I think Jacob's new perk I decide what is possible would lead to friction instantly against Umbridge and Voldemort, but I'm not sure if that will automatically lead him to go into Harry's group, he may just take his own actions against them, he's already made some progress on the riddle that is Voldy and we just recently got an action to learn more about horcruxes
A Harry Potter Quest: He who was not
- Thread starter Tabula Rasa
- Start date
- Location
- Spain
This is a quest, Jacob´s actions will be directed by the players as always, so there is always the playerbase´s agency to decide against getting involved with the Golden Trio as much as possible...
Having said that, I bet you an internet cookie that if we are ever given the chance of befriending Luna Lovegood, joining Dumbledore´s Army, and/or participating in the Battle at the Department of Mysteries (I am not so sure about the Tri-Wizard Tournament though), it is extremely likely that most people will vote for it, even if it means to enter the Golden´s Trio orbit...
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- Location
- Where Jokes Die
[X] A single Slytherin
Magnificent. I'm looking forward to the continuation of Jacob's story. Obligatory "fuck Montague."
Magnificent. I'm looking forward to the continuation of Jacob's story. Obligatory "fuck Montague."
GoukaRyuu
Shadow Cabal Made Man
- Location
- New Jersey
Honestly, I could see him basically playing the foil in Harry's group. Harry is less intelligent, more socially able (though not as much so as Ron or Hermione), and definitely has the means of making connections and resources even if he in canon stupidly never saw the chance to do so. He would definitely have his own ideas on how to do things and could help the group make better decisions than they would, or it could cause in-fighting. I don't know how Harry would be with someone that he would have to view as an equal or better in the group, especially when in his cohort he is usually top dog in overall ability (at least in DADA situations).
- Location
- USA
Honestly, I think Jacob would find all of Harry's group boring. Ron plays chess and obsesses about Quidditch and doesn't really seem to care much about learning advanced magic. Almost the same with Harry, he is sort of passive. Hermione meanwhile cares too much about grades. Jacob is in all this just for his curiosity and wanting to see new things. He puzzles over magic and other problems because he enjoys solving them. He doesn't care much about things like grades or House Points. Honestly, so far the person I think that Jacob has come the closest to identifying with is Hagrid with his enthusiasm for creatures and his tendency to look at the world differently than other people.
Either way, the story hasn't gone anywhere close to that direction so all this theorizing is sort of moot. Jacob has no reason nor motivation to befriend the main cast and that is fine. I would honestly take Megan, Justin, and Tracey over Harry, Ron, and Hermione anyways.
Either way, the story hasn't gone anywhere close to that direction so all this theorizing is sort of moot. Jacob has no reason nor motivation to befriend the main cast and that is fine. I would honestly take Megan, Justin, and Tracey over Harry, Ron, and Hermione anyways.
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GoukaRyuu
Shadow Cabal Made Man
- Location
- New Jersey
Yeah, Harry being so fucking passive when he has a Dark Lord breathing down his neck has always been a pet peeve of mine when it comes to the series.
Honestly, I absolutely agree.
- Location
- USA
That is some good stuff, ngl. Also, someone got wrecked
- Location
- Spain
I think that Jacob could easily bond with Luna for the same reason as Hagrid, for her particular and fascinating way of seeing the world...
And I hope he does it, it seems like poor Luna was pretty much friendless until the 5th year.
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You know, I never noticed this bonus for alchemy research, so I guess it would be a +35 for research and +30 for building and +5 for training up alchemy stat, question is which applies to the Hogwarts map, build I think?
Also anyone got any ideas how to find out the second perk for being in H.A.R.C.?
- Location
- Spain
I don't know the specifics, but finishing our current research is probably a good steptowards it.
- Location
- Germany
Honestly. This is so fantasticly great. I am working at the moment, but had to take the time to write this. I absolutely adore it!!I was inspired by the last scene from the dream sequence to draw this :
I'm quite proud of myself and I hope you like it to.
I recognized it instantly because it is quite similar to what I imagined in my mind. Even the boat at the shore is waiting and the attackers are invading from north-east. This was great work.
