Round 29

Jeane's glyphs flare brighter as she senses the ancient magic intensifying around them. The air crackles with dark energy, and she feels the ward's hungry attention shift towards Varrika's aggressive actions. "Wait!" she calls out, stepping forward with a hand raised. "That thing may be bound here for a reason—disturbing it could have consequences we don't understand." Seraphine's sharp gaze narrows as she observes the interaction. She sees Varrika's reckless charge, the creature's defensive response, and Jeane's warning all playing out in quick succession. The elf scholar's mind races, weighing the risks of immediate action against the potential dangers of prolonged hesitation. The air is thick with power here, the very stones humming—ward may be active and hostile; Need to prepare specific counter-spells for undead (Skeletons specifically) AND possibly arcane traps. "Jeane has a point," she says finally, her voice tight with concern. "We don't know what purpose this... guardian serves. Disturbing it might trigger worse defenses or release something even more dangerous from within the tower." Varrika spits blood onto the stone floor, her scarred face twisted with frustration. The dwarf warrior's patience is wearing thin—she's tired of delays and cautious deliberation when action is needed. "Enough talk!" she snarls, readying her greatsword once more. "That thing's in our way, and I'll not let some ancient horror stop us from completing our quest. If you've got better ideas than hacking through whatever stands between us and the Time-Splitting Sword, spit them out. Otherwise, stand aside and let me do what needs doing." The arthropod creature clicks its mandibles menacingly, The very stones of the tower seem to shudder under its weight as it advances, each heavy footfall echoing through the chamber. The dwarf warrior's hand instinctively goes to her greatsword hilt, muscles tensing for action. "You want a fight?" she growls.* "Fine. Let's see how tough you really are."