Thord and Phillipe left the party to go destroy the enemy sword, while the rest of us pressed on down a corridor leading from the throne room. As we neared an alcove in this corridor, an image of Karzoug was waiting for us, and cast Disintegrate on Gulnyr. Fortunately, he resisted its effect. The image did not disappear immediately as the previous ones had. We tried fighting it, but our attacks went right through the image. Meanwhile, it cast Baleful Polymorph on Ash, turning her into an ether frog. Roy’s monkey retrieved her, which was difficult since she had been invisible. Once the image of Karzoug was gone, Gulnyr restored Ash by hitting her with a sword that had a charge of Dispell Magic on it.

In the alcove was a set of golden double doors, which Ash peered through using her gloves. Beyond them was a square room containing four lamia nests made of fine furs. There was also a fireplace, and each of the other three walls had an exit door. There were no creatures in the room, so we entered. Searching through the furs, Gulnyr found a hair pin with a gem that radiated an aura of conjuration magic. He kept it, and also took one of the pelts.

Ash peeked through each of the other three doors in this room. Beyond the door on the left side was a room too dark for her to see the contents of, but it smelled like rotting meat. The door opposite the one we entered led to a corridor lit with braziers, and its walls were decorated with arabian tile patterns. Beyond the right side door was a large room with a carpeted floor and more lamia nests. It was occupied by four lamias who had heard us, and were ready for battle.

We were preparing to open this door and fight the lamias, when suddenly the left side door oppened, and two horrifically deformed lamias emerged. The room filled with a Stinking Cloud, and the creatures attacked us. When we struck them, they bled acid on us, while their attacks drained our wisdom. After we had killed one of them, the right side door opened, and one of the lamias behind it cast Unholy Blight at us. The enemy closest to the door joined the fight, and drained some of Gulnyr’s charisma with a critical hit.

During the fight, Roy was knocked out, and Ash was killed. Meanwhile, Takar had to flee from the room, because when the remaining deformed lamia struck him, his jagged flesh caused it to bleed acid on him. Though when he retreated, he distracted the enemies enough to allow Devin to get to Ash and cast Breath of Life on her. Ash then cast Cure Light Wounds on Roy, but the deformed lamia ate him shortly afterwards. We killed it, and then turned our attention to the four normal lamias. Devin blinded three of them using Sunbeam.

After we had killed two of the blind lamias, Karzoug stepped into view, and said “I found you!” Gulnyr used Dimension Door to get himself and Devin back out of the room, while Ash hid behind the body of the creature that ate Roy. She quietly began to slice through its flesh to retrieve his body.

Takar, Devin, and Gulnyr began to flee, but not too far, as they were waiting for Ash. Meanwhile, Ash could hear the lamias talking, and discovered that when Karzoug had appeared, it was actually the remaining blinded lamia in disguise. She also heard the other one say, “Perhaps Khalib will cure you. We must report this transgression.” Finally, Ash retrieved Roy’s wand of Dimension Door, and used it to escape with his corpse.

We healed up a bit, and then Ash peered back into the square room. Seeing it empty, she went in, and peered into the right side door, seeing one lamia in that room. She then looked through the forward door, into the tiled corridor. She spotted the blinded lamia exit the corridor through another door, and recognized her as Lucretia.

We attacked and killed the remaining lamia in the right side room. Gulnyr then investigated the dark room, but found nothing of interest. We then went into the tiled corridor. Within it there were two more doors, which were open. The farther one led to another opulent room with a carpeted floor and a mother-of-pearl wardrobe. A large lamia nest sat on the floor under a silk canopy.

The nearer door in the corridor led to a room made of stone, with two iron doors on opposite walls. A giant fish-faced humanoid was present, and it attacked Gulnyr, saying “Give me your soul!” We fought it, and it cast Finger of Death on Takar, killing him. Devin started channeling energy at the creature, which was effective, but the creature kept healing himself by using Vampiric Touch on Devin. Eventually Devin was knocked unconscious. Ash used Dimension Door to get him out, and Gulnyr retreated, and held the door closed. Ash cured Devin enough to get him back on his feet, and then used Dimension Door to get the two of them away, while Gulnyr fled with Takar’s body. Gulnyr hid in the dark room, while Ash and Devin hid in the corridor.

Ash then used ventriloquism to draw the creature away, and then put a fog cloud in the square room. Gulnyr snuck out into the alcove that we came to the square room from, but the creature soon found him. Gulnyr attacked him, and Ash used Dimension Door to get herself and Devin out to where they were. Devin then cast Destruction, killing the creature.