#three spiders

Spiderman into the multiverse

The Mayhem Form is an advanced spell used by high-level magic-users, particularly field agents and others whose positions necessitate powerful offensive or defensive capabilities. Originally developed centuries ago by a sect of Other World magic-users, the spell has been overhauled and improved by numerous groups, including the Three Spiders and the splinter groups thereof.

The Mayhem Form is a highly advanced spell that transforms the user into a heavily armored form that massively enhances their strength, speed, agility, reflexes, and defenses.

Each magic-user’s Mayhem Form is unique to them, and they often differ widely in appearance.

A common misconception is that the Mayhem Form simply creates a suit of armor around the caster; it does not. While in the Mayhem Form, a caster is no longer human. Mayhem forms are comprised of a mixture of organic and inorganic materials, with the relative amounts and exact compositions varying widely.

The Mayhem form is one of a magic-user’s most powerful tools in direct combat, essentially turning one into a highly-mobile WMD. However, due to the Three Spiders’ preference for secrecy and evasion over direct conflict, it is rarely used by Three Spiders agents against anyone other than Other Plane threats and hostile human magic-users.

The Mayhem Form is a significant drain on one’s magical reserves, and requires both a large initial charge to begin the transformation and a more gradual but continuous charge to maintain the Form. It is possible to perform other spells while in the Mayhem Form, but this is usually limited to exceptionally talented magic-users due to the aforementioned drain. A caster must remain acutely aware of their magic levels while using this spell, as multiple activations or prolonged use can cause the caster to collapse and in some extreme cases slip into a coma or even die of exhaustion.

Interestingly, Mayhem Forms appear to come in two categories; most appear entirely inorganic, appearing outwardly similar to large armored suits. However, a minority appear, if not organic, more organically-based. Features such as functioning mouths and hair- and feather-like filaments have been observed in the latter category.

Ways of extending the duration of the Mayhem Form do exist, usually taking the form of worn artifacts. For obvious reasons, these artifacts and methods are highly secretive and are only provided in special circumstances.

There are reports of eccentric and exceptionally powerful magic-users who choose to maintain the Mayhem Form permanently. This is heavily discouraged for the average magic-user, due to the side-effects listed above among other reasons.

As I have come up with much more for this story since its inception, and changed a great deal including the names of several major characters and the WIP itself, I am posting a revised and updated version of the previous summary post. Several other Three Spiders posts, both new and revised, will be put up shortly after this one.

Overview

Three Spiders is an urban fantasy. The early story focuses on two siblings, Robin and James Brooke, living together after the loss of their father Adam Brooke three years previously. Since his death, the two have been followed by an unknown entity that doesn’t seem to obey the laws of physics. The entity doesn’t attempt to confront them directly, but they can’t seem to lose it. In addition, the creature has been appearing in several of their old photos, videos, and other places it shouldn’t be. 

The story eventually grows to include and focus on their discovery of and interactions with the magical world and other magic-users, entities, and factions. The two siblings discover that their father was a member of an organization known as the Three Spiders, and that they are both magic-users. They become embroiled in the conflict between the Spiders and the other factions, which conflicts with their (relative) detachment from the situation and Robin’s wish to keep James safe. 

World Information

The Other Plane: The Other Plane is another plane of existence accessible through occasional rifts and through Crash sites. Magic is extremely commonplace in the Other Plane, and is a vital part of many creatures’ biology, many of the natural processes of the world, and the cultures of the sapient beings living there. Many theories by both Three Spiders members and Other Plane scientists hypothesize that Earth and the Other Plane were once one and the same.

The Crashes: Crashes are catastrophic events that result from an area in both Earth and the Other Plane snapping back together; the displacement of matter where two sets meet is often devastating, destroying or irrevocably changing the area in question. Crash sites are accessible from either world, and these areas are often the sites of joint Other Plane-Three Spiders operations.

The Three Spiders: The Three Spiders are an organization of humans, mostly magic-users, who study the Other Plane. The organization in its current form is comprised of approximately five thousand people worldwide, in a series of compounds and bases. The organization has remained a secret for the majority of its existence, though several major governments have become aware of the organization in recent years.

Task Force 4-M: A clandestine international task force known as Task Force 4-M has been formed in opposition to the Three Spiders. How the various governments who organized the task force learned of the organization’s existence and why they reacted with such hostility is unknown.

Human magic-users: Human magic-users are made in two main ways: exposure to magic or having the ability be passed down genetically by someone who has been exposed to magic. The former are often created when a person spends time in a Crash site, as uncontrolled magical fissures and outpourings are common there.

Characters

Robin Brooke: Robin is a young magic-user who has recently become aware of her abilities. Her father was a member of the Three Spiders group. Since his death, she has become her brother’s guardian. She is the first protagonist of Three Spiders.

