Round 17 Transcript

The tension in The base of a crumbling stone tower, its entrance sealed by an ancient rune-covered gate, deep within the haunted Whispering Woods tightens for a beat as the interruption refuses to go away. Everyone is forced to stay quiet and choose their next move carefully.

I watch in horror as Varrika charges through the gate, her mace raised high, only to be met with a blinding flash and a deafening screech. The ancient runes on the gate shudder violently, releasing a blast of magical energy that sends her stumbling backward, her vision momentarily obscured. When she recovers, I see the skeletal horde pressing closer, their bony feet clicking on the stone floor like a deathly metronome as they close in on my friend. The abomination lunges at Merrin with a swipe of its massive, rotting arm, and I feel a scream rise in my throat as she barely manages to sidestep the attack. Halie struggles to maintain her footing on the slick stone floor, her eyes fixed on Varrika as Jeane's barrier spell falters, threatening to collapse completely.
My heart hammers against my ribs, adrenaline surging through my veins as I take in the scene before me. This is it—the moment of truth we've all been dreading. The tower has been waiting, watching, and now it’s unleashed its full fury upon us. But we’re not here to die; we’re here for the Time-Splitting Sword. And by the gods, I won’t let some pile of bones and a bit of magic stop me from claiming my prize.
I reach into my satchel, my fingers closing around the cool metal of my spellbook. My mind races through the pages, searching for something—anything—that might give us an edge in this desperate fight. The air crackles with dark energy, raising the fine hairs on my arms and making the runes on the gate hum with a malevolent power.
I turn to Jeane, my eyes wide with urgency. "Jeane!" I call out over the din of battle, my voice strained with effort, "Can you do anything about those wards? We might need to pick that lock if we want to have any hope of getting through in one piece."
The demon’s eyes flick to the gate, and I can see a spark of recognition in their depths. "I... I think I might be able to," she says, her voice hesitant, "but it'll take time. And power. A lot of power."
I feel a chill run down my spine at those words, but I push it aside for now. We have no choice; the alternative is to fight our way out, and that seems like suicide. "Do it," I say, my voice grim, "and hurry. We don't have much time."
I turn to Halie next, my eyes meeting hers in a silent plea. "Halie—can you keep us alive? Just for a little while longer?"
The cleric nods, her hand tightening on my shoulder as she closes her eyes in prayer. "I'll try," she whispers, "but... I don't know how much longer I can last. My power... it's fading."
I feel a lump rise in my throat at those words, but I push it down, my mind racing as I try to formulate a plan. We’re about to step into the unknown, and god only knows what fresh madness awaits us on the other side of that gate.
But we've come too far to turn back now. And with luck, skill, and a whole lot of prayer... maybe, just maybe, we'll make it out alive.
I take a deep breath, my muscles tensing as I ready myself for whatever comes next. "Alright, people—this is it. We move on three. Stay sharp, stay together, and for the love of all that's holy—don't get separated."
I turn to Merrin, my eyes meeting hers in a silent plea. "Merrin," I call out over the din of battle, "can you hold the line? Keep those skeletons at bay while we figure out our next move?"

I struggle to maintain my focus, the barrier spell flickering precariously as I watch Varikka's futile charge through the gate. The magic's backlash sends her reeling, leaving her exposed to the skeletal horde's relentless advance. Merrin's panicked shouts do nothing to steady my nerves as the abomination lunges at her, its rotting arm barely missing its mark.

This is it—the moment of truth. We're vastly outnumbered, and my divine energy is already waning from maintaining the barrier spell for too long. The runic gate pulses with malevolent power, its wards clearly designed to prevent entry rather than simply bar it physically.

Themore I try to hold the barrier firm, themore the spectral energies seep through like oily smoke, threatening to extinguish my holy flames entirely. I can't keep this up much longer—not alone.

I turn to Seraphine with a desperate look, my voice tight as I respond to her plea for help: "The wards on that gate are ancient and powerful. My strength is failing, and I fear the barrier will collapse if I push it further. We need a more permanent solution—a way to disable the magic or seal it off completely.

I hear Jeane and Halie calling out, trying to rally the party and come up with a plan. But their words are drowned out by the clatter of bones and the abomination's screeching as it lunges at Merrin again.
The skeletons press closer, their bony hands outstretched and their eyes gleaming with a sickening hunger. I raise my mace, ready to meet them head-on, but there are just too many.
I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I whirl around to see Halie, her face pale with exhaustion. "Varrika," she pants, "we need to get out of here. Now."
I nod grimly, my eyes scanning the chamber for an escape route. The gate is sealed tight, its runes pulsing with malevolent energy. The only other way out seems to be the dark tunnel leading deeper into the tower.
I turn to Merrin, my voice strained as I call out over the din of battle: "Merrin! We need to fall back! There's no way through that gate!"
The rogue meets my gaze, her eyes wide with fear but determined. "Alright," she shouts back, "on your signal!"
I take a deep breath, my muscles tensing as I ready myself for whatever comes next. "Hold the line!" I bellow to the party, "Keep those skeletons at bay while we figure out our next move!"
I turn to Halie, my voice low and urgent. "Halie—can you do anything about those wards? We might need to pick that lock if we want to have any hope of getting through in one piece."
The cleric nods, her hand tightening on my shoulder as she closes her eyes in prayer. "I'll try," she whispers, "but... I don't know how much longer I can last. My power... it's fading."
I feel a chill run down my spine at those words, but I push it aside for now. We have no choice; the alternative is to fight our way out, and that seems like suicide.
I turn to Seraphine, my eyes meeting hers in a silent plea. "Alright, people—this is it. We move on three. Stay sharp, stay together, and for the love of all that's holy—don't get separated."
I take a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest as I ready myself for whatever comes next. "One... two... three..."

The succubus's eyes narrow as she senses something off about the magical energies around her. Something feels... wrong with this place. The gate isn't just sealed—it's actively resisting us, like it's alive. She moves closer to examine the runes more carefully, her fingers hovering just above the stone surface without touching. There has to be a pattern here, some kind of sequence or key that'll let us pass without triggering the wards. Halie, can you help me decipher these symbols? Your divine sight might see something I'm missing. Jeane's voice drops lower as she adds: And Merrin—if you're going to shoot those skeletons, aim for their heads. Regular blows won't do much against undead flesh, but a well-placed bolt can scatter what's left of their brains and buy us some breathing room.