- Location
- Earth
[X][Boon] A jade chit necklace
Hogwarts Sect of Witchcraft and Wizardry
- Thread starter Karf
- Start date
- Fantasy
A bit disappointed that we didn't get to choose our flying weapon, but I loved the update, especially the Divination scene. It was fun and it showcased the art, while cleverly telling us something about ourselves, the rumors surrounding us and whatever link we have to Harry.
And thank the Heavens for those d100s! Fourth action achieved, baby!
For the second one, you're thinking in terms of strategy, while all strategy actually does is affect the threshold. The mechanics of the match remain the same, so those of opposed rolls, like the fight with the troll. On 21 dice, rolled again and again until one team's HPs go down to 0, a 3+ success difference sounds very much possible. Each time it happens for us, that means a third of at least 3d100, which averages to 50 (I don't think the automatic 90+ bonus applies to our gains, 'cause that would be too good).
And for the third one, the way I'm reading it, the Transfiguration boon doesn't mean we'd have to pick Transfiguration training next turn for it to apply. Anything else would work, too. It basically functions as if we had the skill at basic for next turn. With a fourth action, which is an average of 3 and a half successes in total, that would mean a +60/80 bonus to whatever we end up training.
So, in my eyes, the choices are:
1) From (extremely unlikely 0, but much more likely at least) 10 to 35 spiritual points if we win the game (50% chance of it, I guess)
2) From 0 to (technically even more than 250, but much more likely) around 100 spiritual points
3) From (unlikely 0, but more likely) 20 to (technically 240, but much more likely) around 120 points in whatever we train next turn
An important distinction to make is that the spiritual gains would apply before next turn, and since we're only missing 27 points to gain our first milestone there, that could grant us 4 more dice (+1 per action) to work with.
For now, I'll vote for #2:
-[X][Boon] A roll of finely runed bandages
And thank the Heavens for those d100s! Fourth action achieved, baby!
So, they/we roll 21d140 vs DC105 (or so), get +30 to the results of every d100s they/we get, and this goes on until a team goes to 0 HP. Do I have that right, @Karf ? And since I have you here, could you tell us what was the explanation we got for there being a troll lurking the school? Was it related to the hunt Dumbledore set up for 4th years and up?
You're right on the first one, but wrong, I think, on the others.
For the second one, you're thinking in terms of strategy, while all strategy actually does is affect the threshold. The mechanics of the match remain the same, so those of opposed rolls, like the fight with the troll. On 21 dice, rolled again and again until one team's HPs go down to 0, a 3+ success difference sounds very much possible. Each time it happens for us, that means a third of at least 3d100, which averages to 50 (I don't think the automatic 90+ bonus applies to our gains, 'cause that would be too good).
And for the third one, the way I'm reading it, the Transfiguration boon doesn't mean we'd have to pick Transfiguration training next turn for it to apply. Anything else would work, too. It basically functions as if we had the skill at basic for next turn. With a fourth action, which is an average of 3 and a half successes in total, that would mean a +60/80 bonus to whatever we end up training.
So, in my eyes, the choices are:
1) From (extremely unlikely 0, but much more likely at least) 10 to 35 spiritual points if we win the game (50% chance of it, I guess)
2) From 0 to (technically even more than 250, but much more likely) around 100 spiritual points
3) From (unlikely 0, but more likely) 20 to (technically 240, but much more likely) around 120 points in whatever we train next turn
An important distinction to make is that the spiritual gains would apply before next turn, and since we're only missing 27 points to gain our first milestone there, that could grant us 4 more dice (+1 per action) to work with.
For now, I'll vote for #2:
-[X][Boon] A roll of finely runed bandages
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There was a draft of you picking your weapon, but I just couldn't get it to feel good. Every way it felt confusing about whether different weapons would have different benefits or not and in the end I decided to scrap it. I'll keep it in mind however, and try not to shy away from cosmetic write-ins in the future.
This is 100% correct.
Well, Hogwarts is a castle in a loose sense. Must have wondered in on its own. Quirrel only reported it to the sect leader, he never did see where it came from.
Dumbledore being Dumbledore saw an opportunity, and was going to have a nice little side event until you handled it.This is correct.
You get to keep the objects themselves, but they are only useful once, the benefits don't stick around. The goggles don't have an erase function, the bandages can't be rewound and the chit can only hold so much Qi.
At least for the bandages, I have a somewhat humorous scene in mind, I'm sure I can come up with a few more for the others.
Honestly, I don't get how Quidditch plays, not really. I know the rules and the gist of it, but not enough to say how viable any given strategy is and how likely it is for any maneuver to be successful.
Stuff to consider:
1) Hufflepuff had a defensive style last year.
-Does that mean that they left the quaffle to the opponents more often than not? That their beaters played more to protect their team rather than harass the opponent? Both?
2) Diggory is the new Seeker with no experience in Hogwarts matches.
-Will they keep using a defensive strategy even now that "their star seeker" is gone and they have rookie Diggory, instead?
3) Their chasers always fly triangle with flanking beaters.
-Again, is this based on last year and will they keep doing it? How large is this triangle, so how close to each other do the chasers play? And the beaters, are they flanking one on each side or together on the same side? Also, isn't Quidditch played in the air, so extremely 3-dimensional with all that entails?
4) All of their chasers are from different years, and if Daisy the Keeper is not calling the shots, Jason thinks they'll stumble sooner or later, so he wants to pressure her, together with one of our beaters.
-Is that when we have the quaffle, when we don't, or at all times? Would that force the Puffs to give up their triangle+beaters formation in some way, so as to protect the undefended, outnumbered and bat-less Keeper?
5) We (Rei) can't no-sell a hit and we are a first year rookie in general.
-Will that affect the Puffs' gameplan, pushing them into pressuring us like Jason wants to do with their Keeper (or even more)?
6) We are being watched and talked about, both positively and negatively, and for a number of reasons.
-This is strategy-adjacent, I guess, but will we get boo'd by Gryffindors and cheered on by Slytherins? Can we get the crowd on our side and affect the narrative (not in a meta sense... I mean it like the one surrounding real life teams and athletes)?
7) Harry Potter caught the snitch within 5 minutes in his first ever match, which was against the Puffs and Diggory.
-Is this kind of meta knowledge at all reliable? Does it tell us anything about this story's Puffs and Diggory?
I like the default plan, but I'm of the opinion that any value our QM will put on it, or on a Write-In strategy, is kinda arbitrary. So the name of the game is just... try to impress Karf? XD
I think it's reasonable to assume that he is mostly looking for a simple, clever-sounding overall strategy that is based on the little data we have.
Stuff to consider:
1) Hufflepuff had a defensive style last year.
-Does that mean that they left the quaffle to the opponents more often than not? That their beaters played more to protect their team rather than harass the opponent? Both?
2) Diggory is the new Seeker with no experience in Hogwarts matches.
-Will they keep using a defensive strategy even now that "their star seeker" is gone and they have rookie Diggory, instead?
3) Their chasers always fly triangle with flanking beaters.
-Again, is this based on last year and will they keep doing it? How large is this triangle, so how close to each other do the chasers play? And the beaters, are they flanking one on each side or together on the same side? Also, isn't Quidditch played in the air, so extremely 3-dimensional with all that entails?
4) All of their chasers are from different years, and if Daisy the Keeper is not calling the shots, Jason thinks they'll stumble sooner or later, so he wants to pressure her, together with one of our beaters.
