Dungeons and Dragons Lore: Aranea 

giant spider: i sleep giant spider with fingies: *ｎｏｐｐｅ*

There is a spider cult (not dedicated to lolth, much to her fury)in my homebrew setting these things are perfect for it

That's funny. I kind of did something like this to a party member who didn't provide any backstory at all. They were an Aranea and didn't know it. Just imagine what happened when the party was hunting an invisible creature and used true sight...that's right one less party member; because who talks anymore?

They seem to have a strangely sympathetic background. I like it. Not every monstrous race needs to be baby eating 100% of the time.

Dear Aj Long-time fan here, I'm pretty sure I've seen every one of your monster ecologies at least twice. As an college-educated arachnologist myself, if you would ever like to discuss home brewing arachnoid monsters let me know.

"brother get the flamer, the heavy flamer"

Here's a fun curse to give your players. "There is a spider on your body all times and whenever you think about it it will bite you. You will feel it's legs apon your flesh and see the scars it leaves behind but never see the spider itself. " I'll let you come up with the stats but I'm sure you'll come up with something terrifying, you always do. Cheers.

Thank Sir AJ Pickett you have quenched my thirst for D&D lore for a day

*YES!* Let the skin crawling commence! I propose a toast to Spider Week

I've always thought of Aranea as the spiderfolk you can actually converse with without fear of becoming it's next meal. Intelligent, slightly humanoid spiderfolk who are usually recluses in some corner of the forest who only pick off non intelligent prey (or the occasional humanoid who is intent on destroying their forest homes). The idea of so much treachery amongst the species doesn't sit well with me. There are so many evil spider-like monsters in D&D, I just like keeping one good natured option open. I like the idea of a half celestial Aranea who covers her part of the forest in golden shimmering threads, and is a font of arcane/clerical knowledge for those who seek her out. She even has control over some of the local giant spiders in the area, modifying or "blessing" them, enabling them to spin silk which is infused with the Protection against Evil spell.

I just imagine an aranea with a wizard hat reading a spell tome while waiting for something to get trapped in its web

The Aranea are the only true spider girls in DnD, they're literally spiders that are woman whats not to love about them ... or feel absolutely terrified at the prospect of a human sized spider that can look you in the eye and then sound like an innocent girl

Hmm mystic spiders gives whole new meaning to spell weaver.

Many species of wasp lay their eggs in spiders. This makes me curious as to how the Aranea deal with giant wasps. That would have to be issue for them, being the natural incubator for something as large and aggressive as Giant Wasps.

So an aranea's limitation on taking more than one alternate form is more of a culturally enforced compulsion then it is an actual physiological limitation? Interesting. I also didn't know that the werewolf-like hybrid form was a lore goof on the 3rd edition writers' part. Still, I prefer them as majority Neutral alignment and not Neutral Evil as your stat-block says. Thank you for making it though!

Theres the race i need for my character idea of a giant spider obsessed wizard but hates lolth. Time to butter up the DM

Always knew there was a spider conspiracy!

Bigby's Crashing Shoe

I've been waiting for this Monstrology video for a long time. As a biology nerd, I've always loved the idea of intelligent non-humanoids. How does the ecology shape their (neuro)psychology? How can we empathize with something that we can't relate well to?

