Spider
Spiders are among the most feared and cunning creatures of Middle-earth. The great spiders are said to be descended from Ungoliant, the monstrous spider-queen of the First Age, whose hunger and malice cast some of the deepest shadows ever to darken the world. Once allied with Melkor, Ungoliant sought to devour the very light of Arda, but in her boundless greed she ultimately turned against her master before she had the strength to overthrow him. Wounded and driven off, she fled into a dark mountain vale, where she bred countless offspring to guard against vengeance.
Ungoliant herself passes from history, but her spawn endure in many forms, sizes, and degrees of intelligence. Some possess a cruel cunning, others little more than animal instinct, yet nearly all share her traits of selfish hunger, treachery, and a deep fear and hatred of light. These spiders inherit their matron's tendency toward temporary alliances, serving darker powers only so long as it suits their own appetite.
Whether acting as servants of Sauron or pursuing their own malevolent designs, giant spiders have long plagued the Free Peoples. They seek out secluded places in which to weave their lairs, slowly spreading into settled lands where prey is plentiful. Fortunately, few truly permanent nests have been established, though the most infamous lies within the Forest of Mirkwood, where Bilbo Baggins famously encountered their kind during his journey.
An index of all known spiders recorded by travelers: