Jacob literally came up with a novel use for a spell on the fly while injured and running from dementors. Using apparation as intended in the same circumstances would be in a similar ball park when it comes to difficulty. Concentration isn't that much of an issue and it can be trained away with a deep understanding.
It also requires another point in Constitution that we don't currently have, and I don't think people will want to spare the action in these last two months if we want to be able to use it before we leave.
Same thing with Portus, we're only at transfiguration P at the moment and our level up next month will only take us to P+ we'd need another training session there as well to make use of it. We're not going to be able to use either of these before we leave for the summer.
[X] Apparition (Basic Understanding) – Charm. A spell that allows for teleportation of oneself from one location to another. This spell requires an immense amount of skill and concentration, as a misstep could result in serious injury or even death. It is also heavily regulated, as it requires a license to be able to perform Apparition. But let's be honest, you don't have a British registered wand. You know that you can do whatever you want on your vacations … no one will find out, probably. At this stage you are very loud, and your apparition needs a lot of time for concentration. You can't use this in combat or with another person yet, but you can clearly see the potential. Requires Charms Skill of A- & Constitution 4, DC: 150.
The difference of the two comes from their intended purpose and way of workings.
Portus is a spell used in creating a portkey. It isn't a means of teleporting on its own, but dependent on the item in question. Traveling by portkey has a good shot at causing portkey sickness afterward, so do not use it on yourself as a short range teleport. It's main non-travel function is to act as a trap for enemies, potential disabling tool and panic button. Above all else it requires preparation. It is not a spel you use on the fly. Proper items for personal use need to be made and locations scouted out and prepared beforehand if used on enemies indirectly. It can also be used for long range teleports.
Apparition is a spell used to teleport. It can be done in the moment and to facilitated mid and short range travel, as long as you know where a place is and can visualize it. It requires a lot of training to get right and risks splinching (leaving a part of yourself behind mid transit) when done incorrectly. Can be done on the fly, opening its use in exploration and combat. Can potentially be blocked with the right jinxes.
They are significantly less versatile and useful than apparition, so why wouldyou use a horse carriage when you can get a car?... When you want to teleport you want to teleport immediately and freely, and not need to wait until you reprogram your portkey or to create another one...
While apparition may have more versatility, and as such portkey use is rarer, probably rare too because of the Ministry's hardheaded approach of only letting a few people legally use it, there are such things as anti-apparition wards. While there may be ones for portkeys as well, given the rarer use of portkeys those probably aren't used as much so from a safety standpoint that would be potentially easier to escape from a hairy situation. I also feel that we will definitely learn apparition at some point, but right now portus may be better for us. Plus the fact that we won't be able to do apparition inside Hogwarts.
Yes, but apparition needs concentration and can dramatically fail (with for exemple a bad roll) whereas Portkey work no matter our state when using it.
This.
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At low skill levels, apparition takes time, using portkeys does not.
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Also we can give portkeys to friends for adventures, but we can't assume we'd be beside them to side-apparate them when shit impacts rotating blades.
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For me, it's not a question of 'what do I want Jacob to have' but 'want Jacob to have the basic ability to make use of first'
And in my view, basic level portkeys are just so so much better than basic level apparation for emergencies.
While there may be ones for portkeys as well, given the rarer use of portkeys those probably aren't used as much so from a safety standpoint that would be potentially easier to escape from a hairy situation.
Given the whole vanishing cabinet thing, I think we can conclude that anti-portkey spells are also a thing. If only because the same reasons for the stringent rules for the use of apparition also apply to portkeys.
Apparition is much more accessible, for later independent info gathering. And also much more common to ward/block against. Rather have something that can automatically teleport us to safety even if we're not in good condition.
Adhoc vote count started by Tabula Rasa on Jan 6, 2023 at 9:52 AM, finished with 103 posts and 43 votes.
[X] Apparition (Basic Understanding) – Charm. A spell that allows for teleportation of oneself from one location to another. This spell requires an immense amount of skill and concentration, as a misstep could result in serious injury or even death. It is also heavily regulated, as it requires a license to be able to perform Apparition. But let's be honest, you don't have a British registered wand. You know that you can do whatever you want on your vacations … no one will find out, probably. At this stage you are very loud, and your apparition needs a lot of time for concentration. You can't use this in combat or with another person yet, but you can clearly see the potential. Requires Charms Skill of A- & Constitution 4, DC: 150.
