Aranea

One of the more unusual races to be found throughout the Material Plane, aranea are truly unique. Once base vermin, these eight-legged mystics have risen themselves up from the murky shadows and now walk amongst the other races. Although how it is that giant spiders came to possess such intellectual and arcane fortuity is a mystery, perhaps even to them, it is of little concern to these arachnid therianthropes.

Blurred Lines of Race

Aranea are a race that belongs to the category sages call "therianthropes"; sapient beasts with the innate mystical ability to assume both a singular humanoid form and a half-man, half-beast hybrid form in addition to their animalistic base form. Like common lycanthropes, aranea have only one single form in each category, making each aranea its own unique individual, no matter the form it takes.

In their beast form, aranea appear as giant spiders, at a casual glance. From the tip of the abdomen to the front of the thorax, a typical aranea averages at four feet long and two feet wide, carried by eight legs that reach a span of about four feet from tip to socket. A more careful observer can spot the distinctive traits that mark an aranea as no mere invertebrate; the most obvious is the pair of two-foot-long arms that stretch from the front of the thorax, roughly where a male giant spider would sport pedipalps. These limbs are armored in chitin and sport small, dainty hands with four delicate, many-jointed fingers and a similar jointed opposable thumb on each hand. More subtle clues are the presence of a functioning humanoid set of jaws behind the aranea's mandibles, enabling them to chew their food and speak like humanoids, the distinctly human-like appearance of their four primary eyes, and the large thorax-mounted lump that signifies the presence of the aranea's brain.

Each aranea has a singular humanoid form, which it develops a few weeks after birth. Theoretically, any humanoid or monstrous humanoid with a natural height range of five to seven feet could be an aranea's true form. In practice, most araneas resemble humans or, more rarely, elves, half-elves, muls and dwarves, in decreasing order of likelihood. Coloration is usually based on the dominant coloring for their humanoid race in the region where the aranea is born, although it often mimics a humanoid parent if the aranea has one. A significant minority have a color scheme influenced by that of their spider form.

The most unique form of all aranea is their "demispider" form, the halfway point between their humanoid and spider forms. This is the most mutable and highly individualistic of all aranea forms, and while basic templates tend to pass down through family lines, araneas can look very different. All demispiders blend humanoid and spider to some degree, though they always sport silk glands, fangs, elongated digits and extra eyes. One aranea may look almost perfectly human, unless one spots the subtle slits in her palms, her elongated canines and fingers, and the singular pair of eyes she hides on her temples. A second may look more like a spider aping a humanoid form; a human's upper torso with two pairs of abnormally long, slender, many-jointed limbs, a matching quartet of lower limbs, and a small spider's abdomen forming its rear. And a third may resemble a drider, with a many-eyed, fanged, humanoid's torso rising from where the thorax would be of a giant spider.

Like the spiders they resemble, female aranea are naturally larger than the males, typically averaging two to four inches in height and similarly proportionate. This has little practical effect in day to day life; aranea are natural magocrats, and consider gender-based policies pointless.

Despite their arachnid base, aranea give birth to live offspring, another stark reminder of how very humanoid the race truly is.

#### Warm-Blooded Spiders

Though their forms can be alarming to some, aranea are not an evil race. They are cool-tempered and scholarly by nature; secrecy comes easily to them, in part because of how fearsome they can be perceived, and it is true that many are calculating and even cold. But this is an attitude that stems mostly from wariness towards outsiders, as aranea are rarely accepted openly anywhere other than in the most cosmopolitan of regions.

Amongst each other, or around those they have learned to trust, aranea are a warm and caring people. They can be competitive, but they are surprisingly affectionate; the love of the spider-folk runs deep, and despite lurid tales otherwise, they are by instinct a monogamous people who form long-lasting romantic partnerships and take great care of their progeny. It is rare that they extend this to the point of courting outside of the race, but it does happen.

Family is quite important to aranea, and they meticulously document their lineage. Gravitating towards clannish family structures, their personal history books are amongst their most prized possessions, and exile from the family is one of the harshest of punishments.

