Copyright © 2023 Steven Chabotte

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1
ADVENTURE OVERVIEW
The Hive of the Golden Arachnids is a one-shot 5th
Edition adventure designed for 5 to 6 3rd-level players.
The game rating is hard to deadly. A short rest is
recommended before facing the Spider Queen. This
adventure takes place near the town of Dustvale, at the
foot of a mountain that contains a gold mine. It can easily
be merged into any fantasy world. As the game master,
you should read through the entire adventure before
playing it, noting changes needed to match your game’s
specific mix of characters, motivations, and goals.
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS
On entering the town of Dustvale, the adventurers
discover the town is in an uproar. The miners broke
through into an underground chamber and were attacked
by giant arachnids. It was a vicious and bloody battle,
killing many of the miners, and the town is still reeling
from the damage these monsters wrought on their
citizens yesterday.
Being well-equipped strangers, the townfolk naturally
assume you are adventurers and quickly approach. They
detail the events of the attack and offer them 400 gp in
gold nuggets if they can eradicate the nest of arachnids
that have shut down the mine and killed so many of the
miners. They also offer the party two healing potions.
The party learns that the miners were excavating a
wall when it collapsed, revealing a large, roughly carved
chamber and tunnel beyond. It was filled with decaying,
golden-colored spider webs, and suddenly half a dozen
glittery golden giant spiders poured through the tunnel
and attacked them. Several miners fell to their poisonous
bites and web attacks, and the rest ran as fast as they
could to safety. No one has been in the mine since
yesterday morning – but no spiders were seen leaving
the mine entrance.
SET THE SCENE:
As you descend into the bowels of the mine, it quickly
becomes pitch black, forcing you to light torches to see
clearly. The trail to the cavern is easy to follow due to the
scattered bits of mining gear that were dropped as everyone
fled. When you reach the cavern entrance, you see smears
of dried blood on the ground but no bodies. The blood trails
lead to a crude wall of boulders held in place by spider
webbing.
Entrance: The entrance is currently blocked. A cursory
examination shows that the bodies were dragged into the
cavern that lies beyond the crude stone and spider web
wall. Despite its unorthodox construction, it is quite
strong. If the adventurers investigate the wall, they can
discover that the webbing burns easily with a DC 10
History check, significantly weakening the wall. Once the
webbing is burned away, the party can clear a wide
enough space to crawl through in ten minutes. An
additional ten minutes will make a comfortable entrance
to the cavern beyond. Unfortunately, this is a noisy
process and cannot be performed quietly.
2
1. The Cavern of Blood: A gruesome scene is revealed as
the wall comes down. Spider webbing is scattered
throughout this area, much covered with bloody smears
as the bodies were dragged elsewhere. Clear paths
through the webbing are observed, and it looks so old and
dry that it presents no danger. The spiders seem to have
carried the dead through the far tunnel and didn’t return
to the room. An observant adventurer notices small gold
nuggets buried in the wall with a DC 15 Perception check.
Two giant spiders are hidden on the ceiling behind
thick layers of webbing and plan to pounce after all the
adventurers enter the cavern. They can be noticed with a
DC 18 Perception check and, if not detected, get a surprise
attack round. Four more giant spiders are hidden in the
passageway at the far side of the cavern, waiting to rush
into the room. They roll normal initiative.
If the adventurers burn the webbing before entering
this room, this causes all six spiders to rush the party and
initiate an attack immediately. In this scenario, initiative
is rolled normally.
Tunnels: Tunnels are riddled with spider webs and are
considered difficult terrain. Gold nuggets will
occasionally be spotted as a further distraction to the
adventurers if they are actively looking. Nuggets are
typically worth 5-10 gp each, and one can be found every
50’. However, this ups the chances of a random
encounter (see below.)
Tunnels frequently contain just one of either a giant
spider (70%), guard spider (20%), or drone spider (10%)
(drones mostly being found in the passage from the
queen’s nest to the egg chamber.) If a giant spider or a
guard spider is encountered, it will immediately attack. If
a drone spider is encountered, it will try to flee
(especially if it is carrying an egg) but will attack if
cornered.
There is a 15% chance per 50’ of travel to have a
random encounter with one of these spider types. If the
adventurers actively seek gold nuggets, the chance of a
random encounter rises to 25%.
[Note: One tunnel winds its way to a surface entrance
into the lair that is well hidden in some rubble on the side
of the mountain. It is not relevant to this adventure but
could be useful information for future activities if you
choose to allow the adventurers to discover this
particular passageway.]
2. The Golden Eggs: As the adventurers enter the egg
chamber, read the following:
You see several smaller spiders working industriously,
moving amongst hundreds of golfball-sized, golden-colored
eggs. They are busy checking each egg and moving them in
the stacks. Nearby, you see an egg hatch and a small, hand-
sized spider scrabble to freedom, leaving behind a now
deflated egg. Toward the center of the room, you see a pillar
with a large vein of gold embedded within it
The room is large and filled with gossamer webbing that
sticks to anyone walking through it. Treat travel in this
room as difficult terrain. The room has hundreds of eggs,
dozens of drone spiders, and two guard spiders. If the
adventurers enter the room and disturb the webbing, the
guard spiders rapidly approach and attack. If any eggs are
damaged during the battle, the drone spiders begin
attacking in waves. Each round, after an egg is damaged,
four drone spiders join the battle and attack at the same
initiative count as the guard spiders.
If the adventurers do not enter the room, the spiders
will ignore them.
3 The Queen’s Chamber: As the adventurers enter the
queen’s chamber, read the following:
The tunnel opens into an immense room lightly covered
with webbing and is a hive of activity. At the room’s far end,
you can see a monstrous spider eating from a pile of gold-
flake-saturated food, including fresh-looking body parts.
The queen spider is surrounded by drones collecting eggs
from beyond its rear and preparing them for travel to the
nesting chamber. You also notice two guard spiders
watching you warily as you stand at the entry to the
chamber. A drone spider carrying an egg is heading directly
toward you.
Nothing happens if the adventurers don’t enter the
chamber and step aside as the drone approaches.
However, if the adventurers enter or otherwise interact
with the room, the two guard spiders immediately
3
approach to attack. The queen enters the battle one
round later. All the spiders make liberal use of their web
attack to try to capture the adventurers alive for food
storage but attack viciously while web attacks recharge.
If the adventurers are victorious, they can explore the
tunnel at the far side of the queen’s chamber. It travels a
short way, leading to an oily water pit filled with
preserved foods and saturated with almost microscopic
gold flakes leeched from nearby stones. This mix of food
and gold gives these spiders their golden color. The
liquid’s ability to leach gold from the rock would greatly
interest the mining company. If the adventurers discover
and disclose this find, the mine pays them an additional
100 gp bonus.
VICTORY
When the adventurers return to the surface and share
their success, they are greeted as victors, and a great
party is planned where they will be given their reward. In
the interim, the mine sends down some inspectors to be
sure the work was completed as stated. Also, the mine
owners ignore if the adventurers collected a small
amount of gold while down in its depths but will insist
that all gold collected be returned if they come back with
sacks filled with nuggets. [Game Master’s note: The
owners will overlook up to 200 gp of nuggets taken
during the adventure.]
APPENDIX A - MAP

