Post/Author/DateTime	Post
polt 04-10-07, 06:54 AM	Hey all. I recently started visiting this board again, I thought I'd post this series of articles I wrote together with another user here; ieattrollsforbreakfast. I've posted them before, but it's a pretty long time ago, so I thought new users might think this is interesting, or could use it in their campagain. Anyway, here is the first article: History of the Spider Lords It was cold and the Towering Wood seemed abandoned this night, almost dead. Through the mighty treetops Thulin the paladin could see Eyre glow; it shined with unnatural strength. "It seems the white-bearded man spoke the truth" he thought. The absence of wildlife made the paladin feel uneasy. He pulled himself together, and ventured farther into the Eldeen forest. An unusual noise made the paladin pause. "Voice in the night, speaking in foul tongues…" the paladin whispered to himself. He drew his sword and moved closer. It was windy still, but following the voices didn't prove too difficult. He couldn't understand the strange language, but he was certain that if he did, madness would ensue. Then he saw them, cultists standing in a circle surrounding a strange stone artifact, covered in a labyrinthine pattern of glowing runes and sigils. Their chanting grew stronger; they called upon the name of the Dragon Below. He could feel the presence of evil, sense it as if it had reached out and touched his skin. The cultists were in a trance, too concentrated on the ritual to notice him or anything else. "Let the Flame guide my blade. This is my destiny, this is the prophecy fulfilled," the paladin whispered passionately. But before he could do anything, a voice dripping with hatred interrupted his actions. "Not today, young champion of Silver. What you were prophesied to do shall not be accomplished." Thulin froze as a series of clicking noises came to his ear. Trembling, and almost hypnotized, he turned to face its source. Before him stood a gray skinned spider the size of a house, its large fangs hammering against each other, making the noise which held Thulin paralyzed in place. The strange being standing beside the spider seemed to understand the weird clicking of the beast, its foul tongue. The figure's red lips moved and its voice had a strong tone of sarcasm and dominance. "My master greets you, Thulin, paladin of the Silver Flame, and wishes to tell you that we will only keep you as long as it takes for your part in the Prophecy to vanish." The eyes of the spider almost seemed to glow as its clicking became more rapid. "Yes, master, the Chamber has failed, and yet another incidence foretold by the False Presage has been stopped. Soon freedom shall be ours; soon the foundation of the dragons shall crumble once again." History The Spider Lords of False Presage is one of Eberron's oldest and most secretive organizations. The six spider lords that constitute the False Presage date back to the Age of Demons. Once mere giant spiders, the Spider Lords grew in power and eventually became equals of the fiends and the dragons. The reason why these spiders became so powerful and wise is a mystery that not even the spiders themselves know. The Spider Lords' strongest force is their vast base of knowledge, wisdom and intelligence, easily matching that of the wisest of the wyrms. During the war between demons and dragons, the spiders fought alongside the dragons and couatls. The dragons had studied the Prophecy now for thousands upon thousands of years, and as the war reached its end a new and unusually clear fragment was revealed. It was foretold that the spiders would not survive the last clash of the war. Along with many couatls, the spiders' lives would be taken in the greatest of battles. However, this did not happen. Much confusion and revolt shook the foundation of the draconic population. The Prophecy, the base of all existence, had spoken false. The Spider had fled and a great number of couatls died. Though the dragons were victorious, many considered it a dark day, filled with despair and recklessness. This is the dark secret of the dragons of old, kept hidden from the younger dragons and even those within powerful groups like the Chamber. The Spiders had turned their backs on the alliance, and they and their minions fled and went into hiding across Eberron. The Spider Lords have no intention of letting the past grasp them, and are constantly fleeing from the Prophecy and their destiny. Their ultimate goal is to destroy the Prophecy for good. Feeling captured in this world by the Prophecy, they want to truly become liberated and gain the free will that the Prophecy has taken from them. They view the Prophecy as false and wicked, and that they are the only ones who understand this. Spread all across the world, from Xen'Drik to Aerenal, from Adar to Khorvaire, they watch the stars, study the runes of old, and spy on the dragons. Very few people know about the spiders, and even fewer know about their true nature. The most ancient wyrms might remember them, although most just push away the stories of the spiders as blasphemy and fools' tales. Mothers tell their children stories about the Sharn Spider, coming to snatch them in their sleep if they don't behave, but no one believes the stories to be true. Those who understand the true nature of the spider keep its secret. It is important to understand that the spiders are not overtly evil beings plotting to kill all dragons and take over the world. While it is true that some of them use drastic methods and some truly are of evil alignment, they generally believe their cause to be rightful and for the greater good. They are beings that consider the Prophecy to be keeping every creature in the world a prisoner, that is only exists to enslave the creatures of Eberron. The Spider Lords work toward the demise of the Prophecy above all else. There is no reason to fear them...unless you stand in the way of their plans. The spiders consider themselves above or outside the Prophecy, and indeed, it had not mentioned them in recent history. Of course, only small fragments of the Prophecy are known, so it is hard to say if the spiders truly have escaped the grasp of the Prophecy, or are still crawling within its net. This, the spiders need to be at once swift and careful. They cultivate tremendous patience, striving to ensure that their actions will contradict the Prophecy rather than support it. Of course, it is a dangerous and difficult game to work against maybe the oldest force in the world of Eberron, but the spiders are well-equipped.
SquirrelMortis 04-10-07, 10:29 AM	I've read your and Troll's work on this topic, and believe me, the Spider Lords feature quite heavily in my campaign...:clap: :evillaugh
polt 04-10-07, 11:21 AM	Really? I'd love to hear how you're using them! I recently decided that I want to begin DMing again, and I want to use the Spider Lords, so I'd love to hear what other people are doing with them.
