Giant Spider

A giant spider's lesser cousin (Russel Howe; public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Giant Spider

Harper Field Dossier
Combat reference
Type	Monstrous web-spinning hunter; the cold reaches breed a pale, frost-hardy kind ruled by a great queen
Vulnerabilities	Fire — its webs are tinder, and burning them sears whatever they hold
Resistances
Immunities
Condition Immunities
Strong Saves	Nimble; quick to skitter clear of harm
Senses	Hunts from heavy gloom and shadow, striking from beyond easy sight
Movement	Climbs sheer ice and clings to ceilings; lurks above and drops on prey
Notable Abilities	Spins webs that snare a victim fast — pinning them in place, fouling their aim and their dodging — and casts web-lines that can haul a caught foe high into the air. Its bite carries a venom worth harvesting from the slain
Provenance
Knowledge	Partial
First Encountered	Session 50, an ice-spider queen ambushing a longship from above
Filed by	Agent Wren, of the Tellstone circle

The Harpers' Read

A giant spider fights from above and from hiding — expect the first you know of it to be webs raining down from the dark, or a comrade yanked off his feet and hauled skyward on a silken line. The webbing is the whole battle: a snared fighter is near helpless, rooted in place with his blows and his footwork both spoiled, so cut your people free before you do anything else. Mercifully, the stuff burns like dry grass. A single gout of flame will clear a web — though mind that the fire bites whoever's tangled in it too — and where there is a queen directing the swarm, killing her collapses her webs all at once. Bring light, for these things prefer to strike from gloom you can barely see through. Carry off the venom from the corpse; a poisoner can put it to good use.

Encounters of Record

• Session 50 — An ice-spider queen ambushed Deez Nuts' longship from the heights, webbing the deck and hoisting Captain LaRustah into the air. Shade's bonfire burned the webs (and several unlucky sailors) and Keyleth's hellfire pixies killed the queen; her venom was harvested.

Harvest Profile (Ice Spider Queen)

CR 2 — Uncommon ceiling. Rules: Monster Harvesting. Lesser giant spiders carry the same manifest at lower grade.

Component	Tool	Rarity	Effect	Primary for	Contributor to
Rimevenom Gland (signature)	Poisoner's / Alchemist's	Uncommon	Cold venom — chill & slow	Poison, Bomb	Potion, Weapon
Refined Frostvenom	Poisoner's / Alchemist's	Uncommon	Cold venom — chill & slow	Poison, Bomb	Potion, Weapon
Spider Antitoxin Gland	Herbalism	Uncommon	Antitoxin — resist & neutralize poison	Potion	Poison
Rimed Carapace Section	Smith's (chitin)	Uncommon	Cold resistance; light protection	Armor	Wondrous, Weapon
Faceted Eye-Cluster (8 eyes)	Jeweler's / optics	Uncommon	Gloom-sight — see in darkness; gem-focus stock	Wondrous, Wand	Staff
Chilled Hemolymph	Alchemist's	Common	Structure only	—	Potion, Poison, Bomb
Single Faceted Eye	Jeweler's / optics	Common	Structure only	—	Wand, Staff, Wondrous
Rimed Chitin Plates	Smith's	Common	Structure only	—	Armor, Weapon
Glacial Web-Silk (bundle)	Weaver's / Leatherworker's	Common	Structure only	—	Armor, Wondrous
Frost-Silk Carapace Lining	Leatherworker's	Common	Structure only	—	Armor
Spider Meat	Cook's	Common	Structure only	—	Rations

Harvest Record

Harvested in Session 50; quantities include the 2026-09 retro pass (margin bonuses). Banked totals: Harvested Materials.

Component	Status	Recovered by
Rimevenom Gland (signature)	Recovered ×2	Gootcha (24)
Refined Frostvenom	Recovered ×8	Gootcha, Xanphina (20), Shade (17)
Spider Antitoxin Gland	Recovered ×2	Karma (19)
Rimed Carapace Section	Recovered	Baelgrum (13)
Rimed Chitin Plates	Recovered ×2	Baelgrum
Chilled Hemolymph	Recovered ×4	Xanphina
Single Faceted Eye	Recovered	Keyleth (9)
Faceted Eye-Cluster	Left on the carcass	—
Glacial Web-Silk · Frost-Silk Carapace Lining · Spider Meat	Left on the carcass	—

See also

• Bestiary — the company's field bestiary
• Monster Harvesting · Harvested Materials