Mothfolk

The Koihminen, or commonly known as the Mothfolk are a species of humanoids native to the forests, marshes, and mountains of Kylorne. Their population is spread in clusters across Kylorne save for the arctic areas, but the largest cluster can be found in Hewe Kahmang in the district of Koikaupunki.

For many decades, Mothfolk were uninvolved for the most part in the lives of others, preferring to live among the flora and fauna of Kylorne. But, as they began to explore the world around them, came into contact with humans and began a new chapter in their history.

Origin
The earliest documented sighting of Mothfolk was of the Elder Mothfolk in an oak forest pre-tribal era. No one is truly sure where they came from, but they are speculated to have evolved from a certain species of large moths known as Lepidoptera Saturnia that are now extinct.

After the Elder Mothfolk came into contact with the humans and humanoid world and began to breed with humans, the Modern Mothfolk came into being. Now, Elder Mothfolk are few and far between with the Modern Mothfolk becoming the wider spread population.

As said, little is known about their origin.

Appearance
Mothfolk have a humanoid body but with the defining features of moths. They have the signature antennae, segmented bodies, wings, and two sets of arms (one midsection, one typical arm placement). Each hand has four fingers, and their legs end in insect-like feet with four toes. Their bodies come in shades of white, grays, browns, creams, and blacks. Depending on the ethnic family they descend from there can be variations such as markings on their abdomen, wing shape and wing pattern. Mothfolk also have fur tufts around their necks and collarbone as well as around their wrists and shins/ankles. Their skin is tougher than typical human skin, but not to a significant degree and is covered in a thin layer of fur, which gives it a soft texture. Due to breastfeeding not playing a part in the development of a Mothfolk larvae, Mothfolk do not have breasts on either sex. They have large, dark brown or black eyes, which are extremely sensitive to light and the UV spectrum of light. They are also able to grow "hair" on their heads that closely resembles human hair. The "hair" can be any color or texture depending on their parent’s genes. Styling and hair length are unisex.

Mothfolk’s wings are proportional to their height, the average wingspan being around +6 inches to their height. Their wings can be controlled by muscles in their back to pick up speed or slow down. Mothfolk are also quite light, allowing them to fly and glide, though their airtime depends on the stamina of the Mothfolk. They have hollow bones and typically average around a weight of 119 lbs for fully grown females and 116 lbs for fully grown males. Males and females also have differing wing patterns.

Mothfolk have a lifespan similar to a normal human, however, they mature at a faster rate with puberty beginning at around age 9 and ending around age 14. Their lifespans are about 90–100 years. Pre-puberty, Mothfolk’s wings are not fully developed and they are around 3 feet tall. Post puberty, Mothfolk are fully developed and the males are around 5 ft 7in tall with the females being around 6 ft tall. They grow extremely quickly at the beginning of their maturing with the growth slowing down in the later years.

There are two known kinds of Mothfolk, modern Mothfolk and elder Mothfolk. Elder Mothfolk are far and few between with body structure that resembles a moth more than a humanoid, while modern Mothfolk are widely found and are moth humanoids with both human and moth traits. Modern Mothfolk do not have permanent mandibles (while elder Mothfolk do), but have sharper, longer teeth with their canine teeth being notably longer than the others. Mothfolk of both kinds have long tongues which can reach around 12 inches. They are omnivores that eat a variety of crops and meats.

Attraction to Fire/Light
One thing I will quickly define before jumping into the levels of attraction is a state called a Trance State. Trance state is a state in which the Mothfolk experience an all-consuming attraction to the fire/light. All they can think about, see, hear, etc is the source of the heat/light. Not even injury affects them. In this state, the Mothfolk may call out to others and urge them to come to the fire/light with them. It is nearly impossible to break out of without assistance. The only way it can be broken is by completely removing the Mothfolk from the stimuli and placing them in a cold, dark room until it breaks.

Mothfolk experience a comforting, positive feeling whenever they are near a fire and/or light hence why they feel a draw to it. This is a natural pull they feel, that they cannot control. In small amounts, this can be a good thing, however, in large amounts, it can be dangerous and addictive. This pull can affect which spaces Mothfolk choose to visit and people of other species they surround themselves with. They are more likely to visit areas with warmth and light, as well as pick friends and partners who are warm or emit light (if they choose to make friends/date those outside of their species).

Certain factors can affect the strength of a Mothfolk’s attraction to a light/fire such as age and mental health. At young ages, Mothfolk don’t have a strong resistance to the pull of fire to the extent where even small fires can cause a pull. Resistance to the pull also comes with mental strength, so when a Mothfolk’s mental health drops it becomes harder for them to resist.

