Fey Ancestry. The drider has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put the drider to sleep.
Innate Spellcasting. The drider’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13). The drider can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: dancing lights
1/day each: darkness, faerie fire
Spider Climb. The drider can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the drider has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Web Walker. The drider ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.
Multiattack. The drider makes three attacks, either with its longsword or its longbow. It can replace one of those attacks with a bite attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) poison damage.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage if used with two hands.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) poison damage.
Description
Appearance: Arachnaelia is often depicted as a fearsome and majestic drider, with the upper body of a beautiful, ethereal elven woman and the lower body of a gigantic spider. Her elven features are striking, with pale skin, long flowing hair as dark as the night, and eyes that gleam with an eerie luminescence. Her spider body is sleek and black, adorned with intricate, glowing patterns that shift and change like the constellations in the night sky.
Symbol: Her holy symbol is a spider web with a skull at its center, representing her dominion over death and the intricate weaving of fate.
Personality: Arachnaelia is both feared and revered. She is seen as a stern yet fair deity, one who ensures that the natural order is maintained. While she can be ruthless, she also has a protective side, particularly towards those who honor her and her children, the spiders. She values cunning, patience, and the ability to see the interconnectedness of all things.
Followers: Her followers include those who work in the shadows, such as assassins, necromancers, and drow. They often pray to her for guidance in matters of fate and for protection during the night. Temples dedicated to Arachnaelia are typically dark, web-filled sanctuaries where the faithful leave offerings of silk and bones.
Legends: One legend tells of how Arachnaelia once wove a web so vast and strong that it could capture the very essence of time, holding it still for a single, eternal night. This act saved the world from a cataclysmic event, and from that day forward, she was revered not just as a goddess of death, but also as a guardian of time and fate.
Lair and Lair Actions
Location: Deep within the Abyss, Arachnaelia's lair is an expansive, dark, and foreboding cavern known as the Web of Eternity. It is hidden in a labyrinthine network of tunnels and chasms, accessible only to those who possess knowledge of its intricate paths or are guided by Arachnaelia's will.
Description:
Exterior: The entrance to the Web of Eternity is a massive, yawning cavern mouth, shrouded in perpetual darkness. Thick, glistening webs cover the entrance, forming a barrier that is nearly impenetrable without Arachnaelia's blessing. The walls of the cavern are adorned with ancient, glowing runes that shift and change, creating a hypnotic, disorienting effect for intruders.
Main Chamber: The heart of Arachnaelia's lair is a vast, dome-shaped chamber with a ceiling that stretches high above, disappearing into the darkness. The floor is covered in a thick carpet of webs that cushion every step. Towering stalagmites and stalactites rise and descend like the fangs of a great beast, connected by countless strands of webbing that crisscross the space. These webs are incredibly strong and shimmer with a ghostly light, illuminating the chamber in an eerie glow.
The Web of Fate: At the center of the main chamber lies Arachnaelia's throne, woven entirely from the finest, silken threads. It is an elaborate, towering structure resembling a spider's web, with strands leading out in all directions, symbolizing the interconnectedness of fate. Suspended above the throne is the Web of Fate, a massive, intricate web that constantly shifts and reweaves itself, representing the ever-changing destinies of all beings.
Pools of Reflection: Scattered throughout the lair are shallow pools filled with dark, still water. These Pools of Reflection are said to show visions of the past, present, and potential futures to those who gaze into them. They are used by Arachnaelia to observe the mortal realm and to guide her followers.
Corridors of Night: Leading away from the main chamber are numerous narrow, winding corridors known as the Corridors of Night. These passageways are filled with dense webs and shadowy alcoves where Arachnaelia's minions, including giant spiders and shadowy wraiths, lurk. The air is filled with the faint, haunting whispers of souls that have passed through these halls.
The Crypt of Souls: One of the deepest and most guarded areas of Arachnaelia's lair is the Crypt of Souls. This dark, silent chamber is where the souls of the dead are brought to be judged. Web-wrapped cocoons containing these souls hang from the ceiling, each glowing with an ethereal light. Here, Arachnaelia decides the fate of each soul, weaving their essence into her great tapestry of life and death.
Defenses:
Web Traps: The entire lair is filled with webs that can entangle and immobilize intruders. These webs are nearly invisible to the untrained eye and are incredibly difficult to escape from.
Guardians: Arachnaelia's lair is protected by a host of loyal minions, including giant spiders, driders, and shadow wraiths. These creatures patrol the corridors and chambers, always on the lookout for unwelcome guests.
Illusions: The lair is filled with powerful illusions that can confuse and mislead intruders. These illusions can create false pathways, hide true dangers, and even manifest as horrifying visions to deter and disorient enemies.
Atmosphere: The Web of Eternity is a place of perpetual twilight, where the boundaries between life and death, reality and illusion, are thin and malleable. The air is cool and damp, filled with the faint scent of decay and the soft rustling of unseen spiders. The eerie glow of the webs provides just enough light to see by, casting long, flickering shadows that dance across the cavern walls. Whispers of the dead echo through the halls, creating an ever-present, haunting melody that permeates the entire lair.
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