Aracharae

Summary

• Difficulty To Work With: Advanced; their civilisation is relatively complex, they do not have a normal understanding of morality or emotion; their balancing can be difficult, and they require a proper understanding of both religious lore and regional lore to work with.
• Permissions: All Aracharae variants require staff permission.
• Activity: Aracharae are nocturnal, but can function during crepuscular time periods.
• Languages: Abrorik'toth.
• Major Faiths: Azrael and Xanthiah.
• Regions: Udoxa.
• Courting: Aracharae are polyamorous and predominantly pursue mates they believe to be of similar social standing and/or power or those that they deeply respect or admire. They do not marry and find the idea of proposing marriage to be offensive, as they believe it to be limiting.
• Major Cultural Notes: Aracharae are matriarchal and have inversed gender roles from most species. They oftentimes value only one's worth to the Hive, and they cannot physiologically handle separation from their Hive, as it will drive them into madness. Aracharae are cannibalistic and hold no qualms with eating sapient entities, especially those who do not serve the Hive's interests or might empower them, as Aracharae gain mana from consuming the hearts or souls of their prey. Younger generations are notably at odds with older generations, as the Azrael of the Morrigai Hive has been discouraging the more brutal methods of the 'Old Ways.' In spite of this, Aracharae are generally amicable and do not inherently seek to harm others— they are merely extremely utilitarian and value their people over all else.

Other Names

Other Names
Variant	Name	Region	Nature	Origin
[Insert Variant]	[Insert Name]	Insert Nation (or Universal)	Is it a derogatory term, the race’s ‘True Name’ (aka the name they call themselves) or a common name?	Discuss where it potentially spawned from! Feel free to say ‘Unknown.’=

Classification

Ukryizau

Eldritch, Cambion, Non-Humanoid, Rare

Uydazay

Eldritch, Cambion, Non-Humanoid, Very Rare

Unyuxa

Eldritch, Cambion, Non-Humanoid, Extremely Rare

Average Threat Level

Ukryizau

Moderate to Moderately High

Uydazay

Moderately High to High

Unyuxa

High to Extremely High

Lifespan

An Aracharae’s lifespan is almost entirely dependent on a few major factors: their caste; the amount of hearts or souls they have consumed; as well as their relatives— an Aracharae with a parent who has consumed an abundance of hearts will live longer, for instance, especially when they gain the additional years of their relatives by consuming their hearts. Without consuming any hearts, the average Ukryizau will live in their prime for two thousand years and will eventually wither away, their peak potential all but vanished— with hearts, however, they can extend this lifespan exponentially. In the case of higher castes, Uydazay will live for about four thousand years and Unyuxa will live for about six thousand without extending their lifespans further. Upon reaching their physical prime, it can be expected for an Aracharae to have to spend hundreds of years hunting until they have gathered enough hearts to begin metamorphosing.

Lifestages

Hybridised Aracharae, whilst they will always be hatched and/or born as full blooded Aracharae may take far less time, depending on the non-Aracharae parent. Most choose, naturally, to have their eggs take their time. Therefore, most Aracharae are hatched as adolescents and can reach their physical prime very quickly; Ukryizau can reach physical and some degree of mental maturity as soon as within eighteen years. However, Aracharae also do not reach sexual maturity for far longer after their body becomes akin to what could best be called young adulthood— as a whole, this is an adaptation developed due to the hive's inability to fully support a large populace of youth and these adolescents need to be capable of defending themselves and hunting for the Hive. Ukryizau reach adulthood at around six hundred years of age, Uydazay reach adulthood at about nine hundred, and Unyuxa reach adulthood at about a thousand and two hundred and fifty years. Until they reach that point, they cannot physically reproduce and do not have any sexual features, primary or secondary, as portions of their body are not fully developed— they are also not considered true adults by law nor by their culture.

Aracharae enter various lifestages that determine their sexual maturity and physical capabilities— these are dictated based upon the number of souls and hearts consumed by the Aracharae at that lifestage. All Aracharae have at least one lifestage before they reach adulthood, although it takes higher caste Aracharae more lifestages to reach full maturity. All Aracharae go through the stage of Maegden— for Ukryizau, this is the only time they metamorphose and with this, they become adults. For Uydazay, they must go a further step, a step that all Ascended Ukryizau undergo— the metamorphosis of Maetera, upon which a Uydazay has become an adult. For Ascended Uydazay and Unyuxa, they must undergo the metamorphosis of Maestra to reach full adulthood. Anaerk Unyuxa can undergo two further stages, both of which serve to mark points within their life for them to ‘fully Ascend’ into what was ‘granted to them by Azrael.’ These serve to bolster the power of the Anaerk— only one Anaerk in the Hive can undergo the metamorphoses of Maegistri and Maedominir and this must be the Azrael of the Hive, who is also traditionally a descendant of Azrael herself.

