[Baaljagg]

OK so we are all aware the the Moranth are incredibly different to other related races in their behaviour and appearance, they are never seen by other races without their armour. It is implied that they never take it off. This presents some problems, questions and theories.

1. They could have chitinous bodies from which the armour grows. However the biggest problem with this theory is that they are not an insectile race, they are in fact related to humans and barghast etc. So, if somehow they had become insectile, it could be through some kind of ritual, but this is never referred to in any publication.

2. The Moranth could wear very tight fitting leathers with the chitinous scales attached, so that they can be removed and repaired when necessary, and to enable healing and medical procedures if a wound is taken. Problem I think with this theory is that the armour must require a lot of maintenance and time time without the armour on.

3. The armour could be physically attached to their skin with some kind of adhesive, or piercing like procedure. I think this is the more likely theory. It is known that the Moranth wear insectile armour, ride giant insects etc and obviously feel akin in some way to insects (including their language). Perhaps Could Forest is home to many insect species that the Moranth have domesticated. Insects are capable of producing adhesive substances to build hives and nests etc, so it is quite plausible that an insect produced adhesive (which would be very strong) could be used to fuse the armour onto the skin of the Moranth. Further more, the Moranth may use the chitinous bodies of Cloud Forest insects to make their armour from, or train insects to produce them.

But again, this raises questions into my mind as to the practicality of having such armour fused onto your skin. Basic stuff like who the hell do they get laid with all that armour in the way, and how would a Moranth give birth?!?! So that got me thinking perhaps only certain Moranth wear armour, such as warriors of various types as indicated by the caste colour system. The Moranth come across as being rather a-sexual, we just have no idea whether they are male or female because of all the armour. Perhaps the Moranth imitate their insect inspirations with the strucure of their society - the caste system implies this. There may be the Mothers, who stay in the hive/home and produce children with males who fertilise them. There would be a caste which act as nursery workers, who raise the children. There would be workers, or craftsmen for whom the armour would be an impediment when crafting finely wrought tools and items. Then there are farmers, who again have no use for armour.

Has anyone else spent time thinking about this? If so what are your thoughts on the Moranth?

[D'rek]

As you point out, it may be that Moranth who do not leave Cloud Forest don't wear the armour (or at least not all the time). From what we've seen they are a very closed society - they only leave the forest in particular groups (we never see wandering lone Moranth) and they don't export their best inventions (Red Bolts). So it would make sense that they have a policy of constantly wearing the chitinous armour while outside the Forest so outsiders never see what's underneath.

The most interesting case study is Jumpy/Nait and the gold moranth woman soldier from RotCG. After Nait saves her, the gold moranth implies sexy times with Nait. This would lead one to believe that the armour can be removed, or at least modified somehow so that sexy times with a human male is possible. Heuk has to go ahead and ruin our attempts at learning more by telling Nait that the armour never comes off, for life, but then afterwards admits he doesn't know at all and was just pulling Nait's leg.

[Baaljagg]

D, on 27 August 2011 - 01:42 PM, said:

As you point out, it may be that Moranth who do not leave Cloud Forest don't wear the armour (or at least not all the time). From what we've seen they are a very closed society - they only leave the forest in particular groups (we never see wandering lone Moranth) and they don't export their best inventions (Red Bolts). So it would make sense that they have a policy of constantly wearing the chitinous armour while outside the Forest so outsiders never see what's underneath.

I wonder if you were to see a lone wandering Moranth without armour, would you even know if it was a Moranth? Without armour they could probably spy upon other cultures without them ever suspecting a thing (as long as they didn't speak in clicks and buzzes!)

D, on 27 August 2011 - 01:42 PM, said:

The most interesting case study is Jumpy/Nait and the gold moranth woman soldier from RotCG. After Nait saves her, the gold moranth implies sexy times with Nait. This would lead one to believe that the armour can be removed, or at least modified somehow so that sexy times with a human male is possible. Heuk has to go ahead and ruin our attempts at learning more by telling Nait that the armour never comes off, for life, but then afterwards admits he doesn't know at all and was just pulling Nait's leg.

