Black Spider

## **The Black Spider**

*This is the podcast variant of the Black Spider, click here for the official*

### ***Origins***

The Black Spider, or "Nezznar" was the major antagonist in Season One, actively attempting to kill the Drifters. Not much of his past is known about, or exactly how hold he was. He is anywhere from a couple centuries old, to a 1000 years old at the time of his death. He achieved this unnaturally long lifespan through use of the **Necklace of Immortality** extending his life for multiple centuries. This was until the necklace began to falter, forcing him to seek the help of the Phandelver Pact.

It should be stated that Nezznar was not evil at this point. He was simply a scholar who wished to live as long as e possibly could so that he could continue his passion of seeking knowledge. However the necklace failing drove him to a point of desperation. Nezznar sought help everywhere but was viewed as a monster and a criminal. Which led him to the Phandelver Pact, as he heard Rumors of the Spell Forge. A magical forge capable of fixing his artifact. But when he came, old, weakened, and dying, they denied him. The council told him to face his fate, and to stop denying it.

This pushed Nezznar over the edge, finally forcing him to take desperate measures. He spilled the secret of the forge to the enemies of the Phandelver Pact, spawning a war that resulted in the location of Wave Echo Cave being lost, and the capital burning to the ground. Defeated Nezznar suspended himself in his towers basement, and went to sleep for 400 years. He would only awaken when two doppelgangers found him, and accidentally set him free.

Nezznar would find himself in an unfamiliar climate, and would recruit the two doppelgangers. On top of this, the necklace was seemingly working again, so Nezznar would continue his business in peace. Exploring the new climate, reconnecting with old connections, and gathered information galore. All while using Reamus, and Kari (the two doppelgangers) to achieve what he could not. However as 80 years passed he found himself aging once again. This ignited his mission to locate the Spell Forge by any means necessary.

## **The Black Spider's Web**

The Black Spider would begin hunting for Wave Echo Cave, using his connections to locate a tribe of Goblins situated at a place called Cragmaw Castle. He would also Recruit an unknown number of associates to carry out his will. The important two being a wizard called Iarno Albrek, and a powerful necromancer called Hamon Kost. Albrek would be seeking power, and Kost was seeking funding for his experiments. In return Albrek supplied information on the Lords Alliance, and control over Phandalin since Albrek was in charge. Meanwhile Kost would supply minions to the Black Spider.

This led to the Redbrands becoming Albrek's personal army, solidifying the influence of the Black Spider over Phandalin. However a ten day before the Drifters were even known to Nezznar, he would find Sildar Hallwinter, and the Rockseeker brothers. Sildar sought to liberate Phandalin, while the Rockseeker brothers sought to control Wave Echo Cave. He would capture Gruden Rockseeker and Sildar Hallwinter. Leading him to take place in the events of main storyline of Season One as the antagonist.

## **Death of the Black Spider**

The Black Spider would be confronted by the Drifters while searching for the Spell Forge. This was when he knew he was finished. He had no men, no escape, so he attempted to bargain. If he could prolong their attack long enough to fix his necklace, he could kill them with ease. He played to T's base desires, as he knew things from his own research about the young demon. T would trick the Black Spider, and a temporary truce would be made. During this time he located the Spell Forge and regained his power. Nezznar returned to the group and led them to the forge, and upheld his end of the bargain.

But it wasn't long before the Drifters turned on him. Nezznar would hold his own for some time, but eventually accepted that even at his full power he could not best his enemy. He even lost his necklace to Corey, truly weakening him. So he made a dash towards the exit, Guy chasing behind with T following shortly after. Guy would collapse to spores, and Nezznar thought he had escaped. But T shortly behind transformed into a demon before his eyes, and in his final moments of consciousness he was torn to shred and consumed by T, thus ending his story.

### ***Post-Death***

But due to his cunning thinking, Nezznar managed to enchant the necklace to contain some version of his consciousness. It would appear that whoever wore his necklace would be cursed with his mind, as this cursed befell Corey. So far he has no control but he is living inside the mind of Corey, which has been less than pleasant.