. A pureblood. It was good that he didn't care, but purebloods in general left a sour taste in her mouth after meeting Jennifer King. Good riddance, she thought spitefully.
"You have siblings? Lovely. I don't. Never wanted them anyway, though." She shrugged. "Do you enjoy it?"
Ugh. Another reader? Rhea could feel her anxiety contributing to her irritation. For once, she permitted it. Sometimes anger was a useful tool in chess. Also, he liked to play violin, just like Jennifer. More annoyance.
"I personally loath both reading and violin," she expressed, then realizing her words were too harsh: "But I'd like to be better. At reading, that is. I'm not a particularly musical person."
He asked a question, and she had to think about it for a time. Finally she would answer, "Well, I like chess, obviously. I've never dueled before, but it sounds interesting enough. I also like science; or rather, trying to figure out how magic and science can coexist. It's a very fascinating concept. Normally I'm not one for philosophy, though, so it's unusual. I've come to the temporary conclusion that magic exists purely to defy science. Like, magic is impossibility, and there would be no impossibility without the laws of science. I suppose that's not much of a hobby, so... I like potion-making, I guess." She would chuckle awkwardly. "Er, it's my turn to ask the question, right? Well, let me think about this..." She would at that point take a moment to drum her fingers on the table. "What was your life pre-Hogwarts?"
It is often said that fortune favors the bold;
If only fortune determined how stories unfold.
Fearless | Sta 6 • Eva 6 • Str 4 • Wis 8 • ArcP 5 • Acc 6
If only fortune determined how stories unfold.
Fearless | Sta 6 • Eva 6 • Str 4 • Wis 8 • ArcP 5 • Acc 6
17 Mar 2021, 14:27
Stalemate
Interacting:@Rhea Miller
Mentioning: N/A
Languages: English | French | Italian | Arabic | Russian
Outfit
Sorry for the wait
Henry watched her knight move to a spot that would directly affect his pawn, so perhaps she's trying to control the center as well as eyes scanned the board looking for a way to protect his pawn while also trying to picture at the next 10 moves in advance.
A skill that he picked up in from his brother before looking up again and speaking" horse to c3," now his pawn would be protected if Rhea decided to take it and it would take more than one move to take his horse so he decided that would be the best move.
Henry heard her question about siblings and how she enjoyed being a only child as the Ivy replied" it's nice at times to have someone there then at other times it can be quite annoying. Your an only child? What is that like?" Almost all of his friends has siblings so Henry rarely had the opportunity to ask someone what it was like to be a only child.
"My father forces me to play the violin ever since I was 7 and I did despise it in the beginning but now I'm pretty neutral about it," Henry spoke in respond to the girl with a small smile since it was true when his father first started forcing him to play it went nearly as fun.
"Everyone has their strengths and weakness, you may not be that good with reading but I'm sure your brilliant in other areas like-" Henry spoke giving a moment pause before continuing with a smile" like chess or strategy for example," offering the girl across from him a smile.
Henry would listen to the girl with a nod and small smile, potion making and trying to discover how science and magic can coexist or how they interact wiry each other... sounds fascinating... maybe she could tell me her findings and in return I can show her a few dueling techniques or spells..
"Potion making and the search for how science and magic coexist or interact sound like brilliant hobbies, prehaps I can see your findings later and in return I can show you a few dueling techniques and spells?" Henry spoke again offering the girl a smile before hearing her comment and nodding a bit.
Taking a moment to think about his answer, not wanting to reveal to much but also not to little until the second year would speak" well my mum died when I was 6, I'm close with my older brother who is the reason I'm advanced in my classes but he's also 8 years older than me so. I have a twin sister who is a squib and my father was never around when I was a child so I'm quite mature or responsible or independent," pretty sure that he got most of it covered before offering his opponent a smile as he spoke" And you? What was your life like prehogwarts?"
Last edited by Henry Knight on 27 May 2021, 19:41, edited 1 time in total.
"There's no such thing as strange creatures, only blinked people" - Newt Scamander
18 Mar 2021, 18:45
Stalemate
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Henry's offer took her by surprise. Dueling techniques? Spells? It was a fantastic opportunity in theory, but the experience of being instructed by a peer... just thinking about it made her angry. She knew it would be difficult to keep her temper under wraps with her dignity being threatened like that.
"I'll consider it," she said definitively.
As he continued to speak, summarizing his childhood, she stared at the board. He had protected his pawn... maybe he was more of a defensive player, rather than an offensive? That would certainly be convenient, since Rhea considered herself the latter. They would balance each other out strategically.
Or perhaps it wasn't so black and white.
"... who is the reason I'm advanced in my classes but he's also 8 years older than me so."
Rhea grunted. "Isn't that a bit of an unfair advantage? But at least you're open about it. Better than being all 'Oh, look at me, look at how naturally clever I am."
He went on about his squib sister, and Rhea couldn't help but be interested. She had never met a squib. Were they bitter that their whole families had magical abilities but they didn't? She would be.
