Arachnophilia

The Quintessential Drow

Author	Sam Witt
Publisher	Mongoose Publishing
Publish date	2003
OGL Section 15	qdrow

Note: This material may be considered Mature in nature.
The material below is designated as Open Game Content

The chief goddess of the drow is the Fatespinner, the dark bitch of the web, a spider-fiend with a thirst for deeply convoluted plots and the blood of her enemies. While the drow are useful tools to this deity, she provides them with the fruits of her own egg sac, as well, creatures birthed specifically to help the drow in their endeavours and protect them from those who oppose their will. These arachnid-like creatures are the servants and allies of the drow and so well do they work together it is often difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins.

Workers of the Weave

The most common type of creature used by the drow are the worker spiders, creatures developed specifically for their great strength, constitution, and ability to follow orders without constant supervision. These workers of the weave come in three basic types, each used for a general purpose in drow society and rarely seen outside of that role. Most noble houses will have several of each type of spider available for use and cities have hundreds of each of the worker spiders constantly at work to keep the city running and its architecture sturdy. With the shifting earth and constant dampness eroding even the best-laid plans of drow engineers, these creatures are vital to thecontinued survival of the drow.

Drone Weaver

Large Vermin
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
AC: 14 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural)
Attacks: Bite +4 melee
Damage: Bite 1d10+3 and poison
Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison
Special Qualities: Vermin
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 17, Con 12, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +14, Hide +6, Jump +2, Spot +7
Climate/Terrain: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: 6-9 HD (Large), 10-12 HD (Huge)

Born sterile, these creatures are the results of failures in other breeding programs. Though they are not as strong as the drudges who perform most of the hauling and lifting for the drow, the drone weavers are quite useful in their own way. The stress of being unable to breed drives these creatures to distraction, which results in a greater amount of web being produced by them than any other spiders. When fed the proper diet, the drone weavers create the incredibly strong and flexible construction webbing used by the drow in their architecture. Though construction webbing is not sticky, the drone weavers are capable of secreting a powerful glue to hold it in place.

A single drone weaver is able to create a 10 ft. cube of webbing material per day per 2 hit die. Thus, a four hit die drone weaver is able to create two 10 ft. cubes of construction webbing each day, provided it receives the proper diet. It normally costs 5 gp per day per 2 hit die to supply the drone weaver with the food it needs to generate its webs.

Combat

Drone weavers are trained to fear combat and will flee any attacker unless cornered or goaded into attacking at the behest of a blessed master (see The Prestige Drow). Unlike most other spiders, and despite their ability to produce prodigious quantities of webbing material each day, the drone weavers are incapable of creating a traditional spider web of their own and lack any web attack. If forced into combat, the drone weaver simply bites and injects its poison into any creature who gets near.

Poison (Ex): The drone weaver spider possesses a poison that has a Fortitude save DC of 16 and causes 1d6 Strength damage for initial and secondary damage.

Vermin: As vermin, the drone weaver is immune to all mind-influencing effects.

Drudge Crawler

Huge Vermin
Hit Dice: 10d8+10 (55 hp)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
AC: 16 (-2 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural)
Attacks: Bite +8 melee, 2 claws +3 melee
Damage: Bite 2d6+6 and poison, 2 claws 1d8+6
Face/Reach: 15 ft. by 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison, Rage
Special Qualities: Vermin
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 17, Con 12, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +16, Hide +2, Jump +4, Spot +7
Climate/Terrain: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: 11-23 HD (Huge)

The drudge crawler is one of only two types of drow arachnid unable to spin a web. The drudge crawler is gifted instead with a pair of oversized claws it can use to lift and carry materials from one location to another. Completely passive in most cases, the drudge crawler becomes a frenzied whirlwind of destruction if it is threatened or when exposed to mating pheromones. Drow arachnophiles often douse themselves with such pheromones before battle, keeping their drudge crawlers in a heightened state of aggressive arousal throughout the conflict.

A single drudge crawler can lift much more than its meagre strength would seem to indicate, due to the support provided by its legs and the design of its carapace. In addition to the normal lifting capacity provided by the drudge crawler’s Strength, it can lift an additional 200 pounds per Hit Die. This great strength allows the drudge to do all the manual labour involved in construction for the drow and makes them the most prized of the worker spiders.

Combat

Drudge crawlers enjoy combat and will attack any strange creature (other than a drow) entering their territory. Drudge crawlers will work together under the watchful of a spider handler, only, but are otherwise prone to attack one another. In combat, the drudge crawler focuses on a single creature at a time, doing its best to kill one opponent before moving onto the next.

