Homebrew Chitine Species Details

Dedicated to Lolth, chitines are multiarmed bipeds with arachnid qualities. Most live in colonies in the Underdark and fight the enemies of the Demon Queen of Spiders. Long ago, the cult of Lolth first subjected elf prisoners to horrible rituals that transformed them into creatures with both elven and spider traits, which their creators dubbed chitines. The intention was to create servile warriors dedicated first to the cult and then, only by association with it, to Lolth. The goddess found this arrangement unacceptable.

As punishment, the Spider Queen twisted her worshipers’ rituals. The process usually transformed subjects into the spindly creatures her devotees expected, but occasionally, an elf changed into a choldrith: an arachnid Monstrosity able to command and create more chitines on its own. These choldriths soon led the chitines to rebel and abandon their creators, founding free colonies elsewhere in the Underdark. On occasion, though, colonies can be found in remote, gloomy areas of the surface world, warring against Lolth’s enemies.

The cult of Lolth still creates chitines as the need arises. Outside the presence of a choldrith, chitines make good workers, and they can be useful if the cult finds an independent chitine colony and want to infiltrate it. If the creation process yields a choldrith, though, the cult destroys the creature.

As servants of Lolth, chitines love spiders. They rear spiders and similar arachnids, such as cave fishers. Chitine colonies erect shrines to Lolth that serve as beacons, attracting spiders and other beings that serve her. Anywhere chitines set up a colony quickly becomes a webshrouded, gloomy, and treacherous place.

Chitines resemble spiders, but they behave more like social insects such as ants. They are divided into worker and warrior castes; choldriths, when present, occupy the top levels of a colony’s hierarchy. Each chitine has a social position that comes with duties related to that rank, and all are expected to sacrifice themselves to protect the colony’s choldriths. Every chitine has spinnerets and slowly produces webbing that is used to build floors, walls, structures, objects, and traps that benefit the colony. A warrior might be responsible for crafting web armor (which is as tough as hide or leather), while a group of workers might be tasked to dig pit traps and cover them with fragile webbing disguised with loose dirt to appear as a solid surface.

Chitine Traits

Your chitine character has these traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1, but your Charisma score decreases by 2.

Size

Your size is Small.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.

Bonus Proficiencies

You are proficient in Athletics and Stealth.

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Web Maker

You can cast a non-magical version of the web spell, but with the following modifications:

• The casting time is 1 hour
• The spell does not require concentration
• The spell has an infinite duration

The spell's DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier.

Additionally, you ignore movement restrictions caused by webbing, and while in contact with a web, you know the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web.

You can also make armor out of webbing. Creating this armor requires 12 hours of uninterrupted work. The crafted armor functions as either hide or leather, and regardless of your standard armor proficiencies, you are proficient in armor produced by this feature.

Chitine Vision

You have darkvision out to 60 ft. However, while in sunlight, you have disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Secondary Arms

You have a second set of arms. These secondary arms can manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, pick up or set down a Tiny object, or wield a weapon that has the light property.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Undercommon and one extra language of your choice.