polt 04-10-07, 11:27 AM	Here's the second part, the first look on one of the spiders. The White Spider of Adar At the end of the Age of Demons, the great alliance between the dragons and the spider lords was broken, and the Lords of False Presage scattered across the face of Eberron. The White Spider, named for the color of his skin, fled to the lonely mountains of Sarlona to the region now known as Adar. After laying in wait for hundreds of years, the White Spider crossed paths with the dragons once more. A blue dragon, a servant of the Prophecy, sought to kill the spider lord, but through superior cunning the White Spider prevailed, killing the dragon and taking shelter in its lair. Atop the great mountain rising above his enemy’s lair, the White Spider found an artifact of tremendous power, a Siberys observatory. With the weapon of the enemy in his hands, the White Spider studied the Ring of Siberys and the planes that surround Eberron, and after countless years the spider began to unlock the secrets of the Draconic Prophecy. Then came the kalashtar. The hermits of the mountains and valleys had never discovered the White Spider, but sightings in the Ring of Siberys told the spider lord he would need allies. Rumours of the powerful blue dragons atop the great peak of Korrandar worried the spider lord, and so he reached out to the spiritual settlers, albeit subtly. Whispers of a great seer spread across a small, nearby community, and soon they sent out an emissary named Kalavakri who became the White Spider’s eyes and ears among the Adarans. Using the new found knowledge of the Quori gathered from its contacts, the White Spider developed the psychic abilities of its own vast intellect. The White Spider has left his enemy’s tools behind, choosing instead to use the raw power of his mind to glimpse into the future. The White Spider despises the dragons and the vise they clamped around the free creatures of Eberron when their ancestors created the Prophecy. However, the spider lord refuses to let this hate cloud his judgment as he works for what he believes is a noble cause. Thousands of years in solitude has taught the White Spider to value the allies he can find, and unlike some of the other spider lords, he treats his followers with respect. Above all, the White Spider enjoys the irony of using the Prophecy to bring its own downfall. The White Spider’s allies are few and far between, and he has few contacts outside of the kalashtar and the other spider lords. His kalashtar followers are centered in a small mountain community approximately one day’s walk from his lair. Only one kalashtar is permitted to meet with the White Spider, a respected psion known as the Alakhal Ralath, or Herald of the Spider Lord. The current herald is Kathalkhad, an old telepath and priest of the Path of Light. The White Spider of Adar Spider Lord Diviner 6 / Seer 3 Huge Magical Beast Hit Dice: 16d10+48 plus 9d4+27 (185 hp) Intiative: +4 (+4 Dex) Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 30 ft. (6 squares) Armour Class: 18 (-2 size, +4 Dex, +6 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +20/+37 Attack: Bite +27 melee (2d6+13 plus poison) Full Attack: Bite +27 melee (2d6+13 plus poison) Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Poison, web, minions, hypnosis, spell-like abilities, spells, psionic powers Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft., damage reduction 10/targath, low-light vision, tremorsense, nondetection, spell resistance 17 Saves: Fort +16, Ref +19, Will +19 Abilities: Str 29, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 24, Wis 22, Cha 22 Skills: Concentration +18, Diplomacy +25, Hide +15, Knowledge (Arcana) +19, Knowledge (History) +17, Knowledge (the Planes) +19, Knowledge (Psionics) +13, Listen +25, Move Silently +23, Psicraft +13, Sense Motive +25, Spot +25, Spellcraft +16, Speak Language (Quori) Feats: Die Hard, Dodge, Endurance, Extend Spell (B), Improved Counterspell, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Scribe Scroll (B), Spell Focus (Divination), Spring Attack ======================================== = Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 22 Treasure: Double Standard Alignment: Lawful Good The White Spider speaks the language of the Spider Lords as well as Quori, Giant, Infernal and Draconic. Combat The White Spider prefers to fight from the shadows, using his spell-like abilities to conceal himself, then immobilizing his enemy with his web. He will then use either his poison or his hypnosis and remove the foe from his presence alive. The White Spider kills only when absolutely necessary, using its minions and evocations to be rid of the danger. Hypnosis (Su): A combination of the Spider Lord’s unusual language and subtle hypnotic patterns in its eyes allows it to seize the mind of weaker beings. This hypnosis is a full round action that provokes an attack of opportunity, and can affect all creatures within 30ft with up to half the HD of the Spider Lord. Affected creatures must succeed on a DC 23 Will save or be affected as if by a charm monster spell. In addition, affected creatures with less than 6 HD are subject to a daze effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 21, initial and secondary damage 2d6 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based. Minions (Ex): Tiny spiders are attracted to the lair of the Spider Lord, and using a hypnotic language the Spider Lord can call these spiders to swarm against its foes. Three times per day as a standard action, a Spider Lord can call 2d6 spider swarms to fight for it. The swarms gather in areas chosen by the Spider Lord on the Spider Lord’s next turn, but cannot be more than 60 feet from it. The spider swarms fight to the death unless otherwise instructed by the Spider Lord. Web (Ex): The Spider Lord often waits in a web suspended above its lair, then lowers themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. The Spider Lord can also throw a web eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size category larger than the Spider Lord. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check DC 21 or burst it with a Strength check DC 25. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus. The Spider Lord often creates sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to 50 feet square. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has 14 hit points, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/—. The Spider Lord can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web. Nondetection (Sp): The Spider Lord is subject to a permanent nondetection effect as the spell, except that no checks are allowed to bypass the effect. Spell-like Abilities:At will – message; 3/day – invisibility, darkness; 1/day – prying eyes, sending. Caster level 16th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Spells: The White Spider casts spells as a 6th-level wizard specializing in divination, with necromancy as a prohibited school. Typical Wizard Spells Prepared (5|6|6|5; save DC = 17 + spell level): 0th - detect magic, prestidigitation, ghost sound, detect poison (s), mage hand; 1st - identify (s), shield, hypnotism, colour spray, silent image, mage armour; 2nd - Detect thoughts (s), touch of idiocy, scorching ray, mirror image, glitterdust, blur; 3rd - clairaundience/clairvoyance (s), hold person, lightning bolt, dispel magic, suggestion. Psionic Powers: The White Spider manifests powers as a psion (seer) of 3rd level. Psion Powers Known (power points 21, save DC 17 + power level): 1st – mind thrust, defensive precognition, offensive precognition, offensive prescience, sense link; 2nd – object reading, id insinuation.
