Caverns of Araneae

"My path lies through the Caverns of Araneae. Skittering sounds echo in the caves, and I see crawling, shambling shades in the darkness."

- A

The Caverns of Araneae are a location in Act I of Diablo III.

Lore
"Did you see those columns behind the webs? This place was built by ancient hands..."

- Kormac

The Caverns are situated in the highlands north of Wortham and east of Leoric's Manor. Long before the present day, they were home to a nephalem settlement.

During the Darkening of Tristram, Leoric ordered the caves sealed in order to protect his manor from the "traitorous rabble" within Tristram. He ordered the caves be sealed and filled with spiders procured by Lazarus. Chancellor Eamon sorrowfully ordered the Royal Guard to fill the caves with the spiders and seal them, even in the knowledge that in doing so, they would desecrate the ruins. In the decades that followed, none ever returned from the caverns, many falling victim to Queen Araneae.

In 1285, The Nephalem travelled through the Caverns in their pursuit of Maghda. During their journey, they slew Queen Araneae.

In-game
Various egg sacks and cocooned victims contain gold and treasure, and s feast on what is left from the spiders' victims.

The Dusty Leather satchel, containing Torn Letter and Torn Letter's Response, are found here as well.

Upon killing the queen, an NPC, called Karyna, who is trapped in a nearby web, will ask to be freed, using acid from a nearby pool. She will want to get out of this place as soon as possible, before she goes mad. The way into the Highlands Crossing will become open, through the vacated web barrier.

Related Events

 * The Cursed Hatchery

Related Quests

 * Trailing the Coven

Unique Monsters

 * Arsect the Venomous
 * Qurash the Reviled
 * Rathlin the Widowmaker
 * Venimite
 * Zhelobb the Venomous

Development
The caverns had been conceptualized by 2009. They were known simply as "Spider Caves" in this version.