I have the - pretty much - same exact problem.
Lae'zel was pestering me about leaving if I didn't investigate the creche after getting to the Towers. So, I relented, did everything I could find there except a certain quest for an egg.
After grabbing the Uber Mace of Uberness I went to return to the Gauntlet and now I get a crash when I save. I can load the save prior to returning to the Shadows and it doesn't crash on save, but any saving after returning... crash crash crash.