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I have a homebrew version of this beastie that I first took from D&D boxed sets ("Isle of Dread" module, I think) and vaguely remember later AD&D publishings. I long forgot where I got it. They are Aranea. My latest incarnation was from an island with a Romance of the Three Kingdoms theme I love to use. On the surface, it was The Spiders (Aranea), the Mountain People (Mountain Dwarves), and the Forrest People (pre-Drow form of Dark Elves). Under the surface, it was The Spiders, the Colony (Centaur Ants... I forget their f-based modern name), and the Diggers (Deep Dwarves). It was a mini-campaign where the players actively shaped the worlds via their quests and choices. In that, I allowed players to create spider folk and centaur ant player characters that they got to keep and use in later adventures. My version of Aranea (thanks again for letting me know the name of the beastie I took that from) did not use magic to shape-change so True Sight did not dispel their disguise. It took them a whole day within a web cocoon to break their exoskeleton and re-shape their body into a different form and mending it into the new shape. Going back into their natural form is almost instant and can be done at any time. It hurts badly, taking away 1d6x10% (round down) of their remaining HPs and it takes a full day for them to get back their former AC and senses beyond their disguised form. They instantly get back their sheer attack capabilities. And, well, those below level 4 need to make a save or flee/panic when seeing a person or "what not" explode into being some kind of spider, showering everyone with a bit of blood and gore, to attack. Oh, and killing them in the alternative form causes the same explosion but it is warped into a just as wounded spider folk. I now know what to call my homebrew. It's my version of Aranea. I have no idea where you dug this up but THANK YOU!

Already can't wait to learn more and they're this at my players.

Fun Fact: If *any* species of spider were the size of a normal house cat their webs would be strong enough to catch helicopters out of the sky

Now I want a society where the Yuanti and Aranea are manipulating things behind the scenes. Maybe holidays that are said to ward off the other, but really are just ways to subtlety show off their control.

Hell yeah! 'The Isle of Dread' was the first adventure I ever DM'd...love your old school references AJ!

They are venomous not poisonous, venom is injected into the bloodstream, poison is ingested or absorbed thru the skin. Love your videos tho! Keep them coming!

I love these guys. They take center stage in my favorite low-level dungeon-crawl back from 3rd ed. Players stumble across a false village of the aranea taken over by spider eaters and wind up having to help the spider folk.

Imagine rescuing some D.I.D. from certain death by the hands of some roaming bandits. You get your heroes reward only to, half way through she turns back into a huge fuck all spider.......... DnD

Thank you but I need to sleep because I have school tomorrow so I'll watch it tomorrow.

OH CHRIST THAT THUMBNAIL!! "Throw away all your monster girl fanart boys I'm sorry." Me: NEVER!

I need a necromancer druid and a sample of troll flesh so I can sell these guys meatberry bushes.

A must read: Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky. It's science fiction but has a fascinating insight on how a race of intelligent large spiders think and act

Great video. Would love to see conversions and reviews of dark sun and dragonlance. Their cosmologies are fascinating. And very unique dragons.

I have the 2nd edition Red Steel Campaign Setting. The hybrid form is mentioned in that editions entry for Aranea. Artwork included.

So they literally nuked the lizards back to the stone age? Wow, the backstory of this campaign world is intense.

That spell of forgetting is unbelievably powerful. I can’t remember which series it is, but a similar spell is used to destroy a god. If none of its worshippers can remember its name in order to make worship possible, a god will die of starvation/asphyxiation!

I am genuinely surprised the Yeshom remain since the Inevitables would consider them as kill on sight for their abuse of undeath. This could be a great writing catalyst for a high level campaign. Having one of the Inevitables seek out the aid of adventurers to complete their mission.

Always nice to see a new video from AJ, especially monster ecologies are my favorite.

Hmm an Aranena lich that sounds fun! The heros step in to his lair. they her a muffled scream they run to save the victim. as they inter the web room they see a man in ebon robes as he terns they se a sickly green ooze drip down his mouth. He say a second helping what a good day! i get dinner and more servants. He raises his hand and the cocoon burst open as an Alchemical zombie shamble out

Yay, it's a new AJ Pickett video!!!

Ungoliant's brood

Now that's a Race I would want to play. Spider Peace!

Oh shoot this funny. I named my homebrew world Aranae def putting these guys in

I love monsters like this that have a story hook embedded in their biology.

4:35 Ok so I am gonna need some context for those space whales.

AJ: Let's visit Mystara. *Mr Welch has entered the chat.* Great video! Cue the nightmares.

What a great concept, my favourite vid of yours to date!

