Spiderlings

[Slimcreeper]

Spiderling
Corrupted Name-giver
Spiderlings are Horror constructs made from windlings. They were first recorded in a windling kaer located near the Blood Wood. One Horror, an academic sort of wormskull, drew inspiration from the elves’ ritual and convinced the windlings that the only way to protect themselves was to bind an animal spirit to their patterns, and to their children’s patterns. The wormskull deliberately pushed them to choose spider beast spirits because the history regarding the invae made the process even more horrific. The tradition is so ingrained that the Horror now only needs to lurk and savor their suffering. All spiderlings are marked by the Horror.
Spiderlings look like uncorrupted windlings for the most part. Their skin appears to be shot through with grey lines, however, and they have patches of short, bristle-like hairs. When they open their mouths to speak, however, their skin stretches painfully as oversized arachnid mouthparts protrude from their lips, including fangs and pedipalps. They speak with a grating, chittering noise. Their language can be learned and understood, though not spoken by other Name-Givers. It is basically Windling, just forced through their corrupted physiology. They understand standard Glenwood Windling as well as Spiderling. They feed in the same way that a spider does, by injecting digestive juices and then sucking the resulting nutritious fluid from the body.
They also have a spider’s ability to spin webs. To spin webs, they open their mouths and spinnerets force their way out of their mouths. They use the bristles on their hands to manipulate the webs. Like a spider, they can create a variety of sticky and non-sticky threads. Their sensitive hairs can detect even the slightest vibration on any web they are touching. They use their webs to create traps, triplines, barriers, and even nests.
They can follow disciplines and do so at a somewhat higher rate than Windlings. There are Archers, Scouts, Warriors, and Weaponsmiths in their village, though they are mostly low circle because they have limited ability to train and adventure. The Village Elder, Named *unpronounceable*, has been raised using the Horror’s Unnatural Life. He is a 6th Circle Weaponsmith. He is working with the Horror to find ways to spread the ritual to other villages.

Spiderling Villager
Challenge:
DEX: 6 Initiative: 6 Unconsciousness: 20
STR: 4 Physical Defense: 10 Death Rating: 25
TOU: 5 Mystic Defense: 8 Wound Threshold: 7
PER: 6 Social Defense: 7 Knockdown: 5
WIL: 5 Physical Armor: 2 Recovery Tests: 2
CHA: 5 Mystic Armor: 2 Karma: x6
Movement: 6/16
Actions: 1; Windling Bow (Attack 9, Damage 7, Range 25/48); Bite (Unarmed Attack 9, Damage 7, on any damage, inject poison equivalent to Padendra, p 177 in the GMG);
Special Powers:
Astral Sight
As the Windling Ability
Awareness (Rank 3)
Flight
As the Windling Ability
Stealthy Stride (Rank 3)
Web
The Spiderling web looks like normal spiderwebs at a casual glance, though it can be much bigger. A Creature Lore or appropriate skill test TN (9) will reveal that they are not from a natural beast. Spiderlings can create 3 yards of a thread per round or a 3 yards square barrier per minute. The Spiderling’s threads cannot be thrown or launched.
Non-sticky Barrier. Death Rating 20, Physical armor 7. Against blunt weapons, Physical Armor 12.
Non-sticky Rope. Death Rating 10, Physical armor 7. Against blunt weapons, Physical Armor 12. Weight capacity is about 1000 lbs.
Sticky Rope. Detection TN: 12. Disarm: NA. Initiative: 8. Trigger: Touching. Effect: Entangling TN 10. If the web is attacked by any physical weapon, it becomes stuck unless the attack gets an extra success. Death Rating 10, Physical armor 7. Against blunt weapons, Physical Armor 12. Weight capacity is about 1000 lbs.
Sticky Web Barrier trap. Detection TN: 12. Disarm: NA. Initiative: 20. Trigger: Touching. Effect: Entangling TN 10. Every failed attempt to break free increases the TN by 2. If the web is attacked by any physical weapon, it becomes stuck unless the attack gets an extra success. Death Rating 20, Physical armor 7. Against blunt weapons, Physical Armor 12.
Sensory Strand. Sensory strands are difficult to spot (TN 12). They can connect any other type of web or be laid out on their own. Any Spiderling touching a Sensory Strand can make an Awareness test to know the location, number, and size of any creaturre touching any web connected to the sensory strand. They can also communicate to any other Spiderling touching any sensory strand connected to the network by vibrating the strand in a pattern, sort of like Morse code. Every web in their village is connected with sensory strands.

