Arachnid Archives: Chapter 2

Photo by: Paul Hanaoka

Welcome back to this month’s Arachnid Archives installation, Jed Ki here coming to you from a window nook over at the Mnemosyne Library. Continuing on the thread of Telaraña as it is held in the cobwebs of the cosmos.  Last time we left our spore loving space travelers at the entrance to the mighty lands of Pluto.

Coming from a place of grief and renewal, this group, among others of its kind, dedicated to mycelial life forms have turned to these more established and ancient beings to model their communities after. During the collapse of civilization on Midgard, a.k.a. Earth, there were autonomous zones that sprouted up in resilience and resistance. These zones worked to unravel the oppressive residues in the narratives and infrastructures that colonization smeared on the planet. People re-trained themselves in ecological awareness through listening deeply to the underground communities that survived the collapse and re-meeting botanical relatives to dismantle the internal perceptions that had incarcerated many generations who participated in the military industrial complex. 

Specifically, mushrooms and their technologies became important pillars for council on how to navigate the decay of civilization into a place where people could grieve, integrate, metabolize, and begin to co-exist with their home planet in a more mutually beneficial manner. 

Although the mushroom communities do not need humans to help them deliver spores, for they had been doing so easefully since time immemorial, there were some groups who felt inspired to create a delivery service that collects, guards, and encourages pollination of more mushroom communities as a gesture of gratitude for all that was gifted to them. Similarly to planting seeds in soil, tending fires for re-growth, or fishing plastics out of the ocean, these acts are a type of ritual that demonstrate reciprocity. People began the process of re-engaging with their more-than-human neighbors. Multispecies led to innovations in community care, technology, and applications of inspiration.  Telaraña and the crew are a pod from one of Midgard’s many autonomous zones.

Their return to Midgard is unbeknownst. Afterall, spacetime makes the heart grow fonder…

Below is a character chart that may jog your memory & keep you up to date with the people of this tale:

Character : Special gifts/attributes : Important symbols

Camellia (she/they): Elder/crone, tea spirit, wisdom carrier : Camellia sinensis, cauldrons

Artemisia (she/her) : Dream architect, structural integrity of Tela : Mugwort, Freya, Venus, Libra

Kleio (they/them): Pathfinder, youngest on the crew, vivid sight : Child of the muses, ᚹ

Atmos (he/they): Communications, code switch, transcription, electrician : Mercury, gemini, wind, ᚨ

Cervus (he/him): Magnet tender, gravity support, body awareness : Deer, health, Mars

Unda (she/they): Soothsayer, blind, Plutonian : dreams, visionary, spirits

Our tale picks up at the Soothsayer’s caves… 

Midnight tinted waters adorned by groups of illuminated jellyfish rippling to the rhythms of the dense kelp forest. Viridian hues and beetle-ink black whispers move through the quiet stillness of this living labyrinth. 

From a distance one could see many large glistening sculptures that catch resonance from elements in motion, the way wind chimes do in atmospheres where breezes exist. These sculptures are bending, looping, curving metallic shapes that collect information from passing waters, pulls of gravitation, and emanations of tones. 

Unda, the soothsayer, forges these as antennas for the lair to enhance their perceptions and ponderings. The dragons help her at the forge with their continuous fire.

One entrance to the labyrinth is marked with a brass lantern whose inner glow is a soft amber orb. 

Telaraña turns into view, whirring propellers and dark violet tinted lights to protect the sight of the creatures they pass. From the helm, the beats are bumping. As a submarine craft now, Tela moves with a velvety agility to match the greatness of the Jefferson Park Boys on the Purple Moonlight Pages album. Atmos’ head is noddin’ as the track ‘Cycles’ drops next…

“You know living myths can come true

Sometime it might happen to you, especially if you live outside of time

Anyway, the rhyme you are about to hear isn't true

But, it isn't false either

Any resemblance between this rhythm poetic exploration and reality is

Purely magical, purely magical

At the end of the world, we was fightin' back with brushes and pens

We decided that the suffering should end, no matter how good it feels

Wooden shields ain't stoppin' bullets”

As the drums do their hip hop magyk, and the lyrics do their inspiring, Tela is propelled by the cadence of the song playing.

The crew arrives at the labyrinth entrance, and slowly begins approaching the cave entrances of Unda.

They pass by all the sculptures and see all the jellyfish in between the kelp layers.

Kleio’s nose is pressed up against one of the windows.

They think to themselves as they absorb the landscape, “I’ve seen this place in a dream before.”

Artemisia sits at a low table writing a poem. Catching the strands of dream residues and weaving words into potential designs.

Cervus pours tea for himself, Camellia, and Artemisia. Steaming cups of Sinensis to prepare them for their encounter with the Soothsayer. They trust Kelio’s insight on the importance of this visit, and Camellia is sure that whatever messages they are gifted will be important to their ongoing quest. 