I will 100% give you something for this. But I'm not sure what yet. Let me think about it.
ConfusedPotato
Unverified Verifier
- Location
- Australia
I can't remember what reward we got for that dream sequence but if it was one of the multiple choice ones you could just let the artwork allow us to get another one of the choices.
- Location
- Spain
That would be:
[ ] Voice of things I – This is something that you can not explain, nor control. At times, you hear [sense] [feel] [taste] something that lays underneath the fabrics of reality. There is meaning hidden in it, but you do not know what it entails. Objects and beings alike can at times start this ability of yours and gift you insights that you would otherwise never have.
I would personally love to have it, but I don't know how having 2 sensory abilities would interact with one another... Maybe they could overwhelm Jacob.
- Location
- Spain
Whereas I fully agree with the first part of your argument I don't understand the second part...
They are both rewards, taking another reward is a nice extra, not a way of invalidating the vote.
Varder
Tired Cultist
- Location
- Hell
The vote was "what ability do you chose, A or B". We chose A, if we get B now, what was the vote for?
- Location
- Spain
To choose what we would get out of the adventure at that time, that is it.
If we are given the other option afterward as a reward for an omake or because we buy it for time echoes or something, that doesn´t invalidate the first vote (we voted for something and we got it), it just gives us the other option as a bonus.
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- Location
- France
Thank you ! I'm happy I managed to represent what you had in mind. The scene was quite striking. I couldn't get it out off my mind, so I thought it would make a great drawing.
Here's more photos to better see the details I tried putting into it :
On the top left corner off this photo we can see the tree were Isaac is laying.
This photo is a close up off the waiting boat ;we can discern lobo and the silhouette of Basques with a bow.
Now, the complete pictureIn the forefront, the dirt is red to hint off the blood spilled.
The sea is raging only from the point where Isaac lays.
I used Japanese etching for inspiration in the sea and somewhere in the coastline of Brittany for the coast.
I employed a few different techniques but it was mostly made using colored pencils.
- Location
- Spain
@Tabula Rasa Just one thing that we discussed a while ago... Getting a holster for our wand would give us something either in bonus for the rolls or at least a different narrative flavor?
I mean, they loop pretty damn good and as someone that has dressed up as Harry Potter when I was 12, I can say that a 30 cm stick is quite awkward to carry on the pocket or on the belt...
I mean, they loop pretty damn good and as someone that has dressed up as Harry Potter when I was 12, I can say that a 30 cm stick is quite awkward to carry on the pocket or on the belt...
I've got two bits to this post, the first is my vote, the second is a question.
Anyway, my second bit is about where you got the 'inspiration' for the Sally-Anne Perks quest. I recently found a FanFiction from 2010 that is the exact same premise.
"The Strange Disappearance of Sally-Anne Perks"
I was wondering what that was about, which is to say, why did you use it.
Edit: I'm just now finishing the FanFiction I linked, and I'm realizing that you took it in a very different direction.
The Quester has already got some stuff going on with the 'Puffs and probably doesn't need much more interaction with the 'Claws, so I'm casting my vote on the Slytherin, Tracey.
Anyway, my second bit is about where you got the 'inspiration' for the Sally-Anne Perks quest. I recently found a FanFiction from 2010 that is the exact same premise.
"The Strange Disappearance of Sally-Anne Perks"
I was wondering what that was about, which is to say, why did you use it.
Edit: I'm just now finishing the FanFiction I linked, and I'm realizing that you took it in a very different direction.
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7.7 March, 1994
- Location
- Germany
[x] Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea I – The fairly large Great Lake to the south of the main building has always been your most favorite part of Hogwarts' surrounding lands. It was breathtaking how beautiful it was on a sunny day and frightening how dark it could get at night, almost looking like a hole in the fabric of the world. At the beginning of your year you glimpsed at something that had broken through the surface, making you realize how shallow your world view had been. Find a way to get below the water and discover what is below. (Takes 3 Actions, can't be taken in the same month as Break through your Horizon and What hides behind trees.)