Poison (Ex): The drudge crawler spider possesses a poison that has a Fortitude save DC of 16 and causes 1d6 Strength damage for initial and secondary damage.

Rage (Ex): A drudge crawler who takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage the following round, clawing and biting madly until either it or all opponents are dead. It gains +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, and +2 AC for the duration of this rage. The drudge crawler cannot end its rage voluntarily.

Vermin: As vermin, the drudge crawler is immune to all mind-influencing effects.

Grindgut Spitter

Large Vermin
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft. (40 ft., climb 20 ft.)
AC: 14 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural)
Attacks: Bite +4 melee
Damage: Bite 1d8+3 and poison
Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison, Toxic Spit, Web
Special Qualities: Vermin
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 17, Con 12, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +14*, Hide +6, Jump +2, Spot +7
Climate/Terrain: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: 6-9 HD (Large)

The most specialized of the three types of worker spider, the grindgut has a large gizzard it fills with jagged rocks and other bits of hard debris. The gizzard is used, not in the digestion of food as in many types of bird or reptile, but rather in the condensation of blood, tissue, and organic waste into a paste useful to the drudge crawler and drone weaver. This paste is a necessary component of the diet of both creatures, and a single grindgut spitter can provide enough of the paste each day to supply one of either type of creature per Hit Die. Thus, a 6 Hit Die spitter can provide enough paste for up to 6 of drone weavers or drudge crawlers.

Combat

Like drudge crawlers, grindgut spitters are highly aggressive and attack strangers (other than drow) who are stupid enough to enter their lairs. Spitters lead with a squirt of webbing, followed by a blast of toxic spit before closing in to finish off their prey with their venomous bites.

Poison (Ex): The grindgut spitter spider possesses a poison that has a Fortitude save DC of 16 and causes 1d6 Strength damage for initial and secondary damage.

Toxic Spit (Ex): As a follow-up to an attack with a web, the grindgut spitter can spit a 10-foot cone of toxic spittle at its targets once per round. Those within the cone must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 15) or suffer 1d8 points of damage.

Vermin: As vermin, the grindgut spitter is immune to all mind-influencing effects.

Web (Ex): Both types of monstrous spiders often wait in their webs or in trees, then lower themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. Web-spinning spiders can cast a web eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size smaller than the spider. The web anchors the target in place, allowing no movement. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check or burst it with a Strength check. Both are standard actions whose DCs are listed in SRD. Web-spinning spiders often create sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to 60 feet square, depending on the size of the spider. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed at a Spot check (DC 20) to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has the hit points listed on the table, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/fire. A monstrous spider can move across its own sheet web at its climb speed and can determine the exact location of any creature touching the web.

Skills: *Grindgut spitters gain a +8 competence bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks when using their webs.

Guardians of the Web

While the drow are quite capable of protecting their cities from attack, doing so is a distasteful task they prefer to leave to those not as precious in the grand scheme of things. Chief amongst their guardians are the following three spiders, bred for their viciousnesss, ability to be guided in battle, and raw deadliness.
While perhaps not as dangerous as a platoon of drow warriors, a clutch of these deadly arachnids can be more than enough to deter intruders.

Acidweaver

Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 5d10+15 (40 hp)
Initiative: +1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft. (40 ft., climb 20 ft.)
AC: 14 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural)
Attacks: Bite +8 melee
Damage: Bite 1d8+4 and poison
Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison, Web of Acid
Special Qualities: —
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 5, Wis 10, Cha 5
Skills: Climb +6*, Hide +5, Move Silently +2*, Jump
+7, Spot +5
Feats: Dodge
Climate/Terrain: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: 6-9 HD (Large)

The acidweaver is the trap architect of the drow city. It lairs in the tunnels leading to and from the city and cloaks vital areas of the tunnel in thick layers of webbing . While the drow travel through secret tunnels devoid of such defences, those who stumble into the tunnels of the acidweaver are in for a rude shock as the sticky strands become flesh-devouring acid that quickly reduces even the strongest of foes into quivering puddles of liquefied tissue and soggy bone. Acidweavers look much like other giant spiders, though their bodies tend to be longer and thinner than their cousins. The only real hint of their more dangerous nature is the stench of ammonia that clings to them and can be detected within 20 feet.

Combat

The acidweaver is not a direct fighter. It prefers to use its webs to capture targets, then releases the acid held in the webs to destroy those it finds particularly dangerous. If the web and acid are not enough to finish a creature off, the acidweaver will normally retreat and search for allies to help it bring the intruders down, resorting to biting only as a last resort.

