ToA: Session 8

Shadows over Nangalore
Last we left our heroes, they had just gotten a short, but well deserved rest inside Nangalore. Having gathered has much strength as possible, they decided to venture into the large central structure, hoping to find the black lilies within. Making their way onto the eastern walls, they also discovered a smaller dome with bronze doors to the north. Foregoing the dome, the party went west into the center, loudly unhinging the rusted iron doors in the process.

Secrets of the Garden
Once inside, the party found a welcome respite from the heat outside, even in its decrepit state. The second floor was gone except for the stairs upwards, and many holes dotted the building's walls, beyond the major one on top. A large statue in the middle dominated the room, with a smaller one at its base. Furthermore, the room contained a cistern filled with snakes, although they made no effort to attack the group at present. Lastly a pool of unusually clear water, with a dais in the middle upon which a broken statue stood. The pieces could be gleaned beneath the water's surface.

Investigating the contents of the room, and piecing this together with what they had already learned, the party came closer to understanding the truth of the gardens. The timeline of events were as follows:


 * Nangalore was built by the great General Thiru-taya of Mezrow, in honor of the Queen Zalkoré.
 * The center statue was built sometime after the gardens, but is still ancient. First thought was that in depicted Ubtao, but seeing as he was rarely displayed as a warrior, we determined that statue was most likely General Thiru-taya.
 * Some time after, the statue was defaced. After this, the simple message of "Forgive me" was scratched on the back of the statue.
 * On the second floor, a longer message, written some time after the last, read: "True love. Faithful general. Safe will you rest in Nangalore eternal. Such is my vow of penance. For my sins I cannot die."
 * Adding together the above, we came to the conclusion that the queen's consort was the general. We know that they had a falling out, and that the general betrayed (or was betrayed) by his people. It is possible that the queen defaced the statue in anger, which she then later regretted, although this is merely speculation.
 * There was however a more pressing discovery to be made. In front of General Thiru-taya's statue laid a urn, and a statue of a man reaching for it in terror. This statue was only 5 years old, and even more shockingly, it was no statue at all. Someone, or something, had petrified this man.

Before these realizations had time to properly set in, the group had visitors.

Birds of a Feather
3 large herons made their way into the chamber, welcoming our heroes to their garden. Speaking in oddly smooth voices, they introduced themselves as humble servants of the master of this place. Neb and Bucket greeted them with the usual respect, but the others came to a terrifying realization. While rare in Khorvaire, Fargus and Daedalus had come across these creatures before. The birds were eblis, creatures said to be reincarnations of truly evil people. Self-serving and highly intelligent, with a proficiency with illusions, they lure their unsuspecting victims to their doom.

Daedalus failed to hide his disdain, so the eblis, sensing the suspicion, immediately attacked. Neb, being under the effects of spider climb, quickly made his way up the walls, laying down major damage from afar. The rest were not so lucky, being caught within the eblis' charms. Both Bucket and Fargus fell under their charms, and while Daedalus frantically tried to shake them out of it, he bore the brunt of the onslaught. Bucket, still charmed, attempted to stop the fighting, perhaps inadvertently saving Daedalus from being pushed into the snake pit. Fargus eventually recovered, turning the tide, and before long the birds lay dead.

The Feathered Procession
The battle had caused quite a ruckus, and in the distance screams of other eblis could be heard. The party quickly planned an ambush, but after 5 minutes of silence, it seemed no attack would come. Peeking out through a hole in the wall, Neb saw the events unfolding outside.

Both sides of the wall were flanked by many different, but regular birds, neatly sitting side by side. By the bronze door stood 4 eblis holding parasols, and out of the doors came a woman in feathered robes, with a feathered veil. All in all, this was a slow procession towards the party. Putting 2 and 2 together, this woman was most likely the queen. Wanting no part in this, they tried to sneak out of the western exit, but more birds awaited them, giving away their position. Finding no solace in the northwestern dome (it clearly being a disgusting home for the eblis), the party had a choice to make; Confront the queen, attempt to find the lilies while fighting both the garden and the eblis, or flee, and return later. Not wanting to waste more precious time, and calculating their chances of surviving an unknown part of the garden to be slim, they decided to confront the queen.

A Queens Penance
Before the slow procession reached the group, a slightly fancier eblis made his way forward. He demanded that the group drop their weapons, and beg the queen for mercy. With their backs to the wall, the group reluctantly gave in to demands, and kneeling received the queen. Speaking in the old tongue, she was explained that we were intruders, and it was expected that she deliver us our punishment, something that seemingly befuddled her. Speaking to us in old common, she voiced her displeasure with us disrupting her garden, and demanded an answer to why we were there.

Neb and Bucket, thinking quickly on their feet, explained that we were terribly sorry for disturbing the garden, but had sadly lost the ability to walk them in peace, and the lilies were vitally important to save people. Rather miraculously, the queen's demeanor drastically changed. She would happily trade all the flowers we could ever want, in hopes of healing the rift between her and us, her "people". She only wanted one tiny thing in return; Bucket. He was of special interest to her, for she had never seen a warforged of such a miniature size before.

And on that bombshell, we leave our party. Will they trade away their flesh-scorning automaton? Will they concoct a brilliant plan to escape Nangalore with both the lilies and the warforged? Or will they do what D-squad do best, and just end up burning the whole place to the ground? Our money's on the last option!