Siren Spider - Creature Conpendium - The World Arcanum
he Siren Spider is one of Arcanum's more deadly creatures. Standing nearly 7 feet tall, this terrible vision possesses the upper torso of a female human, but walks upon the eight legs of an arachnid. The very sight of this monstrosity, which is known to inhabit the desolate Vendigroth Wastes, is more than enough to weaken all but the most courageous of men.
Until recently, it was believed that man served as little but the creature's favored prey. Through previously documented encounters, we knew that on occasion, the female siren spider would call a man out of his tent in the night, promising, in the words of the honorable Sir Gregor Seamus Darton, "unspeakable pleasures in the very voice of irresistible allure." If the victim was found at all, they were usually little more than a withered, emaciated husk. What had not formerly been revealed was precisely how the terrifying creature could lure a man into its clutches or by what means death was served to him. Through our studies however, we have brought the truth to light.
As none had ever been seen, it was assumed that the male Siren Spiders were lone wanderers, or perhaps overseers of the young. We have discovered that this is not the case. In fact, no male of the species exists in any capacity or form. Through whatever process the Siren Spiders were originally brought into existence, be it the result of some dark and twisted magick or the curse of an angered god, their genus was left incomplete. As no male of the species exists, the creature has adapted an ingenious, and terrifying way to ensure the longevity of its kind.
When the female is ready to mate, she seeks out an encampment of men. As night descends, she transforms herself into a vision of womanly beauty, calling out to the one she has chosen. The call itself, being a thing of magick, is irresistible except by the most powerful of mages, and the man is led easily away from his companions. When the victim finally comes to her, she throws herself upon him in joy and thanksgiving at having been found, doing all in her power to inflame his fervor. Men, being men, are particularly vulnerable to this sort of attack, whether magickal or otherwise. The outcome is rarely in doubt.
Once the victim has served his manly purpose, the siren spider resumes her true form. She falls upon the defenseless, naked man, holding him fast with her eight anthropoid legs as she injects him with her deadly poison. The man ceases his struggles quickly, at which point the depraved beast proceeds to feast upon the blood from his lifeless body, draining it until it is nothing but a lifeless shell.
The siren spider does not rest after its endeavors, but moves quickly to seek out a cave, proceeding to line the walls and ceiling with her strong, sticky webbing. Within a few days, the murderous female will produce a clutch of eggs, each being equal in size to the head of a man, which she places upon the padded walls of her nest. She then stands guard over her clutch for several months, guarding them vigilantly against Vendigroth's many predators until they hatch, at which point she offers herself up, and is devoured by her young.
