Homebrew Arachi Species Details

When the Weaver first began to plot against the gods mere moments after its creation, it realized the need for servants and slaves, actors who could go where it was not welcome and speakers who could repeat the lies it spun. Thus, the Weaver looked into the universe and discovered something curious: mortals, living and dying and writhing in their own personal miseries and misfortunes, regrets and horrors. Having little respect for the creations of the gods, the Weaver sought to twist them to its ends, both body and soul. The poor mortals the Weaver brought into its web were consumed by its deceptions, and it created something new. Thus, the arachi were created, born from this malignant mind and twisted by the hateful soul that seeks the destruction of reality and the creation of a place where all things are equally false. After all, for a lie to have power, it must be heard.

Born From Deception

Individuals who have made pacts with the Weaver of Lies come in many shapes and many forms, but there is a certain group among them that the Weaver finds most suitable for its dark work: those who seek to forget and to hide themselves from the truth.
        The Weaver takes these individuals and twists their bodies, tearing them asunder and stitching its vile magic into their souls before repairing them anew in a form more pleasing to this terrible horror. What was once a living person is now something both far less and yet far more: a sentient construction of living flesh, enchanted spidersilk, and eldritch magic shaped into the form of a mortal.
        The true reason the Weaver seeks these individuals is because it becomes easy to fulfill the agreement, as the process takes the names and unwanted histories from these tormented souls, saving them from the memories of their past misdeeds, suffering, and regrets.
        However, not all arachi are created in the webs of an inescapable pact. It is rare, but some are born to parents who have lied about their identities to their partners: cheats and tricksters, spies and assassins. These are often mistaken entirely for natural children, until they come of age and the horrifying truth begins to make itself known, for not all lies can remain forever hidden in the dark.

Twisted By The Spider

The arachi are deceivers by nature, lying to themselves even as they lie to others. The most blatant example of this is in their appearances, as they have two that they change between. The first is their false form, which approximates the appearance of an ordinary person of their original race. The few differences are entirely cosmetic and usually benign enough to go unnoticed, such as eyes of a golden or greenish color, black or pale hair that tends towards a purplish cast in the right light, and symmetrical, attractive faces.
        Their true forms, however, are much more monstrous. Hair becomes chitinous blades that form together into a helm, an additional pair of eyes opens in the forehead, and small fangs dripping with green ichor spring forth, giving the arachi a predatory appearance. Their body shape and apparent sex may also change between the two forms, though this is rare and may merely be rumors that further cloud the truth of this deceptive race.
        The form is not the only thing that changes to the arachi; the mind is equally malleable. Whenever an arachi enters their false form, their magic forces them to forget their true nature, casting it back into their subconscious. This, coupled with the innate influence of the Weaver, causes them to be excellent liars, for their innocent pleading is genuine to their own ears.
        Dragonborn arachi are very rare, tending to have either dark black scales or nearly translucent white ones. In their true form, their faces extend and the additional eyes open directly behind the first set underneath their chitinous and wicked horns.
        Dwarven arachi are most common among dwarven communities that dwell far below the surface of the earth, never seeing sunlight in their natural lives. They tend to have extremely pale skin and eyes like golden coins, and in their true forms, their beards become like chitinous spikes.
        Elves born as arachi are often mistaken for dark elves, typically possessing pale hair and dark skin, though it is not unheard of for them to appear as those who dwell in the moonlit forests. In their true form, the spidery appearances of their faces are emphasized, with mandibles forming from their hair that sit around their cheekbones.
        Gnomish arachi are typically thin for their race, and their large eyes may have unusually shaped pupils. In their true form, their eyes split into two smaller sets, giving them a cruel and vicious visage.
        Halfling arachi are more common than one might expect among a race of cheerful tricksters, appearing as the least changed of the many varieties. In their true form, halfling arachi possess deep and soulful eyes, often appearing as strange and otherworldly children.
        Humans typically have the easiest time concealing their unnatural lineage, as their skin will often simply trend towards a more extreme cast of what their ordinary tone would have been. Darker individuals become nearly obsidian, while paler ones could be mistaken for those with albinism. Despite these defining traits, the true forms of human arachi are varied and mixed. Some may not even possess the four eyes common to their race, while others may have as many as eight.
        Tiefling arachi obtain an unusual blessing thanks to their deceptive natures: they appear entirely human or elvish in their false forms, without horns, tail, or colorful skin. However, their true forms are especially nightmarish. Horns of spider legs that twitch and writhe of their own volition, tongues that have teeth, four eyes of pure green, gold, or purple, and skin of onyx black or deep purple are among the least concerning of their features.

