Spider

Represents: Entrapment, stealthily pursuing the unwary and waiting for the most vulnerable time to strike 
Spiders pursue the demise of others. They will stalk others, waiting for them to be the most vulnerable before launching into aggression. Spiders encourage humans to plot and scheme harm and the downfall of others. Spiders have substantially increased Resolve. They will use the Spiritual Effects Detection to sense the presence of others, Discerning of Spirits to reveal their weaknesses, and avoid notice using Asylum. They will use Loose Evil to avoid being ensnared themselves, Bondage to catch prey, and Barrier to isolate an enemy or keep or keep them imprisoned. They strike with their fangs, especially if they have an enemy Bound, and cause Poison. 

Special Abilities

Spiders can use their strength of will to protect themselves. Resolute Stability allows Spiders to ignore Falter:1 each time Falter is applied to them. It also allows them to ignore one Defensive Hit being caused to them. Lastly, it reduces Wear related to Strikes received by 20%. 

When using Bondage and Barrier Spiritual Effect versions, Spiders gain 1 Adjustment in their favor to any Resist Checks.

Weapon Effects

Spiders bite their enemies. Their bite is accompanied by a toxic venom inflicting Poison.

Weapon Effect	Standard Effect	Passion Effect
Toxic Bite	12 = Poison:4 (1/Strike)	Poison:2

Spiritual Effects

Spiders have the ability to use Spiritual Effects from the Detection and Restriction Families. 

Detection Family

Spiritual Effect Name	Tier	Class	Resolve	Effect
Detection	1st	A-O-S	7	Extends Sense range to 14”; gives exact location
Discernment	1st	A-O-S	7	+7 Adjustments to Perceive
Asylum	1st	A-O-S	40	Tier:1 good ignores Spider
Defiled Detection	2nd	A-O-S	14	Extends Sense range to 21”; gives exact location
Defiled Discernment	2nd	A-O-S	14	+12 Adjustments to Perceive
Defiled Asylum	2nd	A-O-S	80	Tier:2 good and lower ignore Spider
Corrupt Detection	3rd	A-O-S	21	Extends Sense range to 28”; gives exact location
Corrupt Discernment	3rd	A-O-S	21	+21 Adjustments to Perceive
Corrupt Asylum	3rd	A-O-S	144	Tier:3 good and lower ignore Spider
Piercing Eyes	Arch	A-O-S	144	Affects Perception, Strikes, Resist, & Social Interactions

Detection extends the range at which other Spirits are sensed to 14”. In addition, the Spider knows the exact location and relative strength of each spirit sensed individually. Relative strength is measured as the difference between the Rank/Power of the sensing character and the Rank/Power of the elohim being sensed. A difference of less than 3 is considered Equal. A difference of 3 becomes Slightly Stronger/Weaker. 7 becomes Significant, 12 becomes Substantial, 21becomes Major, 40 be-comes Great, 80 becomes Prevailing, and 144 becomes Overwhelming. 

Discernment allows the Spider to more easily Perceive information and grants +7 Adjustments to Intentional Perception Rolls (does not improve Incidental Perception). The Spider can also attempt to Perceive information that may not normally be perceptible, such as Maneuvers, Spiritual Effects, Songs, or anything else the Spider may view as potentially pertinent. In addition, the Spider can attempt to Perceive information in an “if….then” style to gain knowledge that could help him predict the likely actions or reactions of the discerned.

Asylum causes Tier:1 good to ignore the Spider. They are still aware of the Spider's presence, but it doesn’t register as significant to them (similar to a leaf blowing by). Striking or using any Spiritual Effect in the Presence Family (except the first Cycle of Vacuous Aura) cancels this Spiritual Effect. Aggressive actions also cancel this Spiritual Effect. (Ex. A Warrior is guarding a prison cell. While in Asylum, the Spider opens the cell door. The Warrior then moves to secure the door once more. Trying to resist this happening in any way would be considered an aggressive action.) 

