Vhakizla – Chapter 8

"Summer of 67. Second Age. Vhak.
Tell me, dear reader. Have you ever been bit by a vampire? Felt those fangs puncture skin and vein and take whatever they find there?
I have.
It ain’t the blood that steal that’s the worst of it. Nah, nah. Too much’ll kill you, sure enough, and that kinda death binds you to them, raise you as one of their own. That weren’t what happened to me, else I wouldn’t be here recounting it for ya, would I? Nah, it were only a nibble this one got into me, one of the skittering spawn. It hurt, certainly, felt like hell afterwards but that weren’t the worst of it.
You gotta ask yourself – if the vampire’s drinking my blood, what’s he putting in its place?"
– Beholder's Log, Gnoson 21, 67 2A

Upon waking, the Commander's Tent discovers a myriad of problems. Both Mouse and Remorhaz, exposed to the stagnant sewer water, have contracted black bloat. In addition, Remorhaz's brucolac bite has become dangerous inflamed, signaling the elf's new addiction to slaver.
Before they head out on their morning investigations, Stirge delivers some good news. The prisoner she interrogated broke and revealed the location of Caliphar II's hiding place. When she requested permission to return to Chimera and marshall the company to march on an abandoned vineyard in southern Vhakizla, the company nearly went with her but ultimately decided to stay in Izla a few more days and sniff out the rest of the Sanguine.
En route to the Basins and the work riots, the mercenaries stopped at the scene of Min's murder. Killed by the Sanguine for informing the Menagerie about their operations, he was found hanging over a canal, a live rat sewn into his mouth. When Umber attempted to apologize to the widow, she would not have it and slapped him. When investigating his body produced no leads, they continued to the Basins.
There, they met Tem – a seemingly reasonable man – who demanded the undead legions stop supervising their every action. While negotiations initially went sour, Umber was able to bribe the workers of Basin 16 to return to work with three day's salary. While they negotiated, however, Mouse discovered something odd – the farmers were growing opium in the Basins, a key ingredient to slaver.
With many leads to follow but uncertain which more likely to bear fruit, the mercenaries debated their next move.

Campaign: The Menagerie
Game Date: Gnoson 21, 67 2A
Starting Point: Izla
Player Characters:

• Griffon
• Mouse
• Remorhaz
• Umber