Tricksters And Killers

The arachi try to keep themselves hidden as best they can, often deliberately staying in their false forms for as long as possible in order to prevent being suspected of every crime ever committed. Few accept them in their true forms and fewer still once they know of their association with the Weaver of Lies and its terrible schemes.
        Arachi have an almost universal disdain for the gods, brought upon them by the influence of the deity-hating Weaver, and thus only become clerics or priests in unusual circumstances. Their habitual lying keeps them from becoming paladins in many cases, for few are able to muster the strength of will to take an oath without trying to writhe out of the less attractive portions. In other professions, however, they flourish. Arachi turning to criminal pursuits are very successful, as their ability to forget their own deeds makes them paragons of innocence outside the shrouded hours where they do their dark work.
        Soldiers among this race are not uncommon, acting as scouts and spies, infiltrators and bodyguards. When their true nature is revealed in battle, they fight without mercy in order to preserve their secrets.
        Sorcerers whose power manifests from their dark heritage often gain powers over shadow and shade, while wizards and more traditional scholars of the arcane lean towards the arts of illusion, enchantment, and transmutation. Arachi bards are fairly common, though many hone their arts in secret in order to maintain appearances. Those who are born arachi have little to lose by making pacts with their cruel creator, as the Weaver’s perilous power is well suited to tricksters.

Arachi Names

Arachi who are created directly through the Weavers influence are stripped of their former names, and will thus either adopt new ones or pseudonyms that remind them of their loss. Those born as Arachi take names from their original race and culture, though they tend towards common and disinteresting ones when given the choice.

Arachi Names: Formerly, Nobody, Somebody, Loss, Elsewhere, Never, Unknown, Impossible, Undecided, Denial

Arachi Traits

As an Arachi, your twisted nature manifests itself in a variety of ways common to your race.

Ability Score Increase

Choose either Dexterity or Charisma. That ability score increases by two, while the other score increases by one.

Age

Arachi typically live somewhat longer than their original race, concealing their aging as the signs begin to show.

Alignment

Arachi are greatly influenced by their deceptive nature, but this can play out in many ways. Some are lawful and work within the confines of a system to their advantage, while others are chaotic and sow disharmony wherever they go. Few are good, as honesty does not come easily to them, but most trend towards neutrality despite their wicked streak.

Size

Your size is determined by your origin race.

Speed

Your speed is determined by your origin race.

Blood of the Spider

Arachi possess a remarkable resistance to poison, and it flows through their fangs with equal ease. You gain resistance to poison damage. At 5th level, you also gain the ability to cast falling spider’s spite at 1st level once per long rest without expending a spell slot.

Darkvision

You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 30 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. If you gain Darkvision from your racial origin, add both values together.

False Form

As an arachi, you possess two forms: a true form and a false form. Your false form appears as a member of your origin race and can look however you wish. Once you choose this appearance, it can never be changed. You can change between your false form and true form as an action. Nothing aside from your physical appearance changes. However, while in your false form, you gain advantage on Deception checks related to concealing your true nature as an arachi or to actions you performed while you were in your true form.

Your true form uses the statblock of a Giant Spider, using whichever stats are higher, yours or the spiders, uses your AC, and uses your proficiency bonus. You are able to use your normal actions in addition to the spiders abilities.

Remarkably Forgetful

You learn the forget cantrip, and you can cast it on yourself multiple times instead of only once, forgetting a total number of different things up to your character level.

Languages

Arachi are fluent in Common and in the language of their racial origin.