Mind Flayer!

After the marathon battle with Ctenmiir and his companions, the party sealed up the room and after licking their wounds, bedded down for some well earned rest.

With that out of the way, they headed back to the main entrance and once again encountered the sphinx. This time, the answer to the riddle was the moon and with that, the sphinx allowed them to proceed north.

A short hallway exited into a room with a creature of dreadful renown...a Mind Flayer. After firing his crossbow, Rudy attempted to approach the creature, but the muck in the water obscured his vision and he disappeared into a large pit in the center of the room. Much to his surprise, he was attacked by 3 chuul thralls. Ekeraath, always ready to back Rudy up, lept into the water and quickly drew the ire, and attacks, of the creatures.

Several more ranged attacks had the mind flayer on the defensive, but so was Ekeraath. Surrounded by three large creatures, he took several extremely tough blows and a mass of blood and air bubbled to the surface, marking the spot where he had been knocked unconscious.

Eventually the party realized the Chuul Thralls were controlled by the Mind Flayer and with Rudy and Alexander engaging it in melee, it quickly fell to their blades. With that, the Chuul Thralls stopped their attack and retreated out of site.

Ekeraath was rescued, and resuscitated. Opening an eastern door, the party found 3400GP, 4 potions of water breathing, and 2 potions of healing.

Little did Ekeraath, Alexander and Rudy know, they had contracted blinding sickness when exposed to the water. It would not be evident till their next rest, but Ekeraath would awaken having been unable to fight it off.