Spiders Part 2

Since I missed last week's Monster Monday, I decided to do a part 2 to this week's! Here's some more ways to make your players hate the arachnids.

How about a bridge made of spiderwebs crossing a chasm (lava pool, lake, acid pool)? As the first character gets half way across, a spider lowers itself from the ceiling, telepathically demanding payment. Add more fun by having the spider remove a humanoid's head, and fill the resulting cavity with its thorax.

Do your characters just grab loot like armor and helmets, and just throw them on? Put a poisonous spider in one, and have it bite. They may look a bit closer next time.

Ever seen a zombie spider? Seems more nightmarish than a normal one.

Speaking of undead spiders, I once had an evil wizard put nests of spiders inside of his skeleton army's armor. A rib cage makes a great place to put a tangled spider web.

Matt Finch includes a giant invisible spider in Monstrosities. Invisible webs are a hazard you don't want to run into. To make them more fun, put them in a pit trap.

You know the tale of Sleeping Beauty? What if a spider made its home in her mouth while she was "asleep." That's a kiss that would never be forgotten, I promise.

Tired of your 4 minute adventuring days? Have some spiders infest the trail rations of the party. That should keep them moving.


Spider symbolism is a bit more difficult than encounters. But, there are some things that most groups should be able to understand.

Two spiders have been carved into the ceiling above a door. Both are spinning the same web. In Mord Mar, I may use this to denote a fateful moment. What happens beyond that door weaves part of the fate of the entire mountain.

A statue of a spider, sits in the center of a room. Does it mean that everyone will be trapped inside, as if in a spider's web?

Have a particularly confusing or difficult area to map in your dungeon? Mark the entrance with spider webs. This allows for two things. First, it gives decided boundaries to the difficult area. Secondly, it warns the players that something is going to be sticky, or hard to escape.

Well, that's enough for now. Talk to you all on Monday!