SPECTATOR THREAD FOR QUIDDITCH:
Durmstrang vs Ilvermorny-Beauxbatons - Summer 2024

Date: Saturday 3rd August
Time: 10:30 am
Weather: Fairly cloudy but warm

It seemed that the summer camp could only roll around too fast, and with them, the international quidditch games, this year hosted at the London Quidditch Stadium. Light and fluffy clouds covered the sky, letting through the odd sunbeam, with the warmth contrasting the wintery theme that had been selected, and for Pax, it seemed like pretty ideal quidditch weather.

The London Quidditch Stadium was always an impressive and, in their opinion, beautiful sight to behold, and they hoped that, one day, they'd be able to play here. Nonetheless, even being able to moderate a match in the space was a great honour bestowed and entrusted to them. They were especially looking forwards to seeing how this match would play out. Clearing their throat, they began to read the slip of paper with the team's names on them.

"Hello everyone, and welcome to the first international quidditch game of summer 2024! Today's first game is what I'm sure will be a thrilling match - between Durmstrang," they paused to let the team enter and a roar of applause sound, "and Ilvermorny-Beauxbatons!" The second team followed on, also to the background sound of cheers and applause.

After giving them both a few minutes to get into positions and for any pep talks, Pax raised their hand to signal for the game to begin. "And with that, let's get started!"

This is a spectator thread for the Quidditch Game. 200 words is still the requirement for all threads. Please remember that you are not able to interface with the players on the pitch from a spectator thread.

Link to Game Thread: Link

There was nothing like being almost completely alone in the stands to make one realize just how unbalanced school-wise Cygnus tent's members were, and sport-wise for that matter. Every single member of their tent besides EmmaLee was a Quidditch player and four out of the seven of those Quidditch players were competing this morning. Azul would be playing this afternoon and Yasha and Zophyr had been placed together on the Interschool team playing tomorrow.

Frankly, EmmaLee still wasn't super interested in broom sports aside from Quodpot, but she would always be there to cheer on her friends in their matches and races.

Speaking of races, EmmaLee had been very surprised to find out at the beginning of this summer that Stephen was going to be flying for the Quidditch team this round. She had not been surprised to find out that it was a bet, but Stephen and Miles had been rather tight-lipped about what the bet was. Which made her grumpy, but boys could be so weird about stuff like that sometimes, so she tried to be fine with the mystery.

Along with Stephen joining the team, EmmaLee had been happy to find out that the girl she met at the last Spring ball with Kaya, a fourth Ilvermorny student named Amber, was also on the Ilvermorny Quidditch team. EmmaLee wouldn't miss it at this point.

So up into the stands she climbed, with Yasha Volkov in tow. EmmaLee found the boy.... mmm.. odd. He was nice enough and seemed very attached to Kaya and very open to friendships within the tent, but he was abrasive sometimes and didn't seem to care a lot about being any less abrasive. It made EmmaLee's skin prickle with slight concern, like he wasn't being exactly honest with anyone, even Kaya. It was hard to tell if this was to protect himself from being hurt, like a wall with spikes on it, or if it was like being invited to a table with poison in every other glass. EmmaLee guessed she would figure it out as they continued to get to know each other, like they probably would today.

As EmmaLee made her way to a seat in the most middle of the stadium as possible, Yasha followed behind like a shadow, quiet and contemplative. Someone who hadn't bunked with him for three weeks would think he was shy, but Yasha was anything but. When EmmaLee found a seat and turned back towards him, she found that, while he was following her gracefully without seeming to think about it, his gaze was focused like a laser on the door where the Ilvermorny students would come out.

EmmaLee could sympathize. She wanted to watch Stephen come out of that door probably as much as Yasha wanted to see Kaya come out, like not seeing them for thirty minutes meant they were in danger or something.

For now, the two took a pair of seats and waited until the teams were announced and their friends (*cough*objects of affection*cough*) came onto the field and kicked into the air to start the game.

"GO ILVERMORNY!!!!" EmmaLee shouted as the game started, waving her cranberry scarf in the air for a moment before winding it back around her neck.

