“I heard of something recently, by the Ouroboros… this fisherman, he seemed obsessed with visiting the forests near the river. Every night, he’d venture in, and return in the morning. Eventually, his friends got him to spill… he was meeting a woman there, someone beyond mortal beauty. Well, they had to see for themselves. They followed him that night, without him knowing. Only this time, it ended in blood-curdling screams… they ran from that forest, disturbed and hysterical about some… woman-spider. Aiya… I remember hearing those sorts of stories in Mori, but… surely, the woman-spider isn’t here, too…? Is she even real?”

Jorōgumo

The jorōgumo is a near-mythical creature, recounted in Korami literature for many, many centuries. In form and appearance it shifts over the ages, the specifics seeming to vary from one era to the next and from province to province. Constant, however, is depiction of the jorōgumo appearing firstly as a beautiful, alluring woman. 

Most catch sight of her at night when trekking through the forests, barely more than a shadow in the night illuminated by moonlight. It’s the curiosity that brings men and women back again to find this alluring figure once more. Here, the stories largely differ: some characterize the ‘woman’ as always cloaked in darkness of night, never fully seen, even when up close; always with her back to the moon to hide her true visage. Other stories speak of not a shadowy, curvaceous figure, but instead, an actual, mortal woman moving, touching, and speaking as any ordinary one would. Often, she’ll be fleeting in her meetings, drawing her prey back to the forests again and again in order to ease their guard. Eventually, though, her true form is revealed.

It’s worth noting that none of the stories are ever first-hand accounts of meeting her, but instead, of stumbling upon a scene in the forests, unfolding or unfolded already. Remains and disturbance. When the moment is right, the woman is no longer a woman, instead, a large, imposing spider with eight long, spindly legs, a relatively compact cephalothorax, and a massive abdomen. Though the chelicerae of the jorōgumo is tipped with a pair of large, imposing fangs, these are operated much like a typical spider’s: after a successful hunt, these will be used to hold incapacitated prey, which is then injected with liquifying enzymes through hollowed fangs. This allows the jorōgumo to liquify and ingest the insides of a creature with ease, and why one may find hollowed, husk-like corpses where one lurks. Only when something gets too close for its typical defences will it lash out to bite with its paralyzing bite. Largely, it prefers to use its legs to swipe at and knock around prey, keeping them at distance, and chiefly, use its spider silk webs to ensnare, puppeteer, and even cut creatures.

Aside from the corpses it may sometimes leave behind, the jorōgumo prefers to clean up after itself, eating the silk they spun to recycle the proteins for future need, much like a typical spider would.

Written by Electric

DM Guide

The information below is almost exclusively intended for DMs: an explanation of the creature's behaviour, weaknesses, its unique abilities, and a full statblock to aid in rolling checks and contests where applicable. Characters may reasonably have the knowledge of the information in the above post. The information below is more OOC-facing and can be learned in detail via IC research (a research ticket or event) or known in vague, broad strokes where applicable: common sense applies! A Falstoner may have a vague idea of a Faded Steppe creature's abilities, but not specifics. For example: "the creature spews blood, but I don't know how, when, and what that looks like."

Not every spell, feat, or ability interaction is defined for beasts. DMs are expected to use their discretion when adjudicating interactions that are not explicitly covered. Additionally, the mechanics of bestiary creatures are set in stone and not open for adjustment unless specific issues are noted through DMed encounters.

Spoilers ahead... proceed with caution! Here be dragons!

Behaviour

In appearance, the spider-form of a jorōgumo is similar to the Trichonephila clavata or Argiope: very long and spindly legs, an abdomen that is relatively sizeable compared to the cephalothorax, and a base black colouration with rather bright, yellow-green stripes or patterns, especially on the legs. Images of the aforementioned spiders are accurate representations of what this creature may appear like.

Its ‘human-form’ may take one of two routes: the first, a route of contortion and shadows. The jorōgumo is able to contort its form into the relatively convincing shadow of a typically-sized woman, hiding the mass of its abdomen through clever positioning and wrapping its appendages around to give the illusion of arms, legs, curves, and moving hair. It will be careful to stay away from direct sources of light and never face the moon; such that, through backlighting, the shadowy figure is even more convincing. Only upon getting close enough, or by viewing from a different angle, will one note any peculiarities. Should someone get close enough, the jorōgumo is prone to simply attacking in an attempt to strike first.

