Spiders of Nexus

Guide

Map

Wilderrun

1.

Spiders of Nexus

Lore

Day Seven

Our tour of the caves of Nexus has utterly failed to live up to my expectations. I cannot believe I actually left my post at Cassus University to study the arachnids of this backwater world!
Remains of smaller specimens indicate the local species have the same abilities as their multi-legged brethren off-world. Tensile strength of their spider webs conforms to expected parameters. Tiny mammalian bodies drained of blood confirm that the local species use
typical hunting routines. Many of the bodies were injected with a paralytic poison. Subterranean tunnels show that smaller specimens are capable of burrowing.

This is all rather pedestrian. I could have found similar specimens back on Cassus.

Our study does have one twist, however: according to local legend, a bizarre alien artifact nearby encourages many of the local living creatures to thrive. The populations are supposed to be much larger than average for an
area this size.

So far, the results have been disappointing. This is a tragic waste of my time and intellect.

Day Eight

I WAS WRONG. I WAS SO INCREDIBLY WRONG.

Those smaller species we found weren’t representative of the local population. THOSE CREATURES WERE THEIR OFFSPRING. To think! If their young grow to that size, how large are their parents?

We’ve been sleeping within modest force fields and insect netting to ensure our safety, but clearly, our
precautions HAVE PROVED INSUFFICIENT.

I woke up this morning to discover my traveling companion has vanished!

Something has devoured most of the netting. A trail of blood confirms that the spiders actually dragged his body away! How could so many of them coordinate their efforts? How could they do it so silently? And more importantly, WHY DIDN’T I WAKE UP?

Their poisons must be especially potent. Thankfully, I don’t see any signs of tiny spider bites on my skin.

I must follow these tracks, but I dread the thought of having to slaughter an entire swarm to rescue my companion. Our supplies include enough fuel to rig a crude incendiary device. I do not want to waste the fuel, but if his life is on the line, I may have no choice.

I’m off to follow the tracks.

Day Eight: Addendum

The trail leads farther than I thought.

Day Nine

IT’S NOT A SWARM. IT’S ONE SPIDER! IT’S AS BIG AS A
HOVERBIKE!

SENDING TRANSMISSION. SEND HELP.
GOOD LUCK. GODSPEED.
GOODBYE.