Aranea

The araneas (sometimes called "werespiders"; ) were a magical race of sentient, shape-changing spider-like creatures inhabiting the Spider Swamp in Calimshan.
==Description==
While they were not true lycanthropes, aranea could transform between the appearance of a humanoid and a giant monstrous spider. Their humanoid form was that of a Calishite human, a Calishite half-elf, or, in some rare cases, a drow. The form and gender they could take was fixed at birth.
In their natural form, these creatures appeared to be giant humpbacked spiders with some subtle differences. In this form they also had a pair of short arms ending in many-jointed fingers and double-jointed thumbs, which extended from below their mandibles. Oddly, their brain was not located in their head segment but in a large hump on their back.
Aranea also could take on a third, hybrid form. This form was humanoid, but the aranea bore sharp fangs, had spinnerets in his or her hands, and had four eyes instead of two. On occasion, the hybrid form would also include additional arms, but never more than eight in total.
===Abilities===
Aranea were inherently magical beings and could cast a certain number of spells much like a sorcerer or dragon could. They preferred illusion, enchantment, and charm spells and avoided ever casting fire spells.
In hybrid or natural forms, aranea had poisonous bites and could throw webs.
==Combat==
Aranea tried to avoid combat, but if pressed into it, they would take advantage of their webs and spells, immobilizing or distracting the most powerful opponents first. They would take prisoners and exchange them for ransom rather than killing them.
===Trade===
The aranea, in the disguise of human forms, traded silk, herbs, and poisons with nearby settlements, such as Almraiven and Volothamp. In 1370 DR, a group of them worked secretly for the Silverstars Trading Coster of Saradush.
==History==
According to legend, the aranea were created by Calishite wizards during the Night Wars to infiltrate the ranks of the drow armies. When the wars ended, the "werespiders" were hunted down and killed or driven into the Spider Swamp. They became a neutral, pacifistic people. Originally, they were only able to change into drow, but after a while, some gained the ability to change into Calishite human or half-elf forms and returned to the human cities incognito as well as spreading out from Calimshan into the wider world. This allowed them to trade their silks, herbs, and poisons with the coastal city of Volothamp.
For a brief time during the Eye Tyrant Wars of the Fifth Age of Calimshan, the aranea ceased their pacifism and joined in the fight against the beholder armies from the Alimir Mountains who were seeking to take over the entire Forest of Mir. The aranea only allied with the Calishite forces long enough to repel the eye tyrants, before the two "allies" turned on each other.
Over 800 years after their banishment, in 290 DR, Qysara Shoon V blamed them for a plague that was ravaging Almraiven. As a result, they were nearly wiped out by Volothamp's military. During this time, some adopted the worship of Zanassu, a demon lord of spiders, for protection and came to inhabit a city that was once called Ajhuutal somewhere in the swamp. The Qysara banished their god back to the Abyss two years later, which led to a gradual degradation of their society while the priests of Zanassu desperately awaited their god's return for the next 1000 years. Unbeknownst to them, Selvetarm had defeated Zanassu and stolen his divine essence, though the aranea remained relatively peaceful.
==Rumors & Legends==
Some drow believed that araneas were transformed from drow for failing Lolth, the Spider Queen. Others maintained that araneas were Lolth's first creation before she perfected the drow.
==Appendix==
===Gallery===
NwN Aranea.jpg|An aranea from the game editor of Neverwinter Nights.
Aranea_in_Neverwinter_MMo.jpg|An aranea attacking a drow in Rothé Valley.
===Appearances===
===References===
===Connections===
Category:Spiderkind
Category:Races
Category:Creatures found on Mystara