Fethian Silk

As an exceptionally tough material, Fethian silk is used in many ways. Most notably it is used to make very strong rope for critical applications, and in the clothing of the wealthy. It does not make particularly comfortable clothing, as it is very stiff, but even thin clothing made from it can serve as a form of textile armor that can be made more elegant and thinner than conventional textile armor. It is also much cooler, and absorbs less water, and so is far more suited to tropical environments. Therefore it is often worn by nobility who are worried about assassins or expect to be called to a duel at a moments notice. The rarity of the material also means it serves as a status symbol. Clothing made from this material tends to be elegantly designed, but the designs are usually formed by textured weaving of the material, as it does not take dyes well. Its natural color varies between off white and brown.

The raw vines need to be carefully separated and re-woven to create the silk. This is done initially by dissolving the vines in a corrosive mixture. This removes the tough outer bark and begins to separate the fibers. The tightly bound structure of the fibers prevents the corrosive from dissolving more than the outer layer however, and leaving the vines to completely absorb the strong corrosive would destroy the product, so the fibers have to be constantly pulled off the vines and then cleaned of the corrosive. This is a dangerous and difficult process. The separated fibers may then be re-woven, into whatever textile is desired.

Fethian silk is very valuable for its unique properties, but is very rare due to the difficulty in obtaining the raw material and of manufacture. As such, it is extremely expensive and few trade in it.