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| In a Smack-Down, who would win, the Kelpie or the Kitsune? |
| Kelpie! |
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33% |
[ 2 ] |
| Kitsune! |
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66% |
[ 4 ] |
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| Total Votes : 6 |
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 Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 4:58 pm
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You're at the Quidditch World Cup. There aren't a lot of public tents up and running yet. However you notice one with a rather large girl dressed in quidditch robes standing next to the tent opening. Posted above this opening are the words "Care of Magical Creatures Quidditch World Cup Seminar." Slight intrigue draws you into the opening to see what looks like a make-shift temporary classroom. Realizing this must be a Hogwarts summer-term class, you quickly make for the door, but the large girl has inadvertently blocked your escape route with her hulking figure. Not wanting to annoy this girl, who could easily squash you, you decide to at least take a seat, hear her out, and then...... well, then you hope to get the heck out of there as soon as possible.
"Oh look! A student! You're the first one to come in! Welcome, welcome! I hope you are enjoying your trip to the Quidditch World Cup here in Japan! I am Hope Maxime Hagrid and I'll be your instructor for Care of Magical Creatures this summer for a brief summer term (or seminar, as I prefer to call it). Now, I'm calling this a seminar because I will only be discussing two wonderful creatures. I'm going to embrace the Quidditch spirit and focus on the mascots of our Quidditch World Cup teams. The kelpie for Scotland and the kitsune for Japan.
I just know we will have lots of fun. Possibly even more fun that those people up on brooms will be having (and I should know, I'm one of them). Now, I will be playing out on the field and will have to do warm ups and drills and what not even during those times that I'm not playing. Because of this, I don't think I'll be able to give you all of my lessons in person. When ever I cannot come in person, my darling little pet goat, Dilly (or you can call him Professor Dillius), will be delivering the lessons in my stead."
 "baaa" |
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 4:59 pm
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 5:01 pm
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 5:02 pm
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 5:03 pm
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 5:04 pm
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 5:05 pm
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The Kelpie
 _____This fearsome, malevolent water demon is most commonly found on the shores of the many lochs, fords, and ferry points in Scottland, though it is also found in similar environments in both Brtian and Ireland as well. It can take many shapes and forms. Some common forms are that of a rough, shaggy old man or else a handsome young man. The most common, and thus assumedly the preferred or natural, form is that of a black or gray horse with flashing eyes and a silken coat. In its horse form, the kelpie can be distinguished from other horses by the green bulrushes throughout its mane. Recent studies of kelpies in the wild have also shown that kelpies will also transform when threatened, for small periods of time, into more mundane creatures as a camouflage measure.
 _____The kelpie's method of gaining food is to drag its prey to the bottom of the nearest body of water and drown it. They eat all of their prey but the entrails, or intestines, which they let float to the top. It is not quite understood why the kelpie seems to consider these organs to be inedible. The kelpie attracts its prey in various ways. When in human form, the kelpie is said to appear to unsuspecting young women as a lover, eventually abducting and devouring them underwater. It is uncertain, why kelpies take this form to prey only on women. In their horse form, the kelpie lures travelers, usually children or younger adults (as they are the least weary of mystical-looking horses), onto its back and then diving straight to the bottom of the nearest body of water to consume its prey. Once a kelpie has taken its prey under water, a magical bind is made to the prey to make it impossible to escape.
_____The correct, and possibly only, way to overcome a kelpie is to get a bridle over its head with a placement charm. This will render the kelpie docile and nonthreatening. Bridled kelpie horses are said to do the work of several regular horses, though the difficulty and danger of catching them keeps too many from being used as regular work horses. Also, they do not survive if they are kept too far away from bodies of water such as a lake, loch, or river for any amount of time. Thus kelpie horse trade is virtually impossible.
 _____The world's largest and possibly most unique kelpie is found in Loch Ness, Scotland. Its favorite form is that of a sea serpent. International Confederation of Wizard observers realized that they were not dealing with a true serpent when they saw it turn into an otter on the approach of a team of Muggle investigators and then transform back into a serpent when the coast was clear. Nessie, as this kelpie is often reffered to, is one of the few known kelpies to prefer a regular form other than the typical horse-like form.