Poison (Ex): The acidweaver spider possesses a poison that has a Fortitude save DC of 16 and causes 1d6 Strength damage for initial and secondary damage.

Web of Acid (Ex): Acidweavers often wait in their webs, then lower themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. The acidweaver can cast a web eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size smaller that the spider. The web anchors the target in place, allowing no movement. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check or burst it with a Strength check.

Both are standard actions whose DCs are listed in SRD. The acidweaver often create sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to 60 feet square, depending on the size of the spider. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground.

In addition to the abilities of the web, listed above, the acidweaver can trigger the release of a powerful acid from the web itself. Any creature caught in the web must make a Fortitude save (DC 16) or suffer 2d4 hit points of damage as the acid soaks into their flesh and begins breaking their tissues down. This damage persists for 2d4 rounds, or until the creature removes itself from the web. The damage continues for one round after the creature removes itself from the web, as the acid continues to burn the skin. This damage can be avoided by immediately dousing the creature in one gallon (plus one gallon per size category above medium) of mild alcohol (most wines or other alcoholic drinks qualify).

Skills: *Acidweavers gain a +8 competence bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks when using their webs.

Vampire Spider

Huge Undead
Hit Dice: 8d12 (48 hp)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
AC: 21 (-2 size, +3 Dex, +11 natural)
Attacks: Bite +15/+10, Slam +10
Damage: Bite 2d6+11 and poison, Slam 2d6+11
Face/Reach: 15 ft. by 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison, Smite Good, Web
Special Qualities: Blood Drain, Cold and Fire
Resistance (15), Damage Reduction 15/+2,
Domination, Energy Drain, Fast Healing, SR 16, Turn
Resistance, Vampiric Weaknesses
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 32, Dex 14, Con —, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 14
Skills: Climb +13*, Hide +7, Jump +10, Move Silently +7*, Spot +11
Climate/Terrain: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 11
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: By character level

The vampire spider is one of the most vile creations of the drow - the imprisonment of a fiendish spirit and an undead vampiric essence within the form of a giant spider. These creatures appear as giant spiders, with rotted carapaces and hideously elongated fangs. Though they appear to move clumsily, it is a ruse – the vampire spider is every bit as dextrous and agile as any spider of its size. The only hint of its otherworldly origins is the faint purplish glow emanating from each of its eight eyes (this glow can be seen with a successful Spot check (DC 15)).

While vampire spiders are a combination of fiendish and vampiric essences in the form of a giant spider, they do not receive all of the advantages of their vampiric form. The drow are jealous of their power and do not want their vampire spiders running around creating armies of their own, so vampire spiders do not have ability to create spawn or command wild creatures. Each vampire spider is also attuned to one master at the time of its creation and must serve that master faithfully regardless of the orders it is given or the danger those orders present to its continued well-being. See the Drow Spells chapter for more information about the creation spell for vampire spiders, Spawn Sanguine.

Along amongst the spidery servants of the drow, the vampire spider is able and willing to pursue its own improvement through advanced training. Vampire spiders favour the fighter class, but are also known to undertake some training as rogues and rangers, as well.

Combat

The vampire spider is a strong and canny combatant who prefers to strike from surprise in order to weaken its foes and deplete their numbers before it makes a frontal assault. Working in teams, these hideous creatures can wreak terrible havoc against would-be invaders into drow territory. Given their ability to heal themselves from the blood of their foes, the vampire spider makes a formidable opponent who is very difficult to destroy.

Domination (Su): A vampire can crush an opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except that the vampire must take a standard action, and those merely looking at it are not affected. Anyone the vampire targets must succeed at a Will save or fall instantly under the vampire’s influence as though by a dominate person spell cast by a 12th-level sorcerer. The ability has a range of 30 feet.

Blood Drain (Ex): A vampire can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, inflicting 1d4 points of permanent Constitution drain each round the pin is maintained. If a vampire spider can make contact with its web within 20 feet of a creature entangled in it, the fiend may inflict this special attack on them without need for a grapple check of its own.

Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a vampire’s slam attack suffer 2 negative levels. Fast Healing (Ex): A vampire heals 5 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points or lower, a vampire attempts to escape. It must reach its web within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Once at rest in its web, it rises to 1 hit point after 1 hour, then resumes healing at the rate of 5 hit points per round.

Poison (Ex): The vampire spider possesses a poison that has a Fortitude save DC of 16 and causes 1d6 Strength damage for initial and secondary damage.

