Staff of Spiders by

# Staff of Spider

## The Silken Hunter

*"It's powerful, and useful. But I can't help feeling like it watches me wherever I go. That its legs move when I'm not looking at it. It crawls and creeps, I swear, weaving webs in my mind. But it's so very useful, I can't let it go. I'm in its web as it's in my own."*

The Staff of Spiders appears as a 6 foot tall, slender column of black adamantine. Its surface is reflective with green illumination, turning purple-white in the presence of magic, capped with an ornately designed spider. The bulbous abdomen is perched on top of the staff, legs extended and angled in such a way as to point up and out, barring the lowermost legs which point towards the staff. Though made of the same black adamantine, the spider has decorative carvings which show chitin patterns and markings.

## History
### Creation
*The Drow work their wicked ways on the black adamantine, as skilled in their foul ways as the Dwarves are in their angular techniques. They pour their spells and magic into the molten ore as it's drawn and woven, bound as the ore cools to its indestructible form.*

Like many Staves of Spiderse, this one was produced by imbuing the process of creation with the inherent spells. Each day its process was woven through with arcane power and talent, suffusing its form with a regenerative potential. Though the specifics of its creation are known only to its previous user, those with the correct talents can easily put it to use once more.

## Past Users
*"Little adventurers. Poor heroes. Forlorn wanderers. You thought you could do something so wonderful here.... But you've been playing into my web of lies and deceit for oh so long, I can already see how this will end. The Mine is my property now; and I believe it is my right, to deal with trespassers as I so desire."* - Nezznar

The previous user of this Staff of Spiders was Nezznar the Black Spider, a wizard who sought control of Wave Echo Cave and the Forge within. He readily agreed to work and parlay with the heroes to progress into the cave, ultimately turning against them as soon they were more liability than benefit.

## Effects

*"There was a roar as the Ogre broke through the city wall, leading the charge down the streets. We'd been caught in a dead end, and there was nothing we could do but prepare for a bloody, messy end. And then that Mercenary stepped forward, with that black staff of theirs... They walked up the wall as if it was flat ground, and suddenly a thick wall of spiders web ensnared the brute, stopping it in its tracks."*

Attunement to this Staff will grant the following benefits once achieved. These benefits are only able to be used when you are actively wielding the Staff in at least one hand. If the wielder has attuned but is not wielding the Staff in their hands, then they do not receive any of the attunement benefits which follow.

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#### Venomous Strikes
* The Staff of Spiders grants an additional 1d6 Poison damage when used to attack an enemy.

#### Charges
* The Staff of Spiders contains 10 magical charges at maximum capacity. So long as you are holding onto the Staff, you can use an Action to expend the charges within to cast one of the two spells stored by this item: Spider Climb or Web. The Staff regenerates 1d6+4 charges each dawn; if the final charge is expended, roll a D20. On a 1, the Staff crumbles to fine dust as the magic within becomes unbound.

#### Spider Climb (1 Charge)
*2nd Level Transmutation*
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- **Casting Time:** 1 Action
- **Range:** Touch
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:**  Concentration, up to 1 Hour
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A thin, sticky material like spider silk coats the feet of the target of this spell, allowing them to traverse across vertical and horizontal surfaces while keeping their hands free. They gain a Climb speed equal to their Walk speed.

#### Web (2 Charges)
*2nd Level Conjuration*
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- **Casting Time:** 1 Action
- **Range:** 60 Feet
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:**  Concentration, up to 1 Hour
___
You choose a point in range as thick webbing explodes out, filling a 20 foot cube (4x4x4 area) for the duration. The webbing is difficult terrain and causes light obscuration when viewed through. Unless anchored between two solid masses, the web immediately collapses after being cast, and ends on your next turn; this layered web has a depth of 5 feet.

A creature starting its turn, or entering, in the web must make a Dexterity saving throw; if failed, then they are restrained until the spell ends or they break free with a successful Strength check (both against your Spell DC). The webs are flammable, and any 5 foot area exposed to fire burns away in 1 round, dealing 2d4 fire damage to any creature starting its turn in the burning web.