After a brief rest in the dank drowning hole room, Theridan recasts water walk and the party advances west over the underground lake. Lefty probes ahead and is first to find three dilapidated boats on a natural beach.
The party carefully examines the surroundings for threats. All is calm. Two trolls calmly pull Bromsby and Theren into the water. A boat mimic calmly reaches an oar out to Lefty and grabs her. Meega, equipping mask and mullet weapon, and Snake Theridan attempt to free Bromsby. The troll drags him away into the murky water forever. Lefty breaks away from the boat mimic. Theren breaks away from the aquatic troll and flees right into the newly available boat mimic who knocks him grappled to the beach. Haerelben tries to taunt the mimic off Theren while channelling Sehanine’s healing authority into him, but Theren is enticingly vulnerable and the mimic bites him enthusiastically.
Meega pounds the troll relentlessly but accidentally flings her mullet, unimpeded by aquatic viscosity, into the murky distance. Snake Theridan gets tied in a knot trying to hold it still. Theren, unable to escape the mimic, is barely a step ahead of death. Lefty, reluctant to approach the mimic, pops magic missiles from her wand. She finds the courage to swoop in and punch the boat mimic into purple goo. Meega switches to Giant Slayer and works on the troll while Snake Theridan straightens himself out. Snake Theridan squeezes the troll dead. The troll regenerates and avenges himself on Snake Theridan. Theren, having broken all his crossbows, takes a run at the troll with a looted flaming longsword. Despite his lack of strength, Theren manages enough fire damage to wipe out the troll permanently.
Meega and Theridan begin a grid search for the tossed mullet. Lefty and Haerelben listen for clues as to Bromsby’s whereabouts, dead or alive. Theren yells helpfully from the beach until boredom grapples him. He begins experimenting with the magic flute. His playing improves from deplorable, but the noise attracts the unfortunate attention of several bugbears and another aquatic troll.
The bugbears, reluctant to pursue the water-walking group into the lake, hurl javelins from the beach. Lefty attacks the aquatic troll. It pursues her. Haerelben banishes the troll just as Snake Theridan locates Meega’s thrown mullet. The party retreats into the lake and retraces back to the drowning hole room for an uninterrupted long rest.
Refreshed for the day, the party prepares to locate Bromsby’s bloated corpse, pre- or post-troll digestion. Bromsby immediately rewards their efforts having spent the night just outside the drowning hole room. Only an oil trap prepared by Theren at the entrance prevented him from rejoining sooner.
The group returns to explore the beach. They find the other side of the locked gate previously discovered from the air cult side. Down an adjacent hallway, Theren pauses to listen at a closed door behind and overhears the bugbears having a discussion in goblin. The party bypasses the bugbear room only to wander past an arrow slit they are closely monitoring. Bugbears pour into the hallway behind the party. Reavers, led by Billy Eyepatch, pour into the hallway ahead of the party. Theridan entangles the reavers. Haerelben confuses the bugbears. More reavers pour into the middle of the party from another door. Snake Theridan and Lefty team on the disadvantaged reavers ahead. Theren and Haerelben work on the bugbears at the other end. Meega works middle out. Billy Eyepatch quaffs a few potions until felled by Haerelben’s sacred flame. Snake Theridan knocks the last reaver unconscious for questioning.