Zombomaniac 04-10-07, 11:29 AM	I really like the fell of the spiders. One thing you might like to use are the Weavers from Dragon #352. You could kind of use them like the Daelkyr in the ECS, i.e the Daelkyr in the ECS are only th "base" Daelkyr and the Higher ups of the Daelkyr are much different and more powerful.
ieattrollsforbreakfast 04-10-07, 11:59 AM	Blast from the past, eh Polt? :D I knew Squirrel_Mortis would be along soon! I've been using the Spider Lords in one game for about a year now...but none of the players know yet ;) Specifically, I've got Dharvos and Araknos working together behind the scenes. They'll meet Araknos eventually, I think.
polt 04-10-07, 12:11 PM	Blast from the past, eh Polt? :D I knew Squirrel_Mortis would be along soon! I've been using the Spider Lords in one game for about a year now...but none of the players know yet ;) Specifically, I've got Dharvos and Araknos working together behind the scenes. They'll meet Araknos eventually, I think. Totally. I reread the articles and I was like "How did I come up with this, I mest be getting stupid, because I could never think of anything like this today." :D
Zombomaniac 04-10-07, 04:07 PM	I've been reading up on Cthulhu lately and saw mention of a Old One called Atlach-Nacha, The Spider God, Spinner in Darkness. Here's a link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Old_One). You might like it.:)
polt 04-11-07, 02:29 AM	Zombomaniac, I was actually inspired by Shelob from Lord of the Rings. How unoriginal am I :D Here's the next article. Araknos The Vampire Lord Deep within the jungles of Xen’Drik lays a ruined temple that was not built by the giants. The architecture resembles that of the giants, but upon entering the temple’s semicircular arch, any informed visitor would realize that it was not built for the massive humanoids. Deep in the bleak darkness, underground, beneath the ruin, Araknos awaits. He is a Lord of False Presage, a king of spiders, and a powerful vampire. One of the oldest vampires in Eberron, Araknos saw the rise and fall of the Xen’drik giant civilization. Ages ago, the dragons of Eberron rediscovered the Prophecy and started the war that ended the Age of Fiends. During this war, a group of giant spiders became sentient and started to grow in might. Even before achieving their current level of power, the spiders proved potent allies and worthy opponents. Unlike his kin, Araknos did not initially side with the dragons. He saw more in common with many of the fiends, and offered his services as an assassin and spy for the demon armies. Before long, his espionage left him impressed with the ways of the wyrms. Araknos was willing to betray either side in order to preserve his own life, but could not decide which group was most likely to survive the conflict. A rakshasa rajah, Nur’Galthazar the Blood Lord, discovered the spider’s bewilderment. The demon recognized the spider as an important ally, a force the demon army could not afford to lose. Confronting Araknos directly, the rajah offered him the chance to participate in a dark ritual that promised to grant the spider a new kind of power. Instead, the Blood Lord cursed the spider with vampirism, and then sent him into the ranks of the dragons to satisfy his bloodlust. Furious at his betrayal, Araknos was determined to fight the primal cravings of vampirism. He sought help from his fellow spiders, and they formulated a bloodlike solution capable of holding his appetite at bay. The satiated Araknos spent the final centuries of the age fighting against the demons, even working alongside the dragons he had been sent to kill. Eventually, though, the war ended and the dragons recognized the spider lords as enemies. Araknos’ fellow spider lords could not obtain the blood solution, and he was forced to hunt in order to survive. Araknos traveled to Xen’Drik to feed on the giants and explore his growing power. Once again time took its turn, and the centuries strolled by. Araknos survived two planar incursions and observed the rise of the common races with disinterest. His life did not change until one century ago, when a brash young silver dragon named Immirah found the fragments of the Prophecy regarding the spiders’ supposed doom. Curious, Immirah investigated the stories and grew angry when he discovered that the ancient wyrms had hidden this information from the younger dragons. As a member of the Chamber he believed fervently in the importance of the Prophecy, and was sickened by the thought of a force actively trying to disrupt it. Eventually, Immirah followed the hints of the Prophecy to Araknos’ lair in Xen’Drik. The dragon was too arrogant to think that a giant spider could pose any threat to him, and Araknos quickly took advantage of this ignorance. Fascinated to see a dragon after so many years, though, Araknos did not kill Immirah. Instead, he kept him prisoner. Through coercion and torture, Araknos learned much about the dragons’ lives on Argonnesen. In the process, he made another discovery. Apparently, the potions brewed by his brethren during the Age of Fiends had always contained dragon blood. A single bite of blood from the silver dragon was enough to satisfy Araknos’ hunger for months. Immirah is still a captive in the depths of Araknos’ lair, chained to the ancient temple walls in human form. Tormented by his act of recklessness, Immirah curses his stupidity and waits for a chance to exact his vengeance. Araknos still guards his prisoner, sharing any new information with the other Lords of False Presage. As he bides his time and deepens his knowledge of Argonnessen, Araknos dreams of the day when he will drink the blood of entire dragon armies. Arkanos the Vampire Lord Vampire Lord Spider Lord Ranger 3 / Fighter 2 Huge Undead Hit Dice: 16d12+16 plus 3d8+3 plus 2d10+2 (149 hp) Intiative: +12 (+8 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative) Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 50ft. (perfect) Armour Class: 34 (-2 size, +8 Dex, +18 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 26 Base Attack/Grapple: +21/+44 Attack: Bite +34 melee (3d6+15/19-20/x2 plus poison and energy drain) Full Attack: Bite +34 melee (3d6+15/19-20/x2 plus poison and energy drain) and slam +29 melee (2d6+22 plus energy drain) Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Poison, web, minions, hypnosis, spell-like abilities, blood drain, children of the night, dominate, create spawn, energy drain Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft., damage reduction 10/-, low-light vision, tremorsense, nondetection, spell resistance 17, alternate form, fast healing 8, gaseous form, resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10, spider climb, turn resistance +8, control weather, wild empathy, favoured enemy (Outsiders (native)) Saves: Fort +25, Ref +30, Will +23 Abilities: Str 41, Dex 26, Con -, Int 27, Wis 26, Cha 29 Skills: Bluff +17, Diplomacy +37, Hide +30, Intimidate +17, Jump +22, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +15, Knowledge (Geography) +15, Listen +40, Move Silently +38, Search +23, Sense Motive +39, Spot +40 Feats:Alertness (B), Cleave, Combat Expertise (B), Combat Reflexes, Dodge (B), Endurance (B), Great Fortitude, Precise Shot, Improved Critical (Bite), Improved Initiative (B) Improved Natural Attack (Bite), Iron Will (B), Leadership (B), Lightning Reflexes (B), Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack, Track (B), Rapid Shot (B), Whirlwind Attack (B) ======================================== = Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 23 Treasure: Quadruple Standard Alignment: Neutral Evil Araknos speaks the language of the Spider Lords as well as Giant, Infernal and Draconic. Combat When threatened, Araknos almost always begins combat by immobilising foes with his web attacks. Using the time he has before his opponents break free, he will use his abilities to call allies to him and then moves in to feed on his helpless, overrun prey. Hypnosis (Su): A combination of the Araknos’ unusual language and subtle hypnotic patterns in their eyes allows him to seize the mind of weaker beings. This hypnosis is a full round action that provokes an attack of opportunity, and can affect all creatures within 30ft with up to half the HD of Araknos. Affected creatures must succeed on a DC 23 Will save or be affected as if by a charm monster spell. In addition, affected creatures with less than 6 HD are subject to a daze effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 21, initial and secondary damage 2d6 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based. Minions (Ex): TTiny spiders are attracted to the lair of Araknos, and using his hypnotic language he can call these spiders to swarm against his foes. Three times per day as a standard action, Araknos can call 2d6 spider swarms to fight for him. The swarms gather in areas chosen by Araknos on his next turn, but cannot be more than 60ft from him. The spider swarms fight to the death unless otherwise instructed by Araknos. Web (Ex): The Spider Lord often waits in a web suspended above its lair, then lowers themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. The Spider Lord can also throw a web eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size category larger than the Spider Lord. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check DC 21 or burst it with a Strength check DC 25. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus. The Spider Lord often creates sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to 50 feet square. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has 14 hit points, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/—. The Spider Lord can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web. Nondetection (Sp): Araknos is subject to a permanent nondetection effect as the spell, except that no checks are allowed to bypass the effect. Spell-like Abilities:At will – message; 3/day – invisibility, darkness; 1/day – prying eyes, sending. Caster level 16th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Blood Drain (Ex): Araknos can suck blood from a living victim with his fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, he drains blood, dealing 1d4+2 points of Constitution drain each round the pin is maintained. On each such successful attack, Araknos gains 5 temporary hit points. Children of the Night (Su): Araknos can command the lesser creatures of the world and once per day can call forth 1d6+1 rat swarms, 1d4+1 bat swarms, or a pack of 3d6 wolves as a standard action. These creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and Araknos until released. Furthermore, the vampire lord can sense through the senses of any such commanded creatures, and communicate empathically with them, to a range of 10 miles. Dominate (Su): Araknos can crush an opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her eyes or speaking foul words. The vampire must use a standard action, and those merely looking at it are not affected. If Araknos is using its voice, the target must be able to hear the vampire lord's voice when it speaks at a normal volume level. Anyone Araknos targets must succeed on a Will save or fall instantly under the vampire’s influence as though by a dominate person spell (caster level 12th). The ability has a range of 30 feet. Create Spawn (Su): A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by Araknos’ energy drain rises as a vampire 1d4 days after burial. If Araknos instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim also returns as a vampire. In either case, the new vampire is under the command the Spider Lord and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. At any given Araknos may have enslaved spawn totalling no more than 42 individuals; any spawn he creates that would exceed this limit are created as free-willed vampires. A vampire that is enslaved may create and enslave spawn of its own, so Araknos can control a number of lesser vampires in this fashion. Araknos may voluntarily free an enslaved spawn in order to enslave a new spawn, but once freed, a vampire cannot be enslaved again. Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by Araknos’ slam attack or bite attack gain three negative levels. For each negative level bestowed, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. Araknos can use its energy drain ability once per round. Alternate Form (Su): Araknos can assume the form of any animal, as the druid ability wild shape used by a 12th-level druid. Araknos can use this power at will as a move-equivalent action. The vampire lord can change from one animal shape to another without having to revert to its spider form. Fast Healing (Ex): Araknos heals 8 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must reach its coffin home within 24 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to one hundred and eight miles in 24 hours.) Any additional damage dealt to a vampire forced into gaseous form has no effect. Once at rest in its coffin, a vampire is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at the rate of 5 hit points per round. Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action, Araknos can assume gaseous form at will as the spell (caster level 5th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability. Spider Climb (Ex): Araknos can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell. Control Weather (Sp): Araknos can cast control weather as a 12th-level sorcerer at will. Telekinesis (Su): Araknos can use telekinesis (caster level 12th) at will. Telepathy (Su): Araknos lord can communicate telepathically with any living creature within 100 feet that has a language, and with any vampire under its direct control to a range of 1 mile. Favoured Enemy (Ex): Araknos gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against native outsiders. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.
Zombomaniac 04-11-07, 09:30 AM	A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by Araknos’ energy drain rises as a vampire 1d4 days after burial. Did you mean Vampire Spawn? Because you go on to say: If Araknos instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim also returns as a vampire. Both ways create a vampire based on what you say.
