Weaverling
The most humanoid appearing of the Enthos, weaverlings have spider-like features, and are masters of magic and duplicity, utilizing their multiple arms to cast multiple spells and wield multiple weapons.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Weaverlings have eight total limbs; two main arms, four minor, smaller arms, and two legs. They can utilize these minor limbs to scale walls and ceilings, and can even learn to cast spells with them at a much faster rate.
Biological Traits
Many weaverlings can learn to produce a silk-like substance from their bodies, allowing them to climb with even greater skill.
Genetics and Reproduction
Weaverlings lay large egg sacks in giant hatcheries, from which a multitude of weaverlings young are birth. Many weaverlings are born ravenous, and often consume each other upon hatching, usually with only four or five survivors. Weaverlings also heavily utilize the enthos awakening spell to forcefully create more young from normal spiders.
Growth Rate & Stages
Upon immediately emerging from their eggs, weaverlings are much more bestial and spider-like, however after their initial feeding frenzy, the young go through a painful molt that has them shed their bestial appearance and take a more humanoid form. After this molt, they are taken by the adults and trained for their purpose, generally a leadership role for a female and a labor role for a male.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Weaverlings are mostly carnivorous, feasting on small animals, other Enthos, and even humanoids that wander into their territory. In times of low food, they sometimes resort to cannibalism, often feasting on their arisen slaves or even a male who has caused a disappointment. Enthos find Buzzlings in particular to be very tasty, and thus most buzzlings have a justified fear of going anywhere near a weaverling.
Biological Cycle
Most weaverlings dwell far beneath the surface, and thus aren't overly affected by seasonal changes. Those the dwell on the surface often grow much more body hair, and sometimes keep some of their more overt spider-like traits to compensate for the temperatures.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Weaverling society is built on the backs of slaves utilizing the enthos awakening spell to create workers, and always have a large amount of Risen on hand. The risen are treated harshly in weaverling society, as they highest born Risen is lesser to the lowest born of males. Risen slaves are not given names, or even numbers, and are forbidden from even speaking. Breaking these rule often results in subjecting the offender to torturous magic that transforms them into a more monstrous spider-like beast.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Weaverling silk is prized for using in clothing, and their venom is sought after by assassins who utilize poisons, but gaining either is a difficult task as weaverling nests are deadly places that few return from.
Facial characteristics
In addition to their many eyes, weaverlings possess spider-like jaws that are capable of clamping into opponents. While unable to deal signifcenet damage without training, most weaverling bites carry with it a deadly poison.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
A majority of weaverlings dwell in the deep reaches of The Underrealm, although some can be found dwelling in forests on the surface.
Average Intelligence
Weaverlings are both cunning and charming, able to blend wit and words in a deadly manner. Weaverlings have a penchant for magic, especially arcane magic, and often become spellcasters, although this privilege is usually reserved for females.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Weaverlings possess five eye; a normal main pair with a smaller set directly underneath them, with a single large eye in the center of their forehead. This grants the a large range of vision. They also possess darkvison and the ability the ability to see low-light conditions, but those that dwell deep under the surface can see much further in the dark but lack the ability to see in light.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Weaverlings train giant spiders as nest defenders and mounts, and often have giant pit traps full of spiders and other deadly vermin for dumping in trespassers.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
In Enthos, weaverlings refer to themselves as ǂʰuǃǃoǂuǂʰᵑǃuǂʰoǀo; roughly translating to "Bringers of Hard Truths" (often shortened just to ǂʰuǃ), but other Enthos often refer to them as ᵑǃuǀǀuǂʰ; translating to "Weaver of Lies"
Beauty Ideals
Weaverlings society is full of constantly changing ideals, with new clothing styles phasing in and out. Prominent members must pay close attention or risk having their reputation damage. Weaverlings also often have a fascination with eyes, finding them to be the most attractive parts of the body. They will often save trophies of the eyes of exotic creatures (such as humanoids) that enter their territory and are slain, so that they can continue to appreaciate them.
Gender Ideals
Females dominate weaverling society, as males are only seen as useful for labor, troop fodder, and to produce offspring. Males must tread with extreme caution, as females are know to get violent and sometimes even deadly in their pursuits, and males often bear scars of their parings.
Courtship Ideals
Females can dominate any male they choose, provided that male is not under the thumb of another female. Females will often battle over males they fancy, and such battles will often take place in secret, with assassination or public discretization common. Once a rival female is removed, the victor is free to take their mate, and through him, the ousted females children.
Relationship Ideals
Close mother-daughter relationships are common in weaverling society, as it is the mothers job to pass down the ideals of rulership and domination to their daughter. Many daughters struggle to live up to the harsh ideals placed upon them by their mothers, and the relationship often transforms into a strange, brutal but loving power struggle between them. For families with multiple daughters the power struggle becomes much more complicated, with the youngest daughter often under the most pressure from the mother and the elder daughter under constant attack from her younger siblings.
