Spider

A spider was a type of arthropod. Spiders were found all over Faerûn.

A large number of hand-sized venomous spiders would sometimes group themselves into a swarm.

Species

 * Electric spider
 * Gee'aantu
 * A large, tarantula-like spider from the Underdark.


 * Guardian spider
 * Giant spider
 * Any spider of a giant size. Also known as "monstrous spiders", they were found in a variety of appearances and sizes and came in hunter or web-spinner varieties. Goblins used giant spiders as mounts.
 * A huge black spider that could be summoned by the drow matron mothers of Ched Nasad.


 * Goblin spider
 * A variety of giant spider that was endemic to the landmass of Kara-Tur.


 * Hairy spider
 * A variety of small, web-less, hairy subterranean spider.


 * Huge spider
 * A variety of spiders that were bigger than large spiders, but smaller than giant spiders. They could not produce webs and thus hunted by either prowling around or waiting in a hiding spot.


 * Phase spider
 * Aggressive predators that could move between the Ethereal Plane and the Prime Material Plane.


 * Steeder
 * A variety of giant spider that was endemic to the Underdark and often domesticated by duergar.


 * Sword spider
 * A variety of subterranean spider with razor-sharp tips on its legs.


 * Watchspider
 * A specially-bred variety of huge spider trained to obey commands and used as guardians.


 * Wraith spider
 * Undead giant spider.

Related Creatures

 * Aranea: The aranea was a type of intelligent, shape-shifting spider thought to have been created by a Calishite wizard to infiltrate drow armies.
 * Chwidencha
 * Drider: The drider was a drow aberration whose lower half was that of a spider. They inhabited the Underdark and required blood for sustenance. Driders were created from drow who failed a loyalty test to Lolth.
 * Ettercap: The ettercap was an aberration between a humanoid and a spider. They had gray or purple bodies with white underbellies and sharp, chitinous claws. They often kept spiders as pets.
 * Jade spider: Jade spiders were jade constructs fashioned in the shape of a spider. They were used by the drow to protect Menzoberranzan and other drow locations.
 * Snow spider: A snow spider was warm-blooded mammal with eight legs and an arachnid form.

Notable Locations
Spiders inhabited the forest known as the Neth Stand.

Adhe Wood in the Vast was infested with ettercaps and mutant spiders of many sizes and breeds.

Spiders were common in the Underdark, particularly in drow settlements, where they were revered by worshipers of Lolth.

Ecology
Drow often made objects and buildings in the shape of spiders. In cultures that venerated Lolth, it was forbidden to kill a spider; those who did so were punished with death. Spiders were often kept by the drow, their purpose depending on a given spider's size. The smallest ones were kept as pets by children. Those that were big enough to kill mice, meaning hand-sized, were kept as familiars by wizards. Those that were as big as a horse were used to ride upon. Those that were the size of dogs were used like guard dogs in temples to Lolth. The last category were sometimes imbued with a demon to make older ones regain their vitality, combining it with a nasty personality.

Spriggans in the Feywild were sometimes known to use spiders to create web barriers in their forests.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * The Accursed Tower &bull; Hellgate Keep (adventure)


 * Novels:
 * Daughter of the Drow • Dissolution • Insurrection • Condemnation • Extinction • Annihilation • Resurrection • Night of the Hunter


 * Video Games:
 * Baldur's Gate • Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn • Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance • Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone • Menzoberranzan (game) • Neverwinter Nights • Neverwinter Nights 2