Arachne is the patroness of spiders and betrayal. She is the dire enemy of the Huntress, who she betrayed while both were still mortal. Arachne was once the bodyguard of a great queen who became jealous at her husband’s bodyguard’s beauty. The queen enlisted Arachne’s help to bring the Huntress. Arachne slipped a sleeping potion into the Huntress’ drink then, when the Huntress had fallen asleep, planted a dagger in her hand and claimed that the Huntress had come to kill the king. When the Huntress was exiled, Arachne was thrown into the dungeons for her knowledge of the queen’s treachery. When the Huntress returned to exact her revenge, Arachne fell to her knees and begged forgiveness, although she was hardly sorry. She was jealous of the Huntress’ new status as an immortal, and wished some of this power for herself. This became obvious when, as the Huntress struck the queen dead, Arachne in turn murdered the Huntress. As Arachne bent to drink of the immortal blood, a black widow spider bit her on the lip and mixed with that power to create a spider-faced creature that would become a cult-worshipped goddess.