Smite Good (Su): Once per day, the vampire spider can make a normal attack to deal 8 hit points of additional damage against a good foe.

Vampiric Weaknesses (Su): All vampire spiders share the same weaknesses as other vampires, including an inability to cross running water or enter a home without being invited. Vampire spiders cannot be staked, however.

Web (Ex): Vampire spiders often wait in their webs, then lower themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. The vampire spider can cast a web eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size smaller than the spider. The web anchors the target in place, allowing no movement. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check or burst it with a Strength check. Both are standard actions with a DC of 20 + 5 for every target size category smaller than Medium (i.e. a Halfling caught in the web would have to make a check against a DC 25). The vampire spider often creates sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to 60 feet square, depending on the size of the spider. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground.

The vampire spider’s web is also much more than just its home, it is also an extension of its abilities. The vampire spider can use its blood drain ability against any creature entangled in any of its webs within 30 feet of its current location.

Foulstalker Spider

Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 5d10+15 (40 hp)
Initiative: +1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft. (40 ft., climb 20 ft.)
AC: 14 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural)
Attacks: Bite +8 melee, Claw +3 melee
Damage: Bite 1d8+4 and poison, Claw 1d10+4
Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Leaping Impale, Web
Special Qualities: Camouflage
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 5, Wis 10, Cha 5
Skills: Climb +6*, Hide +5, Move Silently +2*, Jump +7, Spot +5
Feats: Dodge
Climate/Terrain: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: 6-9 HD (Large)

The foulstalkers are creatures of vile temper and ravenous hunger, spiders instilled with a hatred of all creatures other than the drow, to which they are fanatically loyal. Just as important as their loyalty to the drow, the cephalothoraxes of the foulstalker spiders contains a fluid that is magically tied to a darkstone, creating a mystical tether that prevents the creature from moving too far from the darkstone. This allows the drow to simply dump them into the tunnels surrounding their cities and leave them to their own devices. The foulstalker is quite capable of feeding and caring for itself in the wild and breeds rapidly, quickly creating a legion of unpleasant watchdogs which gleefully attack any non-drow they locate.

Unlike most spiders, foulstalkers are not territorial and willingly share domains with one another, often forming packs of six to ten in order to protect one another or deal with particularly difficult threats. These silent, hidden threats are often the last thing drow hunters see, as they leap from hiding to impale
their targets with their deadly forelegs.

Combat

The foulstalker uses its natural camouflage abilities to remain hidden as it scurries from place to place and communicates with its allies through a complex and subtle language of pheromones. This coordination allows spiders to track one another’s locations up to 120 feet and to communicate reasonably sophisticated battle plans (on par with the pack hunting techniques used by wolves or lions).

Once in position, the spiders leap at their enemies, striking first with their elongated forelegs in an attempt to cripple or kill the target outright. On subsequent rounds, lone spiders will use their webs to take down creatures who pose the greatest immediate threat (armoured fighters are their targets of choice) and then turn on spellcasters or others who are less able to defend themselves in close combat. Packs use the same tactics, though half launch themselves onto spellcasters while the other half use their webs to tie up the melee fighters and prevent them from aiding their companions.

Camouflage (Ex): When not moving, the foulstalker gains a +10 to its Hide skill checks to remain hidden due to its natural coloration and body shape. This camouflage is only effective while the spider is on stone walls or in very rocky areas.

Leaping Impale (Ex): The foulstalker is equipped with a vicious set of forelegs tipped with jaggedly barbed chitin. They use their legs much like a spear, rising up on their back legs and lunging forward to drive the tips home. When leaping, this attack is even more effective and is capable of killing or incapacitating a target. The foulstalker must have 3 rounds to study the target before launching its impale and must be within 20 feet of the target at the time it leaps. This is resolved as a charge attack which, if it successfully hits the target, causes an additional 4d6 hit points of damage.

Poison (Ex): The foulstalker spider possesses a poison that has a Fortitude save DC of 16 and causes 1d6 Strength damage for initial and secondary damage.

Web (Ex): Foulstalkers often wait in their webs, then lower themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. The foulstalker can cast a web eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size smaller than the spider. The web anchors the target in place, allowing no movement. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check or burst it with a Strength check. Both are standard actions whose DCs are listed in SRD. The foulstalker often create sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to 60 feet square, depending on the size of the spider. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground.