[X] Portus – Transfiguration. A Portkey Spell is used to transform an ordinary object into a Portkey, allowing the user to instantly transport to the destined location. The usage of this spell is strictly regulated by the Ministry of Magic due to the potential dangers of unauthorized teleportation. You can use this on other people. There is no range restriction for this spell, but you need a few minutes of preparation time ... but there are a few traps that you could set up with something like this. Who would expect a common object to teleport you away?Requires Transfiguration Skill of A- & Alchemy D+, DC: 150.
[X] Apparition (Basic Understanding) – Charm. A spell that allows for teleportation of oneself from one location to another. This spell requires an immense amount of skill and concentration, as a misstep could result in serious injury or even death. It is also heavily regulated, as it requires a license to be able to perform Apparition. But let's be honest, you don't have a British registered wand. You know that you can do whatever you want on your vacations … no one will find out, probably. At this stage you are very loud, and your apparition needs a lot of time for concentration. You can't use this in combat or with another person yet, but you can clearly see the potential. Requires Charms Skill of A- & Constitution 4, DC: 150.
Present Date: 14th May 1994
Current Wand: Fagus wood, Phoenix feather core
The classroom was dimly lit, the sun having set an hour ago. Justin and you were each huddled over a cauldron on this Sunday evening; his eyes fixed on the bubbling liquid inside his cauldron, while you were looking at your untouched ingredients that still waited to be used. You were practicing a potion that needed to be mastered by the time exams rolled around. For you the 'Antidote to Uncommon Poisons' was the last thing on your curriculum that you hadn't fully grasped. For Justin ... Well, he had specifically asked you to help him in Potions because he was feeling a bit behind at the moment.
The room was filled with the smell of various herbs and spices, the result of Justin's experimentation at following the potion recipe. Every now and then, he would add a pinch of this or a drop of that, stirring the mixture carefully. By now he was at the end of the receipt. When he reached out to put in one last ingredient into his cauldron, you spoke up without looking up to him.
You said: "I wouldn't do that," your voice void of emotion. But you couldn't help it, it was difficult to talk like a normal human being when you were thinking.
Justin froze in place, the crushed leave between his fingers were ready to be dropped into the potion below. "Why?" He asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.
"I have the feeling that adds a bit more reaction into the potion than you wish for right now," you explained, never looking up from your ingredients.
A sigh. Then, out of the corner of your eyes, you saw Justin place the ingredient back onto the copper board next to his cauldron.
"Mate," he said, frustration and annoyance clear in his voice. "How is this practicing together, when I am on my third brew, and you still haven't moved one inch …" He looked at his wristwatch. "… in like an hour. And the first thing I hear from you is some cryptic non-sense?"
Finally, you looked away from the ingredients on your table and over to your Hufflepuff friend. There was frustration and a little bit of annoyance in his expression. It wasn't getting easier to deal with people, even if they became your friends.
You just gained more patience for their ways.
"Why would I brew something if I didn't understand the receipt yet?" You asked, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"But that's the whole point of practicing!" Justin said, his voice tinged with frustration. "To make mistakes and learn from them. Otherwise, how are we going to get better?"
"I'm not saying we shouldn't make mistakes," you replied calmly. "I just don't see the point in making them when we can't learn from them. I want to make sure I understand what each ingredient does before I start brewing. Otherwise, we'll just be wasting time."
"Jacob, mate." Justin said. "I think you are brilliant; I really do. But you have to start make some sense sometimes." He pointed at his cauldron. "How about you start with this, why did you think it would explode next?"
You let your head fall into your neck: "I didn't say that."
"You literally just did!" He argued with you.
But you simply shook your head and stood up to take the crushed leave from his cupper board. "No, I said it would get too reactive for what you have in mind. This?" You said, pulling the dark blue matter up. It smelled like Lavender, but it was much more poisonous than that. "Imagine that in the pure form, before working it in any kind, is a mixture of many effects already. All the properties in it make out the whole deathly thing. What you did is some specific steps to either neutralize or break down all unwanted effects until exactly this in here is left."
You moved your fingers with the crushed substance in between them. They colored your skin in a blue shade. Then you threw it into the cauldron, which in seconds went from a dark purple, to a colorless liquid.
"And while I am pretty sure that the potions in our curriculum are specifically chosen so that that process of ingredient manipulation is still rather easy, you overshot with the neutralization here. Instead of having the prior ingredients of your potion fuse together with a little bit of its reaction property, you made all of them react in their entirety here," you said and pointed at his cauldron. "And destroyed any useful effects that would happen otherwise."