There are different levels of attraction to fire/light. These are how the stimuli affect Mothfolk without an aid to suppress their pull.

Mothfolk may use an aid such as goggles with dimming lenses in order to dampen the pull. Here are the levels with the use of goggles.

Life Cycle
Mothfolk start out as eggs that are laid in numbers of one to three. The eggs look like white orbs and are about the size of a human newborn. The texture is spongy. Mothfolk stay in the egg stage for around four to ten days, with four being the absolute earliest and ten being the absolute latest. Newborn Mothfolk resemble a newborn human but they have a set of soft mandibles in their mouth that will later harden and act as their teeth for the first years of their life. They eat fibrous materials such as wool or feathers for the first 6 months of their lives.

The next stage in their lives is pre-puberty. Throughout these years the Mothfolk become more humanoid. They learn to walk on two feet, hunt, and essentially survive. After their mandibles harden around six months of their life, they will have these for the first six years of their life and at age six will shed them in a painful process of the mandibles falling out. They then have to re-learn how to talk and eat when their permanent more humanesque teeth come in. By age nine, all four of their arms have developed as well as small nubs on their upper back that will later become wings. Mental development follows the same stages are human mental development.

Puberty is from age nine to fourteen. Puberty follows the same developmental stages as humans though at a faster rate. As a result, the hormone increases they experience are stronger than humans which can be mentally taxing. The wings develop at this time. They are quite fragile while developing and if not taken care of properly, can wrinkle, crumple, or tear.

From ages fourteen to eighteen, Mothfolk are considered teenagers. They continue to follow the same physical and mental development as humans.

Ages eighteen to twenty, Mothfolk are young adults. Depending on their ethnic group, some may begin mating with the intent of procreation at this age or search for a mate.

The age period of twenty five to sixty five (or forty five for Suolamaita and Kuu Mothfolk) is adulthood. Their wings, arms, and other attributes are completely developed by this time. Hair begins to gray around the age of 50 or 60. Adulthood follows the same timeline as humans. Once the Mothfolk reach past sixty five (Suolamaita and Kuu moth folk) or seventy five years of age, they are in the stage of life considered old age. Their bodies begin to steadily degrade. Their strength heavily depletes if not maintained, and they begin to lose their ability to fly.

Common Mothfolk
These are the most widespread Mothfolk and can be found in nearly all biomes, but prefer oak and birch forests as well as plains. They are resilient to climate changes and other environmental changes. Common Mothfolk females have white forewings dusted with dark brown and dark brown wavy lines. The hindwing is white with a dark band. The interior of their wings is pure white. Common Mothfolk males have similar wings with the difference being a greater amount of wavy lines, and their hindwings being darker with a dark band. They are also smaller than females. Common Mothfolk have white and grey/brown dusted bodies. They eat a variety including tree saps and fruit, and in some cases can consume fabrics.

These Mothfolk both mate for life and casually. They do not have the worries of shorter lifespans others may take issue with. Some common Mothfolk mate for life, some choose not to.

Kartasto Mothfolk
These Mothfolk are found in jungle biomes. They have large wings and on average are larger than common Mothfolk. They are overall more broadly built than other mothfolk. Their bodies are typically a reddish brown color with a paler stomach area. The upper side of their wings are reddish brown with a pattern of black, white, pink, and purple lines and triangular, scale-less windows bordered in black. The undersides of the wings are paler. Both forewings have a prominent extension at the tip, with markings that resemble the head of a snake. These Mothfolk are able to easily camouflage themselves in forest environments and eat tree sap as their main source of food.

These Mothfolk, similar to common Mothfolk, both mate for life and/or date casually. Some Kartasto Mothfolk mate for life, some choose not to.

Suomlamaita Mothfolk
These Mothfolk are often found in swamp biomes. They are brightly colored with a white head and stomach, and yellow back and legs. Their back and sides have a row of black blotches down the center. Suolamaita Mothfolk’s forewings are white with black spots, and their hindwings are yellow in males and white in females. Both males and females have 3-4 black spots/blotches on their hindwings. These Mothfolk have a high tolerance to salt and eat plants as their main source of food. Tobacco use is prominent in this subspecies of Mothfolk.

These Mothfolk do not mate for life due to their shorter lifespan of 70–80 years. One of their main goals of life is to continue the species, so they tend to have multiple partners throughout their life who they mate with.