The second is a route of puppeteering. Along its hunt, the jorōgumo may collect live victims to string up with spider silk and control like marionettes: using near-invisible silk to control their body’s movements, and even sophisticated enough to manipulate the vocal cords and diaphragm with silk slipped down the throat. In this way, the jorōgumo stays hidden in the shadows or in treetops, playing a young woman as a marionette to interact with victims, walking around and even speaking as normal. Similar to the first method, this is only detectable up close, but even so - the silk is hard to spot in darkness.

Statblock

Boons

[Collateral] The jorōgumo is able to enter an encounter with up to four living NPCs controlled by its webbing. Each turn, it may expand one action to command each of its controlled persons at once. The NPCs operate as such:

• Up to 2 actions each.
• Up to 5m (5 blocks) of base moment.
• May wield weapons, which are rolled as base templates.
• Typically don’t wear armour, for simplicity.
• Do not have any feats and have a limited HP pool smaller than 20 HP. 
• Roll all skill and stat checks with a +0.

These are live NPCs who will largely be pleading for their lives as they are puppeteered to attack the players. Attempts may be made to free them from the spider silk in creative ways (DM discretion). If attempting to sever the spider silk, the player must first roll their attack. If successful, they may then make an INT: Perception check. On a success, the silk is severed. On a fail, it is not. On a mixed success, the DM may give the NPC agency, using a free action to roll an attack to aid in severing the silk.

It is up to DM discretion how many strands need to be severed to free an NPC.

[Marionette] The jorōgumo may attempt to ensnare its targets (the players) and use them against others. This is done via a Grapple action, flavoured as spider silk being used to wrangle the target. Should they be grappled, it may use an action to maneuver the character (similar to [Collateral]). The DM may have them move and attack others, but taking elaborate actions (such as using Fable feat abilities, consumables, etc.) are discouraged. Keep it simple. The character may Struggle to break out, or otherwise be rescued (similar to [Collateral]). While ensnared, they are subject to Grappled effects (limitation of movement, penalty on rolls, etc.).

[Steel Silk] The jorōgumo spins dangerous webs, able to whip them at enemies at high speed. These web attacks deal AP damage and are akin to being slashed by a blade.

[Deadly Instinct] Should someone enter or exit Melee distance specifically around the jorōgumo’s mouth and face, it may make a free attack akin to Steadfast Defender. This is rolled with /roll attack 1 3 AP GP and does 3 AP/GP damage. Should the target take damage, they are injected with a paralyzing venom, slowing their instincts. Until their next turn, their movement (from all forms) is reduced by 2m (2 blocks) and they take a -1 penalty to Ranged and Skirmishing attacks.

Banes

[Natural Armour] While still benefiting from armour rolls when taking damage (for this beast, it uses Light Armour), it does not physically have armour. This means that weapons such as Whips and Finesse Blades, which do additional damage against unarmoured targets, deal that additional damage to the beast.

[Combustible] The jorōgumo’s largest weakness is fire. It takes an extra +2 damage from fire (magic, LW: Elemental, sparklers, etc.) and will generally attempt to move away from sources of it. The spider silk it spins is also flammable, being more easily cut through by fire.

[Unstable Carapace] While grappled by someone, the jorōgumo’s [Steel Silk] attacks are limited to Melee and Skirmishing distance. Additionally, it cannot utilize its [Deadly Instinct] attack while grappled and for the round following the grapple ending.

Mechanics Guidance

• Light Armour
• 70-80 HP
• 3 actions per turn
• Movement
  • 8m (8 block) per turn
• Attack rolls and damage - general guidance:
  • Appendage attacks
    • /roll attack 2 4
    • 4 damage
    • 1 action
    • Skirmishing and Melee distance
  • [Steel Silk] See Boons.
    • /roll attack 3 3 AP
    • 3 AP damage
    • 1 action
    • Skirmishing, Ranged, and Melee distance
  • [Marionette] See Boons.
    • /roll attack 2 0
    • 0 damage
    • 1 action
    • Skirmishing and Ranged distance
    • Follow typical Grappling rules for this
• For the purposes of contesting spells or making otherwise necessary checks, the following stats are provided: