MOTHPEOPLE
Moths.gif
Mothperson
Genus: Bombycidae Lucerna Amans
Homeworld: Lampetus
Central Authority: Subservient to United Earth Government
Allowed Command Roles: Not defined
Guides: No external guides


With a taste for clothing and a fascination with things that are bright, mothpeople are sentient, nonhuman winged insects hired by Nanotransen to fill in gaps in their human workforce. They are barred from serving in command roles, and they are not protected by Asimov's laws of robotics.

History

Mothpeople have only recently come into contact with humans, back in 2522. Nanotransen officials got word of a planet with incredibly large plasma deposits, deep underground. A team was dispatched to investigate and shortly after, a mining operation was set up. Shortly after digging started, the mothpeople started flocking towards the giant floodlights lighting up the planet's dark surface. The miners initially mistook them for common pests, but were taken aback once they started talking and showing signs of high intelligence, even bringing tools of their own to help maintain the floodlights. They did not interfere with the operation despite being so affixed to the lights, so they were usually left alone. Basic interspecies communication was eventually established, cementing the mothpeople as a potential asset (a nonhuman asset, but an asset nonetheless).

A few months into the mining operation, they finally reached what they were searching for: the plasma deposits. However, they weren't nearly as large as initially perceived. Worse yet, the miners unearthed something far worse: Spiders.

Giant spiders came out in droves and started overpowering the miners, killing several and injuring far more. The spiders, however, were preyed upon by the mothpeople for their delicious silk, which was a rare delicacy to them. Mothpeople came in droves, assisting the miners in the fight against the spiders. In the end, they succeeded in killing the tide of spiders, after which the mothpeople began to storm the cave and eat all of the webs.

In the end, the miners were able to harvest what little plasma they netted. The miners were then commended for their bravery in the fight against the spiders, and the mothpeople started negotiations with Nanotransen until the Species Equality Act was signed in 2550, granting them the right to work for them.

Roleplay

Mothperson names are based on scientific names. Examples include Nymphicula Semicana, Hyalophora Empyrea, and Uranophora Intolerabilis. There are no restrictions on what name a mothperson can use so long as they conform to standard naming rules, so naming a mothperson based on the scientific name format is not required.

Though mothpeople do have a sense of camaraderie between them, they don't often form communities between them like lizards do. If two mothpeople have the same wing pattern, they're very likely to show much more respect towards each other than normal, as that would mean they come from the same background. Humans often don't pay as much mind to mothpeople as they do to other nonhuman races, though there are some that believe that mothpeople are unclean, moronic beings, and as such treat them with far less respect, sometimes even less than lizards.

Mothpeople mostly have a very welcoming and easygoing demeanor, though they can be just as diverse as humans personality-wise. Certain wing patterns can cause a mothperson to have different personalities. You won't often see a friendly Deathshead mothperson.

Gameplay

Mothpeople subsist on a diet of vegetables, dairy, and cloth, and will get very sick if they eat meat. They slash with their claws when they attack people much like lizardpeople, but this does no additional damage. They also flutter their words when talking.

Mothpeople also have wings that they can use to fly around when gravity goes out. These wings are very flammable, however, and will be rendered useless if burnt enough. Their eyes are incredibly susceptible to light, and a single flash will have a moth on the ground for a while, with or without eye protection.

Also, don't drink the bartender's bug spray.

Lore

Lampetus, the mothpeople's homeworld, is a cold and dark planet with a thin atmosphere and unique, bizarre vegetation. Gravity is very low, allowing mothpeople to fly freely despite their weak wings. Fauna is mostly comprised of insects, both small and large.

Mothpeople have a vaguely tribal culture, separated into wing patterns. Some are more... spotty than others. Despite this, all previous labels that wings have carried are nearly forgotten. However, some of the more prideful moths will still opt to treat these moths how they always were treated.

Plain/Monarch/Luna/Atlas/Rugged wings are the most common varieties, found in most parts of their homeworld. And as such, most mothpeople are neutral towards those with these wing varieties.

Reddish and Royal wing patterns are a symbol of royalty among moths, as they come from the wealthiest breed. They will often get treated with higher respect than other moths.

Gothic and Lovers wings come from the homeworld's darker subsects (quite literally), and as such get lots of bad rumors thrown around about them.

White Fly moths are viewed as bottom feeders, even amongst other moths. Expect discrimination.

Firewatch and Deathshead moths are infamous for being hostile in the past, Deathshead moths especially. Some moths may be wary around those with these patterns.

Poison and Moon Fly moths are Rugged and Luna moths that have crossbred with other moth factions. Some of the most spiteful moths may look down upon them.

Snow moths are from the homeworld's colder areas. They're the second most common wing pattern behind the Plain variants. They're treated similarly to them.

Despite their tribal culture, mothpeople are surprisingly civilized. They've built large cities, made their own scientific breakthroughs, and some wealthier breeds nearly even began to research space travel before Nanotransen showed up.