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

Banner by the lovely Hanako Tone

Cocky - Shea Coulee (Explicit)

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

Dmitri entered the dueling arena head held high.

Things were different this year—as it had been for each of the years before. It made the sport itself unique and far from one-note, but for someone like him who liked a bit (no, a lot of familiarity), having to adjust his own strategies every year was nothing short of unnecessarily exhausting.

This year was a 3v3 battle, apparently. Similar to the one he had just won (by default) last summer versus what passed as "the best" out of the other international wizarding schools.

The best... Dmitri scoffed. The moderator for this duel called them the best out of Slytherin and Ravenclaw, just now.

Maybe he just conveniently forgot Dmitri was also the best out of the entire school.

But that was something for another day. Today was a duel he won't be losing, anyway.

As always.

He did like a lot of familiarity.

And succeeding was a very familiar feeling.

Looking sideways at his teammates—at Astrea, who was a competent duelist as proven by the many duels they have won together, and at Bridget, who was a great duelist in her own right, probably the only duelist Dmitri could admit would rival him someday. Someday when he perished, maybe—he decided it was an appropriate time for encouraging words.

"Don't embarrass yourselves out there, ladies. It's only, like, one of the most important duels of your career."

———

Doing as strategized.

Blinking blueberry-violet eyes as the white wix scratched their nose with a rough-yet-elegant arc of one arm, Aida wandered onto the piste looking more than a bit sleep-deprived.

"Hmm? You people again?" In a yawn, Aida made no indication that their previous stalemate against the Slytherin trio had done much to dampen the Ravenclaw's confidence. "Let's have fun, then!" The wix's voice warbled with a toss of white hair and a smile at each comrade, but Aida's languid blinks were still clearly batting the spell of Morpheus away.

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

The years ticked away like hours on a clock. And now she was here, called forward to a duel of the best, a descriptor a third year Bridget, exploding her first-ever duel spell in her face, would never believe. But she was here, stepping up onto the platform, flanked by the most intimidating members of the Viridian Vipers. Some of their edge had eased over time from working alongside Dmitri and being Astrea's partner last year, but the energy they carried was a constant and the force currently keeping her spine rigidly straight, eyes straight ahead. She would look the part of the cool-headed captain even if the nerves were alight like live wire. Galton, at least, made her smile a bit for all his energy and creative introductions.

Across from them stood the Ravenclaws, a trio of duellists she'd faced before. She had lost to all of them before, or lost in essence, but it was a new day. A lot had changed, she had only trained better, and this was the first time she was standing alongside none other than Dmitri Jones, who for all his perhaps less enjoyable qualities was an undeniably skilled wizard. His words might have stressed her out a few years ago, but now they rolled off like water, expected so harmless. They would all fight their hardest and yes, hopefully it wouldn't be an embarrassment. They had a team to represent.

Action: Doing as strategized

Since the last stage of duelling competitions, an entirely new duelling system, one all too similar to her many summer ventures, had been set in place. How strange it was, to be continually shifting dynamics with every new year of participation. First, it was the implementation of age-based leagues to separate the children from their elders, now an expansion of pairings. At the very least, for her indifference towards true team bonding, they were not separating partners too radically now within the senior league. As it increasingly seemed, climbing the ranks of both Hogwarts and duelling often meant a cyclical procedure of duelling associates. Of all the duellist upon the piste, there was not one whom she had not duelled alongside or against — indeed, even the moderator held a passing familiarity that accompanied her vague acknowledgement of non-opponent associates.

Such difference never did sit well with months of mental and physical preparation, especially on such short notice, but the conflicting cycle of change and adaptation long raised generations of wizarding children and adapt they did. The basic principles of duelling were the same (as completely overwriting the foundations of which duelling based would have surely resulted in chaos), it was simply the format that had changed. There were simply too many duelists for moderators and too many duels for a single championship. Though it seemed quite radical at the time, it was likely an overdue switch considering Hogwarts' inconsistent and highly individualized duelling culture, which had long built itself upon unlikely opponent pairings and variable difficulty. This 'culture', of course, was never one in which Astrea had never bothered to participate very well in between her perpetual state of seclusion and the Viridian Vipers' aura of preferred professionalism but even the newfound implementation of larger pairings could not expand her non-existent social circle.