And then you went back to your cauldron and pointed at your table. "I first try to understand what I am trying to do with each ingredient. For examples the Murtlap – we chop up the tentacles into small pieces and add them to the cauldron. They are the base of this potion. We need this specifically to take in all of the next ingredient's properties, without adding any unwanted effects to them. Imagine this as plate and isolation all at once. Later we will have to work against that specific effect, but now it's very useful."
You took the tentacles and cut them in front of Justin. The pieces landed in the cauldron, while you continued the explanation: "If I understand that, I can also change the receipt as needed. I could use Gurdyroot instead, it has similar properties it is just more expensive and needs a few extra steps before it is ready. Which is probably why it is not listed here."
You did not look over to Justin. If you had, you would have seen that he was furiously noting down your words. "Next the Wiggentree Bark - shred the bark into thin strips and add it to the cauldron. It is the first effect we are adding. Before the poison is going to be tackled, the body must be strengthened to gain some time."
Even though your hands had never worked on this specific receipt before, they knew exactly what they needed to do. Strips landed in the cauldron, before you grabbed the flobberworms. "Now we need to locate the poison and latch onto it. And next …" You said, taking a chop of knotgrass that you cut into small pieces: "We work on the multiple effects to fight it. We dissolve, neutralize and we weaken with three different properties."
Dittany and Valerian root followed shortly after into the mixture.
"And now, as I said in the beginning. The last step. We combat our very first ingredient. Now we want a reaction between all the prior ingredients and that Murtlap is doing its best to hinder us at that." A bit of crushed hellebore leaves fell into the cauldron as the potion went from a calm violet mixture to a bubbly brew. A few seconds later, it calmed down again. It had kept the beautiful violet color it was known for.
"Woah," Justin said as you finally looked at him. He was lost in thoughts. "It's like a dance. Every ingredient has its own step and you have to follow the rhythm to get it right."
You scratched your chin at his comment. That was a beautiful analogy. You weren't sure if it fit that well, but sure. Why not.
"I see your point," Justin then said. "Okay," his voice filled with new determination. "I get it now. I'll make sure to pay more attention to the ingredients and their purposes before adding them to the potion. Thanks for explaining it to me, Jacob. I really appreciate it."
"Sure," you said with a smile.
+ 1 Vial of Antidote to Uncommon Poisons
- 2 Galleons
1d100+18 #Uncommon Poisons Training, DC 75 = 58 → Failure! New DC 17
1d100+18 #Uncommon Poisons Training, DC 17 = 22 → Success! → New Potion Learned!
1d100+18 #Lumos (Deep Understanding) Training, DC 50 = 61 → Success! → New Spell Learned!
1d100+18 #Point me Training, DC 50 = 96 → Success! → New Spell Learned!
1d100+6 #Researching new spells = 57
1d5 #How many spells? = 2 → The QM pities you and gifts you a bonus spell.
→ 3 New spells in your Notebook for 'Spell & Charm Research'
Immobulus - Charm. The Freezing Charm is a spell which immobilizes living targets. It can also be used to disable Muggle technology it seems. DC 75
Arresto Momentum – Charm. Used to decrease the velocity of a moving target; it should be noted that it can be used on multiple targets, as well as on the caster himself. Needs your concentration to keep up, which could be a hindrance to using it in a fight against multiple people if you are on your own. But this will make you also much more mobile. Requires Charms skill of A. DC: 150
Accio – Charm. The Summoning Charm is a charm that causes a target at a distance from the caster to levitate or fly over to them. This spell needs thought behind it, the object must be clear in the casters mind, before trying to summon. This spell is one of the oldest spells known to wizarding society. DC: 100
Present Date: 18th May 1994
Current Wand: Fagus wood, Phoenix feather core
1d100+6 #Runes Club Gang, DC 50 = 62 → Success! → Runes Club Findings +1
1d100+10 #Rune-Search Training Roll, DC 25 = 70 → Success! → New grade, A+ (No more progress on Runes Club Findings possible)
→ Runes Club Findings +1: Now 10/10 progress to find Castle Runes.
Monday evening found Megan and you sitting in the clock tower, surrounded by a few other student groups. The large, open space was mostly lit by the evening sun, but a few flickering candles provided additional source of light already as it would soon get dark. The air was filled with the sound of soft conversation and laughter as the students relaxed and enjoyed each other's company.
The two of you sat on a bench near the back of the tower hall, books and parchment scattered around you as you worked on your shared project. Megan was bent over a thick tome, her quill moving quickly across the page as she jotted down notes, comparing two different sets of runes, before adding more to her notes. You sat next to her, but your eyes were fixed on a single page of your notebook.
