Knowledge shall lead the...

[Anastasia]

They might well, yes, the shapes are right.

"It is not your time to be reborn," The woman within chides, "Though if you wish I will not deny your choice. Eternity awaits."

[Corwin]

A forty nine eyed celestial, who has wings that bear forty nine mouths that speak holy truths, Seira recites from memory. Pretending to be a Seraph, though never before Queen Morwel. Might you extend the same courtesy to me and mine? We're here to pass the test, after all.

[Anastasia]

"I had thought it would be an eladrin, not a dragon," Is the retort you get. But very well. The Seraph is further below and not a part of this.

[Corwin]

Thank you. We live in interesting, unpredictable times, it appears.

Nodding at Donald and Ranbar, Seira swims below and trusts in her protections on them!

[Anastasia]

Down you go. Down you go deeper and deeper - until amid the waters, you find a door awaits you, free standing in the bright light.

[Corwin]

Seira checks that it's legitimate!

Perception 114. Any traps? Is it a real door? Are there other doors hidden here? Is it a portal, and if so, does Analyse Portal give anything?

[Anastasia]

It's a real door, no traps, no hidden doors and analyze portal returns nothign.

[Corwin]

Seira steps through.

[Anastasia]

You appear in the Cauldron, above it - a Cauldron that is broken, blasted and ruined. Your realm is dead beneath you as Donald and Ranbar follow, nothing but ruin and corpses all below you.

[Corwin]

"At the risk of stating the obvious, this is the bad outcome we're here to prevent," Seira tells her friends. "And the first step on that path is your ascension."

[Anastasia]

"The worst outcome," Donald's expression tightens as he draws Guardianil.

"Who could even do this?" Ranbar asks softly, a hand to her mouth.

[Corwin]

"Who indeed?" Seira muses. "Shar could, or higher powers still. But no one else should be able to. Asmodeus wouldn't do it, and furthermore won't let the Hells strike at us. The demons can't organize enough to become unstoppable for us. There is no longer a hostile power on the Inner Planes that can muster that much power, and any hostile deities will be stopped by the combined might of the Cauldron and its allies."

Tilting her head, she muses, "Perhaps this is merely an alternate timeline's result, a what if? Say that it's a Cauldron where I chose to ascend on my own and grow in power rather than seek to advance all of us?"

[Anastasia]

"A what if?" Donald looks down thoughtfully, "A nightmare of what could be? Or if we make a mistake and let an alliance grow that can crush us.""

[Corwin]

"In the end, we can't learn much from this," Seira laments, using her connection to the Cauldron to restore it!

[Anastasia]

"Could be a warning from the Guardian?" Ranbar says at last, as you restore it. It responds in a tepid sort of way, responsive and yet only just barely.