Menkmack

The Menkmack are a fast-talking species known for being friendly, open, and completely untrustworthy. Although their habit of swindling every sapient being they come across would make them natural candidates for extermination by the Scryve, when the ruling Scryve Legate who discovered them found their antics amusing, they were incorporated into the Empire as jesters, and made to perform for their survival.

In recent years the Menkmack have become nomadic, seemingly abandoning their traditional territory and moving about the stars.

History

The Menkmack evolved from sea turtle-like creatures on the planet Menkmack (now known as Old Menkmack). Their early society was disorganized and violent, random stabbings were a form of entertainment. Eventually, the Menkmack were able create a civilization, but not long after inventing writing, they invented forging, bringing about what is known as the Age of Fraud.

Records from said era are obviously unreliable, but it is said that it ended when a Menkmack named Mikemack owned eveything on Menkmack. He ushered in the Era of Less Fraud, depsite ironically owning so much due to his skill in forgery. He ruled as a "benevolent dictator" for several years, until he was assainaited via stabbing.

This brought about anarchy once again. What followed was the Age of Fraud 2, the Age of Stab-Chaos and eventually, the modern Menkmack civilian. It is worth noting that it is unknown how much of this history is true, due to the pathological lying of the Menkmack.

The Menkmack were made members of the Scryve Empire after they stole a Measured vessel, due to the ruling Legate finding their antics entertaining. Their role is as a Clown/Jester species, with individuals being sold and traded amongst the Scryve. Most of the Menkmack were okay with this arrangement, even depsite the fact that the Scryve would kinetically bombard their weddings and steal pets. One of the few exceptions were the parents of the mercenary Helt Numitor, who routunely ambushed Scryve ships.

The Menkmack have relatively recently become nomadic, due to having the stole the egg of a moon-sized creature known as The Ancient One. The creature devours the atmosphere of every planet the Menkmack settle on, leading to them eventually giving up on changing the name and settling on calling their home, New New New Whatever Menkmack.

Some Menkmack recently uncovered an enormous supply cache of fake ears. In order to capitalize on this discorvery, the Menkmack known as Morckbeck impersonated a Scryve Legate and tried to give an order that would convince the Drenkend race that they needed to have three ears. The Drenkend however interpreted this as an order to exterminate all non three-eared species. The Menkmack, a two-eared species, soon fell victim to this but were able to use some of the fake ears for themselves to stop the Drenkend from attacking them. Selling the ears to the Drenkend has become a big profit center for the entire Menkmack civilization.

Society and Culture

Menkmack society is built on the basic principles of lying, theft and treachery. They will often steal things they have no use for and are psychologically incapable of giving something back with nothing in return, even agaisnt their better judgment. They enjoy blowing people up but have their limits, mercenary work is seen as unsavory.

The Menkmack reproduce in large quantities, their mating involves the female laying her eggs in the sand, as the male crawls to fertilize them. In marriage ceremonies, the female is known as the Menkbride, and the male Menkgroom.

Ship

Menkmack Vessel

The Menkmack Negotiator is premised on the two core precepts of Menkmack civil life: 1) Explosions Are Funny, and 2) More Explosions Are Funnier. The vessel's primary ability deploys powerful mines, which upon detonation, are funny and also pretty dangerous. The ship's secondary ability calls in other Menkmack vessels to join the fun.