Deep into the Infinite Stair

[Anastasia]

The Guardian merely watches you as time is stopped, but says not a word.

Go ahead.

[Ebiris]

Alicia transforms the arena floor underneath the guardian into mud!

Alter reality for that, that's a standard action.

"A creature unable to levitate, fly, or otherwise free itself from the mud sinks until hip- or chest-deep, reducing its speed to 5 feet and causing a -2 penalty on attack rolls and AC."

Does he sink?

[Anastasia]

The Guardian does not sink. Instead he says, "Worthless," as you cast it, his silence broken.

Continue.

[Ebiris]

"Yes, you've been very vocal about that," Alicia says in irritation, managing a quickened true strike and then just to show her irritation slapping him with a curse.

Quickened true strike and quickened greater bestow curse.

[19:21] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+60+80 melee touch
[19:21] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 160 > [d20=20]
[19:21] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+47 SR
[19:21] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 66 > [d20=19]

DC 40 will or suffer a 25% chance of being able act normally each turn, otherwise doing nothing with said turn.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 944/1044
Active spells: 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), many moments of prescience (CL 34), Seira's arcane thesis (CL 34), dance of the unicorn (CL 35)
Defences: AC 97, CMD 141, 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 skills, +25 competence perception, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +2 insight AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural armour, -8 size, +10 morale attack/damage, +8 morale saves, +8 dodge AC, +5 spell DCs, +10 SR checks, +8 morale strength
Perceptions: Arcane sight, perception +82
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/11/6/9/10/8/8/3/6/6/3/2/1
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/17/11/7/7

[Anastasia]

As you touch the Guardian, "Pathetic," he says, as nothing further happens at all. "All you will earn here is oblivion if this is all you can do."

Continue.

[Ebiris]

We're onto round 2 then if he hasn't taken any action.

"Muzzle it," she says as a titanic hand closes around him and forces him face down into the mud with another quickened true strike uttered!

[19:30] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+111 cmb true strike grapple
[19:30] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 115 > [d20=4]

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 944/1044
Active spells: 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), many moments of prescience (CL 34), Seira's arcane thesis (CL 34), dance of the unicorn (CL 35)
Defences: AC 97, CMD 141, 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 skills, +25 competence perception, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +2 insight AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural armour, -8 size, +10 morale attack/damage, +8 morale saves, +8 dodge AC, +5 spell DCs, +10 SR checks, +8 morale strength
Perceptions: Arcane sight, perception +82
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/11/6/9/10/8/8/3/6/6/3/2/1
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/16/11/7/7

[Anastasia]

How exactly are you trying to grapple him with the hand?

[Ebiris]

Basically grab and smoosh downwards. The actual smooshing won't really happen until next turn when I can progress from grapple to pin, admittedly.

[Anastasia]

The hand grabs the Guardian - and he tries to speak, but his voice is muffled by the hand trying to press him downwards. It manages to press him down into the mud, holding him there.

Go.

[Ebiris]

Finally. Pinning him down deep into the mud, Alicia yanks her hand back once he's immersed and turns it back into rock!

Swift for quickened true strike on cmb, standard to pin, free action to release grapple, then swift for a quickened limited wish on transmute mud to rock.

[19:43] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+111 cmb true strike grapple to pin
[19:43] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 131 > [d20=20]

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 944/1044
Active spells: 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), many moments of prescience (CL 34), Seira's arcane thesis (CL 34), dance of the unicorn (CL 35)
Defences: AC 97, CMD 141, 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 skills, +25 competence perception, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +2 insight AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural armour, -8 size, +10 morale attack/damage, +8 morale saves, +8 dodge AC, +5 spell DCs, +10 SR checks, +8 morale strength
Perceptions: Arcane sight, perception +82
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/11/6/9/10/8/8/2/6/6/3/2/1
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/17/11/7/7

[Anastasia]

Thus the Guardian is entombed.

Your time stop ends and the Guardian is entombed.

"Did you do it?" Jessica asks, a long moment.

The Guardian emerges, stone no barrier to its return. He regards all of you well, "Enough. Muzzle me, indeed," he says, a hint of...not quite interest, but not the boredom he's shown until now. You are back in the arena you first arrived at, the divine seed above you on its resting place. "The trial is complete."

[Ebiris]

A wave of her hand to flick the mud off of it to the side before Alicia returns to her normal size. "What, would a silence spell have been enough?" she asks. "Perhaps I overthink things on occasion."

[Anastasia]

"...it was his words," Jessica says after. "Merely his words?"

"It would have been," The Guardian agrees. "Even a hand over my mouth."

Queen stares, "We won? We can take the seed?"

[Ebiris]

Alicia chuckles ruefully, cleaning her hand off properly and stowing her sword at her back. "So we've won, together," she agrees. "What of you then, guardian? Are you to leave Creation immediately?"

[Anastasia]

"Yes," Is the Guardian's answer, "This treasure is yours. Do with it as you wish."