Mothfolk

Origin

The Mothfolk, or mothkin, are the spawn of the fey queen Cimre. Cimre was queen of Dusk, who longed eternally for the dawn. Cimre waited at the horizon for the Sun to rise, and the two collided. From Cimre's wings several feathers fell, landing in the trees below. These were the first mothkin.

Biology

Larval Stage Having hatched from their eggs, the larvae start as blind, thin, and hungry. Their diet is very important to the development of mothkin larvae and metamorphosis. Standard diet includes leaves and bar for Forest mothkin, and cactus flowers and grass for Desert mothkin. However, some larvae are raised to consume certain foods or quantities that determine their growth. Larvae who eat mineral-rich dirt have more lustrous wings and are purportedly inclined towards art, while larvae who eat mulberries grow large and develop more silk than usual. This silk is produced by all mothkin larvae, and is harvested by adult mothkin. Those raised to produce higher quantity silk are raised on mulberries, which leaves their adult forms stunted slightly and with dull wing patterns. Female larvae instinctually eat more than their male counterparts, causing their adult forms to be larger and better equipped for reproduction.

Metamorphosis After approximately three months of eating and growing, the larvae are ushered to the treetops to develop a chrysalis. They curl into pupae and attach themselves to a branch. For two weeks, the larvae is disassembled and reconstructed inside its chrysalis, undergoing pubescence and emerging a fully grown adult mothkin. Outside observers are still unsure of how a pupae survives the deconstruction of its body, or what occurs within the chrysalis, but the mothkin claim to be equally confounded.

Adult Mothkin The anatomy of the adult mothkin is, internally, most similar to that of the elves, likely due to their fey lineage. Digestive and respiratory systems are normal, whereas the endocrine system is linked to their wings, and changes in horomones or the like will trigger a respective release of dust from the wings. Their bones are light, designed for an airborne species, and they can only carry at most half their body weight. Externally, a chitinous, thin exoskeleton covers the body, and is in turn coated with a layer of fur, which gathers in tufts around the neck, wrists, and ankles. These tufts are usually discolored from the rest, producing "tiger-stripe" patterns on the moth. The torso and waist has the least fur, and the exoskeleton is sometimes exposed. Mothkin have no mouth, but a thin proboscis from which they collect water and other liquids. Energy is supplied from a form of photosynthesis, gathering light from the Sun or moon through their wings. This process also supplies their body heat. Changes in temp and atmosphere are noted through their antennae, which pick up vibrations and allow them to hear. Their eyes are large, with no sclera and situated closer to the sides of their head.