Yes, that was a tantalising encounter indeed, I was disappointed that sub-story didn't go any further. And annoying that just as we thought we were learning something about such a secular society (and indeed an individual) we were cut off. Perhaps there was reason for that, and we shall discover more one day.

*Dreams of a Moranth novel*

[D'rek]

Oh, and at the last SE Q&A for the Tor re-read I tried to ask him what the Red Moranth specialize in (you know, Gold: army, Black: flying marines, Green: merchant/trade/flying people, Blue: seafaring, Silver: Mages) but he either didn't understand or ignored it...

[Baaljagg]

That's a real shame, I would like to know that too. Perhaps alchemists?

[Sinisdar Toste]

Baaljagg, on 27 August 2011 - 09:23 PM, said:

That's a real shame, I would like to know that too. Perhaps alchemists?

hm, that actually seems plausible. after all,

Spoiler

the grand poobah of moranth munitions is called the red-bolt

This post has been edited by Sinisdar Toste: 28 August 2011 - 06:30 AM

[worry]

I like the idea of a story involving a lone Moranth. I also wonder if they'll be involved in the Darujhistan novel or the Karsa books. Also, because I don't recall, do the Moranth practice/forsake sorcery?

[Kanese S's]

In RotCG, didn't

Spoiler

the armor have to partially come off for the moranth woman to be healed?

[Kanubis]

Remember in MoI it turns out that there's bad feeling between the Barghast and Moranth due to their cultures splitting at some time in the past, probably due to arguments over the morality of Quorl-bothering or somesuch.

Therefore it's clear enough that they're basically humanoid and mammal and stuff, and not freaky insect people with real chitin.

[Baaljagg]

Sinisdar Toste, on 28 August 2011 - 06:30 AM, said:

hm, that actually seems plausible. after all,

Spoiler

the grand poobah of moranth munitions is called the red-bolt

Yeah that's what made me think of it. I'd like to see on in action. Perhaps we will at some point.

[Baaljagg]

Kanese S, on 28 August 2011 - 08:55 AM, said:

In RotCG, didn't

Spoiler

the armor have to partially come off for the moranth woman to be healed?

Ah yes I think the

Spoiler

armour was certainly manipulated for healing, I don't remember it being removed though.

I'll have to look that one up. Can you remember what part of the book that is in?

[Kanese S's]

Towards the end, as I recall.

[Baaljagg]

worrywort, on 28 August 2011 - 08:52 AM, said:

Also, because I don't recall, do the Moranth practice/forsake sorcery?

It's the Silver Moranth which use sorcery.

Kanese S, on 29 August 2011 - 12:15 AM, said:

Towards the end, as I recall.

Thanks, I'll begin the search.

This post has been edited by Baaljagg: 30 August 2011 - 11:49 AM

[Azathmaster]

D, on 27 August 2011 - 01:42 PM, said:

As you point out, it may be that Moranth who do not leave Cloud Forest don't wear the armour (or at least not all the time). From what we've seen they are a very closed society - they only leave the forest in particular groups (we never see wandering lone Moranth) and they don't export their best inventions (Red Bolts). So it would make sense that they have a policy of constantly wearing the chitinous armour while outside the Forest so outsiders never see what's underneath.

The most interesting case study is Jumpy/Nait and the gold moranth woman soldier from RotCG. After Nait saves her, the gold moranth implies sexy times with Nait. This would lead one to believe that the armour can be removed, or at least modified somehow so that sexy times with a human male is possible. Heuk has to go ahead and ruin our attempts at learning more by telling Nait that the armour never comes off, for life, but then afterwards admits he doesn't know at all and was just pulling Nait's leg.

Im pretty sure that he says something about Tourmaline (the gold moranth lady) paying him to say it doesnt come off or something like that so it might actually be theory 2