Arachni

The Arachni are a bipedal race of spider folk who reside in southeastern Alus. They are a people constantly feared for their man-eating past and while most have put that behind them, it doesn't stop the wave of persecution they face outside their own country. But even as they rule their own country, they face sedition and suspicion from their own kind. Because there is a darker side to them. One that craves flesh and blood of those that they see as inferior. And as such, some people view them as a threat that must be eradicated. While others view them as people who need to be integrated and helped to weed out the horrible creatures within.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Arachni often have the appearance of humanoids such as humans, elves, and other bipedal species. However, four large spider appendages come out of their backs, able to fold into a smaller size if need be or be planted into the ground. These legs are strong enough to hold an Arachni in the air and can even be used to walk and climb. On the tips of these legs are claws and spinnerets, letting them produce strands of webbing. Additionally, spider chitin covers their bodies, ranging from patches to complete coverage as an armor-like layer.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Arachni names are often based around the sounds they make. Hissing, screeching, and clacking sounds are often common.

• Male Names: Azup, Chevokor, Evit, Kraq'tis, Yasar, Zhici
• Female Names: Icha, Neezal, Ninta, Ochi, Railo, Zirza

Major Organizations

• The Grandy Duchy of Racid - Centered in the homeland of the Arachni, this is often considered their kingdom. Arachni make up the majority here and serve as the elites... causing rumors that the elite Arachni still indulge in the flesh of sapient races.

History

No one has an exact location of where the Arachni first came from. While the area in Racid served as a good start, there are stories of creatures matching their appearance in the Underoads and in forests and swamps across Avestra. Whatever the case, what is known is that the Arachni used to be nightmares to tribal groups that traveled through southern Alus. They would hide in the mountains and forests, using scare tactics to drive their prey into webs. They were one of the few races to enjoy eating other sapient creatures on a large scale, joining races such as the Gnolls in that small group.

However, as other groups settled down in areas instead of traveling through their lands, the Arachni lost that stable food source and had to look toward creatures such as dear and the like. Even then, those animals began to become scarce. That could've signaled the extinction of the Arachni but instead, it caused a fundamental shift in their behavior. Due to too many Arachni being in too small a region, they used webbed balloons and the Underoad to spread across Avestra, freeing up land and resources. Additionally, their eating habits changed as they turned from hunters to hunter-gatherers and eventually, farmers themselves.

However, some Arachni could never get over that feral craving and as other species flocked to their cities, they continued to feast on the unaware populace, even making games out of it. They did their best to hide it but rumors always got out. And so the Arachni had to face interior threats with monstrous versions of themselves and exterior threats from people who wish to wipe out the people-eating Arachni. There was a boon in the form of the Elder invasion. Until it wasn't.

The Arachni, whether man-eater or not, could not stomach the Elders and their invasion. Not to mention it gave a superb food source from all the dead Aberrations left across Avestra. But that same craving is what fueled the creation of feral Arachni by the Elders. Arachni were driven mad by hunger and even mentally destroyed by psionic experiments. In the end, they couldn't remember who they were and they were thrown onto the battlefield in chains or dropped into cities to eviscerate the population.

In the end, these feral Arachni were never caught. Their descendants, though regaining their sapience, were forever changed. Carnivores by nature, they came back to the world as demons in the shadows, similar to the Vampires of the east. Hiding amongst nobles and commonfolk alike, they prey on non-Arachni and now the good ones have to hunt their own kind, doing everything they can to fix the image they've been given by the rest of Alus.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

As a general rule, the Arachni are viewed at with suspicion by everyone who comes across them. Even when someone doesn't know about the Feral Arachni, people are more often than going to be afraid of these people who look like them yet spout fangs and large spider legs. As such, Arachni can only ever truly trust themselves and even then, they aren't always sure if the ones they trust are the reason for their plight.

Lifespan

200 years

Average Height

Below 5 to 6 feet tall

Average Weight

From 150 to 200 pounds

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Their skin color varies as much as races like humans, elves, orcs, and goblinoids.