Across the room, a group of Gryffindors were huddled around a small table that they had magically set up, laughing and chatting as they played a game of Wizard's Chess. Near the windows, a couple of older Ravenclaws sat quietly together, their heads bent over their books as they studied. And in the corner, a group of fifth year Hufflepuffs were lounging on the stage you had sat on a while ago, talking to the headmaster. The Hufflepuffs were chatting and laughing as they enjoyed each other's company.
The clock tower was as always, a peaceful and welcoming place.
"This one is defending again," Megan said after a while, making you look up from your notes. She finished up a sentence and then locked eyes with you. "So, we have the outside runes mostly locked in for defense purposes," she said, pointing the large map of the castle you had drawn and worked on that was set out in front of you. "Some are a bit different, but they all fit the general gist; holding in whatever magic that has been cast on them for this specific capability of defending the outsides."
You followed her finger around the map as she pointed at the different markers that the both of you had found over the last term.
"And then we got these," Megan said, pointing at the next set of runes on her book. "That we have determined to be for compression and expansion." She pointed at different points of the map again, but you didn't follow the movement this time. Instead, your eyes fell on the most distinctive set of runes of the notebook in your hand again.
"We have shown that all of these are near the places that you have discovered secret passageways in." You heard Megan sigh as if weight was being dropped from her shoulders. "I really think we got this, Jacob. We have the other rune sets defined for taking in surrounding magic and feeding the wards, for blocking off the outside and for other creative mechanisms. I honestly think, we are finally done!"
You looked up. When your eyes met, she was smiling happily but you were not. It took Megan a moment, before she frowned: "What is it? Did I make a mistake?"
Your eyes landed on the note in front of you again. "No," you said.
"It's just that I've been looking at this one set of runes for a while now, and I can't seem to figure out how they fit into this." You pointed to the page in your notebook. "These are the ones we found inside Myrte's bathroom. I've compared them to everything we have, and they are without doubt of the 'outside defence' set."
Megan leaned over to get a better look at the runes, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Hmm, that is strange. They should be exclusive to the outsides of the castle." She reached for one of the books on the table and started flipping through the pages.
You watched as Megan searched through the book. But it seemed clear what the obvious solution had to be. They had to serve some purpose, if they were set in that specific place; not only shield enemies from the castle, but to also communicate to the defense mechanisms that starting here there was no Hogwarts anymore.
"Megan," you said after a while. "You don't have to look it up. You are right. These runes set the limits of the defense wards for sure." Then your eyes met again.
"But how does that fit in for magic inside the castle?" She asked confused.
This time it was you smiling at her.
"We have found a hidden passageway that is mysteriously cut off out of the castles magic."
You had found a secret below Hogwarts that had been there since the inception of the castle. While you didn't have any evidence yet, you already knew what it was that you would find.
"The chamber of Secrets."
→ New Actions unlocked. 'A Hogwarts Secret' Quest lines available.
[ ] A Hogwarts Secret:Slytherin, Unlocking a Secret Chamber (2 Actions needed) – Runes of defense mark this place. You have spent countless hours studying the layout of Hogwarts and the way it has been build. And thus, you have discovered a place inside a bathroom that indicates Runes for an outside place. Why would there be outside warding for a place inside the castle? You suspect a hidden chamber that has been sealed off for centuries. And you are determined to unlock the chamber and uncover its secrets. You will need to use a combination of your skills and the castle's history to figure out the correct approach to unlock the chamber. It will be a difficult task, but you are confident that your skills are up to the challenge. Can't be combined with any other Hogwarts Secret action in a given month. [Currently Locked due to obsession trait.]
[ ] A Hogwarts Secret:Ravenclaw, A room of transformation (2 Actions needed) – Runes of change mark this place. You have come across a place with strange runes that hints to have the ability to transform. Soon, there will be one more transformation: a secret will transform into knowledge for you. You are not sure what the purpose of the room is, nor how to get in but you are determined to find out. Can't be combined with any other Hogwarts Secret action in a given month. [Currently Locked due to obsession trait.]
[ ] A Hogwarts Secret:Gryffindor, The Headmaster's Office (2 Actions needed) – Runes of control mark this place. You have always been fascinated by the inner workings of Hogwarts, and what better place to start than with the heart of the upper castle? You have spent countless hours studying the layout of the castle and have discovered multiple possible entrances to the Headmaster's Office. To play on fair ground, you might want to send out a letter first; challenge the occupant headmaster so that he knows that you plan to break in and claim another secret of Hogwarts as your own. Can't be combined with any other Hogwarts Secret action in a given month. [Currently Locked due to obsession trait.]
