Carnelian Gardens

The Carnelian Gardens were a realm of exquisite and perilous beauty. Vast jungles known as the Ruby Canopies stretched across the land, their scarlet and gold-leafed trees shedding petals like soft rain, masking deadly predators and charm-enslaved sentinels beneath their boughs. Twisting through the layer lay the Mirrorflower Labyrinths, endless mazes of crystalline vines and blossoms that mirrored the deepest desires of those who wandered within, luring many into surrendering themselves to obsession before ever reaching the heart. Rising above these wonders stood the Perfumed Spires, towering palaces of white stone veined with carnelian, linked by skybridges draped in flowering vines, their air heavy with enchantments that softened the will and clouded judgment. Scattered among these marvels were the Bloodwater Pools, shimmering baths and fountains whose waters could heal or harm at Helena’s command, and which rumor claimed she used to seal pacts, binding mortals to her service with a single, fateful drink.

Helena ruled the Carnelian Gardens as a queen of delights, flanked by a host of succubi, incubi, charmed planar nobles, and abducted artisans whose skills were bound to her service. Her court’s customs blended genuine artistry with weaponized romance where visitors were greeted with song and dance, only to find themselves subtly entwined in oaths and contracts.   Helena’s authority in the Gardens was absolute. Every flower bloomed for her pleasure, and every drop of rain fell according to her will. Yet beneath the surface lay a rigid political machine, one where beauty and usefulness determined survival.   When Seildrys Veilweaver orchestrated the betrayal that stripped Helena of her demon lord essence, the Carnelian Gardens were thrown into chaos. Power-hungry Abyssal lords and former vassals seized territory, tearing apart the careful balance Helena had maintained.   In the final battle between Helena and her betrayers, the layer’s heart, the Nemesis Grove, was breached. Though Helena survived by transcending into the Feywild, the Gardens were lost. Who rules them now is uncertain; some say a former succubus lieutenant, others whisper the realm itself has become a predatory, sentient wilderness awaiting its mistress’s return.