[X] A single Slytherin – Tracey and you have never verbalized your friendship. Her facing down her own house-mates to show flag was as much a sign of support as you could imagine. Your rivalry is unbroken, but it was built on mutual respect. Ask her to join you at the Lake. She will get to read some of your spell notes, while you explore the Lake. She'll be more than happy with that trade-off … even if you are not sure what kind of monster you will be creating with that.
[X] A single Slytherin – Tracey and you have never verbalized your friendship. Her facing down her own house-mates to show flag was as much a sign of support as you could imagine. Your rivalry is unbroken, but it was built on mutual respect. Ask her to join you at the Lake. She will get to read some of your spell notes, while you explore the Lake. She'll be more than happy with that trade-off … even if you are not sure what kind of monster you will be creating with that.
Present Date: 18th March 1994
Current Wand: Fagus wood, Phoenix feather core
As the dark clouds rolled in, the world was transformed into a dreary, wet landscape. The wind howled through the trees, causing their branches to sway and bend. Hogwarts was shaking the winter off, but the world was fighting to keep a season of dread. Snow had transformed to rain over the last month that now continued pounding against the ground.
The drops splashing up from the puddles as a bird flew through the air. It soared above the forests and fields, the green grass and foliage of Hogwarts' grounds turning a dark, soggy hue. The bird didn't care that it wasn't supposed to fly out in this weather. It moved up and down, flew towards the Great Lake, its surface rippling and churning under the force of the storm.
And there, at the lake's edge, sat a different kind of bird. One that didn't know how to fly yet. The bird felt a kindred spirit nonetheless and lost altitude to circle the strange creature once, then twice. They boy looked up at the bird. There was a hesitant smile on his face. But fickle as the wind, the bird was satisfied by what it had seen and flew back up again. Leaving the strange boy behind.
The other bird – some called him Jacob – huddled in the cold, was sitting alone in the rain.
You huddled in the cold, alone in the rain. Your clothes had soaked through and were now sticking to your skin. But even in the midst of this miserable weather and shivering, you were undaunted. Your mind did not want to calm down. It was lost in a drive without direction, energy sans feasible outlet. The rain pounded against the ground; the drops splashed up from the puddles.
Ever since you had discovered the hidden world beyond the castle in the depths of the mountain mines, another mystery that had almost settled came back to life. As you sat and pondered the possibilities for exploring the underwater world of the Great Lake, you felt a sense of frustration growing within him. The water was a barrier blocking your path to discovery. Hindering you from simply breaking through it and discover the wonders that lay hidden beneath the surface.
You had considered using charms to help breathe underwater or to brew a potion to enhance your physical abilities. But everything came with a set of disadvantages you were not ready to deal with. There seemed to be few options to permanently give you this skill that you needed to stay alive under water.
And like a circle, your thoughts turned to Alchemy again, the powerful art of creating magical objects and substances. Everyone knew that Alchemy required precise measurements and careful control of the materials. Few knew how difficult it was to plan for a specific effect from the start. Fewer yet had seen the complex methods a grandmaster like Nicolas would use. None of that mattered in the end.
You were simply and frankly not good enough to create anything like this yet.
Like a bird trapped in a cage, you felt a strong desire to spread your wings and soar to new heights. You wanted to break through the barriers that stood in front of you and discover the world in all its beauty and complexity.
If you could not be a bird yet … you wished to be a fish at least and discover the many secrets and wonders, just waiting to be uncovered below the surface of the Grand Lake.
Present Date: 26th March 1994
Current Wand: Fagus wood, Phoenix feather core
It seems all it takes to solve an unsolvable issue was one week.
Tracey walked alongside you as you made your way towards the Great Lake. The sun was shining brightly overhead, casting a warm glow over the lush greenery surrounding you. Frustration and bad weather in harmony one week before, had now changed to you being visibly delighted in the warmth of that big orange ball above.