-Is that when we have the quaffle, when we don't, or at all times? Would that force the Puffs to give up their triangle+beaters formation in some way, so as to protect the undefended, outnumbered and bat-less Keeper?
5) We (Rei) can't no-sell a hit and we are a first year rookie in general.
-Will that affect the Puffs' gameplan, pushing them into pressuring us like Jason wants to do with their Keeper (or even more)?
6) We are being watched and talked about, both positively and negatively, and for a number of reasons.
-This is strategy-adjacent, I guess, but will we get boo'd by Gryffindors and cheered on by Slytherins? Can we get the crowd on our side and affect the narrative (not in a meta sense... I mean it like the one surrounding real life teams and athletes)?
7) Harry Potter caught the snitch within 5 minutes in his first ever match, which was against the Puffs and Diggory.
-Is this kind of meta knowledge at all reliable? Does it tell us anything about this story's Puffs and Diggory?
I like the default plan, but I'm of the opinion that any value our QM will put on it, or on a Write-In strategy, is kinda arbitrary. So the name of the game is just... try to impress Karf? XD
I think it's reasonable to assume that he is mostly looking for a simple, clever-sounding overall strategy that is based on the little data we have.
Neither do I, so we're all free to argue our cases.
Basically this. I'm not going to try my best to poke holes or find gotcha-s in any plan. If someone presents a way they believe Quidditch should be played, I'm all for it.
Take for example the keeper harassment. I originally imagined it as mostly using the bludger, with the chaser positioning himself at odd angles. If someone else's idea of harassing a keeper involves blocking her vision or whatever else, that's perfectly fine too.
The story is yet to be written. A good plan might lose, something which I privately might consider bad could win. If something doesn't work out, it doesn't mean it was wrong or stupid, just unlucky or necessary for the story.
@Karf
Roughly how much can we affect the threshold with our Quidditch plan? Single digit points? More? And the Puffs affect ours, while we affect theirs, right?
And on a different note, you said we should expect training to get significantly harder during the months at home (July and August), but can you expand on it? For example, it seems reasonable to say that physical cultivation training (as described so far) would be simpler to do away from Hogwarts, than, say, Potions, but maybe you have a blanket-malus that works equally on everything to make your life easier, which is totally fair. So what can you tell us about this?
Roughly how much can we affect the threshold with our Quidditch plan? Single digit points? More? And the Puffs affect ours, while we affect theirs, right?
And on a different note, you said we should expect training to get significantly harder during the months at home (July and August), but can you expand on it? For example, it seems reasonable to say that physical cultivation training (as described so far) would be simpler to do away from Hogwarts, than, say, Potions, but maybe you have a blanket-malus that works equally on everything to make your life easier, which is totally fair. So what can you tell us about this?
If I change the threshold from 105 to 96 (single digits), you win ~92% of the time. At 100, the winrate is ~78%. I don't want to commit to a particular number as something to chase, but even small changes can have pretty significant consequences.
On the summer training, I was thinking of having all your levels reduced by either 1 or 2. Don't take this bit as word of god however, I remain optimistic that it won't be necessary.
Your faith in us is as moving as it is misplaced.
I don't know how to evaluate the goggles. We have around 50% odds of winning (very slightly higher because of our HP, but either higher or lower depending on the still unknown threshold), which would mean 35 points and a spiritual milestone before next turn's rolls. But for the remaining 50% or so, I can't figure out how to calculate the probabilities for point gains.
The bandages have around 25% odds of giving us nothing, but the point gain from the 75% odds are high on average and almost guarantee the spiritual milestone before next turn's rolls, which obviously increase odds and relative point gains.
The chit is the easiest. It has 98% odds of giving us +20, 91% for +40, 74% for +60, 50% for +80, 27% for +100, 11% for +120 and so on, but for next turn. The bonus is lost afterwards.
I'm a bit conflicted. We've been alternatively lucky and unlucky so far, so that chit 98% sure looks nice, but the bandages' 75% is not that bad, and the benefits are superior.
[X][Tactics] Status quo but with a twist!
The premise:
-Unlike the quaffle, the bludgers fly across the whole field on their own, with no team really having control of them, per se. A beater can hit them in a general direction, sure, but then they home in on a target and go wild following it, until they find something better or are hit again by a beater.
-The seeker game has a lot of downtime, as it basically consists of aimlessly flying around in search of the snitch, with the rare attempt at catching it whenever it's spotted.
Our role and the chasers' stays about the same. They can bait the Puffs in when it makes sense to, and we play as an added chaser of sorts when we have possession of the quaffle, something like a quarterback, receiving back passes when needed and trying to dish assists to Jason in the front, or another open chaser that's closer.
What changes is:
-Samuels should play the regular game of an offensive beater (so I imagine going after bludgers and trying to hit people, but in a more forward position than his duo), which doesn't leave the midfield quite as open as the original plan. However, when one of the wild balls is in the Puff's box or is headed/hit that way, Morgan the seeker swoops down to help the beater harass the enemy goalie. He can bait the ball into chasing him towards the hoops, too, if he feels daring enough or if Samuels is in a good spot to help him out and/or take advantage of it, otherwise he can simply work to obstruct the keeper's sight/flight.
-The first time this situation presents itself, Morgan should pretend that he's suddenly shooting straight for the Puff's box because he's seen the snitch, perhaps baiting the other seeker in the process, which is another great target for Samuels to redirect the bludger to. Obviously, this ruse works only once, and then it should be dropped in favor of just executing the general tactic surmised above.
-This works well with Inglebee's role, who plays further back than his usual and acts as bodyguard for us when needed. If he doesn't have better targets nearby, he can hit incoming bludgers downfield, either to his fellow beater, straight to the Puff's box, or again, if Morgan has the balls/skill to do it, towards our seeker who can try to bait them in the enemy keeper's direction.
The premise:
-Unlike the quaffle, the bludgers fly across the whole field on their own, with no team really having control of them, per se. A beater can hit them in a general direction, sure, but then they home in on a target and go wild following it, until they find something better or are hit again by a beater.
-The seeker game has a lot of downtime, as it basically consists of aimlessly flying around in search of the snitch, with the rare attempt at catching it whenever it's spotted.
Our role and the chasers' stays about the same. They can bait the Puffs in when it makes sense to, and we play as an added chaser of sorts when we have possession of the quaffle, something like a quarterback, receiving back passes when needed and trying to dish assists to Jason in the front, or another open chaser that's closer.
What changes is:
-Samuels should play the regular game of an offensive beater (so I imagine going after bludgers and trying to hit people, but in a more forward position than his duo), which doesn't leave the midfield quite as open as the original plan. However, when one of the wild balls is in the Puff's box or is headed/hit that way, Morgan the seeker swoops down to help the beater harass the enemy goalie. He can bait the ball into chasing him towards the hoops, too, if he feels daring enough or if Samuels is in a good spot to help him out and/or take advantage of it, otherwise he can simply work to obstruct the keeper's sight/flight.
-The first time this situation presents itself, Morgan should pretend that he's suddenly shooting straight for the Puff's box because he's seen the snitch, perhaps baiting the other seeker in the process, which is another great target for Samuels to redirect the bludger to. Obviously, this ruse works only once, and then it should be dropped in favor of just executing the general tactic surmised above.
-This works well with Inglebee's role, who plays further back than his usual and acts as bodyguard for us when needed. If he doesn't have better targets nearby, he can hit incoming bludgers downfield, either to his fellow beater, straight to the Puff's box, or again, if Morgan has the balls/skill to do it, towards our seeker who can try to bait them in the enemy keeper's direction.
