The Szjna-cyvani (loosely: "gang of witches") are a lesser but distinctive clan of Chitin Queens that resembles anthropomorphic, androgynous gypsy moths. They are known as diligent engineers and charming tricksters, with a design aesthetic which most other Chitins -- and many other Mess residents -- find pleasantly exotic. They are semi-nomadic and hiveless, a rare behavior among the Queens. Even more unusual, their migrations lead them to spend as much time in Downwarp as they do in Top.
The "gypsies" are also non-hierarchical (at least amongst themselves) and very independent-minded by insectoid standards. Their society is better described as a "sisterhood." There are no workers nor drones, and its members are largely free to do as they please. There are few assigned social tasks or roles (though the race's nature leads most of them to pursue similar interests). Besides following the absurdly elaborate code of behavior one expects from all Chitin Queens, a Szjna member's only obligation -- a very strict one -- is to attend nightly communions in the forests of Top. In this matter, they lack the insidious subtlety of their cousins: intruders are never converted nor subverted, but simply wired to Sjzna psychosensory gadgetry, subjected to awful phantasmagoric torments, and let go.
However, they do share their more courtly cousins' fixations regarding matters of fashion, etiquette, and control. They borrow much of their unique sense of decorum from the rebellious youth cultures of other races. (note to self: to be expanded)
The Szjna have a very peculiar reputation, upon which they pride themselves greatly. They are known as exceptionally precise, logical thinkers, with a remarkable gift for analyzing and modifying things that exhibit predictable behavior. It is not so unusual, then, that they are also thought of as incorrigible liars, social manipulators, and rakes. Amongst themselves and other Chitin Queens, they approach etiquette with a hacker's ingenuity, seeking to exploit loopholes and technicalities in a way that ultimately shows a deep respect for the underlying system. With simpler creatures like robots and mammals, they show no such restraint.
Gypsy moth larvae have reputations as spoiled, grasping enfants terribles who conduct their vandalism and slander with the utmost of style. The adults, though much less destructive, are perceived by most Queens as trapped in a romantic state of arrested adolescence (which inevitably leads them to some sort of awful fate in Neke morality plays). Actually, gypsy moth biology inclines adult bodies to die every couple of weeks. Perhaps the constant backups have contributed in some way to their eccentricities.
see http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/3698/rom.htm for cheat sheet
Alongside the stereotypical Chitin Queen obsessions of fashion, etiquette, and control, they possess a somewhat single-minded (and thus merged with their other fixations) fascination with gadgetry. Unlike hive-dwelling, courtly Chitin clans, the Szjna-cyvani hierarchy is organized along somewhat cabalistic lines and has only three ranks: insiders, other Queens, and non-Queens. The natural biological tendency of Szjna-cyvani is to die after a week. This implies almost constant restoration from backup and can lead to certain eccentricies in behavior. Those who compare these eccentricities to certain other well-known eccentric insects are not welcome.