Although the airship lich is interesting, it is KIkko the Druid that gives the group their next direction to follow. It seems that the lich-filled desert to the north of Cormyr is being terraformed and is becoming choked with poisonous brambles and shambling plant monsters.
Off they go into the wilderness. Before too long, the creepers are spotted, and the group flies into the depths of the desert. As they travel, the long lived elves recall some smattering of the history of the transformation of lush greenery into arid desert as the result of some strife in the past, involving a demigod (or perhaps great hero) and the evil forces that opposed him…though it is difficult to determine which side had the hero and which side were the terrible oppressors.

They eventually sight a massive limest...

The stairs are trapped, but Justicar sniffs it out and the magic crown wipes it out. Some arbitrary directions are chosen and the investigation ends in a battle with a trio of hags and their spore-laden exploding undead. Their dens are ultra-creepy and after a quick pillage and the removal of some eyelashes then they’re off again.

Upon reaching the double doors, they use magic to open them and behold a large jail and torture chamber. Gratings in the floor look down into holding cells below, and the far end of the room shows three doors set into the wall. As the party investigates further, the room and party are split by a wall of ice. On the heels of the ice wall, a bone devil exits the middle door and launches an attack at the mage in the scout party...

The group decides to press ahead despite overwhelming paranoia. The monocle is used to investigate the woman’s aura and her lack of evil confounds party expectations. The gem of seeing reveals four astral guardians looming over the body on the slab – but the body’s spirit is walking the astral plane! So, the woman is alive though not localized. They begin by enlarging the hole in the door to try and snatch a staff from the ‘sleeping’ occupant, That is followed by a telekinesis attempt that fails. It becomes clear that the shroud somehow protects the person beneath.

More thoughts upon the matter finally culminate with an old-fashioned grapnel on a rope being used to pull the shroud off the woman’s body. As it is removed, it drifts away like smoke and the woman stirs.

She sits upright and ...

Upon their return to the cave, the wall of stone is still intact and there is no sign of intruders. The party takes stock of their situation, gloats over the loot they have looted and does a bit of dithering in preparation for the upcoming exploration. They deploy eyeballs of arcana and explore as much as they can, finding that the occupants have taken advantage of the group’s naptime to flee the scene. There is a momentary discussion of what to do with the drow prisoner. On the one hand, he could be an important source of information about the dragon cult’s operations – or not. A dagger across the throat means ‘not’ has won the day.

The hallways are festooned with magical traps and tripwires,deadfalls and pits which the group happily flies over...

Having redressed the ignoble retreat from the lair of Mr. Monocle by breaking in and murdering that evil bastard, the group is riding high though uncertain of their course now that Malchor Mentat the Magnificent is driving the wagon. He seems to be on an arc that emphasizes the removal of grave threats in the name of improving the world for everyone. To that end, the group recalls an encounter from several years back. Near the site of the monocular massacre there was a cave being used by the Cult of the Dragon to house a dracolich. They battled the beast and destroyed its material body. Ona subsequent visit they discovered a series of caves and tunnels in the mountainside. Therein the floating arcane eye discovered a drow mage and his minions...