"In the Webbed Woods several goblin druids worship spiders and lead a tribe of tattooed goblins."
A version of the woods from the Overview of the Woods random table.
Adventure sites - ghost fields | isle of the oracles | spider woods
[Photo by Robert Anasch on Unsplash]
Introducing the Spider Woods
The Spider Woods is an Adventure Site using random tables in a forest rife with eight-legged web-spinners. Use, adapt or steal anything that is useful for your games. Suitable for sandbox games, one shots, side quests or world building.
The themes of Druids [Dd], Drow [Dw], Fungi [Fu] and Goblins [Go] can be supported using the Spider Woods Each table has entries supporting them.
There is a 5e random encounter generator at ChaosGen. And also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as the Spider Woods.
Spider Woods tables - intro | outer woods | inner woods
Overview of the Woods
Roll or choose a version of the Woods for your game.
| 1d20 | Overview of the Woods |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | A tribe of goblins lives in the Grimvale Woods, using spiders as mounts, pets and beasts of burden. Theme - Goblins [Go] |
| 3-4 | Shadowmirk Glen is a place renowned for potions and poisons causing visions, overseen by fungal creatures. Theme - Fungi [Fu] |
| 5-6 | At the center of the Watching Dell there is an old temple of evil dedicated to spiders. Theme - Drow [Dw] |
| 7-8 | In Arachnar Woods an old druid has founded a circle of spellcasters based around spiders. Theme - Druids [Dd] |
| 9-10 | The distinctive spiders of Greenspider Forest are known for living in symbiosis with fungi. Theme - Fungi [Fu] |
| 11-12 | The Wood of Spiders has a crossing that leads to the Shadowfell, used by drow from the Underdark. Theme - Drow [Dw] |
| 13-14 | The Spiderdale is an area with a natural affinity to spiders and a group of druids protects the area. Theme - Druids [Dd] |
| 15-16 | The Forest of Many Eyes has goblins that breed spiders and harvest them for poison, using it in weapons and traps. Theme - Goblins [Go] |
| 17-18 | Drow have a foothold in the Vale of Eight Legs, introducing fungi from the Underdark to help watch it. Themes - Drow [Dw] and Fungi [Fu] |
| 19-20 | In the Webbed Woods several goblin druids worship spiders and lead a tribe of tattooed goblins. Themes - Druids [Dd] and Goblins [Go] |
Quests and Character Ties for the Woods
For only results of an NPC with a quest roll 1d10. For only results tying a character to the Woods roll 1d10+10.
| 1d20 | Quests and Character Ties for the Woods |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | A herbalist (roll on NPCs) is worried about their druid lover. They went to the woods a month ago and hasn't been seen since. [Dd] |
| 3-4 | A sage (roll on NPCs) has a drow journal written in Undercommon. They want an escort into the woods to perform a ritual from it. [Dw] |
| 5-6 | A cousin of a character (roll on NPCs) is in debt. They hope to clear it by obtaining a rare spider from the woods. |
| 7-8 | A follower of a deity (roll on NPCs) wants help finding a strong hallucinogenic fungi in the woods. They are for a ceremony. [Fu] |
| 9-10 | A beast trainer (roll on NPCs) is interested in breeding spiders. They want to talk to goblin experts on the subject. [Go] |
| 11 | A character carries ashes to bury at a druidic site in the woods [Dd] |
| 12 | A character has befriended a goblin (or goblin foe) of the woods. [Go] |
| 13 | A character is having dreams of a drow deity. [Dw] |
| 14 | A character has been asked to find a rare fungi. [Fu] |
| 15 | A character has a friend willing to pay bounties for certain spiders. |
| 16 | A character is addicted to a certain type of fungi. [Fu] |
| 17 | A character has a relative who is a druid in the woods. [Dd] |
| 18 | A character carries a cursed spider symbol they can't get rid of. [Dw] |
| 19 | A character has a goblin amulet that pulls them to the woods [Go] |
| 20 | A character was born on wood's edge and wants to visit a place there. |
Available Support and Aid
These might be offered as a quest reward, to help out the group, as part payment or at a reasonable price from a local.
| 1d20 | Available Support and Aid |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | 1d2 vials of drow poison, labelled in Undercommon [Dw] |
| 3-4 | A local guide (roll on NPCs) who has friends among the goblins [Go] |
| 5-6 | A pouch of dried fungi that act as 1d4 vials of antitoxin [Fu] |
| 7-8 | A spell scroll of speak with plants (or wall of fire) [Dd] |
| 9-10 | 1d4 potions of climbing; or roll on Treasures of the Woods. |
| 11-12 | 1d3 arrows of plant slaying [Fu] |
| 13-14 | A +1 sickle that glows when spiders (of Medium size or larger) are within 100 ft. It used to belong to a druid in the woods [Dd] |
| 15-16 | A damaged map of the forest marked on a giant beetle shell. It is marked with symbols of spiders, caves and fungi [Dw] |
| 17-18 | A giant wolf spider (or giant spider) suitable as a companion, guard or mount that answers to commands in Goblin [Go] |
| 19 | A book detailing spiders of the woods, including some preserved bodies within it's pages. |
| 20 | 2d4 lengths of 50 ft. silk rope |
Rumours and Research of the Woods
Each rumour has optional information which might be found with research or a successful check.
| 1d20 | Rumours and Research of the Woods |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | There is an old temple in the forest (DC 15 Religion or History reveals it belongs be Lolth or another evil god associated with spiders). [Dw] |
| 3-4 | This corpse of a large spider is a demonic creature. (DC 20 Nature or DC 15 Investigate reveals it has been bred as a beast of burden). [Go] |
| 5-6 | The spiders only appeared in the woods in the last century (DC 15 History reveals a renowned druid reported there just before). [Dd] |
| 7-8 | The woods are associated with strong visions and dreams (DC 20 Medicine or Nature reveals this could be tied to certain fungi). [Fu] |
| 9-10 | There is a local who can guide folk in the woods (DC 15 Persuasion or Intimidation tracks down a scout who can act as a guide). |
| 11-12 | There is a way to other planes (DC 20 Arcana reveals descriptions similar to a place touched by the Shadowfell). [Dw] |
| 13-14 | Some go to the woods to learn spider magic (DC 20 Arcana or Nature reveals a grove on edge of woods prospective students can visit). [Dd] |
| 15-16 | There are strange fungi growing in the woods (DC 15 Nature or Survival reveals fungi described normally grow in the Underdark). [Fu] |
| 17-18 | Goblins of the woods sell poison to locals (DC 15 Investigate locates a merchant selling vials of poison with markings in Goblin). [Go] |
| 19-20 | The woods hides an evil spider cult (probably false but DC 15 Perception reveals several locals watching the party very closely). |
More Tables
There is a 5e random encounter generator at ChaosGen. And also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as the Spider Woods
You can get encounters tools updates on Patreon and find me on Twitter @duncanthom
