"Let me see that survey - "

"This used to be a city, so I think we can get into the ruins from just about any angle, but... I'd bet there's a single entrance to the actual lair, probably around here. Makes it easier to funnel adventurers - he knows people will be coming after him. Is probably counting on it. He might have a second exit somewhere else, but I doubt it, he's high enough level to be able to just teleport out, and if he gets hit with an anti-magic field he can't bust through he has bigger problems."

She scratches the back of her head.

"Yeah, that makes it trickier. And I imagine he's going to know as we're there as soon as we walk through that door.

What would be the chances we could draw him out?"

"He's arrogant, and sent an avatar to taunt my group several times - but it was merely a projection, and attacking it was satisfying but pointless."

"...yeah, we're rapidly escaping my area of expertise here."

"I don't have a long history of dungeon delving, unfortunately..."

"Iiiiii might have some. Haven't gone delving anywhere necessarily belonging to people, of course."

"Did those unowned places have magical traps and suchlike?"

"Of varying complexity. I'm not an expert in taking them apart, but I'm good at spotting them and figuring out ways around them. Our best bet might actually be finding another party trying at this and joining them, though."

"That may help.

We might be able to call in some favours with Iyanden-- but it's not likely they'll have much relevant expertise. And they'd likely want to avoid a place with a death curse, so they wouldn't be able to send many people."

"Can you scan for people, lifeforms, un-life-forms, animals...?"

"We can definitely scan for living things. Not unliving things though, they don't really-- come up much? In my universe."

And she sends orders for scans to be done.

There's a surprising number of people - after some consideration, Rune and Liliane identify most of the clusters as single-species, and too large for a standard adventuring party, and possibly related to groups that seem to be protecting the city, rather than infiltrating it. There's a party of four humans hanging out near the edge, and a group slowly inching their way in past the patrols - a yuan-ti, a tiefling, a water genasi, and an elf.

"That last group is definitely an adventuring party - those races don't tend to hang out otherwise, and also look at their trajectory. For approach... See those stone things that're kind of half lit up? I'd bet those are some kind of early warning or defense system - given how high they are on the cliffs around the city, probably against airborne approach. If we want to do this quiet, we may need to slip in along the ground. Or just say 'fuck stealth,' that's a possibility too."

"As much as I love dramatic entrances, I think it may be better to wait for when we're a bit closer. Going along the ground, and meeting up with the adventurers sounds good."

Zerri gestures for Khelresse and Kaemoque to get ready to follow her.

Rune leads the way, eyes scanning every shadow and crevasse for potential enemies.

Liliane is making an honest attempt at something approaching stealth.

Zerri and co. are pretty good at stealth, and are keeping a careful  eye on their flanks.

The jungle parts to reveal a dead city enclosed by sheer cliffs. Ruined buildings and stone boulevards rise like ghosts from the floor of the misty basin. Colorful birds glide overhead.

A waterfall pours into the basin, creating a swollen river that floods much of the city before draining into a deep rift filled with molten lava. A ruined palace lies a few hundred feet from the edge of the steaming abyss. A vine-draped gargoyle perches on the clifftop, staring down at the ruined city. It has the face of a devil, with its mouth agape in a silent scream.

They're unable to find any safe path into the city except the main entrance, unfortunately - or else down a rocky, treacherous ravine. Still, with modern technology and Liliane's general disregard for her own health and safety, the ravine is traversable, with the largest stumbling block a fifty foot drop through a waterfall. There's no safe path down. Rune judges it not too far and jumps down with one part of a length of rope, skipping lightly down the rocks until she reaches a landing fit for people without her abilities.

When Zerri glances over the revealed city from a clifftop near their last decent, something distinctly odd happens - 

A city of magnificent, whitewashed buildings stretches out before her. Sunlight sparkles off of glass domes and windows, yet all is not well. Black smoke coils from fires across the city, corpses litter the streets, and wraiths circle the rooftops like vultures. A sphere of utter darkness grows out from the heart of the city, blotting out the light as it expands toward her. A blink, and the darkness is gone. The city is a half-flooded, overgrown ruin. 

"Did anyone else see that... mirage?"

"I didn't see anything unusual."

"Nope. What was it?"

Okay, so that's rather alarming. "The destruction of this city, I think? Fire, death, mysterious black spheres, that sort of thing."

Kaemoque is making a very concerned face, but doesn't say anything.

"I've heard of things like that happening, around the sites of significant magical events."

"Well, that destruction definitely seemed magical."

"That you had it and no one else is concerning. We'll all want to keep an eye out for future visions - but you, especially."