polt 04-11-07, 10:30 AM	Actually that's troll's department, he wrote all of the stats. I'm no good at coming up with monster crunch, only the fluff :) Here's the next part, there's two more after this: Dharvos the Veiled Fang In the Age of Demons, before the Rajahs fell to the power of the dragons, Dharvos, a Spider Lord of secrets and deception, was loyal to the wyrms. However, Dharvos was a cunning and manipulative spy, and infiltrated the ranks of the rakshasa lords. Respected as a powerful assassin, Dharvos easily siphoned demonic secrets to the dragons. When the Age of Demons ended and the dragons turned on the Spider Lords, Dharvos fled to Khorvaire, building a lair in the Seawall Mountains of what is now southern Breland. For centuries he waited, watching as the great empire of the giants rose and fell. Soon the next great empire of Eberron established itself, and Dharvos recognised this time as an opportunity to re-establish his power. As the Empire of Dhakaan grew, Dharvos relocated to the great metropolis of Ja’shaarat, where he began to weave his web of intrigue. The great spider lord soon gained a foothold in the ever growing Shaarat’khesh, the Silent Blades. Just as Dharvos’ subtle power among the goblinoids had grown to rival those of the great generals, the Daelkyr came, and his achievements were burnt to ashes. Dharvos did not reveal himself by opposing the aberrations of Xoriat. Instead, he laid low until the great conflict was resolved. Ever patient, the spider lord maintained his home in the depths of Duur’Shaarat until the human settlers claimed the territory and began to raise the towers that would eventually become the great metropolis of Sharn. The next event to capture the attention of Dharvos came one and a half thousand years ago, the War of the Mark. As with the other Lords of False Presage, Dharvos despises the Prophecy, and the emergence of the dragonmarks proved its strength. When the Lady of Plague stood strong against the Dragonmarked Houses, Dharvos saw the aberrant dragonmarks as a sign of a weak, failing Prophecy. Devoting much of his time to research into these arcane marks via his followers, Dharvos began to unlock the secrets of aberrant and pure dragonmarks alike. The differences between the aberrant and pure marks have Dhavros fascinated, and he has begun to capture vulnerable excoriates for his studies. To this day Dharvos continues his research, and anonymously channels wealth to the mysterious House Tarkanan. To provide him with information and assets, Dharvos created a secret guild of assassins and spies known as the Veiled Fang. Throughout its time on Khorvaire, the Veiled Fang has integrated itself into hundreds of organizations across the continent. Though its headquarters are in Sharn, the Veiled Fang is an international power with subtle motives. The structure of the Veiled Fang is simple. Dharvos is the undeniable leader of the organization, with a triumvirate of generals beneath him leading projects within different organizations. These four beings, as far as Dharvos knows, are the only creatures that know the true nature of the Veiled Fang. Beneath the triumvirate begins the web of intrigue. The agents commanded by the triumvirate believe themselves to be members of other organizations, from the Order of the Emerald Claw to the Tyrants. Some of these underlings may even be members of the true organization as well, unknowingly serving two masters. The current triumvirate includes Yin (doppelganger rogue 5/assassin 2), recently favoured for its integration into the ever elusive House Thuranni, and its bitter rival Jekka (female aranea illusionist 4/ rogue 3), chosen after revealing a hole in the Aurum’s tight security. The third member’s identity remains a mystery even to Jekka and Yin. When interacting with organizations or even single creatures, Dharvos prefers to use the many arms of the Veiled Fang than his own potent abilities. Having taken advantage of the spilt within House Phiarlan to acquire agents within House Thuranni, the spider lord has now infiltrated almost every Dragonmarked House, and it is likely that Dharvos will use the perceived power and safety of these organizations to contact individuals. Because of his reliance on the organizations of Khorvaire, the vast majority of Dharvos’ minions, indirect or otherwise, are humanoids or shapeshifters. Dharvos, the Veiled Fang Spider Lord Rogue 5 / Assassin 4 Huge Magical Beast Hit Dice: 16d10+48 plus 9d6+27 (194 hp) Intiative: +9 (+5 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative) Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 30 ft. (6 squares) Armour Class: 19 (-2 size, +5 Dex, +6 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 19 Base Attack/Grapple: +22/+39 Attack: Bite +29 melee (2d6+13 plus poison) Full Attack: Bite +29 melee (2d6+13 plus poison) Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Poison, web, minions, hypnosis, sneak attack +5d6, spell-like abilities, spells, death attack Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft., damage reduction 10/targath, evasion, improved uncanny dodge, low-light vision, tremorsense, nondetection, poison use, spell resistance 17, trapfinding, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge, +2 save against poison Saves: Fort +15, Ref +25, Will +15 Abilities: Str 29, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 23, Wis 22, Cha 21 Skills: C Bluff +17, Diplomacy +33, Disguise +13, Gather Information +17, Hide +27, Intimidate +17, Listen +34, Move Silently +35, Search +18, Sense Motive +34, Spot +34 Feats: Die Hard, Dodge, Endurance, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Spring Attack, Stealthy ======================================== = Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 22 Treasure: Double Standard Alignment: Lawful Evil Dharvos speaks the language of the Spider Lords as well as Quori, Giant, Infernal and Draconic. Combat The Spider prefers to fight from the shadows, using his spell-like abilities to conceal himself, then immobilizing his enemy with his web. He will then use either his poison or his hypnosis and remove the foe from his presence alive. Hypnosis (Su): A combination of the Spider Lord’s unusual language and subtle hypnotic patterns in its eyes allows it to seize the mind of weaker beings. This hypnosis is a full round action that provokes an attack of opportunity, and can affect all creatures within 30ft with up to half the HD of the Spider Lord. Affected creatures must succeed on a DC 23 Will save or be affected as if by a charm monster spell. In addition, affected creatures with less than 6 HD are subject to a daze effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 21, initial and secondary damage 2d6 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based. Minions (Ex): Tiny spiders are attracted to the lair of the Spider Lord, and using a hypnotic language the Spider Lord can call these spiders to swarm against its foes. Three times per day as a standard action, a Spider Lord can call 2d6 spider swarms to fight for it. The swarms gather in areas chosen by the Spider Lord on the Spider Lord’s next turn, but cannot be more than 60 feet from it. The spider swarms fight to the death unless otherwise instructed by the Spider Lord. Web (Ex): The Spider Lord often waits in a web suspended above its lair, then lowers themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. The Spider Lord can also throw a web eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size category larger than the Spider Lord. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check DC 21 or burst it with a Strength check DC 25. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus. The Spider Lord often creates sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to 50 feet square. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has 14 hit points, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/—. The Spider Lord can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web. Nondetection (Sp): The Spider Lord is subject to a permanent nondetection effect as the spell, except that no checks are allowed to bypass the effect. Spell-like Abilities:At will – message; 3/day – invisibility, darkness; 1/day – prying eyes, sending. Caster level 16th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Trapfinding (Ex): Dharvos can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a DC higher than 20, can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps and bypass traps without disarming them. Evasion (Ex): Dharvos can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Trap Sense (Ex): Dharvos has an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger from traps, giving him a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Dharvos retains his Dexterity bonus to AC even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Dharvos cannot be flanked. This defense denies another rogue the ability to sneak attack Dharvos by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least thirteen rogue levels. Death Attack (Ex): If Dharvos studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (Dharvos’ choice). While studying the victim, Dharvos can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect the Spider Lord or recognise him as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 20) against the kill effect, she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6+4 rounds. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once Dharvos has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds. If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) or if the Spider Lord does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before he can attempt another death attack. Poison Use (Ex): Assassins are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade. Spells: Dharvos casts spells as a 4th level assassin. Typical Assassin Spells Known (5/3; save DC 16 + spell level): 1st—feather fall, ghost sound, obscuring mist, sleep; 2nd—darkness, invisibility, pass without trace.
