Mumnel

The Mumnel are a race of squat reptilian humanoids native to the UDS planet Taragonn.

Physiology
Most Mumnel stand between 3 and 4 feet tall, with minimal difference between sexes. Females can be distinguished by a pouch on their stomach similar to those of some marsupials. Because Mumnel lay eggs but could not afford to stay in place during their evolution, it is tradition for females to carry their eggs in their pouches, which are amply cushioned and well-suited to protect their offspring.

Mumnel have excellent olfactory, gustatory, and tactile senses, which is balanced by their sub-par vision and hearing. Though they are not as mobile as many of Taragonn's predators, they are deeply intuitive people and have learned to plan ahead, making them difficult to hunt down in groups. Though they do -as their name might imply- mumble when they speak, Mumnel are deeply invested in the feelings of others. In their own society, much communication between Mumnel is unspoken and simply intuited. This combination of traits can produce a range of results when interacting with a Mumnel as an alien species: though they generally wish to act for the good of others, a Mumnel may come off as awkward, and their intentions may not always be clear. Many view them as emotionless and antisocial, and this stigma has contributed to species-wide stress when it comes to interacting with outsiders.

History
The Mumnel of the canyon planet Taragonn are a diminutive and largely nonviolent species that do their best to stay out of the galactic spotlight. Unfortunately, having joined the United Democracy of Space early on in its development, Taragonn has since become known as one of the ‘big three’ representatives of the political entity, with Earth and Falskath serving as the other two. This distinction often garners Taragonn unfair malice from species who resent the UDS and its policies, particularly those trying to avoid colonization in ANP space.

The planet of Taragonn itself is uninviting on the surface. Cold and rocky on the outside, Taragonn’s surface is carved by thousands of deep canyons, which can descend for miles, often terminating either in near-subterranean rivers or even lakes of lava. There is little vegetation or fauna on the surface of Taragonn or in its canyons, and mining the planet is difficult due to the Flayers: massive floating electrical squid-like beasts that are also found on Imperium and its Underworld, and which scour the surface of Taragonn for energy to sap. Harsh storms are also common on Taragonn’s surface, and the weather is usually unpredictable.

The Mumnel evolved from a race of lizards who scaled the walls of the deep canyons and made their home in vast networks of caves far beneath the surface. These caves, in contrast with the planet’s exterior, are lush and warm due to the presence of Tarragon Sun Crystals, which give off enough heat and light to turn entire cave systems into thriving ecosystems. Most of the animals that dwell in these caves are invertebrates, insects, and small reptiles, but predators such as the reptomammalian cavern-crawler have evolved to prey on the largely defenseless fauna, including the ancestors of the Mumnel. As such, Mumnel society began as nomadic, and revolved around staying close and making very little noise. The Mumnel have since developed the technology necessary to defend themselves, leading to more permanent settlements.

Behaviour
Although they keep to themselves, Mumnel are seen offworld, mostly as technicians and programmers. Their eye for logic and detail -developed over millennia of navigating vast cave systems- allows them to effectively work with computers, to the point where Mumnel are considered some of the best computer programmers in the galaxy. Some adventurous Mumnel take their talents in less scrupulous directions, finding work as hackers and purveyors of malware. The former was the occupation of X-Crew member ‘B,’ who to this day cannot divulge his real name for fear of giving his many enemies more information on him, such was the trail of destruction he left during his time as a hacker.

Mumnel are often see wearing sunglasses due to their sensitive eyes, which developed for use in dim lighting. They are also highly suspicious of bright lights due to their time underground: despite the positive effects of sun crystals, they are known to cripple an unprepared Mumnel’s vision, making them easy prey for the opportunistic cavern-crawlers. As such, most Mumnel are comfortable in the shadows, which they can remain out of sight and free to pursue their work. They do exhibit a great deal of curiosity regarding other races, most commonly regarding religion. Ancient Mumnel believed the sun crystals to be capricious gods, capable of both helping and harming the natives of Tarragon, and so the idea of a wholly positive or devotion-intensive religion is amusing to them.