The Heart seeks a deliberate mortal choice before the Seventh Nexus collapses; it will reward conviction but punish selfish contradiction.

The party controls the final choice, but every delay destroys part of the Nexus and narrows the available rites.

• Name a magical school and trace its arc from sigil to core.
• Spend a spell slot to feed the Heart or a conduit.
• Have two characters perform matching actions in the same round.
• Offer a personal cost, memory, oath, or treasured item to steady the ritual.
• Change the chosen rite before the final check, but mark one failure.

• Reforging: identify all six sigils with DC 18 Arcana, channel matching spell schools, pass DC 15 Constitution saves, then pass DC 16 Charisma saves.
• Destruction: surrender the last shard, align it with the breach using DC 18 Religion, then have the others channel opposing schools with DC 17 Arcana.
• Claiming: agree on three edicts, pass DC 15 Persuasion checks, inscribe personal runes with DC 16 Sleight of Hand, then anchor the Heart with DC 17 Arcana.
• Any character may spend an action calling for a vote, granting advantage on the next Persuasion check if the group reaches a clear agreement.
• A character who deliberately reveals a personal stake may turn a failed social check into a success, then mark one failure.

• Clear agreement makes the crystal pulse once and grants advantage on the next ritual check.
• Contradictory orders make the sigils swap places and impose disadvantage on the next synchronized action.
• A sacrifice of power, memory, or treasure earns one automatic success, once.
• A character who changes the chosen rite must explain why; the Heart accepts the change but adds one failure.
• If the party speaks over one another, the Heart repeats the loudest voice and advances the clock by one failure.