Hidden Temple of the Spider God (Part Five)

High Priestess' Lair (#29/31; #210/365)

"This chamber is lit by several guttering torches. One wall is covered in a sort of bookcase divided into boxes, each of which is full of scrolls sticking out. At the back of the room is a bed, while in the center of the room is a wide desk, dominated by a gold statue of the spider god. At the desk sits a Skeleton Woman dressed in armour, with a greatsword propped against her chair, who screams at your intrusion, and gestures to her pet, an enormous bloated giant spider with a white-spotted brown-haired body: "Gorgos! Get them!" The creature rises from the rug it was sitting on and stalks towards you, its fangs dribbling blood from a recent feed."

Contents: This chamber belongs to the High Priestess Uncinata, a Skeleton Woman and devoted follower of Arhallogen the Spider God. Uncinata is actually the younger sister of Queen Ulna of the Kingdom of Skulls, who fled the lands of the Bone People to find her fortune elsewhere. Falling in with Theraphosa the Spider Queen, she founded the Spider Cultists, a network of Arhallogen worshippers who have spread outwards from this hidden temple to establish cult centres in Pellod, Shazaar, and elsewhere. Much of the paperwork scrolls, written in the octoglyphic script of the Brain Slayers (learned from tutors during Uncinata's unhappy childhood in the Palace of the Skull), detail both the running of this temple and its extended network of cults across southern Allansia.

However, Uncinata is not without problems. She has had several run-ins with the troops of Arvakaten, who is not enamoured of the Spider Cult's presence here in the depths of the Found Tombs. Worse, a rift is beginning to develop between her and Theraphosa, who is jealous of Uncinata's extended network of contacts up on the surface world. If this is not bad enough, word back in the Down Below is that Queen Ulna is trying to locate her younger sister and bring her back to the Palace of the Skull. Whether the Heroes can get involved in these shenanigans depends on their deportment and diplomacy - Uncinata does speak Allansian.

The statue on the table of Arhallogen is of solid gold, and studded with emeralds for eyes, and worth 250GP. Behind the bed is a locked and trapped (Test for Luck or be hit by 1-6 poison darts tipped with Spider Venom) wooden chest; the key disarms the trap and unlocks the chest and is stuck to the underside of the desk. 

Inside the chest are the following treasures of the Spider Cult:

• 312GP in a sack
  
• 4 excellent quality Emeralds worth 40GP each
  
• a strange crown of glowing Green Metal studded with Obsidian (150GP)
  
• two bottles of rare perfume from Salamonis ("Eau de Black Lotus") worth 100GP each
  
• a Potion of Anti-Poison
  
• a silver Necklace of Choking
  

Stats:

HIGH PRIESTESS Uncinata, SKILL 10 STAMINA 16, Greatsword, Breastplate. Uncinata has Devotion 11 and the priestly Powers of Arhallogen the Spider God: Shapechange (into a Giant Spider), Weakness, Curse, and never attacked by, and can communicate with, all spiders. Her Greatsword is dipped in Spider Venom. In her possession she also has 4-24 GP, a Ruby Holy Symbol of Arhallogen (50GP), an extra vial of Spider Venom, and a Net of Entanglement.

"Gorgos" GIANT BLOODSUCKING SPIDER, SKILL 6 STAMINA 14 (fully inflated), 2 Attacks, Large Bite, Light Armour. Can shoot webs: Test for Skill or immoblized as per Web spell.