James Brooke: James is Robin’s younger brother, and is another budding magic-user. He is curious and inquisitive, and eager to learn more about the magical world. He is the second protagonist of Three Spiders.

Iksivai: Iksivai is a powerful entity left behind by Adam Brooke to serve as his children’s protector.

Iksivai is a type of Other Plane creature known as a Shade. Shades are known for their intelligence and formidable power, as well as their shapeshifting abilities. Domesticated Shades are often used as guards or companions.

Linda Askayan: Linda is a skilled magic-user and a member of the Three Spiders. She is sent to retrieve Robin and James Brooke after their father dies, and eventually becomes something of a mentor to them.

Linda has been a member of the Three Spiders for most of her life. She and her sister were raised mainly by their mentor, Alex, after their parents were killed by rampaging Shades. She currently serves the organization as a Senior Field Operative and Magic Instructor.

Alex was killed fifteen years previously trying to protect the two from Task Force 4-M, and Linda fears being unable to cut it as the Brooke children’s mentor. This both drives her harder to be a good mentor and teacher and intensifies her fear of failure.

Bernadetta “Detta” Askayan: Bernadetta Askayan, also known as Agent Ringleader, is a member of the Three Spiders magical organization and is the twin sister of Linda Askayan. She serves as a Senior Field Operative as well as a sub-director of Compound 12-B.

Adam Brooke: Adam Brooke was the Brooke siblings’ father, and died about three years before the story starts. Before his death, he was the director of Three Spiders Compound 12-B and a talented and powerful magic-user. He hoped to tell his children of the magical world after a solution to the crashes had been found, but died before he could do so. 

He left behind several journals explaining magic, the Three Spiders organization, and the Crash Events. He also left behind Iksivai, to act as a companion and protector to his children.

The Three Wolves WIP’s name and that of the in-canon organization therein has been changed to Three Spiders.

Three Spiders Operator’s Handbook

Section 14 (Magical Creatures and Entities)

SHADES

Overview

Shades are creatures native to the Other World. They are notable for their formidable magical power, high intelligence, and shapeshifting abilities. 

Shades are talented shapeshifters. They get their name from their pitch-black coloration, giving them the appearance of a living shadow. This trait is the only one to remain consistent across whatever forms they may take. Apart from this, their appearance changes drastically and often. A few observed forms include:

A large, bestial form somewhat resembling a hybrid between a crocodile and a wolf. This form possessed six legs and a large head and jaws.

A flat pool of darkness, covering the floor of the room it was in. This form has been observed to be taken by some Shades while in a rest state.

An amorphous mass from which many pseudopods extend

Like many magical creatures, Shades feed on magical energy. They usually do so by killing and feeding on other magical creatures, but can also receive it from magical outpourings and certain other natural sources. Domesticated Shades are usually fed controlled amounts of their companions’ or owners’ magical energy, which will regenerate from reserves.

Shades do not require water, air, or food apart from a periodic supply of magical energy. They also do not usually require sleep, but extensive injury or effort can force them into a state similar to sleep, in which they will heal themselves and regenerate their magic from reserves.

Power and Dangers

Shades are among the most magically powerful creatures native to the Other World, being more powerful than almost any human magic-user, most other magical creatures, and the majority of sapient mages, with a few notable exceptions. Given their immense magical power, extreme durability, and natural shapeshifting abilities, a hostile shade is a force to be reckoned with, capable of tearing through even experienced magic-users. Scared or enraged Shades have been known to rampage, leaving damage akin to a tornado in their wake.

Relationship with the Other World and Humanity

Shades have been domesticated by both Other World organizations and the Three Spiders. They are often used as guards due to their immense power, but also make loyal and affectionate companions.

While wild Shades are usually not aggressive towards entities that are not their prey unless extremely hungry or under stress, it is advised that one not approach a non-domesticated Shade should they value their life.

Procedures

If a Three Spiders operative encounters a Shade or has reason to believe that a Shade is present within an area that is not Three Spiders territory, they are to call in the incident. It is not advised that they approach the Shade alone unless there is no other option, i.e. if destruction or loss of life is otherwise imminent.

If the Shade is non-hostile, the operative or operatives are to guide the Shade back to the nearest Three Spiders compound.

If the Shade is hostile, priority is to be placed on evacuating all nearby civilians to negate potential casualties or fatalities (see above notes on Power and Dangers). As the killing or injuring of powerfully magical creatures is extremely difficult, pacification of Shades is recommended by means of reducing factors potentially resulting in aggression, such as loud noised, bright lights, and similar. If the Shade is injured or appears hungry, operatives are permitted to feed it carefully controlled amounts of their magic, though they are advised to monitor the amount carefully.

