Thunderspire Session 2 part 3

This is the conclusion of session 2 of my players adventure in Thunderspire. Today my players begin session 4. What happened to session 3? I haven't written it yet, but you should get it in the next week or so. I probably won't break it down like I did this one, but we'll see.

This session was played on 7/23.

Cory ran:
Dietrich the Human Knight (formerly the Dragonborn Paladin)
Ander the Halfling Rogue

Alex ran:
Barakas the Tiefling Warlord
Chan Lee the Human Monk

Just off the guard room was an antichamber that had 2 doorways. The main one was a giant bronze double door emblazoned with the image of a great minotaur’s head. The other door was also large, but its reinforced wood construction didn’t draw the eye like the bronze doors did. Once again the party opted to go for the less flashy door...

Bursting in they found the slaves being kept in pits, and taunted by some flying devils, and a few duergar.

In short order the duergar caster and his two guards were neutralized. The devils lived up to their name, bedeviling the adventurers, using their ability to fly to keep them out of range of most of the party’s potent attacks.

When all but one devil was taken care of, the party started to get the slaves freed and out the door. When they looked back, the devil was gone! The party armed the slaves as best they could, told them where the other slaves were waiting, and sent them on their way. They then turned to the great bronze doors. With a mighty pull on the minotaur’s horns, the doors swung open.

Murkelmor, leader of the Duerger stood between to bronze minotaur statues, hammer at the ready. The devil from the slave pens hovered above him. The room was heated by 2 great roaring fireplaces, and an incense burning brazier. Aside from that, there was no sign of other combatants. The adventurers charged in, Dietrich in the lead, slamming Murkelmor hard. Murkelmor and the devil hit the knight back equally hard.

Chan followed in right behind Dietrich, spinning round, and striking Murkelmor with  fearsome blow. Ander bounded in next, slashing the devil.

When Barakas stood between the fireplaces the flames within reached into the room, and from them emerged Murkelmor’s hidden guards!

The fight was fast and furious, with hit upon hit being traded back and forth. Murkelmor knocked the adventurers back, tossed Dietrich into the fire, and nearly kills Ander. Ander fought back keeping Murkelmor flanked with either Dietrich or Chan. It was this strategy that finally brought the Lord of the Horned Hold low. Yet with his death his guards fought with renewed vigor, or was it fear of the adventurers?

The guards fought with all their powers, holding back nothing, even growing to the size of an ogre! Yet it availed them naught. With Murkelmor dead, the adventurers were able to concentrate on the ogre-sized duergar, and they fell.

The adventurers sagged with exhaustion. Ander the rogue was out of healing surges, and Chan the monk and Dietrich the knight were down to a few each. Daily & Encounter powers were gone, as were their action points, and d30 rolls. After catching their breath they gathered the freed slaves, and set out for the Seven Pillared Hall.