So before our memories fade...

So before our memories fade...

The party wound up, but not before some party members were variously and individually disturbed by various downdraughts and the form of a great eagle in the clouds over Mr Ruskin's house.

Some people (remind me who?) are concerned for the welfare of the lady with the ruby, whose name I continually forget. (sigh)

Someone(s) were going to her place to see how she was going?

But in the meantime, Research by various folk has been entered into.

Susan, Alexander and Brutus have in their own little ways studied what the library has to offer in the age old conflict between the Naga and the Garuda.
For those that are interested it concerned a bet about the colour of a horses tail...but there are conflicting stories.


The great nemesis of the Nagas in the Mahabharata is the gigantic eagle-king Garuda. Garuda and the Nagas began life as cousins. The sage Kasyapa had two wives (amongst his 13 wives, all prajapati Daksha's daughters), Kadru and Vinata, the former of whom desired many offspring, and the latter of whom desired few but powerful offspring. Each got her wish. Kadru laid 1000 eggs which hatched into snakes, and Vinata laid two, which hatched into the charioteer of Surya the sun god and Garuda. Through a foolish bet, Vinata became enslaved to her sister, and as a result Vinata's son Garuda was required to do the bidding of the snakes. Though compliant, he chafed and built up a grudge that he would never relinquish. When he asked the snakes what he would have to do in order to release his mother, Vinata, from her bondage, they told him he would have to bring them amrita, the elixir of immortality. Garuda stole the elixir from the gods and brought it to the serpents in fulfillment of their requirement, but through a ruse prevented them from partaking of it and achieving immortality. From that point onward, he regarded them as enemies and as food.

One version recounts that the two mothers of the races bet, and the loser and her children would have to be the slave of the other. The Naga mum sent her children snakes to make the horses tail appear black... this deception was discovered and as a result the Garuda was permitted to eat the snakes in revenge.

Another version... Kashyapa’s wives Vinata and Kadru gave birth to Garuda and the nagas respectively. Once Vinata said that the tail hairs of Indra’s horse Uchaishravas were all white, Kadru maintained that it was black. It was agreed that whoever lost would become the other’s slave. As per Kadru’s instructions, a few nagas clung to the horse’s tail and made it appear black. Thus Vinata became Kadru’s slave and Garuda had to take care of Kadru’s children.

Another version....
Kadru, the ancestral mother of snakes, made a bet with her sister Vinata, the stakes being that the loser would be enslaved to the winner. Eager to secure victory, Kadru requested the cooperation of her offspring in order to fix the bet so that Kadru would win. When her offspring balked at the request, Kadru grew angry and cursed them to die a fiery death in the snake-sacrifice of King Janamejaya. The king of the snakes Vasuki was aware of the curse, and knew that his brethren would need a hero to rescue them from it. He approached the renowned ascetic Jaratkaru with a proposal of marriage to a snake-goddess, Manasa, Vasuki's own sister. Out of the union of the ascetic and the snake-maiden was born "a son of the splendor of a celestial child." This son was named Astika, and he was to be the savior of the snakes.

In accordance with Kadru's curse, Janamejaya prepared a snake sacrifice of a type described in the scriptures, the Puranas.He began calling the names of snakes. The power of the rite was such that the named snakes were summoned to the fire and were consumed by it. As the sacrifice took on genocidal proportions, Astika came to the rescue. He approached Janamejaya and praised the sacrifice in such eloquent terms that the king offered to grant him a boon of his choosing. Astika promptly requested that the sacrifice be terminated. Though initially regretful of his offer, Janamejaya was true to his word, and the sacrifice came to an end. 

Burly has discovered scratches in his dorm door and someone else, Brutus? Alexander a fragment of feather. So it's off to the Reading Room at the British Museum where they encounter the most formidable Lady Orlington, adorned with greying hair, grass stains and tweed and sensible shoes and formidably sharp eyes and knowledge of all things of the sky. She is surrounded by all the books they need, so she is approached.

She asks to see the feather, pronounces it to be the feather of a Rajah Eagle, but of prodigious size.  She accompanies them back to the University Library and interviews the eyewitness.

She draws up a spotters guide to bloody large flying things with eagle like wings and mentions that in flight Garuda's arms may not be visible.

It's noted that the Gargoyles of London are unusually subdued and are descending to the lower areas of their usual aeyries.

The centaur seer Ironhoof has been seen in serious conversation with Mr Brisgow.

Burley's magic snake has been reticent, and on one occasion has even been found hiding in his shoe.

So, please add anything that you might be intending doing just to give me a placeholder, the meetings will be coming up next session I should think.