Variations

Ukryizau

Known as Lesser Aracharae, Ukryizau take on the traits of eusocial insects most often— the likes of Hymenoptera (ants, bees, and wasps) and in Isoptera (termites). Ukryizau are by far the most docile out of the three castes— they are not innately hostile, nor are they particularly vicious by any means (at first). If left to their own devices, Ukryizau do not pose much of a threat— they attack only when necessary or when hungry although they often swarm when doing so. Most Ukryizau take on warm hues— crimsons, golds, and ambers— although there are exceptions. They are by far the weakest out of the three castes, as well, and also the shortest lived. Most female Ukryizau are relegated towards hunting down weaker prey in groups, as well as patrolling and maintaining the hive’s territory. Males are relegated to caring for young Aracharae and tending to eggs. Both genders are typically assigned to providing the main sources of food to the hive through varying means— females are assigned to hunting duties, whereas males are assigned towards gathering duties. Both may be assigned to assist in teaching younger Aracharae, as well, although generally, they will then be taken up by a higher caste mentor at a later age to guide them through more advanced topics. Although all Aracharae do have some innate potential for Imperium Mentis, Ukyryizau have the innate ability to mentally connect themselves to many, many other Aracharae, which is crucial for the hunting strategies performed by Aracharae hives, which usually involve swarming— an Uydazay or an Unyuxa will connect to one Ukryizau, which can then tether them to several other Ukryizau and form large chains of Aracharae connected telepathically. Ukryizau also have a rather long range for their telepathy as well, which gives them an interesting role in their hive societies, as they will transmit messages across the entire hive within minutes.

Uydazay

Known as Greater Aracharae, Uydazay take on the traits of far more independent insects— the most common of which include Coleoptera (beetles and fireflies), Diptera (flies and related insects), Orthoeptera (crickets and related insects), and Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), amongst other insects. Uydazay can vary in hues— most naturally born range from tones of emerald to cobalt, but those who metamorphosize into Uydazay may take on their previous warmer colours as well. Most Uydazay, in fact, are those who have metamorphosed into them; Greater Aracharae, like Royal Aracharae, have a tendency to eat their relatives to fight for the position of their parents, and thus, most gaps are left open for Lesser Aracharae to metamorphose into the caste. Uydazay are not inherently hostile, either, but are far more likely to consume someone they consider unworthy of their presence than Ukryizau. Uydazay are in the middle ground as far as strengths go, but also in the middle ground in lifespan— they last longer than their lower caste kin and are stronger, but also deal with a more cutthroat side of the caste system and thus many die in their youth. Females and Anaerk Uydazay are typically settled into the role of defending the territory of the hive, as well as hunting down larger prey for the hive to consume. Males, however, are settled into maintaining agricultural sectors of the caverns and livestock, as well as tending to the eggs of their consorts. Both sexes may become artisans, performers, and the like as well; whilst these exist amongst Ukryizau, Uydazay have the advantage of having arthropod traits that are pleasing to the eye, as well as the ability to produce the strong silk the Aracharae use to construct structures and clothing. This is further complimented in general by their general knack for Umbra et Lux— they can produce rather potent illusions in general and whilst it doesn't ordinarily trick most other Aracharae due to their ability to detect the polarisation of light and their high amount of cones, it makes their illusions notably more difficult to detect for others.

Unyuxa

The final and most powerful caste, Unyuxa, known as Royal Aracharae, are by far the longest lived and also the strongest, both magically and physically. They are the only form of Aracharae known to possess notable Summa Substantiale innately and can consume souls instead of purely relying on consuming the hearts that their other kin do. They tend to take on traits of Uydazay, as well as carnivorous arthropods: Malacostraca (shrimps, crabs, lobsters), Odonata (dragonflies), Myriapoda (centipedes), Pycnogonida (sea spiders), Mantodea (mantises), Scorpiones (scorpions), and Aranae (spiders). Unyuxa are distinguished for their ability to breathe underwater, unlike other variants of Aracharae and, additionally, they are also quite capable swimmers. Those that are naturally born can be expected to possess shades of violets and fuchsias— those that ascend up the castes, however, can come in any tone, naturally. Unyuxa are rarely hatched and those that are often find themselves in continuous throes with their siblings throughout their lifespan in contestment for their parents’ positions— they are the leaders of considerable portions of the Hive. They command important positions, such as leading certain sections of the Hive and being the Hive’s most able-bodied Aracharae, both physically and magically— as well as mentally; all are expected to be keen and possess strong leadership skills. All surviving Unyuxa are subjected to frequent bouts of fervent education throughout their lives in order to be sufficient at their roles. Ascended Unyuxa most often produce Uydazy eggs, rather than Unyuxa, and those that originate from Ukryizau may produce Ukryizau eggs.

Region of Origin

Aracharae hail entirely from Udoxa, predominantly from Morrigai County, as that is where their Hive is located and Aracharae are classified as a pseudo-hivemind species— they naturally feel inclined to remain within their hives, although they do not entirely share the same mental network at all times, but most spend their time within a mental network, however they are fully separate and have free will. As of the year 3 AFS (After Fall of Sanctuary), most censuses throughout Asla'nir show no Aracharae within their region with the exception of Udoxa, with Vasterioth having the most at around a handful. This is believed to be due to a blend of societal pressures (from both within the Hive and outside of it), cultural differences between Aracharae and other species, and the threat of potentially being culled within certain nations, namely Arkeum, Tiryt, and Alnabi, be it by the government or its peasantry out of general terror of their ilk. Regions like Aleria and Furukame show similar disdain for Aracharae and some report lynches, although there is no evidence supporting them due to little presence within those nations. Most Aracharae have reasonably had little exposure to Liranon, Tir'anor, Aloernarch, or Fydrassi, however, the latter three might have some tolerance for their presence momentarily should they journey there.

