Round 74 Transcript

The creature takes another deliberate step towards the party, its dark tendrils writhing like living serpents. The air around it seems to distort, as if reality itself is bending to accommodate its presence. Jeane readies her mace, her eyes fixed on the creature's "face," while Seraphine holds up her staff, though its magic has long since faded. Suddenly, the creature's form begins to shift, its limbs elongating and twisting in ways that defy human anatomy. The ground shudders beneath its feet, and the tunnel walls tremble, as if the very fabric of the structure is being rewritten to accommodate this monstrous entity. A low, pulsing hum fills the air, and the party can feel a strange energy building up around them. The creature's eyes, two glowing orbs of malevolent intent, lock onto Seraphine, and it begins to move towards her with an unnatural speed, its tendrils outstretched like grasping fingers.

Shit. Jeane's hands tighten around her mace as the thing—whatever it is—lurches towards Seraphine. Its form is wrong, all angles and impossible movements that make her stomach turn just looking at it. "Stop!" she shouts, stepping forward to place herself between the creature and the younger wizard.* "If you want someone, take me first!"

The words leave her mouth before she can fully think them through, but there's no time for hesitation now. The thing's attention shifts to her—those glowing eyes are like two malevolent stars locked onto its next target—and Jeane feels a cold dread settle into her bones. She raises the mace, muscles taut and ready, even as pain flares in her injured leg.

Her mind races through possibilities. Crossbow would be useless at this range; that thing is too close already. The mace is better for up-close fighting, but against a creature like this? What if it can't even be hurt by mundane weapons?

She glances sideways at Seraphine, sees the fear plain on her face. If this thing gets past her—if it touches her... "Stay back!" she snarls over her shoulder.* "Find cover!"

The creature takes another step forward, and Jeane feels the ground shift beneath her feet. The air tastes of something foul, like old decay mixed with ozone after a lightning strike. Its tendrils reach out towards her now, writhing like snakes, and she has to fight the instinct to flinch away.

Her heart hammers in her chest as adrenaline floods her system. "Come on then!" she shouts defiantly—more for Seraphine's benefit than any effect it might have on their attacker—but there’s a tremor in her voice that betrays her fear. She brings the mace up into guard position, feet planted wide.*

In this moment, all her training and experience come down to one cold fact: she is between her friend and certain death. And no matter what happens next, she won't let Seraphine die here alone in this cursed place.

Seraphine | Wizard
A wave of icy dread washes over me as Jeane steps in front of the monstrous creature, her mace held high. She looks so small, so fragile against that thing—its form twisting and writhing like a living nightmare. My heart hammers against my ribs, a frantic bird trapped in a cage of bone.
"No!" I scream, the word torn from my throat before I can stop it. But Jeane doesn't even glance back at me. Her focus is solely on our attacker, her body coiled tight with tension as she prepares to fight.
I watch in horror as the creature's tendrils stretch towards her, oozing some foul substance onto the stone floor. The air grows thick and heavy with an ancient, malevolent presence that makes my skin crawl. This isn't just a monster—it's something far worse, something that should have never been awakened.
My staff feels useless in my hands, its magic depleted after our escape from the flooding tunnel. I rack my brain for any spell, any trick I might use to help Jeane, but my mind is frozen with fear. All those months of study, all the arcane knowledge I thought would make me powerful... and now we’re trapped.
Jeane’s courage is breathtaking, terrifying. She stands her ground as the creature looms over her, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. And then, in a flash of insight, something clicks into place. The ancient texts about awakened magic, the warnings about disturbing slumbering entities... this is what they were talking about.
"Its power," I gasp, my voice so low it's nearly lost in the air. "It feeds on fear. On chaos."
I take a shaky step forward, my eyes fixed on the creature. I can feel its gaze on me now, a cold, predatory stare that seems to pierce right through my skin. It's not just Jeane it wants; it wants us both. The realization sends a fresh wave of panic through me.
My hands tremble as I raise my staff again, not for attack, but in supplication. An old gesture of warding, one I learned years ago and almost forgot. It won't harm the creature, but perhaps... perhaps it can buy us time.
"Jeane, get back!" I call out, my voice stronger now as I summon every ounce of courage I possess. "We need to be smart about this, not just brave!"
I begin to chant under my breath, the words of a calming spell that should have no effect on this creature but might give us a moment to think. My eyes never leave its writhing form, watching for any sign of movement towards Jeane. She has to survive. We both do.*