Arachnomancers were spellcasters of the Underdark who focused on the strength and power of spiders.[1]
Description[]
Because of the worship of Lolth among the drow, arachnomancers could expect good reception within the majority of drow society. The aranea and chitine were also drawn to the pursuits of arachnomancy due to their own relativity to spiders. All arachnomancers were arcane spellcasters, thus, clerics who worshiped a deity of the spider domain may have taken up arcane studies in order to delve into arachnomancy.[1]
Requirements[]
All spellcasters who wished to become skilled arachnomancers must have been part of a scarification ritual, which involved burning symbols into their faces. The symbols must have been rubbed with ash or other coloring agents in order to create raised and clear spider-shaped markings, detailing their devotion to the mastery of spider magic. In addition, those who wished to become versed in arachnomancy must have been undeniably evil, as well as have clear grasps on the intricacies of nature.[1]
Abilities[]
Arachnomancers were able to speak with any type of spider. In response, spiders and spiderkind were typically non-aggressive. These arcane casters could cause their own skin to ooze a poison that would harm others upon being touched.[1]
Once per day, experienced arachnomancers could create wall-like barriers of webbing. Unlike normal webs, these were resistant to fire and were as hard as steel. Arachnomancers themselves could pass through these walls without any issues. Like how some clerics could command the undead, these arcane spellcasters could command and rebuke spiders.[1]
Powerful arachnomancers could create blasts of hundreds of regular-sized, but very poisonous, spiders. The spiders disappeared after attacking anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast. The casters that became very versed in such magic could learn to walk over and climb on webs as natural as walking normally, just as spiders could.[1]
Three times per day, skilled arachnomancers could even transform into spiders. The size of the arachnid that the spellcasters could turn into was limited to the casters' power. Novice spellcasters could turn into medium-sized spiders, whilst masterful ones could turn into tiny spiders, or even gargantuan ones.[1]
History[]
In the Year of Lightning Storms, 1374 DR, a small group of drow arachnomancers took over one of ancient Illefarn ruins, interestingly enough, located in the deep jungles of Samarach of the Chultan Peninsula. Even though their goal remained a mystery, they brought a pack of phase spiders with them and kept the deadly creatures in the top levels of the ruined structure.[2]
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References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 28–30. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
- ↑ Obsidian Entertainment (November 2008). Designed by Tony Evans. Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir. Atari.