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Another Side of Athena
A classic tale where you get to choose the ending.
Spiders are badass, man. Everything on the planet is terrified of them, even though all they really do is chill out in corners and consume pests. The females are massive compared to the males, which they will happily deour if given the opportunity. Also, their silk is one of the strongest and most baffling substances our reality has to offer. It could easily replace man-made textiles and even metal, if only scientists could figure out how to synthesize it.
And the little bastards use it to catch flies or whatever. What even are arachnids?
Well, according to Greek myth, the very first spider was once a human person, transformed into a hideous and hated monster for the crime of slighting the gods. Or, from a certain point of view, a divine blessing of a peculiar disguise.
The tale of Arachne is a typical Greek myth that I’ve always loved for reasons I’ve only recently put words to. It’s just so… Athena, you know?
As the story goes, Arachne was a young girl and a talented weaver. Weaving was not just a practical skill, but also sacred women’s work. The…