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WhoTheHeckity
But no one ever asks HowTheHeckity
- Location
- Murica 🦅
[X][Boon] A jade chit necklace
CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Yeahhhh I'm not tactically minded enough to make a call.
Also I was hoping we'd get to pick our weapon. Was gonna suggest a stiletto. Do ballet in the sky and whatnot.
[X][Boon] A jade chit necklace
Also I was hoping we'd get to pick our weapon. Was gonna suggest a stiletto. Do ballet in the sky and whatnot.
[X][Boon] A jade chit necklace
[X][Boon] A roll of finely runed bandages
Would you consider my version of it, then? It's based on the one you voted, and the modifications are not to Rei's role, which stays the exact same.
Actually, I somehow miscounted. We're missing 17 points, not 27, which is obviously even more likely to happen with the bandages (and goggles).
Speaking of which, @Karf , you mixed up the stats on the Rei Young tab in the first page, and unless I'm still miscounting, got the History progress wrong by 3 points in the last update (under Spoiler: Training, it should be 133/150, I believe).
I'm not sure how that could've been arranged, given that the abilities aren't known.
Anyways, calling it here. Thank you to all who voted or provided feedback.
The match II
The end of November has brought with it a wintry chill, as your breath frosts in front of your face. It hasn't snowed yet, but the clouds above look heavy and the wind has been picking up all morning. Still, that hasn't stopped the stands above your head from filling up. You rub your biceps as you sit in the Ravenclaw locker room, not strictly because you're cold.
You'd gone to see the opening match of Gryffindor versus Slytherin, of course. The musket Potter had flown in on certainly made the commentator excited, but you weren't convinced until the final moments of the match, when he stood on the end of the barrel and pressed the trigger, sending himself flying for the last few feet to catch the snitch. Well, for a given value of catch, given that you could see him giving a bloody smile sans a few front teeth. Nothing that a potion couldn't regrow, but probably still something he'd seek to avoid next time - swallowing a fidgety metal ball probably wouldn't feel great.
The match had been relatively short, neither team reaching triple digit scores, so the game was very much decided by the seekers, and you didn't really get a good feel for the other players. Still, the Slytherins played a rough game, with plenty of tactical contact and aggressive posturing, while the golden house held a clear speed advantage, preferring lightning fast blitzes.
But that was then, and now you're starting to hear the magically amplified voice of Lee Jordan in the stands above. Your own teammates are just as quiet as you, focused inward, and even your captain isn't the type to deliver grand speeches. Instead, he merely stands up and cocks his head.
"Let's win, yeah?"
Nervousness and excitement well up in equal measure as you rise along with your team, and rest your hand on the handle of the claymore. If it wasn't a magical artefact, you probably couldn't lift it with two hands, let alone the one-handed grip you use to shift it to your shoulder. But it is, so the weapon rests easy right where you picture it, the fine strands of hair extending from the pommel curling around your wrist and forearm in a tender caress.
All of you line up by the entrance to the pitch, sandwiching you between Morgan - the seeker last to enter the field - and Duncan, the beater who would be keeping you safe from cannonballs. Well, the bludgers were covered in a thick layer of leather to blunt their impact, but you'd seen the sad state the training dummies were left in after each practice. You really hoped he'd be on his game.
"They're blue! They're bronze! Their rookie certainly has big shoes to fill! Give it up for RAVENCLAW!"
The door slams open, and Jeremy leaps on his axe as a burst of cold air hits you, followed by a wall of sound. The students of Hogwarts can certainly cheer and boo in equal measure, leaving the grand total to a neutral expression of excitement. By the time you've processed that, the chasers have all flown out, and you have but a moment to appreciate the thumbs up the dark skinned boy ahead of you gives you before his metallic bola spins to life with the sound of rattling chains and he, too, dashes out. Then it's your turn.
With confidence you only hope no one can tell is entirely fake, you swing your sword low, hopping onto the blade as it pulls parallel to the ground and pointing out the door, then rocket forwards. As soon as you appear on the pitch, the cheering doubles in volume, and seeing the sea of over a hundred people watching from the stands threatens to shatter your cool and collected façade. To avoid that, you instead focus on flying, and the three looming rings you'll be defending. You circle your goals, making sure to commit every detail to memory, from dings and dents to the color to the thin layer of frost on one of the rings, from the way they wobble slightly to the sound of the wind slightly whistling on the rightmost hoop.
"Will Stretton have a win this year? Who can tell! But if the other team has anything to say about it, he certainly wont. Here come the defending champions, the White Tigers of the West, it's HUFFLEPUFF!"
Seven figures fly out from the other end of the field, climbing to their positions as the crowd cheers once more. Then, with a scream of metal, Madam Hooch arrives at the center of the arena, flying on her own huge scythe. She holds three balls, two struggling to break her grip while the quaffle is secured by her arm.
"Without further ado," the referee releases the bludgers as Jordan shouts into the microphone, the twin balls flying off in opposite directions, "let the second match of the season, BEGIN!"
The dark red quaffle gets thrown into the air, the ball rendered magically light and bouncy. Your captain and Davies make a dash for it, but Randolph Burrow, the final chaser, falls back, as you'd practiced. Unfortunately the gambit to have the game immediately open up doesn't pay off, and the two Ravenclaws quickly get overwhelmed by all three of the Hufflepuff chasers working in tandem. A crack of a fist hitting a bludger to your left shakes you, but it's just Duncan doing his job, the ball careening past you and towards the incoming triangle of yellow.
Your other beater is contesting the second bludger, and with the help of Jeremy, holding his own against the pair of armored Hufflepuffs, while Randolph manages to block and slow one of the incoming chasers. The bludger Duncan sent at them has unfortunately targeted the one without the quaffle, but it does force him to peel off in order to avoid getting two of their players caught by the same attack.
The final chaser is still only halfway, and Davies' rapier is rapidly gaining on him. By the annoyed look he shoots over his shoulder, he know it too, and rather than try to out-speed him, he takes an early shot.
"And Chauncey throws!"
Unfortunately for him, his attempt is rushed, and it shows. Rather than make you work for it, he's targeted the central hoop, and you're already basically hovering in front of it. With a minor adjustment you make sure to place your center of mass in the flight path and prepare for a catch. Still, wary of any last moment trickery, you shift your feet on the wide cross-guard of your sword and angle the blade up behind your back, ready to support you as you make the save.
"Easily blocked by Young! He'll be sorry he gave her such a simple first touch."
You certainly intend to make him sorry. Davies dips below the Hufflepuff chaser and you let yourself tilt forwards, keeping a grip of your blade with only your ankles. Then you imagine yourself rocketing forwards, and shoot the quaffle down at a forty-five degree angle, right where Davies will be in a moment to catch the pass.
"Barrel roll!" your captain shouts over the crowd.
"And Roger Davies has the quaffle. He'll be flying into two bludgers, but it seems like Inglebee is staying defensive."
Roger hears Jeremy and launches into a wide corkscrew, even as one of the Hufflepuff beaters manages to slam a punt towards him. The play is proven correct, as the bludger goes wide and comes towards you, and by proxy, Duncan instead. All eyes are, however, still on Davies, as he comes out of the roll and lets out a roar which carries with it a wave of water droplets. The Qi enhanced shout does something to those caught in it, and the Hufflepuff keeper is slowed by just a hair, her fingers barely brushing the quaffle as it slips through the far hoop.