While it was clear that their Ravenclaw opponents held only amicable determination, any true animosity removed by time itself, the Viridian Vipers had scarcely experienced such lightheartedness. Astrea, by now familiarly frosty in demeanour, fit snugly into the distinctly blase conduct that only a true Slytherin duelist could claim truth in. No matter the outcome of the duel, it was sure to be a grand test of expertise and strategy — a combination of which had drawn the last stage of duelling the year before. This year, however, she was certain that no tie could appease their combative willpower.

Action: Doing as strategised.

Mentioning @Delilah Stewart @Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood

Phaedra wasn't one for sappiness, but there was a peculiar pang in her chest as she joined her teammates. Whether from the anticipation of losing good company among her fellow Ravenclaws or the loss of the sport itself, the thought of this as her last championship was a bittersweet realisation. Competition had shaped her into quite the capable witch, and as she withdrew her wand and settled a firm gaze upon her opponents, Phaedra swore to make everyone remember it, and cement her mark on Hogwarts duelling history.

Doing as strategized (x)

Round 1

Astrea

Reducio

Astrea Soleil Neptune cast Protego
Wisdom DC: 12
Wisdom Check: [d20: 18] + 12 = 30 > 12 → Success
Effects:
- The caster creates an invisible shield that blocks spells and can reflect them. When hit may do:

Reducio

• 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).

• if the redirect targets the caster's ally, use shield user's accuracy.
• if the redirect targets the shield user's ally, use caster's accuracy.

Bridget vs Delilah

Reducio

Bridget Collins cast Obscuro at Delilah Stewart
Wisdom DC: 10
Wisdom Check: [d20: 16] + 15 = 31 > 10 → Success
Auto-Miss 1(10): [d10: 4] < 10 → No auto-Miss(TP)
Accuracy Check 1: [d20: 13] + 15 = 28
Evasion Check: [d20: 5] + 12= 17
28 > 17 → Hit
Effects:
- The opponent is blindfolded, 0 EVA and ACC until removed

Dmitri vs Delilah

Reducio

Dmitri Jones cast Confringo at Delilah Stewart
Wisdom DC: 17
Wisdom Check: [d20: 2] + 18 = 20 > → Success
Auto-Miss(10): [d10: 4] < 10 → No auto-Miss(TP)
Accuracy Check: [d20: 2] + 15 = 17
Evasion Check: [d20: 4] + 12 = 16
17 > 16 → Hit
Damage: (150 + 11 ARC * 20) *.9 = 333

Aida vs Dmitri

Reducio

Aida Mòrsgor-Ama cast Petrificus Totalus at Dmitri Jones
Wisdom DC: 14 + 2 [LC]
Wisdom Check: [d20: 17] + 15 + 2 [CL] = 34 > 16→ Success
Auto-Miss(10): [d10: 4] < 10 → No auto-Miss(TP)
Auto-Dodge (9/10): [d10: 5] < 9→ No auto-Dodge(EM)
Accuracy Check: [d20: 19] + 14 + 2[Wand] = 35
Evasion Check: [d20: 17] + 10 = 27
35 > 27 →
Damage: 50 * .9 = 45
Duration: [d3: 3] → 3 rounds (, 1-2: 1, 3: 2) + (10ARC/10)
Effects:
- The target is paralysed and falls down, unable to move and cast, but also cannot be attacked (IC Rules).
- Every round of duration a Strength Check is performed to attempt breaking out of the effect.
- The DC to break out of the spell is 12
Extra Spell(10): [d10: 7] < 10 → No extra spell(Phoenix Feather)

Phaedra vs Astrea & Bridget

Reducio

Phaedra Stavrou spell spreads Confringo at Astrea Soleil Neptune & Bridget Collins
Wisdom DC: 17 + 2 [SS] = 19
Wisdom Check: [d20: 14] + 18 = 32 > 19 → Success
Astrea Protego Check: [d10: 8] → Rebound to random target
New target [d4: 3] → Aida (1: Bridget, 2: Dmitri, 3: Aida, 4:Delilah)
Auto-Miss 1(10): [d10: 8] < 10 → No auto-Miss(TP)
(Astrea ) New Accuracy Check: [d20: 1] + 18 → Crit. Miss - redirect
New new target [d4: 4] → Delilah (1: Bridget, 2: Dmitri, 3: Phaedra, 4:Delilah)
New new Accuracy Check: [d20: 2]
Delilah Evasion Check: [d20: 6] + 16 = 22
2 < 22 → Miss (still take miss damage)
Damage: (10 + 13 ARC * 10) * .9 = 126
Auto-Miss 2(10): [d10: 9] < 10 → No auto-Miss(TP)
Auto-Dodge (10): [d10: 2] < 10 → No auto-Dodge(EM)
Accuracy Check 2: [d20: 3] + 18 - 2[SS] + 2[Wand] = 21
Bridget Evasion Check: [d20: 8] + 13 = 21
21 = 21 → Impaired Hit
Damage: ((150 + 13 ARC * 20) *.9)*.5 = 184.5
Extra Spell(10): [d10: 6] < 10 → No extra spell(Phoenix Feather)

