Features

Six-Role Rotation - Passive: The squad acts as a horde, meaning its members share initiative and operate as a single combatant for HP, threshold, and turn purposes. At the start of each round, the GM declares which role is currently 'primary': sealer (gains advantage on Strength rolls), sorter (gains advantage on Knowledge rolls), scribe (may apply a resonance-mark on a successful attack), witness (gains advantage on Presence rolls), torch (deals fire damage instead of physical), or watch (gains advantage on Agility rolls). Roles may not repeat across consecutive rounds.

Lay the Burn - Action: Mark 2 Stress. On the squad's turn, instead of attacking, the squad sets fire to a room or workroom-sized area within Close range. Anyone in the area at the end of the squad's next turn takes 1d10 fire damage. Documents, books, and parchment in the area are destroyed at the end of that turn unless someone spends an action retrieving them.

Two Down, Withdraw - Reaction: When the squad has taken Severe damage twice in the same scene (effectively losing two members), the entire squad immediately withdraws from combat using the most direct exit. PCs may make Agility rolls (DC 13) to pursue. The squad will not re-engage in this scene.

Soft-Spoken Discipline - Passive: The squad does not raise its voice. PCs attempting to intimidate the squad through threats alone roll with disadvantage. PCs invoking procedural authority (Concord standing, Codex Warden countersignature, witness presence) roll normally and, on a success, may delay the squad for one full round without combat.