Oh the plot threads are there already. Eilistraee has been trying to recruit some or all the Aranea for a source or good. By doing so the Aranea find out who their prayers have been going to and who organized what happened to their god. ... just Eilistraee left the breadcrumbs and clues. In the Hope's they will start praying to her in revolt against her mother.

AJ, any plans to make some videos on the eladrin? I haven't found any dedicated videos on them in your extensive and amazing collection.

Woo!! Mystara

Are the Aranea related in any way to the k'r'r'r from spelljammer? They seem to have a similar worldview of other races and seem to both be very technologically advance. Perhaps their offshoots of an earlier species? 🕷 And excellent video as always!

I still have this module. I picked it up shortly after it's release in 81. I played it 3 times and it has been sealed away since 1983. Fantastic module.

Spider-weres, does this mean there are were-spiders?

Old school Mystara monster! Hot damn!

ah yes love anything to do with mystara

Intelligent..... spell casting.... giant spiders?!? Aka... nightmare fuel!

The thing I don't get is if their thing is 'magical research', why are they barely competent spellcasters? That's like calling my cat a 'physics researcher' because she very carefully watches the things she knocks off the shelf hit the floor.

I always feel bad for creatures in D&D whose deities got turned or subsumed by evil gods. Like, what do you do when your pantheon gets tricked into evil, or like the goblinoid races, is full-on enslaved?

I've been waiting for this one for a long time!

Isle of Dread! Still own it and know it by heart!

Do they live and work together with Ettercaps and other giant Spiders? Or do they just see them as Prey?

Actually the hybrid humanoid-spider form was from Red Steel first box set for d&d 2nd edition.

I’ve currently working on a custom variant of a Jorogumo for my Japanese Ive been running...this has some good ideas I hadn’t considered...

Another great opportunity to bring in Kwakul Anansi African god of Tricksters Music Stories And Spiders

Fascinating. I always enjoy learning about non-humanoid sentient species. This gives me lots of ideas for weird monsters and cultures for my homebrew campaign. Thanks AJ! Question for AJ and the comment section: What are some of your favorite non-humanoid sentient species? I know AJ has mentioned dragons are one of his favorite, but what are some others that are cool?

Moar anthropoids please.

Your stat block has them listed as shapechangers, but it doesn't include the shapechanger trait. Other than that, It's a great stat block. Thanks TMG!

Also, Lupin remake?

Oh hell no.

I am planning on running a one shot where some exclusive mountain is druid communities basically never let anybody stay in the villages in do not care for outsiders. Long story short the player characters are going to be sent as an advanced force to scout to mountain out for mining. However they’re going to find some extremely pissed off druid spider people now hahahah. Thank you!!

(20 minutes in) "Aranea have no hybrid form." ...Have you READ the Red Steel entry on Aranea, written by TSR for AD&D 2nd edition? Aranea having a hybrid form is old canon. From the General Notes section alone: Aranea of the Savage Coast have two true forms - that of their ancestors (a large, intelligent spider) and that of a humanoid. *They can also take on a shape that combines elements of the two. * In its *third, demispider form*, an aranea appears as a humanoid with arachnoid elements. These always include fangs, spinnerets in the palm of each hand, and four eyes. The demispider form typically has an extra joint in each finger and thumb as well, and the two extra eyes are generally located on the temples. But no two individuals ever have exactly the same demispider form. Since aranea gain no initial Legacy from the Red Curse, aranea characters usually claim that this form is part of their Legacy. The fiction works well, considering that aranea are relatively rare and very secretive, and some Legacies give a demispider form.

I used to have that module! Flashbacks!!

This made my drive to work much more interesting, thanks AJ.

