Professor Mary Brooding

October 04, 2019 2:15 PM

Professor Mary Brooding

Staff
Subject: Potions
Written by: Turtle

Age in Post: 30
Birthday: August 19

The Second Challenge by Professor Mary Brooding

The goal of the challenge was straightforward: survival. Of course, students would not be allowed to perish, nor really in any threat of doing so, but it did make for an exciting event.

The sprawling deserts of the Mirage Chamber were warm and inviting in many ways, despite the sand that picked up on a magical wind, and the creatures that burrowed beneath the dunes. It was far from a barren desert, but not an oasis either. It was the sort of place that someone might settle were they traveling a great distance across this place and needed to camp out for the night, or for a few days while they took time to reflect. In fact, that was the most common reason for anyone to spend such time in the Mirage Chamber, and precisely the inspiration for the challenge.

With brilliant blue days, fiery dawns and dusks, and cool black nights where every star could be seen above, even the chirping of wildlife amidst the scrubby plants indicated a certain level of tranquility. A weary traveler was as likely to find a glittering hummingbird or a lumbering tortoise as they were to find themselves.

It was also a desert full of opportunity, and there was plenty of material to be collected and used for shelter, food and water, clothes, and potions. The students were asked to do just that. Although they hadn't known exactly where or what environment they would be doing this challenge in, they had been given enough information to know that they would be facing a natural environment with only their wands and each other. The beauty of it all was that students already had it in them to tackle this sort of thing.

Herbology had long since taught them how to find and handle the flora and fauna of the desert, while Care of Magical Creatures had taught them about any other living things they might encounter. Defense Against the Dark Arts had them readied for any less pleasant engagements of either type. Potions meant they were ready to brew for themselves whatever was required for such basic survival - wound care, health care, and even some nutritional care would be possible here. Transfiguration and Charms were ceaselessly helpful in any of these sorts of tasks.

This was an opportunity for every student, whatever their skills or interests, whether they enjoyed the physical activities that went into a challenge like this or the more quiet activities that would be important for any team to work together effectively, to prove themselves. What had they learned so far? What were their abilities? What was their potential? Everyone had something they could do here, and everyone's contribution was critical.

With three hours on the clock and only their wands to help them, students were tasked with collecting materials for and producing a stable shelter of some sort, and enough food (or the means to acquire it) and drink for their entire team, as well as brewing whatever potions they felt would be helpful. Although the students would not be staying overnight or for any extended duration in their fortifications, they had been asked to prepare as if they would be and their scores would come partially from their success in that regard. It was a perfectly feasible task with teams of this size, and the goal was more about how they did it and what they did than whether they could do it at all. With the Mirage Chamber charmed to ensure that multiple teams could enter at the same time but not find each other within or alter anything for the other teams, all of the students were released at the same time.

OOC - Welcome to the challenges! These will be marked in accordance with the guidelines above. As per class posts, each team member’s best post will be scored from 1-5, with each of their other contributions receiving a point - so, getting as many members in as possible is important, but being active and vocal within your team will help too.

As per Quidditch, you do not have to stick to a given posting order.

Bonus points may be given for being extra brilliant, or if a team shows particular use of a subject area over and above what other teams do.
Subthreads:
Team 13 by Professor Mary Brooding with Allegra Brockert, Felipe De Matteo
Team 12 by Professor Mary Brooding with Simon Mordue, Johana Leonie Zauberhexen, Beau Tate
Team 11 by Professor Mary Brooding with Topaz Brockert, Winston Pierce, Jeremy Mordue
Team 10 by Professor Mary Brooding with Zara Jackson, Ivy Brockert, Jezebel Reed-Fischer
Team 9 by Professor Mary Brooding with Katerina Vorontsov, Sophia Priory, Sylvia Mordue
Team 8 by Professor Mary Brooding with Tatiana Vorontsova, Ness
Team 7 by Professor Mary Brooding with Natalie Atwater, Jessica Hayles, Hilda Hexenmeister
Team 6 by Professor Mary Brooding with Isaac Song, Dorian Montoir, Heinrich Hexenmeister
Team 5 by Professor Mary Brooding with Nathaniel Mordue, Kir McLeod
Team 4 by Professor Mary Brooding with Cleo James, Anya Delachene
Team 3 by Professor Mary Brooding with Ellie Alperton, Ruby Brockert, Jasmine
Team 2 by Professor Mary Brooding with Amelia Layne, Peyton O'Malley, Evelyn Stones
Team 1 by Professor Mary Brooding with Freddie Zauberhexen, Caitlin Pierce
***Closed for points.*** (nm) by Professor Mary Brooding-Hawthorne
22 Professor Mary Brooding The Second Challenge 1424 Professor Mary Brooding 1 5

