Xi'pthara, He-She Who Spun Us

When it comes to the Arachnitha, one of the many ways they differ from humans in is that they do not believe in gods.
  Instead, in Arachnithan culture, legacy and lineage is revered to a spiritual degree. In light of this, it is not surprising that the figure that is most respected and even deified in a way, is the very first Arachnitha to ever exist. This Arachnitha is known as Xi'pthara.
 

Many from One

Xi'pthara is said to have embodied all the qualities that are now spread among their children.
  The speed and agility of the Wandering Huntsmen, the guile and predatory instincts of the Duskwidows, the command of silken strands that characterize the Harvest Weavers, the size and power of the Dunecrawlers and the mystic wisdom and multicolored hide of the Paradox Spinners.
 

Mythic beginnings

The myth surrounding the birth of Xi'pthara makes the rather fanciful claim that they emerged from the primordial darkness that blankets the depths of Nascindor. Neither male nor female, Xi'pthara began to spin their web, eventually forming the Nexus with their toil.
  Afterwards, Xi'pthara went on to spin five silken cocoons, each containing the essence of one of the Arachnithan peoples. These cocoons would go on to gestate all of the Arachnitha during Xi'pthara's rest.
 

Life among the Arachnitha

The tale of Xi'pthara does make mention that they lived among the Arachnitha for a time, perhaps serving in a role similar to the Lady of the Web.
  It is said that it was on their instruction that the Arachnitha began to weave the Gossamer Dispatch, a titanic undertaking that is still underway.
 

Disappearance

Stories tell that Xi'pthara simply vanished after some time directing their children. Many researchers believe that perhaps the ancient spider simply retreated into some obscure nook of Nascindorian subterranea to die with dignity, but the Arachnitha believe that Xi'pthara is not dead, but rather that they scurried back into the darkness below, still observing the Arachnitha but not wishing to coddle their children further, rather choosing to allow them to flourish on their own.
  This hands-off approach is reflected in the pedagogic and disciplinary practices of the Arachnitha to this day.