Spiders of Mirkwood

by Arveleg-(V)
June 24, 2007
Updated June 26, 2007

Non-Humanoid Intelligences > Spiders > Spiders of Mirkwood  

    The origin of the large, evil, and orate Great Spiders of Mirkwood lies in Ungoliant. Ungoliant bred with the weaker spiders of Nan Dungortheb. When Beleriand was broken, Shelob, the last child of Ungoliant, escaped to Cirith Ungol in the Ephel Dúath encircling Mordor. There Shelob bred with the weaker spiders making their offspring great and talking.
    In the Third Age, when Sauron’s power began to grow again in his fortress of Dol Guldur, many of the Great Spiders of Mordor moved to Greenwood the Great, part of why it came to be called Mirkwood. These spiders were encountered by Thorin and Company on the Quest of Erebor.
    Weapons that have proved (from a point of perspective) to be exceptionally useful against Great Spiders include rocks and elvish blades such as Sting. They love to eat talking creatures such as elves best.

References: The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, The Return of the King

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