Black Arachnia, the BroodmotherAfter millennia of maternal peace, Black Arachnia found herself beset by a steady trickle of furfeet and cutpurses, bold knights and noble youths--all of them delicious, certainly, and yet tending to create a less than nurturing environment for her innocent offspring. Tiring of the intrusions, she paid a visit to Ptholopthales; and when he proved unwilling to discuss a compromise, she wrapped the Vizier in silk and set him aside to be the centerpiece of a special birthday feast.
Unfortunately, the absence of the Magnetic Ziggurat's master merely emboldened a new generation of intruders. When one of her newborns was trodden underfoot by a clumsy adventurer, she reached the end of her silken rope. Broodmother headed for the surface, declaring her intent to rid the world of each and every possible invader, down to the last Hero if necessary, until she could ensure her nursery might once more be a safe and wholesome environment for her precious spiderspawn.
| Broodmother | |
|---|---|
| |
| About | |
| Associated With | |
| Heroes | Monkey King |
| Places | Mount Pyrotheos Magnetic Ziggurat Thorny Wastes |
| Characters | Ptholopthales |
- Broodmother has been to the Thorny Wastes, where she hunts a particular prey that her young requires for nourishment.[1] To do this, she adopts a camouflaged shell of spikes, which she finds quite fashionable.[2]
- Broodmother's fangs contain paralyzing venom.[3]
- Broodmother's carapace is made of chitin.[4]
- Broodmother sometimes carries her young on her back.[5]
Worship[]
Broodmother and her spiderlings were once revered by a cult near Mount Pyrotheos, who believed their insatiable hunger was divine. The cult constructed metal armor for her from the flames beneath Mount Pyrotheo's caldera.[6] Worshipers would then offer that armor to Broodmother before throwing themselves into her webs to be devoured.[7] The cult of spiders has since disappeared, leaving only pieces of armor scattered across Broodmother's endless webs.[8]
The Blacksmith[]
Once, an unnamed blacksmith wandered into Black Arachnia's lair. Fearing for his life, he begged the Broodmother to spare him, and in return, he would craft her a set of armor. Black Arachnia agreed, and the blacksmith set about, measuring and forging a new set of spider armor, using metal collected from the discarded armor of knights who had fallen prey to the Broodmother.[9] He completed eight spiked leg guards, each fashioned from the breastplate of a fallen knight.[10] Then, with trembling hands, the blacksmith laid a metal headpiece on Black Arachnia's head, saying "A crown fit for a queen".[11] Satisfied, Black Arachnia upheld her promise, and set the blacksmith free–only to watch him be eaten alive by her spiderlings.
Relationships[]
Black Arachnia once knew Sun Wukong, and apparently had a friendly relationship.[12] They "broke up" eventually, and remain hostile to each other to this day.[13]
Friendships and rivalries[]
Allies meeting Broodmother
- ▶️
r Mother that you are, you have my great respect. - ▶️ r Just to be clear, if I call you mate, I don't mean it literally.
- ▶️ ▶️ r Let's just get through this Arachnia.
- ▶️ ▶️ r Would it kill you to walk around like how we first met?
- ▶️ r Come, we will spin them into death, Broodmother.
Enemies meeting Broodmother
Enemies killing Broodmother
- ▶️ Who said Axe fears spiders? Axe wants to know their name.
- ▶️ Broodmother, if you weren't already--ugh, never mind!
- ▶️ You can't hide in your web forever.
- ▶️ Your wealth of legs offends me.
- ▶️ I would trample your bones to dust, if you had any.
- ▶️ This is no place for a mother.
- ▶️ Pick a different place to raise a family next time.
- ▶️ Throw down your arms.
- ▶️ Your minions, my fuel.
- ▶️ ▶️ Through all of your snares, Blade Fury cuts like silk.
- ▶️ All those eyes and you didn't see me coming.
- ▶️ Too many legs make for a messy gait.
- ▶️ ▶️ r It's over between us Arachnia!
- ▶️ Caught in your own web, ahe.
- ▶️ Oh! I almost missed you.
- ▶️ Eight legs and still you stumbled.
- ▶️ Where you're going, you won't need any eyes.
- ▶️ An eye for an eye, for an eye.
- ▶️ You should have stayed in your cold den, Broodmother.
- ▶️ Broodmother, you should have stayed in your cold den.
Enemies dying to Broodmother
- ▶️ Broodmotherfuh…
Others
- ▶️ r She waits for you patiently, plucking her strings with all eight eyes a-doze.
- ▶️ ▶️ u Hey Broodmother: Are you watching? ARE YOU WATCHING?!
- ▶️ ▶️ u I'll pretend I didn't enjoy this.
- ▶️ ▶️ No more hiding!
- ▶️ ▶️ I will crush you underfoot!
References[]
- ↑ Thorned Abdomen of Malice description.
- ↑ Thorned Skitterers of Despite description.
- ↑ Incapacitating Bite description.
- ↑ Bladed Abdomen of the Brood Queen description.
- ↑ Lycosidae's Favor description.
- ↑ Steelweb Shell description.
- ↑ Steelweb Sheaths description.
- ↑ Steelweb Cuirass description.
- ↑ The Brood Queen Set description.
- ↑ Legs of the Brood Queen description.
- ↑ Crown of the Brood Queen description.
- ↑ Monkey King response: ▶️ Would it kill you to walk around like how we first met?
- ↑ Monkey King response: ▶️ Let's just get through this Arachnia.