4
 APPENDIX B - CREATURES

Medium beast, unaligned Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 12 Armor Class 14

Hit Points 10 (3d6) Hit Points 39 (6d10- + 6)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 3 (+4) 12 (+1) 4 (-3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 2 (+4) 10 (+0) 4 (-3)

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +7 Skills Perception +4, Stealth +7

Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages -- Languages --
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including
upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability
check.
Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the spider knows the
exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web.
Web Walker. The spider ignores movement restrictions caused by
webbing.
Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including
upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability
check.
Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the spider knows the
exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web.
Web Walker. The spider ignores movement restrictions caused by
webbing.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit:
3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage.
Web (Recharge 5–6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range
10/20 ft., one creature. Hit: The target is restrained by webbing. As
an action, the restrained target can make a DC 12 Strength check,
bursting the webbing on a success. The webbing can also be
attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 5; vulnerability to fire damage;
immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage).
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit:
9 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 11
Constitution saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) poison damage on a
failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the
poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is
stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and
is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.
Web (Recharge 5–6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range
20/60 ft., one creature. Hit: The target is restrained by webbing. As
an action, the restrained target can make a DC 12 Strength check,
bursting the webbing on a success. The webbing can also be
attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 5; vulnerability to fire damage;
immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage).

5
Huge Beast, unaligned
Multiattack. The queen spider makes two attacks, one with its bite and
Armor Class 16 one with its legs.
Hit Points 72 (10d10 + 12)
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 13
Speed 30 ft.
(2d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 13
Constitution saving throw, taking 12 (2d10) poison damage on a failed
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 2 (+4) 10 (+0) 4 (-3) save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage
reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1
hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +7
this way.
Senses blindsight 20 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages -- Legs. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 9
Challenge 4 (1100 XP) (1d10 + 3) piercing damage.
Web (Recharge 5–6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 20/60 ft.,
Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including upside one creature. Hit: The target is restrained by webbing. As an action, the
down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. restrained target can make a DC 12 Strength check, bursting the
Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the spider knows the exact webbing on a success. The webbing can also be attacked and destroyed
location of any other creature in contact with the same web. (AC 10; hp 5; vulnerability to fire damage; immunity to bludgeoning,
poison, and psychic damage).
Web Walker. The spider ignores movement restrictions caused by
webbing.

6
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Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast,
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System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the
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Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend,
based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
The Hive of the Golden Arachnids
Copyright 2023 Steven Chabotte