Homebrew Anansi Species Details
History
Anansi evolved from simple spiders in the Underdark, apparently from a diet consisting mainly in cranium rats and some other psionic creatures, although they never developed psionic powers of their own. They were forced to move above ground by Lolth, who viewed them as impure abominations. This resulted in the anansi becoming mistrustful of magic and, to a lesser extent, elves. This tension has recently been somewhat assuaged by the elves' dedication to preserving nature, but many of the less-contacted anansi clans are still mistrustful.
After the drow exodus to the Underdark, the Anansi spread out among the forests of the world, and began to acclimate. Recently, some Anansi clans have begun exporting limited quantities of wood, ore, and furs to trade in cities. Citing a need to modernize their living conditions, and to become a new race in a growing world, and to distance themselves from the Lolth's stigma, the broodmothers of the anansi Ax'hi, Ne'ka, Vi'wen, and Ta'geh signed trade agreements with several cities.
Society
Anansi society revolves around the broodmother, a female anansi who voluntarily undergoes metamorphosis to become a large and long-lived matriarch. The broodmother must not only be a voluntary, but will always be chosen by popular vote. This is done because broodmothers have very limited movement and cannot hunt. This makes good public relations incredibly important for any aspiring broodmother, for without the clan's support she would simply be neglected and starve to death. She then chooses a partner, who then fecundates her and is immediately either killed, exiled or forced to become a servant anansi. Her functions as broodmother are both administrative and reproductive: She is the only fertile female in the whole clan and only with her death can another female become a broodmother. Males, on the other hand, are always fertile, but can't reproduce unless the females let them.
The reach of a clan is generally limited to the forest they live in. Unlike Humans, Dwarves, Elves, and other nation-builder races, Anansi are more concerned with the long-term sustainability of their clan forest. For most Anansi, the first step in expanding the clan's influence is to plant trees and preserve the animals that live there. This also means that they will attack with no hesitation lumberjacks and hunters who trespass on their territory.
Fortunately, their terrain is easy to spot. The abundance of web and their fortresses are obvious symbols of an anansi colony.
Their "fortresses" and homes are the branches and hollows of the biggest and sturdiest trees, reinforced and enveloped by giant cocoons of webbing, and reinforced with weaver adhesive and stone. They are nocturnal and only the guards, generally stalkers, are awake during the day.
As their locations tend to be easy to spot, commerce is not completely farfetched, although difficult: They are mostly active during the night, every transaction must be approved by the broodmother and they don't use coinage, as metal has absolutely no value to them. Their silk, limited amounts of wood, feathers they obtain from birds and, ocassionaly, their own poison are great products they are willing to let go in exchange for meat, tree saplings or even fresh prisoners.
Anansi Traits
Anansi are sentient spiders. They are very light for their size, and their four front-most legs are much more flexible than other varieties of spiders, terminating in two small grasping "fingers" each. Anansi hunt primarily with the potent venom they secrete from their bodies, and can bring down prey many times their size. Anansi can be many different colors, with some even having semi-reflective exoskeletons.Anansi Names
Male: Ke'kron, Xe'lak, Vu'ki, Ne'vek, Sa'zi
Female: Vu'Hel, Fe'wah, Do'cek, Um'pex, Qa'sin
Anansi broodmother's are referred to simply as "mother" by their offspring and "Broodmother [name]" by others.
Notable Examples: Broodmother Gu'zel is perhaps one of the most famous anansi; her mastery of illusion magic led her clan's forest to be feared by orcs, bandits, and goblins alike. To this day, many still speak of the "legend of the nightmare wood" around campfires late at night.
Anansi Traits
Ability Score Increase. Dependant on the subrace. Please read each subrace for this information.
Age. Anansi are fully capable of survival at birth. They start hunting in group at 1 week of age, hunt independently at the young age of 1 month old, and mature over the course of 7 years when they are finally considered adults. Anansi males and the females who do not become broodmothers generally live to age 40 or 50. Broodmothers can live for more than 150 years.
Alignment. Anansi are generally true neutral as they spend most of their time simply hunting and gathering to support the current broodmother. They may change their moral alignment depending on the races that frequently contact with them.
Size. With the exception of the broodmothers, anansi are small creatures weighing around 20 to 30 pounds while standing between 3 and 3 and a half feet tall. Your size is small. Broodmothers, on the other hand, are enormous beings almost unable to move, as they are 6 feet tall or more and weight over 120 pounds. Your size is medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Spider Perception. You can see in dim light within 30 feet of you as if it were bright light, and 30 feet in darkness as if it were dim light. You are colorblind in any light. If you are blinded, you can pinpoint exactly where creatures are if both of you are touching the same web.
Fangs. Instead of doing an unarmed attack, you can attack using your fangs. Your fangs are natural weapons in which you have proficiency. In a successful attack, you deal 1d6 piercing damage.
Spider Climb. You have the ability to move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving your 2 front-most legs free. All your saves for climbing are rolled with advantage. Your climbing speed is half your walking speed.
Spider Anatomy. You can only use weaponry and armors specially designed for Anansi. You can't use metal weaponry or armors. Anansi armors and weapons can only be made by Anansi artisans and are made out of webbing, specially treated wood, spider adhesives, and certain insect's keratin. Even being made out of these materials, these armors comport similarly to their metal or leather equivalents. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 10 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
Languages. You speak Common and Anansi. Anansi is a language of clicks and hisses with many harsh sounds interspersed. Anansi are able to speak common, but only very roughly as they have trouble with many sounds. You can't write nor read.
Subrace. Choose one between broodmother, weaver, stalker and mariner.