Skull & Shackles #15: Into the Interior

At the end of the last session, we left our heroes standing triumphant over the slashed and torn bodies of three ghouls.

After looting the ghouls’ camp the party pushed on down the path. Shortly, the sound of waves caressing the beach became louder and the party came across a stand of coconut trees. Strangely, many coconuts were scattered about the base of the trees.

Wily Vilimzair suspected a trap of sorts and suggested his followers simply go around the area, but hotter heads prevailed. Ilasual pushed forward to investigate the trees. Sadly, climbing the nearest tree the intrepid rogue discovered a huge crab lurking among the branches!

As the party rushed to assist, they discovered giant crabs hiding in the other two trees. A spirited battle ensued and while the party was triumphant, they exhausted precious healing resources dealing with the battle’s aftermath for precious little gain.

No matter, with the crabs defeated the party came to a crossroads. One fork led to an overgrown field of some sort while the other led up to a rough stockade thrown up around a huge tree. A building was clearly more interesting than an overgrown field and so the heroes sallied forth up the winding path toward the stockade.

When they got closer Grindin sent forth his monkey pet to explore the tree. Moments later Grindin got an empathic feeling of pain and terror and the party leapt into action! The monkey was nowhere to be seen, but clearly was in danger. As the party flooded into the stockade and began to (try to) climb the tree it became apparent that some kind of strange tree creatures dwelt in its branches.

Identified as being akin to chokers—but of a different ilk to their subterranean brethren—the creatures enjoyed excellent camouflage amid the foliage and their superior reach and constricting abilities proved hard to defeat.

As Grindin levitated upwards to save his beloved money he was also constricted by the creature—which had already dropped the unconscious and possible dead monkey. Meanwhile closer to the ground Alagos and Felik battled another two attackers.

Kanbrar ran round the tree and entered a small building in the hopes of finding something to help. Unfortunately, instead, he awoke and released a ghoul which had hung itself long ago. As Kanbrar ran from the building screaming for help, Vilimzair unleashed a colour spray on the two creatures fighting the party’s fighters. Unfortunately, Ilasual leapt into the path of the flashing cone of colours and—along with one the creatures—was stunned into virtual unconsciousness by Vilimzair’s powerful magic…