Unfortunately, Jeremy is still busy with the other beater, so he can't pick up the rebound.
When you first heard that the snitch gives 150 points, you were worried that the other roles would be quite trivial, but a key difference between Quidditch and football was that a goal didn't cause a time-out. If your team could get the enemy keeper out of play, they could rapidly score several times over just by catching the exiting ball and passing it back over. It wasn't a common happenstance, but it did come up often enough that a lead could quickly balloon out of the snitch point range.
Of course, you had developed a burning hatred for it during training, forced to fruitlessly run after the chasers as they played a mean game of keep-away, and it sucks that you can't get to see another keeper subjected to the same treatment yet.
"Ten-oh to Ravenclaw! We have a game on our hands, brothers and sisters!"
Said game is rapidly approaching you, as the trio of Hufflepuff chasers once more links up right around midfield. To make matters worse, they're joined by the beater duo juggling a bludger between them.
With a nod from Jeremy, Samuels flies after the other bludger, currently on a lazy arc behind the stands, and both seekers remain high above the field, doing their own search patterns. Five to five odds are certainly not in your favor, doubly so as your own forward chasers are playing catch-up.
Duncan shoots you a worried look, and you grit your teeth. Randolph can't even try at an intercept with the threat of a bludger, and the dark skinned boy has been promised to your protection.
"Go!" you shout, and with one last nod, he dashes forward.
You however, have little time to mull over whether your call was the correct one. This time, the shot is much better aimed, bending slightly with a curve as it careens towards your left hoop.
You shift your weight to get a move on, but then spot the second ball shadowing your quarry, Duncan's bola missing the bludger by a hair. The fact that his presence forces beaters to lose their offensive option does little for you, as you can tell for a fact that if you were to block the shot, the thing would slam into you. One save is not worth the goals that would be sure to follow as you struggle to get back into the game. If you're particularly unlucky, it could take you out for minutes. So, with a frustrated exhale, you dodge instead, leaving the quaffle unattended and your clean sheet marred.
Then your worst nightmare comes to pass, as the ball is retrieved by the enemy team once more, and passed back to the front of the goals in a blink.
"No nepotism here, disciples, Macavoy the younger shows exactly how she got her spot! Her brother Chauncey now with the second shot, can young Young take back control?"
Duncan and one of the enemy beaters fly between your posts, stopping you from reaching the quaffle in time as you feel despair trying to creep up on you. The goal is scored, and the younger Macavoy is uncontested behind you, once more catching the quaffle.
This time, however, her pass back is a bit too complacent. While you yourself wouldn't be able to reach it, you've a hunk of metal beneath you that can nearly double your reach. That is, if you're willing to have it fly away from your feet, nearly five stories up.
Not that that is ever in question. You bend over, grasping the hilt with all your Qi enhanced strength and flip, swinging the claymore in an overhead strike with literally your whole body thrown behind it. With a satisfying thwack, the blade almost cuts into the quaffle before the rubbery ball bounces off, directly towards the ground.
"What an intercept by the Ravenclaw keeper! Her daring move pays off, truly a Gryffindor effort! Ow, I mean, Herculean effort!"
Dangling from the sword isn't nearly as nice as having it fly beneath you, so you quickly pull yourself up, even as the quaffle hits the ground and bounces back up, only to be snatched up by Burrow, your teammate having seen you make similar defenses in practice.
Finally you get to play your game, as Randolph flies wide and Duncan returns to your side, the bludger chasing after Diggory for a change. Distantly, you note the Hufflepuff keeper trying to call something out, only to curse as she's forced into a dodge of her own, courtesy of Jason having control of the other bludger.
With glee you watch as the trio of chasers all go after your teammate, trying to cut him off, leaving the air between you and him completely clear. Davies even has time to circle around you to pick up speed as the pass back happens and you catch the quaffle with steady hands. You twirl around like a discus thrower, using the whole length of your sword to gather momentum and send the ball downfield. Then its the Hufflepuff captain's turn to watch helplessly as Jeremy and Roger take turns on her goals.
Whether fortunately or unfortunately, this pattern repeats several times. Your tactic works great for offense, but it leaves the counterattacks all the more painful. Considering that the other keeper is the team captain, and a sixth year to boot, you feel that keeping relatively even with her shows you're doing good work, even if every point still stings. It certainly isn't a game where your stats will look good, but listening to the cheers you get whenever you're involved in a save or a long pass, you get the feeling that people can tell you're putting your all into it.
Thankfully the current attack isn't their best work, most of the enemies occupied by your teammates. Although the throw is strong and on point, it's not good enough to get past you.
Or it wouldn't be, if you weren't suddenly distracted by a golden glint right in front of your face.
The snitch throws off your mental image, which slows down your sword, letting the quaffle pass through the hoop, but Duncan has control of a bludger and dissuades any follow-up, shooting you a concerned look.
"Hanging in there, Rei?"
The rules forbid you from catching the game ending ball yourself, that right reserved only for the seekers, but nothing's stopping you from letting Morgan know, your whole head tracking the tiny snitch.
Your odd motion clues Duncan in as well, as his gaze is drawn to where you're looking, and he lets out a quiet swear.
"Fuck, and I just lost my bludger. Call it anyway?"
Later, you'd learn that he let you make the choice because only you'd know if you were getting tired out or not, but in the heat of the moment, you don't question it and seize the chance.
"Roscrow!"
Your seeker is closer to you than Diggory, and he doesn't hesitate. There's very little reason for you to call out to him, so rather than ask questions, the seventh year just turns and rockets towards you.
"Could it be?! Team Ravenclaw has called out to their seeker. Are we about to enter the end-game?!" Jordan shouts, his voice growing a bit hoarse after a goal-filled game.
"Roscrow is blazing to the Ravenclaw goal area, Diggory is hopelessly out of position, but he's not giving up without a fight. Look at him go!"
The snitch darts away from your face, but you've got a bead on it now, and Morgan can follow your outstretched hand, gaining even more speed than you thought possible as he locks on himself.
"Davies has a go at Daisy, but does it even matter? The score might as well be dead even, but Ravenclaw is looking to end the game."
Morgan barrels past you, his robes whipping in the wind, nearly crashing into the pole as he falls flat on the chakram he uses for his weapon. From there, it's barely a blink of an eye as the experienced seeker's hand snatches out, claiming victory for your team.
You're in a daze as you float sidesaddle into the locker room, fingers and toes numb from the cold, and the cheers from the crowd cut off. Although you wouldn't admit it if someone asked, you're positively knackered. Leaping about while balancing and still taking supernaturally strong throws did a number on you, and your calf is tensing up something fierce after a graze from a bludger, Duncan unable to keep every shot from reaching you. Not that any of that really matters. Strong hands circle your shoulders, one black and the other white, as the beaters lift you up to sit on their shoulders. You've learnt that both Duncan and Jason are half-bloods, so the butchered singing of "we beat the champions" doesn't surprise you.
The precession back to the Ravenclaw tower is accompanied by the first snowfall of the year, the little crystals almost drawn to your team captain. Jeremy doesn't seem bothered by the cold, him and Randolph carrying Roger exactly like you're being paraded, and Morgan brings up the rear, even as the first students manage to get out of the stands and start running towards you.
