Tomb of Annihilation Session 13 – If Looks Could Kill

Here’s the write up from our latest Tomb of Annihilation session, which featured the mini-adventure If Looks Could Kill from Jungle Treks by Teos Abadia and Eric Menge, and a visit to Camp Vengeance. I got to try out a playtest monster for Tales of the Valiant (the carnivorous lotus), and used the excellent The Lazy DM’s Forge of Foes to quickly create a catoblepas calf stat block to replace the reskinned carrion crawlers in the original adventure.

Begin here with Session 0 – Caves of the Cockatrice

---

15^th Marpenoth, 1495 DR

The party are reunited with Giddy “Nanna” Gnomes at the expedition campsite of Onyekava the herbalist. The gnome has been missing for three weeks after going off alone to explore a ruined temple and falling into a pit trap. Onyekava’s group saved her from a rampaging allosaurus, and she owes them a favour.

Nanna introduces the characters to the members of Onyekava’s expedition – Onyekava, Melisembé (priest of Sune), Zukesa(head of security), Awa-Eti (chief guide), and Itri (quartermaster). Itri has told Nanna about a “ghost village” high on a plateau overlooking the Aldani Basin to the south – this appears to be where “Mbala” is marked on their map.

Onyekava asks the characters to cull the catoblepases that are polluting the nearby swamp and destroying the herbs she wants to collect. She offers them 100 gp and a pair of magic boots. Tharhul tries to negotiate a higher price, but Nanna has already agreed to the deal on their behalf.

That night Melisembé secretly asks the characters to let the catoblepases destroy the hemlock plants growing in the swamp before they kill the creatures. He doesn’t think Onyekava should be gathering poisonous plants for Merchant Prince Jessamine.

---

16th Marpenoth

Just before the characters head into the swamp with Awa-Eti as their guide, Zukesa makes them an offer. She will pay them 50 gp for a live catoblepas calf. Certes asks for a suit of studded leather instead and a deal is done.

Shortly after entering the swamp, the party are attacked by a carnivorous lotus plant that grabs Rhamash, Awa-Eti, Tharhul and Tyke with its twisting tendrils. Tyke is killed but is brought back to life by Tharhul after a short rest. 

Continuing, the characters reach an area that has been polluted by the catoblepas herd. Four of the creatures – one adult and three calves –plod through the swamp up ahead, destroying the plant life with their toxic flatulence. 

Following Awa-Eti’s advice, the characters attack from range with Eysleigh’s call lightning, Certes’s fireball, and daggers and arrows from Rhamash and Nanna. Tharhul casts spike growth, inflicting deadly wounds on the dim-witted creatures as they charge towards the party. The adult catoblepas and one of the calves both die from their injuries, but two catoblepases get close enough to use their death rays. Certes casts sleep to take one alive, and the characters finish off the other one. Tharhul blindfolds and ties up the calf’s tail, while Eysleigh gathers a few hemlock plants.

Back at the expedition camp, Awa-Eti gets the calf ready to be shipped downriver to Port Nyanzaru while the characters collect their rewards from Onyekava and Zukesa. 

---

17^th Marpenoth

The characters set off for Camp Vengeance. Their travelling companion Frambert Drumwillow remains behind with Onyekava’s expedition. 

The Order of the Gauntlet’s stockade is surrounded by corpses of the undead, and it’s soon clear that the occupants are in a bad way. Disease is rife throughout the camp, and Commander Niles Breakbone is desperate. He insists that the characters help by transporting seven of his men downriver to Port Nyanzaru and delivering a message to Alastar Bol requesting urgent reinforcements and supplies. Eysleigh and Tharhul do what they can to help Sister Cyas in the hospital tent. 

That evening, Rhamash sounds the alarm as a flock of undead pteranodons attack the camp. The characters defend the fortress from atop the towers, and help the soldiers destroy the flying zombies. 

---

18^th Marpenoth

The characters agree to return to Port Nyanzaru with the ill soldiers. They board three of the boats and set off downriver.

---

19^th Marpenoth

Eysleigh loses control of his boat and steers too close to the riverbank where a giant snapping turtle is sunning itself. The turtle attacks angrily and is slain by the characters. They swap rowing duties around so that the druid is navigating rather than rowing from now on.

That evening, Nanna and Tharhul investigate a vine-covered statue that stands guard over an ancient tomb. When Nanna gets close, the statue animates and wallops Tharhul very hard. Realising the construct cannot be harmed by nonmagical weapons, they beat a hasty retreat.

---

If you’d like to keep up to date with my Tomb of Annihilation campaign and other posts, please do join my mailing list – there’s a sign up form on the home page and subscribers receive a free Parsantium supplement.