Chapter 4

 Since they had heard all of Nightshade's plan from the magic mouth, the party knows that Datura, another of the Flower Liches, is Nightshade's accomplice and is keeping Lil'ling in Nightshade's body with powerful domination spells. 

They prepare to infuriate Datura's Gulistan, the Temple of the First Light of Dawn with only two days before the birthing of the demon lord. (I do not know exactly how much game time has passed so I am giving my party two days to give them time yet also tighten up the drama and give dramatic tension.)

Shesha goes out to get directions to Datura's Gulistan, from the Flower Liches' priests of the small, mist-robed shrines built in the mountains erected for the memory of the Flower Liches.

As he heads back, Shesha sees a dead, bloated body wash ashore by the river. However, the sight is normal to Shesha, who does not bother to investigate it. He heads back back to their base of operations, Tu Wang Ping's house.

In said lodgings, Terry the Terrible performs another cure light wounds spell, courtesy of Nirriti (Terry the Terrible's Goddess), upon Tu Wang Ping giving her 5 hit points back, while Josh the monk mediates on a healing mediation which gives him back his confidence by getting rid of the pain of the fall.

With all of this, They are ready to dare the Gulistan of Datura, the Temple of the First Light of Dawn.

Facing east atop of a rugged hillock, the temple's gold-painted roof tiles glisten in the morning sun, casting bedazzling reflections in all directions. The square, squat building is painted in vivid red, its walls cracked with vines, creepers, and fronds from a yellowish tree that seems to be devouring it from the inside out. The stairs leading to its gate are covered with a pale glowing moss. There's silence as if a great predator were prowling, shutting down the cries of birds and the chirping of insects alike. All around, tall palm trees sway gently, the first breeze of the day bringing about the sweet scent of magnolias in full bloom, their dusty pink petals dancing in the air. (Flower Liches of Dragonboat Festival, page 53.)

From this, they enter an inner courtyard where there are frescoes and mosaics upon the vine shrouded walls, through the roots and branches it can be seen a narrative of the Goddess of Dawn riding a red cow into the sun and casting golden-pink rays into a hellish pit, scorching and driving away demons and monsters.

A far cry from how this place and the world is now. The inner courtyard is infested and dominated by tall, scaly branch-less trees with fronds and purple flowers pointing upwards.

The party is cautious and does not trust the look of these bizarre trees.

They carefully cross this small inner courtyard. They have to cross under the fronds of three of the scaly eerie trees.

The purple flowers quiver when the party walks under them. First of the flowers quivered-drip a syrup down.

This syrup drips onto Josh the monk and he stops, frozen, not because of paralysis, but willingly. The syrup does no harm to him, yet Josh the monk and everyone in the party is terrified of everything in this place.

Immediately, Josh the monk sees something which makes his blood go cold, a purifying corpse covered in the syrup!

Josh the monk informs this to the rest of the party and they head back outside for safety.

Outside, they discuss what to do. They eventually settle to buy a bow and for Shesha to fire path through the trees, clearing away by shooting some of the flowers, failing that, they will set the trees on fire.

They discuss using their pistols, but do not want to waste precious ammunition.

They head to a stall where Tu Wang Ping buys a re-curved bamboo short bow with 30 arrows for 45 Gold Pennies, which is a lot, but hey, a demon lord is being summoned!

Also, in the stalls and markets, Tu Wang Ping discovers, while buying, a mysterious green leather pouch with a pair of black leather drawstrings adorned with tiny gold lotus flowers. The pouch is nearly soaked with blood. In the pouch, it contains a tiny silver button engraved with a gaping catfish; a red, porcelain spoon; an official stamp of the excise office; and a black pearl. 

All of this is curious, and Tu Wang Ping, as is her nature, wants to investigate further. However, they must find Lil'ling in Nightshade's body first.

Remember this mysterious pouch however, for Tu Wang Ping cleans it of blood and keeps it.

The party returns back to the Temple of the First Light of Dawn's inner courtyard.

