Gilding the Lotus

*Hired by*: **Ourselves!**

*Mission Request*: Win the Lotus Trials

*Rewards/Loot*: Will receive the Golden Elixir

*Discovered Places*: N/A

*Caravan Allies*: Gromlo (antiquarian), Caliban (cook), "Bob" (alarm gnome)

*Monsters Encountered*: Plant golem

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## Summary

Although the Dziyiri Nakkar Consortium completed their sabotage mission for the Brotherhood of the Left Hand, they were all eager to continue with the competition and actually try to win the Golden Elixir. They were especially interested in facing off against The Ebon Lantern and beating their smug asses. The teams were led to the Lotus Garden. The arena was shaped similar to a celtic cross with a large round pond in the center and raised viewing stands completely surrounding it. The pond was filed with lotuses, stone stepping stones, and plant golems that had pink flowers blooming from their foliage. The floor was a sandy-colored marble with golden curved lines criss-crossing underneath and around golden lotus symbols. The east and west sides housed small fountains to plant the golden lotus bloom. the Dziyiri Nakkar Consortium's fountain was on the east outlined in blue and The Ebon Lantern's fountain was on the opposite side outlined in red. The Dziyiri Nakkar Consortium started from the northern entrance and The Ebon Lantern from the southern one. A single golden lotus bloom was housed in one of the peaceful plant golem's chest cavities. The first team to find the golden lotus and plant it in their respective fountain with the roots in the dirt and the bloom floating above the water would win the final trial.

Aster, Beebo, C2, Aleria, and Arco were introduced to represent The Dziyiri Nakkar Consortium before The Ebon Lanter's team members were announced. Despite their hard work to keep him nameless, the party *finally* learned the common name of the rude aramadi: Glower. Glower was accompanied by Yaganin Carrow (human), Kavra the Red (red dragonborn), Gazh (mesa dwarf), and Ondua Delvidrio (mirage elf).

Gazh was the first to move and immediately went to investigate the first plant golem in the pond. Everyone else quickly followed suit. Arco smartly cast locate object and was able to identify the specific plant golem that housed the golden lotus bloom; he was only able to inform C2 where it was. The armadi stayed on the south side and Aster started flying toward him but he cast earthbind on her, halting her flight and significantly slowing her down. Everyone struggled to maneuver in the pond as they either had to hop the stones or wade in waist-deep water (full submersion for a 3ft. Beebo). Ondua used her special monk abilities that allowed her to bend space to move more quickly. Carrow summoned an elemental made of blood and in return C2 conjured a water elemental that almost drowned Gauze. Carrow also possibly cast a spell that made the normally docile plant golems extra aggressive toward the Dziyiri Nakkar Consortium. Aster transformed but was met with two silver rapiers from Kavra that greatly injured her. C2 had his water elemental grab the golden lotus bloom, then he wildshaped into a giant eagle and flew toward the north side away from everyone. The armadi cast earthbind on C2, but he was able to ignore the effects by wildshaping into a giant spider and climbing over the arena wall into the crowd of people *(history books mention this is the catalyst for the city's great surge in arachnophobia)*. Arco used control water to make a tidal wave and push back a number of The Ebon Lantern's members. Aleria used her maneuvering attack to simultaneously knock Ondua unconscious and let C2 move farther away from the fray. Carrow's blood elemental was creeping toward the Dziyiri Nakkar Consortium's fountain so Beebo made the difficult choice to cast banishment on Carrow, thus breaking his concentration on the elemental, rather than using dimension door to get confront the armadi he had been long seeking vengeance upon. The armadi taunted Beebo and said some vile things about the charismatic halfling, so Aster got a couple hits on the armadi. Unfortunately his hard shell proved tougher than she expected and he was remained stubbornly alive. C2 was able to reach the fountain unimpeded so he gratuitously un-wildshaped, summoned a fey spirit, and handed the golden lotus to the fey fury who then teleported into the fountain and planted the golden lotus to complete the trial. Much to Beebo and Aster dismay as soon as their party was declared the winner, the armadi wildshaped into a sparrow, escaped C2's own casting of earthbind, and flew away to live another day. Aster's one regret of the final trial was not branding to armadi to make it easier to track him down later. He has made it on her list though, and she *will* help Beebo track down the armadi and finish the job one day...