Movement anywhere but on the Arachnid Pathway is impossible on horseback, and the trail is the only quick way to traverse the tangled trees and shrubs. Characters who decide to brave the thick, dense underbrush soon realize how difficult it is to progress through Spiderhaunt in this fashion (MV1) and how easily it would be to be attacked by surprise. Random encounters occur once every eight hours during the day and once every four hours at night. Refer to the Encounters Appendix on page 31 for a list of possible meetings along the trail. The following encounters occur regardless of any precautions taken by the adventurers.
This is not the "Cannon" location for this, but it works better
for the party as it gives them a nice place near the action to
call their temporary home.
B The Arachnid Pathway
This trail is the primary roadway of brigands and other outlaws who flee into the forest. The intertwining branches above you form entire networks of wooden webs, and splashes of light spotlight small sections of underbrush at your feet. Slowly your eyes register on an astounding sight: Huge spiderwebs swinging among the trees around you. Some are more than 15 feet around. Unfortunately, this trail runs through the heart of what many refer to as the Web. This area contains the largest number of spiders. Some webs along the trail are nearly invisible; characters blunder face first into them unless they devise suitable precautions.
The webs on the trail vary in size from small, delicate cobwebs to sticky strings that are almost impossible to remove from hair and clothing. PCs who continue to walk through webs are soon wrapped in a sticky mess that takes 1d12 rounds to remove. Characters searching the trail find the shriveled, empty bodies of birds, squirrels, mice, and other small animals—the spiders’ victims.
The spiders are none too happy about invaders in their home. After 1d6 rounds, the PCs are attacked by a horde of tiny arachnids.
C Spider Encounter
E. Merchants’ Calling
Low-hanging branches obscure the path, and virtually all attempts to obtain a clear line of sight along the trail are futile. The sky is blocked by the webwork of branches, vines, and leaves overhead. The path is nearly 10 feet wide, and numerous ruts mark the passage of wagons.
This trail once stretched south to tie into the Northride, but has since fallen into disrepair. Characters who possess a tracking proficiency or similar ability detect a trail that continues south at the junction of the Lakeside Trail.
F. Lakeside Trail
It’s roughly 10 miles from the start of the trail to the shores of Lake Melishar, and the journey to the lake takes almost the entire day. The break from the Merchants’ Calling to this little side trail has made travel an interesting challenge. The trail is only a few feet wide here. Thick roots seem to reach out to trip you from time to time as branches slap across your face.
G. Lake Melishar
The lake, named after an elven ranger who roamed these woods
more than a hundred years ago, is clear and cool. Characters
arrive here at sunset, as dusk settles over the forest. The trail
winds around a vast expanse of water, and the silver glow of the
half moon reflects softly off its surface. Familiar animal
tracks—including raccoon, deer, and rabbit—can be seen at the
water’s edge. A familiar plop from the water lets you know that
the lake is teeming with fish. A few hundred feet in front of you
stands a small shack.
Nature’s Inn is a small
cabin nestled against the shore of the lake. Characters who
examine the door see it’s been rehung quite a few times. Firewood
is stacked outside. It is a ruin .
On the trail again they encounter leapords