He mentioned a few of his better qualities, so naturally she muttered under her breath, "Yes, and you're clearly so humble too." Okay, that wasn't fair. She was one to talk - too many a time her ego and her pride had gotten the best of her. But she wasn't going to express that. This would be one of the worst moments to reveal a weakness.
"Well, first of all, being an only child was uneventful, I suppose. I'd elaborate, but I've never been anything but an only child, so I have nothing to compare it to. The house is usually empty, maybe that's unusual for someone with siblings. Secondly, my life was... quite boring, actually," Rhea admitted. "I was raised by my Muggle father in the city of Queensbury. He was my only parent because my mom died when I was an infant. Hey, we both lost our mothers!" She smiled wryly. "We have so much in common." Okay, bad joke. Death wasn't funny. She broke eye contact and stared down at her lap.
He was probably waiting for her move. She finished her explanation, returning her gaze to the board.
"Anyway, my father didn't always have a lot of money - or time, for that matter - so I spent most of my time either at school or my friend Hadley's house. I'm self-taught at chess - I learned by playing against a computer - but I showed him out to play when I was confident in my skills. And... that's about it." She smiled at him. It wasn't a real smile, but maybe it would help ease him. Either that or he'd be horrified by her evil monster grimace.
So, she could take one of his pawns with her horse. It wasn't part of her original strategy, but then again, she had no solidified original strategy. You're meandering, remember? Also, that pawn being out in the open was no mistake, she was sure of it. It was just too obvious of a kill! She could sort of see what he was trying to do - if she had been a worse player, he could take her knight in a few moves, but she could get out of that if she put it back on her next turn.
Okay, fine. The real reason was that she really wanted to see what would happen when a piece got taken. Did it just get pushed off the square? That was the most boring thing she could think of. This was the wizarding world - everything was unexpected. It had to be more exciting than that.
"Knight to b4," she said, rubbing her palms together in anticipation.
It is often said that fortune favors the bold;
If only fortune determined how stories unfold.
Fearless | Sta 6 • Eva 6 • Str 4 • Wis 8 • ArcP 5 • Acc 6
If only fortune determined how stories unfold.
Fearless | Sta 6 • Eva 6 • Str 4 • Wis 8 • ArcP 5 • Acc 6
27 May 2021, 20:11
Stalemate
Interacting:@Rhea Miller
Mentioning: N/A
Languages: English | French | Italian | Arabic | Russian
Outfit
Sorry for the extended wait....
Henry would nod with a small smile toward her reply before speaking" well whenever if your up for dueling just head to the dueling room on the fourth floor," the boy always enjoyed helping other and making friends it was just his anxiety made things a bit harder for him to do so.
The second year would glance at the board, finding different strategies and moves to do for the game. It was a odd feeling playing as white but he was trying to find the positives about the situation even if he was rather a pessimist himself about certain things. This was one of them, Henry was sure because of the color he would miss something and lose to Rhea not that he would care since the game was for fun and hopefully he would make a new friend out of it.
"I'm not one to boast and would rather be forgotten in the back class, plus the ones that do boast about their skills tend to be rather annoying but also know less than they claim," Henry spoke offering the girl a small smile finding that he was enjoying playing chess with the first year and taking turns in getting to know one another.
Henry heard her mutter a comment but didn't say anything about it since he thought that she didn't want him to hear. Instead the boy focus on the board and what his next move would be, he wanted to capture her pieces and go for a checkmate but he also needed to protect his own. It was hard to figure out which one was more important than the other.
Henry would listen to her talk about her life before Hogwarts and would look up from the board at her eyes as he nodded a bit, almost feeling bad that the girl spent her life alone for much of the time. However when he heard her rather awkward joke about having a lot in common because both their mothers died at first Henry didn't know what to say but then saw Rhea become awkward so he would softly smile as he spoke" your right, it hasn't even been five minutes and we already have loads in common," before the boy would smile softly at her and lower his a voice a bit as he spoke" I am sorry about your mother and that you were lonely before coming to Hogwarts but I'm sure there has to be at least one good thing about your life before Hogwarts. "
The boy wasn't use to looking on the bright side but was trying to do it more often now that he attended Hogwarts and had friends who were rather optimistic.
The boy was rather good at multitasking as he listened to Rhea continue to speak and come up with possible moves for his next turns. The boy would nod a bit before asking" your self taught at chess? That's wicked and you probably beat your friend in most games to right?" Henry would smile toward her before hearing then watching her next move.
The black knight would slide across the board to the spot where the white pawn sat, the pieces did came alive as the knight would hit the pawn off the room before taking its spot.
Henry would catch the pawn and sit it upright on the side of the board before eyeing the board and seeing different possible moves and strategies.
He could capture her knight or another piece or he could continue to control the center.
The boy nodded a little after he made sure the rest of his pieces would be safe as he spoke"horse to F3."
"There's no such thing as strange creatures, only blinked people" - Newt Scamander