Despite this, aranea are not hidebound traditionalists; indeed, they prize innovation and development, and every generation of aranea strives to build upon and surpass the achievements of those that came before. They can be quite competitive in this aspect.

Magic is the racial obsession of the aranea. It flows in their veins and beats in their hearts, and so mastering its practice is near-universal amongst their kind. Though they do have a practical attitude to its approach, in many ways, aranea can be amongst the world's masters of the arts arcane - something that can fuel a racial superiority complex.

Despite this, aranea have not evolved past their primal roots. They are still predators, and accept the need to hunt for food as simply part of themselves. Rare indeed is the aranea that doesn't at least occasionally indulge in hunting or trapping its own food, and aranea cuisine is very heavy on meat. Despite this, the consumption of sapient races is one of their deepest taboos and strictly punished by aranea.

#### The Kingdoms of Spiders

Driven by their instincts, aranea who do not simply integrate into the societies of others form their own communities in forests or cliffsides. With their inherent ability to climb any surface, aranea often construct their homes on sheer rock faces or in the tops of trees, forming settlements that are as much vertical as they are horizontal.

Larger aranea settlements are constructed more along the lines of humanoid villages, unique architecture aside. These aranea live more civilized lives; constructing dedicated homes and other buildings, fashioning decorations, and generally trying to live a more modern life. Such settlements are governed through a mixture of magocratic and meritocratic principles; though skill in magic is hugely important, it does take a step back in comparison to knowing how to lead the community through the trials any civilization faces. Aranea from such communities typically think of their demispider aspect as their "true form", spending the majority of their time in that form and adopting spider or humanoid form only when practicality demands it.

Smaller aranea settlements typically consist of a lone hermit or a singular aranea family. These spider-folk adopt a more primal approach to life, focusing themselves only on the basic needs and on mastering the esoteric arts of magic. These aranea construct little, usually no more than a place to stand in as a study or laboratory, and take shelter in natural cracks or caves instead of bothering themselves with the work of crafting humanoid-style homes. These aranea think of their spider aspect as their "true form"; though they will take demispider form when necessary, they spend the majority of their time as spiders, and assume humanoid form only when absolutely necessary and with no small reluctance.

#### The Scholar's Hunger

Aranea who take up the adventurer's lifestyle are typically driven by the hunger for magic; either to hone their own skills and master new theories of their own devising, or to recover ancient magical lore from ruins and lost places. Some adventure to try and promote their people, to spread a benevolent reputation that will allow aranea to walk amongst humanoids with greater acceptance. Others adventure on behalf of their clans or settlements, be it to secure something desperately needed or to avenge them. And others just seek to explore for the sheer novelty of it, driven to see the world behind the hidden study-dens of their people.

Traditionally, aranea adventurers focus on arcane skills. Wizard is the most iconic class for an aranea, followed by "arcane slants" on other classes; Eldritch Knight fighters, or Arcane Trickster rogues. Clerical aranea are rare, but usually worship deities of magic or illusion, favoring the Arcana and Trickster domains. Sorcerers are less common than wizards, but still a fairly common choice; most aranea sorcerers are fairly focused on a specific aspect of magic, with sorcerous origins such as Storm, Shadow or Favored Soul dramatically outweighing the likes of Wild Magic or Draconic Bloodline. Bards are a distinct rarity - aranea traditionally look down on bards as mere "dabblers" - and warlocks almost unheard of. Druids and paladins are exceptionally rare, particularly the former, given that aranea tend to believe in subjugating nature rather than living in harmony with it. Though they do not have a particular adeptness for it, aranea monks are surprisingly common, and they tend to favor more mystical disciplines such as Shadow or Four Elements.

####

#### Sidebar: No Shapeshifting?

Although aranea in editions past were heavily defined by their ability to assume human, spider and demispider forms, the development of rules for 5th edition has made this aspect impractical at best. In their original appearance in Mystara, their need for a human form was mostly mandated by their specific fluff for that setting, which demonized them as evil monsters; even then, it was presumed they would generally spend all of their time in demispider form by handily passing it off as the effect of Red Steel.

In 5th edition, there's just no real way to make the transformation even between spider-form and demispider form work. It comes off as either too weak to be worthwhile, or it comes off as overpowered. So, the race is written around the presumption of focusing on the demispider form, which is literally the best of both worlds.

