Vhakizla – Chapter 11

"Summer of 67. Second Age. Vhak.
I must say, though – what we’re seeing now, with these insurrectionist guerillas, is nary something I’ve seen before. If you told me, back in the day, that I’d live to fight humans, living mortals, that sided with the dead? I’d’ve all you a drunk or a fool.
Things were dark and gruesome back then, during the Night Wars, but they were simple. Living versus dead. Evil versus everything else. You knew who your enemy was because they didn’t have a pulse or they drank your blood or the skin was peeling off their face as they tried to stab you. Simple.
Here, though? The dead ain’t invading. This is their new home and the humans underfoot must choose what they figure to be the lesser evil.
Same as we did."
– Beholder's Log, Gnoson 22 67 2A

Outnumbered and exhausted by their defeated enemy, the Menagerie foot retreated from the Basins. With Griffon and Remorhaz unconscious, the remaining mummified clergy stepped in to "heal" them – in reality, animating their flesh. Umber – with Mouse hot on his heels – gave chase to the scrambling Sanguine, pursuing them through a crack in the basin wall.
Beyond the crack, the mercenaries found a subterranean chapel at the heart of a cave complex. Deep within, they hear an eerie chanting and knew, in their hearts, they had to stop the chanting before it finished. As they delved deeper, however, they were beset by challenge after challenge. They defeated a pack of rapid beasts – wolves, bats and rats. They waded through clouds of slaver incense, with both Umber and Mouse falling under its spell. They fought the few remaining Sanguine guards precisely as the chanting ceased.
In the chamber beyond, a circle of masked cultists stood around a pool of blood. As they chanted, an elemental – a humanoid figure, composed solely of blood, rose from the depths. Without another thought, the mercenaries charged into battle.
As battle was joined, Umber was soon swallowed by the elemental but, infected with slaver, drank deeply all the same. Mouse cowered in the corner – not from fear but in a canny effort to distract the Sanguine. In the end, it was Remorhaz's skilled swordplay that vanquished the elemental buut not before Griffon, diving after his thrown sword, disappeared into the bloody pool and did not resurface.
They dove, one after another, to recover his body – but there was no body. Demoralized and exhausted, the mercenaries had no choice but to flee without their companion. Tem's severed head in hand, they returned to the city, victorious against the Sanguine but missing a vital member of the party.

Campaign: The Menagerie
Game Date: Gnoson 22, 67 2A
Starting Point: Izla
Player Characters:

• Griffon
• Mouse
• Remorhaz
• Umber