Shesha is able to fell down the flowers on the first tree they need to pass in order to move through the inner courtyard and successfully hits both other trees in less time than they thought they would need. (Shesha threw a 20 on the throw.)

Everyone is impressed with Shesha and Shesha feels very good about himself, even though he is but a novice with a bow.

With their path clear, the party is able to traverse the inner courtyard without the fear of the flower's syrup.

They go through an opening on the right and find themselves in a huge hall infested with a smooth yellowish tree with pale white vines and creepers spreading everywhere.

Instantly, as the party creeps into the hall, the pale white vines and creepers shake and then last out at the party. The vines and creepers attack them.  They grab a hold of Tu Wang Ping and sink themselves into her flesh, causing 6 hit points of damage.

Another rips the flesh and suck the blood of Josh the monk, causing 3 points of damage. More vines swarm Josh the monk and drain more of his blood, causing 3 more damage.

The vines also get Shesha which cause him to lose 2 points of damage of his strange cold blood.

Terry the Terrible also gets tangled by the tendrils, suffering 1 point of damage.

Panicked by this, the party flees this main hall, clearly they cannot gain pass this horrific tree and all they have to show for their trouble is their wounds.

Discouraged, yet determined, the party heads to the double doors they saw opposite the entrance of the Temple.

After a few unsuccessful attempts by Josh the monk and Terry the Terrible, Shesha manages to open the door, where they see through the doors to a small theater hall, apparently full to the brim with people! A full house showing.

They enter in cautiously and discover that, in fact, the place is empty, the people in this theater are actually merely 16 man-sized porcelain puppets sitting on the velvet coloured benches. All these puppets are still and silent.

The party mount to the stage which is connected to the theater by a small flight of stairs.

Soon as they do so, the double doors they entered into open by themselves.

The double doors reveal Datura, the Flower Lich, herself.

The porcelain-faced Datura is little more than a sinewy skeleton wrapped into a yellowish bell-shaped dress made of intertwined rotting vines. When a character looks directly at her, her face changes into the face of someone they love, making it hard to attack her. Once every turn, her body changes into the gorgeous, splendid, naked body of a young, plump princess for 1 round, making her especially vulnerable. Her smell is unctuous, like whipped cream, magnolias, and palm trees. (Flower Liches of the Dragonboat Race, page 36.)

She is accompanied by Nightshade, or at least, the Flower Lich's body of Nightshade.

Nightshade's twisted body is infected with tendrils and thorns from which bloom hundreds of purple passion flowers. His puce, bewildered face towers up above, wearing a crown made of flowers. Nightshade's whole bloated, spongy body rots and decays, oozing and bubbling as it does. His rotten smell, with hints of durian, tobacco, and ripe mangoes, mingles with a whiff of sweet patchouli and vanilla. (Flower Liches of the Dragonboat Race, page 42.)

These two walk into the theater and are utterly surprised at the party.

Tu Wang Ping screams, "Lil'ling, I know you are in there! I know your plight! Fight her! Fight it! It is the only way! They plan to kill your original body!"

With this, Tu Wang Ping unleashes all of her psychic energies instinctively to Nightshade/Lil'ling.

Though this psychic energy is paltry compared to the powers of the Flower Lich, it is enough for Lil'ling to break free, combined with the extra-ordinariness of this situation messes up Datura's charm spells. 

Immediatley freed from her captor, Lil'ling/Nightshade pounces upon Datura in revenge, but also to save these strangers from the horrors she has witnessed the Flower Liches doing. Lil'ling/Nightshade successes her throw, getting a 19, and pins Datura to the ground.

Seeing this turn of events, Josh the monk performs the most mysterious martial art style he knows, the style of the bat. He learned it from the five member chambat fanclub of Zhong Kui, five half-human/half-bat women who fight evil and are the fan girls of the Chinese deity Zhong Kui.

This martial art style allows Josh the monk to cast a zone of darkness of 15' and he can fight inside with no penalties (he can see in said darkness).

Thus all light ceases once Li'ling/Nightshade grapples Datura and this shroud of darkness envelops the small theater hall. 

