[hider=Moth Lore]

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[center][h3][color=fff79a]Overview[/color][/h3][/center]

North of the All Tree, shrouded by the fog and growth of the forest live a rare race of man collectively called the Lepikari, or more simply, the Mothfolk. The Lepikari have long lived in the forest for just barely over a century, and their origin is mysterious, even to themselves, however, it is commonly believed by their priests and mages that they were set on this world to be a force of balance among the other races. These claims are highly disputed by long ranking scholars as their presence has only recently been noticed just over fifty years ago.

[center][h3][color=fff79a]Biology[/color][/h3][/center]

When the Lepikari are in their youth to early adult hood, they tend to be shorter than the average man, but as they mature, their height can be near 7 foot tall. Lepikari have a wide wingspan, making them capable of swift flight, although they prefer bipedal travel and use flight only when necessary. While it is unknown why, Lepikari have one major difference between one another aside from basic appearance, that being that some possess four arms, while others only have 2. While most Moth Folk are white in fur, they often do come in a wide range of colors and patterns, the more exotic colors being of younger generations. They are omnivorous and will generally munch on anything they consider food.

[center][h3][color=fff79a]Lifestyle[/color][/h3][/center]

Living separated from society for so long, the Moth Folk are very technologically behind. Most of their labor is by hand and rarely by magic as they have not reached full realization of their powers yet.

The Lepikari live in a cottage core styled village sprawled with differing sizes of cabins, cottages, and tents. Many of the houses were adopted from the style of men and elf, however with the limited resources the Moth Folk have, they look more natural and earthly. Schools are not present in the village, as parents are expected to teach their children everything they need to do, however there are sanctioned areas deeper in the woods where young mages can be taught how to harness their abilities.

[center][h3][color=fff79a]History[/color][/h3][/center]

The Lepikari were a solitary race who used their proficient knowledge in illusion, water, and light magic to lead any potential threat away from their land by shrouding the woods in a thick fog which tricks the traveler into returning the direction they came or getting lost. They had lived this way for nearly a century after finding their consciousness, sure that the outside world was scarier than anything that lived in the woods. They lived years considering outsiders as dangerous. They performed in a Gerontocracy where the elders lead the village.

It took nearly a century for the Moth Folk to branch out from their lands, when a young Moth woman named Gresia Wind-Wood convinced the village elders to allow her to form a small caravan to establish basic diplomacy with other races. They met many of the big nations, travelling first to the All Tree to visit the Elves and ended with the Dwarves.

Returning after near two months of travelling, the crew returned to the shrouded village to inform the elders what had been learned. They had made many friends during the trip and surely had established themselves as a race worthy of note. Gresia had managed to convince the elders to allow more caravans to form as an annual trip to ensure diplomacy. However, as their ranks grew, so did their thirst for knowledge and desire for advancement. Gresia started a chain reaction of events that lead the Lepikari as a more diplomatic/scholar centered race.

However, Gresia's great deeds did not grow without consequence. Since their discovery, many caravans of Moth Folk had been raided by bandits who stole their goods and imprisoned their people. The males were sold as a token slave, while the females were often sold into sex work. Despite the elders wishes, Gresia managed to continue her caravans for years, now using hired guards to defend their group.

Fifty years had passed and Gresia had established herself as an Elder easily after her amazing feats. She guides the village as the head leader, and continues her caravans, even at the age of 87. She promises to pass her legacy down to one of her grandchildren, however, many of them are showing their desire to leave the village...

[center][h3][color=fff79a]Religion and Magic[/color][/h3][/center]

While the Lepikari are not particularly the most technologically advanced and in touch with the world around them, they make up for it in intellect and magic. Many of their kind are proficient in what they refer to as "Moon-Magic", as what they are capable of performing is natural magic specifically limited to the properties of the moon, such as: Water, Plant, Light, Shadow, and certain branches of spirit magic.

As a result of this, they very religiously believe in the Goddess of the moon and worship her. Many believe she brought them to this world to be a counterbalance to the war and negativity in the world. A water to the blistering flame. These claims are not validated, however they are strong in a Moth Folk's belief.

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