In the dim, gaslit chamber of a forgotten Victorian laboratory, the spider-like robot loomed tall...

In the dim, gaslit chamber of a forgotten Victorian laboratory, the spider-like robot loomed tall and menacing, its segmented metal legs planted firmly on the cold stone floor. Eight jointed limbs supported its bulbous central body, crafted from polished brass and iron, etched with intricate gears that whirred softly in the shadows. From its back arched a cluster of writhing tentacles—sleek, flexible appendages of rubberized steel, tipped with suction cups and razor-sharp barbs.