Arachnos

Arachnos are a major terrorist organization in the City of Heroes universe as well as the ruling force of the Rogue Isles, the setting for City of Villains prior to the two games merging into one shared package - they are a spider-themed super-force who are controlled by the arch-villain known as Lord Recluse.

Within the Rogue Isles Arachnos exist to enforce Lord Recluse's extreme dystopian rule, in which fledgling villains are trained in the ways of Lord Recluse and his allies - despite Arachnos being in charge of said training they are also enemies to fledgling villains as Lord Recluse believes in a "survival of the fittest" regime, thus Arachnos thugs often roam the streets and attack the very same villains that higher-up members of the organization train and work with.

The barbaric nature of Arachnos is known to the rest of the world and feared, making them the enemies of any peace-loving hero or law-enforcement agency in the world.