Of all the creatures that dwell within the Great Forests of the Tourian Continent, few are as outwardly harmless but insidious as the Skulljack. Looking like little more than a common flying squirrel, the Skulljack is most easily recognized by the unique black-white-black pattern of fur along the head and back of the small rodent.

The creature lives a colonial lifestyle, with up to several hundred members living in one large expanse of forest, mostly feeding on nuts, berries and small insects. Individually, each one is only about as intelligent as a normal squirrel, if perhaps ever so slightly brighter. But where the true danger of the Skulljack comes through is how they choose to defend their forest environs.

Skulljacks are a form of macro-parasite, having evolved a complex articulated pair of nerve-barbs hidden beneath the fur of their large, fluffy tail that they can unsheath when needed. When an intruder, be it animal or humanoid, enters the haunts of the small rodents they soon find themselves the target of stealthy pursuit. The creatures wait until a victim least expects an attack, sometimes going hours or even days if the target of their interest doesn't depart.

When the victim is distracted, they sail down onto their prey's scalp, covering the back of the average human-sized creature's head with their small, furry body before piercing the base of the skull, where the spinal column meets with their long, sharp barbs. Immediate results are a full loss of speech, motor function and, most alarmingly, free will. Skulljacks supersede the central nervous system of their prey and turn them into what are effectively puppets, or flesh-vehicles.

The now-Jacked victim becomes a tool for the Skulljack clan, used to fell trees, build fortifications, hunt for food and, in some cases, lure in more victims. Once a Skulljack has linked with a victim the rodent gains their level of general intelligence, and through a low-level telepathic field can in fact amplify the intellect of all surrounding Skulljacks of the same colony. This means that there are circumstances where entire clans of the small rodents are suddenly considerably more intelligent, and thus more dangerous.

Though they have an insidious means of defending their territory, they do not wish ill-will or harm on their victims. They will normally release a host after a few days of service, being sure to let them sleep, eat and clean themselves as necessary beforehand. Only in rare instances do Skulljacks take permanent hosts, sometimes involving Undead. When a Skulljack connects with an Undead creature, they cannot break the link without both the squirrel and the host body dying. This phenomena most likely has to do with how Undead brain chemistry and nervous systems differ from those of living creatures.

The most dangerous thing that a Skulljack can inhabit is a magic-user, as there have been instances of clans of Skulljacks suddenly going mad with forbidden knowledge and power, vanishing into the mountains and never being seen again. Rumors persist of colonies of slave-thralls controlled by their secret masters, hidden beneath helmets and hoods...But these rumors are most likely simple myth.

None the less, every adventurer in the forests of Teriss should watch the trees and be prepared with a neck and skull cover of some sort. Leather hoods with chainmail lining, full plate helmets or even simple leather caps are most likely to deter Skulljacks. Likewise, one could simply leave signs of good faith. Skulljacks adore shiny objects, collecting jewelry, coins, bits of colored glass, particularly nice seashells...Anything that shines, they'll take to a hidden stash at the center of their domain. Likewise, the easiest way to make Skulljacks friendly to you is to employ the age old Troll trick of leaving them a loaf of Fruit Bread, a common treat among Goblin, Troll and Dwarf communities. The rodents adore the sweetened, sticky bread and the rum-soaked fruits and berries baked into it, so as a gift and sign of good faith it's usually enough to guarantee safe passage.

Skulljacks live almost exclusively in temperate forests around the Tourian continent, with very rare sightings in colder mountain climes and only a single colony having ever been seen in the far southern rain forest.

Art by  Lustbubbles