For the first time, the Ravenclaw common room is filled to the brim with disciples. There's food and drink you're told is of actual immortal make, and tasting it, you can't help but worry that regular meals are forever ruined for you. A trio of third years plays music, a strange mixture between jazz and drumming, which nearly overpowers your soreness with the desire to dance. Games spring up, you and Lisa managing a win in exploding snap against Tony and the Roger of your own year. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable evening. You can't help but laugh at the crown made of cutlery that gets bestowed upon Davies for being made the MVP, and at the throne of books he ascends, claiming it his rightful place moments before the whole thing collapses.
However, just as you get ready to call it a night, Jeremy beckons you over, him and the prefect Hilliard sitting in a pair of out of the way armchairs.
"Well played, Sister Young," the sixth year nods at you.
"Thanks, what's up?"
"I'm trading three points to Rei Young for exemplary sportsmanship," the prefect says.
You lift an eyebrow. "Just like that?"
Jeremy laughs. "Winning a game gets our house thirty points."
That's... a lot of points. He takes your silence as a sign to elaborate.
"Goes to show that even the elders can enjoy a good match. We get thirty for a win and ten for a loss. It's an even split of three or one each, and the rest of the points our banker here holds on to."
"What's a banker?" you ask, "Not that I mind or anything, just curious."
The older boy simply nods. "This one serves as a trusted keeper of points for the house. Coordinating training results with others can net us net more points overall, even while we gain extra progress. Investing points at the right moment can be crucial in winning the house cup."
"And so can winning at Quidditch," Jeremy says.
"There is that, yes."
"As a rule, we never bet against our own house, so winning always gets us even more points from the others. That, and the fourth year end of year tournament can really pad the accounts, and Senior Brother Hilliard is a natural at playing the odds. Anyways, that was all. Don't miss your beauty sleep, I need my keeper in top form to keep up the great work."
He shoots you another smile as he waves you away and you shamble off to heed the call of your soft, soft bed.
At the start of next week, even more points get handed out. Padma gets the top marks for History, and while you had some hope for getting the Defense points to yourself, you can't begrudge Hermione getting called on stage - you'd seen firsthand how hard she pushed herself, and your own time was split with Quidditch practice.
Then Padma gets called up again, much to your surprise, as you hadn't realized she was working on anything Herbology related, but the points are undeniable proof otherwise.
Then it's Slytherin's turn, as Pansy Parkinson takes the prize for Potions, Theodore Nott gets the points for Charms and Draco Malfoy scores a point from the tight-lipped McGonagall, followed by another two for most progress made overall.
Astronomy goes to a Gryffindor boy called Seamus Finnigan, with the Hufflepuffs looking dejected at not only losing the Quidditch match but also getting zero points for academic progress.
And then you're let loose once again, the month your to do with as you please.
Pick 3 training actions, you may pick the same one multiple times:
-[][Training] Spiritual cultivation
-[][Training] Physical cultivation
-[][Training] Herbology
-[][Training] Potions
-[][Training] Charms
-[][Training] Transfiguration
-[][Training] Astronomy
Not all of your time is spent on the path to enlightenment, your peers also demand some of your attention, and when you one day look back, some events would stand out. Pick 3 social actions:
-[][Social] It is absolutely essential that you see Mandy's little friend again... Err, that you see Mandy again. Yes, you just want to ask her more about pet care, maybe even get a familiar of your own. No ulterior motives here.
-[][Social] The only Ravenclaw you haven't properly met yet is Sue Li, and you're determined to fix that. Track her down and gain some insight into the mystery that is Sue.
-[][Social] You've had enough time to settle in, and you still remember the girl who shared your mother's name from the sorting ceremony. Locate one Daphne Greengrass and introduce yourself.
-[][Social] Your little end table at the hospital was filled with well-wishing cards from your friends, but one stood out from the rest. You don't think you've ever talked to Tracey Davis before. Go and thank her for the sentiment and try to find out why she cared.
-[][Social] Ron never did get to apologize, so when he marches up to you, Dean and Hermione at the library, flanked by a trio of older redheads, you expect it to be quite the affair.
-[][Social] You're proud to say that you've got friends in most of the houses, and even more glad to see that they're getting along. Hannah, Susan and Justin are all eating together, and you decide to join them for a day out.
-[][Social] Given how often magical portraits seem to come up in your brief time at Hogwarts, perhaps you should learn more about them. A tiny part of your mind also whispers that it would be cool to bring your doodles to life.
-[][Social] Christmas is coming up soon, and you have some gifts to acquire. You might not have much in the way of funds, or shopping opportunities, but you'll figure something out.
-[][Social] It's been a while since your last adventure with Lisa, and you're feeling the itch of wanderlust.
-[][Social] Terry has heard that you know the secret to accessing the kitchen. He's promised you cookies if you take him and another of his fellow chefs to it, with implications of more bounties if you help them out further.
-[][Social] Write-in
As a result of your improving cultivation, you have 1 free action you may spend on either the training or the social category as you see fit.
Optional point expenditure (you have 3 points):
-[][Points] Write-in
Please vote in plan format.
You'd gone to see the opening match of Gryffindor versus Slytherin, of course. The musket Potter had flown in on certainly made the commentator excited, but you weren't convinced until the final moments of the match, when he stood on the end of the barrel and pressed the trigger, sending himself flying for the last few feet to catch the snitch. Well, for a given value of catch, given that you could see him giving a bloody smile sans a few front teeth. Nothing that a potion couldn't regrow, but probably still something he'd seek to avoid next time - swallowing a fidgety metal ball probably wouldn't feel great.
The match had been relatively short, neither team reaching triple digit scores, so the game was very much decided by the seekers, and you didn't really get a good feel for the other players. Still, the Slytherins played a rough game, with plenty of tactical contact and aggressive posturing, while the golden house held a clear speed advantage, preferring lightning fast blitzes.
But that was then, and now you're starting to hear the magically amplified voice of Lee Jordan in the stands above. Your own teammates are just as quiet as you, focused inward, and even your captain isn't the type to deliver grand speeches. Instead, he merely stands up and cocks his head.
"Let's win, yeah?"
Nervousness and excitement well up in equal measure as you rise along with your team, and rest your hand on the handle of the claymore. If it wasn't a magical artefact, you probably couldn't lift it with two hands, let alone the one-handed grip you use to shift it to your shoulder. But it is, so the weapon rests easy right where you picture it, the fine strands of hair extending from the pommel curling around your wrist and forearm in a tender caress.
All of you line up by the entrance to the pitch, sandwiching you between Morgan - the seeker last to enter the field - and Duncan, the beater who would be keeping you safe from cannonballs. Well, the bludgers were covered in a thick layer of leather to blunt their impact, but you'd seen the sad state the training dummies were left in after each practice. You really hoped he'd be on his game.
"They're blue! They're bronze! Their rookie certainly has big shoes to fill! Give it up for RAVENCLAW!"
The door slams open, and Jeremy leaps on his axe as a burst of cold air hits you, followed by a wall of sound. The students of Hogwarts can certainly cheer and boo in equal measure, leaving the grand total to a neutral expression of excitement. By the time you've processed that, the chasers have all flown out, and you have but a moment to appreciate the thumbs up the dark skinned boy ahead of you gives you before his metallic bola spins to life with the sound of rattling chains and he, too, dashes out. Then it's your turn.
With confidence you only hope no one can tell is entirely fake, you swing your sword low, hopping onto the blade as it pulls parallel to the ground and pointing out the door, then rocket forwards. As soon as you appear on the pitch, the cheering doubles in volume, and seeing the sea of over a hundred people watching from the stands threatens to shatter your cool and collected façade. To avoid that, you instead focus on flying, and the three looming rings you'll be defending. You circle your goals, making sure to commit every detail to memory, from dings and dents to the color to the thin layer of frost on one of the rings, from the way they wobble slightly to the sound of the wind slightly whistling on the rightmost hoop.
