In a deep thicket of a wooded vale in the Endless Forest, I came across a group of particularly chatty Spideresses. They sat and chatted while weaving tapestries for what they said would fetch a good price when they go to market. They wove stories into the intricate patterns of the lace-like tapestries using their obvious mastery of the silks to achieve the negative and positive space gaps needed to accurately create a picture. But they worked with seemingly impossible speed. I deftly asked if they had “preferred materials” they liked to work with, not wanting to insult them by asking if they used their own webs. They proceeded to tell me about Catterwhops silk and its adhesive properties, making it quite difficult to work with outside of the most rudimentary of techniques. They explained that moonworm silks were nice, but without something to tether to from their realm they tended to unravel into light. Sky spider silk was nice to work with, but difficult to come by and anyone worth a wit would know they were “spiders” only in name. Oil ox hair was unusable for weaving as it would not stay together because of how slippery it was. It also stains the fabric around it. Thistle beetle silk is a nice alternative to sky spider silk, but the overall blending of the always present undertone of tan/brown could make a piece dingy no matter what dye was used. The listing of materials went on for some time, as did the opinions of each. Eventually the original question was forgotten, and which materials were better for what became the topic of debate. I tried a few times to ask other questions but the debate of best tapestries in the Great Oak Halls came up and there was no interrupting that when all of them were talking and no one listened. I left the vale saying my goodbyes and thanking them for their time. I am honestly not sure they noticed.
Okay! Hello! Goodbye!
(Image Credit Instagram @LunarInkwell)