Chitine

* 5e
* 3e
* 2e

**Chitines** were humanoids that resembled spiders and were found in the Underdark.

## Description

Chitines were about 4 feet tall and had four arms, each of which had an extra joint. Each of their hands and feet were embedded with claws, which allowed them to climb most surfaces. Their faces held faceted eyes and mandibles attached to their mouths. Chitines could spin webs from their stomach. Their skins secreted oil, preventing the chitines from sticking to their own webs.

## Combat

When possible, chitines used their webs to create pitfall traps to catch enemies unawares. Their ambidexterity and hooks in their hands made them extremely difficult to disarm. They were, however, sensitive to sunlight and bright lights. Chitines would often wear web armor made from their own hardened web.

## Society

Chitines usually lived in villages inside a cavern filled with maze-like webs. In the center of the cavern was always a temple to Lolth. The leaders of each village were choldriths, chitine priests that were in fact a different species.

## History

In the 13th century DR, chitines were created by Ched Nasadan wizards of House Mylyl as failed slave experiments.. In 1305 DR, the chitines rebelled from drow enslavement and founded Yathchol.

In 1372 DR, the Forgotten Ones, driders of T'lindhet negotiated a defense pact with a group of chitines and planned to attack T'lindhet. In that same year, the nobles of House Teh'Kinrellz were saved from destruction because they were out on a chitine hunt during the fall of Ched Nasad.

## Locations

Chitines were found throughout the upper and middle-Northdark. However, the majority lived in several connected villages known cumulatively as Yathchol, located beneath the Far Forest. A few drow houses kept chitines as slaves, including House Melarn in Menzoberranzan and some inhabitants of Sshamath. A few chitines also lived in the Spiderhaunt Wood in Shadowdale.

## Notable chitines

* Krellum Three-Arms, carrion crawler trainer of Chortoj in Yathchol.
* Qod Backspeaker, member of the Guild of Underdark Guides.

## Appendix

### Appearances

Novels

* *The Glass Prison*

### Further reading

* James Wyatt and Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). *Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 26. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
* Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). *Underdark*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. {{#regex:7–8|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
* Belinda G. Ashley (November 1995). “The Ecology of the Chitine”. In Pierce Watters ed. *Dragon* #223 (TSR, Inc.), pp. {{#regex:56–59|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}.
* James Wyatt (August 1999). “Half-Pint Heroes”. In Dave Gross ed. *Dragon* #262 (TSR, Inc.), pp. {{#regex:29–34|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}.

### References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Mike Mearls, *et al*. (November 2016). *Volo's Guide to Monsters*. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, *et al*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 131. ISBN 978-0786966011.
2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 James Wyatt and Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). *Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 26. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 David Cook (1991). *Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix (MC11)*. (TSR, Inc). ISBN l-56076-111-3.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). *Underdark*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. {{#regex:7–8|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
5. ↑ Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). *Monster Manual 3.5*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 311. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
6. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). *Underdark*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 21. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
7. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). *Underdark*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 66. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
8. ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). *The Grand History of the Realms*. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 125. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
9. ↑ Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel (2003-10-24). Underdark Dungeons (Zipped PDF). Wizards of the Coast. p. 2. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-11.
10. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). *Underdark*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 133. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
11. ↑ Brian R. James, Eric Menge (August 2012). *Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 96. ISBN 978-0786960361.
12. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). *Underdark*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 175. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
13. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). *Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 138. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
14. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). *Underdark*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 183. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
15. ↑ Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel (2003-10-24). Underdark Dungeons (Zipped PDF). Wizards of the Coast. p. 4. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-11.

### Connections

Spiderkind
Spiders and creatures that resembled spiders
Aranea • Bebilith • **Chitine** • Choldrith • Chwidencha • Drider (Drider vampire) • Ettercap • Gee'aantu • Giant spider • Goblin spider • Hairy spider • Monstrous spider • Myrlochar • Neogi • Pedipalp • Phase spider • Retriever • Spellgaunt • Steeder • Subterranean spider • Susurrus • Sword spider • Velsharess Orbb • Vortex spider • Wraith spider • Yochlol