Hairy spiders were a variety of subterranean spider, although they could be found on the surface as well. They were favored by drow wizards as familiars.[1]
Description[]
Hairy spiders were about the size of a human hand. Despite their size, they were strong enough to carry small items,[1] and so were sometimes entrusted with small treasures by wizards using them as familiars.[2] They were hairy and black.[1]
About 40% of hairy spiders had the innate ability to detect invisible creatures.[2]
Behavior[]
Hairy spiders were vicious hunters.[2] They could not spin webs, but they could climb on the webs of other spiders.[1]
Combat[]
Hairy spiders swarmed on their target—sometimes as many as forty would cover the body of a single humanoid[2]—infecting them with their venomous bites and tearing out chunks of flesh.[1] They were unafraid of fire and were remarkably difficult to crush or throw off, and so had to be individually plucked off or struck once they latched onto a target.[2]
The venom of a hairy spider was not very potent, but could leave a victim feeling sluggish and slow. Hairy spiders themselves were immune to all known spider venoms.[2]
Ecology[]
Habitats[]
Hairy spiders could be found in any non-arctic environment,[2] but often dwelt in and around drow settlements in the Underdark, as well as in jungles, tombs, and caverns.[1] They could be found haunting ruins on the surface.[3]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- The Secret of Spiderhaunt • Dungeon #53: "Steelheart"
Further reading[]
- James Wyatt, Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn. Edited by Duane Maxwell. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 7–8. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 James Wyatt, Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn. Edited by Duane Maxwell. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 79–80. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 326. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- ↑ Paul Culotta (May/June 1995). “Steelheart”. In Wolfgang Baur ed. Dungeon #53 (TSR, Inc.) (53)., p. 62.
Connections[]
Magical spiders: Bloodsilk • Electric • Glass • Gaze • Goblin • Halruaan (Glass • Scaled) • Pet of Kalistes • Spellgaunt • Steeder • Woodspider
Planar spiders: Demonweb terror • Fire • Myrlochar • Phase • Shadow • Tomb • Vortex
Constructs: Arachnar • Bone spider • Jade spider • Retriever • Spiderwalker • Stone spider
Outsiders: Bebilith • Darkweaver • Greelox • Inferno spider • Red widow • Yochlol
Creations of Lolth: Abyssal widow • Chwidencha • Drider (Vampire) • Shunned
Humanoids: Aranea • Chitine • Choldrith • Ettercap • Werespider
Miscellaneous: Kitthix • Neogi • Rhylfang • Susurrus
Undead spiders: Wraith spider