"So, what's this all about, Jacob?" Tracey asked, her eyes flicking over to you. She was … sceptical? "I simply asked you if you wanted to do some duelling exercises and you said you wanted to show me something cool at the lake instead."
Tracey stood at the edge of the Great Lake. "We are at the lake now. Can we please get it over with and do something productive instead?"
You grinned, a mischievous glint in your eyes. "I did. And I think you're gonna like it." Who would have known how much fun something like this could be? A novelle experience for sure. A great happenstance.
Tracey raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? And what might that be?"
"Well, I've been working on this little project of mine for a while now. And I think it's finally ready for a test run."
"A project?" Tracey asked, her curiosity finally piqued. "What kind of project?"
"Let's just say it's a little something I like to call the 'Mermaid's Breath'."
Tracey's eyes changed to a sceptical expression. "The Mermaid's Breath? What the hell is that?"
"It's a breathing apparatus," you explained, while taking the small golden thing out of your bag. "I've been thinking about it for months now, but I finally made some progress and I think it's finally ready for a test run. No more pesky surface breaks to worry about."
Tracey looked at the tool in your hand – then stared at you in disbelief. "You're kidding, right? This some kind of joke?"
You shook your head, a serious expression on your face. "No joke, Tracey. I'm dead serious. The Mermaid's Breath is the real deal."
Tracey couldn't help but laugh. "Well, I'll be damned. I never would have pegged you as a mermaid, Jake." She looked down at the thing in your hand. "Or to be showing such a … unique taste in fashion."
You chuckled, a hint of embarrassment creeping into your voice. "Yeah, well, it's not exactly something I would advertise. But I figured, if you were already asking what I was about to do, why not show it to you?" You had made the conscious decision to be a little bit more including into your thoughts now. At least with people you considered friends. "The Great Lake is the perfect place to test it out."
Tracey nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "Well, I've definitely decided not to die today, so I will be watching here in the dry area." She moved her head to the side, peeking into your bag. "But if you are heading to lose your life anyway, I've been dying to get a look at them."
The Slytherin reached out with her hand and when she saw you not really defending yourself against the intrusion, just pulled a stack of notebooks out of your bag.
"Sure thing, Tracey. Don't write anything in though… it has a system," you said, but Tracey was already not listening. She was already going through the motion of opening notebook after notebook and scanning their respective subjects.
"Uhh, this looks interesting," she said, walking a few steps back to lean against a tree near the shore.
She seemed to have completely forgotten about you.
"Well, I will be going now," you said cautiously. You only received an absent nod and a hand movement that you could interpret as 'do whatever you wanted to do – I am busy'. You couldn't help yourself but smile. Tracey was in some way very similar to you, it seemed.
You gave her a quick nod before turning back to the lake. So, you didn't see Tracey look up from the notebook in her hand as you waded into the water.
She watched as you waded into the cold water, observing your movements and expression.
Present Date: 26th March 1994
Current Wand: Cedar, Hippogriff feather core
Tracey's first year at Hogwarts had been fairly uneventful. As a Half-blood, she faced some challenges in being accepted into Slytherin, but she quickly made friends with some of the other students in her house. She was a diligent student and worked hard to keep up with her studies, but she didn't excel in any particular subject. She was not particularly talented in magic, but she worked hard and consistently improved her skills.
It wasn't until her second year that Tracey really started to come into her own. She joined the Duelling Club, began practicing her spells and honing her skills. She was determined to become the best duellist in her year and worked tirelessly to improve her abilities. Despite facing some setbacks and losing her first few duels, Tracey remained determined and continued to work hard. And by the end of her second year, she had become one of the top students in her year and had even started to make a name for herself among the older students.
In her third year then, a new classmate joined the Duelling Club. She had always thought of Jacob as a quiet and reserved person but seeing him in action made her realize that there was something different about him. It was more than just his intelligence, which was obvious whenever teachers asked him something to provide his insightful responses. There was some cracks in that silent mask and beyond that she could see a determination and drive in him that Tracey found intriguing.
