Spiderfang

Spiderfang
A Spider Rider.
Grand alliance	Destruction
Associated factions	Gloomspite Gitz
Main grouping	Stalktribe
Core resources	Loonstone
Races	Grot
Mounts	Spider
Creatures	Spider
Spell lores	Lore of the Spiderfangs
Scenery	Bad Moon Loonshrine

Spiderfang are Grots that have been driven mad on a diet of poisonous arachnids and worship the Spider-god, as an aspect of Gorkamorka, alongside the Bad Moon which they believe to be the egg sac of the Spider-God. They inhabit web-choked kingdoms on the lairs, wilds and ruins of the nations they destroyed.^[1] Their leadership encourage spiders to nest on their bodies (leading inevitably to being constantly bitten) and will often ingest spider venom, spending long bouts of time in addled hallucinogenic states.^[2e] When these tribes are provoked these Grots go to their bone-filled pit full of offerings and summon the living incarnations of their deity, the Arachnarok spiders.^[1]

Origins

During the Age of Myth the original grot tribes diverged and among these came the Spiderfang Grots.^[2a] The ancestors of the Spiderfang tribes found that they could defeat and even tame packs of Giant Spiders, harvesting broodlings at a young enough age to transform them into faithful yet still dangerous mounts. However the Arachnarok Spider spider was beyond taming and the early Spiderfang Grots learned to live in fear of them.^[2d] Soon in became apparent the Archnarok Spiders spared those who gave worship to the arachnid deity with spider totems and bloody sacrificial offerings. This eventually led to a symbiotic relationship where the grots built their settlements around the lairs of the Arachnarok Spiders and provided a steady stream of victims to devour while the Arachnaroks kept their grot consumption to a minimum and joined the Spiderfang Grots in their battles.^[2d]

As the spiders prefer darksome and dingy conditions, the Spiderfang settlements frequently came into contact with the Moonclan Grots and Troggoths who also prefer to live in such environments due to their own reasons.^[2b] The Spiderfangs began trading hallucinogenic or poisonous substances milked from arachnid beasts for Moonclan fungi and potions which led to alliances for mutual defense eventually leading to the birth of Gloomspite Gitz.^[2a]

Society

Spiderfang settlements are known as nests but in reality these belong to Arachnaroks and other giant spiders than the grots themselves.^[2b] These nests are often found in the shadowed depths of the wildest woodlands or amidst the ancient ruins of fallen civilizations. These nests are nightmarish masses of thick webbing that are impenetrable as fortress walls and enemies trying to hack their way through nests would get entangled and become easy prey for the inhabitants.^[2b] A nest’s reputation and power is based on the number of Arachnarok Spiders it can deploy into battle at a time and its wars are fought to gather sacrifices to feed the giant arachnids.^[2c] Inside the nests spiders and grots alike scurry through web tunnels and brood chambers to tend clutches of eggs, brew poisons and worship to the Spider God. Shamans hold undisputed power in the nests as the divine venom of the Spider God flows in their veins while their minds are guided by visions.^[2c]

Spiderfang raiders are drawn to bright objects like feathers, crystals, quills and glowing insects.^[2e] They will use all of those items as jewelry, and will sometimes wear them by forcing them through their skin. Various stalktribes will distinguish themselves with this jewelry, as well as identifying runes, which may be painted onto shields and skin, or etched into flesh with acid.^[2e]

Sources

• 1: Grand Alliance: Destruction - Spiderfang Grots, pg. 64
• 2: Battletome: Gloomspite Gitz (2019)
  • 2a: Rise of the Gloomspite Gitz, pg. 4-5
  • 2b: The Clammy Corners of the Realms, pg. 14-15
  • 2c: Death from Below, pg. 20
  • 2d: Arachnarok Spiders, pg. 34-35
  • 2e: Worshippers of the Spider God, pg. 36-37