[ ART CREDIT - Elz ]
- GIANT FOREST SPIDER -
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"Are they agents of Jishrim.. or creatures conquering territories for their own?"
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[ Free to be used in Events ]
H A B I T A T
Under the darkest, gloomiest canopies of the deepwoods, these spiders make their homes in dead trees, or in long abandoned animal burrows. They enjoy the coolest, dampest forests they can find, and are most successful hunters during autumn, when their natural camouflage disguises them amongst the rotting leaves on the forest floor. They mostly live alone, only seeing other spiders of its kind when fighting over food or when breeding, but occasionally a mother will keep her brood close to her for weeks after their hatching. These mothers are more often than not eaten by their young.
P H Y S I O L O G Y
Maxing out at around 40 inches tall, these are the largest of the spiders. Brown, grey and black hairs cover their thickly-built body, with a patch of urticating bristles on their abdomen. The females are a smidgen larger than the males, though the difference is subtle enough to be missed by all but the most expert spider examiner. Its venom glands secrete a paralytic toxin that renders animals under 10lbs immobile. To a humanoid, one bite creates the effect of a potion of slowness. More than six bites in a space of 24 hours can be lethal, and Halflings suffer twice the potency. It possesses many large silk glands which remain in a state of production for nearly a week after its death.
Diet: Small mammals and birds. It doesn't try rustling with anything that might put up much of a fight. A tusked boar, or a talon-ed falcon are both off the menu, for example. Hedgehogs, sparrows, hares and flycatchers are the sort of calibre of prey the forest spider feels up to tackling.
Lifespan: Both males and females can live to the ripe old age of 30.
B E H A V I O U R
It spends most of its time in its hidey-hole, only revealing itself at night to check on its webs or to lie in wait on the forest floor, camouflaged and perfectly still, waiting for the prey to come to it. If harassed by creatures it deems tougher than itself, the forest spider will either climb to safety or if cornered, fight. It doesn't offer much danger to the average weapon-wielding player character. Its usual course of action is to violently stab its opponent with its fangs mid-grapple, trying to pump as much toxin into the bloodstream as possible, and hoping that the opponent either gives up and runs away or succumbs to the venom, at which point the wrapping occurs. If it's in a spot of bother, the spider can fling severely irritant hairs from its back at the aggressor. They burn like an incredibly intense nettle rash, and if inhaled by the fistful they inflame the esophagus to the point of suffocation. They aren't known for attacking humans, just like wolves aren't known for it, but they are no less dangerous, opportunistic hunters.
It spins orb-webs for birds, between the upper branches of trees. They're thin and translucent, almost indiscernible unless catching the sunlight. For mammals it sets ambushes in the undergrowth, pouncing on prey if they pass too close. One bite is all it takes for most, and once it stops struggling, the spider drags it back to its nest and covers it in a shroud of silk. As it weaves silk over the body, it secretes digestive fluids from glands between the abdomen and thorax, and leaves the paralysed animal to dissolve. After a day or two, it sucks the softened tissue out from the web casing. Yum!
A B I L I T I E S
[Web Spew]
[Spider Climbing]
[Web Grapple]
[Bite]
W E A K N E S S E S
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Y I E L D S
[Spider Silk] A single strand of giant spider silk is comparable in size to a smaller spider’s silk, however, it is nearly three times as strong. Due to the nature of its creators, giant spider silk is often harvested in smaller quantities, as webs are often disturbed or destroyed during a fight against the creatures. It is rare to have enough giant spider silk to craft anything more than a sweater, shawl, or small cloak. Gambesons and padded jackets weaved from this material offer identical resistances against attacks as steel chainmail.
[Venom] An ingredient for alchemy. Extracting this venom and brewing it with crimsonwort essence will create a distinct poison.
Original Writeup: Ced
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