The Search for Norgar

Dear Diary,
 
As we continued our search for Norgar, Hayley dispatched Fiachna to keep watch for any suspicious activity. Meanwhile, I focused on the gem, using a tracking spell to pinpoint its location. The gem, once the elusive target of the dragon cult, now held the key to unraveling the mystery of Norgar's disappearance.
 
The spell revealed the gem's presence somewhere to the north and down from the embassy. With renewed determination, we hurried towards the underground level, leaving our dates behind in the safety of the main hall. As we entered, the basement was cool and damp, the air thick with the musty scent of neglect.
 
Dadroz examined the ground for any clues. The floor was a patchwork of footprints, evidence of the many who had passed through this chamber. We searched every nook and cranny, our hearts pounding with anticipation.
 
As we explored, Hayley stumbled upon a door leading further underground. With a cautious push, she opened it, revealing a dark and ominous chamber. Unfortunately the cult was two steps ahead of us, and had placed a trap on the door. A fireball exploded in Hayley’s face, the sudden blast knocking her back. Liliana and Dadroz, caught in the crossfire, were also injured.
 
The darkness of the chamber beyond was pierced by the flickering light of torches, revealing a group of cultists engaged in a sinister ritual. Others, sensing our presence, turned towards us, their eyes filled with a feral glint. A large, fleshy golem stepped out from the shadows, its monstrous form a chilling reminder of the dangers of the cult we were fighting.
 
Unfortunately, most of us had left our weapons at home, unprepared for such a violent encounter. We gritted our teeth as we realized that we were outmatched, outnumbered, and outgunned. But we could not let the innocents attending the ball get hurt, and stopping the cultists’ ritual before it finished was the only way to prevent that. We grasped hold of what few weapons we had, and moved to engage the cult.
 
Alistan stepped forward, his sword a blur of steel. He struck a cultist, knocking their dagger aside. Dadroz, not to be outdone, followed up with a well-placed arrow, silencing another threat. Liliana, her fey magic surging through her veins, unleashed a devastating slash as her weapon appeared in her hand, cleaving a cultist in two.
 
Gael conjured a tangle of vines, an unnatural growth that sprung up from the basement floor, hindering the cultists' movements. In the background, the cultists continued to chant, their voices a sinister chorus.
I couldn't stand idly by, watching as they completed their ritual. With a surge of anger, I unleashed a fireball, its destructive force aimed at the heart of the ritual circle. The cultists caught in the blast were reduced to ashes, their evil plans shattered.
 
The remaining cultist, fear etched on his face, turned to flee. Hayley summoned a small fey spirit, and a dart of light struck the final cultist down.
Alistan, his sword dripping with blood, faced the flesh golem, its skin charred and blistered from the fireball. With renewed vigor, he pressed his attack, his sword a whirlwind of steel. The golem, weakened, crumbled to the ground, its monstrous form a lifeless husk.
 
As the dust settled, we took a moment to take in the scene. The cultists, their bodies twisted and charred, lay scattered across the floor. The magical circle, now disrupted, hummed with residual energy.
We examined the cultists, their identities revealed by the remnants of their clothing. There were merchants, guards, and even a noble among the fallen. The dragon cult had infiltrated all levels of society, their tentacles reaching into every corner of the city.
 
With the immediate threat neutralized, we made our way forward, hoping to find any signs of Norgar. Dadroz disarmed a trap on a door forward, preventing another unpleasant surprise. The door led to a staircase, the same one we had used to reach the office earlier.
 
We returned to the party, our faces a mix of exhaustion and relief. We quickly approached one of the dragonborn guards. Alistan explained the situation, informing him of the cultists we had discovered in the basement. The guard thanked us, promising to send a team to investigate.
 
As we mingled with the crowd, I checked in with Elsa, making sure she was okay. She was concerned about our well-being, offering healing spells to Liliana, Hayley, and Dadroz. With a grateful nod, they accepted her aid.
Hayley noticed something amiss. The signal from the gem and the tracking spell, the one that had led us to the basement, had disappeared too far north. The basement we had found was too small to accommodate such a distance.
 
Elsa, with her knowledge of the embassy, suggested that there might be other basements within the complex. With renewed determination, we headed towards the northernmost building of the embassy complex.
As we approached, we noticed tracks leading around the structure. Dadroz volunteered to check for traps. We followed him into the building, our hearts pounding with anticipation.
 
The interior was dimly lit, the air thick with dust. At first, we thought it was a storage room, but as we ventured deeper, we realized it was inhabited. There were bedrolls and tables laden with food. A small office caught our attention. We entered cautiously, scanning the room for clues. A set of stairs led to a lower level. As we descended back into the second basement, the darkness enveloped us, the air thick with the stench of decay. The smell of blood was overpowering, the source a nearby larder filled with slaughtered pigs. We continued our exploration, navigating the winding corridors and dark chambers.
 
