18 Jun 2021
Captain Ripley Vance need not be on the battlefield to witness the first two spells being cast. As long as it's already on the battlefield when you cast the third spell of a turn, its ability triggers.
18 Jun 2021
Copying a spell is not the same as casting a spell.
18 Jun 2021
Believe it or not, Ripley counts spells that were cast even if they didn't resolve. This means it still counts spells that were countered.