Round 968 Transcript

As we crawl beneath the altar, the ground beneath us shifts once more, and we tumble down another hidden slope. We both land hard on the stone floor, the air knocked from our lungs as we struggle to catch our breath. The chamber around us begins to collapse, rocks and debris crashing down on us from the ceiling. Varikka stumbles backward, her Heavy Mace clattering against the stone floor as she tries to escape the falling rubble. I grab her arm, pulling her toward the altar as the runes on its surface pulse with increasing intensity. "We need to get under it!" I shout above the din of crashing rocks. The Guardian's single eye glows with malevolent hunger as it looms over us, its claws scrabbling against the stone walls above. The chamber is collapsing faster now, and we have only seconds before it's too late. We must find a way to stabilize the altar or risk being crushed beneath the rubble. As I look up at Varikka, I see a glimmer of desperation in her eyes. "What can we do?" she shouts above the noise. Immediate pressure: Do you try to find a way to stabilize the altar, or do you look for another escape route?

I grab Varikka's arm, pulling her closer as I scan the chamber for any sign of an escape route. The Guardian's single eye glows with malevolent hunger as it looms over us, its claws scrabbling against the stone walls above. The air is thick with the smell of damp earth and decay, and the sound of falling rocks fills my ears. "Varikka, we need to find another way out of here," I shout over the din of the collapsing chamber. "The altar... it's not stable. We can't risk getting trapped beneath it."

Varikka nods, her face pale and drawn as she struggles to keep her balance amidst the falling debris. She raises her Heavy Mace, using it to fend off the rocks and rubble that threaten to crush us from above. I scan the chamber, my eyes searching for any sign of a hidden passage or secret door. In the darkness ahead, I can see the outline of another tunnel, leading deeper into the heart of the tower. "There!" I shout, pointing toward the opening. "We need to make a run for it!"

Varikka nods, her teeth gritted as she takes a step forward. But as we move toward the tunnel, the ground beneath us shifts once more, sending us tumbling back down the slope. I land hard on my side, the air knocked from my lungs as I struggle to catch my breath. Varikka falls beside me, her Heavy Mace clattering against the stone floor as she tries to push herself up. "Merrin," she grunts, her voice strained with pain and exhaustion. "We need to keep moving. We can't stay here."

I nod, pushing myself to my feet as I help Varikka to hers. Together, we stagger toward the tunnel, our hearts pounding in our chests as we try to escape the collapsing chamber. But as we reach the opening, I can feel the energy from the runes on the altar's surface pulsing behind us, raising the hairs on the back of my neck. Something about this place feels wrong, like we're being watched by unseen eyes in the shadows. As we step into the tunnel, the ground beneath us shifts once more, threatening to send us tumbling back down the slope. Varikka stumbles beside me, her Heavy Mace clattering against the stone floor as she tries to keep her balance. The air is thick with the smell of damp earth and decay, and the sound of dripping water echoes off the walls around us. In the darkness ahead, I can see the outline of another passage, leading deeper into the heart of the tower. But something about this place feels wrong, like we're being led into a trap. As I look back at Varikka, I can see a glimmer of fear in her eyes. "Merrin," she whispers, her voice trembling with dread. "I don't think we should be here. Something's not right."

I nod, my heart pounding in my chest as I scan the tunnel ahead. The runes on the altar's surface pulse with an otherworldly light, their energy crackling through the air and raising the hairs on the back of my neck. I can feel the Guardian's presence behind us, its single eye glowing with malevolent hunger as it looms over the collapsing chamber. We have to keep moving, but something about this place feels wrong, like we're being led into a trap. As I look at Varikka, I can see the exhaustion and fear in her eyes, but also a glimmer of determination. "We have to keep going," she says, her voice strained with effort as she takes another step forward. "We can't go back."

I nod, my heart pounding in my chest as I follow Varikka into the darkness ahead. The ground beneath us shifts once more, threatening to send us tumbling back down the slope. But we press on, our hearts racing as we try to escape the collapsing chamber and the Guardian's relentless pursuit.

Merrin, we need to brace the altar, not flee it! If we leave it unstable, we risk the entire chamber coming down on top of us. Look around for anything we can use as support.