Intimate Companions

While the six spiders detailed above are all critical to the survival of the drow, in one way or another, there is another group of spiders highly prized by the drow. These spiders are constant companions, created to travel with the drow at all times and provide them with abilities they do not normally possess. More importantly, these spiders bond with the drow in an intimate fashion, some going so far as to become a part of their masters’ bodies. These intimate companions are a gift of the Fatespinner and are bred and raised by the drow priestesses as part of their holy duties. While some are commonly available, many are restricted to the nobility or members of the clergy and represent one of the highest honours the goddess can bestow upon the faithful.

It is important to note that, while these are living creatures, they are not typical monsters. They have no life outside of their attachment to a drow host and can be easily destroyed when not so attached. They are treasures and tools, but they are not monsters to be battled like the creatures above. Anyone who wants to can kill any of the creatures below as a full-round action, provided it is not currently attached to a drow.

The Bond

Other than the ovarisite, each of the creatures indicated below must be bonded to a drow to provide any benefit at all. The ovarisite is treated as if it were bonded to its host creature at level 5, however, for purposes of determining damage or destruction of the creature. Bonding a creature costs 1,000 experience points per level of the bond. A creature may only increase the bond between himself and one of these creatures once per level, though the bond may be increased at any time during a level, provided the character has been in contact with the creature for at least 56 hours during the month in which the bond is increased.

Effects of the Bond

The greater the power of the bond, the more resilient the creature is and the greater the benefit it provides to the bonded drow. All creatures and their wearers start with a bond strength of 0, which may be increased as noted above. A bond is never necessary, though the relatively feeble benefits of the creatures who are not bonded decreases their utility.

Each of the creatures described below is followed by a short table indicating the benefits provided by the bond at each of the six available ranks. The table columns are:

Bond Rank: This is the rank of the bond in question.
Benefit: This lists the benefits of the creature at a given bond rank.
Penalty: This lists the penalties of the creature at a given bond rank.
Special: Some bonds have special needs or requirements that must be dealt with either before or after the rank is attained, while some provide special benefits if certain conditions are fulfilled. These conditions and their benefits are indicated in this column of the table.

Ovarisite

Like other elves, the drow have some difficulty in creating offspring. Their long lives and generally frail physique inhibit their rate of fertilization, while their harsh living conditions and vicious infighting prevent many pregnancies from reaching full-term. Because the fatespinner views the drow as her tools, she was not well-pleased with their inability to expand their numbers at a reasonable rate and took steps to improve the situation.

The ovarisite is her answer, a spider-like creature designed to transport a growing fetus from the womb of a drow to a host body. This allows the drow to attempt more fertilizations by removing the imperative from the females to carry the child to term and also places the drow young beyond the scheming hands of their relatives. While it is certainly possible for a drow to sneak in and destroy an ovarisite clutched to its host body, the presence of the priests of the Filtheater make this a much more difficult task than assaulting a lone pregnant woman in the dark walkways of a drow city. The ovarisite is a simple creature, consisting primarily of an elongated cephalothorax attached to an expandable sac. The cephalothorax is tipped by a pair of spatulate pedipals which are used to slide the developing infant from the womb, through the birth canal, and into the ovarisite’s abdomeninal sac. This sac then becomes the infant’s new home during its gestation, which normally takes 20 months to complete.

While gestating an infant, the ovarisite requires a host. Most drow use male hosts, though the race is unimportant. The ovarisite attaches itself to the back of the host with its modified back legs. These legs are tipped with spines for securing the ovarisite to the host and for withdrawing vital nutrients to nourish the growing drow infant. The ovarisites often bind their hosts in webbing to keep them from putting up too much of a struggle, but there are those who prefer a host that is able to move about. These ovarisites are sometimes seen steering their host through the streets of drow cities on some errand or another, their bulging sacs rising from between the host’s shoulder blades like some grotesque tumor. When it comes time to deliver a child, the ovarisite detaches itself from the host and retreats to the breeding pits. Here, the child is delivered by priests of the Filtheater, who extract the child in a soggy cocoon from the ovarisite’s sac and clean it for presentation to its family.

Hosts are able to carry out their normal activities while an ovarisite is in place, though wearing clothing or armor over the back is impossible and the ovarisite will not allow its host to undertake dangerous activities or put itself into hazardous situations at any time. Because the ovarisite is intelligent (assume it has an intelligence of 12 to 15 in most cases) it knows enough to exercise and care for its host, but allows it very little personal freedom. During the last two months of gestation, the ovarisite will direct its host to the breeding pits, where it is wrapped in webbing and supplied food through a feeder spider (see below) until the child is delivered.

