Nek'sa, Mother of Spiders (neek-Sha)

TW: Arachnophobia
Gives MAJOR spoilers for the Shadows Saga.

Weaved from the silk Oliver, the Stinging Hybrid created with his spider silk gland spigots, Nek'sa was born to be his emissary. While Oliver does not want "children," he did not mind creating Nek'sa. He is fine if he can fend for herself and not bother him with the needy things children want. Nek'sa understands her father's beliefs and gives him his peace while helping to care for all the spiderlings in the world.

Nek'sa, Mother of Spiders: "Father's request is reasonable. He loves me, but the idea of taking care of little things that constantly beg for attention and food drives him insane. Father is a good being, and I will forever strive to make him proud of me."

Depiction

by Amelia Nite

Nek'sa is a young woman with a strange appearance. Those who see her are often frightened, believing she will eat them. The top half of her body appears like a woman, while her lower half is that of a white spider with a violin shape on her underbelly. She has ashen peach skin, with her face appearing hardened, like a light layer of an exoskeleton is on it. A pair of fangs are hidden in her mouth and only extend when she opens her mouth to bite, usually to feed or in some form of defense. Long strands of stringy white hair draped past her shoulders and down her torso, giving the presence of a web. Nek'sa has starry gray eyes that seem dull and lifeless, which can be traced back to how her adoptive father sees her. She only covers her top half with a form-fitting blouse made out of silk from her silk glands. It is designed to look like she's wearing spiderwebs.
When Nek'sa speaks, one hears the skittering of claws on the ground, almost clicky and whispery. Though, her voice comes off as very charismatic and soothing to Oliver. One can almost always find jewelry or other trinkets dedicated to her in the form of a white spider.

Deidrick Howl: "Ollie! You know spiders scare me! Why did you have to create her?"

Abilities

by Amelia Nite (craiyon)

All of Nek'sa's abilities come from her arachnid abilities. Her first trait is the ability to spread her hair like a web in a 30-foot cube, which lasts approximately one minute. It cannot be destroyed unless by a magickal fire spell or some other magickal fire object. To avoid getting caught in the web, one must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, and if caught, they can make a DC 21 Strength Check to escape or free someone else caught. Nek'sa's web is also toxic, causing 18 4d8 poison damage.
She can also summon two Swarm of Spiders within 5 feet of her. When she becomes severely weakened, she can activate her "Mythic" trait and reheal with 200 HP while adding another 100 HP thanks to her spiderlings creating an armor-like suit around her. Nek'sa has resistance to spells and other magickal effects, unlike her webbing. Just like a normal spider, Nek'sa doesn't get trapped by webbing; she can climb walls, ceilings, etc.

Alliances

Family

Oliver is her birth father, and she sees nothing but good in him. While she also looks to Deidrick Howl as her other father, she is quite withdrawn from him. She will protect both of them in times of trouble. However, Deidrick has voiced his fears of her, causing Nek'sa to pull away and avoid being around him, though she misses him dearly.

Nek'sa, Mother of Spiders: "Does Father hate me? Is my appearance monstrous?"

by Amelia Nite (craiyon)

Nek'sa is highly watchful of her brood children, often showing them off to Oliver when another egg sac has hatched another 1,000 spiderlings, two of each species of spider. If applicable, she'll make a special nest for her children to grow in or let them ride on her abdomen while she makes trips to the other celestials. Sometimes, when one of her children has fully grown, she'll use them as messengers between her and her birth father.
Her other family, the grandparents and parents of Oliver and Deidrick are unknown to her. She will send her children to check up on them and make sure that they are in good health and not in need of protection for dangerous, evil forces. But for the most part, she gives them their space. They do not even know she exists.

Enemies

Nek'sa has very few enemies, but her top enemies are Gaetres, the Cook, Ghinnja, the Burning, and Zoheia, the Frozen. Gaetress is known to encourage people to try new food, knowing full well that some cultures eat bugs, including spiders. Nek'sa views this as an attack on her, and she can't stand the idea of her precious spiderlings being eaten.
Ghinnja is relatively obvious with her fiery nature and appearance. Just the presence of her makes Nek'sa overheated and ready to collapse. And Zoheia is no better. The colder months of the year make it hard for Nek'sa to want to curl up in a nest and sleep the winter away.

History

Birth

Nek'sa was weaved from Oliver's spider glands in 2020 . He ensured she was an adult with a complete understanding of how to speak, write, and survive on her own by the time he finished. Oliver even tried to get Deidrick to accept Nek'sa while she began crafting a nest near their room in the Celestial Palace. Deidrick, of course, refused as his fear of spiders was too great to overcome.

An Emissary

After Oliver grew comfortable in his position as a celestial being, he allowed Nek'sa to venture out and ensure peace and prosperity for all spiders. With a simple white cloak made of Oliver's silk, Nek'sa can walk around as a human without the fear of being revealed as a paranormal creature. Furthermore, those who took up the worship of Oliver started to include her in the Coven of the Selobo's lore and referred to her as Oliver's emissary daughter.