Kuu Mothfolk
Kuu Mothfolk live in taiga and mountain biomes. These Mothfolk have large, green wings with eye spots on both hindwings and forewings. Their hindwings have twisted “tails” that extend from the end of their hindwings. Both sexes of Mothfolk are similar in size and can reach heights of six feet tall. Their bodies are white with a thin layer of fur all over the body alongside the tufts. These Mothfolk have evolved to have serrated molars which can be used to make a deterring clicking noise when they feel threatened. Kuu Mothfolk are found in dry forests and cooler climates.

These Mothfolk do not mate for life due to their shorter lifespan of 60–70 years. One of their main goals of life is to continue the species, so they tend to have multiple partners throughout their life with whom they mate.

Paikalla Mothfolk
Paikalla Mothfolk live in savanna and desert biomes. These Mothfolk are smaller than the others and have smaller, thinner fur tufts than other Mothfolk due to the climate they typically live in. They are smaller than their other subspecies, only reaching a height of 5 ft with the males reaching around 4 ft 5in. They have long, black torsos with a yellow band around their stomach, and their antennae do not have feathering but do have a white tip. Their wings are blueish black with a metallic sheen and six white spots on the forewing and two on the hind wings. These Mothfolk have a poison that is administered via sheathed claws. They eat herbaceous plants as their main food source.

These Mothfolk mate for life. Once/If their mate dies, they will either choose a new mate or choose to be single for the rest of their life.

Culture
Mothfolk culture does not heavily revolve around religion, however there are two religions created by the Mothfolk that are prevalent. These religions being Kuutaism and Tulipalism. (links coming soon)

Mothfolk are a species that are both serious and fun-loving in both age groups. Mothfolk tribes have to hunt to survive and often have a no-nonsense attitude toward slacking off in the tribe since thriving requires help from all parts of the tribe. Crippling physical or mental issues/injuries typically lead to the member of the tribe being “exiled” so as to not drag the tribe down. But despite this seemingly only serious demeanor, the Mothfolk tribes also love music and performance. It is not uncommon for there to be weekly performances of dance, song, or theatre that all members attend. This is seen as a way to build a strong connection in the tribe. The Modern Mothfolk adhere to whichever society they integrate with, but try to keep the performance-loving spirit alive with, for example, Kuun Juhla.

Kuun Juhla
Kuun Juhla is a festival that all Mothfolk celebrate which takes place in the first week of summer and lasts for three days. This festival is a celebration of surviving the wintertime and also a celebration of Mother Moth. The Mothfolk do not work during the day during this festival and stay up all night as a nod to their originally nocturnal nature. Day 1 (Sunday Night) is spent preparing for the festival. As soon as dusk settles in, the Mothfolk rise and decorate their homes and public spaces with yellows and blues. Celebratory foods such as sweet berry cakes, cured meats, and loaves of bread are baked/cooked on this night, or the dusk before the festival. On night 2 (Monday Night), Mothfolk don their festival clothing and gather in the decorated public areas to spend the night performing, dancing, eating, and socializing. Festivities begin before dusk but are in full swing as soon as dusk begins. Around midnight the ceremonial leader will give a speech then festivities resume and last until around 9 in the morning after which the attendees of the festival will clean up the public area and retire to their homes. On the third night (Tuesday night), the Mothfolk will spend their time alone or with those dear to them. The fourth night is when decorations are taken down and in the morning, the Mothfolk return to work.

Mothfolk Tribes
Mothfolk tribes are led by a monarchy with the queen leading the tribe. The queen has three advisors whom she can consult when creating laws or making important decisions. Female children are in high demand in the “royal” family, male children will often be put up for adoption or sent outside the tribe once they reach puberty, it depends on the attitude of the ruling queen. The tribes are quite behind on the times, often using iron tools and weapons, bows, shields, and wearing iron armor (in rare cases, enchanted iron armor). They live in treehouses made of wood which are only accessible by ladder or flight. Sexuality does not play a major role in society as long as the tribe continues to thrive. Gender, however, is a different beast. Since their society is matriarchal, those born as female are placed under pressure to become someone great who could possibly lead the tribe. Anyone wishing to transition to a male, could face pushback from the tribe.

The modern Mothfolk and elder Mothfolk have a strained relationship. Elder Mothfolk emphasize tradition which includes living in traditional tribes in forests and also emphasizes familial relationships. Their society is matriarchal. The modern Mothfolk wish to take on a life that is integrated with the other species around them and often move into cities. They emphasize living life to the fullest. These differences cause a disparity between the groups, but they are respectful toward each other. Mothfolk who move into cities often keep their Mothfolk name but take on a new name that fits with the society they chose to integrate with. So they will have two different names, one used with Mothfolk and one used in the society they integrate into. This is done more by Modern Mothfolk.

