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Anan-Si, the Spiderfolk of Draconi Forest

Started by ZRYork, October 18, 2017, 12:49:51 PM

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ZRYork

ANAN-SI

1. Racial Description
Anan-Si are a physically diverse species, though all of them show arachnid traits. It's exceedingly common for them to appear as bipedal spiders, with a pair of legs and two main arms, with smaller arms, though it's not unheard of for clans of them to appear with only a pair of arms and legs.

Different clans draw from different species of spiders, such as Orb Weavers, Garden Spiders and the much feared Tarantula clans. Most of their traits depend on their region of origin, but sometimes a new form of an existing clan appears.

2. Society
Anan-Si, at least the non-Tarantula clans, are stock full of stories. From the moment they are born, they are fed with stories of Anansi, a legendary member of their species from which all stories derive from. Each clan has countless stories of him, though it's very rare for two stories to cross over.

If a dispute arises in the clan, they seek out a Story-Weaver, from who they derive the truth. IF both parties have a valid complaint, they will often refer to a story of which all clans refer to: Anansi's Brother. The story went that at the time of their creation, Anansi had a brother, Taran. The two were chosen by Creation, who gave them both a hard choice: they had to decide which brother was to lead the people. The two brother decided to make a series of challenges, decided by Creation. she decided that there would be Eight Trials, each one for a limb they had. The first was a contest of story-telling, which Anan-Si won. The second was a race to the Highest Mountain and back, which Taran won. As it happened, both brothers had come into a tie. Creation sighed, for She felt it was down to a battle of strength. Although Anansi was strong, Taran was sure he was to win through his pure power. Before the confrontation, Anansi had watched his brother endlessly, studying his technique, while Taran had sought out dark powers, from which he would gain their blessing. Before the battle ended, Anansi had been struck down, but before Taran could end him, Anansi recovered, and used his special tactic: He had uses his silk to bind up Taran. Once he had succeeded, he threw him out of their ring. He had won, much against his brother's desire. Creation chose him to be the leader of the newly titled Anan-Si, and those that followed his Brother became the Tarantula.

In order to determine right or wrong, both parties must wrestle until one is thrown out of the ring, in which case, he is considered in the right. If the conflict doesn't require physical answers, the Story-Weaver has an answer: Make up a story. It is assumed that any confrontation can be solved with a proper story. Very often, this is the truth.

The other unique form of Anan-Si is their reverence for humanoids and predators. If a being makes a severe impact on their routine (such as a hungry ogre, or a manipulative human), they often find a way to channel their myth with them. Very commonly, people who attack or in some way negatively impact them, they see them as a channel of Taran, and offer some way to apologize. if the creature spurns them, they are known to muster some war parties and destroy them, though commonly they hide there villages from prying eyes.

Commonly, they barter and trade their findings for stories, though some with more outside learn how to barter goods for other goods.

3. Names
Male Anan-Si keep Anan- in there name, with a last part being a birth name. Females are the reverse, being -Si. Most names are short.

Example Names:

Male: Anan-Kro, Anan-Oer, Anan-Kyr
Female: Serv-Si, Syen-Si, Jar-Si

4. Gender and Sexuality
Anan-Si are not quite concerned with gender, as they see either gender equal in importance. Sexuality is harder to gauge between clans, as Anan-Si are prone to be loyal to their mate, but some clans are prone to decide on how they see homosexuality and other topics.

5. Diet
They enjoy meat, though can eat other foods. Commonly they forage for plants, and hunt small game for meat. When they do encounter travelers, they will often ask for exotic meats (cows, deer, etc,) or alcohol, of which they partake in excitedly.

6. Views on Magic
Magic is common with Anan-Si, the main variety is a form of enchanting called "Story-Magic." they imbue their weapons with tales of battle, to make them more striking and dangerous. They can also imbue trees with stories of lush lands and fertile crops to aid in growing foliage.

The most special magic they can cast however, comes from their spinnerets.  They can give their silk a form of memory magic, drawn from their thoughts and dreams. If one touches the silk, they become enraptured with the concepts. The most silk intertwined, and you can see stories. Make a blanket of scarf, and they can relay entire chronicles.

7. Style
Anan-Si often take style inspirations from humanoids they encounter. Very commonly they create their clothing out of silk they produce. They will often embellish it with shiny objects they find, though they are heavily against dyeing the cloth bright colors, as to distract from their natural hues.

8. Religion
For a culturally diverse species, it's often surprising to find out they only have three gods: Creation, Taran and Anansi. Creation is rarely mentioned in newer stories, as She's a power and and dangerous being, prone to destroying her enemies with bolts of freezing lightening, as she is to bless and reward faithful followers. She appears as the sky in their myths.

When it comes to blessings, they choose Taran and Anansi. Taran, despite his fall from grace, is known to aid in war and battle, with his cunning and strength. A common phrase is "On the jaws of Taran" to describe a difficult and tricky task. Taran is depicted as a centaur-like being, with a Tarantula lower's half, and a hairy human's upper half.

Anansi is their god for everything else. Anansi is as diverse in temperament as he is wise and quick thinking. He's prone to trickery to get what he wants. He often takes the form as a human with a wide, generous smile, and eight great arms, carrying clubs.

9. History

Anan-Si history is farther then their stories as can be. Long ago in the Draconi Forest, there was a tribe of humans who worshiped a spider spirited, named the Great Weaver. As her cult grew among the people, they built her subterranean tombs, and brought their dead for her to feed on. When rumor of this cult reached a pair of heroes from another lost people, they came to battle this fierce being. In the resulting battle, they slew her but as the cost of being cursed, along with the entire cult. The closer they were to the tombs, the more spider-like they became. The aftermath created the spider folk, and giant spiders.


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