By Stuart Ellis (s.ellis1@lancaster.ac.uk)
In their home realms Shadow Moths are just mindless scavengers that consume the remains of anything which has become too corrupted by entropy, and are probably eaten in turn by other entities. On Earth they can be devastating because a swarm will rapidly cover and absorb any object which is already tainted by entropy. Strangely, contact with Shadow Moths accelerates the rate at which entropy increases. The result is similar to a powerful Erode Matter (Entropy 3) effect as the moths land on the oldest or most decayed object in the vicinity and reduce it to dry powder before flying on to the next meal.
Items with unusual amounts of Quintessence appear to be particularly attractive. Talismans are often the first target, especially if they use Entropy magicks or their physical form is weakening, but the traces of power which cling to Foci also make them choice morsels. Spirits and the living are safe unless they are severely corrupted, like terminal cancer patients, mages of Entropy and Fomori. If there is nothing more tempting in the vicinity then such beings will be engulfed and slowly absorbed. This is quite painless but does one die of aggravated damage per dot of Entropy or Taints that the victim possesses as the dark threads in their Pattern grow and the moths feast.
Swarms do not have Traits as such because they don't do anything except eat and fly. Individual moths will be killed automatically by any attack which hits them, but they have good enough instincts to dodge (swatting a moth has a Difficulty of 9) and each swarm consists of several dozen. Entropy, Life and Mind magicks are probably useless, but Forces could be helpful, and sunlight repels them (although it does no damage). In most realms Paradox will stop the moths reproducing and totally annihilate them within hours.
Not surprisingly, the more reckless and knowledgable Nephandi often consider using Shadow Moths against the Technocracy. However they can only be summoned in areas with a low Gauntlet by characters with the appropriate Lore, Spirit 2 and Entropy 1. A separate Spirit 4 effect is needed to actually control them, and without it the summoner is likely to become the first victim.