Spyders, distant cousins of the more mundane arachnid race, in many ways resemble them. They have four arms which they can use equally well, four legs, eight eyes and the highly developed sense of hearing. In other ways they differ from normal spiders, they are a little smaller than Humans, and have lost their ability to create poison, making their fangs small and harmless. Highly intelligent though with their weaker physical strength, Spyders often study magic, becoming very adept in a short time. With their many arms they can defend themselves well, and Spyder warriors are feared because of their many-armed attacks. Able to perform complicated tasks with their many hands, Spyders perform hand crafts well. With their natural agility they become fair scouts or rogues. Like all creatures that make their homes underground, Spyders have lost their ability to see far. And perhaps becoming civilized is what has cost them their sense of smell.
from Frederic's "Bestiary"
Spyder
Like many of the races, spyders have their counterparts in nature. However, their connection is more visible than perhaps any of the others. Like their relations, spyders have four arms and four legs, as well as multifaceted eyes and mandibles rather than mouths. Perhaps because many people have a natural fear of spiders and the spyders are so closely related to their smaller cousins that many other races naturally distrust and dislike spyders. It could also be the extreme difference between the bipedal races and spyders which provokes this reaction.
Whatever it is, spyders still seem to find some way to fit into society. Many become warriors, as it is very difficult for someone with a mere two arms to fend off four blows simultaneously. Most others tend to fill roles such as shopkeepers and so on.
Spyder villages are generally built underground, similar to dwarven villages. However, spyders tend to build their villages closer to the surface than dwarves. It is believed that spyders choose to build their towns underground not because they are great miners, but more for defensive reasons. Because of this, there are generally no more than two or three exits to even the largest spyder city. This is unfortunate, because the spyders do not pay as much attention to safety details as dwarves. The remains of more than one spyder village has been found with a shovel.