Ovarisites have a strong degree of control over their hosts and can inflict pain in order to reinforce this control. When the ovarisite gives a telepathic order to its host (the creatures only communicate through very limited range telepathy ‘audible’ up to 30 feet) the host must make a Will save (DC 15) to avoid obeying the order. The ovarisite can inflict 1d8 points of damage on the host at any time, which forces another Will save to resist the current order (DC 25). The drow normally choose passive or weak-willed hosts, especially preferring the mongrel races such as orcs, humans, and ogres.

Cost: The ovarisites are not for sale – they work for the drow because they are commanded to do so by the fatespinner. The church of the fatespinner assigns ovarisites to the drow noble houses as they are needed and may, if petitioned and there is no other pressing need, allow a commoner family the use of an ovarisite. Upkeep: The ovarisites require no real upkeep beyond a host, but do require a ‘sacrifice’ of several drow infants each year. The ovarisites work with the priestesses to select the infants so sacrificed and immediately upon the birth of these infants the ovarisites depart with the children. While most drow believe the infants are hauled off to be offered to the fatespinner, a few know the truth – that the children are being re-integrated into drow civilization for some unknown reason.

Heartshield Spider

The drow have developed a breed of spiders that is not only very colourful and pleasing to the eye, but which is very useful as a form of living armour, as well. The heartshield spider clings to the torso of its host, wrapping its armoured legs over the and under the shoulders and around the waist and locks them together behind the host using its specialized claws. This holds the heartshield spider in place and prevents it from being dislodged in much the same way the straps on armour hold it in place. Depending on the strength of the host’s magical abilities and the age of the spider, it can provide very potent defences against mundane and magical attack.

The heartshield spider provides the armor bonuses indicated in the table below, but it also provides a certain amount of damage mitigation and spell resistance, based on how tightly the wearer and spider are attuned. This creature is always considered medium armour while worn, but requires only a single
round to remove or don.

Cost: 3,000 gp
Upkeep: The heartshield spider requires 100 gp per week per bond rank (minimum of 100 gp) for food and health supplies. A week’s worth of such supplies weighs five pounds. If the heartshield spider does not receive its normal food for even a single day it goes into hibernation and cannot be revived until its feeding is resumed. Note that the spider comes out of its hibernation 24 hours after it is first fed. If a heartshield spider goes for more than 5 days without the needed supplies, it perishes from malnutrition.

Bond Rank	Benefit	Penalty	Special
0	+2 armour bonus	-2 skill penalty, 25% arcane spell failure
1	+3 armour bonus	-2 skill penalty, 20% arcane spell failure
2	+4 armour bonus	-2 skill penalty, 15% arcane spell failure	If the wearer expends a spell slot or level 3 or higher or a turning (or rebuking) attempt, the heartshield spider can also absorb 10 hit points of damage caused by any source of damage for the next 5 rounds.
3	+5 armour bonus, +1 Fort save bonus	-2 skill penalty, 15% arcane spell failure	If the wearer expends a spell slot or level 3 or higher or a turning (or rebuking) attempt, the heartshield spider can also absorb 15 hit points of damage caused by any source of damage for the next 5 rounds.
4	+5 armor bonus, +2 Fort save bonus	-1 skill penalty, 15% arcane spell failure	If the wearer expends a spell slot or level 3 or higher or a turning (or rebuking) attempt, the heartshield spider can also absorb 20 hit points of damage caused by any source of damage for the next 5 rounds.
5	+6 armor bonus, +2 Fort save bonus	-1 skill penalty, 15% arcane spell failure	If the wearer expends a spell slot or level 3 or higher or a turning (or rebuking) attempt, the heartshield spider can also absorb 25 hit points of damage caused by any source of damage for the next 5 rounds.

Fangspitter Spider

The fangspitter spider looks like a bloated purple spider with a slightly elongated thorax and a surprisingly long (3 inches) proboscis in place of the fangs normally found on such spiders. Its legs are equipped with the same sort of hooking claws found on the heartshield spider, but the fangspitter uses its claws to cling to the forearm of the wearer.

By flexing the muscles of the forearm, the wearer can stimulate the fangspitter to launch one or more darts of calcified tissue laden with an injectable poison. As the bond between the fangspitter and its wearer grows stronger, the creature is able to shoot its darts further and its poison increases in power.

Cost: 5,000 gp
Upkeep: The fangspitter spider extracts all the nutrients it needs from the body of the wearer. It also extracts the calcium and other materials needed to create the darts from the tissues and blood of the wearer. This reduces the wearer’s Constitution by 1 point while the fangspitter is worn. This damage may be healed naturally, but only after the fangspitter is removed and the wearer rests for a full week.

