Knowledge shall lead the...

[Anastasia]

Impudent of you to dare this far. Far more impudent to struggle so little to get the Queen's approval and to dare this without protections against the nature of this lake. I am not remotely satisfied with your effort so far, little godling.

You hear a voice without words as you enter into the fortress, the gates shut behind you once you're in. You're in a small, waterfilled room - an entry passage, with doors to the north and to the east.

[Corwin]

Fair enough. So how does this work? Do you challenge us with riddles, a martial display, something else entirely?

I've asked before but might as well do it again, what do I think can block or otherwise prevent someone from participating in  the cycle of rebirth? How about a thin film around my body that literally prevents the water from coming in contact with me? Or a cloak of fire evaporating all water in my immediate vicinity?

[Anastasia]

You could try both of those, sure. You couldn't stop it when they came in contact with the water at least, but other option might work.

Let's begin with a simple test: Find me without dying. I am somewhere in this fortress.

[Corwin]

I assume you heard that? Seira inquires with Donald and Ranbar, deciding to try two things at once. She taps Donald to try and repel water from direct contact with his skin, before extending Ranbar's clothing to cover the rest of her body with see-through fabric.

I figure it's doable with applications of divine will or Miracle, though an exact spell to mimic for the easy option doesn't immediately come to mind. Still, not exactly high-level applications of magic here.

[Anastasia]

Give me a CL check here, I suppose.

[Corwin]

17:42 <Seira> roll 1d20+36+4
17:42 <Penuche> Seira invokes Penuche's magic: < 60 > [d20=20]

[Anastasia]

You manage to force the water away, if but barely - it's like moving a mountain that constantly wants to collapse against you.

Donald nods in the meantime. 'Yeah,' he replies, 'Heard it loud and clear.'

[Corwin]

I suppose this means we're doing things a bit backwards, here, Seira muses, shifting down to her humanoid form and swimming over to the northern door to take a look.

Swim speed is now 90ft, I'll do some sea elf variant of myself or something.

Perception 10 for 114 for anything of interest or any traps on the northern door.

[Anastasia]

It's safe, no traps at all or anything like that.

[Corwin]

Seira opens the door and peers ahead!

[Anastasia]

Ahead is a hallway. On the walls are stone carvings of the heads of lions, mouth open as if roaring. At the far end is another door north.

[Corwin]

Seira proceeds, ever cautious!

Perception 10 for 114 for anything of interest or any traps, I suspect this will be spammed throughout.

[Anastasia]

No traps as you go, the door ahead isn't even locked. The handle is ice cold to the touch, however.

[Corwin]

So long as she displays a weakness to cold, her enemies will try to use that rather than opt for esoteric methods. Seira's perfectly fine with that!

I think we're about to experience a strong cold front, she tells Donald and Ranbar, opening the door.

[Anastasia]

Another hallway is ahead, filled with thick, opaque ice. The moment the door is opened, it begins to spread out rapidly, the waters all around you beginning to freeze.