Lore:Spider

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A spider

Spiders are multi-legged arachnids that come in a myriad of sizes. Giant spiders are dangerous foes, being incredibly aggressive carnivores.^[1] They move very quickly^[1] and deal damage with their claws and fangs. Through their abdomen, spiders are able to excrete a sticky, thin substance called spider silk. With it, spiders perfect their dwellings, sealing unwanted exits/entrances and constructing a web which they can use to quickly transverse to any space within their abode. They are known to encase their victims in silken cocoons^[2] and sometimes paralyze them^[1] so that they can feed on them later.

Spiders have associations with the Daedric Prince Mephala, the god Shagrath, and her High Priestess, Selene, who some hypothesize could be connected to Mephala.^[3]

Spiders are said to live upwards of 1,000 years.^[4]

They tend to inhabit underground caves where the moisture keeps their chitinous skin pliable.^[1]

Their broods operate under a matriarchy with a brood mother or spider queen.^[4]

Spider's Milk
Eggs

Variations[edit]

Biting Bloodweaver, Mammoth Spider, Mind Spider, Skein Spider, Spider Guardian, Spider Savager, Venomspit Spider, Websnare Spider

Albino Spider[edit]

An albino spider

Albino Spiders (or Solstheim Spiders)^[5]^:190 are a medium-sized species found on Solstheim. They are fundamental to Spider Crafting, the art of imbuing albino spider pods with magical properties to create volatile artificial spiders.

Found in:

Skyrim^DB

Cave Spider[edit]

Forest Spider[edit]

Frostbite Spider[edit]

A frostbite spider

Frostbite spiders are native to Skyrim. They can be found in their underground nests, or roaming the wilderness. Their lairs are often covered in webs, which can cause obstructions. They spit poisonous venom at their prey from a distance, and leap at them to attack with pincers if they get too close. Frostbite Venom is often harvested from the spiders for use as a poison. Spider Eggs can be taken from the sacs in their web for use in alchemy. These spiders usually take on a brown and grey coloration, although they can also be blue.^[6]

Found in:

Skyrim, ESO, Legends

Goldenback Spider[edit]

A goldenback spider

Tenmar Mountain Spider[edit]

A Tenmar mountain spider

Web Mother[edit]

Web Mother (Blades)

Web Mothers are a monstrous type of queen spider that can be found rarely in Cyrodiil and Skyrim. They are distinguished by their red and black coloration and the numerous spider eggs attached to their abdomen. These queen spiders are usually found in the depths of the nest, where they can reproduce and protect their eggs.^[7]^[8]^[9]

A town in Cyrodiil once kept giant spiders as livestock to harvest their silk. The farmers used specific scents to trick the nest's Web Mother into thinking they were friendly.^[10] Circa 4E 180, this trick stopped working, and the town was soon overrun with spiders. The Warrior arrived and killed the spiders, destroying the eggs that were laid in the town. The Hero then slew the Web Mother, who was too large to leave the nest.^[11]

Found in:

Skyrim^(CC), Blades

Notable Spiders[edit]

Diamond Spider Queen[edit]

The Diamond Spider Queen

The Diamond Spider Queen guarded the Spider's Shadowkey in Earthtear Caverns until the Soul of Conflict slew it and retrieved the Shadowkey in 3E 397.

Found in:

Shadowkey

Notes[edit]

Some Daedra, especially Mephala and those in service to her, have spider-like features, such as Skein Spiders, Spider Daedra, Spiderlings, and Spiderkith.
The Dwemer constructed automatons evocative of spiders called Dwarven Spiders. Likewise, some fabricants of the Clockwork City are spider-like, such as the firepot spiders or dancing spiders.