Preferred Biome

Aracharae are rather capable of residing within just about any biome, but this is most certainly due to the extremity of where they originate from— Void touched regions and naturally locations with larger, more abundant sources of prey are ideal for an Aracharae, although an Aracharae is generally capable of withstanding both scorching temperatures and frigid ones alike, presumably due to their Cambion ancestry. For them, however, a region dominanted by Vis Stellae is a necessity, as too little exposure to the ambient mana will cause them to sicken considerably and being away from voidic regions and entering aetheric ones does not entirely stiffle this. Unyuxa notably possess the capability to handle brackish, saline, fresh, and lightwater alike with little difference to them of note.

Diet

Aracharae are predominantly carnivorous, but do consume certain other foods, such as grain-based foods, mushrooms, most elixirs and alcohols, and things predominantly composed of sugar, like syrups, honeys, and some fruits. Consuming too many plant-based foods, however, will make most Aracharae sick, especially those who seem to resemble carnivorous species of arthropod, and switching to an herbivorous or mixed diet is not reasonable for such Aracharae, as they cannot digest plant fibers as well as they can many other things, meaning that most grains and vegetables are consumed sparingly. Aracharae seldom use their true forms, as within their smaller forms, they do not require as intensive of a calorie intake.

Food Obtainment

Aracharae are prolific hunters of Eldritch that help reduce their population and keep it in check— within Udoxa, it is not as frequent to hunt other Eldritch, however, Aracharae oftentimes venture into the void for their meals, consume already deceased Eldritch, or access pocket dimensions in order to pick off a few Eldritch from time to time, garnering them a fearsome reputation, albeit one generally accepted, as most other Eldritch are equally opportunistic. Within Morrigai County and a few others within Udoxa, it is entirely legal to hunt and consume other Udoxans of specific demographics and age ranges based on population quantities, however, most Aracharae subsist on the likes of Ekid'rak blessed beasts and their livestock instead, which are quite plentiful as well. As of recent, the Morrigai Hive has increased its number of livestock in an effort to avoid needing to hunt as much, as its leader has shown a notable distaste towards hunting sapients. Anything that cannot be consumed is composted and used to grow fungi within their hive, which is grown en mass and consumed regularly. Aracharae are capable of communing with insects and, as such, many insect based products are also consumed, such as certain forms of larvae and honey. Aracharae are also prolific cannibals and consume other Aracharae periodically depending on the circumstance— although Aracharae lay many eggs, Aracharae tend consume the bulk of their siblings by the time they are an adult, and may eventually consume their parents depending on whether or not they are practioners of the so-called 'Old Ways,' with more recent generations abandoning them. Aracharae also often consume their dead, as well as any fallen warriors on hunts, those injured beyond the help of any would-be healers, those who consistently falter in their duties, and those who do not provide for the Hive at all.

History

Emanating from a particularly primordial species of non-sentient Eldritch that formed elaborate, albeit barbaric hiveminds, the Goddess Azrael took interest in their ancient ancestors, amongst many others. Although non-sapient, this species was particularly important, as they helped serve in a position akin to Spirit Healers within the Lower Depths— they sought out decaying corpses and helped ferry their souls into the afterlife, usually whilst consuming them. As such, Azrael took the Aracharae people and blended their genetics with that of the Proto-Cambion people and produced the very first Aracharae within Asla'nir, granting them proper sapience with her magic. Fascinated by the world around them, these early Aracharae explored the Lower Depths as their ancient ancestors still do to this day, and Azrael brought a small selection of them with her to her personal Hive. Some would critique the Goddess for permitting their more particularly brutal and vicious attributes, however, it is within the nature of Aracharae to seek out ways to harden their youth and leadership for a harsh region like the Lower Depths and these cultural ways have been preserved throughout megaannum, although they have softened with the reign of her child.

Within Asla'nir, Aracharae spread out tentatively into other regions, namely with one Hive being established alongside the Alarak Mountain Range into portions of the territory known as Arkeum, however, many of these early Hives were stifled by residents and natural forces alike, with the aforementioned one being crushed during an early genocide of the Eldritch pre-Fall-of-Sanctuary. They had some minor involvement in the Second Udoxan Civil War, however, Azrael did not want to risk the lives of much of her creations, much to the chagrin of Isolde. After the collapse of many of these minor Hives, the Aracharae people collectively decided to stay with their Creator Goddess, where they lived relatively peacefully until Isolde's regime took a turn for the worst. Azrael advocated for the rights of Eldritch throughout his madness, oftentimes having her opinion quieted with threats of finally exterminating the last of her creations within Asla'nir. Quietly, she obeyed, trying her best to provide as much as she could to the Aracharae in spite of periodic raids of the Morrigai Hive throughout his reign. When the Second Udoxan Civil War began, the Aracharae were amongst the first to join in the conflict alongside Lennox, who would ensure that the Azrael of the Morrigai Hive would be nominated to be a Duchess serving its county and maintained the governance of the region being within the hands of the Aracharae after their succession of Isold'ekir.