Average Technological Level
Weaverlings are excellent craftsmen, building large villages suspended from cave ceilings and weaving beautiful clothing and works of art. They prefer to rely on magical means more then technology, blending the arcane with the arts to create masterpieces.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Common Etiquette Rules
Weaverlings society is full of empty promises and false flattery, as they are constantly playing games of verbal cat and mouse with each other, each one of them vying to usurp the others positions. Thus, many weaverlings follow with the polite plesentries of a socialite while simultaneously dominating or destroying their enemies.
Common Dress Code
Weaverlings love to weave fancy clothing, and thus can be found wearing all sorts of different items. Even the males often wear well-tailored clothes, as an ill-suited mate would tarnish a females reputation. The Risen slaves are the only ones exempt from this, as the majority are rarely even permitted to wear clothes.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Weaverlings villages are governed by a group of mages known as the Spellweavers, whos leader is known as the Songseamstress. These mages are capable of weaving magic into items, and can even imbue regular clothes with powerful magic.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Weaverlings enjoy both crafting and singing, and often throw elaborate parties in the efforts to show their superiority. Such parties often become artist galleries, with weaverlings competing for the most attention.
Common Taboos
Gifting items or treating a Risen slave well is cause enough for suspicion in weaverling society, and giving one a name or permission to speak itself is a treasonous act. Weaverling children are forbidden to act against the wishes of their mothers, and thus many children conspire to remove their mother from the picture so that they can have more freedom.
Common Myths and Legends
While the official religion of the weaverlings is their racial demigod, Arhreah the Beast, she is more a primal and hungry force than a leader, and thus many weaverlings have turned away from her and worship the elven god of the Drow, Sarnel. The origin of Arhreah is debated, some stating that she was a drow fleshwarping experiment that grew too powerful to contain, with others claiming that she is a primal beast born of the combined hunger of Thom and O-Bakemo.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Weaverlings have mixed relations with other most other races, but act hard to keep relationships at least neutral with bartering and guile. The only exception to this are the Mantlings, who the weaverlings view as savage brutes that need exterminating. They have good relations with the Drow, with some believing that drow experimentation created their demigod, Arhreah. They are treated much better than other Enthos races by the other members of The Underrealm, with similar ideals putting them in favor with the drow and a boomling slave trade keeping them in favor with the Duergar.
Racial Table - Weaverling: Hit Dice: D8; Class Skills: Craft, Perception, Spellcraft, Stealth, Survival; Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier; Weapon Proficiency: Simple, plus nets and natural attacks; Armor Proficiency: Light
| Level | BAB | Fort | Reflex | Will | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Keen Senses, Minor Limbs, Spider Climber, Vermin Empathy |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Bite, Poison |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Minor Limbs Increase, Spider Silk |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Bite Increase, +1 Intelligence, +1 Charisma |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Somatic Master |
Random Starting Ages
| Adulthood | Intuitive1 | Self-Taught2 | Trained3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 years | +1d4 years (16 - 19) | +1d6 years (16 - 21) | 1d8 years (16 - 23) |
Random Height and Weight
| Gender | Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 2 ft. 2 in. | +2d6 in. (2 ft. 4 in. - 3 ft. 2 in.) | 20 lbs. | +(2d6 lbs.) (22 - 32 lbs.) |
| Female | 2 ft. 4 in. | +2d6 in. (2 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 4 in.) | 25 lbs. | +(2d6 lbs.) (27 - 37 lbs.) |
Weaverling Aging Table
| Middle Age (-1 to Str, Dex, and Con, +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha) | Old (-2 to Str, Dex, and Con, +2 to Int, Wis, and Cha) | Venerable (-3 to Str, Dex, and Con, +3 to Int, Wis, and Cha) | Maximum Age (GM secretly decides maximum age) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 years | 45 years | 60 years | 60 + 1d10 years |
Random Weaverling Homelands
| % Rolled | Homeland | Trait Gained |
|---|---|---|
| 01-72 | Subterranean | Surface Stranger |
| 73-83 | Dark Forest | Subjective Truth |
| 84-94 | Desert | Self-Reliant |
| 95-00 | Unusual Homeland | (Roll on Unusual Homeland table) |
Random Weaverling Families
| % Rolled | Trait Gained |
|---|---|
| 01-50 | Only Mother is alive |
| 51-75 | Both of your parents are dead |
| 76-90 | Both of your parents are alive |
| 91-00 | Only Father is alive |
| % Rolled | # of Siblings |
|---|---|
| 01-40 | 1d10 Siblings |
| 41-50 | 1d8 Siblings |
| 51-60 | 1d6 Siblings |
| 61-70 | 1d4 Siblings |
| 71-80 | 1d3 Siblings |
| 81-90 | 1d2 Siblings |
| 91-94 | 1 Sibling |
| 95-00 | No siblings |
by @caitlinc37
Lifespan
61 - 70 years
Average Height
2 ft. 4 in. - 3 ft. 4 in.
