The party spends the next several days surveying doors and trying to determine the best entry route into the inner sanctum. The presence of traps and the glowing runes – and the occasional energy arcs from the doors vex the party greatly, but they press on.
They manage to open a door and send in a wizard eye – that affords them a brief glimpse of the interior before the pieces they have gathered vanish and the door reforms. They set about reclaiming the pieces – which doesn’t prove terribly difficult now that itt has been done before.
Eventually they stand before the entrance and once the way is clear they rush into the choking sulphur and brimstone smoke...

Moving past the minotaur room, the party parties around. Up one corridor, down another. Here a trap, there a trap. Everywhere a trap trap. They have a savage battle with an iron golem and are forced to retreat. They throw a hemisphere of force over the golem and loot the room, obtaining a golden triangle. In another room they loot a crystal rod. Later that gets turned into a bridge that allows them to cross a river of anti-magic juice. A statue that shoots lightning and pools of deadly poison are all encountered and overcome.
Doors are discovered, ad it would appear that they all lead to the same place (perhaps). THe various pieces gathered by the group appear to fit into grooves in the door’s surface, but one last piece is required...

After talking it over, the party decides to spend a few more resources on investigating the potential dracolitch lair. After all, who said Melkerech was humanoid? They send in Thrahw to shape a small hole in the stone sealing off the shaft (feed that kitty!). Malchor sends in the wizard eye to investigate. He scopes out an undermountain network of tunnels, staffed by a drow and some druegar, and a purple miniature mountain gorilla and maybe an imp or a quasit…who knows. It doesn’t look like a fun place to run around in – and the tip from Pearsay did explicitly mention a tower – so unless the tower is the shaft (feed that kitty!) then this is probably the wrong place. Welp – off they go into the deeper desert.
Using the powers afforded to them, they spend nights aloft looking for landmarks ...

Following up on the shift in party composition, Goldpiece, Malchor, Thelonius and Elulyn go on the road and travel to meet Pearsay near Urlamspyr. They pick up a tip about a possible location for a litch they have been feuding with for the past few years. While on the road to the deserted desert they see a band of traveling hill giants but decide to avoid any contact.

A day or so later thry come across the remnants of a ruined caravan and find a map while rooting around. It seems to match the general area and the group is elated to see a large cavern opening. They camp and keep watch, looking to see if there are any comings or goings…
A band of hill giants come bearing food, which is deposited in a large wooden crate/trough which rises to the top of the 200 foot cliff and vanishes into th...

The intrepid group careens through passages and chambers. They find a whole lot of what the hell is going on, and a fair amount of what the hell is trying to kill me. A yellow mold infested library nearly takes the life of Elulyn. A pack of gargoyles nearly takes the life of Malchor. Vaults, crypts, kitchens and a brewery are found and investigated. An armory is guarded by an iron golem and there are more murderous gargoyles to face before the group is depleted and has to call it a day/night/whatever.
The following day starts off with an unfortunate encounter with an undead ooze that drains energy levels from Paladin,Monk, Mage and Cleric (oh noes!). Carrying on their weakened state the group decides they cannot rest and must press on lest time run out...