Round 10 Transcript

I move towards Varrika's flank, my heavy mace held at the ready but not raised aggressively. "This thing wasn't here before we started working on the wards," I say in a low voice to the group, though my eyes remain fixed on the skeletal guardian. "That spell triggered its... animation." I pull out my silver holy symbol and hold it forward, letting the faint moonlight catch its edges. "We need to test if divine power affects this thing before we hit it with brute force or more magic."

My mind races through potential outcomes—if this is a standard undead, my powers should hinder it; if it's something ancient and resistant, I need to know now rather than waiting for failure. The crackling energy around the guardian intensifies as it takes another step forward, its movements jerky yet purposeful. "Merrin," I call softly, "get ready with your crossbow—if this goes bad, we might need a distraction."