Notes: More than one fangspitter may be worn, but each bond must be paid for individually and the wearer suffers a Constitution reduction of 2, one for each of the fangspitters.

Bond Rank	Benefit	Penalty	Special
0	May fire one dart per round at a range of 20 ft. The dart has a damage of 1d4 and no poison.	The fangspitter is treated as an Exotic weapon by its wielder when the bond is at its weakest.
1	May fire one dart per round at a range of 25 ft. The dart causes 1d3 damage and its poison (Fort save DC 15) has an initial effect of 1 point of temporary Dexterity damage and a secondary effect of 1 point of temporary Dexterity damage.	The fangspitter is treated as a Martial weapon by its wielder when the bond is at this rank.
2	May fire one dart per round at a range of 25 ft. The dart causes 1d4 damage and its poison (Fort save DC 15) has an initial effect of 1 point of temporary Dexterity damage and a secondary effect of 1 point of temporary Dexterity damage.	The fangspitter is treated as a Marital weapon by its wielder when the bond is at this rank.	A 3rd level or lower spell with a range of touch may be imbued into the next dart fired by the fangspitter. If the attack hits, the dart injects no poison but does, instead, release its magical payload into the target. Imbuing the spell is treated as casting the spell for all purposes – targets who cannot cast spells may not imbue a spell into a fangspitter dart. The dart must be fired within 5 rounds or it loses the imbued spell.
3	May fire two darts per round (but no more than the wearer’s number of attacks in a given round) at a range of 25 ft. The darts cause 1d4 damage and their poison (Fort save DC 15) has an initial effect of 1 point of temporary Dexterity damage and a secondary effect of 1 point of temporary Dexterity damage.	The fangspitter is treated as a Simple weapon by its wielder when the bond is at this rank.	You may increase the save DC of the poison by allowing the fangspitter to draw 5 hit points of blood from your arm. It takes one round for the fangspitter to extract the blood; the damage caused by the fangspitter may be healed magically or naturally.
4	May fire two darts per round (but no more than the wearer’s number of attacks in a given round) at a range of 30 ft. The darts cause 1d4 damage and their poison (Fort save DC 15) has an initial effect of 1d2 points of temporary Dexterity damage and a secondary effect of 1d2 points of temporary Dexterity damage.
5	May fire three darts per round (but no more than the wearer’s number of attacks in a given round) at a range of 30 ft. The darts cause 1d4 damage and their poison (Fort save DC 20) has an initial effect of 1d3 points of temporary Dexterity damage and a secondary effect of 1d3 points of temporary Dexterity damage.	—	By firing a single dart as a full-round action, you receive a +4 insight bonus to your attack roll this round.

Assassin Spiders

These tiny creatures are no larger than the head of a pin and are exactly the same shade as the skin of the drow to which they are bonded. This allows them to cling to their host completely undetected, their tiny bodies lurking in every fold or flap of the body to which they are attuned. The creatures are extremely toxic, but only in large numbers and if given time to position themselves to flood the target’s bloodstream with sufficient quantities of their venom. This makes them useless in combat, but an ideal tool for assassinations if the attacker can remain close to his target until the spiders have a chance to get into position. These spiders were used to great effect during the Courtesan Wars, when pleasure slaves were trained in their use and then set upon unsuspecting young nobles.

To use the assassin spiders, the assassin must remain in physical contact with their target for a full five minutes. The target is allowed a single Spot skill check (DC 20) after two minutes to notice the miniscule assailants flooding onto his body. If the check succeeds, he may save himself by immediately moving at least 5 feet away from the assassin, at which point the little spiders begin making their way back to their master. If he does not move at least 5 feet away from the assassin, the spiders will remain in place until he does move the required distance away or until 10 minutes have passed without the assassin re-establishing contact with the target. If the assassin does re-establish contact within 10 minutes, the clock starts at the point at which the target moved out of contact with his killer. For example, at two minutes, a target realizes something is not right and moves a few feet away from the assassin. Seven minutes later, the assassin manages to assuage the fears of his target and moves back into contact. After another three minutes, the assassin has been in contact with his target for a total of five minutes and the assassin spiders respond by injecting their venom into the target.

It takes the assassin spiders a mere two minutes to move from the target back onto their host. If they are not given the chance to return to the host, they die and decay into fine particulate matter in less than an hour. Finding living assassin spiders on a corpse is difficult, requiring a Search skill check (DC 25). Dead assassin spiders are impossible to find and look like nothing so much as tiny motes of dust.

