Saja N’baza is a powerful and wise guardian naga who dwells in a magical shrine atop a ziggurat in Orolunga. She serves as a key source of information about the death curse and the location of Omu.
Role in the Adventure
Saja N’baza is one of only three creatures in Chult who know that the cause of the death curse lies in Omu (along with Grandfather Zitembe in Port Nyanzaru and Valindra Shadowmantle in the Heart of Ubtao). She also knows Omu’s location and can provide crucial guidance to help the party find the ruined city.
Accessing the Shrine
The naga’s presence can only be accessed under specific conditions:
- Characters must bring both an orchid and a feather to enter the shrine (obtained during the climb up the ziggurat)
- Those who enter without these items find only an empty, barren room
- Characters can only enter Saja N’baza’s presence once—leaving and returning shows only the bare chamber
- When properly accessed, the shrine transforms from a dusty room into an ornate chamber filled with hanging lamps, incense, cushions, blooming flowers, and singing birds
Appearance and Demeanor
Saja N’baza is an immense snake with iridescent scales and a remarkably humanlike face. She rises to 5 feet height when greeting visitors and speaks with authority: “I am Saja N’baza. What do you seek in this ancient place? Speak truly, for I hear your hearts!”
Knowledge and Information
The naga possesses crucial intelligence about the adventure’s central threats:
- Death Curse: While not knowing much about it directly, she confirms through visions that the curse fits with omens tied to Omu
- Omu’s Location: She knows the ruined city lies between the Peaks of Flame and the Valley of Lost Honor, sunken below jungle level, best spotted from the air or high ground
- Ras Nsi: She remembers his first uprising and knows he and his yuan-ti followers are scheming to end the world from their lair in Omu
- Mezro: She knows what happened to the lost city and can tell Artus Cimber that it won’t return as long as Ras Nsi lives
Quest and Rewards
Saja N’baza urges the characters to kill Ras Nsi both as punishment for his past atrocities and to prevent recurrence of his evil. She offers supernatural charms (per DMG chapter 7) to characters who agree to this task, assigning charms appropriate to each character’s party role. Characters who seem reluctant may have geas cast upon them to compel their cooperation.
Relationships
- Azaka Stormfang: The weretiger guide is acquainted with Saja N’baza and gladly leads characters to Orolunga if they seek guidance
- Artus Cimber and Dragonbait: The duo may be consulting with the naga when the party arrives, learning about Mezro and Ras Nsi
- Nanny Pu’pu: The hag might request one of Saja N’baza’s iridescent scales as payment for performing the Rite of Stolen Life
Aftermath
After characters leave the shrine, they cannot return to Saja N’baza’s presence—the shrine remains a barren chamber on subsequent visits. When they exit, it is dawn of the next day regardless of entry time. The ziggurat’s dangers (snakes, crumbling steps, thorns) vanish, and blue tulips bloom around its base, providing safe passage down.