Acoustic Shield Test
I marched away from the hose nozzle and ducked beneath the wooden garden bench to inspect the shady undergrowth. Half-buried in the damp dirt sat a cracked terracotta pot shard, curved like an ancient Roman tower shield. This was prime fortification material. Planting my boots deep into the mossy earth, I gripped the rough clay lip with both hands and levered it upright against a thick timber bench leg. To test its tactical density, I snatched a dried sweetgum pod from the gravel and hurled it straight into the curve. Thunk! The sound resonated with a crisp, heavy chime, and my new blast shield didn't budge a millimeter.