Faithful_One 04-11-07, 10:55 AM	Wouldn't the Spider Lords like Sarlona, since the Prophesy appears to be blind and powerless there?
polt 04-11-07, 11:25 AM	Wouldn't the Spider Lords like Sarlona, since the Prophesy appears to be blind and powerless there? It does? How so?
SquirrelMortis 04-11-07, 12:17 PM	It does? How so? It hints at it in Secrets of Sarlona, though as usual in Eberron, it gives no definites.
polt 04-11-07, 12:30 PM	It hints at it in Secrets of Sarlona, though as usual in Eberron, it gives no definites. Really?! That's really interesting, although I'm not sure I like it. We made the Spider Lords before that book was out, but if the prophecy doesn't "work" on Sarlona (although I'm not sure what that means), obviously the spiders would be interested in it, if they found out. Although, I kinda suspects that Sarlona is supposed to be some sort of future Khovaire.
Faithful_One 04-11-07, 01:41 PM	Really?! That's really interesting, although I'm not sure I like it. We made the Spider Lords before that book was out, but if the prophecy doesn't "work" on Sarlona (although I'm not sure what that means), obviously the spiders would be interested in it, if they found out. Although, I kinda suspects that Sarlona is supposed to be some sort of future Khovaire. Of what i do know basicly no oneborn on Sarlona can manifest a dragon mark, there are no dragon shards found on Sarlona, and in general no Draconic prophesy stuff shows up.
SquirrelMortis 04-12-07, 03:52 AM	Of what i do know basicly no oneborn on Sarlona can manifest a dragon mark, there are no dragon shards found on Sarlona, and in general no Draconic prophesy stuff shows up. 1. True, no one can manifest a dragonmark. 2. False, while there are no eberron and siberys shards, there are a few veins of Khyber Shards. 3. Unknown, this was hinted at as a reason to keep the dragons from meddling too much in Sarlona. All in all, this one's up to the DM.
polt 04-12-07, 07:29 AM	The Spider Lords in Your Game The Final Three In the past three articles we have detailed out the history of three of the six spiders, the White Spider of Adar, Dharvos the Veiled Fang and the vampire lord Araknos of Xen’Drik. True to the spirit of Eberron, the last three spiders are up to the DM to tailor to his own campaign, leaving room for improvisation and incorporation of the Spiders to fit your idea of Eberron. To get you started, we have included three possible ideas below. Amaz’Tika the Seren Hunter This spider is truly living on the edge. He felt that the dragons of Argonessen are the true invokers of the prophecy, and to truly understand and fight the prophecy, you have to watch the dragons’ every move. The Spider Lord Amaz’Tika is master of tracking and observation, a hunter with skill rivaling that of the Veiled Fang. It is said that one is only able to find the Seren spider, if the spider allows one to. True to these tales, Amaz’Tika waits on the isle of the barbarians, sometimes venturing into the great continent of the dragons to listen to the whisper of the wyrms, and read the thoughts of dragons. Ashmarith the Jungle Dweller “Your enemy’s enemy is your friend”. At first this spider lord followed Amaz’Tika to Seren, but soon decided to leave the dragon controlled island. He found his way to Aerenal, the island of the elves. This civilization holds godlike power, and has fought the dragons for many years. Their power, Ashmarith believes, could be used against the prophecy. The Nameless This Spider Lord may be the most mysterious of them all. He has no name nor does he rest in one place like the others. He travels the continents, the oceans and perhaps even the planes, with a strange human looking creature, with blood red lips and ghostly white skin. The Nameless and his companion form a strange relationship; do the two creatures even want the same thing? The ways of the Nameless seems to resemble some of the old texts regarding the Traveller. Is the spider lord a worshipper of the dark god? Is his devious companion? The Nameless also goes by the name The First, since he was the first of the Spiders to rise above monstrous state and receiving the power that the spiders are wielding today. He was the first, and the one to lead his fellow lords to power. Remember, these are just some suggestions, but the last three spiders are really meant as ways for DMs to add their own personal touch to the Spider Lords of the False Presage. The base creature used to create the statistics for the other three spiders is also included at the end of this feature. The Spiders in the World Almost no one knows about the Spiders, and those who do rarely know the whole truth. The Spider Lords keep to themselves and rely on their minions and patience. They study the sky, ancient texts and look out for signs of the prophecy. They always act to counter the prophecy. The Spiders need to keep up with the world they live in, and have spies in many places. Dharvos’ sinister league of spies and assassins, the Veiled Fang, is a greater way for DMs to incorporate any of the organisations from the Eberron Campaign Setting into a campaign revolving around the Spider Lords. Some suggestions for true relationships between Eberron’s many organisations and the Lords of False Presage follow. The Dharvos, the spider of Sharn, holds great wealth. It is likely that members of the Aurum are in business with him. Araknos is one of the most powerful undead in Eberron, and if a Blood of Vol priest or Emerald Claw general ever found out about him, that person could certainly try to seek the spider out. Whether he plans to serve the great spider or to enslave him is another matter entirely. Of course this would prove most difficult, and probably impossible. The Spider Lords of the False Presage are a force to be reckoned with and to try to control them would be dangerous, especially considering the tremendous hate the spider possess for being manipulated and controlled. They want to be in control. The Lords of Dust are the servants of the ancient enemies of the spiders. The Spider Lords however, no longer consider themselves at war with the demons, and if a rakshasa presented itself to one of the spiders, the lord might be willing to help the fiend. It depends entirely on the consequences of their actions. The Spiders never do anything that could help the Prophecy, and they always think long and hard, and investigate, before doing anything. Araknos would probably be very suspicious of a rakshasa, he has been fooled by the demons before, and he hates and distrusts them, but not more than he hates the Prophecy. If the dragons found out about the spiders, especially Chamber dragons like Immirah, they would certainly do something to find and destroy them. The spiders don’t necessarily consider the dragons their direct enemies; they consider the prophecy the enemy of all living beings, even the dragons. The wyrms have been blinded by the corrupting power of the Prophecy. Dharvos views this as weakness on the dragons’ part, but the White Spider of Adar pities the dragons for not being able to see the truth. Dharvos saw the Goblinoid empire rise and fall, and he could most certainly have planted his seed in at least one of the surviving clans. Perhaps there’s a tribe in Darguun worshipping the teachings of the Spider of Duur’Sharaat, or maybe a Cult of the Dragon Below in the Shadow Marches has been manipulated to do the spider’s bidding.