Hey AJ I just wanted to let you know I'm a huge fan! you are my go-to recommendation guy for anyone who wants to know anything about d&d monsters I've watched most of your videos some of them more than once is a refresher before I run a campaign. Also I just wanted to throw this out there cuz I see you are dipping into other world settings. The draconians from dragon Lance are cool however the coolest part of that entire world setting is very easily the orders of wizards and the knights of salmania. They could make for some very engaging cool videos and quite frankly anytime I've made my own setting I've stolen basically those two things whole cloth and planted them in my world because they're so awesome

Good thing I don't have arachnophobe. Itsy bitsy spider-people

Spiders with fingers. nope. no ty. feels bad, they have to disguise themselves to exist as they do, that they've developed such an intense culture around just that. they could embrace their monstrous selves, but they choose not to, to change themselves instead. many actions are done out of fear... but their actions are done out of respect for the feelings (fear) of others. Like a child who acts differently to impress others, instead of 'being themselves', it is a 'shame'. (I didn't write my thought out perfectly well, but that is the gist of it)

I really want the isle of dread video now. Gotta love that classic D&D artwork. Can’t tell if that’s a horrible monster or a meth addicted version of Slimer from Ghostbusters lol

The "Talons of Night" module (M5 9214) had the Aranea as descendants of a race of Planar spiders that had their plane-shifting powers stripped from them and banished to Mystara as a punishment for some ancient crime.

Very nice, might need to find a way to use these creatures for my setting. Good video.

Perhaps it was a twisted vision of these spider-folk that enticed twisted druids to create the monstrous Ettercaps

Loved Isle of Dread and felt like it should have been its own campaign rather than just a module. So many new races and monsters. Picked up the Goodman Games update/reprint of it but haven't really cracked it open yet. Good to see the Aranea get some love...or at least some attention.

Spidery

Would the arania try to help the ettercaps become more civilized

Oh iam so using this in a drow campaign iam going to be running, maybe set the stage in a different world like dark sun.

Does anyone remember an old scifi rpg called “paranoia?” Quite possibly the best time we ever had if you get the right group going. i miss the laughs. Just as funny to read the materials as it is to play

So these are like were-spiders? Can anyone else imagine a were-spider hiring were-shark and were-wolf mercenaries? Sounds fun except for the prospect of getting paraylsed and mutilated in a group attack. Do not go lone wolf on these thinga unless you're an automaton I guess.

Yes yes yes, MOAR

16:24 Let me guess; Lolph actually userped the Arranian God, and stole his divine spider portpholio?

Looking forward, hopefully, to a full on Lolth video.

Oh no. As if giant man eating spiders weren’t bad enough. Now they’re smart, they use tools, and they do magic, too? Nope. Nope. Get the flamethrower. Nope. ... Okay, I’m kidding. These guys are cool.

Dude this is nice. Hey could you do a top ten lesser or unknown races of d&d?

"Throw out all your monster girl fanart." Your talking lot of shit for someone in CRUSADING distance...

Looks like Necromancer Games 5th Edition Foes has a great write up of them with a heady 5e stat block.

Reading the "Ilse of dread" the 5e conversion by good man games

"Throw out all your Monster Girl fan art." BLASPHEMY!!!

I think I've only seen Chamber of Secrets, like, twice? Yet upon seeing the thumbnail the quote, "Goodbye. . . Friends of Hagrid," popped into my head 😂 - 7:52 . . . Was this an episode of Charmed?

Aw. Shame I didn't have this when my players met the aranea in Castle Amber. I played the aranea as smart enough to not just attack the obviously dangerous adventurers, and the players did in fact end up negotiating with them for some insight as to the nature of Castle Amber. So I think all that still tracks.

Well this was very interesting and I love the hobbit giant spider for the picture of the video. All i could think of well listening to this is the spiders talking form the hobbit. Good Job AJ on the vid can't wait for more spiders from you.

Yah! Spiders! X3

So their the best we are going to Get when we are hoping for a good spider race

ah now i know why my dm in the 90's didnt want us anywhere near Calimshan & it also explains one of the "inside jokes" running through the campaign that i didnt understand ,, this make things way funnier