Spiderstone golem

Spiderstone golems, sometimes referred to as obsidian golems, were constructs crafted by the drow spellcasters using a soul of a tanar'ri in service of Lolth^[1], and imbued with the martial skill of a trained drow warrior.^[2]

Description[]

Appearing similar to a stone golem, spiderstone golems were seemingly carved in the likeness of a four-armed drow from a single block of obsidian. The surface of a spiderstone golem was smooth and glassy, with odd sharp fractures marring it. They stood 9 ft (2.7 m) tall and weighed about 2,000 lb (907.1 kg).^[2] The golem's eyes shone with blazing red light once it was activated.^[1]

Abilities[]

A spiderstone golem possessed great physical strength and was much quicker than other golems. Along with the usual properties of a golem, like immunity to magic, spiderstone golems were resistant^[2], and on occasion, impervious, to non-magical weapons.^[1]

Berserk

One danger of facing a spiderstone golem in combat was the chance that the demon spirit that animated the golem could break free and send it into an uncontrolled rage. If this occurred, the spiderstone golem would attack the nearest living creatures (or objects, if nothing else) before moving on. Only the presence of a commanding or persuasive drow priestess could calm a rampaging spiderstone golem.^[2]

Fighting spirit

The spiderstone golem's prowess in battle was such that it struck with greater precision and technique than normal golems.^[2][7]

Magic immunity

Much like other golems, a spiderstone golem was impervious to most magical effects. However, evocation magic and the divine spells of a drow spellcaster could potentially overcome its immunity. Curiously, unlike the similarly built stone golem, a spiderstone golem was unaffected by stone to flesh or transmute rock to mud spells.^[2][7]

Spider climb

Much like the spell of the same name, a spiderstone golem could continuously walk along walls or ceiling with ease.^[7]

Web spit

Intermittently, a spiderstone golem could spit forth webbing that, if accurate, would entangle creatures equal to or smaller than the golem. The webbing, similarly to that of the web spell, was incredibly hard to break but some individuals could potentially wriggle free.^[2] The web spit ability's range was 270 feet (82 meters) and upon hit, it ensnared everything 20 feet (6.1 meters) from the target.^[1]

Webwalking

Any normal or magical webs could be traveled along or through by a spiderstone golem at no impediment.^[7]

Behavior[]

As spiderstone golems were infused not only with the prowess of a drow fighter but also animated by the spirit of a demon from the Demonweb Pits, they could be much more evil and unpredictable than other types of golems. In combat, they were composed and observant of their foe's abilities.^[2]

Once a week, the golems under control of clerics of Loth had only 1% chance of going berserk, with that probability going up, depending on the golem's tasked job. Under the control of a wizard worshiper of Lolth, that chance was 5%. If the golem was tasked with guard duty of someone's personal belongings of no value to the Spider Queen, the berserk chance rose to 50%. The berserk rage was inevitable if the golem was used against Lolth or her agenda in any way. When the spiderstone golem did go berserk, they utilized the intelligence and cunning of the demon spirit inside them and hunted their master first thing, and after the successful kill, it followed direct commands from Lolth.^[1]

Combat[]

Spiderstone golems had all the martial skill and understanding of combat as a trained drow fighter and could adapt its tactics to suit the enemies it faced.^[2] When provoked, spiderstone golems attacked with their four fists^[1], or with weapons in their hands^[6]. From the distance, the golem's first attack often was its web spit.^[1]

Ecology[]

The most common use for these obsidian giants was guarding temples and sites holy to Lolth, as well as search-and-destroy missions against the priests' enemies. Drow wizards were wary of using spiderstone golems due to the higher chance of them rebelling and going into a murderous frenzy.^[1]

Construction[]

Spiderstone golems were constructed in a manner similar to stone golems but were sculpted from a single block of obsidian and could only be enchanted by a powerful adherent of the Dark Seldarine.^[7] The golems created in service of the Spider Queen were animated with a soul of a loyal tanar'ri to ensure the construct's loyalty to the dark goddess and her servants. Because of the demon soul that was not fully bound to the Prime Material plane, the obsidian golems were considered to be lesser golems.^[1]

Use[]

The powdered pieces of these golems could be used to create magic scrolls and enchanted items of spider nature, abilities, or webs, such as scrolls of spider climb, cloaks of arachnida, arrows of slaying arachnids, and many others.^[1]

The eyes of these constructs were a rare and expensive commodity and could be valued around 10,000 gp per eye.^[1]

History[]

Newly discovered spiderstone golems were first documented in a book about horrors of Underdark, True Tales of Underearth by Emerald Hapworth of Waterdeep in the mid 14^th century DR.^[4]

During the Silence of Lolth in 1372 DR, Irae T'sarran gained possession of a spiderstone golem from Maerimydra.^[8] Although it was a potentially powerful servant, she was unsure where its loyalties lay and therefore kept it close by in the Undying Temple.^[9]

In 1375 DR, a moon elf rogue Fox-at-Twilight encountered a room of golems, including a spiderstone golem, within the accursed dungeon, the Depths of Madness, she was trapped in along with a group of unlucky adventurers.^[10]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

Adventures

City of the Spider Queen

Novels

Depths of Madness (novel) • Ascendancy of the Last

Further Reading[]

• John Power (May 1993). “Live Statues and Stone Men”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #193 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 19–22.

References[]

Connections[]