Sarzun Spiders: Nomadic Desert Dwellers

The Sarzun Spiders are a rarely seen, nomadic species of brood-based arachnids that habitat in the scorching deserts and arid wastelands of Anuheim. Sarzun Spiders have adapted to the relentless heat and shifting sands, becoming ambush predators that strike from below.

To most travelers, they are little more than legend—stories of creatures that dwell beneath the dunes, waiting to drag victims into the sands. Those who survive encounters with the Sarzun Broods tell of silken tunnels reinforced beneath the desert floor, hidden sinkholes, and a venom so insidious that it leaves victims as little more than dried up husks.

Sarzun Anatomy & Adaptations

Sarzun Spiders are slightly smaller than Atzul or Cryx Spiders, averaging a leg span of three to five feet, though brood mothers can exceed ten feet. Their bodies are low to the ground, built for burrowing, and their exoskeletons are sand-colored, allowing them to blend seamlessly into their surroundings.

Burrowing Mastery – Their legs are lined with specialized bristles that allow them to move through sand as easily as water, creating elaborate tunnels and sinkholes.

Venom of Thirst – Their venom does not paralyze or poison but instead rapidly dehydrates, siphoning moisture from prey to sustain them in the arid wastes. Victims die not from venom alone, but from severe, unnatural dehydration.

Reconstituted Silk – Unlike other spider species that build permanent webs, Sarzun Spiders reconstitute their silk, allowing them to abandon old nests and rebuild elsewhere.

Heat Resistance – They are immune to extreme temperatures, with exoskeletons that diffuse light and disperse heat, allowing them to hunt even in the hottest part of the day.

Vibration Sensory Hunting – Sarzun Spiders can reliably use ground vibrations rather than sight, making them perfect ambush predators even in blinding sandstorms.

Brood Structure & Nomadic Nature

Unlike the territorial Atzul and Cryx, Sarzun Spiders are constantly on the move, following desert storms, shifting oases, and prey migrations.

The Sarzun Queen

Unlike other spider queens, a Sarzun Queen is smaller and more mobile, capable of relocating the brood when resources run low.

She does not maintain a single lair, instead choosing temporary hive sites and staying until the dunes shift and relocation is needed.

While her brood will feed her, she typically prefers to lie-in-wait and feed herself.

The Sandstriders

These are the most active hunters, lurking just beneath the surface of the sand, striking when prey is directly overhead.

Sandstriders have been known to chase prey short distances, unlike their ambush-based Atzul cousins.

They can detect prey from miles away using vibrations in the sand and move into position for ambush long before their prey has a chance to detect them.

The Duneweavers

The web architects of the Sarzun Brood, these spiders construct false floors, sinkholes, and tunnels, creating the illusion of stable terrain over hidden traps.

These tunnels can collapse at a moment’s notice, either by accident or intentional design when prey is caught.

The Shifting Brood

If a Sarzun Brood is forced to flee or is broken apart, lone spiders scatter across the desert, attempting to start new nests or join other broods but more often than not they die alone, while others adapt to solitary hunting, making them far more aggressive and unpredictable than those bound to a brood.

Sarzun Hunting & Ambush

Sarzun Spiders are highly adaptive but always favor terrain that allows for burrowing and concealment.

Shifting Dunes & Open Deserts

Most Sarzun Spiders nest within the dunes, creating burrows reinforced by silk structures to prevent collapse.

Their traps are designed to lure prey into false safety, with thin layers of sand covering hidden tunnels.

Travelers have been known to walk across seemingly stable ground, only to be dragged below in an instant.

Desert Canyons & Rocky Wastes

In regions where sand is scarce, Sarzun Spiders adapt to using rock formations, burrowing into cracks, caves, and shaded crevices.

Here, they wait for animals seeking shade, using vibrations in the rock to detect movement before striking. They make their nests within these stable slot canyons.

Stormfront Hunting

Sarzun Spiders are known to follow sandstorms, as they provide perfect cover for ambush attacks.

During storms, their silken tunnels remain stable, while their prey is blinded and disoriented.

Some nomadic desert tribes have learned to avoid certain regions during storms, knowing that Sarzun Broods will be on the hunt.

Legends & Myths of the Sarzun

Sarzun Spiders have been woven into desert folklore for centuries, with many superstitions and cautionary tales surrounding them:

The Vanishing Caravans – Tales of entire trade caravans disappearing overnight, their tracks leading into nothingness, as if they had never existed.

The Whispering Sands – Some say that in the deepest desert nights, you can hear soft clicking beneath the dunes, the sound of Sarzun Spiders waiting just below the surface.

The Oasis Trap – Stories tell of dangerous oasis stops, always lush and untouched, where those who drink the water never leave—for the Sarzun have learned to use water as bait, knowing that prey will come willingly.

The Future of the Sarzun

The Sarzun Spiders are not growing in number, but they never truly disappear. As long as the desert shifts, they will follow, adapting their hunting patterns and nest locations to the ever-changing dunes.

Some believe that new broods are forming, following the movements of lost ruins and buried temples, waiting for explorers and treasure hunters to awaken them. Others still believe they're fictional, made up to scare would-be merchants and travelers from crossing desert routes.

One thing is certain—the sands will always claim those who do not respect them, and for the Sarzun, there is always another meal just beneath the surface.