Here she was, training for an entire year and despite her best efforts, she lost the first duel, against Jacob. She had been frankly annoyed. It always came down to talent. Again, Tracey continued to work hard and improve her skills, set to become a stronger duellist despite the losses. And again, she was confronted with defeat.
As she watched Jacob's awkward walk through knee deep water, Tracey couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Seeing the boy improve in such a short time was simply unfair.
She sighed, grabbing the notebook in her hand a little tighter. She could live with someone just having more talent than her. Tracey Davis could not accept someone working harder than her, giving her the feeling like she was always a step behind. So, no matter how humiliated she felt deep in her heart – she would take any advantage she would get and learn from his ways. If she could not be the best … she would at least compete with the best on even ground.
But for now, she was content to sit on the shore and read through Jacob's notes, hoping to gain some insight into his thought process and perhaps learn a thing or two about spell work. This was a unique situation that she had to savour. She knew that Jacob was a private person, and she was grateful that he was willing to share his notes with her. It was a little sign for him to show her that he cared about her and her development.
And that one was probably the worst of all his sins. He was a very likeable little genius. In summary, the worst kind of people.
Tracey watched Jacob disappear beneath the surface of the lake, before she settled back against the tree and opened the first notebook again, determined to make the most of this opportunity.
Present Date: 21th March 1994
Current Wand: Fagus wood, Phoenix feather core
Five days before the Lake-Day that was to come.
Even though the weather was clearing up outside, your mood was not improving.
"So, Professor McGonagall," the Ravenclaw named Michael Corner spoke up, "is it possible to transfigure ourselves to be able to fly?" His annoying voice alone was enough to wake you from your deep trance state. You had been starring at an empty page in your Notebook for most of the class.
Nothing.
There was simply nothing in your head that seemed feasible as a solution for your problem. Frustratingly annoying.
Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow at the question. "Ah, well," she began, "that is a very difficult form of magic. It is always easier to charm an object to do our bidding than to transfigure ourselves into something entirely different."
"But it is possible?" Michael asked, his interest piping up. You didn't even remember why you had started disliking him anymore. But it was clear that you did.
"In theory, yes," the Professor replied. "But the difficulty lies in the fact that we are attempting to change not only our physical form, but also our very essence. It is a challenge that few have attempted and even fewer have succeeded at."
You sat quietly, lost in thought as the conversation continued around you. Professor McGonagall was stating the obvious. How many Animagi did one know? Answer: Not many. But it seemed that this was a completely new thought for Michael.
"What about transforming into animals that can fly?" he asked. "Like a bird or a dragon?"
Professor McGonagall shook her head. "Again, it is not an easy task. And even if you were successful, maintaining control over such a transformation would be very difficult. It is something you should only attempt as an adult."
"But if we could do it, think of the possibilities!" Michael exclaimed. "We could travel anywhere, see anything!"
It made him more annoying that his words were resonating with you. Could he just please stop talking?
"Yes, it would certainly be an advantage," the Professor agreed with as mile, content over the participation and emotion that her student was showing. "But I must stress the danger and difficulty involved in attempting such magic. It is not something to be taken lightly."
You nodded to yourself. As the obvious was spelled out for you, the decision had been felled. It would not be a charm. It would not be a potion. You would not accept any limitation to your time or freedom under water. If you could not transform yourself, then there was only one avenue left: It would be Alchemy.
An idea began to take shape in your mind. The form was unclear yet, but your notebook started to fill in with information and assumptions. You had encircled the solution that was still escaping you. But now you were approaching it slowly from all sides. It was trapped.
Present Date: 23th March 1994
Current Wand: Fagus wood, Phoenix feather core
As the moonlight filtered through the high windows of the castle, you sat alone in a warmed-up bathtub. You left your roommates fast asleep in their beds, while you had searched for a small room you had discovered months ago. Hidden beneath a staircase was a bathroom that only opened at night. A desolate little place.
On your head, you held a bowl that you had been trying to charm to allow you to breathe underwater. Starting with the simplest possible avenue: the first idea coming to mind had to have the strongest connection and maybe that would help?
