Moth Pony

== General ==
The seers of the eastern wilds, consumed by past and prophecy. Moth ponies are guided by Luna through dreams and by their ancestors through stories they've shared. 
== Moth Pony Creation Guide ==
The information listed below is integral to making a moth pony character. We ask you to prioritize our worldbuilding, these facts must be kept in mind even when deviating from societal norms. 
=== Appearance ===
The tiny body of a moth pony is covered in fuzz that grows thick around their neck like a mane. Their legs, too, are fuzzy but short like velvet. Long antennae stand tall from their foreheads, often poking through what little mane they may have grown. While extended, their wings resemble that of a moths but function a bit differently, as they are capable of folding at the pony's side. In place of a tail, they have an abdomen, which is large at birth but slowly shrinks as their wings develop.
=== Naming Scheme ===
Moth ponies will always have a first and last name. While there is no set structure for the first, the second is more complicated. It's a family name, typically a two part compound word that references something significant in the family lore. (EX. Redwillow, Longsight, Starglide) 
=== Cutiemarks and Capabilities ===
Moth ponies do not receive cutiemarks or have spellcasting abilities. Moth ponies can fly as well as have prophetic magic. This magic manifests through dreams and is universal for all moth ponies. Stronger magic is usually dictated by how soon the premonition is set and how clear, most moth ponies do not have visions that are immediately relevant to them or their families. The majority of visions revolve a few generations out.
=== Diet and Wakefulness ===
Moth ponies are nocturnal herbivores.
== Society ==
The information found below is also very important to the character creation process, it is everything your OC would have been exposed to throughout their lives, it's what they know best, whether or not they fit that societal norm.
=== Values and Demeanor ===
Led by both their family history and prophetic dreams, moth ponies are unique in world view. Familial past influences the culture of any given moth pony community a great deal, making no two communes identical. The eldest family members are lorekeepers, using notable stories from their ancestors and their own lived experiences as a guideline. They interpret their prophecies through the lens of their past, leading to a lot of superstition. Families will have traits or situations that are to be avoided at all costs. Some may avoid ponies with a certain eye color, some may avoid ones who speak too much about the color yellow, it can get very obscure and complicated fast. Traits that run in certain families have exaggerated significance, what makes a moth different from the bulk of their family, for better or worse, is always going to stand out more than anything else. 
Their often conflicting cultures have left them isolated as their social norms come off as exclusive and contrived to most of Equestria. They don't seek out trade or any other relations with the other Equestrian provinces, they are self sustainable and reserved. They aren't wholly cut off, though, as their territory sits between the Somnia Republic and their closest allies, the icarids in the Waxen Wood. Moth ponies have pre-approved routes the two species are allowed to use to safely traverse their lands. They are friendly with their neighbors but that is where it ends, they are hardly allies. 
Moth pony dreams are a complicated thing, unlike any other form of magic. Each day, as the moths turn in for rest, they dream. And these dreams contain prophecies of the future, every time. Often they are vague, very few have a clear vision and even fewer see things relevant to themselves. Moth ponies value proximity over clarity. A dream of kaleidoscope colors, half silent whispers, and muddy impressions is supposed to come to fruition the next day is always going to be more important, to the moth ponies, than a dream of a clear scene with wholly recognizable figures months in the future. While clear dreams are undervalued, they are not disregarded, all dreams shared with the elders are dreams worth noting. Elders often take in a family member with the closest visions as something of a spiritual leader, someone to help keep Luna in mind with their judgement making. 
=== Religion and Traditions ===
The dreams moth ponies receive visions through are thought to be Luna herself, an aspect of her taking up space in their unwaking mind. She is, in their eyes, the passage of time itself and every event that falls within it. Where most species vilify Celestia and Cadence in one way or another, the two have nearly zero presence in moth pony scriptures. They are wholly absent and moth ponies often won't recognize their names unless they've directly interacted with other species. Typically, they just assume "Cadence" and "Celestia" are names for Luna within other cultures rather than other entities all together.
While Her will is vague as the hoof She guides with, Luna is regarded as their one true leader. As the dreams help their communities through hardship and conflict, both external and internal. The elders are just ponies who have known her the longest and, by extension, have the clearest understanding of that will.
Communes are typically are made up of families, making romance a bit of a difficult topic for homebodies. Young moth ponies are encouraged to travel between communes, where they're welcomed by open arms and are encouraged to learn about the histories of each community they visit. Should they meet someone they wish to marry, the pair will decide which commune to call home. Their families will meet before approving the wedding, comparing their histories and familial lore. This will take a few days most of the time, as Luna commands they be thorough. Very rarely will they find something worth calling off the wedding but it is not unheard of. The weddings themselves, and all the traditions within it, vary from commune to commune.
When a moth pony reaches the end of its life, it isn't uncommon for the community to know weeks in advance. They will go out of their way to cater to the needs of the individual and taking extra time to get to know them. When their time does come, their funeral is a fully personalized party. The celebration lasts for three days followed by another three days of grieving. 
While moth ponies celebrate all Lunar holidays, most of their traditions and holidays beyond those are specific to each commune. No two community calendars are the same! 
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=== Politics and History ===
Moth ponies are governed by their eldest generation, what this means in specifics changes from commune to commune. Most often, though, they form a group known as an Elder Council and hold meetings to discuss community needs and decision making. Meetings are private, held in the same place they keep their family lore documented. The only ponies allowed to sit in on these meetings that aren't elders themselves are the ponies they choose to be Luna's eyes on the matter. These chosen ponies are named Oracles and there is typically only one or two at a time.
Moth ponies are fairly inactive in terms of events in greater Equestria. Because of this, they have not impacted Equestrian history much at all. Most moth pony communes only teach their own history and the history of their most immediate neighbors.