→ New Ability gained: Warding Magic I – The magical art of protecting a specific place or object with a magical defense effect. This effect can be triggered by certain actions or events, such as someone attempting to enter without permission or tampering with the protected object. The strength and complexity of the ward can vary, from a simple alarm spell to a multi-layered protection that can only be breached with specific countermeasures. Warding magic can also be used to conceal objects or places, making them invisible or intangible to those who are not meant to see or touch them. It is a powerful tool for those who wish to keep their possessions and secrets safe. The skill is also used to break a ward, but it must be used with caution as breaking a ward can often have severe consequences. Lowest skill of [Transfiguration, Charm, Runes, Alchemy] is used for rolls. Dark Arts can be unlocked as an additional bonus.
Present Date: 27th May 1994
Current Wand: Fagus wood, Phoenix feather core
The evening air was cool and crisp as you made your way through the hidden passage beneath the Whomping Willow. You had been careful to wait until after the dueling club was over and most of everyone had left, before making your way out of the castle grounds through multiple stairways and corners that you used to lose any unwanted attention.
Once in the passage, you threw the dark coat that you had brought in your bag over yourself and stowed the bag away in a small cove of the dark and cramped passageway. It would wait here for your return.
A small vial landed in your pocket before you followed the tunnel, roots and vines creeping along the walls and ceiling. You had to duck and shuffle your way through the narrow corridor, trying to avoid getting snagged on any of the obstacles.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, you emerged from the passage and into the basement of the Shrieking Shack. You took a moment to catch your breath and survey your surroundings.
From the outside, the Shrieking Shack would look like always: a dilapidated old building that had long been abandoned. The building was in a state of disrepair, with peeling paint and broken windows. It was clear that no one had lived here in many years.
The interior of the Shrieking Shack was even more run down than the outside, with cobwebs covering every surface and the floorboards creaking beneath Jacob's feet. You made your way cautiously through the rooms, taking in the eerie atmosphere.
As you made your way through the abandoned and decrepit Shrieking Shack, you couldn't help but notice that the cobwebs seemed to be fewer in number than you remembered from your last visit. The dust on the floor was disturbed, with some footprints leading through the room. Some of the furniture had been moved, as if someone had been searching for something. A sense of unease settled over you as you realized that you had found your first clue of the night.
It was clear that someone had been here recently.
You pulled your wand out and made your way through the Shack, stepping on air above the visible footprints, leaving no clue behind that you had been here.
The outsides of the Shack were surrounded by a dense thicket of trees, their branches reaching out like gnarled fingers. The moon was high in the sky, casting a pale silver light over the clearing. You took a deep breath as you exited the building and began to make your way towards the forbidden forest, the ground below you looked soft and spongy ground as you walked above it in the air. You knew that you had to be careful, as the forest was full of danger and secrets. But you were determined to find out what lay beyond its shadowy depths.
"Lumos," you whispered.
Your eyes were focused on the set of footprints that you could make out in the ground, leading up to the forest.
As you made your way deeper into the trees, you could feel the weight of the forest pressing in on you from all sides. The underbrush was thick, and the air was heavy with the scent of pine and the hum of insects. You could hear the rustle of small animals moving through the leaves, but you couldn't see them. You kept your wand at the ready, knowing that you had to be prepared for anything.
You followed the footprints as they led you deeper into the forest, trying to stay as quiet as possible. The trees seemed to grow taller and thicker the further you went, blocking out most of the moonlight. You could felt your heart beating faster as the darkness closed in around you. A sense of danger that was getting more familiar to you as the months went on. You could feel the energy rush inside you.
As you pressed on, the footprints became harder to follow, and you found yourself relying more on your sense of direction to guide you. You knew that the forest was vast and dangerous, and you couldn't afford to get lost. But despite the danger, you couldn't shake the feeling that you were getting closer to something important. You could feel it in your bones, a sense of excitement and anticipation that kept you moving forward.
Suddenly, you heard a rustling sound behind you and turned just in time to see a giant shadow rushing towards you. You were moving, before you consciously registered what was happening. You quickly raised your wand and shouted, "Flipendo!"
The Acromantula didn't have enough weight to counter the force, so it was pushed up in the air. "Incendio." By the time it fell onto the ground again, it was burning brightly, casting a shadow on two more creatures that were to its left and its right.
You heard movement from above and jumped back, stepping higher up into the air to evade whatever had jumped. Something dropped past you. You turned and pointed at a close by dead piece of wood: "Draconifors." You needed to equal the numbers.