All of this happens before, Josh the monk attacks.

Josh the monk swoops down from the stage and into the shroud of darkness with a flurry of punches to the porcelain face of the Flower Lich, Datura.

The smiling porcelain face of Datura cracks and shatters a bit from 6 points of damage. This still leaves Datura with 26 hit points left.

Through the cunning of Josh the monk in his mastery of the bat style he is able to illuminate Datura in the zone of darkness, allowing his allies to see her, but not for her to see through the darkness.

Thus Tu Wang Ping, after her cry and granting of psychic power to Lil'ling/Nightshade, draws her flintlock pistol. She fires at Datura. The bullet rushes to its mark yet then swerves to avoid Datura!

Terry the Terrible, in a panic, and in desperate fear of the Flower Lich, raises his symbol of Nrriti, Hindu Goddess  of Destruction and misfortune, begging her for help to strike away this undead horror.

However, the evil of Datura and a flower lich is more than a match for the piteous, pathetic prayers of Terry the Terrible and the arrogance of Datura is not afraid of the invocations of the Vedic Goddess. 

With Terry the Terrible's babbling prayers in the air, Shesha roars and charges Datura with his ax and he fails! (He throws a 1.) His ax hits the skeleton of Datura, but does not slice into the bones and is torn off from his hands and stuck in intertwining, rotting vines, which makes up Datura's dress.

All have made their moves, now it is Datura's turn! Datura is in a pinch, not only is Lil'ling freed, but also Datura is shrouded in a veil of darkness making it unable for anyone to see her and her to change her form (as she can shape shift into the person you most care about). 

Datura attempts to break free of Lil'ling, however she fails for Lil'ling/Nightshade clamps her twisted, spongy arms around Datura tight.

The second round begins.

Josh the monk takes out his sword of Zhong Kui he gained from the chambat fan club and attempts to stab Datura. However, his blade misses and does not penetrate the cracked porcelain face, it is as if a force shields away his attempted sword blows.

Meanwhile, Shesha takes out his own pistol and begins to try and pistol whip Datura, the Flower Lich, and does not successes. It is as if there is a magic luck protecting Datura.

(There is a magic luck force protecting Datura.)

Terry the Terrible meanwhile has seen Shesha's ax get stuck into the body of Datura and rushes to grab it. He successes, throwing a very good dexterity throw to get it. 

Tu Wang Ping draws her shortsword, for reloading her pistol would take too long. However, the meele is too populated and crowded for her get a thrust in at Datura.

It is Datura's turn. She successfully breaks out of Lil'ling/Nightshade's grip. She immediately attacks Josh the monk, who seems to be the perpetrator of this zone of darkness as well as the bastard who managed to hit and injure her, Datura! This slight against such a Flower Lich must be avenged . . . and she fails! She throws a 1!.

Josh the monk successfully dodges all of her Kung Fu attacks and Datura panics. It sets in that she believes she is actually fighting a foe of great power and righteousness, if such a man can dodge her attack like this. (This is both true and untrue. Josh the monk is a man of righteousness, however Datura did throw very poorly.)

Datura is at a -2 for three rounds because of this throw of a 1.

Josh the monk tries to hit her, but in their parlay, both do not hit a significant blow on either of them.

Tu Wang Ping, seeing that Datura is free from Lil'ling/Nightshade's grip, deliberates and cries, "Run! Run! Lil'ling escape with us!" For Tu Wang Ping has deliberated that with Lil'ling/Nightshade freed, they have their primary evidence and testifier, so they need to go!

Shesha and Terry the Terrible leg it to the double doors.

Tu Wang Ping sprints down the flight of steps and across the fight between Josh the monk and Datura in the theater hall. She batters some of the life-sized porcelain puppets on the way, and rings the chimes of openings to open the double doors.

Lil'ling/Nightshade, hearing Tu Wang Ping and know that these guys are her best hope, bolts away through the double doors. She uses her crown of flowers to make a plant door in the inner courtyard to make the horrible trees of fronds and purple flower gravitate away from them.