"Will Stretton have a win this year? Who can tell! But if the other team has anything to say about it, he certainly wont. Here come the defending champions, the White Tigers of the West, it's HUFFLEPUFF!"
Seven figures fly out from the other end of the field, climbing to their positions as the crowd cheers once more. Then, with a scream of metal, Madam Hooch arrives at the center of the arena, flying on her own huge scythe. She holds three balls, two struggling to break her grip while the quaffle is secured by her arm.
"Without further ado," the referee releases the bludgers as Jordan shouts into the microphone, the twin balls flying off in opposite directions, "let the second match of the season, BEGIN!"
Ravenclaw versus Hufflepuff
Starting initiative: Hufflepuff
Ravenclaw HP: 750 Hufflepuff HP: 700
Ravenclaw threshold: 105 Hufflepuff threshold: 105
Die type: 140
Pool size: 21
Starting initiative: Hufflepuff
Ravenclaw HP: 750 Hufflepuff HP: 700
Ravenclaw threshold: 105 Hufflepuff threshold: 105
Die type: 140
Pool size: 21
Initiative: Hufflepuff
Ravenclaw pool: [87, 5, 137, 11, 131, 5, 54, 23, 97, 22, 56, 66, 2, 2, 104, 36, 81, 47, 130, 105, 74]
Hufflepuff pool: [42, 45, 21, 78, 111, 15, 77, 42, 53, 38, 84, 31, 57, 7, 56, 118, 55, 69, 13, 19, 124]
Ravenclaw deals [106] = 106 damage
Ravenclaw HP: 750 Hufflepuff HP: 594
Ravenclaw pool: [87, 5, 137, 11, 131, 5, 54, 23, 97, 22, 56, 66, 2, 2, 104, 36, 81, 47, 130, 105, 74]
Hufflepuff pool: [42, 45, 21, 78, 111, 15, 77, 42, 53, 38, 84, 31, 57, 7, 56, 118, 55, 69, 13, 19, 124]
Ravenclaw deals [106] = 106 damage
Ravenclaw HP: 750 Hufflepuff HP: 594
The final chaser is still only halfway, and Davies' rapier is rapidly gaining on him. By the annoyed look he shoots over his shoulder, he know it too, and rather than try to out-speed him, he takes an early shot.
"And Chauncey throws!"
Unfortunately for him, his attempt is rushed, and it shows. Rather than make you work for it, he's targeted the central hoop, and you're already basically hovering in front of it. With a minor adjustment you make sure to place your center of mass in the flight path and prepare for a catch. Still, wary of any last moment trickery, you shift your feet on the wide cross-guard of your sword and angle the blade up behind your back, ready to support you as you make the save.
"Easily blocked by Young! He'll be sorry he gave her such a simple first touch."
You certainly intend to make him sorry. Davies dips below the Hufflepuff chaser and you let yourself tilt forwards, keeping a grip of your blade with only your ankles. Then you imagine yourself rocketing forwards, and shoot the quaffle down at a forty-five degree angle, right where Davies will be in a moment to catch the pass.
"Barrel roll!" your captain shouts over the crowd.
"And Roger Davies has the quaffle. He'll be flying into two bludgers, but it seems like Inglebee is staying defensive."
Roger hears Jeremy and launches into a wide corkscrew, even as one of the Hufflepuff beaters manages to slam a punt towards him. The play is proven correct, as the bludger goes wide and comes towards you, and by proxy, Duncan instead. All eyes are, however, still on Davies, as he comes out of the roll and lets out a roar which carries with it a wave of water droplets. The Qi enhanced shout does something to those caught in it, and the Hufflepuff keeper is slowed by just a hair, her fingers barely brushing the quaffle as it slips through the far hoop.
Unfortunately, Jeremy is still busy with the other beater, so he can't pick up the rebound.
When you first heard that the snitch gives 150 points, you were worried that the other roles would be quite trivial, but a key difference between Quidditch and football was that a goal didn't cause a time-out. If your team could get the enemy keeper out of play, they could rapidly score several times over just by catching the exiting ball and passing it back over. It wasn't a common happenstance, but it did come up often enough that a lead could quickly balloon out of the snitch point range.
Of course, you had developed a burning hatred for it during training, forced to fruitlessly run after the chasers as they played a mean game of keep-away, and it sucks that you can't get to see another keeper subjected to the same treatment yet.
Initiative: Ravenclaw
Ravenclaw pool: [139, 105, 115, 45, 14, 104, 105, 69, 12, 126, 64, 88, 6, 108, 44, 66, 37, 45, 82, 79, 39]
Hufflepuff pool: [40, 23, 13, 77, 106, 116, 117, 116, 50, 56, 91, 70, 122, 59, 106, 132, 108, 106, 132, 58, 127]
Hufflepuff deals [74, 44, 33, 78, 38] = 267 damage
Ravenclaw HP: 483 Hufflepuff HP: 594
Ravenclaw pool: [139, 105, 115, 45, 14, 104, 105, 69, 12, 126, 64, 88, 6, 108, 44, 66, 37, 45, 82, 79, 39]
Hufflepuff pool: [40, 23, 13, 77, 106, 116, 117, 116, 50, 56, 91, 70, 122, 59, 106, 132, 108, 106, 132, 58, 127]
Hufflepuff deals [74, 44, 33, 78, 38] = 267 damage
Ravenclaw HP: 483 Hufflepuff HP: 594
Said game is rapidly approaching you, as the trio of Hufflepuff chasers once more links up right around midfield. To make matters worse, they're joined by the beater duo juggling a bludger between them.
With a nod from Jeremy, Samuels flies after the other bludger, currently on a lazy arc behind the stands, and both seekers remain high above the field, doing their own search patterns. Five to five odds are certainly not in your favor, doubly so as your own forward chasers are playing catch-up.
Duncan shoots you a worried look, and you grit your teeth. Randolph can't even try at an intercept with the threat of a bludger, and the dark skinned boy has been promised to your protection.
"Go!" you shout, and with one last nod, he dashes forward.
You however, have little time to mull over whether your call was the correct one. This time, the shot is much better aimed, bending slightly with a curve as it careens towards your left hoop.
You shift your weight to get a move on, but then spot the second ball shadowing your quarry, Duncan's bola missing the bludger by a hair. The fact that his presence forces beaters to lose their offensive option does little for you, as you can tell for a fact that if you were to block the shot, the thing would slam into you. One save is not worth the goals that would be sure to follow as you struggle to get back into the game. If you're particularly unlucky, it could take you out for minutes. So, with a frustrated exhale, you dodge instead, leaving the quaffle unattended and your clean sheet marred.
Then your worst nightmare comes to pass, as the ball is retrieved by the enemy team once more, and passed back to the front of the goals in a blink.
"No nepotism here, disciples, Macavoy the younger shows exactly how she got her spot! Her brother Chauncey now with the second shot, can young Young take back control?"
Duncan and one of the enemy beaters fly between your posts, stopping you from reaching the quaffle in time as you feel despair trying to creep up on you. The goal is scored, and the younger Macavoy is uncontested behind you, once more catching the quaffle.
This time, however, her pass back is a bit too complacent. While you yourself wouldn't be able to reach it, you've a hunk of metal beneath you that can nearly double your reach. That is, if you're willing to have it fly away from your feet, nearly five stories up.
