Round 80 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.

The air crackles with an ancient, hungry magic that makes the hair on my arms stand on end. I can feel it in my bones, a deep thrumming vibration that seems to originate from the very stones of the crumbling tower before us. This is no ordinary ward - this is a being unto itself, starved and desperate for sustenance.
I take a step back, my eyes darting over the runes carved into the heavy iron gate. They aren't just symbols, they're mouths, and they haven't swallowed anything in centuries. That’s not thirst – it's starvation.
"I agree with Jeane," I say, my voice so quiet it's almost lost in the air. "Whatever this thing is, it feeds on presence and fear. Touching those runes directly... it could be disastrous."
I turn my gaze to Merrin, who is still fiddling with her lockpicks despite Jeane's warning. Her face is flushed, but not from exertion—from pain.
Merrin, your hand—is it alright? The words catch in my throat as I see the angry red mark there. The ward isn't just hungry, it's already started to claim its first morsel.
The thought sends a chill down my spine. We’re dealing with something far more insidious than mere traps or wards. This is an entity, a predator waiting for us to make a single wrong move.*

I don't trust what's inside that tower any more than I trust this ward at our backs. The runes aren't hungry—they're thirsty for something specific, and whatever Merrin touched wasn't accidental. We need to find another way in before we trigger something permanent. Merrin—scout the perimeter quietly. Halie, document everything you can about these wards from a safe distance. Varrika, keep everyone back ten feet minimum. Seraphine, I need your magical senses—the ward might have blind spots or weaknesses we can exploit without direct contact. And before anyone gets any bright ideas: Merrin, hands off the tools until further notice. Those burns aren't going away because you scraped a door handle. This thing tasted you specifically for a reason. Whatever's making that sound from inside has been waiting patiently while the ward tested us first. That's tactical. It knows we're here now and is probably preparing something nasty at the entrance. We're trapped between two threats, so let's use our heads instead of our brawn this once.

I step forward, positioning myself between Halie and the corridor, ready to face whatever comes out of the darkness. The ward's dark pulse feels wrong—something ancient and hungry waits beyond this gate. But we can't turn back now. Merrin, I know you're eager to get inside, but keep your hands off those runes unless you want to lose more than just a bit of skin. Halie, document everything you can from here. Jeane, Seraphine - we need your magic if we're going to have any hope of disabling this thing. I tighten my grip on the mace, preparing for combat. Whatever's inside the tower knows we're here now and is not going to let us leave easily. Halie, stay behind me. Jeane, Seraphine - do what you can from a distance. Merrin, keep your eyes peeled for any hidden passages or traps. This is it, ladies. Whatever happens next, we face it together.