Throughout much of history, the Aracharae people have had multiple candidates for the position of Azrael, as Azrael had several children with her primary consort, an Aracharae Anaerk by the name of Rxoukira Syrak’hix, as well as various others. Azrael sought to maintain the customs of her creations and their ways pre-dating her interference with them, and thus, when they would challenge the Goddess for her position as Azrael of the Morrigai Hive, she would defeat them in battle and, in accordance with their ways, often executed them should they demand it or continue attacking her or spared them with the promise that they would never vie for her position again. Her last child, Xanthiah Syrekkus, would be the final that she would rear, as afterwards, Azrael began to weaken as the result of various injuries over the years and an unknown disease— many argue it was, perhaps, some form of the so-called First Plague, one of the few diseases believed to be capable of killing Divine species. Irregardless, when she finally offered her position to her final child, Xanthiah left the Hive in protest for a period of time, only returning to take Azrael's place a few thousand years ago, killing her mother in the process. As such, with Xanthiah as the new Azrael of the Morrigai Hive, the Aracharae people within Asla'nir are left with a new leader for the first time— whether or not that is for the betterment of the Hive has yet to be seen, however, reports show that Xanthiah has been advocating for more peaceful methods of ascension, and there has been a notable rise in the Aracharae populace as sparing opponents has become more frequent throughout her reign. There has been no notable advocacy for opposing Azrael Xanthiah, however, many still practice the old ways with no repercussions, and the Aracharae populace continues to have a slow growth.

Hierarchy

Aracharae have a complex race that is, admittedly, rather peculiar to outsiders, even those who are denizens of the Lower Depths— the structure is not inherently unfamiliar, as, admittedly, it is very reminiscent of insects in general, but their demeanours, justifications for their laws, and general tendency to view taboo things as entirely normalized can be a bit off putting to those who are not used to the strange mannerisms of Eldritch societies. Similar to how Eldritch Abominations possess Gnaiih that serve as leaders to their tribes, Aracharae possess a leader that they follow and typically worship as well— their Azrael, named for the Nephi who warped the Aracharae into what they are today and gave them a greater semblance of culture and enhanced sapience. Aracharae are led by a singular Azrael, who is specifically a descendant of Azrael, or a chosen heir by the previous one— within Udoxa, the Azrael serves as the Duchess that governs the Morrigai County. This Azrael is always an Unyuxa and there is only one per Hive— and, thus, due to the presence of a singular Hive on Asla'nir, there is only one Azrael native to Asla'nir, the Demigoddess Xanthiah. Aracharae specifically centre themselves around the Azrael of their Hive, as well as their fallen creator Goddess, Azrael herself— although they might worship other Gods, they worship their Azrael most devoutly over all others and will regard all other Gods as innately less crucial to them.

Aracharae are organized with a particular caste system based on what variant of Aracharae one is— as one consumes more hearts (or souls) and slowly grows more powerful, they grow more and more likely to ascend up the castes, however, a Maedominir Aracharae can select an Aracharae and raise their caste to honour them. Underneath the Azrael are a selected group of Unyuxa, all of which are chosen for their competence and ability to lead. Unyuxa, in turn, are responsible for various sectors of the governance of their Hive underneath the Azrael, each of which generally have tasks assigned by their sex, although not all conform to it, as Aracharae will accept a choice to actively defy standard gender roles. Underneath Unyuxa are Uydazay, who serve as more minor leaders underneath them, and underneath them are the many, many Ukryizau. It should be noted, however, that although a Hive oftentimes will have many, many members of a given caste, not all are involved in leadership work— they are still respected as members of that caste, but due to not providing the same amount of work for the Hive, they are not as revered as those who serve, as those who serve have had to replace their parents by vying them magically, mentally, and physically in order to prove their sufficiency and meritocratic worth in taking over their role. Instead, many of those who do not serve focus on rearing children to contribue to the Hive's populace, as their hunting causes Aracharae Hives to suffer great losses of their weakest members. Should one not provide much for the Hive at all, however, and simply consume their resources, they risk being picked off as a meal. Likewise, those who are particularly abusive to their subordinates to a degree considered quite unreasonable or violate the commandments of Xanthiah's faith will be similarly picked off.

Social Attitudes and Etiquette

Societal Roles

As the Morrigai Hive is the primary centre of Aracharae civilisation within Asla'nir, much of this page is specifically dedicated to their ways, although they differ in other Hives. Within the Lower Depths, there are multiple surrounding the outer reaches of the Voids and close to the Maw, but due to the fact that they do not enter Asla’nir themselves nor its surrounding region of the Maw, given that it is regarded as Morrigai territory, generally means that their excursions to the land of Asla’nir are rather minimal. Aracharae territories are rather large in size - whilst their hive by technicality only possesses a territory of approximately fifty miles in radius surrounding the hive, most other Aracharae hives take care to avoid coming within hundreds of miles to other hives without first requesting permission— it is regarded as incredibly disrespectful to enter another hive’s territory, as you are potentially taking away from their hunting grounds or disrupting their prey. or this reason, most Aracharae of the Void believe the Noxus to be out of bounds and thus, there are very few visitors from the Lower Depths unless they have somehow garnered permission— which typically requires sending a courier to serve as a messenger, first. Whilst within the other hive’s territory, a messenger is not permitted to hunt— they can only hunt outside of their territory, although, for most, this leads to fasting for the entire journey. Should the Aracharae be confronted by foes, however, this may lead to the messenger running out of mana, given that most Aracharae produce the bulk of their mana through their frequent hunts, and feasibly, dying. As such, despite the role of serving as a courier being regarded as one of importance, only wielded by a truly powerful figure of the hive, it has a notable risk of potential fatality.

