Round 5

As the party stood before the cracked threshold of the abandoned church, a sense of unease settled over them like a shroud. Gravedigger Renn clutched the rusted key in his hand, his eyes darting nervously between Sister Hale and Silra as they guided him toward the side door. The faint glow of Jeane's scrying circle still lingered, casting an otherworldly light on the scene, but its magic had lost some of its potency since revealing hidden tunnels and sealed rooms beneath Gravehill.

Jeane's hands moved with practiced ease, weaving a shield of pure force around their perimeter as she drew upon her sorcerous power. The ward sprang into existence, solidifying across the main doorway and arching windows like spectral glass catching moonlight. Her breath steadied as she felt its integrity hold firm against the encroaching night; there, their sanctuary secured from the unknown dangers that lurked beyond.

Silra's gaze snapped up from her scanning of the street, her eyes narrowing as a low rumble vibrated through the ground, unmistakable now: something large moving beneath them. She straightened up slowly, her movements economical and precise, as she took in the sound's direction – toward the center of the city, toward the church. "This isn't some rat or ancient mechanism," she murmured to herself; whatever was down there was intentional and mobile.