Cost: 5,000 gp
Upkeep: The tiny assassin spiders place a bit of strain on the target, mainly in the hit point loss as their numbers increase, but require no outside supplies or other maintenance needs.

Bond Rank	Benefit	Penalty	Special
0	The venom of the spiders has a Fort save DC of 15 and has an initial damage of 1 point of Constitution and a secondary damage of 1d2 points of Constitution.	The assassin spiders are very difficult to get along with at first and can be extraordinarily distracting. The host suffers a –1 penalty to all Skill checks until he has increased the power of his bond. At Rank 1, this penalty disappears.
1	The venom of the spiders has a Fort save DC of 15 and has an initial damage of 1d2 points of Constitution and a secondary damage of 1d3 points of Constitution.	The assassin spiders begin testing their venom on their host. As a result, the host suffers a –1 reduction to his Constitution until such a time as he is able to increase the strength of his bond with the spiders. This penalty is removed when the host increases the bond to rank 2.
2	The venom of the spiders has a Fort save DC of 17 and has an initial damage of 1d3 points of Constitution and a secondary damage of 1d4 points of Constitution.		The Constitution penalty felt by the host is no longer in effect due to his tolerance to the initial venom. The host does, however, require a dose of antidote each day (5 gp per day or 2 gp in raw materials and a successful Alchemy skill check (DC 15) ) in order to avoid succumbing to the stronger venom his spiders create.
3	The venom of the spiders has a Fort save DC of 20 and has an initial damage of 1d6 points of Constitution and a secondary damage of 2d3 points of Constitution.	The spiders reach maturity and begin breeding. This saps the host of 1d4 hit points at the beginning of each day as the tiny vermin feed on his flesh. This damage may be healed normally and occurs each morning as soon as the host awakes.
4	The venom of the spiders as a Fort save DC of 22 and has an initial damage of 1d8 points of Constitution and a secondary damage of 2d4 points of Constitution.	The erosion of the host’s natural defences against poisons brought on by the constant injections of venom and taking of antidotes inflicts a –1 natural penalty to all saving throws the host makes to resist the effects of poisons.	—
5	The venom of the spiders has a Fort save DC of 25 and has an initial damage of 1d10 points of Constitution and a secondary damage of 1d10 points of Constitution.

Bloodclot Spiders

These small, red spiders attach themselves to the hosts flesh with their tiny web sacs. The sacs are normally attached to the flesh near major blood vessels such as under the arms, in the groin, or other areas with considerable blood flow. While they are not useful in any offensive sense, the bloodclot spiders are very useful when it comes to stopping bleeding. The spiders can tell when their host is bleeding by the scent and move immediately to the injury, which they coat with a layer of webbing that prevents further blood loss and promotes healing.

Cost: 20,000 gp
Upkeep: The bloodclot spiders need no additional upkeep other than that noted in the Penalty column, below. The creatures are fed by the blood of their host and need no other nourishment or special care.

Bond Rank	Benefit	Penalty
0	The host automatically stabilizes when knocked unconscious.	The host must consume twice as much food as normal in order to keep his bloodclot spiders fed. The tiny beasts drain a bit of his blood at regular intervals to replenish their stocks of webbing material.
1	The host suffers 1 hit point less damage from any attack inflicted by a weapon which causes piercing or slashing damage.	The host body loses some of its natural ability to heal from wounds without the aid of the bloodclot spiders. If the host ever loses his spiders, he is unable to heal naturally until they are replaced.
2	The host’s natural healing rate is increased by 2 hit points each day.	The sacs created by the spider are unpleasant and distracting to others the drow interacts with. The character suffers a –2 penalty when using any skills related to the Charisma ability.
3	The host’s natural healing rate is doubled; this ability replaces the ability gained at the second rank of the bond.	Thick layers of webbing prevent the host from using his body to its fullest. The character suffers a –1 penalty to all skills related to the Dexterity ability.
4	The host naturally heals one hit point per hour while walking but not while undertaking other strenuous activities (such as spellcasting, research, item creation, or combat of any kind).	The character requires a full hour each day to clean off the layers of webbing the bloodclot spiders spin around his body each night. During this time, the character is considered helpless.
5	The host naturally heals a number of hit points per hour equal to his unmodified Constitution modifier even while undertaking strenuous activities.	If the host stops moving for more than 30 minutes, his spiders weave enough webbing around his body to make movement difficult. Unless the host spends a full 15 minutes removing the webbing, he suffers a –1 circumstance penalty to all Reflex saves, Armour Class, and any other Dexterityrelated skill checks or natural abilities.