You were honestly completely in the dark with how to approach this best.
But, despite your best efforts, the bowl refused to cooperate, stubbornly clinging to its mundane purpose of holding food.
You sighed and leaned back against the porcelain, letting out a wistful sigh. Your desire to explore the depths of the Great Lake had been burning within, fuelled by a thirst for knowledge and adventure. But try as you might, you seemed unable to find a solution to your problem.
You closed your eyes, leaned back to allow the bowl to release the cool water. As it washed over you, it soothed your frustrated mind. You sat there with a single candle by your side for a long time. Slowly drifting in and out of consciousness, your thoughts of the Great Lake and the deep waters turned to old memories and child stories. Mermaids and sea creatures that you had read about in your small room years ago.
You had wondered what secrets lay hidden beneath the waves, waiting to be discovered.
At night you had spend hours looking through the transparent walls of your bedroom to watch the waves below in the glistering light of the moon.
You fell asleep.
You moved forward, waking up hours later. It took a moment to reorient yourself. In the early morning filled with a leftover spirit of determination, you sat up and grabbed the bowl once more. You would not be defeated by this small obstacle. You would find a way to breathe underwater, no matter what it took.
You submerged into the water again. As the water surrounds you again, you closed your eyes and allowed your mind to wander.
You thought back on the lesson you had with Nicolas, the old man who taught you about the power of pure need. In the darkness of the bathtub, the memories of your dreams came back. For a short few moments, you were allowed in between the world of the wake and that of the dreams.
Years ago, you had been a child caught inside your mind. The world around you had been as much fantastic as had been real. But as you grew older, you learned that you had to also grow in your understanding and worldview of what happened around you. You could not simply be caught in fantasies and lies.
You remembered Nicolas's words. A lack of skill or understanding to achieve a goal was a difficult barrier to overcome. One could only circumvent it with …
With what exactly? Your mind was catching up very slowly.
Need. He had talked about taping into a pure form of need. As your mind stayed between logic and fantasy the solution was finally clear. If you wanted to be underwater, you had to be a mermaid.
The shadow of Nicolas appeared somewhere in the dark.
"You must allow your naive worldview to exist in this world. Demand of the world that your dream be made real. You will forge your own path."
Slowly, your head emerged out of the water. A slow breath brought you back to reality. You felt the biting cold that had seeped into your bones. You were freezing.
But finally, everything was clear in your head.
It took you multiple tries to leave the bathtub. Your legs were weak and shaky. As you dried up and dressed, the bowl was discarded back on the stand next to the bathtub. How could the obvious solution work for you, if you did not like it? How could the mundane be forced to make a fantasy come true? It could not. A bowl would not be the form you needed.
Present Date: 26th March 1994
Current Wand: Fagus wood, Phoenix feather core
With the Mermaid's Breath secured in your mouth, you descend into the icy depths of the Great Lake. You cautiously took in a first breath through your mouth. Cold air streamed into your lungs, filling you with a smell of salt and water. With that you pushed yourself away from the secure standing and into the water.
The magical boots on your feet normally allowed you to walk and step on air. Under water they propelled you forward, as if the water below your feet was solid ground. You started with one small push, then a bigger one with your other leg. First leg again. Second leg.
You started gaining speed. In a few short steps you reached incredible speeds compared to your swimming. It was like nothing you had ever experienced before.
As you swam deeper, you revelled in the freedom of movement that only the underwater world could allow you. The weightless feeling was exhilarating, and you were able to explore the lake's hidden depths in a way that would have been impossible before.
You chased schools of shimmering fish, diving and twisting through the water with ease. You marvelled at the intricate structures of the underwater plants and the colourful, exotic creatures that call them home.
But it is not just the beauty of the lake that captured your imagination. There is a sense of mystery and possibility that drew you further and further into its depths. You were eager to discover what lies hidden within its icy embrace, and you knew that with the Mermaid's Breath, you finally had the power to do so.
You turned on your axis and started pushing yourself back to the surface. A sense of triumph filled your heart. With every step upwards, you pushed harder against the water below. Your surroundings started to get more colourful around you, more spectrums of light reaching your eyes from above.
