The story begins with the discovery of a monstrous creature encased in an amber monolith buried in Big Sur national park, that is recovered by "Earth Corps," a government-funded geological sciences research team. The finding spurs Blackthorne Shore, a corrupt industrialist, to clandestinely uncover and release a second monster buried elsewhere—a giant vine-like creature called "Tendril," who attacks the amber block's public unveiling in San Francisco to release the macabre colossus trapped within, "D'Compose." They rampage through city streets before fleeing into the watery darkness of the bay.