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<title>Arachnid Goddess Compendium Recent Updates</title>
<description>The last update of the comic.</description>
<link>http://www.drunkduck.com/Arachnid_Goddess_Compendium/</link>
<language>en-us</language>


<item>
<title>15. "Little Miss Muffet"</title>
<description><![CDATA[Little Miss Muffet
Sat on whatever is a tuffet
Ready to dine on pre-heated curds and whey
When failing to look behind her
Along came a spider
Spiriting Miss Muffet away.

After a scream, a kick, and some fuss
Soon in silk she was trussed
And her Have-You-Seen-Me? profile on milk cartons appeared after two days.

And so a scary spider of great size
With Miss Muffet quite paralyze
Did conclude a phrase we've been taught.
That a meal cooked is second to one caught
And that curds and whey are a lie!

***

The promised belated Halloween pic.
Ahab's Miss Muffet costume was inspired from the Halloween costumes you'll see online. The end result seems a little Strawberry Shortcake though, but that's fine.

As for the spideress, I debated for some time what to do. Originally, it was either Zygiella, a large single spider, or a swarm of many small ones. Realizing I needed to get this done, I used a design I had when I was considering making a side project webcomic about an evil spiderwoman as the main character. What you see her is the design, but not the color scheme I originally had in mind. (I have a picture at home unrelated to this of those two fighting it out.)

The fairy was tossed in as an afterthought. In that side project, they were common targets for her. Whether or not I follow up the idea, I don't know. I didn't get much response last time I brought it up on AG.

Anyway, hope you like it.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600</pubDate>
<link>http://www.drunkduck.com/Arachnid_Goddess_Compendium/?p=635574</link>
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<item>
<title>14. Cast Bio: The Moai</title>
<description><![CDATA[Name: 'The Moai'
Age: Ancient
Sign: Unknown
Height: Between 7ft - 13ft
Weight: Between 4 to 12 tons each
Gender: None (Appears masculine)
Home: Subterranea
Heritage: The Aringa Ora
Living family: Several known to exist
Hair: None
Skin: Made of basalt stone
Speaking Font: UnZialish
First Appearance: Page 12
Physical conditions: Bodiless, nearly immobile.
Body Outline: A giant head consisting of a thick forehead, long sloping nose, taut cheeks, and a wide chin base.
Personality: Polite, cryptic, and sagely.
IQ: 270
Spirituality: None apparent.
Allies: None. The Aringa Ora are near perfectly neutral.
Enemies: Ahab is currently at odds with the Aringa Ora.

Summary:
The Moai, as Ahab calls them, refers to a group of unusual giant talking stone heads which appear exclusively within the Subterranea seemingly at will. They exist as a hive mind clan, each remembering Ahab although she rarely ever meets the same one and sometimes, she encounters a cluster of several. Strongly resembling the famous Easter Island stone heads, the Moai have a few differences, largely the lack of squat arms or a neck. Most do not demonstrate the presence of ears although they are not deaf.

The Moai function as oracles and personal advisers who seem devoid of any real personal ego. They appear silently, unconscious by appearance, until fed blood. This seems to 'awaken' them to answer questions and converse. How Ahab figured out to do this has never been explained as the story begins with her readily knowing and paying them respects. (pg.12) Zion indicates he, too, is familiar with them.

It is the Moai who have helped advise Ahab down her strange path and even help introduce her to her spiritual form as the demishamaness. (pg.13) It is likely from this even that Ahab long grew to listen to their words seriously. That said, she did not necessary understand what they meant as the Moai imply many things but directly say little. 

Some time after, Ahab has since become disillusioned with the Moai's words and goes to confront them after sensing the presence of one in a pocket cavern. (pg.182) Thinking their words and her mysterious path as the demishamaness would bring her joy, the Moai corrects her by stating they never promised her happiness, only knowledge and her own personal truths.

Regarding a matter of one who would hold Ahab's heart, the Moai were vague on this too. Ahab thought it was Zygiella and in her quick death, felt cheated. The Moai states he did not know that would happen but also that neither the spideress, Zion, or Sina was who they envisioned. Thus far, they have only stated Ahab hasn't met whoever it is. Perhaps unwisely, the Moai unintentionally offends Ahab's sensibilities, regarding her interest in Zygiella as having been hormonal.(pg.184)

The Moai takes her anger calmly, but tells her something neither of them originally were aware of. Zygiella's venom would not have killed Ahab (given her built up poison tolerance from having been spider bitten so much in her lifetime), but a foreign unseen presence was responsible and filled with with shadow stuff by the time she revived. This dark revelation tells Ahab is neither alive or dead now, but a spirit. The true culprit then arrives... (pg.186)

Diagnosis: Ego-less, seemingly Utopian creatures that live within the very rock of the Subterranea, the Moai quietly offer their divining gifts for those who can pay them directly in blood. It is not clear if they ever hunt for their own blood, but that would probably be severely difficult for them given their lack of mobility.

