- Built by: Drow Elves
- Used Primarily by: Drow Elves
- Cost: Not available on open market
- Tonnage: 60 Spacial Tons
- Hull Points: 60
- Crew: 10/60
- Maneuverability Class: C
- Landing: Land Only
- Armor Rating: 0
- Saves As: Hard Metal (+2)
- Power Type: Major Helm (90%) or Lifejammer (10%)
- Ship's Rating: As Helmsman
- Standard Armament:
- 4 medium ballistae; Crew: 2
1 light catapult; Crew: 1 - Cargo: Nil
- Keel length: 80'
- Beam length: 60'
The ship looks like a squat circular spider (a map follows), made from the black adamantium that drow are famous for. There are magic spells that automate almost every aspect of the ship (meals cook themselves, beds are made). The galley automatically produces food and wine, filling empty containers, etc. The ship itself is covered with grotesque carvings which are highlighted by permanent faerie fires, etc. Additionally, the ship has been treated such that exposure to the sun does not adversly effect it.
The crystal sphere the ship is originally from is one that has been taken over by the drow. It has one major planet, where the drow have taken over. They were able to do this by the uniting force of an Emperor, a devotee of the drow god of thieves. The society is more lawful and less matriarchal than normal drow society. On the main planet, there are scattered houses that still worship Lolth, but discreetly, and also pockets of various humans and demi-humans. The drow have took over 100 years ago, and through the use of mighty magics, closed the gate to the fire elemental plane that fueled the sun. Hence the entire sphere is only dimly lit (source unknown) and is next to impossible to get around in without infravision. The drow use this ship mostly to track down rebels (worshippers of Elistraee) who have hidden themselves in among the dust clouds and asteroids of the sphere. The other major drow mission is the extermination of all demi-humans. The humans are allowed to live in poverty, and a few of them are kept in menageries in the major cities where, due to the short human generation, they have devolved quite a bit. Humanoids, on the other hand, are plentiful on the surface where the low status drow are building cities. At this point there is no warfare, since the drow have a whole surface to expand onto. Within 400 years, population pressure will probably fragment the empire, and pluge the sphere into civil war.
The Mage Spider is frequently used as a battle cruiser or spy ship. The size of the ship, and the ability to land on planets, allows for a variety of uses. They are sometimes used as escort vessels for a Jade Spider, when circumstances permit. Exactly how a Mage Spider is used depends on the will of the Drow Flotilla commander in question.
Crew consists of a priestess and 2-5 underpriestesses, a mage and 1-6 apprentices and crew men and women to fill the remaining spots. The priestess is always of higher level than the mage, and wields supreme authority. Typically, the mage is of at least 11th level. Rarely, suicide ships are found with an all male crew, but these are sent only on desperate missions.
The drow also have a creation that is used on these ships for long voyages. It is a golem, made of Drow body parts. These golems tend to be only 5'6" in height, but otherwise have the same statistics as a flesh golem. The only other advantage is that the golem can pilot a ship, following directions (go toward, go [direction]), or going to any place the golem has been using some kind of inertial tracking or perfect recall. The golem can fly a ship with a SR of 1.
The drow mages invented them to use for long trips, since they are the only ones who ever fly the ships. The priestesses consider it beneath their dignity to actually sit in a spelljamming helm, and they also dislike losing their spells.
Other Configurations
No variations on the Mage Spider have yet been encountered. One was seen using a crew entirely composed of golems and other magical creations, but the craft scuttled itself before its mission could be determined.
Illustrations
Deckplans
Entry to the ship is by a ladder that extends from the mouth of the spider at the will of the spelljamming mage.
entry
_v_
/ \ Key -
|L L|
\_D_/ D = door
_/ | | \_ L = ladder (up)
_/ X| |X \_ l = ladder (down)
_/ | | \_ X = trapdoor
Ballista -> / 1 D D 2 \
points here -> | | | |
|________| |________|
| X| |X |
| | | |
| 3 D D 4 |
\_ | | _/
\_ | | _/
\___|L|___/
\_/
Rooms 1, 2, 3 and 4 all contain a ballista, and 20 bolts for the ballista are in a closed box on the left side of the ballista. The ballista can pivot about 10 degrees in any direction, and points toward a 'dark window', set in the section where the wall begins to curve in all 4 rooms.
The trapdoors lead to storage areas. Small and usually empty. The storage areas hold acid for dealing with regenerating creatures, spare arms and armor, and some reloads for the weapons. A careful search might (5%) reveal an item enchanted to +2 (or better) of drow adamantium, or a specific spells component (90% for level 1 spells, -5% per level of the spell above 1 (valued below 100 gp, i.e. no large powdered diamonds or the like)).
Basically, the storage area is cluttered with junk.
Level 2 -
___
/ \ Key -
|l l|
\___/ D = door
_/ |L| \_ L = ladder (up)
_/ | | \_ l = ladder (down)
_/ | | \_ X = trapdoor
/ 1 D D 2 \
| | | |
|________| |________|
| | | |
| | | |
| 3 D D 4 |
\_ | | _/
\_ | | _/
\___|l|___/
\_/
On this level the 'head' does not connect. The head has a chair, where the golem sits (the helm), and a table, with various maps and charts. There is a large 'dark window', giving a 135 degree view out the front.
The golem is a 6' tall flesh golem made from drow (i.e. black skin, white hair) which can be used to pilot the ship. The golem can take the ship anywhere it has been, and can follow simple directions. It moves the ship with SR 1.
Rooms 1 and 3 are the bedrooms, 4 the barracks, and 2 the galley.
Level 3- ___
|l|
| |
| |
/ \
| C |
\___/
This level is set on top of the ship, but under a 'dark window'. The window form a half circle arching over the passageway, and a hemisphere over the catapult (C). Rocks for the catapult are set in a large closed box, at the bottom of the room.
The 'dark windows' are a spell effect that is like a VERY dark pair of sunglasses. Drow can see through them like normal lighting, since they have sensitive eyes, but humans and other surface dwellers see only a flat grey landscape (or whatever).