The courier is typically granted a feast, as well as a place to recuperate, before being sent back. Upon being granted permission to enter one’s hive or its territories, there is, of course, the matter of the possibility that the individual may still not be granted the permission to hunt there during their journey. All in all, most do not seek out entering other hives’ territories without good permission, as most outsiders, other than the Azrael of another hive, do not have permission to set food within their lands, and typically, most Azraels are not supposed to enter said territories without a courier either, as it is considered unbelievably rude, even if most of them are siblings or close relatives anyway. Beyond the role of the courier, there are many roles to be taken up within the hives of the Aracharae— warriors, farmers, artisans, entertainers, teachers, egg and larvae tenders, so on and so forth. Each hive serves as its own small society within itself, although each hive also resides within a greater area, in which they may very well venture out periodically and seek out the local cities surrounding them for goods which cannot be produced at their hive. Most Aracharae take up a role very quickly whilst they are young and maintain that role, unless they pursue retraining.

Females, in particular, are selected for predominantly combative duties— they lead the warriors, hunters, and guardians of the clan and are notably far more fierce and volatile than their brethren, with female Unyuxa snapping at anything that so much much as disgraces them. Males, in contrast, are generally relegated to tasks like agriculture, livestock, and tending to any would-be eggs of their family, friends, and colleagues— Aracharae generally raise their children communally with the exception of the Azrael's children. They are generally more gentle, but male Unyuxa can be as equally prickly as their female counterparts. Anaerk, the third sex of Aracharae, are generally left to attend to whatever they desire, but usually fulfil diplomatic tasks, manage and enforce the laws of the Hive, attend to matters of worship and the Azrael's faith, and engage in managing others within their caste underneath the Azrael's will.

As aforementioned, the bulk of males are designated towards non-combative roles, whereas females are typically designated towards combative roles. The main reasoning for this, typically, beyond the fact that Aracharae are a matriarchal society that strictly enforces this system throughout itself, is the fact that females are larger and overall more powerful, as well. Males, therefore, may be slightly sheltered and kept within the hive under the general belief that due to them being overall more fragile, they are more likely to die within combat— an accurate guess, within the hostile voidscapes that the Aracharae call home. Of course, this logic extends to other races, as well, however, as whilst Aracharae are capable individuals who have a complex, self sustaining society, most are not particularly aware that the bulk of races in Asla’nir are relatively on par with one another, regardless of sex. Most are entirely shocked to see males be significantly larger than their female counterparts, although well seasoned travellers beyond the hive may be significantly less jarred by this fact. It should be noted, however, that Aracharae are not hyenas - they are not particularly abusive towards males outright, except for individuals who are legitimately terrible people. They simply generally hold concern that they may lose valuable members of their hive if they so much as wander into the wilderness without great care so as to not get immediately killed on sight by any wary Eldritch entity who believes that they may very well.

Despite the notable gender role disparity, Aracharae are actually incredibly accepting of transgender, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary individuals within their hives— and have zero qualm with them taking up whichever gender roles they desire, despite the fierce overprotectiveness that they may possess over the males within the hive. Males who take on other, nontraditional roles and vice versa are not inherently treated any differently, but they are incredibly abnormal. This may, perhaps, be a result of Anaerks, a third sex that the Aracharae species has that is notably feminine in appearance, but also perfectly capable of reproducing with either male or female partners— it is believed that they originate from a need for higher caste Aracharae to be capable of producing heirs with whatever sex partner they happened to possess. Anaerks are typically associated with Unyuxa, as well as their descendants, although there are some Anaerks within the Uydazay caste, as well. Typically, Anaerks take on female gender roles, although they may take up masculine gender roles as well.

Belongings, Work, and Leaving the Hive

Leaving the hive for work is not entirely common, but it may be done in an effort to gain more money than the money that circulates the hive itself, although most will accept trades in exchange for artisan goods and food is typically offered freely and shared amongst the hive, rather than being exclusive to only one caste or requiring funds for it as Aracharae view most things as communal beyond personal belongings and sometimes dwellings— the means of production and anything for basic needs are readily shared. The one thing, however, that is slimly traded outside of the hive, especially not for any cheap price, is Aracharae silk— the higher the caste, the stronger it is, although the most powerful weavers, typically Unyuxa, have been known to be capable of producing strands as tough as Omenite when woven together. Of course, given they are cloth, they are not particularly capable of handling blunt force, but when heated by a careful and trained hand, they can be welded onto objects, strengthening them dramatically. Aracharae silk is rarely granted to other individuals, beyond as a gift or for exorbitant prices, and is an excellent source of income for anyone who is a capable weaver— it is soft, durable, easy to dye, and lightweight. Beyond trade, of course, there is very little reason for Aracharae to venture out of their hive, unless it is to forage for resources in further lands beyond what their home may provide or for longer expeditions for food, and thus, most cling rather tightly to home.

