Round 5 Transcript

Seraphine’s meticulous examination of the runes uncovers a faint, serpentine sigil that hums with a low, resonant tone—an echo of the gate’s dormant ward. The sigil reveals that the ward’s trigger sequence is a three‑step pattern of light, shadow, and silence, but its exact order remains obscured. The discovery grants the party partial insight into the ward, yet the full mechanism stays hidden.

Jeane steps closer to the gate, her wings extending slightly as if for balance. Light and shadow dance together here—carefully, deliberately. The order matters. Don't touch anything yet. Her gaze traces the rune patterns with predatory focus, noting how certain symbols seem to recede into darkness when illuminated by torchlight, while others grow brighter in shadow. The sequence is a puzzle box, and she intends to solve it before her companions blunder through it.

Halie kneels beside Seraphine, her voice measured and low. 'I can't see the full sequence either, but maybe together we can discern the order.' She pulls out her silver holy symbol, tracing its edges with thoughtful fingers—metal on metal—a quiet sound of contemplation amidst the oppressive silence.