Editing Shield Spiders

[[File:Shield Spider by Enuryn.png|thumb|300px|Shield Spider, by [[Fanworks/Enuryn|Enuryn]]<br/>(Commissioned by [[Pirateaba]])|alt=]]
'''Shield Spiders''' are one of the most dangerous monsters found in the [[Floodplains]].

== Appearance ==
Shield Spiders are large spiders that have a black and silver pattern on their carapace which gives them an appearance of being armored, hence the name. This armor covers their back and legs.<ref name="1.29"/> The abdomen carapace is weaker.

Shield Spiders can grow to any proportions given enough time, so that there is no "usual" or "normal" size for them. While a three-foot tall Shield Spider is considered "mature", individual spiders can grow to the size of two wagons,<ref name="6.30"/> or twice the size of considerable buildings.<ref name="5.28">[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/10/13/5-28/ Chapter 5.28]</ref>

Shield Spider blood is a pale blue ichor.<ref name="4.49"/>

=== Reproduction ===
Shield Spiders lay small, white eggs in sacs, the size of each sac depending on the mother's age: In average, a spider lays a few hundred eggs in one sac, older spiders may produce thousands. After having filled one sac, they produce the next.<ref name="6.30">[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/07/13/6-30/ Chapter 6.30]</ref>

A baby Shield Spider is not much larger than a spider on Earth. However, they can be dangerous as adult ones, in large numbers.<ref name="1.29"/>

Shield Spiders are active all around the year, even in winter,<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/05/10/2-01-t/ Chapter 2.01 T]</ref><ref name="3.22L"/> but they spawn excessively in the spring.<ref name="6.30"/>

=== Nests ===
Shield Spiders nests, also called ''Pits'', are covered with a camouflaged layer. Inside the nest lies generations of Shield Spiders waiting for prey to fall into the trap, from tiny hatchlings to several foot sized specimens. Often, there is one dominant, large spider which is considered the ''matriarch''<ref name="6.30"/> of her nest. Nest populations can range from least fifty, or as many as three hundred.<ref name="3.22L">[https://wanderinginn.wordpress.com/2017/10/10/3-22-l/ Chapter 3.22 L]</ref>

Shield Spider pits can be hidden in different surroundings, usually held together by their sticky spiderweb<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/07/24/5-05/ Chapter 5.05 mentions glue crafted from webs]</ref>: Within the Floodplains, the Shield Spiders camouflage the pit with a layer of dirt, dead grass and sticks that collapses when the prey walks over the nest.<ref name="1.29"/> Prey includes rats, rabbits, [[Corusdeer]], [[Fortress Beavers]] and unsuspecting travellers.<ref name="6.30"/>

Eggs laid in the late season of the year can provide a problem in the Floodplains in early spring, when they hatch.

Shield Spiders are territorial and and can kill rivaling nests.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/10/12/6-48-t/ Chapter 6.48 T]</ref>

=== Powers/Abilities ===
Shield Spiders are notorious for tracking and killing their prey across thousands of leagues, making it almost pointless to run from them. What is worse, single mature Shield Spiders are hunting outside of their nest. They prefer to herd fleeing prey straight into the pits. If the net collapses, the inhabitating spiders are swarming all over it, both to protect the eggs and to find the prey.<ref name="1.29">[https://wanderinginn.wordpress.com/2016/12/04/1-29/ Chapter 1.29]</ref>

They are considered to be a Silver-rank threat, while a nest of them might even lead to the notification of a Gold-rank team. Their carapace is extremely tough and can resist acid and steel blades, while there bite is so poisonous that not even a Healing Potion could cure it.<ref name="1.29"/>

[[Rags]]' tribe could clear out smaller Shield Spider pits with few casualties even before she migrated out of the area of Liscor, provided that there were at least two Hobgoblins and enough Goblins present.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/05/21/2-02-g/ Chapter 2.02 G]</ref>

=== Weaknesses ===
They can be burnt, especially their dry, webbed pits are vulnerable to fire.<ref name="1.29"/>

Blunt force or piercing through the carapace is the strategy that experienced warriors employ,<ref name="6.30"/> but this is the brute force approach for which enormous strength is required.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/02/17/4-13-l/ Chapter 4.13 L]</ref>

Acid works rather slow against their thick armor, although it can corrode the joints once it gets into there.<ref name="1.29"/>

While spiders are not known for being noisy, Shield Spiders scream when they die<ref name="1.29"/> or when  provoked.<ref name="5.06M">[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/07/27/5-06-m/ Chapter 5.06 M]</ref>

== Habitat around Liscor ==
Shield Spiders are can be found in the [[Floodplains]], where they are a major danger most of the year. Other parts of Izril where they occur are the Gnoll Plains.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/06/09/2-28/ Chapter 2.28]</ref>