[Slimcreeper]

Spiderling 3rd Circle Archer

This Spiderling has shockingly bright yellow hair and a habit of giving tight smiles, not opening her mouth to speak unless she has to. She is the elder’s chief lieutenant, and knows the secret of the Horror corruption. She doesn’t see a way out of it right now, but might be convinced to back a really solid plan to slay it. Like all Spiderlings, her Name is unpronounceable.

Challenge: Novice
DEX: 7 Initiative: 6 Unconsciousness: 35
STR: 4 Physical Defense: 13 Death Rating: 43
TOU: 5 Mystic Defense: 9 Wound Threshold: 7
PER: 6 Social Defense: 7 Knockdown: 7
WIL: 5 Physical Armor: 8 Recovery Tests: 3
CHA: 5 Mystic Armor: 2 Karma: 18
Movement: 6/16

Actions: 1; Windling Bow (Attack 10, Damage 13, Range 25/48); Bite (Unarmed Attack 9, Damage 7, on any damage, inject poison equivalent to Padendra, p 177 in the GMG); Net (Attack 9, Entangle 12, woven from Spiderling silk.); 5 Barb & Thread arrows (can spend extra success to become embedded. Once embedded, they can be removed with standard action, doing step 4 damage, or as a move action, doing step 7 damage. They are attached to a non-sticky 10 yard Spiderling Silk Thread. Oftentimes, the archer will take a round to make a sticky anchor point on a tree branch. In this case, the victim cannot move further away from the anchor point without removing the barbed arrow.)

Special Powers:
Astral Sight
As the Windling Ability
Awareness (Rank 3)
Flight
As the Windling Ability
Stealthy Stride (Rank 3)
Web
As Spiderling.
Karma
Can use Karma on Initiative and Perception tests involving sight

Talents
Call Missile (Free, 3 + Per. Simple Action. Strain 1. Returns Test Result arrows w/n 60 yards.)
Avoid Blow (Rank 3 + Dex. Free Action. Strain 1.)
Missile Weapons (Rank 3 + Dex.)
Mystic Aim (Rank 3 + Per. Simple. Vs MD. +2 to ranged attacks for rest of round.)
Arrow Weaving (Rank 3 + Per. Thread Weaving.)
True Shot (Rank 3. Free action. 2 strain. Can spend up to rank Karma on ranged attacks until succeeds)
Tracking (opt) (Rank 3)
Mystic Pursuit (Rank 3 + Per. Strain 2. Vs MD. Detects location w/n rank miles, requires a related item.)
Wilderness Survival (opt) (Rank 3 + Per. Sustained Action.)
Anticipate Blow (Rank 3 + Per. Simple Action. Strain 1. Vs MD. +2 per success to PD vs target & +2 to 1st attack vs target rest of round.)
Awareness (opt) (Rank 3)

Skills
Kn: Flora and Fauna 4
Kn: Horror Lore 3
Throwing Weapons 2
Animal Bond 3
Animal Training 2
Unarmed Combat 2
Cooking 2
Wound Balance 2
Hunting 2


Equipment:
Padded Leather Armor, Forged +4; Windling Bow, Forged +6, quiver 20 arrows. 5 Barb & thread arrows. Spiderling Booster potion (Poisonous to non-Spiderlings like Whadrya venom, GMG p 178)
Kue, saddle & tackle. GMG p. 308, combat trained.

Spiderling 6rd Circle Weaponsmith

The years have not been kind to this Spiderling, the village elder. In fact, he died years ago and was raised by the wormskull using Unnatural life. His withered, pale skin is cracked and dry, and his liver-spotted head went bald decades before his death. He is wholly given over to the Horror, and revels in the shock and disgust his speech gives to outsiders.
He uses his alchemy skills to create Booster potions, Healing Salves, and Last Chance Salves, as well as deadly poisons. All of his healing aids act as Whadra venom to non-Spiderling Name-givers.
In combat, he tends to hang back for two or three rounds and try to hit a couple targets with his envenomed blowgun before his bloodlust overtakes him and he charges in with Aggressive Attacks. He strives to completely overwhelm, using Disarm and Shield Bash to render his opponents helpless before cutting them down, all the while making a Recovery test every round.

