Round 2

As Jeane's fingers danced along the ancient gate, the runes beneath them stirred, their dark power awakening like a beast from slumber. Halie stood watch beside her, her heavy mace at the ready, her eyes scanning the ominous entrance with a mix of trepidation and determination. Merrin, meanwhile, worked her lockpicking magic, the soft clinking of her tools echoing through the stillness.

The air was heavy with the scent of decay and forgotten rituals, the weight of the tower's dark history pressing down upon them like a physical force. Seraphine's elven eyes narrowed as she studied the intricate patterns woven into the gate's surface, her fingers twitching with the urge to unravel their secrets. Varrika, ever vigilant, watched the shadowed archway beyond, her hand resting on the grip of her mace, ready to breach the gate and secure the tower's interior at a moment's notice.

As Jeane spoke, her voice carried authority despite the tension in her words. "The runes are alive—they'll alert whatever's inside if we rush this." Merrin paused, her fingers hovering over the lock mechanism as she weighed her options. Halie stepped forward, her heavy mace held at the ready, her eyes tracing one rune with her thumb. "This is a ward against living things—specifically, us." The air seemed to vibrate with anticipation, the very stones of the tower holding their breath in expectation of what was to come.