Silken Moss, as the name indicates, forms carpets of a soft, silken plant that covers the forest floor. It is most commonly found in the northern part of the Sarvonian continent, especially in the dark groves of the Shaded Forest where it is also known as "Wood Carpet".

Image description. A carpet of Silken Moss covering the ground of the Paelelon. Drawn by Isilhir.

Appearance. Silken Moss grows in thick, soft sheets of vegetation, covering the forest floor in shaded, woody areas. It grows especially well in humid climates like those that may be found around waterfalls, lakes, ponds, rivers and even small streams. It is a close relative of the Xeua’taean Moss from the Quallian Forest, but unlike its cousin, this moss has no magic uses.

The growth itself of the moss may resemble short hairs, or even fur. The stalks are short and crowd very close together, giving the moss its characteristic fuzzy look.

The carpets of moss may be of a wide variety of colors, ranging from lime green to rust-red, depending on the season and the climate. The Silken Moss reacts to the quantity of available humidity by changing its hue, depending upon the presence of water in the soil and the humidity of the air; the more humid it is, the greener the moss.

In spring the Silken Moss is usually light green in color and covered with long-stemmed, small yellow flowers with seven petals. The petals are tear-shaped, the rounded part going toward the center of the flower, and the point flaring outward. The stems of the flowers have no leaves, and it looks as though the tiny flowers are floating atop thin hairs rather than stems. These dainty mossflowers are called "Silver Stars" (Stýrash ilaról miés'efér, ilaról miés'efér) by the Injerín elves.

During the summer the moss changes from light green toward a deeper green colour, then begins to shade into yellow as it becomes drier, until it reaches a fiery orange in the autumn. During the winter the moss lies dormant, and during its dormancy is a deep rust-red shade. It is quite a sight when the snow melts and the carpets of red are uncovered and slowly shading into light green again!

Territory. Silken Moss needs a certain humidity in the air to survive, so it will be found anywhere close to a source of water, or under shady trees where the humidity is conserved even during the driest of days. Yet it is not a bog or marsh plant and will die if it is covered entirely with water. It is found over all the northern part of the Sarvonian continent, and is especially abundant in the Shaded Forest.

Usages. Silken Moss can be dried and used for burning in fireplaces where it produces a quite large amount of heat. This is due to two qualities of the moss: the soft growth which forms the body of the moss when dried will catch fire as easily as dried grass, while the tangled root system that retains humidity will burn slowly as wood.

The moss is quite absorbent and fibrous, and can be used in the same ways as other mosses - for filling cushions, diapering babies, in the privy, or scrubbing pots when cooking away from one's own hearth.

The moss bear uses this kind of moss to cover the inside of its lair, and it is this habit that has given this particular bear its name. It is not rare for this bear to have certain spots in the forest where it collects moss, and it will defend those spots against other bears if needed.