Average Weight
22 - 37 lbs.
Average Physique
Weaverlings are small, spindly, and lanky, meaning that they are often quite frail. This causes them to avoid physical confrontation when possible, preferring to attack from a range with magic.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Most weaverlings are a grey or black color, greatly resembling the elven Drow, although their hair is rarely light colors. Some weaverlings, especially more poisonous ones, often have colored markings on various parts of their bodies. Risen slaves created through enthos awakening are branded with arcane marks across their face to signify their lesser status.
Geographic Distribution
Weaverling
Type
Vermin (Enthos)
Ability Score Modifier
+2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma, -2 Constitution. Weaverlings are charming and cunning, but frail.
Size
small
Speed
A weaverling has a base speed of 30 feet.
Language
A weaverling begins play speaking Enthos. A weaverling with a high intelligence score can pick from the following languages: Common, Hive-dance, Terran or Undercommon.
- Materil: Weaverlings can be tied to either the Earth or Shadow Materil, allowing them to become Earthbreakers or Shadowbringers.
- Darkvision: Weaverlings can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
- Low-light Vision: Weaverlings can see twice as far as humans in low-light conditions.
- Keen Senses: A weaverling gains a +4 racial bonus on Perception checks. This bonus increases by 1 for every two hit dice beyond the 1st the weaverling possess.
- Minor Limbs: Weaverlings have two extra sets of smaller arms on each side, granting it six arms in total. They can use these arms to assist it in grabbling and climbing, granting them the Improved Grapple feat as a bonus feat. At 3rd racial level, they can use these arms in combat, but only if every weapon it holds is a light melee weapon. Only its primary hand is counted as its main hand, all other attacks are treated as off-hand attacks. A weaverling loses the effect of its Improved Grapple feat and its Spider Climber while more then two of its minor hands are taken up.
- Spider Climber (Ex): Weaverlings act as if under a constant spider climb, granting them a 20 foot climb speed and a +8 racial bonus to climb checks.
- Vermin Empathy: All enthos can utilize the Handle Animal skill on vermin creatures, despite them being mindless. An enthos spellcaster can cast spells that normally only affect animals on a vermin creature, and enthos druids can utilize wild empathy on vermin as if they were normal animals. An enthos gains a +4 racial bonus to handling vermin of a similar nature to them.
- Bite: Starting at 2nd racial level, weaverlings gain a bite attack that deals 1d4 points of damage and exposes the creature to weaverling poison. This is a primary natural attack. This bite increases to 1d6 at 4th racial level.
- Poison (Ex): Starting at 2nd racial level, a creature hit by a weaverlings bite attack is exposed to weaverling poison. Whenever a creature takes damage from its bite attack, it must make a save or suffer from weaverling poison. Weaverling Poison (Ex) Bite - Injury; save Fortitude DC (10 + ½ the weaverlings’s HD + the weaverlings Constitution modifier), Frequency 1/round for 6 rounds, Effects 1d2 Constitution damage, Cure one consecutive save. A creature that has successfully saved against a weaverings poison cannot be affected by the same weaverlings poison for 24 hours.
- Spider Silk (Ex): Starting at 3rd racial level, a weaverling can produce rope-like silk from its body. The weaverling acts as if always wearing a robe of infinite twine, save that it can’t remove rope as an immediate action and it can only pull out a total amount of rope equal to 10 feet times its hit dice.
- Somatic Master (Ex): At 5th racial level, once per day, a weaverling can cast two spells that require somatic components, as if the second one was affected by the Quickened metamagic feat, but without increasing the spell level. The weaverling can only do this if all of its extra arms are free. A weaverling can use this ability an extra time per day for every five hit dice beyond 5 it possesses.
Alternate Racial Traits
- Leaper (Ex): Some weaverlings can make massive jumps instead of being able to climb walls. These weaverlings act as if under a constant jump spell. This trait replaces the spider climber trait.
- Multi-Vision (Ex): Some weaverlings can utilize their multiple eyes to their full potential. They increase their racial bonus on Perception checks to a +8 and gain all-around vision, but automatically fail any saving throws against spells with the pattern or light descriptions, and against any visual effects that would cause blindness. This trait alters the Keen Senses trait.
- Undersight: Some weaverlings have eyes that have adjusted to living in only darkness. These weaverlings lack low-light vision and have darkvision of 120 feet, but have the light blindness trait. This trait alters the weaverlings senses.
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