While the weather on the day of the match was calm and clear lightning still struck the sky as the Durmstrang team shot skyward into the quidditch stadium. Having never spectated the sport before Nikolai's heart soared almost as high as the team itself watching in awe and wonder as they pierced the sky visages of flame in their red team gear. Weeks ago he had seen them in practice, their danger and resourcefulness paramount to anyone who witnessed but game day was an entirely new degree. If they had been deadly before now they were nothing short of lethal and Nikolai was one of the many Durmstrang supporters lapping up every second of it.

The strange amalgamation of the team opposite them surely didn't stand a chance against the dragons who's determination was born from not only passion for the sport but practiced drilling day in and day out. Durmstrang treated every game as if it was professional so it was no wonder the crowd roared so ravenously upon their entrance. None more so than the young Russian who was no doubt driving his friend Hans to the point of insanity as every time a player did anything remotely impressive in their opening lap his arm would be grabbed rather too enthusiastically and a face of ecstatic amazement blocked his view of the field. The boys couldn't help but laugh to one another as Hanya flew past and attempted to intimidate the boys with an oh so threatening thumb, didn't he know all Durmstrang's were fearless, well at least the majority side eye. Not that either of them would admit it but he was fairly sure that despite spending an entire day making attempts on his life the young Durm had wormed his way into his heart. Call him delusional but he considered Hanya a friend from that day. In fact the whole team had been added to his chosen family that day.

All except maybe for the beater who sadly sat this game out, looking rather defeated down on the bench, through the lens of his gifted binoculars Val has specifically ordered so he could witness his first game without missing a second. It wasn't that Nikolai didn't want to befriend the bear of a man that Romeo was but he had heard tales of the many damages those that got too close received and he had seen enough family like that for a lifetime. Perhaps one day they would change that, even if just for the sake of Val who meant a great deal to the both of them but, for now, they seemed resolved to keep out of one another's way. Speaking of the lightning demigod himself Valentine was positively devouring the crowd as he flew past in circuits riling them up for what was sure to be the game of a lifetime.

When the seeker eventually made his way towards them and outreached his hand, he received a nudge on the side as Hans reminded him of the second muggle lesson: a high five. Slamming his palm into the other where they had sealed their oath he tilted his head in a reassuring nod eye still ablaze in fascination and Durmstrang fury catching alight the seekers own. When Valentine was in his captain mode he was even more of a sight to witness than usual but nothing drew Kol'kas' eyes more than the snowdrop pinned to his chest. The simplest of gestures but one that said more than any words could have, one that told them they were together in this game.

The first round was a landslide victory to the draconic beasts as they utterly decimated their competition in every position and Nikolai couldn't help but wink at Amina and Madhup with two thumbs up as they did their punishment lap. It wasn't that Durmstrang fought dirty, it was simply that we fought to win and if someone wasn't able to hold onto their broom it was entirely their own lacking. The whole first round his eyes had been mesmerised by their iconic Valkyrie who was taking no prisoners and living up to her moniker in full stride. All becoming clear now why she was so infatuated over by the entire school as she was Durmstrang incarnate the very being of its soul, graciously sweet but devastatingly powerful in the most powerful combination that left both enemies and allies alike stunned by her very presence.

Then came the moment he had been waiting for as Valentin's perfect features filled the spectator footage and a hand pressed on their flower. Three words and it was confirmed, masked in Russian to hide from the general spectators but it was clear, he had seen the snitch. From the bag under him Nikolai drew the items he would need for his supporting act. Placing two large draconic horns above his head that he had Sergei's help to create, smearing his face in the red warpaint of his favourite team and popping some pepper imps in his mouth Nikolai done the very thing he jested about weeks before. Durmstrang's youngest dragon was there in the crowd spitting fire and roaring with all the revelry and passion of a Hungarian Horntail. A mascot to cheer them on every step of the way.

Mentioning the Durmstrang Quidditch Team
Specifically Mentioning: @Evelynn Decipio@Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood@Pericles Dralt@Ileen Knight@Astrea Soleil Neptune

Yasha ascended the stairs up to the seats behind the little flake of snow, EmmaLee. Yasha had taken to calling the girl Sverkaniye, or Sparkle, because she never seemed to be in a bad mood. She wandered off to be alone in her little curtain fort sometimes, but it was always when she didn't seem to think anyone would notice. Yasha could appreciate that kind of need for solace. He himself could be found alone in the forest more often than not, both at Koldovstoretz and at the Dacha.

