Homebrew Aranea Species Details
Occupying positions of power throughout the world, the Aranea’s humanoid form is a ruse.
Positions of Power
Their leadership roles and secretiveness lead to resentment among the lower classes and suspicion among even the upper class, though their services are highly valued. Overall, they are both tolerated and avoided.
Folk of Two Forms
In humanoid form, Aranea are about as tall as the average Human, with males and female being the same in height. Their humanoid forms have dark gray skin, pointed ears, and pointed canines. Their arachnid forms are covered in a silvery exoskeleton and stand at about the same height. Their hair in both forms can be naturally white, gray, black, or red and is, for their humanoid forms, worn the same by both genders, a medium length and kept straight. Their humanoid irises and arachnid eyes can be yellow, amber, or green, and turn a bright red when enraged.
Aranea Adventurers
Aranea are not typically very adventurous. Aranea adventurers are usually on a particular mission, such as retrieving some stolen heirloom or revenge, or are outcast mavericks who have illegally revealed information about Aranea society.
Aranea Names
Aranea are organized into houses. Their full names are typically their house name followed by their personal name, which is chosen at the age of five from a set list in a religious ritual. Most Aranea prefer to use an easily-pronounceable version of their house name when dealing with non-Aranea or Aranea of other houses, but they will tell non-Aranea they trust their personal name.
Aranea Traits
Aranea have the following racial traits:Ability Score Increase
Your Dexterity, Intelligence, and Charisma scores all increase by 1.
Age
Aranea start life as silvery spiders hatched from eggs. They grow continuously in this form, cared for by the adults of their house, until they reach adult size at around 20 years old, when they gain the ability to change shape into their humanoid form. Aranea have maximum lifespans of about one and a half centuries.
Alignment
Due to the Aranea's house structure, they have a strong lawful streak. Typically arrogant, good alignments are rare.
Size
In their humanoid form, Aranea are medium creatures of typical human height. In their arachnid form, Araneas wide stance makes them count as large creatures.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision
Thanks to your arachnid heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 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.
Change Form
As an action, you can shift between your humanoid form and your true form. Your clothing and equipment aren’t changed by this trait. You gain the following traits in your true, arachnid form:
Size. Your size changes to large as your arachnid legs emerge.
Spider Climb. You can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Tremorsense. Your legs are highly sensitive to the tiny vibrations in the environment. You can detect and pinpoint the origin of vibrations within 60 feet, provided that you and the source of the vibrations are in contact with the same surface.
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Limited Vocalizations. You do not possess the necessary mouthparts to speak any language other than deep speech.
Untrusted. You have disadvantage on all Charisma checks directed at humanoid creatures, except for Charisma (Intimidation) checks.
You stay in one form until you use an action to revert to the other form or until you die, in which case you automatically assume your true form.
Weaver's Art
You are proficient with weaver's tools, and are always treated as having both the tools and materials needed to create or repair silk items.
Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the web a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier with this trait, requiring no material components, and you regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest. Dexterity is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Deep Speech.
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