On Sericulture

To make silk is not the action of spinning a thread, caring for a worm, or weaving a cloak. To make silk is an act of piety, an invocation to the Ancestors, a sign of respect to the Divines, and a communion to the fjyron of moth. The cloak you wear is no dead and empty yarn, but a song unwound, receptive to the inner world. Therefore, when practicing the noble art of sericulture and the weaving of silks, one must heed the words of the master, and not stray from the path of ceremony and tradition, lest the thread you spin is abominable. In this text, I, Siso of the clan Mesorath, have gathered the words and wisdom of the hermits, that it may be a guide to the initiate.

These are the spirits of Moth as may be known by the initiate.

The Gypsy-Moth 
The lowest and most common of the spirits, prone to wander. The lesser spirits are many, and it is not demanded to record lineage. The Gypsy feeds on offal and bonemeal, but avoids the remnants of man or bull. Their silk is coarse and strong, ill-suited for dyes and precise work. Their issue is used to make simple cloth for the common man and his industries. It may be made into sailor-silk, which is good for sails and ropes. The Gypsy-Moth cannot hold the fjyron of man or beast, and to boil the worm in extraction is no misdeed, provided one speaks the proper mantra.

The Sphinx-Moth 
A good and obedient spirit. The Sphinx is loyal, but ignorant of its station. It is demanded to name and record first-born, so that the spirit is pleased - if not, the thread may be warped. The Sphinx will feed on the remnants of beasts, and prefers domesticated over those of the jungle. Its issue is fine and pliant, and takes well to bright and pleasing dyes, but is ill-suited to use or the arts. The Sphinx may hold the fjyron of simple beasts, and is valued by the Totem Societies. It is demanded that the first-born be extracted with care, and live. Others of a brood may be boiled, provided one speaks the proper mantra.

The Glyph-Moth 
An unruly and arrogant spirit. The Glyph recoils from the cadaver, and feeds on the written word: book, scroll and text. Superior cloth may be created by providing a careful selection of culturally superior and beneficial literature, like the Imperial codici. It is not demanded to record lineage, for this family has good memory of its own. The Glyph-Moth is a dangerous and rebellious spirit, and discipline must be maintained. Its silk is coarse and brittle, difficult to use, but holds great potential for arts and, when used in paper, may make magical scrolls of great power.

The Luna-Moth 
A rare and pious spirit, that has dedicated itself to the Divine Dibella. The Luna is transformed in devotion, so that it has no mouth or digestive organs. Thus, it exist only to copulate, then perish of starvation. In this, it honors the Divine Dibella greatly. The silk of the Luna is to be used in sacred vestments and the bedsheets of newlyweds. The Luna is to be cultivated by priests and honorables of the Orders, and as such, is often mistreated as these are ignorant. Yet try to record lineage, for thread may be warped.

The Ancestor-Moth 
Greatest and most powerful of the spirits of Moth, the Ancestor-moth is the willing carrier of the fjyron of mankind. It is required to record proper lineage in all cases. The Ancestor-Moth may only feed on the bodies of mortals, and, in consuming their flesh, will absorb the fjyron, the will to peace, of the deceased and the continuum of ancestors. The silk of the Ancestor-Moth holds dyes of all kinds most excellently, and it is well-suited to even the most ambitious applications of the arts - there is no enchantment it cannot hold. This silk may only be used in the creation of Ancestor-Cloth, which, by transcribing the proper lineage, may then become a focal point of the fjyron of one's ancestors, who will aid and abet the wearer. To use the issue of the Ancestor-Moth for any other purpose is an abomination. Furthermore, the worm may not be boiled or harmed in any way, and the silk must be harvested by hand, with great care, by unspooling the cocoons. This can be accomplished by the proper mantras, and the usage of soothing alchemicals, and proper encouragement for the nascent moth.