Drop Spider

"The one saving grace of the desert is that the spiders here don't have any trees to fall on you from."

— Kimo The Traveler

The Drop Spider is a predatory arachnid that dwells in coastal forests all around the world, known for their unique hunting style of dropping from trees to impale their prey with their venom-coated razor-sharp feet. Drop spider venom can paralyze small animals and severely numb even larger animals. Humans and elves can have an arm or leg go numb if a drop spider pierces it. Though this hunting style makes the spiders a frightening part of any journey through the coastal forests of Massaolo, they are generally aware that they cannot eat large creatures and will refrain from attacking something larger than a small frog. Nonetheless, in areas with high spider populations, the risk of being pricked by a particularly ambitious drop spider remains a present danger.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Drop spiders have the typical anatomy of other spiders; two main body segments, eight legs, and two pedipalps.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Like all spiders, Drop spiders are strictly carnivorous, needing to incapacitate live prey and inject digestive enzymes into it in order to feed.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

The Drop spider's venom is a powerful numbing agent which makes them useful for assassins and doctors alike, though 'milking' drop spiders of their venom is a tedious process.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Drop spiders have acute senses of sight, hearing, and touch. They are known to be capable of timing their drops to land precisely on their prey's weak points, even taking wind and humidity into account. Drop spiders have been observed dropping on and piercing prey from the top of branches over 15 meters high and many scientist believe that they could perhaps see, hear, or feel even further targets, though this has never been tested.

Lifespan

5 years

Conservation Status

Least concern

Average Weight

10 grams

Average Length

5 cm

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Drop spiders range in color from green to brown to black depending on their habitat and what is most beneficial for camouflage.