EmmaLee seemed very "spark that lights the flame" kind of person who would be fun to see how much you could push her buttons before she dropped her friendly demeanor and snapped at you. It was going to be a good time watching Kaya play seeker with her.

Well, watching a good portion of their tent play with her. How had they ended up being a mostly Ilvermorny tent? EmmaLee seemed to be the keystone of the tent. She knew every single one of them, except himself and Azul beforehand and, apparently, she had been there first, but she was a Hogwarts student. How had she collected so many foreign friends? Did she have as many Hogwarts friends?

Frankly, all of their tentmates were interesting. Yasha was finding it very entertaining to watch all of their interactions. He enjoyed analyzing the undercurrents of what people were saying or doing and staying in a multiple gendered tent was a blender of what could and couldn't be said, what couldn't and couldn't be done around others. The way people interacted in general made Yasha giggle internally and frankly, he was wondering if some of them might need some pushes of the edge, so to speak, before summer was over.

Anyway, the moment the field came into view, Yasha started looking for Kaya, keeping EmmaLee in the corner of his eye as they weaved through the stands to find some seats. When she (and her team) finally emerged from the locker rooms, Yasha sat down and EmmaLee stood up to cheer the whole team on.

As the game progressed, Yasha winced at the brutality of the Drumstrang team. Yasha frowned deeply and crossed his arms at the blatant cheating that knocked multiple people off their brooms and some straight tumbling out of the sky. He pushed his black bangs over his head and rubbed the space between his eyebrows before muttering "Not surprising the black school can only win by knocking out the keeper."

EmmaLee turned to him with a questioning look, and he pointed at the Ilvermorny keeper who fell. "They can only score by knocking out the defense." He commented, switching to English. EmmaLee nodded and turned back to the game, obviously unnerved by her friends going up against such a powerful team. It occurred to him that she probably had little idea what was going on and didn't realize that the move was illegal. She had mentioned that she had little interest in broom sports and this would be her first Quidditch match, which Yasha found incredulous.

Not that Ilvermorny was playing any fairer, considering they also tried to knock their opponents out of the sky, but that wasn't to be brought up. Yasha had no stake in either team, aside from caring about Kaya's safety, but EmmaLee had at least three or four friends on the Ilvermorny team as far as he knew, none of whom were the ones doing the cheating.

As he smoothed his hair back down over his unseeing eye, the Russian turned back to the game just as the pale Durmstrang seeker filled the spectator screen and mouthed in Russian. Yasha nudged EmmaLee and pointed to the screen. "The white one has seen the snitch." He said, turning to look around for Kaya, who was nowhere near where she should be. Yasha stared at her hard and willed her to look towards the screen, towards himself, towards the other seeker, anything to notice she was going the wrong way.

All of a sudden Yasha's attention was dragged away by a sputter of flame and roar erupting over his and EmmaLee's heads. The both of them turned around to be greeted by a child covered ridiculously in red with horns protruding from his head and spitting fire. EmmaLee stared, wide-eyed and obviously very confused, but Yasha couldn't help but laugh, hard. He bent over double and gripped his sides, letting the laugh turn as ridiculous as the outfit. The boy looked like that.... horned devil thing in red pajamas that was painted in some Christian churches. He just needed a twisty mustache and a pitchfork.

"Seems like you might have swallowed a few too many of those pepper imps, DurakFool. My ancestors can hear your obnoxious wailing over your burning tongue." He called up the stands to the boy. "My condolences. They are quite the blazing snack. Would you like me to fetch you some milk?"

3rd August 2024
Speech: #cfa120
Thoughts: Italics
@Ophelia Northwell

Would it be really a surprise if Emily admitted she had never spectated a quidditch match before? Perhaps not. If there was any fact to the whole "Brains and Brawn" debate, Emily definitely fitted underneath the former as many of her friends could already guess just from the fact that she was always seen with at least six books - yes, six - in her arms on a regular Wednesday back at Hogwarts. Assuming she wasn't spending her time living in the library the rest of the week.

She took a seat in the bleachers where she could see the Ilvermorny, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang players getting ready. She couldn't see Casey down there which was honestly a surprise. Given his build, he seemed like the kind of guy who would be on a sport's team. Perhaps he was but not for Quidditch. Either that or he was too antisocial to even cart his butt onto a playing field, even if his life depended on it. Knowing him, going by their previous encounters alone, Emily wouldn't put it past him if that were the case.

The match started strong. No literally. Very strong. The players on the field were ruthless as they scrambled for the quaffle, beaters would be... beating, if Emily couldn't think of a more mechanical way to describe the state of play. There was also a considerable amount of cheating if Emily was recognising the game right - players were trying to knock each other off like it was a demolition derby. Emily knew that Quidditch could get competitive but even this felt like it was too much.

Despite the unanticipated violence on the field, Durmstrang quickly began dominating the game with a fifty point lead, with the Ilver-Batons team-up yet to score. For Emily it was hard not to be a little bit impressed; she had heard that Durmstrang was one of the top Wizarding schools and through this match alone, she could perfectly see why.

She continued watching, trying to learn as she watched the game unfold. She was more familiar with duelling despite not being a duellist herself... yet. Though being a staple in the Wizarding world, Emily took the opportunity while she sat on the bleachers to accrue more knowledge on the violently fascinating game before her eyes.

_{Word Count: 422}

[Stats: Stamina: 7 | Strength: 6 | Evasion: 6 | Wisdom: 8 | Arc Power: 7 | Accuracy: 6
Abilities: Non-Human Enthusiast |Cat's Grace

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speech • #427c9a thoughts • italics others • #ffffff

august 3rd, 2024 • date london quidditch stadium (summer camp) • location spectator • thread

Joining Quidditch near the end of Ophelia's first year had been a split second decision. She'd never been too keen on playing sports, especially the wizarding ones that she barely understood, but when she'd seen that there was a wait list, she'd signed up, believing that it would take years for her to actually get on the team.

She'd been wrong.

The waitlist for seeker, the position she'd chosen, had gone by pretty quickly, ending with Ophelia as Ravenclaw's second string seeker. That meant she hadn't played so far in a game, though there was no guarantee that such luck would hold up for the rest of her Quidditch career. And plus, the perfectionist that she was, Ophelia could not bring herself to quit a team that she herself had signed up for and made.

That was why the soon to be second year was here in the morning, at a Quidditch game where she didn't know a single person playing. She figured that practise wasn't enough to shape her into a good player, she also had to watch and learn. And watching during a game that she was part of was too much pressure. So, here she was, spectating a game full for foreign students.

Pulling her purple coat tighter around her, Ophelia made her way to the spectating area. She didn't know anyone else. Are any of them even Hogwarts students? She really had to start socialising more.

Sighing, Ophelia scanned the crowd of other spectators once more. She didn't recognise anyone... except- one of the girls did look familiar. Walking closer to get a better look, the Ravenclaw realised that she'd been right. The girl, though they hadn't really spent much time together, was a Hogwarts student, a Hufflepuff to be exact.

Ophelia was pretty sure that they'd spoken at least once... somewhere. Was it the History of Magic room? The Astronomy tower? No, the greenhouse! That's where it had been. She remembered now. This girl had come into the greenhouse when she'd lost her bag. They were in the same year. And her name was... Emma? No. Her name was Emily.

Walking the remaining distance, Ophelia took a seat next to Emily. Turning to the other girl just as the games began, she cleared her throat. "Um, hi. Emily, right? I'm Ophelia." It wasn't an introduction, as such, just a reminder as who she was, in case the other girl had forgotten.

interactions • @Emily Shephard mentions• @ stats • sta 7 | eva 7 | str 6 | wis 9 | arc 6 | acc 6

400 • word count xxx • outfit perfectionist, paragon of health • abilities

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3rd August 2024
Catching Up with @Ophelia Northwell
Mentioning @Kaitlyn Connor
Speech: #cfa120
Thoughts: Italics

After having remained glued to the sight on the playing fields before her, Emily came to a rather abrupt conclusion... Quidditch was barbaric. Undoubtedly there were things she was missing but with how the match was progressing at the minute it was hard for Emily to see Quidditch as a stage for "friendly competition." If this was them attempting to be civil she didn't dare picture how a "competitive" match would look like. As far as she knew, she would be keeping her feet firm on the ground. It was "thanks, but no thanks" to Quidditch unless someone could change her mind.

