Aranhas

Aranhas concept

This article contains speculation, information which has not been confirmed by a reliable source. The game is still in development, and all information is subject to change.

Aranhas are quadripedal insectoid aliens that seem to have some kind of connection with the Melding and Crystite. According to the information released April 2011, the Aranhas (previously called 'Spydrites', and then 'Ashdrites' due to a miscommunication) did not originate with the Melding, they instead arrived onboard the CMS Victoria.

Aranhas are the first enemy creatures introduced in the gameplay demo at PAX. As he is playing, the Executive Producer says, "one on one I could take these guys no problem, but what I know from past experience is that where there’s one spydrite there tends to be many and they tend to swarm."

From the official page

The aranhas is a small predator which spends most of its time burrowed just beneath the surface. It often remains dormant until disturbed by seismic activity, such as excavation thumpers and passing vehicles. One-on-one, they are manageable, but the real danger lies in its hive mentality. They are able to call their nearby brethren and in very short order can amass into a swarm. These highly agile creatures present even a danger in death. Multiple witnesses have reported seeing aranhas corpses explode into atomized clouds of toxic goo. This goo allegedly causes severe burns and reduces mobility, making it challenging to reach safer ground. Mercenaries and extraction squads are highly advised to take the threat of aranhas seriously and to burn them down as fast as possible.

These predators are not indigenous to Earth. They first appeared three years ago with the arrival of the CMS Victoria from Alpha Prime. Entomologists suspect that a sole fertile female must have scampered into the wheel-well of a supply shuttle that was provisioning the base-ship in orbit. After docking with the Victoria, the stowaway must have skittered down beneath the C-Deck’s hangar. Her eggs evidently hatched and the predators thrived amongst the damp secluded pipes, for by the time Victoria reached Earth orbit, two-thirds of the ship was quarantined, their quadrants in lockdown. The UN would never have given them clearance to dock with the Icarus elevator if they had been made privy to the extent of infestation. Centauri Company, the entity managing the colonization effort, insisted that the ship was safe and demanded that its employees be given immediate docking clearance. The request was authorized and, within very short order, aranhas were soon found throughout the world, wreaking havoc with the existing food chain.

They are often found in the company of caustic scarabs, feeding as scavengers on beetle dung in a symbiotic relationship. They also feed on corpses of all types. Also of note, specific body parts of the aranhas corpses have recently gained cultural value in Dredge’s annual celebration. Revelers will often pay good credit for aranhas chitin and eyes, working these pieces into their festive costumes.

Types & Subspecies

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Although it was not mentioned in the demo, what appeared to be larger aranhas with inverted colors also joined the assault against the Thumper . Whether or not this is a specific subspecies, or perhaps an adult aranhas, is not known at this time.

The large, green aranhas were also seen more clearly in the DigiChina trailer, and they appear to have some kind of black tendrils growing out of their back. Perhaps this is another display of their connection to the Melding?