Infernal, Arachnea

Exclusively female infernal that can appear as a beautiful woman or gigantic black widow spider

Basic Fantasy Field Guide Omnibus

Armor Class	16 (m) (11 (m))
Hit Dice	6*
Number Appearing	1
Attacks	1 bite (spider) or kiss (woman) or dagger
Damage	1d6 + poison bite, 1d6 + heals creature kiss, 1d4 + 2HP/round dagger
Movement	60'
Save As	Magic-user: 6
Morale	8
XP	555
Treasure Type	I

The Arachnea are an exclusively female type of infernal that can appear as either a beautiful, often elegantly-dressed young woman, or a gigantic black widow spider. They are very intelligent, and can cast spells in either form. An arachnea’s favorite tactic is to seduce or cast charm person on her victim to lure them in for a kiss (if she is in her human form) or to bite them (if she is in her spider form).

Arachnea are highly magical in nature and can use the following spell-like abilities at will, in either form: web, charm person, teleport, hold person, darkness 15’ radius, mind reading, and clairaudience (as the potion), and can only be hit by magical or silvered weapons. It takes one full round for an arachnea to change forms. She also has the ability to summon 1d6 giant spiders of any sort.

As with most infernals the arachnea is underneath it all quite cowardly; after losing more than half her hit points, she will try to cast teleport on her next round to escape.

Special Abilities

Spell-like Abilities: Can use at will, in either form: web, charm person, teleport, hold person, darkness 15’ radius, mind reading, and clairaudience (as the potion).

Magical Resistance: Can only be hit by magical or silvered weapons.

Shapechange: Takes one full round to change between spider and human forms.

Summon Spiders: Can summon 1d6 giant spiders of any sort.

Cowardly: After losing more than half her hit points, she will try to cast teleport on her next round to escape.

Variants

Spider Form (when in spider form)

When in spider form, she has AC 16 and her bite delivers a poison that does 1d6+3 points of damage per round for 6 rounds (save vs. Poison to avoid).

Armor Class	16
Attacks	1 bite (1d6 + poison)

Human Form (when in human form)

In her human form she has AC 11, and generally avoids combat, preferring to use charm and seduction to bend others to her will. In this form, her kiss drains 1d6 HP per round; these hit points drained by a kiss will heal her an equal amount and can even give her additional temporary hit points over and above her normal maximum (lasts up to 1 hour after draining). If she is unable to avoid a fight, arachneas favor a dagger poisoned with her own venom, however when used this way the venom is weakened, only causing 2 points of damage for 3 rounds (save vs. Poison to avoid).

Armor Class	11
Attacks	kiss (1d6 HP drain + heals equal amount), dagger (1d4 + 2HP/round poison)