Editing Aranea (section)

===General Notes===
Aranea are intelligent giant [[spider]]s skilled in magic. Few people believe that they still exist, because the creatures are careful to hide their nature, and they are difficult to expose.

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 spider form, an aranea has a body about four feet long and two feet wide. As with normal spiders, the body is divided into two segments, the abdomen and the thorax. Two spinnerets are located at the end of the aranea's abdomen, and eight hairy, segmented legs, each about four feet long, are attached to the thorax. Two more limbs, each about two feet long, sprout from the front of the thorax, beneath the mandibles and eyes. Each of these forward limbs has four many-jointed fingers, plus a single thumb with an extra joint. These digits can be used to manipulate simple tools, or to perform the motions needed to cast spells.

Aranea have a set of impressive mandibles, with large fangs. Adults can inject a damaging poison with them. Behind and above an aranea's mandibles are eight eyes. Four are small, simple eyes, used to detect motion. The other four are larger, and apear almost like humans', with a colored iris and black pupil, though set in a round, lidless socket. Two of the larger eyes face forward, and the others are positioned on either side of the creature's head. Above and behind the eyes is a large, oddly shaped lump that houses the aranea's brain.

Each aranea has one [[humanoid]] form that it can shift into. The humanoids that can be emulated are many, though some are too large or small to be imitated (see below) and others are not familiar enough to the aranea for them to be copied. Because of magical restrictions, one race in particular, the [[wallara]]s, cannot be imitated at all. Races chose can range from as small as a [[goblin]] to as large as a [[gnoll]], but those typically emulated are [[human]], [[elf]], [[half-elf]], [[dwarf]], [[lupin]], [[rakasta]] or [[shazak]]. Some few aranea choose a [[goblinoid]] form instead.

An aranea's humanoid form is chosen very soon after birth, and cannot be changed to another form later. The humanoid form must be the same gender as the aranea. Height, weight, eye color, and hair color are all appropriate to the humanoid type imitated. For aranea PCs, the choice of exact race and form is left to the players (within the guidelines listed above).

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.

Aranea have their own language, known now as Herath. All aranea know this language and a native language of the race they emulate. Most aranea are neutral in alignment, though most other people consider them to be evil.