Homebrew Arachne Species Details

Physical Description

Arachne are half-humanoid spider hybrids, with their lower body resembling that of a large eight-legged spider, belonging to their arachne parent, and the upper body resembling their non-Arachne parent, whether they be human, elf, dwarf, orc, or another. Arachne stand at roughly 5 and a half feet tall on average. Their spider’s half retains the attributes of the species of spider they belong to. Commonly found arachne sub-species includes wolf spiders, jumping spiders, and widow spiders. Arachne are much more likely to be female at birth, giving the impression that all arachne are female when in reality male arachne are simply much rarer.

History

Arachne are derived from a common ancestor, Aurora. Her story has become increasingly inconsistent throughout time, leaving the origins of this race a mystery. The most prevalent of these stories depicts her as a once-beautiful goddess of dawn and dreams who grew dissatisfied with the chaos created between the gods by convergences, and this caused the mortals she ruled over to be wrought by chaos too. Her only friend, Sol Mori, convinced her to give up her beautiful form and join her in living a mortal life. Both of these goddesses thought they shared a belief that neutrality is true bliss and being purely either good or evil leads to anger and sadness, but Aurora was deceived. The legends say that Sol Mori tried to steal Aurora’s beauty for herself during the Ceremony of Lost Divinity, but Aurora instead cast the rest into the sky at the far reaches of Holeworld, out of Sol Mori’s reach. All the shimmering beauty that she once possessed was stripped from her as she was reduced to an insectoid form resembling modern arachne. According to the legend, this is why coranth pursue the light when they lose presence of mind. The goddess of the sun is still searching for Aurora’s beauty from deep within their bloodline. 

Dividing the remainder of her lost powers across the population of her cousin beings within the mortal realm as a final blessing, Aurora and Sol Mori became the first of their races. These beings would later evolve into coranth (Through the power of Sol's blessing) and arachne (Through Aurora’s curse). 

Arachne have existed throughout Holeworld ever since, dispersing across the world and breeding with other humanoids to create diversity. The spiteful tendencies of arachne run deep in their blood, and they usually hold a grudge against others, especially coranth.

Arachne Names & Nicknames

Arachne are often assigned nicknames simply due to the fact that, natively, their names aren’t very pronounceable to other creatures. These native names are comprised of soft clicks and chirps, with no actual meaning in Common, thus the nicknames. Some pure-bred arachne, however, elect to take on typical fey names depending on their region.

Common Nicknames: Clicks, Climb, Digger, Dotty, Flytrap, Lacy, Lift, Nibbles, Shadow, Silky, Spinnerette, Hopper, Weaver, Webs, Venom, Zippy

Society

Most arachne are solitary by nature and prefer living on their own, whether on the fringes of the city or the depths of the wilderness. A large sum of arachne are seen with fear and disgust and have become accustomed to hostile met by strangers and travelers, developing a darker, more cynical world view. On the rare occasion, an arachne will be met with hospitality and will live with other races in small villages serving as wilderness guides, weavers, builders, and alchemists.

Arachne Traits

Arachne have the bottom half or a spider and the top half of a spider-resembling humanoid.

Ability Score Increase

Ability Score Increase: Increase one ability score by 2, and a different one by 1.

Creature Type

Creature Type: Humanoid

Size

Size: Medium (4-5.5 feet tall) or Small (3-4 feet tall), chosen when you select this species

Speed

Speed: 30 feet

Darkvision

Darkvision. You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.

Spider Climb

Spider Climb. You have a Climb Speed equal to your Speed which also allows you to move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and along ceilings without making any ability checks to do so, while leaving your hands free. Webs do not cause Difficult Terrain or any other movement restrictions for you.

Web Slinger

Web Slinger. Starting at character level 3, you always have the Web spell prepared and can cast it without requiring the use of a spell slot, Concentration, or a verbal component. You can cast Web in this way a number of times equal to half your Proficiency Bonus and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Short or Long. Additionally, you can use a spell slot of 2nd level or higher to cast this spell in the same way without expending a use of this trait.
You do not have to make saving throws against your own webs, and you cannot become Restrained by webbing you produce. When casting Web with a use of this trait, treat Dexterity as your spellcasting ability.

Woven Image

Woven Image. You have a 5-foot [sense]Tremorsense[sense], which extends when you touch a web to all spaces within the web.