With a final push, you broke through the water tension above. You burst through the surface, your feet pounding against the invisible air that was now around you, as you continue your sprint, ten feet up into the sky. The weightless feeling was exhilarating, and you revelled in the freedom it brought you. And then, you stop pushing upwards.
For a moment you were caught in an endless second. You were flying.
Then the world caught back up with you. Gravity grabbing your physical body like a caring lover, pulling you down into her embrace. No one saw the ear-to-ear grin on your face as you dived back into the water.
You laughed with delight as you propelled yourself into the depths again with a few powerful strokes of your legs. The fish scatter before and around you, darting and weaving through the water as you chase after them, feeling like a bird soaring through the air.
For a moment, you forgot all of your worries and troubles, lost in the simple joy of movement and exploration. The world is a vast and wondrous place, full of mysteries and wonders just waiting to be discovered. And with your new magical breathing apparatus, you are free to explore it all.
You swam and played, revelling in the freedom of the water.
As you descended deeper into the depths of the lake, you couldn't shake off the feeling of excitement and anticipation that bubbled within you. You knew that there was magic lurking in these waters, and you were determined to find it.
You went deeper and deeper, following the dark spectre that was the ground below. There was no rising tension, no pressure crushing your body that would usually come with the depths of water. The tool that was sitting on your bottom lip worked as it was supposed to.
As the water around you started to grow darker, you pulled your wand out and pointed it into the darkness below.
"Lumos," you said … and light it was.
Finally, you had reached the bottom of the lake. It was muddy and dark. The light of your wand scanned the area around you, but it seemed that this was the most desolated area yet. How deep could it be? 200 hundred feet? 300? You could not say.
What surprised you was that there were no fish down in this area. You would have suspected more life. More anything, really. But your surroundings were dark and dead. You circled around and pointed your wand left and right. And there, in the dim light, you saw something.
A glowing, pulsing stone, glowing in reaction to your light. Your heart skipped a beat by the surprise.
You looked around one more time, before you closed in on the stone. It was positioned on something that looked like a purple stone. As you reached out to touch it, a sudden movement caught your attention.
From the dark muddy ground below, giant arms seemed to emerge, writhing and thrashing about.
Darkness swallowed you.
Present Date: 24th March 1994
Current Wand: Fagus wood, Phoenix feather core
Two days before a monster attacked you in the depths below the surface of the Great Lake, you were relaxing with your friends.
Well, 'relaxing' was a bit of an overstatement. You were obsessing over sketch after sketch of possible forms for your new invention. There was already a name above the many sketches though: 'Mermaid's Breath'. A dream come true. And you knew how it would work, but the form was not clear yet.
Also, the word 'friends' was a stretch … The people around you had basically invaded your privacy.
"I don't know, I just think earrings are so basic," Cho Chang said, twirling a strand of her long, black hair around her finger. "I mean, who doesn't have earrings these days?"
You leaned back and watched the group of Ravenclaws that had settled around you on the couches of the common room. When you had sat down after the last class, no one had been here yet.
Well, you could work even in a noisy environment.
"Well, I think nose piercings look really nice," Morag chimed in. "But I'm not brave enough to actually get one."
"I think lip piercings are cool," Terry blurted out, his cheeks turning a faint shade of pink. "I mean, not that I have one or anything. But they just look so cool."
What?
You barely registered the conversation afterwards, your eyes fixed on a sketch in front of you that did not physically exist yet, but that was forming in front of your eyes.
In seconds a series of connected rings appeared on the piece of Pargament. A set of golden lip piercings. As you gazed at the golden rings on the page, a sense of excitement washed over you. The Mermaid's Breath was born.
"Hey, Jacob, what do you think?" Morag asked, nudging you with her elbow.
You looked up, a faint smile on your lips. It was like she had woken you of a deep slumber. Finally, you had solved it. "I think these lip piercings will be a beautiful creation," you replied, voice soft and dreamy.