Sexuality: Non-existent.

Skills: The Moai possess no mundane skills. They bear a hive mind and an oracle's power in which they can read some (or all) of a person's life and to some degree, their passage, within the Subterranea. Speaking these fortunes vaguely, it is up for the listener to interpret them. The Moai are not perfect, however. While they can 'read blood' and seem to be aware of many things in the caves, they are largely unaware of anything pertaining to the surface, as well as anything pertaining to shadow based elements, such as Black Hatter. At whim, they seem to be able to meld into the stone to travel. Combined with an incredible level of intelligence, crushing strength, and rock hard blood-less bodies, they are the target of nothing.

http://www.drunkduck.com/Arachnid_Goddess/index.php]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<link>http://www.drunkduck.com/Arachnid_Goddess_Compendium/?p=622614</link>
</item>

<item>
<title>13. Cast Bio: Sarsippus</title>
<description><![CDATA[Name: Sarsippus
Age: Unknown
Sign: Gemini
Height: 5'11
Weight: 170lbs
Gender: Female
Home: Rocky plateaus of the Subterranea
Heritage: Fisher Clan
Living family: Unknown.
Hair: Orange fleshy tendrils
Skin: Orange as a cheese doodle.
Speaking Font: SerpentisBlack
First Appearance: Page 116
Physical conditions: Difficulty moving on flat ground. No hands.
Body Outline: Hunched and octopodian.
Personality: Plain, neutral natured, sporting, prone to laborious explanations. Possibly a loner.
IQ: 112
Spirituality: None.
Allies: None.
Enemies: None. Although there is some friction with Ahab's methods, she can't really call the demishaman an enemy.

Summary:
Sarsippus is a curious lone humanoid living within the Subterranea who seemingly hunts for prey alone alongside ridges and high rocky precipices. Possibly a member of the infamous primal tribes, she claims to come from a group called the Fishers who catch and release their prey much like professional fishermen do. The idea is to feed and allow the prey to continue its life, thus allowing for there to be prey for tomorrow.

In a chance meeting as Ahab unknowingly enters the higher elevations of the Subterranea in her need to find blood, Sarsippus offers a non-aggression pact to mutually hunt together, thinking Ahab's spidery skills as a Death Clan member would be of great use to the both of them. (Pg.117) Happy for some help and glad to see someone not threatening her, Ahab agrees.

The two make for even higher ground where, along the way, Ahab discovers her love of climbing. Sarsippus, meanwhile, misses a very important clue about Ahab's level of skill. (pg.118)

After hearing lengthy and quite boring chatter about the nature of hunting clinically (which Ahab largely tunes out), the two find a bonafide Minotaur skulking about below their hunting post on the cliff. (pg.122) Unfortunately, Ahab is forced to come clean about her general lack of ability at the time.

Much to the Fisher's initial dismay, Ahab insists on going on with the operation, plotting to distract the bull man. Quietly, she sees this as a rite of passage and knows she probably can't go on much longer without ingesting blood to stabilize herself. Attempting to flirt with the virile minotaur, Ahab is turned down on account of not being very attractive to begin with. (pg.124)

So, she promptly whacks him with a rock to the head, which definitely gets his attention. (pg.126) Using a bit of instinctual subterfuge, a dangerous gambit pays off and Ahab manages to create a deceptively serious wound to the creature. Sarsippus immediately grabs it from afar and bashes it senseless against the rock, knocking it out cold. (pg.129)

However, Sarsippus soon realizes the creature is dying from blood loss and having knocked it out, the minotaur slips into a fatal coma by result. (pg 130) Displeased, Sarsippus chides Ahab for using excessive force and being mainly responsible for killing the minotaur, although it could be argued she is at least somewhat responsible as well. Ahab is dismissed after drinking her fill and left to ponder her thoughts over the first time she took life of a sentient being.

Diagnosis: Sarsippus' behavior probably comes from being excessively isolated compared to most other characters, much in the case of 1800's mountain men who would only see other faces about once a year. That said, she retains her faculties, but has a very certain way of how things should work. This results in an indistinct sense of personality. Sarsippus defines herself as forward moving and knowledgeable, with other people largely just being every day variables and conditions, and less that of actual people like herself. She isn't as detached as to be solipsist, but is likely a little arrogant for it.

Sexuality: Hetero. Sarsippus is apparently alone but makes a brief flirty aside about the minotaur. (pg.122) Despite being bottom clad in a bikini, she's possibly a bit prudish when it comes down to it as she visibly blushes watching Ahab brazenly flirt with the minotaur to distact him. 

