Deep into the Infinite Stair

[Anastasia]

Give me a Charisma check. This is an opposed check.

[Ebiris]

[19:16] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+16
[19:16] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 35 > [d20=19]

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d20+10
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=11]

This time you feel something push against you - a mind, as if your divine will is resisted. Yet you push through after a momentary struggle and remember.

Blow after blow.

Demedais stands tall with the Third Resort, enduring gem-spells that tear at his body.

Seira's magic echos in your ears, while you dive by.

Your magic cuts into him, your blade as well.

Bloodshed. An arm and leg burnt away in a single spell, the pain of it an agonizing echo throughout your body.

So much blood.

Yet you stand there alert and alive.

You remember the look on his face as spell and sword bring him low, all three of you bloodied tremendously.

Arrows. Spear. Sword. Allies. Pollyanna, Antenora, Donald.

The sacrifices, the pain and the suffering.

You remember the hazy, glorious moment of triumph when it was at last over.

The pain pales in comparison to that moment of victory, as the Fairest Star rises up around the three of you.

[Ebiris]

She's set the memory in motion by purely thinking of the battle. Now, trying not to think about what she would obviously do with it, Alicia watches it play out to see if it shows what the three of them in the memory do with the Fairest Star.

[Anastasia]

It does not - it stops on the Fairest Star rising to meet the three of you.

There is silence from the Guardian as the sphere winks out.

"Sister?" Jessica asks.

"The sphere was a limited thing, in that it could not predict the movements and actions of greater beings. To cause it to do so was too much for it," The Guardian intones.

[Ebiris]

"Ahh, I'm sorry," Alicia says, flexing her fingers now they're empty of the sphere. "I should not have gone for such a portentous event. I had it show me a possibility of fighting Daa-vid alongside Seira and Demedais. It played out similarly to what we saw of Marianne, Lyris, and the commander, but I held the memory to see what we would do with the Fairest Star," she explains to Jessica.

"In any case I understand it somewhat. It shows possibilities, events that never were but could have been... I didn't test it thoroughly with impossible situations so I can't say for sure how it would handle those, but was my use of it sufficient to pass your test?" she addresses the guardian.

[Anastasia]

"Continue," The Guardian says, as stairs going down manifest before you.

[Ebiris]

"Come on Jessica, you can practice painting again when we get home if it interests you," she smiles at her sister and starts down the stairs.

[Anastasia]

A smile back from Jessica as she follows you.

Give me Perception real quick.

[Ebiris]

[20:21] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+82 perception
[20:21] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 95 > [d20=13]

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 772+20/772
Active spells:  Many moments of prescience (CL 34), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), greater heroism (CL 34), sensual blessing (CL 34), recitation (CL 34), righteous wrath of the faithful (CL 34), foresight (CL 34), extended spell turning (CL 35), extended freedom of movement (CL 35), keen edge (CL 34), repelling shield (CL 34), extended ray deflection (CL 35), greater visage of the deity (CL 34)
Defences: AC 86, CMD 103, spell resistance 49, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 49)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/saves/skills, +25 competence perception, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +3 morale damage, +2 insight AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha
Perceptions: Arcane sight, perception +82
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/11/8/9/13/9/8/6/8/7/5/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/9

[Anastasia]

Far below you can see it. It rises from space - or more accurately, you can see tiny folds in space, hints of where reality moves and twists, much like your own spell. A great platform is below. Around and below it great tendrils of roots come out, weaving through it and spreading all about.

[Ebiris]

"Space is twisted down there," Alicia warns Jessica. "That's probably the site of our next test."

[Anastasia]

"Another trial?" Jessica says, "I wonder if it's three of them?"

[Ebiris]

"The Incarnations really like that number," Alicia says noncommittally, having no idea what it'll take to bore the guardian given this is all at its discretion.

[Anastasia]

As you walk, "You're coming to the outer bounds of the roots," The Queen says. "Do you see them yet?"