Challenge: Journeyman
DEX: 6 Initiative: 2 Unconsciousness: 56 +6
STR: 6 Physical Defense: 11+2 Death Rating: 66 + 6
TOU: 6 Mystic Defense: 10+2 Wound Threshold: 9
PER: 6 Social Defense: 8 Knockdown: 6
WIL: 5 Physical Armor: 10 Recovery Tests: Unlimited
CHA: 6 Mystic Armor: 2 + 3 Karma: 36
Movement: 6/16

Actions: Forged windling Sword (Attack 12, Damage 15 + karma) Bite (Unarmed Attack 9, Damage 7, on any damage, inject poison equivalent to Padendra, p 177 in the GMG); Blowgun (Attack 12, Damage 13 + karma, Range 8/16, Padendra [Effect 10 deadly Paralysis {vs tou, -2 all tests per success, when Penalty equals Str Step, immobilized. When Penalty Str + Tou Step, death}]. Onset 2 rnds. Interval 5 times/ every 2 rnds. Dur 4 hours]

Special Powers:
Astral Sight
As the Windling Ability
Awareness (Rank 3)
Flight
As the Windling Ability
Stealthy Stride (Rank 3)
Web
As Spiderling.
Karma
Can use Karma to craft or repair an item, on recovery tests, on damage with weapon he crafted.
Unnatural Life
Can make unlimited recovery tests as a simple action.

Talents
Craftsman (Free, 6)
Forge Weapon (Rank 6 + Per. Sus.)
Item History (Rank 6 + Per. Sus.)
Melee Weapons (Rank 6 + Dex.)
Steel Thought (Rank 6 + Wil. Free Action. Strain 1. Avoids effects that target his MD)
Thread Smithing
Speak Language (opt) (Rank 3 + Per. Throalic, Sperethiel, Denestarian Human. The magical nature of this talent overcomes his physiology)
Conversation (Rank 4 + Cha. Sus.)
Shield Bash (opt) (Rank 6 + Dex. Simple. Strain 1. Damage talent + Attack to Knockdown.)
Suppress Curse (Rank 4 + Will. Str 1)
Avoid Blow (opt) (Rank 6 + Dex. Str 1. Free Action)
Wound Balance (Rank 6 + Tou. Free Action)
Danger Sense (opt) (Rank 6 + Per. Strain 1. Free Action.)
Forge Armor (Rank 6 + Per. Sus.)
Missile Weapons (opt) (Rank 6 + Dex.)
Temper Flesh (Rank 6 + Will. Sus. Test vs TN 6, if good adds 6 to Uncon & Death rating.
Iron Constitution (opt) (Rank 2 + Tou. Free action. To resist poison/disease or recover said damage.)

Skills
Kn: Horror Lore 3
Alchemy 8
Second Attack 4 (Strain 1. Simple Action)
Disarm 4 (Strain 1. Req extra success for 2-handed weapons. No damage unless added by extra successes.)
Awareness 2
Hypnotize 3

Equipment:
Forged Windling Sword, Silvered Shield (rank 5 thread. MD+2, Steel Thought +2, Spell Riposte [Free action, 2 strain, burn 2 successes to direct spell back at caster]. Forged Windling Blowgun & 10 darts, each envenomed. Forged Chain Mail. Spiderling Booster potion x3, Healing Salve x2, Last Chance Salve (all are poisonous to non-Spiderlings like Whadrya venom, GMG p 178). If he is slain, the blowgun becomes a thread item that will automatically envenom its darts.


Fendouc, Wormskull

Smaller and more academically-minded than most wormskulls, Maglion appears as a 4-foot tall humanoid beetle, with bits of its exoskeleton missing. The exoskeleton appears to be overstuffed with writhing grubs. As it speaks, the grubs dribble out from between its mandibles and fall to the ground. Like other wormskulls, it prefers a dry environment, and the forest near its lair is in a state of near-perpetual drought.

His abilities are similar to a standard wormskull,with these additional powers:

Animate Dead
Step 18. Creates worm servants. Worm servants have the same Attributes as the creature or Name-giver they were made from, but have no memories, skills, abilities or special powers. They are just skin sacks of writhing worms shaped like their original form. They do not have an Unconsciousness Rating.
Unnatural Life