Professor Mary Brooding

October 04, 2019 2:16 PM

Professor Mary Brooding

Staff
Subject: Potions
Written by: Turtle

Age in Post: 30
Birthday: August 19

Team 13 by Professor Mary Brooding

Connor Priory
Gary Harper
Allegra Brockert
Felipe De Matteo
Theodore Flores
22 Professor Mary Brooding Team 13 1424 Professor Mary Brooding 0 5

Allegra Brockert

October 08, 2019 11:04 AM

Allegra Brockert

Alumnus
House: Crotalus
Written by: Allegra Brockert

Age in Post: 13

Not another one by Allegra Brockert

Allegra had not at all enjoyed the first challenge, even though they'd mostly used spells to get through. If anyone had suggested otherwise, Connor put them back on a magical track. In this way, she knew her distant cousin was looking out for her. This was likely how she had avoided setting them back too badly. They were solidly in the middle, even if all her first cousins were ahead of her aside from Sapphire.

That did not , however, make her any less panicked about the second challenge. Allegra knew full well that she did not have any survival skills, unless one counted keeping her head down and avoiding Topaz whenever possible, doing nothing to possibly make things worse for herself in that regard. Topaz wasn't exactly the wild monster that was going to be stalking them in a survival situation. (She was probably worse, but that did not matter because actual wild animals were not something the Crotalus had experience with outside the controlled environment of COMC.)

And the idea that "they all had skills that would come in handy" was not something Allegra found comforting or encouraging. Because it just plain was not true in her case. The suggestion that she did was not only ludicrous but was also basically saying that she was being whiny and overdramatic and completely invalidating her feelings. Not to mention if "everyone" had something to contribute and she actually didn't, she would look even worse. And her teammates might say something nasty about what a burden the third year was and criticize her for her lack of skills. Even Connor might potentially turn on her.

Also, even if she would have had any skills that were helpful, the fact remained that the third year really couldn't do the physical aspects inherent in a survival challenge. Allegra had never even been camping and rarely even played outside. Most of her playmates-her cousins and sisters- had also been the sort of girls who preferred indoor play with dolls and tea sets and princess dresses. The only exception was Jasper-there was a large enough age difference between herself and her next oldest male cousin that they hadn't really played together much on the same level-who had been vastly outnumbered and Topaz, whose ideas of "play" were vastly different from those of every decent person on the planet but still were not the sort of rough and tumble outdoorsy kind.

It wasn't even all that comforting Allegra didn't have to spend the night out here-camping alone with four boys would have been completely indecent and the idea of sleeping alone in the wilderness was utterly terrifying- and that they were in the Mirage Chamber where there was no real danger. Bottom line was that she would still be useless, since any non-magical skill she had-Connor and Gary would certainly be better at magic, even Transfiguration-involved quilting and other handicrafts. While a quilt would most likely be useful in this situation since the desert got cold at night, it wasn't as if Allegra would have been able to bring one.

Obviously, Allegra didn't know where to start with this survival challenge so she asked her teammates."What do we do first?" What can I do at all ? .
11 Allegra Brockert Not another one 1426 Allegra Brockert 0 5

Felipe De Matteo

October 09, 2019 9:07 PM

Felipe De Matteo

Alumnus
House: Crotalus
Written by: Turtle

Age in Post: 12
Birthday: July 11

You CAN do this. by Felipe De Matteo

Felipe enjoyed the outdoors a great deal, but his experience with the wilderness was limited largely to book knowledge. While he spent more time outside than he suspected the average pureblood did, it was mostly in the neatly trimmed gardens of his home, or else working with the domesticated plants that made up the farmland. Animals of any real threat rarely came near populated areas, and his family home was in a largely muggle area, which meant there weren't many magical beasts to worry about. Still, he was hardly one to get nervous. Crotalus was the house for those with a prepared mind and that was about all he could bring today anyway.

His teammate, however, seemed less enthusiastic. Allegra had been quiet during the first challenge and either staunchly refused to participate in any physical capacity or was merely relieved not to have to. Felipe was generally sympathetic towards people with disabilities or other barriers, but it was difficult to say for sure whether that was the case for Allegra. He reminded himself that he should be kind either way, and set about making sure she was helpful - both for his sake and for hers.

"Water and shelter would be the things I would prioritize," he decided, looking around to confirm this with his teammates. "We can go the longest without food, and water will make it easier to stay active if we need to, and we can concentrate better if we're hydrated." Aware that he was not the team captain, he made a point of checking with the older student before looking back to Allegra. "You know your charms well? They aren't my strong suit. You could levitate some wood over here for a shelter or fire, and you could set up some repellent charms to keep animals away. Repello bestiam should keep animals out without keeping any of us away. What sounds good to you?"

OOC - Repello bestiam based on the hp-lexicon information for the Repelling Charm. It suggests to use the appropriate Latinate for the thing you're trying to repel, so I went with the accusative case for "beasts." Yolo.
22 Felipe De Matteo You CAN do this. 1434 Felipe De Matteo 0 5