Mothkin

Mothkin lived peacefully underground until the Sundering made their cavern homes uninhabitable. These bizarre, moth-like creatures may have wings, antennae, and soft fur. They are renowned for the beautiful silk spun from their cocoons.  

Concept Art

 

Biology

Like their mundane cousins, mothkin lay eggs. The eggs are sensitive to temperature and light; most will die before they can hatch, especially if the conditions are unfavorable. When they DO hatch, they emerge as sightless, mindless caterpillars that instinctively crawl towards bright light.   Many mothkin begin their lives in brood caverns, local cave systems where their eggs and caterpillars live in almost total darkness. Adult mothkin who live near these caves take turns spending time with the caterpillars and eggs. These mothkin are called shepherds. If the caterpillars need to be moved, the shepherds use lanterns to guide them from cave to cave.   When a cocoon is found, the shepherds hang it somewhere cool, dry, and safe to undergo metamorphosis. Caterpillars take three months to transform into mothkin. It is this metamorphosis that grants the mothkin sentience; while they change, the shepherds whisper to them, passing on knowledge of the world and the people in it. This process is called the Telling. Many believe that when mothkin finally emerge, their intelligence is based on the strength of the Telling and the skill of their shepherds.   If at one point mothkin could fly, they can’t anymore.  

History

The mothkin remained largely underground until the Sundering. On that day, huge tears opened underground, collapsing massive swathes of their ancestral home. The loss of life was catastrophic. In the collapse, new paths to the world above ground were torn open, and the mothkin fled for their lives.   The first groups emerged near Piccarda. They bartered their way in with gifts of silk and slowly overcame the language barrier to establish an uneasy peace. Mothkin are able fighters; the caverns they hailed from were home to beasts of terrible size and ferocity, and so their warriors were able to quickly integrate into the corps defending the city.   Other groups emerged in Pelolia and Marshhelm. In the years since, mothkin have fully integrated into society at large.  

Touchpoints

The Gift of Silk

Mothkin produce cocoons during their metamorphosis which are collected, spun, and dyed to produce valuable silk. The actual practice of harvesting and spinning it is a carefully guarded secret passed down by each generation of shepherds. Although they sell it, the silk is treated with near-reverence: many see it as a gift from Lydia, the Weaver, goddess of death. This belief is especially common in Piccarda, where the silk is prized.   It is a common practice for mothkin from Piccarda to carry small silk favors made of a piece of their cocoon. This may have been spun into something simple, like a scarf, headband, bow, or even gloves. Mothkin from other regions may participate in this practice as well.  

Cave-Bound

Mothkin must live within a reasonable distance of a cave if they wish to reproduce reliably. Some mothkin have successfully hatched eggs in modern homes, but one hot day or freezing night can easily ruin an entire clutch. Mothkin are known to nest in the sea caves of Marshhelm, the abandoned mineshafts near Pelolia’s vault, the mines of Piccarda, and even the caves that dot the forest around Mysthaven.