Round 1

As the group stood before the ancient gate, the Whispering Woods seemed to press in around them, their gnarled branches filtering the grey sky into muted amber. The tower loomed above, its stone walls cracked and blackened, roots clawing at the base as if to reclaim it. Varrika gripped her mace, her eyes fixed on the gate, while Merrin leaned against a nearby tree, her hands tracing the runes with a critical gaze.

Jeane stepped forward, her dark robes swirling around her as she hovered slightly off the ground. "These are ward-runes of impressive age and complexity, likely tied to the tower's curse rather than simply sealing us out." She paused, her crimson eyes scanning the gate. "Varrika, stand ready with your mace—if these defenses activate, I'll need you to provide immediate physical cover without crossing the threshold yourself."

Halie stepped forward, her silver holy symbol held out, eyes scanning the tower walls. "Wait. We must not rush this—those runes may be tied to a curse that affects us all." She positioned herself directly before the rune-covered gate, symbol raised defensively, ready to receive any magical backlash. "Seraphine, can you identify any specific wards or triggers?" she asked, her voice steady.

Merrin's eyes darted between the gate and Halie's symbol, her expression a mixture of frustration and caution. She set her crossbow down and retrieved her lockpicks, working them into the mechanisms with deft fingers as she scanned for any hidden pressure plates. "Looks like we've got some fancy work here," she muttered, squinting at the pulsing violet light.