They are a pest in the muddy valleys around [[Liscor]] shortly after the flood period ends, and are exterminated each year in an event referred to as the annual spring culling. The backbone of the Shield Spider hunt are Liscor's adventurers and the City Guard, but Antinium Soldiers or the military may also compete in this event.<ref name="6.30"/><ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/07/30/interlude-numbtongue-pt-1/ Interlude Numbtongue Pt. 1]</ref> While the culling in the first year of Painted Antinium participation was especially successful, the Spider Mating was also greatly enhanced after various events that provided enough prey for them.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/06/29/6-29/ Chapter 6.29]</ref> However, forays against Shield Spiders can be done all around the year; [[Ilvriss Gemscale|Ilvriss]] for example went out to clear out a few spider pits before the season started, when he was bored.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/05/17/4-36-o/ Chapter 4.36 O]</ref>

The majority of the Shield Spider population in the Floodplains was exterminated by [Druid] [[Nalthaliarstrelous]].<ref>[[Interlude – A Meeting of Druids|Interlude - A Meeting of [Druids]]]</ref>

== Usage ==
The solid carapace is a base material for crafting,<ref name="1.30"/> including even armor<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/10/19/glossary/ The Wandering Inn Glossary]</ref>. Shield Spider Armor is a trade secret of the [[Armored Queen|Armored Antinium]] <ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/02/20/4-15-l/]</ref>

The Adventurer's Guild of [[Liscor]] has a bounty of an average of eleven pieces of silver per Shield Spider slain and will pay more for their bodies,<ref name="1.30"/> though unbroken carapaces, broken or burnt ones are worth much less.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2016/12/21/1-32/ Chapter 1.32], [https://wanderinginn.com/2018/10/09/5-27/ Chapter 5.27]</ref>

Erin has expressed her intention to make a meal out of Shield Spiders, but has not followed through since.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/05/04/6-13-k/ Chapter 6.13 K]</ref><!-- or has she?--> [[Garry]] the Antinium cook has however already gone there and done that, having presented a Stuffed Shield Spider abdomen with lentils and fried eggs to [[Free Queen|his Queen]].<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/10/30/5-33-b/ Chapter 5.33 B]</ref>

=== As Pets ===
Shield Spiders can't be tamed unless by a very experienced [Beastmaster].<ref name="1.29"/> One Goblin tribe under the command of the [Goblin Lord], namely their chieftain [[Blacktide]], had taken to use living tamed Shield Spiders as mounts.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/10/03/3-20-t/ Chapter 3.20 T], [https://wanderinginn.com/2018/05/22/4-38-n/ Chapter 4.38 B], [https://wanderinginn.com/2018/06/16/4-46/ Chapter 4.46]</ref> That particular tribe was last prominently seen during the Battle of Invrisil.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/06/29/4-48/ Chapter 4.48]</ref>

[Necromancers] can try and use dead shield spiders. [[Pisces]] is known to employ tiny undead shield spiders as spies<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/02/06/4-10/ Chapter 4.10], [https://wanderinginn.com/2018/05/19/4-37-o/ Chapter 4.37 O], [https://wanderinginn.com/2018/10/06/5-26-l/ Chapter 5.26 L]</ref>; while [[Reiss]] used a very large undead Shield Spider as his mount,<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/10/20/5-30-g/ Chapter 5.30 G], [https://wanderinginn.com/2019/01/08/5-51-g/ Chapter 5.51 G]</ref> after [[Zel Shivertail]] killed it.<ref name="4.49">[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/07/07/4-49/ Chapter 4.49]</ref>

[[Revi|Revi Cotton]] the [Summoner] has captured the spirit of a Shield Spider as a tool to fight for her.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/05/14/6-16/ Chapter 6.16]</ref> She can also summon an entire horde of Shield Spiders.<ref>[[Chapter 8.18 H]]</ref>

== Trivia ==
* The Antinium ''hate'' spiders; even the dead ones make the Workers very agitated.<ref name="1.30">[https://wanderinginn.com/2016/12/07/1-30/ Chapter 1.30]</ref> This may have to do with the fact that the Antinium nutrition sludge includes Shield Spiders<ref name="6.30"/>, but also that the Antinium regularly battle the spiders underground.
* After clearing out a nest early in her career as an [Innkeeper], Erin lost respect of Shield Spiders as a serious threat.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/07/08/2-35/ Chapter 2.35]</ref>
* [[Liscor's Dungeon]] has a large pit (a mile-deep vertical drop) with hundred's of thousands of enormous Shield Spiders - that is one of the (as currently assumed: five) main monster caverns (or monster silos).<ref name="5.28"/> Another one held [[Face-Eater Moths]]. The Shield Spider Cavern was sealed from the Dungeon proper by the [[Halfseekers]] and [[Griffon Hunt]] with a magically-raised wall.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/10/16/5-29/ Chapter 5.29]</ref>
* Shield Spiders will instinctually abandon their prey when faced with the threat of [[Crelers]] and even fight together with other species against this threat.<ref name="5.06M"/>
* Erin didn't believe that [[Toren]] would pushed [[Lyonette]] into Shield Spider nests to terrorize her. Which he did.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/05/14/2-21/ Chapter 2.21]</ref>

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Monsters]]
[[Category:Spiders]]