DarthMidget 04-12-07, 08:42 AM	Wow this is a really good example of turning a classic monster into unique and interesting adversaries! Good job to all who were involved in this endeavor. These are really fantastic.
polt 04-12-07, 08:50 AM	Wow, thanks. That made me so happy I'm going to post the last part. Using the Spider Lords A great way to use the spiders in your campaign is to keep your players in the dark. Leave out a lot of information. Let the players get little pieces of the puzzle spread out over lots of seemingly unrelated adventures. Encounters with the Spider Lords themselves should be saved for when the players have reached a high level of power; the individual spiders make for great memorable battles to end a campaign. The spiders are powerful beings, and potent as both enemies and patrons, but if the players ever killed a spider they would inevitably have to face the other five. The six spider lords are all male, and their origin is a mystery even to them. The loss of a spider would be a terrible blow. That is also one of the reasons why the spiders keep such a low profile; they have no way of reproducing. If one is killed, they can not just mate like the dragons, nor does a new one appear in the depths of Khyber, like the fiends. There are six of them, and if one is killed, there will only be five. And every single spider is a valuable player against the prophecy; all of the lords know this. Bear these facts in mind when constructing a campaign that would result in the death of one of the Spider Lords. Plot Hooks Below are a few of plot hooks involving the Spider Lords of the False Presage to get your creative juices flowing: The Hunt for Vampirism A lower ranking Blood of Vol cleric wants nothing but to become a vampire, he feels like his mortality is preventing him from becoming who he is destined to be. He has yet to prove himself worthy of the Blood of Vol rituals that would turn him into a vampire, but he is impatient. He stumbles upon texts speaking of Araknos the Vampire Lord, and he hires the adventurers to find the ancient spider and ask for his aid. What will Araknos’ response to such a demand be? And will the party be able to survive the dangers of Xen’Drik? (If you’ve played the “Shadows of the Last War” adventure, you could use the changeling priest Garrow) The Chamber Agent The party gets contacted by a Chamber dragon in disguise. He has foreseen events that demand his attention and interference. He sends the adventurers into the Shadow Marches to find an ancient demon city. However, Dharvos the Sharn spider finds this out, and sends his Veiled Fang agents to either prevent the party from accomplishing their mission, or find the city first and discover its secrets. Immirah the Lost In a dream one of the players receives a vision of a silver haired human in chains. The architecture surrounding him is unlike anything the player has seen before. The silver haired man is Immirah, the silver dragon who was imprisoned by Araknos the vampire lord centuries ago. The dragon has found a way to contact the party through their dreams, and now he needs their help to escape his prison in Xen’Drik. Once free, he can have his revenge. Old Enemies A Kalashtar shadow watcher finds out about a Lord of Dust Rakshasa who has made progress in finding out how to free his Rajah master. Kythri will soon become contentious with Eberron, and the terrible fiend will be freed. Knowledge is power, and to fight the demons effectively, the Kalashtar has to find out more about the devious fiends. He has heard about a White Spider in Adar that knows much of the Age of Demons and he must travel to Sarlona to seek him out. But will the White Spider of Adar be willing to help? Perhaps freeing the Rajah will be a terrible blow against the dragons and the Prophecy? Or perhaps the Rajah is prophesized to rise again, and the Spider Lord will go out of his way to help the party. (The Kalashtar shadow watcher could either be a member of the party, or a friendly NPC calling for the help of the heroes). Shorts- The party gets sent out on a mission for House Thuranni, but in reality they are working for The Veiled Fang. - On a trip to Xen’Drik the players stumble across a document speaking of The Prophecy. Soon they are contacted by a strange human looking character with ghostly white skin, who needs the document at all costs. - A Dhakaani hobgoblin is preaching the teachings of a great Lord of the Webs in the depths of Malleon’s Gate. What is this new faith? Is it connected to the mysterious killings plaguing Lower Dura? - Explorers in Xen’drik uncover an ancient carving depicting a great and ancient battle between dragons, demons and spiders. However, the carving appears to have been newly made. - Authorities seize an Aurum businessman’s assets, but they discover he has been channeling wealth to an unnamed organisation. The party is hired to follow the trail to its source, but they soon find out they have bitten off more than they can chew. Spider Lord Huge Magical Beast Hit Dice: 16d10+48 (136 hp) Intiative: +4 (+4 Dex) Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 30 ft. (6 squares) Armour Class: 18 (-2 size, +4 Dex, +6 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +16/+33 Attack: Bite +23 melee (2d6+13 plus poison) Full Attack: Bite +23 melee (2d6+13 plus poison) Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Poison, web, minions, hypnosis, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft., damage reduction 10/targath, low-light vision, tremorsense, nondetection, spell resistance 17 Saves: Fort +13, Ref +16, Will +11 Abilities: Str 29, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 23, Wis 22, Cha 21 Skills: Diplomacy +24, Hide +15, Listen +25, Move Silently +23, Sense Motive +25, Spot +25 Feats: Die Hard, Dodge, Endurance, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Spring Attack ======================================== = Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 13 Treasure: Double atandard Alignment: Any Advancement: 17-32 HD (Huge); 33-48 HD (Gargantuan) or by character class Level Adjustment: - Spider Lords speak their own language as well as Giant, Infernal and Draconic. Combat Hypnosis (Su): A combination of the Spider Lord’s unusual language and subtle hypnotic patterns in their eyes allows them to seize the mind of weaker beings. This hypnosis is a full round action that provokes an attack of opportunity, and can affect all creatures within 30ft with up to half the HD of the Spider Lord. Affected creatures must succeed on a DC 23 Will save or be affected as if by a charm monster spell. In addition, affected creatures with less than 6 HD are subject to a daze effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 21, initial and secondary damage 2d6 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based. Minions (Ex): Tiny spiders are attracted to the lairs of the Spider Lord, and using their hypnotic language the Spider Lord can call these spiders to swarm against its foes. Three times per day as a standard action, a Spider Lord can call 2d6 spider swarms to fight for it. The swarms gather in areas chosen by the Spider Lord on the Spider Lord’s next turn, but cannot be more than 60ft from it. The spider swarms fight to the death unless otherwise instructed by the Spider Lord. Web (Ex): Spider Lord often wait in their webs or in trees, then lower themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. Spider Lord can throw a web eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size category larger than the Spider Lord. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check DC 21 or burst it with a Strength check DC 25. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus. Spider Lord often create sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to 50 feet square. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has 14 hit points, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/—. A Spider Lord can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web. Nondetection (Sp): A Spider Lord is subject to a permanent nondetection effect as the spell, except that no checks are allowed to bypass the effect. Spell-like Abilities: At will – message; 3/day – invisibility, darkness; 1/day – prying eyes, sending. Caster level 16th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
polt 04-12-07, 08:51 AM	Again, I'd LOVE to hear if somebody actually want to use them, and how.
