Gaming on 25 August
Sep. 14th, 2004 08:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
willow_redSo this is about three weeks late. My life sort of exploded that week, what with closing on the house and all. Thus, my memory might be a little vague on some points.
In the meantime, I'd like to say hi to my gaming group, most of whom will now be reading this little chronicle. I'll just take this opportunity to remind you that all of this is told from Nicole's point of view, and what you learn here is not necessarily in-game knowledge.
That said, on with the game...
This was more of a low-key evening. After the massacre of the previous session, we spent our time catching up on what everyone had been doing from the time of the battle (second week of September) through the Christmas holidays. This entry will be far more Nicole-centric than usual.
Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Harry Potter disappeared the day before the "incident"; no one has seen him since. The remainder of the fall term is spent cleaning up and healing the injured. Nicole's injuries are only psychological, so she helps to pick up the pieces, both literally and figuratively. This was a battle where Hogwarts pulled out all the stops. Even Hagrid brought many of his creatures into the fray, including the blast-ended skrewts, Fluffy, and three manticores.
Madame Pomfrey works incredible miracles on the injured. She is able to heal a person even with 75% of the body missing, though that does require the death of a phoenix. [Side note: this is how Draco Malfoy was able to grow a new head.] There's a rumor that the teachers are searching for the body of Harry Potter.
Nicole spends some time in the hospital wing, helping Madame Pomfrey, and visiting the Weasley "triplets" (actually two twins and their cousin, all in third year). She can tell that they are recovering when they start pranking their fellow patients and Madame Pomfrey is forced to release them in order to regain some peace and quiet. Nicole never sees any of the other Weasleys come to visit.
A new accord is struck with the centaurs, allowing Hogwarts students to attend centaur classes, and centaur foals to attend Hogwarts classes. Nicole chooses to attend a class. However, the classes do not run on any schedule and are far more advanced than anything she has experienced. Unfortunately, the centaurs believe in pain as motivation for learning. Nicole lucks out and gets to sit in on a class on astrology. She is unable to keep up with it, but enjoys hearing the stories. Some of her classmates who choose to attend centaur classes are not so fortunate.
In her spare time outside of classes and the rebuilding effort, Nicole goes to the library to research Hogwarts defenses. The tentacle beasts were able to breach the school walls effortlessly, despite centuries-old protections cast on the building and grounds. When she asks Madame Pince for assistance in finding information, the librarian informs her of a special section of the library that is only open to Ravenclaws who pass a specific test. Nicole agrees to take the Ravenclaw Challenge. [And she gains a whole knowledge point for doing all this research.]
Nicole learns that the personality of the school is determined in part by the personality of the headmaster. Since Professor McGonagall became headmistress, the school has indeed altered. The random elements have disappeared, inluding Peeves, the poltergeist. The staircases that used to change at random now operate on a strict schedule. Doors no longer move, and for the first time ever, Hogwarts has a set number of floors. The Ravenclaw Cartography Club, who have been trying for decades to create a comprehensive map of the castle, suddenly finds their task done in an afternoon. On top of this, they notice that the secret passages are gone. It is unsettling to all; some because they grew to enjoy the randomness, and some because they realize the danger of predictable defenses.
Over the Christmas holidays, Nicole goes to her home in France to be with her parents. The family goes to an exhibition quidditch match, and watches their local team lose to their American opponents. Even though the game doesn't count toward the regular season, it's still disappointing for the French fans.
The arguments her parents had over the summer while deciding where to send Nicole to school pale in comparison to those that ensue now. The de l'Encres worry for their daughter, but disagree on how best to protect her. Nicole's father insists it was a mistake to let her leave Beauxbatons. Her mother thinks it an even worse mistake to keep Nicole from learning to defend herself against this new Dark threat, whatever it turns out to be. The row seems interminable, but when Nicole states her insistence on learning to defend herself, her father acquiesces, but says that the topic will be discussed again this summer.