Delilah vs Astrea & Bridget

Reducio

Delilah Stewart cast Confringo at Astrea Soleil Neptune & Bridget Collins
Wisdom DC: 17 + 2 [SS] + 2 [LC] = 21
Wisdom Check: [d20: 9] + 18 = 27 > 21 → Success
Astrea Protego Check: [d10: 2] → Spell dissipates (We had a debate - no shrapnel damage is taken as it is never dodged)
Auto-Miss 2(10): [d20: 4] < 19 → No auto-Miss(TP) (forgot to roll d10, sorry)
Auto-Dodge (10): [d10: 6] < 10 → No auto-Dodge(EM)
Accuracy Check 2: [d20: 14] + 14 - 2[SS] = 26
Bridget Evasion Check: [d20: 4] + 13 = 17
26 > 17 → Hit
Damage: (150 + 13 ARC * 20) *.9 = 369

4th November 2023- Morning

Normally, this is when Galton would stare in awe at the magical chaos that unfolded - not this time. Whatever both teams had elected to do today was closer to uncoordinated destruction than chaos. Raven and Snake would join hands in erecting some sick monument to their magical power. A true, terrifying testament to what it looked like when Titans clashed.

A chorus of one spell would take over the piste. The mere utterance of the starting syllable made the hairs on Galton's neck shoot strait up. "Confringo." Delilah, Dmitri and Phaedra all let the incantation flow out of their mouth and through their wands. The saner of their teammates elected for more "tame" spells, each producing obviously well-practiced casts. Aida went for a body bind, perfect for removing someone from the duel. Bridget went for a favorite of Galton's - Obscuro - blind your opponent, strip them of a vital sense. Astrea would throw up a bubble around herself, protego's magical aura creating a safe haven for what was about to happen.

Five balls of fiery orange magic shot forth onto the piste. It's light a terrifying indicator about what spell it contained. Galton had only been in one situation that matched what was about to happen - the famed Hogwarts Express explosion. That actually may have been somehow more tame - not that he remembered much of it. Bridget and Delilah would each find themselves with two sets of explosion going off - while one would dissipate of Astrea's shield. The carnage was like something else. Shards of piste went flying, terrible noise crashed through out the club. Ears would be ringing, even those in the stands. One could only image how shaken those on the piste would be. Within the explosions it was easy to miss the other two spells traveling to disable their targets.

How a blindfold was able to shoot itself across the piste and wrap itself onto Delilah's face was anyone's guess. If anything, it was a testament to Bridget's skill. Rocked by explosions Delilah would find herself blind, luckily only by cloth. The murder would not be without their own debilitation for the Vipers, however. Aida's body bind would laser in on Dmitri. There would be no escape. Dmitri's limbs would go stone stiff, and he would fall to the wreck that was the piste below.

When the smoke cleared, they would all be left standing conscious. Chaos had been skipped, progressing strait to magical mayhem. It seemed that high-level duels would fit in perfectly at Hogwarts. Within the traumatic scene, scales had been stripped from the Vipers and feathers plucked from the Murder. Which wounded beast would claim the first kill?!

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!

As the spells started flying, Aida began to wake up. Landing a solid petrificus against Dmitri, the wix cooed with pleasure.

"Let’s see, what’s next…" Stretching out one arm and then the other, Aida didn’t turn to look as Delilah took on some heat. From over one shoulder, Aida cheered her on. "Stand strong! We’ve got this, you guys! Phaedra! Delilah! This is our match. Let’s claim our win!"

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

@Astrea Soleil Neptune | @Bridget Collins | @Dmitri Jones | @Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood | @Phaedra Stavrou

The spell that phae had cast bounced all around the bit before hitting del, that was a bit mental, meanwhile the other one that hurt her was pretty simple, just straight up hit her in the chest, it definitely hurt.

Aaandd... She was blindfolded, one of the most frustrating and annoying spells ever in the history of duelling. Could it be made illegal? although she did like using it against other people.