The wood, turned into a small dragon that rose into the air. "Avifors." A flash of blue light followed the airborne dragon as it was joined by a flock of bats. By the time you had finally caught up to the movement on all sides, your air support was already in their way, blocking them from reaching you and gaining you some valuable seconds.
"Incendio." And a second spider burned.
Two spiders in front of you, one to your right that had come from above … that meant where you should expect more; you turned around: "Protego." The shield charm went up just in time for two more spiders from the back and your left. They crushed headfirst against the solid shielding spell. The force of the impact made something crack. You couldn't say if it had been one of two heads, but it had certainly not been your shield.
"Glacius," you said when they dropped to the ground. You focused on their legs and soon enough a part of both spiders was frozen against the ground below.
It had taken you a second too long, though.
You heard something being pushed away behind you. And just a moment later something crashed into your back. All air was pushed out of your lungs as you were thrown forwards, losing a step before you were forcefully rammed against a tree.
You groaned in pain as you hit the ground after falling from six feet up, struggling to catch your breath. Your vision swam as you tried to push yourself up, but it was too late. You saw the shadow of the spider moving towards you, its fangs glinting in the dim light.
There was no evasion possible, so you did not lose time on trying. You braced yourself for the hit and instead of endangering the grip on your wand, you pulled your arm away in the last second. It missed its primary target, but the spider simply continued until it sank its fangs into your side. The many eyes of the beast had frantically locked on you as it bit down.
Gritting your teeth, you turned around as it hesitated after releasing its poison inside the wound, thinking its job done. Your right knee touched the ground, giving you just enough room to turn your body to the right, move your wand arm completely away from the spider and swing your left arm towards it.
You heard another crack as your fist impacted against some of its many eyes. A shrieking scream filled the darkness of the forest. But you didn't let it go. Your fist opened to grab its haired head, before it could jump back. Using the creature as leverage, you pushed yourself up and around, giving you momentum enough to fully turn around your axis.
With two points of contact to hold your body up; one being your left knee and the other your left hand on the spider's head, your right hand shot upwards into the direction that had been your blind spot just a moment ago. They had surprised you once with their ability to attack from the back, they would not succeed again. "Incendio," you said as your wand shined the light onto the last spider that was trying to ambush you again.
With that you pushed yourself upwards quickly. It had been only a few seconds, but you could already feel the magic of the potent venom that was setting in. There was not much time left.
Pushing the spider away that you had grabbed on, you shouted: "Flipendo." More room was created between you as the hurt spider was thrown back. "Incendio." The sixth spider burned. And besides the loud shrieking voice, there was no movement left around you.
A second passed. Then another. Then another.
Nothing came.
You let yourself fall against the tree again, panting hard as you hurriedly tried to grab something out of your dark coat. You felt the strength leave your fingers already. But they would not get you this time. Today, you were prepared.
The vial that you had made together with Justin felt cold on the bleeding black wound in your side.
Among six burning corpses of the dark beasts, you sat leaning against the old tree behind you. You stayed there for a while, trying to recuperate and process the few seconds that had almost cost you your life. If anyone had seen you, no one would have understood the excited smile that didn't leave your face until you found the strength to stand up again and continue your journey into the forbidden forest.
1d5+1 = 6
1d100+61 #Jacob Defence I, DC 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 = 85
1d100+41 #Jacob Attack I, DC 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 = 109
1d100+41 #Jacob Defence II (-20 Malus for injury), DC 40 (Higher DC for proximity) = 124
- 1 Vial of Antidote to Uncommon Poisons
+6 Vials of Acromantula Venom
+120 EXP
You have won the battle and while you know that the forest is still a dangerous place, you can't help but feel excitement for it. A core trait of yours is changing. [Adept Dueller]
Trait evolves:
Adept Dueller – With a wand in hand, you rarely feel afraid. In the midst of combat, you will stay calm and focussed, because even if you lose, there is no way that you will go down without a good and proper fight now, is there?
[ ] A genius awakening - You can be surrounded, ambushed or stand against insurmountable odds. Your mind stays calm no matter the situation, because deep inside you there is the lingering feeling of superiority against any opponent. You know that your potential is limitless. If you lose today, you will be stronger tomorrow.
[ ] Blood strengthens me - You have felt the rush of excitement in battle many times before; inside your own body and in the memories of your ancestor. In the midst of a battle, you feel more like yourself than you do outside of it. It is as if you are getting stronger the more damage you take. No one and nothing can break your spirit.
Three-hour Moratorium! As always, please take time to discuss the chapter and the vote first.
