Round 4 Transcript

A distant shout cracks through the ash‑laden air, and a pair of city guards emerge from the ruined gate, their spears flashing in the weak light. The guards’ eyes lock on Sister Hale’s sudden stance between Renn and the party, and one of them raises his hand, signaling the others to advance. Their boots thud against the cracked cobblestones as they close in, forcing the group into a tight corridor of danger.

Jeane steps forward into the ash, her voice cutting through the air like a razor: 'What vulgar display is this? We are emissaries from the Archduke, here on official business to inspect these... ruins for redevelopment.' She lets the implication hang, a threat disguised as a statement. The guards hesitate at the mention of authority they can't easily contradict—her gambit relies on them being too distant or low-ranked to know if such emissaries truly exist. 'The Archduke's business is his own—and ours to facilitate,' she continues coldly, her hand slipping inside her cloak as though reaching for a sealed writ. 'Unless you'd prefer an official complaint lodged in the capital? I assure you, the paperwork would be... extensive.' Her eyes lock on theirs, searching for the moment fear overcomes duty.

I slip away from the group's forward line and circle wide, using the ruined buildings as cover. My eyes track the guard formation, looking for gaps or weak points—they're not... they're not even trying to flank us, which means either they're incompetent or this is a show of force, not an actual attack. I find what I'm looking for behind a crumbling wall: a narrow alley that angles away from the main road, just barely wide enough for someone my size to squeeze through. I call back over my shoulder without stopping, "I'm going to check our flanks—make sure this isn't an ambush with more coming up behind us." The words hang in the ash-heavy air as I duck into the alley.

Sister Hale raises her hands, palms open: 'Halt! We mean no harm. I am a cleric of the old church here to assess its condition for restoration—not to antagonize the city's defenders.' She continues, her voice steady despite the ache in her limbs from the ambush: 'We have traveled far and are weary, not looking for conflict with those who serve this land. Let us speak calmly—there is no need for violence.'

The guards pause, their spears lowering a fraction as they process her words, which sound like diplomacy but feel like stalling to anyone who knows what she's planning next.