A set of golden rings, adorning the lips and allowing for breath beneath the waves. It's a child's dream, brought to life through sheer force of will.
"Wait, what?" Morag asked.
Present Date: 26th March 1994
Current Wand: Fagus wood, Phoenix feather core
Back to the present.
From the dark muddy ground below, giant arms seemed to emerge, writhing and thrashing about.
Then you pushed back against the water, stepping away from the giant that was emerging out of the mud below. Your wand was still in your hand, and you shined the light streaming out of it towards the creature below. Only now did you realize that the giant arms, were not arms at all, but tentacles instead.
As the sand shifted and churned, a giant octopus emerged from its depths, its tentacles writhing and wriggling as it tried to gain purchase on the rocky floor. Your heart raced as you watched the creature, marvelling at its size and grace. But as it lunged towards you, you knew you had to act quickly if you wanted to escape its grasp.
You had found the giant squid of the Great Lake and it wasn't pleased with you.
With a burst of speed and agility, you propelled yourself away from the octopus, darting and weaving through the water as you tried to put as much distance between yourself and the creature as possible.
After a few more pushes, you turned around.
The giant squid (or octopus really, your understanding of Magical creatures was abysmal) seemed to have calmed down, realizing that you were quicker than it had expected.
Created: Mermaid's Breath – Magical Item. The Mermaid's Breath is a magical tool designed to allow the wearer to breathe underwater. It is comprised of six golden rings that are connected by a thin silver frame, meant to be worn on the lower lip. When worn, the rings remove all pressure from the body in the depths of the water, allowing the wearer to explore the underwater world without any discomfort or difficulty. The golden rings gleam in the sunlight, their intricate designs and patterns catching the eye and drawing the attention of those around them. The silver frame is delicate, adding a touch of elegance to the tool. Overall, the Mermaid's Breath is a beautiful and unique tool that allows its wearer to explore the underwater world with ease and grace.
- 18 Galleons for the Materials. That was one expensive Hogsmeade trip.
Now, Jacob. What do to with this possibility?
[ ] Archaeologist at Heart – You don't know how you will do it, nor do you know what the stone is. Maybe it isn't even interesting or special at all. But still, you want to go for it and grab it. It is an easy thing to do really. Step 1: Swim back, Step 2: ?, Step 3: Grab the stone and run. If that is not a sensible plan, you don't know what is! (You have 14 Time Echoes banked. You can use 5 for an automatic success in this event. The Subvote below will only be count if this vote wins. No split in Main votes by usage of Time Echoes.)
- [ ] Use Time Echoes
- [ ] Don't use Time Echoes
[ ] But it feels so empty, without me – While the Stone that is positioned right on its head is interesting, it is not worth angering the giant. You will leave it behind and track deeper into the Lake. There is still much more to see. This is for sure the more sensible approach. That stone could be literally anything and nothing.
Six-hour Moratorium! As always, please take time to discuss the chapter and the vote first.
It lives! That was a fun update. Time to explore!
- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
The thing is, I want Jacob to leave the stone. But the reason is not to be 'sensible' or avoid risk.
But because I don't want him to take it. There is another who invested in it.
If Jacob had the skills to learn about the stone without moving it I'd vote to do that, or if he could talk to the squid and explain that he's just curious that'd be even better.
But those options are not available right now. So I prefer to make note of the stone and continue exploring.
@Tabula Rasa is a write-in, in line with what I typed above possible?
But because I don't want him to take it. There is another who invested in it.
If Jacob had the skills to learn about the stone without moving it I'd vote to do that, or if he could talk to the squid and explain that he's just curious that'd be even better.
But those options are not available right now. So I prefer to make note of the stone and continue exploring.
@Tabula Rasa is a write-in, in line with what I typed above possible?
- Location
- Spain
I am so glad to see you back with such an awesome quest @Tabula Rasa !!!
Regarding the vote... I kind of want to get the stone, if only because it could be an interesting thing to study down the line
Regarding the vote... I kind of want to get the stone, if only because it could be an interesting thing to study down the line