Not that that is ever in question. You bend over, grasping the hilt with all your Qi enhanced strength and flip, swinging the claymore in an overhead strike with literally your whole body thrown behind it. With a satisfying thwack, the blade almost cuts into the quaffle before the rubbery ball bounces off, directly towards the ground.
Initiative: Hufflepuff
Ravenclaw pool: [123, 69, 21, 56, 41, 9, 59, 49, 2, 38, 84, 106, 13, 73, 69, 106, 113, 124, 35, 33, 103]
Hufflepuff pool: [20, 23, 111, 76, 12, 51, 128, 24, 49, 41, 113, 24, 8, 2, 99, 128, 101, 6, 82, 37, 62]
Ravenclaw deals [114] = 114 damage
Ravenclaw HP: 483 Hufflepuff HP: 480
Ravenclaw pool: [123, 69, 21, 56, 41, 9, 59, 49, 2, 38, 84, 106, 13, 73, 69, 106, 113, 124, 35, 33, 103]
Hufflepuff pool: [20, 23, 111, 76, 12, 51, 128, 24, 49, 41, 113, 24, 8, 2, 99, 128, 101, 6, 82, 37, 62]
Ravenclaw deals [114] = 114 damage
Ravenclaw HP: 483 Hufflepuff HP: 480
Dangling from the sword isn't nearly as nice as having it fly beneath you, so you quickly pull yourself up, even as the quaffle hits the ground and bounces back up, only to be snatched up by Burrow, your teammate having seen you make similar defenses in practice.
Finally you get to play your game, as Randolph flies wide and Duncan returns to your side, the bludger chasing after Diggory for a change. Distantly, you note the Hufflepuff keeper trying to call something out, only to curse as she's forced into a dodge of her own, courtesy of Jason having control of the other bludger.
Initiative: Ravenclaw
Ravenclaw pool: [135, 66, 15, 118, 45, 7, 32, 108, 62, 110, 22, 1, 84, 121, 19, 11, 114, 64, 101, 122, 72]
Hufflepuff pool: [98, 8, 77, 39, 101, 30, 84, 102, 94, 126, 92, 91, 79, 78, 92, 23, 36, 56, 25, 22, 17]
Ravenclaw deals [95, 38, 64, 42, 43, 117] = 399 damage
Ravenclaw HP: 483 Hufflepuff HP: 81
Ravenclaw pool: [135, 66, 15, 118, 45, 7, 32, 108, 62, 110, 22, 1, 84, 121, 19, 11, 114, 64, 101, 122, 72]
Hufflepuff pool: [98, 8, 77, 39, 101, 30, 84, 102, 94, 126, 92, 91, 79, 78, 92, 23, 36, 56, 25, 22, 17]
Ravenclaw deals [95, 38, 64, 42, 43, 117] = 399 damage
Ravenclaw HP: 483 Hufflepuff HP: 81
Initiative: Ravenclaw
Ravenclaw pool: [77, 43, 16, 84, 39, 116, 36, 48, 97, 102, 115, 89, 41, 50, 53, 72, 53, 91, 94, 66, 66]
Hufflepuff pool: [112, 116, 36, 77, 124, 74, 71, 94, 20, 23, 129, 103, 136, 30, 126, 67, 14, 71, 54, 84, 11]
Hufflepuff deals [88, 125, 81, 112] = 406 damage
Ravenclaw HP: 77 Hufflepuff HP: 81
Ravenclaw pool: [77, 43, 16, 84, 39, 116, 36, 48, 97, 102, 115, 89, 41, 50, 53, 72, 53, 91, 94, 66, 66]
Hufflepuff pool: [112, 116, 36, 77, 124, 74, 71, 94, 20, 23, 129, 103, 136, 30, 126, 67, 14, 71, 54, 84, 11]
Hufflepuff deals [88, 125, 81, 112] = 406 damage
Ravenclaw HP: 77 Hufflepuff HP: 81
Initiative: Hufflepuff
Ravenclaw pool: [11, 135, 5, 82, 133, 56, 74, 112, 65, 79, 10, 133, 24, 79, 16, 21, 89, 85, 45, 29, 29]
Hufflepuff pool: [117, 73, 135, 111, 75, 33, 5, 46, 121, 68, 77, 61, 84, 89, 48, 85, 29, 97, 134, 20, 63]
Hufflepuff deals [35] = 35 damage
Ravenclaw HP: 42 Hufflepuff HP: 81
Ravenclaw pool: [11, 135, 5, 82, 133, 56, 74, 112, 65, 79, 10, 133, 24, 79, 16, 21, 89, 85, 45, 29, 29]
Hufflepuff pool: [117, 73, 135, 111, 75, 33, 5, 46, 121, 68, 77, 61, 84, 89, 48, 85, 29, 97, 134, 20, 63]
Hufflepuff deals [35] = 35 damage
Ravenclaw HP: 42 Hufflepuff HP: 81
Or it wouldn't be, if you weren't suddenly distracted by a golden glint right in front of your face.
The snitch throws off your mental image, which slows down your sword, letting the quaffle pass through the hoop, but Duncan has control of a bludger and dissuades any follow-up, shooting you a concerned look.
"Hanging in there, Rei?"
The rules forbid you from catching the game ending ball yourself, that right reserved only for the seekers, but nothing's stopping you from letting Morgan know, your whole head tracking the tiny snitch.
Your odd motion clues Duncan in as well, as his gaze is drawn to where you're looking, and he lets out a quiet swear.
"Fuck, and I just lost my bludger. Call it anyway?"
Later, you'd learn that he let you make the choice because only you'd know if you were getting tired out or not, but in the heat of the moment, you don't question it and seize the chance.
"Roscrow!"
Your seeker is closer to you than Diggory, and he doesn't hesitate. There's very little reason for you to call out to him, so rather than ask questions, the seventh year just turns and rockets towards you.
"Could it be?! Team Ravenclaw has called out to their seeker. Are we about to enter the end-game?!" Jordan shouts, his voice growing a bit hoarse after a goal-filled game.
"Roscrow is blazing to the Ravenclaw goal area, Diggory is hopelessly out of position, but he's not giving up without a fight. Look at him go!"
The snitch darts away from your face, but you've got a bead on it now, and Morgan can follow your outstretched hand, gaining even more speed than you thought possible as he locks on himself.
"Davies has a go at Daisy, but does it even matter? The score might as well be dead even, but Ravenclaw is looking to end the game."
Morgan barrels past you, his robes whipping in the wind, nearly crashing into the pole as he falls flat on the chakram he uses for his weapon. From there, it's barely a blink of an eye as the experienced seeker's hand snatches out, claiming victory for your team.
Initiative: Hufflepuff
Ravenclaw pool: [135, 99, 133, 45, 57, 76, 68, 98, 76, 123, 110, 110, 43, 77, 49, 137, 12, 55, 21, 75, 25]
Hufflepuff pool: [56, 20, 9, 36, 100, 14, 20, 117, 104, 38, 75, 132, 129, 26, 88, 129, 8, 83, 89, 83, 108]
Ravenclaw deals [83] = 83 damage
Ravenclaw HP: 42 Hufflepuff HP: -2
Ravenclaw wins!
