Xyp'sho

The greatest and possibly the only Arachnithan painter, Xyp'sho hatched along with his hundreds of brothers and sisters in Yng'zheb, the Burrow-Home of the Wandering Huntsmen located underneath the Mourning Plateau. While the rest of his kin took well to the demanding life of a huntsman, Xyp'sho struggled with physical activity due to being smaller and weaker, much to the amusement of his clutchmates.

Early Life

He showed an interest in the arts at a very young age, going so far as to smuggle boulderberries back home from the hunts he was forced to attend, mashing them into a colorful paste and using it akin to paint on the walls of his burrow. Over the years, his masterpiece gradually came together, until finally he was ready to reveal it to the world. Gathered to see what the runt of the clutch had made, there was a deafening silence when Xyp'sho pulled back the curtain he had spun from his webbing.

Amused hissing was all his years of work got from the crowd, until suddenly the sound of clapping pierced the mostly silent chamber. A foreign dignitary, a nobleman from Glarithia, had happened to be on a diplomatic visit at the time. His curiosity had led him to see what had the arachnitha gathered in such numbers to see, and he liked what he saw. Xyp'sho listened intently when the nobleman told him of the Glarithian Academy of Arts, a place of learning where individuals such as he could perfect their craft. There was no question about it. Xyp'sho had to go.

Time at the Academy

Xyp'sho spun himself the most dazzling of masquerades and left behind his clutchmates and his home of Yng'zheb, journeying through the continent to radiant Glarithia. It was his first time in a nest of humans, so he awkwardly stuffed himself into his luxurious silken robes and did his best to appear non-threatening.

To his surprise, he received far less looks of disgust or fear than he had anticipated. If anything, the humans were actually, genuinely interested in him. To the frail, runty Arachnitha that had been teased and ridiculed by his clutchmates his whole life, receiving such positive attention was almost too much to bear, and Xyp'sho profusely thanked every human who came to speak with him. With the help of some students, he enrolled in the academy and, again to his great surprise, was accepted.

For seven years, Xyp'sho honed his skill at the academy, becoming a true master of the arts. It was during his studies that he befriended Tabitha Roux, with whose inspiration he reached ever grander heights of artistic expression. He graduated with honors and was given a honorary citizenship to Glarithia. To this day, he paints from his heart, living still in Glarithia which he considers his true home. His refined touch has earned him the title "the Elegant" amongst his admirers, of which he is not too fond of, but does not protest its use either.

A question I am often asked is how do I hold onto a paintbrush, for are my legs not bereft of digits?

The answer is webbing. I wrap the brush onto my leg with a dash of silk.

–Xyp'sho the Elegant