Round 13

As they ventured deeper into the abandoned church, a sense of unease settled over the party like a shroud. Silra's eyes scanned the nave with a practiced intensity, her fingers tracing the stonework as she searched for signs of recent occupation. The air was heavy with tension, and Gravedigger Renn stood transfixed under Jeane's subtle shield, his wariness palpable despite the faint shimmer of energy that wrapped around him like an unspoken promise. Sister Hale guided him toward the side door, her voice steady as she cautioned him to move back from the altar, where a tripwire network seemed to be waiting to ensnare them.

Jeane's Protection from Poison spell fizzled halfway, leaving a faint crackling of arcane energy that briefly stunned Gravedigger Renn. The spell did not fully protect him, but it created a shimmering barrier that momentarily shielded him from immediate harm. As the magic dissipated, Renn was left wary and slightly more trusting, though the spell's incomplete effect left him uncertain about the party's reliability. Silra approached the altar with a focus reserved for handling unstable explosives, her fingers tracing the edges methodically as she searched for signs of recent occupation.

The stone beneath her fingers felt wrong – the grain too smooth in places where it shouldn't be. She traced the edges methodically, her eyes narrowing as she detected four small eyelets hidden under the stonework to hold tension. A tripwire network would need anchors, and the presence of these eyelets suggested that someone had recently been digging beneath the streets. Sister Hale watched with a look of concern for their new companion's well-being, guiding Renn by his shoulder toward a sheltered alcove in the crumbling wall as she turned to Jeane with gratitude and a hint of wariness.