Round 3 or 4, I forget, turns around, which has Josh the monk fighting Datura in the zone of darkness, while everyone else is at or through the double gates.

Josh the monk bolts away from Datura to the double doors.

Meanwhile, Terry the Terrible, Shesha, Tu Wang Ping, and Lil'ling/Nightshade sprint through the courtyard to the front gate.

The chime of openings is used to get the gate doors open.

Meanwhile, Datura howls and chases Josh the monk.

The next round find all the other party members outside the Gulistan with Tu Wang Ping having been handed Shesha's pistol by Shesha himself as she is the better shot. Tu Wang Ping waits for Josh the monk and to try and shoot Datura.

Josh the monk barrels through the gate while Datura is in the courtyard on his tail. 

Tu Wang Ping shoots and misses.

At the same time, when Josh the monk dashes through the doors, Terry the Terrible and Shesha rush in to close the gate doors behind them.

Datura instantly bashes the door through with her skeletal fist, gutterally croaking in anger and loathing.

Tu Wang Ping attempts with her short sword to slash this fist sticking out the door, but misses.

Josh the monk then attempts to hit this fist with his sword of Zhong Kui and fails as well.

Josh the monk takes in a deep breath, then says, "All of you go! Fly! Lil'ling's confession must reach the courts! I'll stave off the Flower Lich!"

The rest of the party do not hesitate, knowing that this is a death sacrifice, but there is no time and they must flee.

Shesha and Terry the Terrible stop barring the gate and run.

Lil'ling/Nightshade and Tu Wang Ping are ahead of them, fleeing into the abandoned streets.

Josh the monk stands alone to face his most certain death.

The Flower Lich, Datura, then walks above the gate's wreckage, her cracked, porcelain face curled in a snarl of rage.

She sees Lil'ling/Nightshade getting away, yet Josh the monk stands against her. The fearsome monk who has harmed and panicked her.

Josh the monk swings his sword up and make a "come and get me!" gesture with his free hand. "Come on!" he shouts.

Josh the monk attacks first and gets a 20! His swinging blade of Zhong Kui slices devastating blows on Datura, dealing 5 points of damage, leaving her with 21 hit points and knocks her prone.

Josh the monk jumps down on her for an additional attack, yet the magic luck affecting Datura makes it so that Josh the monk's stabs and slashes miss her body.

Datura jumps up. She tries to punch Josh the monk, but Josh successfully dodges out of the way.

Josh the monk thrusts again and fails to land a significant blow on Datura.

Datura attacks with her Kung Fu. She fails as well to land a devastating blow. 

They whirl about each other, most if not all slashes, swipes, punches, and kicks missed or are dodged.

Another round goes on with no significant harm hit by either of them.

Josh the monk is sweating because of the desperate battle and Datura is frightened by her opponent. 

Yet another round happens where both do not land a significant blow. Josh the monk is really good at dodging Datura's deadly blows.

The two spar again without any damage really being caused; this is leaving plenty of time for the others in Josh the monk's party to get away.

Yet the next round, Datura gets a 20! Blood-lust consumes Datura as she finally finds Josh the monk's energy slows and she pounces and beats him with her chill touch combined with her martial arts for 8 points of damage. She cleans away a lot of flesh and blood from Josh the monk, leaving him battered, beaten, and drained.

In her fury, Datura inflicts damage on herself, cracking her bony skeleton frame for 4 points of damage. She has 17 hit points now. 

Another round goes on with the battered, slashed, and bleeding husk of Josh the monk putting up a good fight, delaying death for another 30 seconds.

However, Datura manages to get her skeletal claws around Josh the monk and, in her rage and blood-lust, tears him apart into pulp, bones, and ribbons.

However, her victory is Pyrrhic, for Lil'ling/Nightshade is gone and has escaped.

The Flower lIch screeches a blood curdling howl of victory and defeat.

Though brutally dead, Josh the monk succeeded in protecting his friends to rescue the city.