While in Asylum, the Spider’s Magnitude does still count toward Area Influence. It also still counts toward helping others resist Adjustments against them in Melee Influence, but does not count toward adding Adjustments for others. Initiating a Strike while in Asylum makes the Spider’s current Activation a Surprise Segment vs. all affected enemy Targets. A Target Surprised this way will not be Exposed to the first Strike, however. Asylum does not protect the Spider from Songs or any other things that affect all unholy elohim within Range and do not directly target the Spider.

Defiled Detection extends the Sensing Range even further out to 21”. 

Defiled Discernment increases the Intentional Perception bonus to +14. 

Defiled Asylum causes up to Tier:2 good to ignore the Spider. 

Corrupt Detection extends the Sensing Range out to 40” for all Tiers. In addition, the presence (only very general direction and distance) of Tier:4 spirits can be sensed anywhere in the entire region. This general sense of Tier:4’s extends even through the boundaries of Dominions. 

Corrupt Discernment increases the Intentional Perception bonus to +21. 

Corrupt Asylum causes up to Tier:3 good to ignore the Spider. 

Piercing Eyes causes many eyes to form, covering the Spider. The Spider has Exceptional Boon on all Incidental and Intentional Perception Checks. All Strikes made by the Spider have Slight Boon. All Strikes made against the Spider have Slight Bane. The Spider gains slight Boon when making Resist Checks and Resist Checks vs. the Spider have Slight Bane. Finally, the Spider gains Slight Boon on all Social Interactions and Social Interactions vs. the Spider have Slight Bane. 

Restriction Family

Spiritual Effect Name	Tier	Class	Resolve	Effect
Loose Evil	1st	A-I-B	7	Removes  Tier:1 Hold, Slow for 2 Cycles
Bondage	1st	M-O-R	21+X	Binds Target with Chains
Barrier	1st	M-O-S/R	21+X	Blocks passage up to 3” radius
Defiled Loose Evil	2nd	A-I-B	12	Removes  Tier:2 Hold, Slow for 2 Cycles
Defiled Bondage	2nd	M-O-R	40+X	Binds Target with Chains
Defiled Barrier	2nd	M-O-R	40+X	Blocks passage up to 7” radius
Corrupt Loose Evil	3rd	A-I-B	21	Removes  Tier:3 Hold, Slow for 2 Cycles
Corrupt Bondage	3rd	M-O-R	80+X	Binds Target with Chains
Corrupt Barrier	3rd	M-O-R	80+X	Blocks passage up to 12” radius
Unshakable Bonds	Arch	M-O-R	144+X	Unbreakable Chains that Bind & lower Status

Loose Evil removes, cancels, or prevents anything of up to Tier:1 that would cause the Target to be Bound, suffer a reduction in Speed, or Falter (from a Tier:1 or lower source). This Spiritual Effect specifically counters Impedance, Winds of Heaven, Bind, any Grapple abilities, and Falter. It does not affect Knockback or any distance hinderances related to Defensive Stance or acting as though in Defensive Stance. The effects persist for 2 Cycles and takes effect immediately. 

Bondage allows the Spider to hold its Target with strong chains. While held, the Target is Exposed. The chains begin to form when the Spiritual Effect is initiated, but do not actually constrict until the Target has Checked to Resist. If Resisted, the chains are broken. This Effect is Resistible using Might. 

Once the chains have Bound the Target, the Target or any other character in Melee Range can attempt to break the chains by making a Might Check vs. the Resolve invested into the Spiritual Effect and spending 3 Action Points and adding 3 Exertion for each attempt. If the chains are broken in this way, the Target is no longer Exposed, but does immediately Falter:3. 

If a Target is currently Bound, another Spider may also add their own Bondage Spiritual Effect without triggering an immediate Resist Check. In this case, the Resolve invested into the Bondages are added together to determine the total that must be Checked against to break the Chains. This total cannot exceed the maximum allowable Resolve investment of the highest version affecting the elohim. If the initial Bondage is ended, the additional Bondage(s) will continue as the highest version still in use. 

Barrier allows the Spider to manifest a spherical, translucent Dominion that can be used in one of two ways, either as a Shield or a Prison. 

The radius of the Dominion is determined by the Spider when the Spiritual Effect is initiated and can be centered on any location within 7” of the Spider at that time. After it is manifested, the Dominion radius cannot be changed. The Dominion from Barrier is unable to stop or restrict anything Tier:3 or higher. 

