Silver Insanity

Less than a minute after you step out the door, your travel is punctuated by the double* boom-rumble of not-so-distant thunder. No actual lightning is visible, though it's easy enough to note which side of the keep was illuminated by the strike.

It's still not raining. Slightly unusual, but no real cause for concern - until thunder booms again. And again. And again, in roughly six to twenty-four second intervals, all coming from more or less the same place...

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* Sound reflects fairly nicely off the keep, and there aren't any other particularly tall structures around to make the echoes more complicated.

"I'm betting there wasn't anything in the mention you found of this 'lady of fire' having a cousin known as the 'lady of thunder' or 'of lightning'..."

After two thunderclaps, Stewart eyes the clouds with distrust. After four, he starts counting.

"No. Although that is a familiar rhythm. I think something large and winged is knocking on the castle door. Sounds more interesting than a pile of clerics who likely know nothing useful... To the castle!"

Edit: Stewart takes a few steps before a realization hits him. "Something faster than walking is likely called for. Hold out your hands for the express lane..." Stewart waits a few moments before teleporting away.

One teleport later, the four of you are standing atop one of the keep's smaller towers. The scene to the south is... not as anticipated.

An enormous, vaguely crab-like monstrosity has broken through the city's walls and is plowing a straight line towards the middle of Greenspring. Several small fires have started in its wake - as you watch, another blast of lightning lashes out in front of the creature, and it crashes forward through the burning wreckage of yet another building.

More careful examination reveals that the monster is some kind of flesh golem or undead, pieced together from a wide variety of parts - most notable is the blue dragon head mounted on a short neck at the front of the thing's shell.

Also of note are three - tiny at this distance - humanoid figures standing calmly atop the beast. Those with particularly keen eyesight might be able to identify two of them as gnolls...

There are indications of combat going on around the monster - apparently to some distance - though from your current distance and angle it's hard to see who's fighting what.

Stewart stares at the scene. After a moment, he comments "Really?"

After a moment more he adds, "Undead dragonic monstrosity given to gnolls, attacking a city. And since I don't really believe in coincidence, I'd bet it's because we're here. Surl really is beginning to irk me, but I suppose I have some responsibility to help." A winged construct begins forming near him.
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9th Level Construct: Flight, Dimension Door, Rend, Extra Damage Reduction

Aurora gives an exasperated shrug and disappears from view.

The gnolls pay you no heed - just as you're too far away to get a good look at them, they couldn't get a good look at the four of you even if they knew to look in the right direction.

Still, further observation does turn up a few more details: it appears that the monster is the centerpiece of a full gnollish war party; mounted gnolls are following in its wake, spreading out down side streets and fighting any guards or citizens foolish enough to get too close.

Also, for those with the right knowledges, the monster has all the hallmarks of being one of Naralex's creations - which would make the third figure standing atop it, most likely, Naralex himself.

Eenyrl mutters something in gnollish*, and readies his bow - though he stops short of actually nocking an arrow; you're still too far off for accurate shortbow fire, anyway.

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* Roughly translated: "Fools, the lot of them."

"I dislike liches." Stewart shakes his head and begins forming another construct*. "But into battle we go, once again. Would you like to come with, Eenyrl?" When this construct finishes, a membrane forms around him, concealing him from view, as he, his constructs, and possible companions dimension door into battle.
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* same as the last

From a suddenly closer perspective, one can easily take note of several details that were previously indiscernible.
For example, there's a thin greenish mist pouring out of the underside of the undead behemoth, and traces of that mist cling to the zombies that animate in its wake. Many of them were clearly mere citizens, but a few zombies bear the arms and armor of the city's guard.

Most of the gnolls are giving the behemoth (and the mist it leaves behind) a fairly wide berth, though a half-dozen gaunt and white-furred gnolls* on skeletal hyenadons seem to have no such concerns. These six are, of course, the closest ones to where you landed, and will likely be the first to react to your presence. Well, them and the zombies.

The two gnolls atop the behemoth are looking ahead, and haven't noticed your arrival yet.
Naralex, however, has more of an interest in what his creation is doing, and is probably going to notice you a bit sooner.

A small yellow dragon hovers over the scene, though what he's doing here is anybody's guess. He looks far too young to pose much of a threat, though.

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* Probably vampires or wights or other such empowered undead.