Rachtoh Silk

Summary

Naturally named after the rachtoh who create it, their silk is an incredible material. They utilize it for everything from construction, to clothes making, hunting, and more. Remarkable insulation, variable tensile strengths, and a strong receptiveness toward magical enchanting leave it truly versatile. In such a light, their unique sensibilities become much more understandable, as rachtoh have virtually everything they 'need' to start working on something. All it takes is an inventive mind to put it to use. It would be their silk's usage in textiles that made it truly world-famous across Veltrona.   The silk can produce a variety of clothes both ceremonial and highly functional. It is both comfortable and capable of keeping the wearer protected, and quilted/padded armos perform far above their weight class. Combined with armorers and higher quality materials, some of the best warriors, fighters, knights, and more fashioned themselves with rachtoh silk. All sorts of royalties, nobilities, rich and affluent person sought it out more and more, filling their wardrobes with luxurious clothes that were as much works of art as statements of wealth. The problem throughout time has been access to the rachtoh themselves.   Frequent targets of slave-raiding and forced labor, they were made to produce their silk, if not weave clothing itself. The already communal-minded rachtoh bowed under this pressure to save their kin, but violent oppression and torture eventually shoved them toward rebelling. These events spread far and wide in their cultures, fueling a deep-seated xenophobia and a rejection of outsiders. It wouldn't be until the Imperium and its downfall would major rachtoh civilizations open their doors once again. They found through mutual oppression a common ground with some others, particularly humankind. Some chose to open up, such as in Rotalhm. Others remain guarded as exploitation tried to grasp hold once more.   It can be said much of their wares, if not stamped and credited otherwise, carries innocent blood on every bolt of silk. For better or worse, that is the history of their silk among many civilizations.   Being a natural product, the rachtoh and weaving are one and the same. All of them can, to some extent, fashion their own clothing and some reach a skill beyond many others' in that respect. Those who pursue it as a more meaningful art or craft can produce attires that suit people like a second skin. Some of these craftswomen open their stores to others, and their custom-order wares command fearsome attention. Money easily stops being an obstacle, and the best stores look for qualifications beyond just wealth.   For many more, though, it is the military applications that are tremendously impressive. If treated correctly, rachtoh silk can form ridiculously durable weaves. Highly resistant to piercing and slashing methods, their insulation wards off fire and cold well, while also offering a barrier against wind. In the greatest of rachtoh strongholds, their warriors have silk-woven armor that can put platemail to shame while having none of its downsides. These light armors are fiercely desired, and can sometimes be more of a luxury to acquire than even royally-ordered articles. A mistress rachtoh weaver and an equivalent enchantress might produce truly world-class equipment if the circumstances are right.   It can be of no surprise how often the silk shows up in magical contexts. Lessening the burden of armor while offering protection means more space for reagents, spell materials, or otherwise. In fact the relationship between silk and mage is so intertwined it's often considered something belonging to their domain. Heavy armored mages and the like do exist much more commonly, though, given the expenses surrounding the silk. There is some mysticism saying the silk is better for conducting magic, but it has no intrinsic nature to do so. Rather, mages may do better because of the light weight and freedom of movement, if anything. The rest is just pompous attitude to secure more of it for themselves.