Treatment of the Dead
Treatment of the dead can vary between ethnic groups and generations, but the widely used method is called Vene. The body is cleaned and prepared with perfumes and extravagant burial robes, the body is then wrapped in silk. The preparation only takes place during nighttime and is done by professionals and those closest to the dead. Once there is a full moon or moonless night, the body is placed on a wooden boat of the dead’s favorite wood alongside their most prized possessions, flowers, and candles. Those attending the burial will say their final goodbyes and leave a small object with the body (usually a piece of gold, or something else valuable). A mage will then place protection spells on the boat and body before it is placed in a river or the ocean. The attendees will place small leaf or wood boats with flowers and candles in them in the water as well, and all watch as the boats float away. After Vene, the family of the deceased invites attendees over for a meal where they all discuss the deceased’s life and relations to each other. The meal is not a somber occasion, but a way to honor the life lost and provide comfort to those mourning.

Mating
One part of Mothfolk culture that sets them apart from their peers is their mating/courting. Mothfolk’s mating length depends on their subspecies/ethnic group, though the courting ritual remains the same across all with minor variation. The Mothfolk show their “person” of interest their romantic interest by gifting them items that are considered extremely valuable in Mothfolk culture. These items include lanterns, glowberries, glowing ink, glow lichen, shiny objects, and fine fabrics. After six to seven months of showering their “person” of interest in gifts and affection, if the affections are returned, the Mothfolk will move forward in their relationship with their mate and they will go on to the binding stage. In this stage, the Mothfolk and their mate will decide to “bind” in which each party exchanges a valuable item of choice (usually jewelry) to signify their bond to each other. If they choose not to bind, then the relationship lasts until its end. Binding is extremely sacred and not an action to be taken lightly. Bound relationships can end, though only with serious consideration from both parties. Mothfolk can cross reproduce, but the child will be one of the parent’s ethnic groups, with no mixing of traits. Mothfolk can reproduce with other species which leads to the child having a mix of both parent's species.

Clothing
Mothfolk typically wear loose and minimal clothing though depending on the climate they live in, the clothing style can vary. Since their bodies are segmented and have tufts of fur, most prefer to wear clothing that doesn’t catch. On the other end of the spectrum, some Mothfolk prefer to wear very covering, loose clothing (for example long skirts worn by all genders). This is prevalent in the Paikalla Mothfolk and Suolamaita Mothfolk. Mothfolk's clothing style often adapts to fit the climate and the styles around them (if living in a settlement). Dressing for the climate is especially important for Mothfolk living in areas with cold seasons due to their weakness to the cold.

Across all ethnic groups, there is a prevalence of “goggles” which shield their light-sensitive eyes from the sun and other harsh lights. These goggles also act as a “blocker” for their natural draw toward light and are often worn by Mothfolk who go out during the day, however, they are not perfect. The Nether renders these goggles moot due to the amount of light and heat in that dimension, for this reason, Mothfolk avoid it. Hairstyling for Mothfolk focuses on function with a touch of fashion.

Education
Most Mothfolk are literate or have some sort of basic education since they value knowledge of the world around them, many attempt to learn other languages. Their parents are responsible for their larvae’s education whether they are home-schooled, sent to the city’s school, or simply left in the wild to learn by the land. Due to their drive for exploration and knowledge, most become merchants, traveling performers, or anything that will let them complete this. They love to trade to gain new objects of interest.

Naming
The Mothfolk naming system is quite simple, the first name is chosen by the parents and can have religious ties or simply be any connection with nature. The last name is also tied with nature. For example, the last name Kukkula means hill which likely means the bloodline originated in a hilly area. Mothfolk will often choose a “new” name when integrating with new societies to fit in better. However, if there is a significant Mothfolk population in the nation, they will often keep their Mothfolk name and use that with the other Mothfolk.

Food
Mothfolk food is plant and fibrous material based for the most part. They can consume meats, but their bodies are not built for it as well as they are for plant based foods so they can become sick if they consume too much.

One common snack/street food for the Mothfolk is fried wool balls. These wool balls are breaded then deep fried in a plant oil and topped with plant based sauces. The sauces are regional depending on the nature around the the Mothfolk. Some are spicy, some are sweet, some are salty, it depends on the sauce.