The Aranea Appreciation Thread


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion


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You know who doesn't get the respect they deserve? Araneas, that's who! Whether they be the creepy "cannibals" of the Isle of Dread (RIP hatoi <3) or the replacement encounter in "Hall of Harsh Reflections" for the players who don't like mind games, it seems araneas have always been the background problem and have rarely mattered beyond a couple fights. This despite the fact that araneas are intelligent, nonevil, inquisitive, social, and possess some truly fascinating powers!

The aranea doesn't shift between many shapes. Like the lycanthrope, she assumes a spider form, a hybrid form, and a single, steady humanoid shape. That means they're ripe for characterization. In my mind, the aranea is less about mind games and more about the seemingly normal elf you meet in the woods who seems a bit too interested in the druid's plump aurochs animal companion.

My Aranea Story:
I recently ran a game with araneas. The group was stranded in a webbed jungle when they encountered some relatively friendly (full, anyways) halflings. Though the halflings initially tried to charm them, they were otherwise very friendly, and offered the PCs food and drink—never eating anything themselves. They actually played the part of hosts in good faith (since they were already full and the PCs weren't rude or anything), and allowed the PCs to spend a night in their sanctuary. They assured them that this cabin was safe—"We and the spiders have an arrangement."

That night, the PCs heard screams. The two paranoid freaks among them decided to go outside and check it out. They went and saw a bunch of spiders chasing a giant jackrabbit through the forest. Before their eyes, a webby noose shot up, grabbing the jackrabbit's leg and yanking it up into the air. A spider dropped down and bit it, gradually weakening it until it could not move. Then they all started eating their paralyzed prey. Some of them took hybrid or halfling forms while doing so. The PCs recognized one they had befriended, who actually waved to them, covered in blood.

The PCs went back and slept for the night, but left in a hurry the next morning.

I'm really hoping Paizo does something with araneas soon. They're one of the most fascinating intelligent monsters that has, to my knowledge, never gotten any major adventure focus. Can anybody disprove that assertion?


I am also quite fond of the erroneously-maligned aranea (and phase spiders too). I've slowly waiting... and waiting... and waiting... for Paizo to start exploring Southern Garund in earnest so we could finally see coverage of Nurvatchta beyond the tiny mention in the Inner Sea hardcover. (I keep hoping I can write a double-page article on them for an upcoming Wayfinder issue, and maybe a critter or two).

As a whole, they would seem to be a very intelligent race, content to quietly influence and manipulate the world from behind the schemes without resorting to grand conspiracies or conquests. The common folk share tales of elves and dragons working arcane wonders, but even sages know little about the silent masters of sorcery, the aranea. They can assume a human shape, weaving throughout their lives and societies, yet their spidery--almost alien--mindset would constantly set them apart.

Kobold Cleaver wrote:
I'm really hoping Paizo does something with araneas soon. They're one of the most fascinating intelligent monsters that has, to my knowledge, never gotten any major adventure focus. Can anybody disprove that assertion?

They had an important flavorful role in

Spoiler:
AP#52 Jade Regent: Forest of Spirits.

I think Southern Garund is one of Crystal Frasier's :) official areas, but she seems pretty busy with oodles of other stuff. :(


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I don't know about adventure paths, but a friend of mine read a webnovel set in a dnd-like world that featured araneas a lot. He says it's quite good. Let me find a link.

Here it is. He says they first appear in chapter 12, and become heavilly plot-relevant after chapter 16.


The Mystara Savage Coast Red Steel Campaign had aranaeas as playable characters I believe, along with tortles, lupins, rakasta, and assorted others.


Good one KC - been a fan of aranea since Isle of Dread back in the day.

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