Demonic half-woman/half-spider creatures; they are "boss" enemies in id Software's 2004 DOOM 3 video game.

BACKGROUND:

In 2145, a space marine reports for duty at the Union Aerospace Corporation's (UAC) Mars research facility, where incidents of strange and unexplained phenomena have been on the rise. The UAC's researchers, headed by Dr. Malcolm Betruger, have made some amazing discoveries in the field of teleportation, unfortunately, opening portals has had an unexpected and deadly consequence, namely the denizens of Hell have come to Mars for a visit. Vagaries are one of the many demonic species that the marine will face on his journey to discover the nature of the force(s) behind the invasion and how to halt it before the creatures can spread to Earth.

ABILITIES:

Telekinesis
A Vagary can manipulate any physical object with the power of her mind. She can push, pull, and levitate items within her line of sight. While the uses of this gift are nearly limitless, in the context of the video game, Vagaries use their telekinesis to attack the player by lifting and hurling objects at him/her (usually the spiked cocoon/rock items found lying about a Vagary's lair).

Spider Attributes
Being half spider, a Vagary possesses many of the abilities more mundane arachnids have. She has superhuman strength and durability. Her eight spider limbs give her superior mobility and allow her to scale most surfaces with ease--they also serve as deadly weapons in close quarters combat. Vagaries can produce a sticky silk from their abdomens--as they are active hunters, rather than trappers, they usually use the silk to wrap up live prey that they catch for later consumption, instead of using it for building elaborate webs solely for the purpose of ensnaring food. A Vagary's multiple eyes give her an extremely wide range of vision and allow her to see wavelengths of light that human eyes cannot. Tiny, stiff hairs covering her body detect vibrations, minute changes in air pressure, and other environmental changes. Vagaries do not appear to be venomous, or, if they are, the poison they produce has a negligible effect on humans.

WEAKNESSES:

Ranged Fighting
In the event that there is an absence of movable objects in the environment, a Vagary has no immediate way to attack a distant enemy who may be firing on her with projectile weapons. In such situations, a Vagary will be forced to rapidly move into close range in order to engage her opponent(s) or retreat/take cover. While she does not exhibit such behavior in the video game, one would think it would be possible to manipulate the attacker with her telekinesis (I.e., lift them closer, fling them against a wall/ceiling, disarm them, etc).




Materials:
Newsprint, cardboard, Kleenex, wire twist ties, a plastic bag, white/hot glue, and acrylic paint.

Dimensions*:
(*The dimensions for this model can vary a great deal, depending on how the joints are positioned. The numbers given are for the figure in a 'neutral' standing pose.)
9.5 cm/3.7 in. x 10.0 cm/3.9 in. (highest point x widest point)

Articulation:
Fifty points total: Neck (2), mid-torso, waist, shoulders (2), elbows (2), wrists (2), and five joints per spider leg (8 x 5 = 40).

Time:
Approximately five days; construction ran from 7/29/07-8/2/07.