“It’s not everyday that one is summoned to this seer. The timing of this invitation is quite auspicious. Especially considering that this might be our last visit here. If the spores are fruiting in Onyx’s garden then our work here is done,” Camellia says before picking up her tea cup to take the next slurp of hot liquid.

Cervus nods with a pensive crease emerging on his forehead. The ritual of serving tea provides him an anchor for adjusting to the weight of this chapter in all their journeys. They’ve been away from Midgard for many seasons, and it might be high time they discuss a return date. He lifts the lid of the teapot to pour in the bubbling water. The water soaks into the leaves and becomes pigmented as it steeps. The teapot is tipped and the curling steam begins to take the shape of the cups it is poured into. 

Over Tela’s intercom Atmos announces, “We are nearing the mouth of the caves. Prepare for diving, team.”

Kleio is the first one dressed and ready with his oxygen tank hookups. Their enthusiasm oozing out in remarks about how exquisite the kelp forest is at this time of year and how many jellies they counted so far.

Camellia “oohs” and “ahhs” at all the appropriate intervals as she puts on her own suit. 

Atmos bounds down the hall with long strides, beaming after the immersion of captaining. Being at the wheel requires attentiveness to musicality translating into kinesthetic expression. He loves the focus it brings him, Often calling it the sharpening of his sword. 

“Shooowee! That album never gets old. I can sail the cosmos time and time again flippin’ through those purple pages. You’re up next when we bounce, captain!” Atmos says as he high fives Cervus.

They all walk into the exit chamber with helmets on. As the door behind them shuts, the door in front of them starts letting in water slowly. Their suits are an AI design that helps acclimate their body temperature, allowing them to talk to each other via intercoms, and assists them in propelling as they swim. 

As the water rises over their heads, Artemisia coms the group, “Kleio, you should lead the way.”

Kleio begins swimming out of Tela and through the tunnel of the enormous cave they just entered. Around a bend, they begin to see the opening of  Unda’s lair in the distance. A soft gray glow grows as they near. There’s also smoke billowing toward them now. 

Atmos gets his suit to capture a waft of the smoke so that he can smell what it is. After the water is drained from the sample the aroma spreads throughout the inside of his suit. He breathes in the resinous aroma and his perspective shifts slightly. An internal tilt toward a familiar place. 

The crew pull themselves up into a chamber where the water has been drained. Cervus reaches down to give Camellia a hand. The inside of the cave is hardly visible because the cauldron at the center is gurgling and boiling while releasing a steady stream of smoke. Unda sits beside it offering the fire under the cauldron more kindling. She gestures to the space in front of her for her guests to find a seat. 

She wears a billowing cloak that hides most of her body. What can be seen of her face is her mahogany tint adorning eyes that are clouded over in a pale blue. 

In a swishing of skirts and fabrics Unda faces the now seated group. In front of them they have laid out an array of offerings for her. Bundles of dried herbs, satchels of resin from ponderosa pine, and a scroll wrapped in twine. She quietly feels around her feet and picks up each gift, smells it, and sets it aside. Her voice simultaneously hugs their senses and ricochets off the stone walls,  

“You’re responding to the summons I sent to the youngest in your company

The crossroads of our timelines overlapping has met its sunrise

Kleio, your insight as a pathfinder is only getting stronger

I offer my wings and labyrinth to your initiation as fellow seer 

For the dreamer and architect, Artemisia, you carry new life in your womb 

The orb within you shares your gifts, begin conversing with this child for they will be your beacon 

Camellia, fellow crone, your travels as you have known them are becoming less star oriented 

Under the guidance of your heart a home is approaching your horizons

Gravity bender, Cervus, an anchor for your desires will be found on the path of study 

Join our dragons at the forge where your passion can find its peak expression 

Mercury has come a long way from the center of this solar system, Atmos, your scribing will be called upon by those who inhabit the docks 

They will make high requests for upheaval and your pen could dissolve that fury into a legendary conversation”

With tears in her eyes Artemisia holds her belly while Kleio reaches for her free hand and thinks, 

“Ahh…that’s where that sixth voice was coming from the last few weeks on Tela...”

Cervus also reaches for Artemisia, puts a warm hand on her back. He draws reassurance from his core and sends it through his arm into her body. 

As everyone sits in the stew they were just served. Unda feeds the herbs that were brought into the cauldron. The scent of rosemary and mugwort fill the chamber, clearing their emotional bodies and preparing them for what lies ahead, Unda mumbles thank yous to the fates, the elementals, and to the parallel realms. 

Camellia finds a call to speak rising into the back of her throat, 

“Unda, may your labyrinth here continue to flourish under the web of the weavers 

Your musings are important to those of us who often only see with their eyes

These keys unlock doors so we may be humbled to our callings as these vessels

Thank you.”

And with that the crew gathers themselves for their quiet swim back to Tela. Kleio perks up and lets the crew know that they will, indeed, be staying behind with Unda, 

“I’m in good hands here. I’ll come find you on the docks when my swirl in this labyrinth has gifted me its riddles to chew on.”