This is further instilled by Aracharae's natural tendency to be inclined to remain in regions that possess Aracharae pheromones— Aracharae feel a compulsive need to be close to any sort of marker of their kin, as well as the urge to obey their superiors, although the latter can be resisted quite readily should their commands be too outrageous. Studies have shown that if an object has pheromones placed upon it from another Aracharae, Aracharae are naturally inclined to select it over its fellow objects with no differentiating qualities— higher ranking Aracharae pheromones were selected over lower ranking pheromones. Aracharae who leave their Hive for too long start to demonstrate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and eventually psychosis as part of a wider syndrome which is a chronic illness that affects those from Hivemind species who have been separated from their Hive. This is believed to be the result of their distal heritage, as Aracharae historically were a Hivemind species until their advancement in evolution by Azrael. For most Aracharae, visiting the Hive is something that must be done in order to maintain their sanity, as the presence of their kin soothes them and gives them a blanket sensation of comfort. Aracharae can wander from their Hives, certainly, and many have, however, most find the sheer loneliness and discomfort to be unbearable. Studies show that an Aracharae may eventually be able to have these symptoms dwindle, however, with enough distance, although there are few studies conducted on it, each of which places estimates at several thousand years.

Pheromones

Aracharae naturally produce pheromones and although they can control them at will, Aracharae pheromones are used in signaling and silent communication. Through this, soulsight, telepathy, and the minute hairs on their bodies allowing them to detect shifts in air currents, Aracharae can naturally communicate with each other entirely silently. Pheromones indicate the ranking of the Aracharae, their caste, their Hive, and their heritage— no Aracharae has the same type of pheromones entirely and they serve as a fingerprint of sorts that enables them to tell each other readily apart, even if they were to somehow look identical. They can indicate the contentedness of an Aracharae, whether or not they have particularly positive emotions towards someone, or whether or not they are giving a command, asking for something without inherently a commend being behind it, or simply making a statement. Aracharae pheromones are widely considered to be appealing by most species in studies that have been conducted and Udoxan perfume makers have considered utilising it within their lines of products.

Rites of Passage

Upon hatching, Aracharae young are naturally in their True Form and are quite small, albeit the size of, perhaps, a mundane fox— once they reach a considerable size, some are shoved out a short distance into the wilds as part of their rites of passage and are instructed to find their way back. During this rite of passage, these young Aracharae find their way back to their Hive by identifying key signs of their Hive's presence, any landmarks they might have seen in their youth, and the pheromonal tracks left by their adult kin. Those who are naturally born Unyuxa, however, do not have always that treatment, and instead are left to compete with their siblings at home, oftentimes fighting amongst each other to the death. Should an Aracharae make its way back to the Hive, they are accepted as one of their own properly and are assigned a proper rule within their Hive— most, however, do not and are instead snatched up by opportunistic predators, including other Eldritch species, many Core Races, and Udoxa's fauna. This is one of the few rites of passage Aracharae have, with the exception of when it comes time to take up the roles of their parents— upon reaching true physical maturity and adulthood (as Aracharae reach partial physical maturity far before sexual or full physical maturity), Aracharae are intended to vie for their parent's position.

This generally involves competing with their siblings in a variety of contests— physical fights, demonstrations of capability within that field, surpassing their academic skills, whatever it takes to demonstrate their superiority. Parents generally do not intervene in these fights, nor do most particularly care as to whether or not their young falter— for the good of the Hive, only the strongest can take their place and for many, as difficult as it can be to accept their children dying, they, too, have undergone this process. Those who fail oftentimes end up consumed by their sibling, if not their parents themselves in unusual circumstances. When one child has clearly demonstrated their superiority over their siblings, they will approach their parent and attempt to challenge them for their position. Should the parent win, it is up to them to decide their fate, however, most simply have their child go back to training or will consume them themselves. Should the child win, they can choose to take their parent's place and consume their heart (or soul), or they can allow them to live. These parents will oftentimes forsake their previous duties and serve as a special class of priest within the Hive itself or will assist their children as their second-in-command, albeit never commanding the same respect they had before, as they have faltered in their duty to Azrael and her children.

As a result of these particular factors, Aracharae maintain a consistent population, with a consistent margin between the castes. With Xanthiah's rise into power, however, some of these rites are outright being abandoned— Aracharae younger than seven thousand years old do not always rear their children in this manner (although most of them are around four thousand years and younger), acting as more traditional parents, and oftentimes pass over their role when they feel they are ready— however, most older Aracharae are stuck in the older ways and maintain them diligently, much to the chagrin of their embittered offspring who can recognize the social change eminent. They are not without purpose, however— consuming one's parents means that they will possess the mana of their entire family line, guaranteeing their strength in their position; they simply are not beneficial for the continuation of the Aracharae species in the long-term due to the population decline that comes with it.

Metamorphosis

Upon consuming a certain number of hearts or souls that varies from Aracharae to Aracharae and caste to caste or a specific age, Aracharae will begin to metamorphosize. Upon reaching adulthood, all Aracharae metamorphosize at least once— Maegden, the first stage of an Aracharae's life and the only one all Aracharae share universally— however, further metamorphoses require the consumption of hearts or souls outright. Only once one reaches their final metamorphosis for their caste is one sexually mature and most consider them minors until that point. Should an Aracharae become an Azrael, however, they must undergo two additional metamorphoses. Each metamorphosis is considered quite special— they are celebrated with small festivities hosted by their living relatives after their process, however, during them, only their lovers or their close relatives are allowed near, as they are quite vulnerable whilst cocooned. Those who have the honour of releasing them from their cocoon and assisting them out of it are celebrated during the event as well, but are pre-selected by the Aracharae in question.