DarthMidget 04-12-07, 09:29 AM	Well I would like to post one further compliment about why this is good Eberron fluff. To me Eberron is about a few core things: 1. Taking classic D&D concepts and revamping them to make them fresh and unique. 2. Keeping things nice and gray. The Spider Lords fluff accomplishes both of these. There are few monsters more cliche than a giant frickin' spider. And yet the Spider Lords of the False Presage are quite interesting characters with good motivation, and frightening power. That and they may be both party friend or foe. That, to me, is what makes a good piece of Eberron fluff.
polt 04-12-07, 09:43 AM	Yeah, I completely agree. It was really important to ieattrollsforbreakfast and I that this was an eberron organization. There's nothing worse that somebody putting their own stuff into a setting like Eberron when it has no place in there. I know some of the novels get bashed for this, I haven't read them so I don't know if it's true, but you can just feel it when something feels wrong. And Eberron really has a sort of unique feel to it, and it's easy to make stuff that doesn't fit. I also really think that's very true to eberron to have these beings that are really powerful, but they can't really use all of their power. Look at Kaius and Vol for example, they are some nasty creeps you don't wanna mess with. But Kaius has a secret, and Vol can't risk making her presence know to the dragons. We really tried to capture that too. They are almighty, but they aren't. I'm really glad that people seems to think the spider lords fit into eberron, I know I've made an adventure or character or two that didn't have anything to do with Eberron.
Vharuck 04-13-07, 12:42 PM	This week's "Vharuck's Personal Hero Poster" award goes to... *opens sealed envelope*... POLT! Congratulations, sir, I am awed by your and your creations' awesomeness!
polt 04-13-07, 01:39 PM	Wow, thanks a lot. But I REALLY have to share this 50/50 with ieattrollsforbreakfest. And he even did all the work with the stats, which I had nothing to do with, so I'll make it 49/51 in his favor ;)
ieattrollsforbreakfast 04-13-07, 03:17 PM	Wow, thanks a lot. But I REALLY have to share this 50/50 with ieattrollsforbreakfest. And he even did all the work with the stats, which I had nothing to do with, so I'll make it 49/51 in his favor ;) Ah, but the initial idea was yours, so you get that 1% back ;) Thanks for the compliments, guys, it makes it all worth while! I'll have to check out that little thing with Araknos' stats...it might be a copy/paste error. And for the Sarlona being a Prophecy dead zone thing, well, I think that actually works rather well with the Spider Lords. We do have one of the spiders in Adar, after all. The White Spider may have spent a very long time in Sarlona studying the Prophecy, and there are at least two ways you can align that with the new revelation: 1. Studying the Prophecy in Sarlona is easier, since there is less interference. An analogy might be the Hubble Telescope: without the atmosphere (or 'prophetic atmosphere' in the case of Khorvaire), the view of the stars is clearer. 2. Through its research, the White Spider caused Sarlona to become a Prophecy dead zone.
Zombomaniac 04-13-07, 03:49 PM	Dang you Polt! You're making want to make something for Eberron.;) I used to make a lot of random stuff for just plain DnD, but stopped cause i wasn't getting to use any of it.
polt 04-13-07, 04:26 PM	Hey man, I've never used the Spiders :D My game stopped before I had the chance, I'm dying to use them. Well, use them and let the players actually find out about them. But it's such a big process, because I think it's kinda lame to just go "Yes, I'm the Sharn spider, now let me tell you my history. It all started in the Age of demons where...". It feels contrieved.
ieattrollsforbreakfast 04-13-07, 05:37 PM	Hey man, I've never used the Spiders :D My game stopped before I had the chance, I'm dying to use them. Well, use them and let the players actually find out about them. But it's such a big process, because I think it's kinda lame to just go "Yes, I'm the Sharn spider, now let me tell you my history. It all started in the Age of demons where...". It feels contrieved. Yeah, that is a bit of a problem...it's the same with all powerful villains really, especially in Eberron (Vol is a good example). The trick is to do it through the minions, but as you say, it's a big process! Another way is through fellow victims. That's where Immirah becomes particularly useful when dealing with Araknos.
polt 04-13-07, 05:41 PM	Tell me about it. It's realy one of the harder things when you DM, you got this major arc in your head, and your players are level one and hunting some lvl 2 hobgoblin thug.
Flame_Drake 04-13-07, 10:22 PM	Blast from the past, eh Polt? :D I knew Squirrel_Mortis would be along soon! I've been using the Spider Lords in one game for about a year now...but none of the players know yet ;) Specifically, I've got Dharvos and Araknos working together behind the scenes. They'll meet Araknos eventually, I think. Why do I get this sinking feeling in my stomach? :shifty: Drake
Zombomaniac 04-13-07, 11:09 PM	Why do I get this sinking feeling in my stomach? :shifty: Drake I assume Troll is you DM? @polt Well you've got me thinking of stuff to make again. So far I am going on a pretty big Psionic bent. As soon as I have my thoughts and notes in a coherent fasion I'll post them up here to see what you all think.:)
SquirrelMortis 04-14-07, 04:30 AM	I assume Troll is you DM? Oh yes, and I shall be watching Prison Break very intently from now on...:evillaugh
polt 04-14-07, 02:12 PM	Hey Trolls, I see Eberron Online (former Eberron Essential) are back online. You feel alright by offering them the articles to upload on their site? If no, no problem.
Zombomaniac 04-14-07, 03:58 PM	Hey Trolls, I see Eberron Online (former Eberron Essential) are back online. You feel alright by offering them the articles to upload on their site? If no, no problem. Link please?:)
polt 04-14-07, 04:06 PM	http://www.sfafa.com/index.asp