Noteworthy Shades

Iksivai

Iksivai is a Shade that was brought to Earth in the year 1995 by a Breaker Bomb. The circumstances surrounding his summoning are unknown, though the user of the Breaker Bomb is suspected to have been a member of a splinter group, possibly the Reddened Fangs judging from the location. Whoever summoned him neglected to add a second stage to the spell, preventing Iksivai from returning to the Other World.

Soon after Iksivai’s summoning, then-Junior Field Agent Adam Brooke was sent to investigate the concentrated spike in magical activity caused by his arrival. He discovered Iksivai alone and injured, with said injuries suggesting combat with another magical creature directly prior. He managed to pacify the Shade by presenting himself as nonthreatening and offering some of his magic to feed on. Iksivai followed Alex back to Three Spiders Compound 12-A, where he was tended to by operatives specializing in the necessary fields. He responded well and appeared to recognize humans, suggesting prior contact with them or with allied Other World organizations. No signs of the creature that caused his injuries were discovered.

Iksivai quickly developed a close bond with Adam Brooke, and remained by his side as he rose through this organization’s ranks and eventually became The Compound Director of Compound 12-A. He also formed a close bond with Adam’s eventual wife, Rene.

Iksivai was charged with protecting Adam and Renes’ children after they were born, which became his primary duty after Rene’s disappearance in 2002 and Adam’s death in 2015.

Breaker Bombs are weapons used by certain individuals in my Three Spiders setting (formerly known as Three Wolves).

Overview

Breaker bombs are magical weapons designed to cause destruction, chaos, and disorientation on a large scale. Breaker bombs take a number of forms, from small throwable capsules that let in single creatures or affect a small area to large apparatuses that can pull through multiple creatures or reduce a large area to interdimensional chaos.

The original Breaker “bomb” was actually the Breaker category of spells, developed millennia ago by sect of Other World mages. Breaker spells have the same effect as Breaker bombs, but are much more unreliable and much more taxing on one’s magical reserves.

Breaker spells and bombs were outlawed very quickly among Three Spiders members, but were adopted by several less scrupulous splinter groups.

Function

Breaker Bombs are so named because they “break” a small portion of conventional reality in a localized area, allowing parts of other worlds to leak through. The object itself acts as a focus and catalyst for one’s magic, multiplying the power of the magic fed into it. Thus, they are far less taxing to create and use than Breaker spells, which can severely drain or even kill an inexperienced caster.

There are two types of Breaker Bomb---Basic and Bonded. 

Basic Breaker Bombs and Breaker spells cause small, temporary Crash Events, fusing two different realities in an area. The interaction of two sections of matter trying to exist in the same place is devastating and usually results in violent displacement. There are also unpredictable, seemingly random effects as the ambient magic of the Other World reacts to our universe. After a while, the Other World matter and magic will usually dissipate or return to the Other World, though this isn’t always the case.

Bonded Breaker Bombs are not bombs per se, and do not directly cause any destruction. Each Bonded Breaker Bombs are linked to a creature from the Other World; given the intent of Breaker Bombs, these are most often dangerous and powerfully magical creatures such as Shades or Tearers. When a Bonded Breaker Bomb is activated, the linked creature is thrust into our universe. Most often, the shock of displacement and the unfamiliar surroundings will cause the creature to attack or attempt to flee, leaving massive damage in its wake. Depending on how the bomb is set, the creature will either be pulled back to the Other World eventually or be stuck on Earth. In fact, many Three Spiders operations involve tracking down and pacifying these creatures; they are often too powerful to reasonably kill or even injure, and are also usually just scared rather than malevolent. Iksivai was one of these creatures.

ALRIGHT SO SINCE THIS “SHORT STORY” QUICKLY BECAME ANYTHING BUT:

Overview:

Three Spiders is my newest story. It is an urban fantasy. The early story focuses on two siblings, Robin and James Brooke, living together after the loss of their father Alex Brooke three years previously. Since his death, the two have been followed by an entity that doesn’t seem to obey the laws of physics. It doesn’t attempt to confront them directly, but they can’t seem to lose it. The story grows to include and focus on their discovery of and interactions with the magical world and other magic-users, entities, and factions. The two eventually discover that their father was a member of an organization known as the Three Spiders, and that they are both magic-users. They become embroiled in the conflict between the Spiders and the other factions, which conflicts with their (relative) detachment from the situation and Robin’s wish to keep James safe.

World Information

The Other World: The Other World is another plane of existence accessible through occasional rifts and through Crash Event sites. Magic is extremely commonplace in the Other World, and is a vital part of many creatures’ biology, many of the natural processes of the world, and the cultures of the sapient beings living there. Many theories by both Three Spiders members and Other World scientists hypothesize that Earth and the Other World were once one and the same.

