FAIRE de LAIN

Real Name: Unrevealed, possibly Faire de Lain

Identity/Class: Presumably human (see comments), possible magic user;
    Peruvian

Occupation: Sorcerer, leader of the Snake Clan

Group Membership: Snake Clan (leader)

Affiliations: Worships some serpent god (see comments);
    presumably some association with Set;
    see also the Catalogue of Correspondences for Set from Ian McNee's reading of the First Tarot

Enemies: The Great Weaver (see comments), Spider Clan (Taran), Spider-Man

Known Relatives: Tartessus (progenitor)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Currently unrevealed;
    formerly the Temple of the Great Weaver in the jungles of Peru;
    unknown prior to that

First Appearance: Peter Parker: Spider-Man Annual 2001 (2001)

 

 

 

 

 

Powers/Abilities: Faire de Lain has a number of unspecified magical abilities, presumably derived from his snake god. He further amplified his powers by usurping the Amulet of the Spider Clan. As such, he could fire powerful energy blasts sufficient to damage solid stone. He could control immense snakes, both constrictors and venomous (possibly real serpents or his own magical creations). He may have had other powers, as yet unseen.
    His physical abilities are undefined, though he was strong enough to turn the tide on and batter Spider-Man after being ambushed (though Spider-Man had been drugged recently). Class 10 strength, perhaps.
    His powers without access to the Amulet of the Spider Clan are uncertain, though not once did he actually contact the Amulet during his confrontation with Spider-Man and the Spider Clan, so perhaps it was his own abilities seen, and had he invoked the power of the Amulet, he would have been much more powerful still.

 

 

 

 

 

History: The origins of Faire de Lain and the Snake Clan are unrevealed (see comments).

(Peter Parker: Spider-Man Annual 2001 (fb)) - Faire de Lain and his Snake Clan had long been the sole rivals of the Spider Clan. He led the Snake Clan to overtake the Temple of the Great Weaver when the shaman of the Spider Clan was very old. His people slew many of the Spider Clan and drove them from the Temple, and Faire de Lain stole the Amulet of the Spider Clan for himself, increasing his own power and granting him dominion over the entire Nazca River.

(Peter Parker: Spider-Man Annual 2001) - Years later, the Spider Clan recruited the young Spider-Man to help them reclaim the Temple. Faire de Lain stunned Spider-Man with an energy blast and then had his snakes grab and bind the Spider Clan as they followed him into the Temple. He then blasted Spider-Man, knocking him into a spider pit. Spider-Man escaped and knocked Faire de Lain into the pit, onto a web spanning its width. He then goaded Faire de Lain into blasting him, and the opposite reaction to the burst he generated tore through the web, causing Faire de Lain to plummet into the water at the bottom of the pit.
    Taran then invoked the Amulet and reclaimed the Temple for the Spider Clan.

 

 

 

Comments: Created by Fiona Avery and Juan Roman Cano.

    This story took place during a summer break in one of Peter Parker's High School years.

    Taran of the Spider Clan mentions that her people are like the river spiders, which MIGHT mean that they are not entirely human or are perhaps an offshoot of humanity. They COULD be more human spawn of Omm (see the Spider People) or some other spider god (see the next paragraph). Similarly, the Snake Clan MIGHT be more human children of Set (see the Serpent Men, Man Serpents) or some other serpent god (see two paragraphs down). Anyway, this is totally all theory.

    Interestingly, I think this story came out before JMS started his KICK-@$$ run on Amazing Spider-Man, or shortly thereafter. Anyway, given the current storyline in Spider-Man, this would fit in perfectly with the Great Weaver being meant to represent Anansi, who--despite being a god worshipped primarily in Africa--seems to have been linked to the Peruvian (South America, to the unedu-ma-cated) Temple (and specifically to a descendent of Incans...or was it Aztecs?). That fits a little weirdly to me, but I guess when you're trying to think of a spider god, Anansi is the most obvious choice. However, if I wrote for Marvel, er, I mean, if I wrote new stories for the comic books, I totally would link Ezekiel and that Peruvian Temple to Omm. Still, great stories nonetheless.

    On that same line, though not specifically detailed, it only makes sense that the Snake Clan worships a Snake God. Plenty to choose from here, but I'd have to go with the big daddy serpent of them all: Set. Then again, since Anansi is of African origin, it also might make sense that if the Spider Clan worships Anansi (unconfirmed), then the Snake Clan might likely worship Dam-Ayido (Damballah), the African/Voodoo god. OR, they could worship Damballah, the spawn of Set, who is distinct from the African God. OR Sligguth (another spawn of Set), or any other Serpent Gods (Ishiti, Seth, etc.).

    At any rate, I think JMS should do a follow up on this issue. It's hard to believe Peter wouldn't remember another Spider Temple in the jungles of Peru, especially since he was diggin' Taran so much...I bets she's all grown up now.

CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:

The Snake Clan has no KNOWN connection to:

Serpent Men

Snake Clan

The followers of Faire de Lain, they had long been the rivals of the Spider Clan. When the Shaman of the Spider Clan grew old, Faire de Lain led the Snake Clan to attack the Spider Clan, killing many and driving them out so that they could claim the Temple for themselves. When Spider-Man approached the Temple to help the Spider Clan reclaim it, one of the Snake Clan shot him with a poison blow dart. Taran and several members of the Spider Clan then used their own blow darts to drive off the Snake Clan before they could further harm Spider-Man. When Spider-Man entered the Temple and confronted Faire de Lain, the Snake and Spider Clans warred on the outside. However, Spider-Man defeated Faire de Lain, and Taran invoked the Amulet of the Spider Clan, using its power to drive off the Snake Clan so that her people could reclaim the Temple.

They did not demonstrate any superhuman abilities, but rather used spears and blow guns, and they also laced their darts (at least) with a toxin, presumably derived from snake venom. Their heads were tattooed to appear as a snake's open mouth, and they appeared to garb themselves in snakeskin.

 

--Peter Parker: Spider-Man Annual 2001 (2001 (fb) - BTS, 2001

Note: They worship some serpent god (see comments);
    presumably some association with Set;
    see also the Catalogue of Correspondences for Set from Ian McNee's reading of the First Tarot

 

images:
Peter Parker: Spider-Man Annual 2001, p11 (not including ads), bottom middle
    p26, panel 1
    p28, panel 1 (giant snakes)
(Snake Clan) p19, panel 3

 

Last updated: 05/24/04

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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