My apologies for abbreviating it OOC as "dimicatio event" -- as initially stated, it is not officially a dimicatio, but has been presented as a "junior level brawl" (in contrast with the no-holds-barred "advanced free-for-all").
((Doubtful. First let me try the fast casting finesse roll, I got very lucky the first time, if I can't make the finesse roll I won't bother with the spell so I can keep the fatigue.:
Fast cast attempt:
1d10+2 → [9,2] = (11) Ok, wow. Fast casting can work.
invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3510363/
Sinmore eyes widen at the new spell and brings her hands up in defense, but lightning? What to try? In desperation she tries a variation on the spell she just cast.
Re Au Int +2 Rego +6 Auram 0 Aura +5(?)
1d10+13 → [8,13] = (21) 21-10= 11
invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3510367/
Spending a fatigue, but still not enough.
I'd say a retcon might be in order to keep this moving more-or-less cleanly. This seems to stem from a player misinterpretation and GM mistake more than something that the characters would have actually done. Maybe something slightly less bad form for Tek? Keeping it to his loud commenting about how imbalanced this competition is compared to a real dimicatio?
(The aura in this area is 0. Having a beneficial aura would aid those with mastered spells twice as much as those sponting their fastcasts, and i figured that since they'd be spending fatigue anyway there was no need to put the odds even more against them.)
Scintilla motions one touch for Deiectus, and the dark-haired woman and the three dark-haired children in the crowd scream wildly. "Go Gideon!!" "Get her, Dad!" "You can do it Papa!"
(Qc, Deiectus, aka Gideon, is raccoonmask's former character. He's got a wife and kids, if you can't tell.)
A voice Sinmore instantly recognizes sneers, "Not much point in watching the rest of this match, the wench is done. Well played, Deiectus." Valten makes a big show of swooping around his cape and exiting the spectator's stands noisily. (Are you sure Sinmore didn't prepare to enter the FFA? 
It's not too late to change your mind!)
Sinmore may make her attack!
This would be fine. Posts are editable for a reason 
I just didn't want to have to type out "jyooniour leval braul evetn" every time.
Seriously. Again, as stated in this thread, it was stated as essentially a dimicatio, with the addition of a three strikes and your out. That description does not say to me to allow multiple casting. And while her letter said she expected only certain Houses to participate, it's not reasonable to assume that all the competitors will have Flawless Magic to compete in the event as it now appears to be designed.
I have no reason to have said what I said, but I don't want a retcon in the standard method, it either needs to be a single casting per spell, or the Wizard's War is active and Tektonius is done.
(Assuming there is but a single area where people are competing and things aren't happening concurrently)
As Valten is exiting, Attravere'll comment to the nearest redcap, "Oh, whew. I feared he'd never leave. I can't imagine how much Mentem it must take for him to carry his ego around."
Edgar titters nervously, clearly terrified of Valten.
Sinmore is breathing hard with the exertion ((She lost another fatigue then since there's no aura, when she cast her BoAF)) and looks in the audience at the sound of Valten's voice.
"OH that's it! Deiectus, a match well played! I salute your victory." she says and bows to him. "Where the hell is the melee taking place! Valten I'm going to pound you like a tent stake!"
((Yeah we'lll go ahead and say she wrote the necessary letters. She's in the melee, she has a much better chance at that this which is more about speed and versatility of Arts. She needs to rest a few minutes before the match though))
Deiectus looks embarrassed. "The match goes to three touches, ma'am. I believe Valten was simply being snide. It is your move, though if you wish to concede, I would happily accept your mercy on my wife and children's vocal chords, not to mention my own ears." He winces as he rubs at his ears thoughtfully, whilst Elisheva, Michael, Micha, and Laila look quite sheepish on the sidelines.
"You've won, this was never my type of contest. Well played. I wish you luck Sodale."
She exits the field and will take a seat and some ale so she can catch her breath before the melee.
((How many grogs are involved in the melee? Is it run as it's described in the Societates or is it modified for this Tribunal?))
