Hm I didn't even consider the guy with the evil offer in the Mask. Well, too late now, quest wasn't important anyway it seems
About the swords, my monk and Tomi beat those swords and here is how:
First time in I got a butt whoopin, being the fast learner that i am I immediately changed my tactics.
Usually when you enter a room through loading of a new area you will find that your henchman has already engaged the enemy by the time you get to see the room, so I left Tomi to fight the swords and ran straight towards the sarcophagus and looted it.
By this time Tomi had already bought yet another farm (dunno what he's planning on doing with all that real estate) and I just used the recall stone to deliver the artifacts.
Saved the game, got Tomi back and entered the portal. By chance I discovered that next to the coffin is a good place to fight the swords since they can't crowd you there (only so much space next to the coffin). Tomi died about 3-4 times and I recalled to get him back, but eventually the swords died.
BTW those swords are WAY tougher than the intellect devourer (IMHO that is).