Overview
Saja N’baza is a guardian naga who resides in a shrine atop a ziggurat in Orolunga. She serves as a mystical guide and oracle who provides crucial information about the death curse and the path to Omu.
The Shrine
The shrine is a simple rectangular brick structure decorated with labyrinth symbols of Ubtao. The building has two states:
- Physical form: A barren, dusty room (what most visitors see)
- Spiritual form: An illuminated sanctuary filled with hanging lamps, incense burners, cushions, reed mats, blooming flowers, and singing birds
Accessing the Naga
Characters can only enter Saja N’baza’s presence once if they arrive with both the orchid and feather obtained from the ziggurat steps. Those who enter without these items find only an empty room and cannot access her presence afterward, even if they later acquire the items.
Appearance & Nature
Saja N’baza appears as an immense snake with iridescent scales and a remarkably humanlike face. She rises to 5 feet when addressing visitors and speaks after her tongue flicks. She claims to hear the hearts of those who speak to her, demanding truth.
Knowledge & Information
The naga provides critical intelligence about:
- Mezro: She knows what happened to the lost city and tells Artus Cimber it won’t return while Ras Nsi lives
- Omu’s location: The city lies between the Peaks of Flame and the Valley of Lost Honor, sunken below the surrounding jungle (best spotted from air or high ground)
- The death curse: While she doesn’t know much about it directly, she confirms it fits omens tied to Omu
- Ras Nsi’s schemes: Through visions, she knows Ras Nsi and his yuan-ti followers are plotting to end the world from their lair in Omu
- Ras Nsi’s history: She remembers his first uprising
Quest & Rewards
Saja N’baza urges characters to kill Ras Nsi both as punishment for past atrocities and to prevent future threats. She offers:
- Supernatural charms (DMG chapter 7) to each character who agrees to this task, assigned appropriately to their party roles
- Geas spell cast on reluctant characters to ensure compliance
Connection to Other Entities
- Artus Cimber & Dragonbait: May be conferring with the naga when the party arrives. Her information about Mezro gives Artus incentive to accompany the party to Omu
- Ras Nsi: She views him as a threat who must be eliminated