The three Jewish kids explode in wild cheering, and their mother tries unsuccessfully to shush them.
Deiectus gives a quirky half-smile as he bows and touches the back of Sinmore's hand to his forehead. "Thank you, madam. Frankly, I could never have penetrated with those spells had I been trying to. But when I claim the victory over this contest, you may truthfully claim I never bested you. Good luck in the free-for-all!"
Each magus may bring up to three soldates, but it will be using live weapons and live spells. It is intended to be non-lethal, but grogs would be likely to die.
No one Sinmore's talked to has mentioned bringing any grogs along.
Group Phase update:
[tableborder][tr][td]Focus[/td][td][strike]Gavril[/strike][/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Ariel[/td][td][strike]Theodolis[/strike][/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Martinus[/td][td][strike]Cerys[/strike][/td][/tr]
[tr][td][strike]Valentinus[/strike][/td][td]Mercurio[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Zan[/td][td]Iapetus[/td]?[/tr]
[tr][td][strike]Culhwch[/strike][/td][td]Iorwerth[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][strike]Hughes[/strike][/td][td]Caltis[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Deiectus[/td][td][strike]Sinmore[/strike][/td][/tr][/tableborder]
Editing here at suggestion: Iapetus rolls a 3(+17) = 20, which after the -10 for fast casting is 10. That's a level 5 spell, which can counter a level 10 Dart. It fatigues him, being spontaneous. This ends up with the crystal devolving into dirt and mud and splattering across the Tytalus's cheek and shoulder.
His retaliation, because Iapetus finds it appropriate (and winning isn't his goal as much as a good scrap), he's going to bound forwards a bit and weave another spell, broad sweeping gestures. He casts Crystal Dart to throw the exact SAME mud back at Zan as a sizzling, hissing steely-grey star of crystal. As the spell shoots off, he calls out in Spanish, "!Una vez más con más emoción!"
Roll: 1d10+17=19 which is enough to fling the level 10 spell back at him, even when you include the fatigue.
Zan rolls crap on his fastcasting roll and fails to counterspell.
Scintilla marks one touch for Iapetus.
"If you'll have it I offer you my apology." saying it loud enough for all present to hear. "I find the contest constructed to favor magi of certain specific gifts. Of course, yours are most formidable. Now if you'd like to conduct a Certamen that the contest is poorly constructed I'd be happy to challenge you myself, no champion. Rego is the technique of my choosing, and I request no Vis be used[1] to take place at a time and place of mutual convenience."
[1]does rigid magic apply to Certamen?
Zan fatigues himself as he shouts, "Muto Terram!" waving his arms around wildly. He has cast Teeth of the Earth Mother, but has failed to skewer Iapetus, and so the spell doesn't even need to be countered.
Zan grumbles, "Why are there no good offensive Muto spells?!?" while preparing to meet Iapetus' next thrust.
He seems mollified. "I accept your challenge, here and now. No vis, and I choose Corpus as the Form."
[1]It seems like it should, but the description of the flaw explicitly states it's just spellcasting, so no, Rigid Magic doesn't preclude vis for certamen.
Tektonius has another sneezing fit, and then says with a voice indicative of a stuffy nose: "Excellent. I'm sure I'm going to lose, of course, but I like to engage in a bit of sport now and again, myself. I salute you, follower of Flambeau, for being an excellent sport about this unfortunate misunderstanding, you do your House great honor!"
Initiative Total: 10
invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3511269/
Attack total: 22
invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3511273/
Defense total: 26= 2*6+12+2
Exploder:http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3511274/
Exploded die roll: invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3511275/
Tektonius conjures a phantasm of a giant hand which he will manipulate to attempt to grasp his opponent. He conjures another phantasm of a giant hand to act as his shield, which he will direct as appropriate.
Weakening baseline total is 5 (Int 5 + Pen 0)
Resistance baseline total is -1 (Sta -3 Parma 2)