31.White Plume Mountain - Black Razor

The group opened the side door and through a hallway came into a large room with a stream flowing through it. The stream was elevated 3 ft. off of the floor and seemed to be travelling down an invisible tube. The stream of water was 6’ wide and 3.5 ft. deep and flowing in through the left hand wall, and exited through the right hand wall. Around the room were 6 wooden rafts made from wood logs lashed together. The rafts were reasonably light, having been made from pine, though bulky enough that two people were needed to heft one into the water way.
A reasonable plan was formed, Aardgal, and Shaft would swim behind certain rafts, while Krech and Bornir would follow Edgrin and Morgrims rafts respectively by means of an Air Walk spells. This plan was almost immediately spoiled since the last person on a raft, Azrael, dumped into the water almost immediately and his raft floated down the swift moving current.
Felnar, and Morgrim dumped midway through the dark tunnel. Bornir held up to grab Morgrim, while Felnar flailed about before swimming, albeit poorly. Azrael and his air elemental flew past them and reached the room beyond just after Lath, Shaft and Aardgal.
The room beyond had a number a people who had heard shouting and splashing down the tunnel, so were not caught unaware. 4 men with long spears stood near the water entrance. Elsewhere in the room were 4 walking corpses – zombies, behind which was a bearded older man in robes. Also in the room were 2 men in full plate armor, one with a sword and shield, the other with 2 swords in hand. A plainly dressed man with the golden skin and almond eyes of a bakluni, and lastly the man in plate and shield commanded a large panther-like creature, except it had exotic dark blue fur and two muscular tentacles sprouting from it’s shoulders with tooth-like ridges along the end – a displacer beast.
The man with 2 swords and full plate cast a silence on the entrance immediately forcing the elves to fight their way into the room. As more and more of the group flowed into the room they met fiercer and fiercer fighting.
The bearded older man cast a few spells on the Bakluni, while the cleric with the two swords cast a spiritual weapon (long sword) on Shaft and buffed himself. The shield and sword fighter and the displacer beast moved into melee.
Eventually enough of the 9 heroes burst into the room to overwhelm the Blood Brothers. The zombies were destroyed by Lath. Krech without a shield was beaten badly and had to retreat. The fighter with sword and shield and the fighter with 2 swords were bested in combat, and as the tide had clearly turned, the Bakluni beat Aardgal into unconsciousness and the bearded wizard cast a prepared teleport from a scroll and the two whisked Aardgal away. The Displacer Beast was the last to fall. The two main fighters both lived, but were unconscious.
The group dried themselves and Felnar cast a detect magic before the group headed towards the corner where the fighter had fled. The elves found a secret door there and in the fighter’s hand was a key which fit a hidden key hole. The group went down the hallway beyond, hoping to find Aardgal alive.
The door led to a door, and when opened the room beyond was extremely large and the walls themselves shed light. The room was built like an inverted step pyramid. Each step down the pyramid was a see through hallway 10’x10’ with creatures beyond. On the far side of the room were two manticores, which were quickly killed. The next ‘step’ had a ramp down to a small door, opened with a winch. The next step held two large crustaceans and was filled with 8’ of water. The next step was dry and held two large scorpions. The next step was filled again with 8’ of water and held two sea cats. Lastly the bottom of the pyramid was dry and held two dire lions and a door.
A plan was formulated to have Felnar and two protectors dimension door to the dire lion level then he would cast the regroup spell to gather the rest of the party together. Meanwhile Krech and Shaft, bored, opened the winch and the door to the watery crustacean level opened. The smell of brine was strong as the barnacled crustaceans of large size swam forward. As one neared the entrance it clacked it’s two claws together sending out a shockwave of sonic force. Neither was stunned but each bled a little from their ears as they reached to close the door with the winch.
The plan went off perfectly 9that in itself is shocking) as Felnar dimension doored into the Dire Lion pen with Morgrim and Bornir, they engaged the lions while Felnar regrouped the rest of the group (except Aardgal naturally) around him. The dire lions were quickly slain and the group healed and formed up in front of the door.
The door opened and beyond was a 50' long hallway ending in a door.