To distract her from the chaos on the field, a new face joined her on the bleachers. As she was addressed, Emily examined the individual that had scooted over to her. Everything clicked once Emily saw her face.

Emily greeted her brightly. "Hey... I remember you! We were in the greenhouse together a few months ago! Ophelia... That's your name! I knew it sounded familiar...!" She had the feeling they never properly got the chance to introduce each other back when Emily walked into Kaitlyn and her crew cleaning up the greenhouse that day, and that was before even getting onto the fact that they barely talked back then either. No better time like the present!

"Came to watch the Quidditch match? I must say the sport itself is quite different from what people have told me about it."

_{Word Count: 285}

Stats: Stamina: 7 | Strength: 6 | Evasion: 6 | Wisdom: 8 | Arc Power: 7 | Accuracy: 6
Abilities: Non-Human Enthusiast |Cat's Grace

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speech • #427c9a thoughts • italics others • #ffffff

august 3rd, 2024 • date london quidditch stadium (summer camp) • location spectator • thread

Ophelia breathed a sigh of relief when the other girl turned to look at her, and didn't ask her how she knew her name. Explaining that they'd met before and had seen each other in the hallways a few times would've been awkward, to say the least.

Instead, Emily was bright and cheerful, everything that Ophelia herself wanted to be when she met other people. The Hufflepuff girl confirmed that she, too, remembered their meeting, which had been a while ago.

As Emily spoke about how different Quidditch was, Ophelia nodded along. "Yeah. I'm a Quidditch player for Ravenclaw, believe it or not, and I came to observe strategy." She decided to leave it at that and not elaborate on how she'd only learned the game's rules from a friend on the way to London.

Ophelia laughed lightly at Emily's semi-disapproving tone. "Quidditch is definitely not for the lighthearted out there. I played a game where I was the beater- totally not for me." The Ravenclaw girl smiled at the memory, though in the moment she'd thought it was the scariest thing ever.

But she was glad that she'd chosen a broom sport over duelling. Spell casting was not her thing, which was apparent after how she'd failed miserably at learning most of them in the beginning of first year. Hopefully, her second year would go much better.

Ophelia turned back to Emily, keeping one eye one the game as well. "So, do you play any sports?"

interactions • @Emily Shephard mentions• @ stats • sta 7 | eva 7 | str 6 | wis 9 | arc 6 | acc 6

202 • word count xxx • outfit perfectionist, paragon of health • abilities

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Round 0
The boy had settled into the stands among hundreds of jostling other fans, feeling himself being lightly pushed around as he tried to find a place to at least stand in order to see his brother's team starting to take to the skies. In one arm he had a cola and held in the crook of his other elbow he had a bucket of popcorn, though based on historical Durmstrang playstyle he was guessing he wouldn't be able to get through most of it by the time the game ended.

Laughing heartily as the electricity of the crowd surrounded and invaded his senses, the boy saw the team huddles coalesce together and the referees begin to take their positions about the field. They would surely have to start sharpening their eyes for the notorious Durmstrang cheaters the likes of Madhup the "Busy Bee", Johannes "Jojo Jotaro" (a name that others had given to him, not Piérre himself, funny enough), and rumors of their newest and wiliest player--the redheaded "Blatching Femme Fatale" named Amina. Durmstrang had a team of victors, and Piérre knew next to nothing about either the school from across the great pond or the Frenchies--his first name be damned.

Finally, they both broke and took to their brooms--Durmstrang made a show as they always did, diving and dipping and spinning and soaring over this crowd with the exuberance that only showmen could engage in. A part of the boy missed it when he could play and tease the crowd in such a way in his earliest Quidditch years--it wasn't possible to showboat when he had been a part of duelling, and showboating in racing was next to impossible due to the structure of the 'racing' aspect as opposed to being confined to an enclosed stadium setting. Stretching his hands up as far as he could, his short arms were nearly lost among the thousands of others that reached for those famous fliers of both teams. Valentin Schnell zipped overhead with a flower pinned on his breast, and miraculously their fingers touched as the White Niffler managed to catch Piérre's extended hand in the midst of the wild crowd.

