Myrlochars, also known as soul spiders, were demonic minions of Lolth with the appearance of oversized arachnids.[1][3] They were often summoned by drow clerics to track down the enemies of the Dark Mother like giant hunting spiders.[3]
Description[]
The monstrous myrlochars were 3 feet (0.9 meters) long in body, but their legs were 6 feet (1.8 meters) long and their forelimbs seemed elongated. They resembled emaciated spiders with a chitinous exoskeleton ranging in color from brown to russet ti ivory-yellow. While their bodies exuded a faint greenish-yellow light, their eight eyes glowed a vibrant red.[1] Their voices were ghostly and hissing while their jaws were razor-edged.[3]
Behavior[]
Myrlochars were vicious and cruel, often toying with their prey and seeming to genuinely enjoy hunting and killing. They did not spin webs as most spiders, although they could freely navigate the webs of other large arachnids.[3]
Abilities[]
Myrlochars were dangerous hunters, with acute senses so they could operate in complete darkness, and they could move in complete silence whenever they wished. Capable of vertical levitation and easily scaling walls, most terrain posed no challenge for them to navigate. They normally used their levitation abilities to carefully fall to the ground. Their most notable ability however laid in their vitality-draining fangs. The bite of a myrlochar could permanently sap the strength from a person and render their stolen vigor onto the soul spider. Myrlochars also had the option of causing their bite to paralyze the victim or reverse their gravity.[3]
They could regenerate most injuries, including lost limbs.[3]
Combat[]
Despite their emaciated forms, myrlochars were surprisingly agile and strong, often attacking with their bony forelegs before attempting to bite their prey. They could also adhere the tips of their legs to many objects, allow them both to freely climb most surfaces and to pick up and—to a limited extent—use weapons such as pole arms.[3]
Most mental effects were of no use against them—including magic meant to put them to sleep, hold them in place, or charm them—and neither were poisons and webbing.[1][3]
Society[]
Due to occupying a lower rank than yochlols, myrlochars were much easier for drow priestesses to summon to the Material Plane. They were normally summoned alone or in packs in rituals, either for worship or information or in order to ask for their aid. Normally the request was to hunt down escaped foes of Lolth who fled into the Underdark. Like Lolth's Handmaidens, myrlochar would normally obey a single order from their summoner that they completed without question before being free to wreak havoc on their current plane.[1][3]
When a follower of Lolth that had fallen out of her favor attempted to summon a yochlol for a service other than worship, she often sent an uncontrollable and rampaging myrlochar to greet them with no way to send it back outside of killing it.[4]
Ecology[]
In their "natural" habitat in the Abyss, myrlochars were methodical hunters often encountered in packs. They would seek out interplanar portals with which to enter and terrorize other planes of existence.[3]
No records existed of young myrlochars, and they did not appear to age. They had no natural predators, and they themselves appeared to be capable of consuming the flesh of any living creature.[3]
Uses[]
The powdered bones of a myrlochar could be used as a powerful component when making magic items relating to free action and levitation.[3]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
Adventures
Video Games
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 James Wyatt, Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn. Edited by Duane Maxwell. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 66. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
- ↑ James Wyatt (October 2001). Oriental Adventures (3rd edition). (Wizards of the Coast), p. 145. ISBN 0-7869-2015-7.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 Ed Greenwood (July 1991). The Drow of the Underdark. (TSR, Inc), p. 117. ISBN 1-56076-132-6.
- ↑ James Wyatt, Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn. Edited by Duane Maxwell. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 67. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
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