The residual warding intelligence inside Aziron’s Mechanical Compass wants the eighth shard secured so it can reveal the path to Nova’s Heart.

The party carries the only chance to secure the eighth shard; calm voices, visible teamwork, and the promise of preserving the compass earn cooperation from the chamber’s residual warding magic.

• Invoke a deity or maintain a steady chant for advantage on the next check.
• Use powdered quartz for a +2 bonus on the next channeling check.
• Read the orange leaks to identify the most unstable pillar.
• Have one character brace a pillar while another channels it.
• Spend movement and positioning to keep every participant near a safe pillar base.

• Trace the mana flow with Arcana or Religion.
• Step onto a circular pillar base and perform a Focused Channel (Arcana or Religion).
• Call the sequence aloud so allies can coordinate their checks.
• Redirect a surge into a vacant pillar rather than the conduit center.
• Use the outer ledge only as a last resort when the platform begins to break.

• First success: the nearest rune turns blue and the compass clicks once.
• First failure: the compass needle spins wildly and the chamber answers with a lightning surge.
• Three stabilized pillars: the conduit’s pulse slows; the safest remaining cracks glow orange.
• All six stabilized: the warding magic becomes still and the hidden compass needle unfolds.
• Third surge: the compass emits a sharp alarm and the platform begins to split.