Mating, Courting, and Rearing Young

Within households, it is typical for females to be designated towards hunting down prey and for males to maintain the home, as well as care for any larvae or eggs. If the pairing is of the same sex, they may adopt, if either one of them does not possess an additional consort that can reproduce with either of them. In cases where there is an Anaerk and a female, the female may ask a male relative to care for their larvae or eggs instead, and it is not unheard of for siblings who have shared their family name to live together, especially if one does not possess any consorts. In the case of two Anaerks, one Anaerk will take the submissive role and shall care for their children instead. Should the parents be generally unable to care for their children, or both possess notable duties that extend beyond the household, such as is the case in Greater Aracharae and Royal Aracharae, they may have a tender care for their larvae and eggs, instead. In regards to consorts, Aracharae may possess many, as they are innately polyamorous— although most males typically possess far fewer, generally due to the territoriality of their partners. Aracharae generally lay anywhere from one to four eggs within a clutch, although most do not even hatch, and Aracharae only choose to have children eight years after that clutch has fully hatched, should they choose to rear children at all. Most Aracharae who serve the Hive's religious functions do not have children.

One must approach their other consorts with their suitor and present them for their inspection. Should their consorts decide them worthy of courting their lover, the couple may now undergo the typical dance that is courtship between two Aracharae. Courtship between Aracharae is not particularly any different from any other species, although fighting one another for dominance, especially between two feminine or masculine Aracharae, and presenting hearts of one’s prey as gifts are perhaps slightly unusual to any outsider, to be certain. Marriage, however, is completely off the table amongst Aracharae— they despise the concept and view it as a limitation of one’s lovelife. To get married, amongst Aracharae, is to bind oneself so extensively to a partner for life and not exactly something they approve of, especially when suitors and consorts are not always definite and permanent fixtures within one’s life, however, some undergo them still to appease their non-Aracharae partners. To court an Unyuxa, however, is perhaps more difficult than most. Lower caste Aracharae rarely approach upper caste Aracharae, and Unyuxa are notably nit picky about who they deem a worthy consort to them. With very few exceptions, one must prove themselves worthy to an Unyuxa before they can ever hope to pursue anything with them— the Unyuxa must make the first step towards courtship, not the individual interested in them.

Moulting

Aracharae moult monthly— this is a lengthy process and ordeal that takes quite a while to fully pull off, typically whilst within their true forms, during which their chitin scrapes off and is removed by the Aracharae. Some may have close friends or consorts assist them with this process, as the larger they are and the more metamorphoses they have had, the more difficult this becomes for them to do by themselves. By the end of it, all major wounds will be repaired— bones will be snapped back into place, removed limbs will be replaced, and torn wings will be made whole. Females and Anaerks lay false eggs, which are then shrouded in their silk, known as ‘legethog xffzulz’ during or roughly around their monthly moulting. Most Aracharae homes possess dark, quiet rooms, with very little light and pedestals designated for each egg - female and Anaerk Aracharae will become incredibly territorial of this room during what could best be described as their equivalent to a period. They may refuse to leave it and generally will be hostile to anyone who enters, including their partners, resulting in hissing and general displeasure being garnered to anyone who dares to touch the false egg, let alone try to remove it. These eggs are entirely sterile, unless the Aracharae in question has chosen to fertilise it using their spermatheca, so once this week has passed over, they will promptly remove the egg from their home, typically all the while embarrassed over their behaviour. It is, of course, customary for individuals to be given time off from their tasks and duties during their moulting time and whilst handling their legethog xffzulz, so, in general, by the time they get back to work, most are naturally rather understanding. Within Udoxa, it has been established that Aracharae who choose to periodically migrate outside of their hives and into the cities for work will be granted this time off, as well, although within other nations, this is less than guaranteed.

Common Faiths

Aracharae almost exclusively worship their Azrael and Azrael herself— or, in the case of the Aracharae of the Morrigai Hive, Xanthiah, although they will certainly take up faiths of other Lower Depths gods with very little qualms, such as the likes of Chthk’tik and Ja'kor, as well, and periodically, faiths of the Higher Planes, such as Ireakh, given their love of the arts, Ki, and so on and so forth. Nethis and Nex are rather common faiths as well. Aracharae are not particularly egregiously prone to making their way towards temples, however, and generally keep altars in their homes beyond the one dedicated to the Azrael and Azrael herself within the centre of the Hive, rather than venturing outwards too far, although the Aerinorian Cathedral is not a far venture, for most of them. They are a naturally pious people that are particularly insistent on following the will of their Azrael and devote much of their time and their very lives into the service of them and their Hives.