Skills: Sarsippus is a master hunter. From terrain to prey, she navigates the Subterranea's higher regions safely and effectively. Her body has no bones beyond the shoulder and shins, allowing her extremely stretchy limbs to extend rapidly when swung out, defined only by muscle control. She's fairly strong with those limbs, capable of climbing and swimming with ease. Her body is slick with an oily moisture, which allows her to move quicker through water (like a fish) and would likely be a boon for escaping grapples and traps. Aside from hunting, she has not demonstrated any other skills.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<link>http://www.drunkduck.com/Arachnid_Goddess_Compendium/?p=617710</link>
</item>

<item>
<title>12. Cast Bio: Celia 'Zipper' Tobins</title>
<description><![CDATA[Name: Celia 'Zipper' Tobins
Age: 12 (deceased)
Cause of Death: Falling after being panicked by cultists.
Sign: Libra
Height: 4'6
Weight: 83lbs
Gender: Female 
Home: Kennington Bay, New York USA
Heritage: Irish / Polish
Living family: Father (Marcus) and mother
Hair: Sunny blond hair
Skin: Fair
Speaking Font: None
First Appearance: Page 95
Physical conditions: None. 
Body Outline: Thin. Heavier on top with biker jacket.
Personality: Friendly, emphasizing all warmth and light within people.
IQ: 115
Spirituality: None
Allies: Ahab, Marcus
Enemies: None.

Summary: Ahab's childhood friend, introduced to her by her father's wartime buddy Marcus, Celia, or Zipper as she would become known as, was probably one of the most influential people in Ahab's early life and a lingering note of sadness ever since.

Despite being a good five years older than Ahab, the two had relatively few friends, but immediately synced up, both having an adventurous nature dared on silently by the other's presence. Ahab even admits she had more in common with Celia than her own younger sister (pg.96). In particular, the two found the Subterranea together while their fathers visited some of their homeless war buddies in the old subway of Kennington Bay. Given free run and large degree of trust, Ahab and Celia explored and played in the strange mushroom filled cave, treating it like their own Neverland. With largely little bother down there, the two had a great deal of fun in their secret hideout. They even developed a sense of night vision from it. (pg.97)

However, one day strange people in covering clothes appeared from unawares and either intentionally or not, scared the two girls. Zipper, inadvertently, ran right off a broken gap in the ground and careened into the deep darkness where she was never seen again. This resulted in a break up between the mother's of the Tobins/Morgan family bond, as well as dooming both husbands to jail and divorce for negligence. The lives of both Ahab and Marcus forever changed. (pg.99)

While exploring for a way out of the cultist City of Bronze after her capture from Bagman, Ahab stumbles across a room filled with bones where a spider dips down from the ceiling, just happening to land near the corpse of a familiar child hood friend. Ahab's eyes are drawn to her friend, easily recognized by the biker jacket and realizes that she and all the other slain within the room were probably harvested in some way, befitting with the 'corpse sale' Bagman offered the cultists. (pg.95)

Furious, Ahab simply barges right out of the city carrying her dead friend back to the surface where she meets again with Marcus and buries poor Celia by a lonely tree outside of town. (pg.100, 101, and 104)

From there on, Ahab entirely blames the cultists whom she believes are likely the ones who scared Celia down the hole in the first place, as well as having descrated the young girl's body somehow. Needing a sense of revenge and closure, Ahab admits a selfish petty desire to deliver wrath upon the cultists and embarks on a long mission to punish them by any means necessary. 

Diagnosis: Celia was a complete free spirit, overlooking the harshest moments of life caused by others and focusing entirely on what is good and enjoyable. We have no idea how she would have turned out, but it is likely that she and Ahab would have remained the best of friends despite the five year age difference. Celia was not one to judge or criticize anyone. Life was meant to be enjoyed in happiness, honesty, caring, and wonder. That was the complete extent of her philosophies. A great deal of her mindset came from the better parts of her father.

Skills: Celia was in process of learning to cook from her mother and was familiar with motorbike riding even though she hadn't ridden one personally. Celia was still in the throes of childhood so her life relevant knowledge was still undeveloped at the time of her passing.

http://www.drunkduck.com/Arachnid_Goddess/index.php]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<link>http://www.drunkduck.com/Arachnid_Goddess_Compendium/?p=607224</link>
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<item>
<title>11. "Ahab turns the tables"</title>
<description><![CDATA[She may only be dreaming, but the mind is ever scheming. Ahab decides to show some certain Subterraneans (and one unfortunate bounty hunter) that sometimes even she can be the boss. Of course, the pervy girl had them dressed down and bitten first too. Zygiella, being the biggest and strongest of her catches, needed the most restraint. But knowing their history, Ahab didn't mind.

Clockwise, starting with Ahab in top center...
Lupara
Sina-Inu
Sarsippus
Zion
Zygiella

*This picture was made in commemoration/reward of breaking the top 300 spot on DrunkDuck, which was one of my personal goals. Thank you to all my readers!]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<link>http://www.drunkduck.com/Arachnid_Goddess_Compendium/?p=592986</link>
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