Our search led us to another building, a series of barracks filled with the remnants of the draconic occupation. The air was heavy with the stench of sweat and stale food. We pressed on, our determination fueled by the urgency of the situation.
 
As we ventured deeper, we discovered another underground chamber, a small, cramped space filled with supplies. A trio of dragon-men, their forms shrouded in shadow, emerged from the darkness. One of them breathed a wave of fire, a searing blast that engulfed us.
 
I managed to shield myself with a protective spell, but Liliana was caught in the crossfire, her body wracked with pain. Dadroz retaliated with a well-placed arrow, piercing the dragon-man's armor.
I unleashed a firebolt, but it barely scratched the creature's hide. The dragon-man grinned, its teeth a menacing display of power. As I stumbled away, looking for cover, I saw Liliana, Gael, and Alistan struggling to hold their own. One by one, they were going down under the furious attack by the dragon-men.
 
With a surge of determination, I cast a spell to sap the life force from the remaining dragon-men, channeling it into Liliana. She regained a boost of energy, getting back on her feet. I quickly made my way over to the fallen Alistan too, administered a healing potion, watching as his color returned.
 
The battle raged on, a claustrophobic melee in the cramped quarters. We fought with a ferocity born of desperation, our lives hanging in the balance. After a heated clash, the dragon-men fell, their bodies a testament to our resilience.
 
As the dust settled, we took a moment to catch our breath. We searched the fallen dragon-men, discovering a tattoo linking them to the demon dragon cult. The pieces were slowly falling into place.
We knew it was time to move, to leave this place of death and destruction behind. But before we did, we scavanged the chamber for supplies, gathering any weapons or armor we could find. Among the spoils, we discovered a stash of healing potions. Alistan, ever the pragmatist, insisted on returning them, but we overruled him. He had earned them, and he needed them.
 
As we continued our exploration, our eyes scanning the walls for any sign of a hidden passage, we stumbled upon a narrow, unmarked opening. With a cautious push, we revealed a secret tunnel, carved into the stone with precision. The tunnel led north, towards the outskirts of the city.
 
Following the tunnel, we discovered evidence of ancient mining activity. The walls were scarred with the marks of tools, the air thick with the musty scent of decay. Tracks, fresh and clear, led us further into the depths.
The tunnel opened into a vast cavern, illuminated by a strange, otherworldly glow. It was an ancient ruin, its walls adorned with strange symbols and forgotten carvings.
 
Dadroz was examining a hidden door when he collapsed, his body limp and lifeless. A shimmer in the air revealed a cloaked assassin, his sword drawn. The assassin pulled his blade back from Dadroz's unconscious body. Two imps, their eyes filled with malice, emerged from the shadows, their stingers aimed at Gael.
 
I unleashed a firebolt, hoping to deter the imps, but to my frustration, they were immune to fire. It was not a good day to be a fire mage…
 
The assassin, his form shifting and fading, reappeared beside Liliana, his sword raised. Alistan shouted a warning, urging Liliana to take advantage of the assassin's momentary opening. With a swift movement, Liliana struck, her sword a blur of steel. The assassin stumbled backward, his grip on his sword loosening.
 
The battle raged on, a chaotic dance of steel and magic. Eventually we maange to trap the assassin out, and take him down, followed closely by dispatching the two imps. The air was thick with the stench of blood, the silence broken only by the sound of our ragged breathing.
 
​​We were bruised and battered, but our spirits remained unbroken. With renewed determination, I cast the Locate Object spell on Norgar's gem. The spell revealed his location, a mere stone's throw away.
We ventured east, following the faint trail left by the gem. The ruins of the ancient mine stretched out before us, a maze of crumbling structures and hidden passages. We navigated the debris, our eyes scanning for any sign of Norgar.
 
Our search led us to a chamber filled with the remnants of a draconic construct, similar to the ones we had encountered before. It is clear that the cult was operating from here as a base deep underneath Keralon, and was building more of the vile creations. For what purpose exact, remains still unknown.
 
Another chamber revealed a chilling sight – a giant, blue creature sleeping peacefully on a bed of rubble. The creature was massive, with large horns. Startled by our intrusion, it awoke with a roar, its eyes filled with anger.
Liliana, with her usual charm, approached the creature, her voice soothing. She explained that we had disturbed its slumber accidentally, and that it should return to sleep. The creature, still agitated, demanded to know the time. Liliana informed it that it was still night and that it could still sleep more.
 
The creature, mollified by the explanation, settled back down, its heavy breathing filling the room. We continued our search, our hearts pounding with anticipation.
 
As we continued our exploration, we discovered a large room, its walls adorned with strange symbols. And there, in the center, stood Robert Talespinner, our so-called friend and the supposed champion of the dragon cult.