Common Magical Attributes

Mana
Variant	Innate Magical Potential	Magical Resistances	Magical Weaknesses
All	Summa Substantiale, Viva Caelatura and Viscus Insero Aracharae possess the unique ability to leech mana from the hearts and souls of those they kill by consuming them— although most Aracharae cannot consume souls directly, they can obtain limited amounts of the manas surrounding the souls of their prey by consuming their heart given its proximity to the soul. Only Unyuxa can truly consume souls proper, however, this does not weaken the unique properties of this particular form of magic— by doing this, an Aracharae can slowly pick up the magic of those they consume and although it is traditionally converted to their own mana, some have utilised this to learn entirely new magic types outright over time.	Defanatus and Luna Aracharae have a resistance to Defanatus, although is it not particularly notable to the same degree as their Cambion kin— they can resist unholy magic by a factor of .25x. Their resistance to Luna is significantly lessened to .1x.	Caedo, Sol, Divina, and Sidus Aracharae have a faint weakness to Sol and holy magic, unlike the bulk of their Eldritch kin due to their distinct Cambion ancestry— they take an additional .25x from Sol and Caedo, thus causing the burns from the magic to sometimes be a step up in damage depending on the extensiveness of it and the power of the spell. In the case of Divina and Sidus, Aracharae also take .25x from each..
	Viscus Insero and Imperium Mentis Aracharae are talented shapeshifters who can mimic the voices, forms, scents, and even pheromones of other species quite readily— although this talent predominantly lies within their close relatives in particular, Aracharae can effectively utilise this to lure in unsuspecting prey by mimicking another species, lure them in with the promise of a harmless encounter, and then strike, enabling them to effectively ambush prey. They can mimic the sensations of other objects through the usage of Imperium Mentis as well, however, most are not nearly as proficient at such a magic.	Inane, Aethera, and Stella Aracharae possess faint resistances to all three forms of mortal Vis Stellae, although only the resistance to Inane is notable— much like their resistance to Defantus, this is by a factor of .25x, thus enabling lesser burns, however, their resistances to Aether and Stella are far less considerable, being as much as .1x at most, if existing at all.	Imperium Mentis Lesser and Greater Aracharae are far more susceptible to the effects of the pheromone manipulation of Royal Aracharae to a notable degree, although it is rather minute in most cases. They do have a minor resistance to Imperium Mentis, however, beyond that (.25x).

Common Physical Attributes

Strength
Variant	Deadlift / Drag Weight	Carry Weight	Striking Force	Bite Force
Variant (Insert Form)	Insert lbs Insert kg	Insert lbs Insert kg	Insert psi	Insert psi

Agility
Variant	Running Speed	Flight Speed	Swim Speed	Reaction Speed	Striking Speed
Variant (Insert Form)	Insert mph Insert km/h	Insert mph Insert km/h	Insert mph Insert km/h	Insert ms	Insert mph Insert km/h

Typical Appearances

Shared Traits in Humanoid Forms

All Aracharae share a few universal traits— the most notable is that they take on arthropodic traits resembling various species within Asla'nir, however, they have an array of other shared qualities as well. All Aracharae within their humanoid form have access to a wide array of hues, but most are greyscale, taking on shades of charcoal, ivory, or even a standard shade of grey— some, however, are suprisingly colourful, and have a somewhat desaturated or dark skin tone akin to the colour of their blood. Their skin is matte, albeit somewhat shiny, and generally seemingly hairless due to how thin their hairs are, however, they have particularly fine hairs across portions of their body called scapulae— these are generally found on their palms and the bottoms of their feet and can be used to grip onto surfaces better, albeit not to the degree that they can within their true forms. They are also found in portions around joints and sometimes in more places across their body and can be used to detect faint shifts in air currents. Some Aracharae, however, do have bits of downy fur regardless that is spread across much of their bodies, although this is only found amongst Unyuxa and Uydazey— it is thicker and cannot be used in the same way as these thinner scapulae can be, although it might still possess the ability to detect currents regardless.

Aracharae possess small patches of chitin across their bodies, each of which is usually vaguely adjacent to their blood's colour, and these patches begin to thicken from their thigh downwards until they form into a set of insectoid tarsus tipped legs. Aracharae specifically have bright, vibrant eyes that appear compound and are the hue of their blood, and hair that is generally greyscale, or slightly tinged towards the colour of their blood. Many Aracharae feature several sets of eyes, however, it is more common amongst Royal Aracharae due to their arachnid traits. Their fingernails are tipped with talons and beyond their first layer of fanged teeth are a set of mandibles, which are exposed with their bared fangs when frustrated or making aggression displays. It oftentimes conceals itself or merges into the flesh after they have completed these displays, however, as it interferes with speech that is not of their native tongue. Their horns are intriguing, being a set of vestigial mandibles— they are entirely capable of mobility, oftentimes clicking together in various emotional displays. More powerful Aracharae are said to have more horns, with those born Royal Aracharae being capable of featuring as many as eight, however, there is no verified evidence for it beyond the rarity of eight horns amongst lower caste members. Their stingers; hollow, chitinous claws; horns; mandibles; and fangs are capable of injecting a strong venom into foes— Aracharae venom is distinctive for its psychoactive properties that are almost entirely unique to the species— some have even found ways to use transformation to imbue venom glands into other portions of their body.

Trivia

• Aracharae originally appeared within a few previous works before being ported to the Fall of Sanctuary.
• Aracharae were originally related to Ubi, although they no longer are.
• Aracharae originally took inspirations from hyenas, tieflings, changelings, and nearly three dozen species of insects, including praying mantises, flower mantises, red harvester ants, Jack jumper ants, bullet ants, Atta mexicana, Linemptithema humile, Camponotus anderseni, Cerapachys biroi, Temnothorax albipennis, the genus Cataglyphis, Polyrhachis sokolova, Tetramorium caespitum, Anax junius, spitting thicktail black scorpions, yellow fattail scorpions, deathstalker scorpions, Brazillian wandering spiders, Chillean recluse spiders, six eyed sand spiders, wolf spiders, red legged widow spiders, black widows, Darwin's bark spider, and certain insects in general, such as dragonfly nymphs, the order Lepidoptera, and several types of beetles.

Credit

Original concept by @fallenarkhein.
Primarily contributed by @fallenarkhein.