For those who wish to add that element back in, add the following racial trait to the Aranea:
Spider-Shifter: You are a natural shapechanger, capable of switching between three forms; that of a giant spider, that of a humanoid, or your true "hybrid" form. You have only a single humanoid form, chosen at character creation from the list of Human, Elf, Half-Elf, Mul and Dwarf; you cannot assume a different humanoid form. Like a werewolf, your three forms are all you have. Switching between forms requires an action to complete. Assuming the form of a Giant Spider follows the rules for Wild Shaping (see Druid, PHB pg 67), with the exception that you can still talk and cast spells whilst in spider form. In your humanoid form, you lose access to your Spider Climb, Venomous Bite and Fling Webbing traits, but can completely pass as a member of your chosen humanoid race; no Wisdom (Perception) test can unveil your species identity, and magical items relating to your humanoid race will treat you as such. However, in this form, magical items specifically keying off of shapechangers will react to you as such.

#### Stats:

Ability Score Increase: +2 Intelligence, +1 Charisma

Size: Medium

Speed: 30 feet

Darkvision 60 feet

Arcane Birthright: You know the Prestidigitation cantrip and 1 other cantrip of your choice from the Wizard spell list. Intelligence is your casting ability score when using these cantrips

Spider Climb: You have a Climb speed of 30 feet and do not need to make an ability check to climb difficult surfaces, including upside down underneath ledges or along a ceiling.

Venomous Bite: As an action you may make a melee attack against an adjacent target. On a hit, you deal 1d8 poison damage. This damage increases by 1d8 at levels 5 (2d8), 11 (3d8), and 17 (4d8). You have Advantage when delivering a Venomous Bite to a target that is grappled or restrained.

Fling Webbing: As an action you may make a ranged attack with a range of 30/60ft. On a hit, the target is Restrained until it passes a Strength check (DC 8 + your proficiency modifier + your Constitution modifier). Your webbing can be attacked as an object by someone seeking to cut through it, in which case it has AC 10, HP 5 + your level, vulnerability to fire, and immunity to bludgeoning, poison and psychic. This ability can be used once per short or long rest.

#### Sidebar: Aranea Racial Feats

Arachnid Inheritance

Prerequisite: Aranea

You are particularly close to your spidery ancestry, enhancing your proficiency with their gifts.

* Fling Webbing can be used twice per short or long rest.
* Venomous Bite inflicts the Poisoned condition on a target until the end of your next turn.
* Creatures restrained by your Fling Webbing ability suffer Disadvantage on Strength checks made to break free.

Mystic Weaver

Prerequisite: Aranea

The arts of weaving magic and silk are not so dissimilar to you, allowing you to combine both skills.

* You gain the ability to cast Web as a 2nd level spell as a racial trait. You can use this trait once per long rest. Decide when you select this feat whether to use Constitution or Intelligence as your spellcasting ability score when using this trait; this decision cannot be changed afterwards.
* If you are a member of a spellcasting class, you add Web to your list of spells known, even if it is not normally allowed to your class. You do not require material components when casting Web.
* Creatures caught in a Web spell cast by you suffer Disadvantage on Strength checks made to break free.

#### Sidebar: Aranea Variants

Although the aranea as they already are is a fairly solid archetype, there are alternative origins one could give the race.

For one example, one could make aranea the results of an ancient sect of druids who sought to emulate spiders, eventually attain a spiritual and physical bond with them so strong that they managed to become a new hybrid between the two. In essence, similar to the Dragon Magazine-presented origin for Ettercaps, only without devolving into hideous insanity. For these "druid-spiders", change the ability score modifier to +2 Wisdom and +1 Intelligence, and replace the Wizard cantrips with Druidcraft and 1 Druid cantrip of your choice.

For a second example, aranea could be a race of werespiders who originated amongst the drow. They could be an accepted part of drow culture, outsiders, or even outright rebels. For this variant, one would simply replace Darkvision with Superior Darkvision and Sunlight Sensitivity, and replace Arcane Birthright with Drow Magic.