Nation: The Barony of Beasts

The Barony of Beasts is the name of the Empire of the Dire Spiders.

The Dire spiders are capable of learning all languages both in the material realm and in all extraplanar existences.

The spiders start life around the size of a tarantula and grow in size and physical strength very quickly within a year. As the dire spider ages, it will begin to acquire magical talents. Eventually reaching adolescence at 50 years and entering into a chrysalis state, where it will metamorph into a Phase Spider.  It will exist in this state, which is physically weaker but vastly magically potent, for several centuries.  

A Dire Spiders life is wrapped deeply up into the mythic and social aspects of their species. A young spider will be in charge of actively carrying out diplomatic tasks, fighting, or gathering food. As a spider ages, it will slowly become more involved in life within the underground web cities of the Barony. After it attains its phase spider form it will begin an incredibly intensive system of study referred to as “The Orb”, where the elders of the species teach the new phase spiders in the magic arts of their people. This includes illusion spells, and of course planeswalking. Once a spider finishes the Orb, they will be fluent in nearly all mortal languages, and be an expert caster in most kinds of Illusion, transmutation, evocation, and enchantment magic.  

The Oldest 1000 Phase Spiders are called the Barons, and are responsible for leading the people of their nation and their constituent client races. The Barons reside in the deepest, oldest and most sacred of the Spiders web cities called Old Weave to an outsider it would appear as an impossibly complex silken web made of glittering gold, stretching for miles down into a yawning cavern. No invader has ever touched the city, for the raw magical power is nearly unmatched by any other race on the continent, and the number of Dire Spiders within would be more than sufficient to overwhelm any army.

The Dire Spiders believe that their Goddesses promised them all that the dark touches (as they are nocturnal). They have carried this to also mean the surface world, during night hours, and as such, they will treat any creature not within the boundaries of a recognized city as potential prey. They do not consider this to be a breach of political contract, nor any sort of open hostility to any group or nation. Though the various other nations of Malteria have differing opinions on this.  Despite their nocturnal hostility, the Spiders are still viewed as a potential boon. For a hefty price, the Barony provides translations between foreigners, safe passage, martial aid, or various magical services. These services can be requisitioned within special places known as Moonlight Embassies, entrances to the Baron’s Underground Empire that act as an atrium to the surface world. They are eternally lit by magical lights known as Moonlight torches which project darkness into the area they are placed. From these safe-zones, a surface dweller can interact with a spider in its own territory and request the Baron's aid.

The Barons believe themselves largely above the politics of the surface world, their mastery of arcane disciplines and their sheer size on the continent has seen to that. Their true goals remain largely a mystery to the nations of Malteria. However, their dominion covers many other subject nations and races.

The Dire Wolves are the first amongst the races, being large and vastly more physically tough than any of the spiders. The Dire Wolves act as guardians of the Moonlight Embassies, and will often accompany delegations of young Phase Spiders journeying around Malteria as they undertake the Orb.  The Dire Wolves have a proud warrior culture and respect shows of strength, the spiders long ago earned the respect of the Wolves’ Grayfurs, with the strength and size of their dominion. After The Baroness Phedro, subdued the Dire Wolf Kingfang Beggat Tara in a fearsome magical duel, the Dire Wolves pledged their fealty to the Barons until Gleshmere’s return.  

A Dire Wolf in the service of the Barony called Moonfang Knights will be armored by the finest weavers of the Dire Spiders. These suits of armor will be comprised of a combination of bones and sinew collected by the Dire Wolf, and then strengthened by layer after layer of enchanted spider silk. These pieces of equipment are incredibly durable, and lightweight making the Moonfang knights immensely potent adversaries.