Ravenclaw pool: [135, 99, 133, 45, 57, 76, 68, 98, 76, 123, 110, 110, 43, 77, 49, 137, 12, 55, 21, 75, 25]
Hufflepuff pool: [56, 20, 9, 36, 100, 14, 20, 117, 104, 38, 75, 132, 129, 26, 88, 129, 8, 83, 89, 83, 108]
Ravenclaw deals [83] = 83 damage
Ravenclaw HP: 42 Hufflepuff HP: -2
Ravenclaw wins!
The precession back to the Ravenclaw tower is accompanied by the first snowfall of the year, the little crystals almost drawn to your team captain. Jeremy doesn't seem bothered by the cold, him and Randolph carrying Roger exactly like you're being paraded, and Morgan brings up the rear, even as the first students manage to get out of the stands and start running towards you.
For the first time, the Ravenclaw common room is filled to the brim with disciples. There's food and drink you're told is of actual immortal make, and tasting it, you can't help but worry that regular meals are forever ruined for you. A trio of third years plays music, a strange mixture between jazz and drumming, which nearly overpowers your soreness with the desire to dance. Games spring up, you and Lisa managing a win in exploding snap against Tony and the Roger of your own year. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable evening. You can't help but laugh at the crown made of cutlery that gets bestowed upon Davies for being made the MVP, and at the throne of books he ascends, claiming it his rightful place moments before the whole thing collapses.
However, just as you get ready to call it a night, Jeremy beckons you over, him and the prefect Hilliard sitting in a pair of out of the way armchairs.
"Well played, Sister Young," the sixth year nods at you.
"Thanks, what's up?"
"I'm trading three points to Rei Young for exemplary sportsmanship," the prefect says.
You lift an eyebrow. "Just like that?"
Jeremy laughs. "Winning a game gets our house thirty points."
That's... a lot of points. He takes your silence as a sign to elaborate.
"Goes to show that even the elders can enjoy a good match. We get thirty for a win and ten for a loss. It's an even split of three or one each, and the rest of the points our banker here holds on to."
"What's a banker?" you ask, "Not that I mind or anything, just curious."
The older boy simply nods. "This one serves as a trusted keeper of points for the house. Coordinating training results with others can net us net more points overall, even while we gain extra progress. Investing points at the right moment can be crucial in winning the house cup."
"And so can winning at Quidditch," Jeremy says.
"There is that, yes."
"As a rule, we never bet against our own house, so winning always gets us even more points from the others. That, and the fourth year end of year tournament can really pad the accounts, and Senior Brother Hilliard is a natural at playing the odds. Anyways, that was all. Don't miss your beauty sleep, I need my keeper in top form to keep up the great work."
He shoots you another smile as he waves you away and you shamble off to heed the call of your soft, soft bed.
At the start of next week, even more points get handed out. Padma gets the top marks for History, and while you had some hope for getting the Defense points to yourself, you can't begrudge Hermione getting called on stage - you'd seen firsthand how hard she pushed herself, and your own time was split with Quidditch practice.
Then Padma gets called up again, much to your surprise, as you hadn't realized she was working on anything Herbology related, but the points are undeniable proof otherwise.
Then it's Slytherin's turn, as Pansy Parkinson takes the prize for Potions, Theodore Nott gets the points for Charms and Draco Malfoy scores a point from the tight-lipped McGonagall, followed by another two for most progress made overall.
Astronomy goes to a Gryffindor boy called Seamus Finnigan, with the Hufflepuffs looking dejected at not only losing the Quidditch match but also getting zero points for academic progress.
And then you're let loose once again, the month your to do with as you please.
Pick 3 training actions, you may pick the same one multiple times:
-[][Training] Spiritual cultivation
-[][Training] Physical cultivation
-[][Training] Herbology
-[][Training] Potions
-[][Training] Charms
-[][Training] Transfiguration
-[][Training] Astronomy
Not all of your time is spent on the path to enlightenment, your peers also demand some of your attention, and when you one day look back, some events would stand out. Pick 3 social actions:
-[][Social] It is absolutely essential that you see Mandy's little friend again... Err, that you see Mandy again. Yes, you just want to ask her more about pet care, maybe even get a familiar of your own. No ulterior motives here.
-[][Social] The only Ravenclaw you haven't properly met yet is Sue Li, and you're determined to fix that. Track her down and gain some insight into the mystery that is Sue.
-[][Social] You've had enough time to settle in, and you still remember the girl who shared your mother's name from the sorting ceremony. Locate one Daphne Greengrass and introduce yourself.
-[][Social] Your little end table at the hospital was filled with well-wishing cards from your friends, but one stood out from the rest. You don't think you've ever talked to Tracey Davis before. Go and thank her for the sentiment and try to find out why she cared.
-[][Social] Ron never did get to apologize, so when he marches up to you, Dean and Hermione at the library, flanked by a trio of older redheads, you expect it to be quite the affair.
-[][Social] You're proud to say that you've got friends in most of the houses, and even more glad to see that they're getting along. Hannah, Susan and Justin are all eating together, and you decide to join them for a day out.
-[][Social] Given how often magical portraits seem to come up in your brief time at Hogwarts, perhaps you should learn more about them. A tiny part of your mind also whispers that it would be cool to bring your doodles to life.
-[][Social] Christmas is coming up soon, and you have some gifts to acquire. You might not have much in the way of funds, or shopping opportunities, but you'll figure something out.
-[][Social] It's been a while since your last adventure with Lisa, and you're feeling the itch of wanderlust.
-[][Social] Terry has heard that you know the secret to accessing the kitchen. He's promised you cookies if you take him and another of his fellow chefs to it, with implications of more bounties if you help them out further.
-[][Social] Write-in
As a result of your improving cultivation, you have 1 free action you may spend on either the training or the social category as you see fit.
Optional point expenditure (you have 3 points):
-[][Points] Write-in
Please vote in plan format.
Woo! That was super tense, down to the wire! Glad we won, and points!
Harry Potter using a spirit musket is pretty hilarious.
[x] Plan I Want a Familiar
-[x] Spiritual Cultivation x4
-[x] [Social] It is absolutely essential that you see Mandy's little friend again... Err, that you see Mandy again. Yes, you just want to ask her more about pet care, maybe even get a familiar of your own. No ulterior motives here.
--[x] Spend 3 house points
-[x][Social] Christmas is coming up soon, and you have some gifts to acquire. You might not have much in the way of funds, or shopping opportunities, but you'll figure something out.
-[x][Social] You're proud to say that you've got friends in most of the houses, and even more glad to see that they're getting along. Hannah, Susan and Justin are all eating together, and you decide to join them for a day out.
Edit: Screw it. All in on Spiritual Cultivation. With any luck, we'll be well placed coming into the next year to blaze through skills.
Harry Potter using a spirit musket is pretty hilarious.
[x] Plan I Want a Familiar
-[x] Spiritual Cultivation x4
-[x] [Social] It is absolutely essential that you see Mandy's little friend again... Err, that you see Mandy again. Yes, you just want to ask her more about pet care, maybe even get a familiar of your own. No ulterior motives here.
--[x] Spend 3 house points
-[x][Social] Christmas is coming up soon, and you have some gifts to acquire. You might not have much in the way of funds, or shopping opportunities, but you'll figure something out.
-[x][Social] You're proud to say that you've got friends in most of the houses, and even more glad to see that they're getting along. Hannah, Susan and Justin are all eating together, and you decide to join them for a day out.
Edit: Screw it. All in on Spiritual Cultivation. With any luck, we'll be well placed coming into the next year to blaze through skills.
Last edited:
CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
[x] Plan I Want a Familiar
Spirit pet yes!
Spirit pet yes!