Table of Contents

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by Amelia Nite (artflow)

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Titles/Nicknames

Mother of Spiders / Queen of Spiders

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Quick Facts

Alignment:

Species:

Demigod

Sexuality:

Realm:

Soartoan

Birth Year:

2020 2 Years Old

Gender:

Cis Female

Family:

Deidrick Howl (father)
Oliver, the Stinging Hybrid (birth father)

Divine Classification:

Emissary of Oliver

Religions:

Coven of the Selobo

Common Symbol:

A spider, preferably white

Related Myths:

The Children of Oliver

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Spiderlings

by Amelia Nite (craiyon)

Every spider egg sac that Nek'sa creates is through reproduction. She does not need a male partner and believes that being a single mother to her spiderlings is all they need. Nek'sa lays a sac once a week, during which the spiderlings grow and hatch before being released at the end of the week, just in time for Nek'sa to lay another sac. It takes merely a month for the spiderlings to become fully grown. Once they reach maturity, the spiderlings are sent out into the world while the next hatchlings climb onto her back.
A neat factor the spiderlings now have are a couple of mutations that allow the spiderlings to not hibernate during the winter months. While the spiderlings are weak to the colder temperatures, the instinct to crawl into a burrow or nest during these seasons is no longer critical. The second mutation is that spiders can now live from roughly 20-60 years instead of just a few years.

Pronouns

She/Her

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Nek'sa as a Mythic Encounter

Nek'sa is a formidable enemy under normal circumstances, but to give other characters a truly mythic challenge, you can have her call on her Armor of Spiders. Her use of this trait signals a drastic turn in the encounter, as Nek'sa summons her arachnid children to protect her. While she has temporary hit points from this trait, she can choose one of her mythic actions when she uses a legendary action.
Read or paraphrase the following text when Nek'sa uses her Armor of Spiders trait:

The Nek'sa unleashes a shriek that sounds like a thousand spider carapaces scarring slate. In response, the ground ripples and bursts over Nek'sa, revealing itself as a wave of countless spiders. The tiny arachnids swarm Nek'sa, girding her in skittering bodies.

Fighting Nek'sa as a mythic encounter is equivalent to taking on two challenge rating 21 creatures in one encounter. Award a party 66,000 XP for defeating Nek'sa after she uses Armor of Spiders.

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MOoT (Arasta)

Nek'sa CR: 21 (33,000 XP)

Huge monstrosity, neutral good

Armor Class: 19 (natural armor)

Hit Points: 300 24d12+144

Speed: 40 ft , climb: 40 ft

STR

24 +7

DEX

16 +3

CON

23 +6

INT

15 +2

WIS

22 +6

CHA

17 +3

Saving Throws: Dex +10, Con +13, Wis +13

Skills: Arcana +9, Deception +10, Intimidation +10, Nature +9, Perception +13, Stealth +10

Damage Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagickal attacks

Damage Immunities: acid, poison

Condition Immunities: poisoned

Senses: blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 23

Languages: Celestial, Common, Elvish

Challenge Rating: 21 (33,000 XP)

Armor of Spiders (Mythic Trait, Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). If Nek'sa is reduced to 0 hit points, she doesn't die or fall unconscious. Instead, she regains 200 hit points. In addition, Nek'sa's children immediately swarm over her body to protect her, granting her 100 temporary hit points.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Nek'sa fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Magick Resistance. Nek'sa has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magickal effects.
Spider Climb. Nek'sa can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Web Walker. Nek'sa ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.

Actions

Multiattack. Nek'sa makes three attacks: one with her bite and two with her claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 20 3d8+7 piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 21 Constitution savint throw, taking 32 5d112 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damge on a successful one. If the 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.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 3d6+7 slashing damage.
Web of Hair (Recharge 4-6). Nek'sa unleashes her hair in the form of webbing that fills a 30-foot cube next to her. The web is difficult terrain, its area is lightly obscured and it lasts for 1 minute. Any creature that moves in the web or that starts its turn there must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is restrained while in the web. A creature can use an action to make a DC 21 Strength Check. On a success, it can free itself or a creature within 5 feet of it that is restrained by the web.

This web is immune to all damage except magickal fire. A 5-foot cube of the web is destroyed if it takes at least 20 fire damage from a spell or other magickal source on a single turn.

Legendary Actions

Nek'sa can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Nek'sa regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.

• Claws. Nek'sa makes one attack with her claws.
• Swarm (Costs 2 Actions). Nek'sa causes two swarms of spiders to appear in unoccupied spaces within 5 feet of her.
• Toxic Web (Costs 3 actions). Each creature restrained by Nek'sa's Web of Hair takes 18 4d8 poison damage.

Mythic Actions

If Nek'sa's mythic trait is active, she can use the options below as legendary actions, as long as she has temporary hit points from her Amor of Spiders.

• Swipe. Nek'sa makes two attacks with her claws.
• Web of Hair (Costs 2 Actions). Nek'sa recharges Web of Hair and uses it.
• Ollie Weave (Costs 2 Actions). Each creature restrained by Nek'sa's Web of Hair must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw, or the creature takes 26 4d12 force damage and any spell of 6th level or higher on it ends.