[X] A genius awakening - You can be surrounded, ambushed or stand against insurmountable odds. Your mind stays calm no matter the situation, because deep inside you there is the lingering feeling of superiority against any opponent. You know that your potential is limitless. If you lose today, you will be stronger tomorrow.
[X] A genius awakening - You can be surrounded, ambushed or stand against insurmountable odds. Your mind stays calm no matter the situation, because deep inside you there is the lingering feeling of superiority against any opponent. You know that your potential is limitless. If you lose today, you will be stronger tomorrow.
[X] A genius awakening - You can be surrounded, ambushed or stand against insurmountable odds. Your mind stays calm no matter the situation, because deep inside you there is the lingering feeling of superiority against any opponent. You know that your potential is limitless. If you lose today, you will be stronger tomorrow.
Anyway, I'm leery of both options. Reminder that this is a trait, so it has no obvious mechanical effect but it changes who Jacob is. Staying cool in all circumstances is nice, but if it's because you feel superior to everyone else... Yikes. Jacob has already enough issues connecting with people without reinforcing his tendency to view people as inferiors.
The second option gets Jacob closer to Basques (and Basques is awesome), and it seems like it could also make Jacob a bit more open and expressive, at least in battle. Personally I've liked Jacob much more as a character since he's started getting closer to his classmates, so I'd like to continue this way.
I agree but I really want Jacob to kind of be the next Dumbledore so I really want the genius traits but I do see where your coming from Pempelune maybe Tabula Rasa could tell us more?
The classroom was dimly lit, the sun having set an hour ago. Justin and you were each huddled over a cauldron on this Sunday evening; his eyes fixed on the bubbling liquid inside his cauldron, while you were looking at your untouched ingredients that still waited to be used. You were practicing a potion that needed to be mastered by the time exams rolled around. For you the 'Antidote to Uncommon Poisons' was the last thing on your curriculum that you hadn't fully grasped. For Justin ... Well, he had specifically asked you to help him in Potions because he was feeling a bit behind at the moment.
Absolutely fascinating scene, I loved to see how Jacob breaks down the problem into it's component parts and truly tries to understand as much as possible before even attempting the potion, constrasted with how Justin just tries to learn how to follow the recipe but now how it works.
Also nice to see the two of them growing a bit closer.
Immobulus - Charm. The Freezing Charm is a spell which immobilizes living targets. It can also be used to disable Muggle technology it seems. DC 75
Arresto Momentum – Charm. Used to decrease the velocity of a moving target; it should be noted that it can be used on multiple targets, as well as on the caster himself. Needs your concentration to keep up, which could be a hindrance to using it in a fight against multiple people if you are on your own. But this will make you also much more mobile. Requires Charms skill of A. DC: 150
Accio – Charm. The Summoning Charm is a charm that causes a target at a distance from the caster to levitate or fly over to them. This spell needs thought behind it, the object must be clear in the casters mind, before trying to summon. This spell is one of the oldest spells known to wizarding society. DC: 100
All of these are very nice pickups that will add some great versatility to our spell repertoire, I honestly want to go for all of them. Sooner rather than later as well.
Monday evening found Megan and you sitting in the clock tower, surrounded by a few other student groups. The large, open space was mostly lit by the evening sun, but a few flickering candles provided additional source of light already as it would soon get dark. The air was filled with the sound of soft conversation and laughter as the students relaxed and enjoyed each other's company.
Another cool scene of Jacob figuring things out and it's nice to see Megan getting in on the action and seeing her being on a similar level to Jacob, at least when it comes to runes.
I'm very happy with the new warding ability, I'm sure we'll be able to put it to good use (ward Luna's stuff maybe?) and I'm very very excited about all of the hogwarts hidden places quest lines.
I'm leaning towards going for the CoS first, purely beacuse there's still a basalisk down there and who knows what other hidden goodies left behind.
The Room of Requirement is another very solid choice, I could see it giving an extra action or some kind of bonus along with all the extra loot, it's a very tempting target for sure.
Not 100% sold on the headmasters office, but maybe we can meet Fawkes or the hat?
[ ] A genius awakening - You can be surrounded, ambushed or stand against insurmountable odds. Your mind stays calm no matter the situation, because deep inside you there is the lingering feeling of superiority against any opponent. You know that your potential is limitless. If you lose today, you will be stronger tomorrow.
This almost seems like the saiyan trait, where if we lose we gain more power after the fight. I'm not 100% sure what form this will take but assuming it actually does anything mechanically, maybe it gives out bonus XP? Or maybe we get a roll after a fight to see if we get an improvement of some kind.