The first use is referred to as Shield and prevents all passage into the Dominion. Characters can freely exit the Dominion at any time. The Shield cannot be moved and can be maintained out to 12” from its center. 

Multiple Spiders can cooperate to use the same version of Barrier Shield simultaneously to cover a larger area. The Resolve investment of a cooperative Dominion is figured as the total Resolve invested by all participating Spiders divided by the number of participating Spiders. If one participating Spider ends Barrier, the entire cooperative Barrier is ended. 

The second use is referred to as Prison and prevents passage in or out of the Dominion. This use can only be initiated encompassing one or more Targets that are currently Weary, Fatigued, Weakened, or Defeated. It can be maintained out to 40” and can be moved by the Spider, provided the Spider remains within 7” while moving it, at a rate of 3” each of their Activations and no more than 7” each Cycle. 

Both uses of Barrier are resistible using Resolve and are Resisted a bit differently than other Spiritual Effects. Characters may attempt to tear down the Dominion using 3 Action Points and adding 3 Exertion. The Dominion has a Breaking Point of 12. As characters make Resist Checks while trying to tear down the Dominion, Stress Points are accumulated and eventually shatter the Dominion if reaching a total equal to the Dominion’s Breaking Point, immediately ending the Effect. 3 Stress Points are removed each Activation when the Spider chooses to maintain the Effect (or the Spider with the highest Swiftness if a cooperative Barrier Shield). 

1 Stress Point is added for each uncancelled “Pass” when attempting to tear down the Dominion. Each  uncanceled Fail in Check Rolls to tear down the Dominion causes Falter:1 to the character making the attempt. Sources of a higher or lower Tier have the Stress Points of their attempt multiplied or divided, respectively, by the difference in Tier with the Barrier plus 1. 

Due to the exertion needed to manifest and maintain Barrier, any Spider investing more than half of the maximum possible Resolve to form and/or maintain the Barrier at any point must wait 1 Cycle before using the same or higher version of Barrier. 

Defiled Loose Evil removes or cancels things of up to Tier:2. 

Defiled Bondage increases the amount of Resolve that may be applied into the chains. If used on Tier:1, Defiled Bondage can affect 2 Targets. 

Defiled Barrier increases the maximum strength of the Dominion and can now stop up to Tier:3. 

Corrupt Loose Evil removes or cancels things of up to Tier:3. 

Corrupt Bondage further increases the maximum strength of the Dominion and can now stop all Tiers. If used on Tier:2 and lower, Corrupt Bondage can affect 2 Targets. If used on Tier:1, it can affect 4 Targets.

Corrupt Barrier further increases the maximum strength of the Dominion and can now stop all Tiers.  

Unshakable Bonds creates unbreakable chains that Hold the Target and additionally prevent the Target from Singing. While Held, the Target’s Status is lowered one classification to Weakened or Defeated. Resisting may only be attempted once. If the Resolve supporting the chains is lowered, another attempt is immediately allowed. This Spiritual Effect is Resistible using Resolve. If Resisted, this Spiritual Effect may not be attempted again on the same Target for 1 Hour unless the Target’s Status has lowered since the last Resisting. (Status raising and then lowering again counts.) If used on Tier:3 and lower, Unshakable Bonds can affect 2 Targets. If used on Tier:2, and lower it can affect 4 Targets. If used on Tier:1 it can affect 8 Targets. 

Attributes

Spiders are treated as Ministering Spirits and also have exceptional Resolve, receiving an additional 21 at 1st Domain, this increases to 40 at 2nd Domain, 80 at 3rd Domain, and 144 once becoming a Spider Beast.

Size and Mutations

Spiders fit the standard rules of Occupying Space for elohim. However, the height is of course skewed when not standing upright. Also, like all bestial elohim, Spiders will gain varying Mutations when increasing in Tier.

The example below shows a sampling of Spiders increasing from 1st Domain to Spider Beast. In this instance, the Mutations gained in order are: Rending Jaws, Cobra Fans, and Pouncing Paws.