The Homework Lesson 1 Homework
Please read the Rules and Instructions Post for instructions on how to send in your homework
Lesson 1 Homework may be turned in no later than 8/4/12 What is the most common form that a kelpie can be found in? When in this form, how can one realize what the creature really is? (4 points)
What part of the kelpie's prey does it never eat? (2 points)
How can one overcome a kelpie? (2 points)
What is the name of the largest kelpie known today? (2 points)
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 5:07 pm
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The Kitsune 
 _____A kitsune is a magical fox-like creature known for its intelligence, trickery, long life, and ability to transform into a human-like form. They are found almost exclusively in the mountain forests of Japan, although a handful have been found in both China and Korea. The kitsune is easily distinguished from normal foxes by its many tails. The kitsune can have up to nine tails, depending on its age, wisdom, and power. Since they are found with either one, three, five, seven, or nine tails, it is accepted amongst most wizards who study them that they grow in twos after the first tail is full grown. When a kitsunes' eighth and ninth tails are full grown, its fur becomes either white or gold, depending on the kitsune's original fur color. It can take almost 100 years for all nine tails to fully grow. _____The kitsune is said to naturally live for hundreds of years, it is still uncertain what the oldest age a kitsune can become. While ancient texts claim that any long-lived fox can become a kitsune, that notion has long been corrected and the Japanese Ministry of Magic declared the kitsune a recognized magical species in the early 1800's.  _____The kitsune enjoys playing pranks and tricks on travelers, residents of nearby villages, and occasionally certain households*. For some reason, they especially enjoy pestering the proud and boastful. One way they do this by projecting wisp-like light to lead travelers astray. Another tactic is for the kitsune is to confuse its target with illusions or visions. A more powerful kitsune is even capable of temporarily bending time for the space of an hour or so into either minutes or else double the original time. Once one knows they are in the presence of a kitsune, they can call out to it. If the kitsune likes the person and if it is treated with enough respect, the kitsune will actually help the traveler get along the forest path a little easier. However one being aided by a kitsune must still be slightly wary. They are very deceptive creatures, a kitsune may appear to be helping you but really be leading you to the edge of a cliff. However, a way to overcome this deceptiveness is to have the kitsune make you a promise, as kitsunes are honor-bound creatures and will strive to keep any promises or repay any favors or debts they may have.  _____The kitsune is also a shape-shifter, and usually when it reaches the age of 100 years, it learns the ability to take on a human form. Thus, they have to be a fox for a hundred years before it can shape-shift from a fox to a human and back again. Kitsune can take the form of both male and female humans. However, for unknown reasons, they usually take the form of young Japanese girls, beautiful women, and older men. Regardless of what sort of human form, the kitsune is often unable to completely hide the fox-like look from its face nor the tails from its backside. Thus the kitsune is known to wear a fox-like mask while in this form, to hide any remnant of their true nature. Also, it is actually quite interesting to note that while a kitsune can speak a recognizable language (Japanese) while in this form, the generally guarded and mischievous nature of these creatures makes their testimonies too inaccurate to be used as knowledge to better understand these creatures.  _____Throughout their lives, kitsunes' have things called Kitsune balls, or star balls, which is a small white-gold ball that appears to hover around the kitsune like a moon in orbit. The kitstune is magically bound to this star ball (which legend is said to hold all of the kitsunes' essence within it). Clearly this ball is very important to the kitsune, because if you manage to capture it, the kitsune will immediately submit to your will and will even do your bidding. The only way to do this is with a strong summoning charm into a jar that cannot be broken with magic. However, freedom is one of the very most important things to a kitsune. Thus a kitsune will hate being stripped of its freedom, and when the kitsune gets its star ball back, there will be serious repercussions for you to deal with (very likely death)**. _____The only way to kill a kitsune is to cut off all of its tails, as it is said that one of the tails is its main tail and the source of all its power. Not knowing which tail is the main one, one would have to cut off all its tails to kill it. *Once one is aware of a kitsune's presence, it is important not to offend it. Lest the kitsune decide to follow you home and pester you and your family for many years to come, as kitsunes are known to hold grudges. **It is said that any kitsune found outside of Japan (like the very few found in China or Korea) were once trapped and forced to leave Japan by its captor. After the captor has died, either of old age or at the hands of the kitsune, itself, the kitsune apparently chose to stay in its new environment. The Japanese, Chinese, and Korean governments have worked hard over the past hundred years to attempt to reduce the further introduction of kitsune into China and Korea's delicate environment.
The Homework Lesson 1 Homework
Please read the Rules and Instructions Post for instructions on how to send in your homework
Lesson 1 Homework may be turned in no later than 8/18/12 How long can a kitsune live? (2 points)
If one encounters a kitsune during their travels, what is one thing you can do to be sure the kitsune is not making mischief and leading you astray? (2 points)
Why is it that testimonies of kitsunes in human form are unreliable? (2 points)
How does one capture a kitsune, or star, ball? (2 points)
How does one kill a kitsune? (2 points)
Posted on 8/6/12 |
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 5:08 pm
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Alright, for this lesson, we are going to be working on your debate-team skills.
That's right, we are having a... Kitsune-Kelpie Smack-Down!!!
So this is how it works. Imagine a kitsune and a kelpie are about to meet head-to-head. Since neither would naturally see the other in the wild, they are both clearly lost and, thus, more than a little peeved. So this fight is gonna happen, there's just no stopping grumpy kitsunes and kelpies. sweatdrop Your job is to argue how the fight will go down in your favor; how your creature is gonna mop the floor with the other! scream
Now, since our numbers are uneven as far as teams go, we wont be arguing our own team mascots. Instead, we will generate a number (1 or 2) and use that to decide which side we will be cheering for. I'll explain it all, don't worry.
How to participate:
Step 1: Post in this classroom thread. When you do this, use the gaia number generator to generate a number between 1 and 2.
If you got a 1, then you will be arguing in favor of lesson 1's creature: The Kelpie!
If you got a 2, then you will be arguing in favor of lesson 2's creature: The Kitsune! Step 2: See which number you got and then edit your post to state which creature you will be arguing for. (Feel free to add a little trash talk. You know, "You're going down, _____!")
You are now going to argue for your own team mascot! So Echo Blue and Vanna Rose will be arguing in favor of the Kelpie and Amanda White will be arguing in favor of the Kitsune. Being a referee, Amelia Grey can either choose a side or else roll the dice to decide which side she will be rooting for.
Step 3: Now it is time to argue how your creature is going to kick some serious butt! Make only one argument per post. (however you will need 3 to receive full credit) Also, the hitch is that you cannot post twice in a row, you have to wait for someone else to post first. I will try to come online as much as I can and play devil's advocate to whoever has posted most recently, just to make sure the ball stays rolling, but other than that, it's up to you guys to make sure you keep earning points. |
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 5:10 pm
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 5:11 pm
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