I also like the impact this seems to have on Jacob's personality (for the most part), limitless potential and coming back stronger after defeat play into the traits I find most interesting about him and it's an attitude I want to try and nurture in him where possible. Permanently clear mind is also a nice bonus.
Not super keen on the superiority aspect of it though, that way lay arrogance and perhaps becoming a little more like Tom.
] Blood strengthens me - You have felt the rush of excitement in battle many times before; inside your own body and in the memories of your ancestor. In the midst of a battle, you feel more like yourself than you do outside of it. It is as if you are getting stronger the more damage you take. No one and nothing can break your spirit.
This seems like a more in the moment trait that could potentially pull our ass out of the fire (again, assuming there is a mechanical bonus), but lacks the long term bonuses that genius doesn't. But long term bonuses are more consistient and can let you pull through in situations you otherwise wouldn't as well.
Besides that I don't want to cultivate the attitude that this is pushing, feeling alive in battle just incentivises violence where it otherwise may not be neccesary and I think calmly thought out solutions are far far more interesting than just jumping to battle, analytical battle plans are also much more satisfying.
But an unshakeable will would be super useful against charm effects like imperio and other similar abilites. I'm just not sure how big of an issue they would be.
Overall, I think I'm going to vote for genius, but if it passes we'll have to be leery of the side effects.
I agree but I really want Jacob to kind of be the next Dumbledore so I really want the genius traits but I do see where your coming from Pempelune maybe Tabula Rasa could tell us more?
Anyway, I'm leery of both options. Reminder that this is a trait, so it has no obvious mechanical effect but it changes who Jacob is. Staying cool in all circumstances is nice, but if it's because you feel superior to everyone else... Yikes. Jacob has already enough issues connecting with people without reinforcing his tendency to view people as inferiors.
The second option gets Jacob closer to Basques (and Basques is awesome), and it seems like it could also make Jacob a bit more open and expressive, at least in battle. Personally I've liked Jacob much more as a character since he's started getting closer to his classmates, so I'd like to continue this way.
I agree but I really want Jacob to kind of be the next Dumbledore so I really want the genius traits but I do see where your coming from Pempelune maybe Tabula Rasa could tell us more?
Dumbledore is a genius, but he's showed himself in quest to deeply value the perspective of those less capable than him (i.e. pretty much anyone).
I expect his genius traits are without those superiority elements.
But an unshakeable will would be super useful against charm effects like imperio and other similar abilites. I'm just not sure how big of an issue they would be.
Overall, I think I'm going to vote for genius, but if it passes we'll have to be leery of the side effects.
That calmness is rooted in Jacob believing he is superior to... everyone.
Which ain't going to be fun for him to be disabused of and people like that are invariably assholes. Just utter dickheads. He's way better off prefer him to become someone who enjoys violence (provided he is careful to aim it at fellow duelers, monsters, bullies and deatheater types.
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My point is that I think you are somewhat dismissive of the superiority problem, as Jacob believing himself superior to others would be the foundation of that calm that appeals to you.
I prefer the second option. It is less clinical and more passionate. Jacob genuinely enjoying duelling and getting into conflict is kinda cooler than merely remaining calm during battle while having supreme confidence in himself.
I agree I don't like the superior lean on the genius trait but I like the blood trait even less because it feels like we might fall in love with violence in general with that the genius trait could be used outside of combat
I'm surprised that there's only 3 founders secrets, where's Hufflepuffs secret?
As for the trait evolution cons, the first one with a sense of superiority against any opponent sounds like a recipe for underestimating them, while the second one sounds like a love for battle, where Jacob feels more like himself in battle than outside of it, I'm pretty sure there were instances of Jacob being himself in the past outside of battle solving cases, riddles and puzzles, so getting the second trait sounds like it would transfer over to battle
This vote is about personality and characterization, not min maxing or power gaming i believe. Better focus on what you think will make Jacob a more fun character
I'm surprised that there's only 3 founders secrets, where's Hufflepuffs secret?
As for the trait evolution cons, the first one with a sense of superiority against any opponent sounds like a recipe for underestimating them, while the second one sounds like a love for battle, where Jacob feels more like himself in battle than outside of it, I'm pretty sure there were instances of Jacob being himself in the past outside of battle solving cases, riddles and puzzles, so getting the second trait sounds like it would transfer over to battle
i am pretty sure we will keep the love for riddles and stuff, it's already part of his established character. It just means he may also enjoy fights and adventure to the same extent.
