Species Description:
Aracheer appear as an unholy cross between human and arachnid. They usually have torso of a human fixed onto the bloated body of a spider. Males , which are very rare, have the ability to shape-shift in order to find a mate. Aracheer males, when seeking a mate, adopt the form of a handsome human male and either seduce or kidnap a human female. They will take them to a quiet place to mate, during the act the male will return to his true form but by then it is too late for the hapless woman as she has taken his seed. Over the next few days the aracheer seed transforms the human into the horrible form of an aracheer. She does not go unwatched, though. Once the transformation is complete the male will return again to mate once more, this time impregnating the female and making her an aracheer Queen, whose will then go on to produce countless arach eggs plus one male aracheer (who will appear as a human child until they reach puberty) for the rest of her life.
Although they produce them, aracheers do not necessarily have their lairs near colonies of arachs. The look vaguely like centaurs, with humanoid torso and bloated spider body (except with 4 legs and black carapace, like the arachs).
Aracheer like indoor spaces where they can spin massive webs across ceilings, walls and in passageways. These are extremely sticky and once caught on one it is difficult to escape. They use the webs as their major food providers, sometimes using treasure or some other bait to lure the unwary in. They will eat anything - including arachs - that wander into the lair. Aracheer are just as intelligent as any human, even though this intellect is now warped and twisted, and will often have traps in their lairs besides the obvious webs.
In battle queens move very fast, running across ceilings and up walls to avoid being hit. They are also powerful jumpers. They have no mystic powers save control over arachs. Aracheers still use weapons, often a sword in both hands and their reflexes are unnaturally fast.
Average Statistics
Size: 2m tall
Weight: 100-150kg
Preferred Environment(s): Caves, ruins, underground places.
Diet: carnivorous / scavenger
Alignment (if any): evil - demonic
Life expectancy: 50 years
Solitary/Group (number): Solitary except when seeking mate. Otherwise lives surrounded by its arach offspring.