"YOU'RE GONNA WIN, VAL! SAY HI TO ROMEO FOR MEEEE!" Came the crow as the star seeker passed by.

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Round 1
His eyes scanning the air as the quidditch balls were allowed to fly into play, Piérre briefly followed the quaffle for a bit before realizing that Greta easily had total control of the red leather ball and then being disinterested due to the fact that he knew that she was star-studded as always. All the better for Johannes, who was away from the posts and on save duty--good thing too, for even as the small boy that was Romeo's understudy took a bludger from the American beater Theodore he also took a body to the side and fell from his perch onto the Keeper's broom. Piérre shouted out with the rest of the crowd with his brows furrowed, calling out the cheat against his team with fervor. The bludger from Theo was sent towards someone else, and it was at that moment that Piérre realized that his brother was not on the pitch. As the redheaded Amina took out the American Keeper and Busy Bee Madhup sniped another little boy--both of them were sadly quite painfully obvious cheats even in the easily swayable eyes of Piérre--the other strange beater knocked down Theo and caused another kid to take a seriously painful-looking hit. Durmstrang had taken down three players with only one caught safely, and the Ilverbatons had only taken out one... and that one had been saved.

Cheering as Valentin spun his way through the air, Piérre pumped his fist in the air.

So... where was Romeo? It only took him a second to find his brother, standing on the ground and looking up at the skies with a pair of binoculars--before those binoculars turned to him. Waving in his direction, Piérre shouted open-mouthedly in his best Durmstrang war cry (probably something quite weak compared to those who actually were from the famed norther school) before focusing on the air again. Where was that snitch...? He hadn't seen it yet...

Oh but apparently Valentin had! Well! The game was basically half won now, wasn't it!

It was very odd, though... for some reason Piérre couldn't shake the odd feeling that he was being watched, even beyond the nature of the large crowd pressing in on all sides. It was a strange and slightly unnerving feeling--a pulling in the back of his mind to turn around, a gut sensation that told him that eyes were boring into the back of his head with the intensely predatory nature of an apex hunter stalking a small rodent...

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Statistics: Stamina 7 | Strength 7 | Evasion 18 | Wisdom 12 | Accuracy 16 | ArcPower 8

Abilities:
Keen Eye • Calming Presence • Beast Master [Cat] • Cat's Grace • Animagus • Muggle Condition

Items:
Wand [Yew & Snallygaster Heartstring] | Soda | [Sharpened] Locksmith's Knife | Popcorn
[Red] Deck of 52 Playing Cards

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3rd August 2024
Building Up The Small Talk with @Ophelia Northwell
Speech: #cfa120
Thoughts: Italics

Even though the match was roaring in discord back down on the playing fields, Emily was much more engrossed in her discussion with Ophelia. Her Ravenclaw associate responded nicely when Emily asked her question - despite the question itself being borderline small talk no different from talking about the weather inside a lift.

"Yeah. I'm a Quidditch player for Ravenclaw, believe it or not, and I came to observe strategy."

"Oh! You're on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team? That's cool!" Emily could definitely see Ophelia as a sports person. She couldn't explain it but she just seemed to have that flare about her. And if there was any weight to the claim that Ravenclaws were the smartest of the bunch then Ophelia was bound to have already drafted a few tricks to catch off-guard the rough-and-tough competition.

"I'm afraid I'm not much of a sporty person, but... I did put my name down to be added to the Hufflepuff Duel Team roster...!" To this day Emily was ebbing and flowing between making that decision. She was in no way, shape or form a fighter yet her position on the official team was pending nonetheless. Oxymoron of the year. Still, if it was all for the sake of boosting her confidence then there surely wouldn't be any regrets if she got on to the team.

Looking at Ophelia, Emily could learn a thing or two about confidence. Well, she was sure there would be plenty of opportunities to exude that feeling whether it was inside or outside of camp.

_{Word Count: 300}

Stats: Stamina: 7 | Strength: 6 | Evasion: 6 | Wisdom: 8 | Arc Power: 7 | Accuracy: 6
Abilities: Non-Human Enthusiast |Cat's Grace