The Crashes: Crashes are catastrophic events that result from an area in both Earth and the Other World snapping back together; the displacement of matter where two sets meet is often devastating, destroying or irrevocably changing the area in question. Crash Event sites are accessible from either world, and these areas are often the sites of joint Other World-Three Spiders operations.

The Three Spiders: The Three Spiders are an organization of human magic-users who study the Other World. The organization in its current form is comprised of several hundred people worldwide. For the majority of the group’s lifespan, it has remained a secret from everyone else, though several major governments have become aware of the organization in recent years.

The Witch-Hunters: A clandestine international task force known as the Witch-hunters has been formed in opposition to the Three Spiders, as the latter is internally categorized as a powerful cult. Three Spiders members prefer to avoid conflict, and will usually flee from encounters with the Witch-hunters.

Human magic-users: Human magic-users are made in two main ways: exposure to magic or having the ability be passed down genetically by someone who has been exposed to magic. The former are often created when a person spends time in a Crash Event site, as uncontrolled magical fissures and outpourings are common there.

Characters

Robin Brooke: Robin is a young magic-user who has recently become aware of her abilities. Her father was a member of the Three Spiders group. Since his death, she has become her brother’s guardian. She is the first protagonist of Three Spiders.

James Brooke: James is Robin’s younger brother, and is another budding magic-user. He is curious and inquisitive, and eager to learn more about the magical world. He is the second protagonist of Three Spiders.

Iksivai: Iksivai is a powerful protective entity left behind by Andrew Brooke to serve as his children’s protector.

Iksivai is a type of creature known as a Shade. Shades are extremely powerful, much more so than likely any human magic-user could ever be. Shades are often trained as protectors due to their power and loyalty, and are one of several types of creature trained for the purpose. Of the various types, Shades are the most powerful, but are also among the most difficult to train. Before his death, Iksivai acted as Andrew Brooke’s protector and companion. His relationship with Andrew was built on mutual trust and respect, and

Linda Askayan: Linda is a skilled magic-user and a Field Operative of the Three Spiders. She is sent to retrieve Robin and James Brooke after their father dies, and eventually becomes something of a mentor to them.

Linda and her sister lost their parents at a young age to rampaging Shades. They were raised and mentored by a Three Spiders member named Alex.

Alex was killed fifteen years previously trying to protect her from the Witch-hunters, and Linda fears being unable to cut it as the Brooke children's mentor. This both drives her harder to be a good mentor and teacher, and intensifies her fear of failure.

Bernadetta “Ringleader” Askayan: Bernadetta Askayan is a member of the Three Spiders magical organization, and is the twin sister of Linda Askayan. She holds the rank of sub-director, but also acts as a field agent. 

Andrew Brooke: Andrew Brooke was the Brooke siblings’ father, and died about three years before the story starts. Before his death, he was a high-ranking member of the Three Spiders, and was a talented and powerful magic-user. He hoped to tell his children of the magical world after a solution to the crashes had been found, but died before he could do so. 

He left behind several journals explaining magic, the Three Spiders organization, and the Crash Events. He also left behind Iksivai, to act as a companion and protector to his children.

Three Spiders Handbook

Section Two: Personnel

Field Operatives

Field Operatives, as their name suggests, are members of this organization who operate in the field. The missions undertaken by Three Spiders Field Operatives include, but are not limited to, strikes, rescue missions, raids, assaults, and defense operations.

Three Spiders Field Operatives are among the best-trained and most dangerous human operatives on the planet. As our organization is relatively small, we by necessity must focus on quality over quantity. Three Spiders Field Operatives are trained in both human and various nonhuman of magic. Our small number also makes specialization difficult, so while certain members are trained for certain tasks, most field operatives are capable of covering a wide variety of tasks and operations.

Field Operatives are extensively trained in various forms of offensive and defensive magic, hand-to-hand combat, and the use of various firearms. A list of some of the spells most commonly used by operatives can be found in the Spells section of this Handbook.

Again due to the low number of Three Spiders operatives in existence, all office workers and non-field personnel are trained in combat, and are expected to be able to respond to an invasion or other hostile action should the need arise. More on some of the duties of Office personnel can be found in the section directly preceding this one (Office).

It is possible for Field Operatives to also hold administrative positions, but due to the inherent danger of the position, it is uncommon. Two such operatives are Bernadetta “Ringleader” Askayan (Senior Field Operative and sub-director of Compound 12-B) and the late Adam Brooke (Senior Field Operative and former Director of Compound 12-A).

Three Spiders Field Operatives often work alongside agents from nonhuman organizations, and many friendships have formed as a result between agents from different worlds.