Last Friday's write-up coming soon! (Unfortunately, by "soon" I mean next week.)
In the meantime, I'd like to say hi to my gaming group, most of whom will now be reading this little chronicle. I'll just take this opportunity to remind you that all of this is told from Nicole's point of view, and what you learn here is not necessarily in-game knowledge.
That said, on with the game...
This was more of a low-key evening. After the massacre of the previous session, we spent our time catching up on what everyone had been doing from the time of the battle (second week of September) through the Christmas holidays. This entry will be far more Nicole-centric than usual.
Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Harry Potter disappeared the day before the "incident"; no one has seen him since. The remainder of the fall term is spent cleaning up and healing the injured. Nicole's injuries are only psychological, so she helps to pick up the pieces, both literally and figuratively. This was a battle where Hogwarts pulled out all the stops. Even Hagrid brought many of his creatures into the fray, including the blast-ended skrewts, Fluffy, and three manticores.
Madame Pomfrey works incredible miracles on the injured. She is able to heal a person even with 75% of the body missing, though that does require the death of a phoenix. [Side note: this is how Draco Malfoy was able to grow a new head.] There's a rumor that the teachers are searching for the body of Harry Potter.
Nicole spends some time in the hospital wing, helping Madame Pomfrey, and visiting the Weasley "triplets" (actually two twins and their cousin, all in third year). She can tell that they are recovering when they start pranking their fellow patients and Madame Pomfrey is forced to release them in order to regain some peace and quiet. Nicole never sees any of the other Weasleys come to visit.
A new accord is struck with the centaurs, allowing Hogwarts students to attend centaur classes, and centaur foals to attend Hogwarts classes. Nicole chooses to attend a class. However, the classes do not run on any schedule and are far more advanced than anything she has experienced. Unfortunately, the centaurs believe in pain as motivation for learning. Nicole lucks out and gets to sit in on a class on astrology. She is unable to keep up with it, but enjoys hearing the stories. Some of her classmates who choose to attend centaur classes are not so fortunate.
In her spare time outside of classes and the rebuilding effort, Nicole goes to the library to research Hogwarts defenses. The tentacle beasts were able to breach the school walls effortlessly, despite centuries-old protections cast on the building and grounds. When she asks Madame Pince for assistance in finding information, the librarian informs her of a special section of the library that is only open to Ravenclaws who pass a specific test. Nicole agrees to take the Ravenclaw Challenge. [And she gains a whole knowledge point for doing all this research.]
Nicole learns that the personality of the school is determined in part by the personality of the headmaster. Since Professor McGonagall became headmistress, the school has indeed altered. The random elements have disappeared, inluding Peeves, the poltergeist. The staircases that used to change at random now operate on a strict schedule. Doors no longer move, and for the first time ever, Hogwarts has a set number of floors. The Ravenclaw Cartography Club, who have been trying for decades to create a comprehensive map of the castle, suddenly finds their task done in an afternoon. On top of this, they notice that the secret passages are gone. It is unsettling to all; some because they grew to enjoy the randomness, and some because they realize the danger of predictable defenses.
Over the Christmas holidays, Nicole goes to her home in France to be with her parents. The family goes to an exhibition quidditch match, and watches their local team lose to their American opponents. Even though the game doesn't count toward the regular season, it's still disappointing for the French fans.
The arguments her parents had over the summer while deciding where to send Nicole to school pale in comparison to those that ensue now. The de l'Encres worry for their daughter, but disagree on how best to protect her. Nicole's father insists it was a mistake to let her leave Beauxbatons. Her mother thinks it an even worse mistake to keep Nicole from learning to defend herself against this new Dark threat, whatever it turns out to be. The row seems interminable, but when Nicole states her insistence on learning to defend herself, her father acquiesces, but says that the topic will be discussed again this summer.
Last Friday's write-up coming soon! (Unfortunately, by "soon" I mean next week.)
