Hellchain weavers are spider-like entities from the Nine Hells. They are the source of many rumors regarding rusting webs in the depths of the Jangling Hiter in Minauros, tales that speak of places unsafe even for fiends, spoken of in hushed whispers. Hellchain weavers live up the legend, striking fear even in the kytons who rule the infernal city.[1]
Description[]
Hellchain weavers are best described as massive, eight-legged amalgamations of chains, hooks, jagged iron and barbed chains. The howling shriek of metal against metal can be heard as the creatures move and their forms turn and twist against themselves.[1]
Personality[]
Hellchain weavers are sinister, though not particularly intelligent. They are sadists who prefer chase their prey for hours and days to heighten the thrill of the hunt.[1]
Abilities[]
A warrior does battle with a hellchain weaver.
Hellchain weavers are incredibly strong and powerful creatures. They are immune to the cold, regenerate from wounds dealt by unsilvered and nongood-aligned weapons, possess both darkvision and tremorsense, and can climb with great speed and efficiency. The arachnid creatures are also excellent jumpers, hiders and seekers.[1]
Hellchain weavers, as befit the name, could spin webs made entirely of razor-sharp iron chains to form bridges, ladders and walls, as well as to bind their enemies. If their chain attacks could hold a victim still, and the weaver drag them towards itself, they could use their spinning razors and wires to grind and flay the victim alive.[1]
Hellchain weavers could also freely cause their whirling blades to scratch against each other to produce a hideous, unholy din, one which seemed to whisper words of despair and agony and deafened those nearby for several hours. Though immune to the effect themselves, even hellchain weavers struggled to hear much of anything while the metal rasped.[1]
Combat[]
Hellchain weavers are stealthy hunters who rarely stick around for fair fights, instead picking off victims individually both for their own safety and to torment the survivors. Often they dash into the midst of a group of targets, pounce on and kidnap an opponent, climb away and kill them, then stalk the remains of the group and start again.[1]
Society[]
Hellchain weavers were solitary and kept no personal possessions, but did sometimes compete with each other to see which among them could carve the most grisly wounds.[1]
Publication history[]
D&D 3rd edition[]
The hellchain weaver appeared only in Dragon #343 (May 2006), p.Creature Catalog V, by Nicholas Hudson.