The Glass Spiders

Overview #

The Glass Spiders are a sophisticated criminal syndicate operating out of Caliphas, distinguishing themselves from common street thugs by their focus on high-value, fragile, and magical acquisitions. Led by the enigmatic Vesper (known within the organization as “The Weaver”), they view theft not just as a trade, but as an art form.

Unlike the scavengers of Ashtown who dig through trash, The Spiders spin complex “webs” of informants, blackmail, and surveillance to trap artifacts in transit. They are particularly obsessed with the Gravelands, treating the ruins of Lastwall as a buried museum waiting to be curated.

Structure & Terminology #

The organization uses spider-themed code words to define rank and role:

• “Spinners”: Informants and fences who sit at the center of social webs, listening for rumors of moving artifacts (e.g., Trigs Stumpy).
• “Strand-Runners”: Couriers and smugglers who move items along the invisible “threads” of the organization’s safehouses (e.g., Neega Ribalde).
• “Venoms”: Enforcers sent to paralyze or eliminate threats to the web.

Symbol: Their mark is a stylized spider, often scratched into glass windows or left as a small crystal figurine at the scene of a crime.

Tables #

Members #