Myneyrsh
Species: Myneyrsh
Home Planet: Wayland
Myneyrsh
The Myneyrshi (singular, Myneyrsh) were a sentient species native to the arboreal planet Wayland located in the Outer Rim Territories of the galaxy. Myneyrshi were tall, thinly built bipedal humanoids; they had four arms, each pair corresponding to a torso one on top of the other, and also had a smooth layer of blue crystalline flesh. A primitive, warlike species, they were constantly at war with another of Wayland's sentient species—the Psadans. A Myneyrsh lived an extremely ritualistic life, with rituals for everyday actions such as walking, eating, and sleeping. Myneyrshi were excellent hunters and trackers, and could move through forested areas without making a sound. Their awareness of their environment was so responsive that Jedi Master Luke Skywalker likened their perception skills to those of a Force-sensitive when he visited the planet in 9 ABY.
During the Galactic Civil War, the Galactic Empire conquered Wayland, turning it into a secret storehouse for the Emperor. After the Emperor was deposed, the mad clone Joruus C'baoth took over a secret Imperial storehouse inside Mount Tantiss, enslaving the Myneyrsh and other species of the planet. They were freed upon C'baoth's death. Decades later, the Myneyrshi were nearly wiped out by the Yuuzhan Vong during the Yuuzhan Vong War, and survivors of the conflict were driven deep into the jungle. The Yuuzhan Vong later released a species of parasitic worms to make the planet uninhabitable, forcing most Myneyrsh to flee their homeworld entirely, though some stayed.
One hundred years later, Wayland was designated as a planet that would be restored using Yuuzhan Vong terraforming technology as part of the Ossus Project. While it showed great success at first, the project was sabotaged, and the planet became inhospitable once again. At the same time, many Myneyrsh were mutated as a result, becoming hulking, gray-skinned beings with jagged protrusions all over their bodies.
Biology & Appearance:
Myneyrshi were tall, thin, sentient, bipedal humanoids. They had two upper torsos, positioned in such a way that one was on top of the other. Each torso had a pair of long, muscular arms, giving a Myneyrsh four arms. Myneyrshi had one primary hand and three off hands, although they could carry weapons in each hand, or use two hands to carry larger weapons such as a spear. Having four arms also aided a Myneyrsh's ability to climb. They had small feet with several large toes.
Myneyrshi had upward-pointing ears, which they often pierced and hung things from. Instead of a nose, Myneyrshi had a short, downward-pointing snout. Averaging almost two meters tall, Myneyrshi were covered in a layer of smooth, crystalline blue flesh, which made them look as if they were made of a type of glass. The skin acted as a sort of armor to basic weapons similar to their own—arrows, spears, and knives. New Republic scientists theorized that this layer existed as a result of a chemical reaction to the moisture and oxygen in the air. Myneyrshi usually had long, dark hair, which was sometimes tied back into a ponytail. In the aftermath of the sabotaged Ossus Project, an attempt to restore the devastated surface of their homeworld, Wayland, many Myneyrsh were mutated. They became large, gray-skinned beings with sharp protrusions all over their skin.
Myneyrshi wore simple clothing, usually donning robes from the waist down or tying up them up over their shoulders. These robes varied in color from dark brown to white and light orange. The robes often had intricate, golden designs and patterns on them. Myneyrshi usually wore quivers on their backs and pouches for storing items strapped to their waists. Members of the species did not wear footwear, and often wore gold bracelets around their arms.
Myneyrshi aged and physically developed at a rate similar to most sentient species in the galaxy. Considered children until they were twelve standard years old, Myneyrshi became adults when they reached eighteen. By the time they were fifty standard years of age, Myneyrshi were regarded as middle-aged by society. They were thought old until they reached the age of eighty-five standard years, and those older than that was considered venerable.
Society & Culture:
Most of Myneyrsh life was centered on ritualistic behavior. They had rituals for all sorts of everyday activities, such as walking, eating, and sleeping. One such ritual, as witnessed by Jedi Master Luke Skywalker and the smuggler Han Solo in 9 ABY while they were attempting to infiltrate a secret Imperial base on Wayland, was the offering of a fowl as "satna-chakka," or a peace offering. While the bird was elevated on a ritual staff, no physical or verbal conflict could be made. Once this ritual was completed, the Myneyrshi presented that staff to guests, a gesture to show unity and friendship. Skywalker received the staff, a sign signifying that his group had the Myneyrshi's permission to roam the planet freely.
Myneyrshi were excellent hunters and trackers—they had the ability to move through a forest without making any noise whatsoever. Luke Skywalker once compared their perception and awareness of their surroundings to those of Force-sensitives. The Myneyrshi had enough spiritual mettle to combat severe mental manipulations. When Joruus C'baoth, a clone of a Jedi Master that had gone insane, tried to force the Myneyrshi and the Psadan to cohabitate, the four-armed species resisted his rule long enough to form an alliance with their former enemies. Despite this, as a result of their species' natural isolated nature, no Myneyrshi ever joined the ranks of the Jedi Order.
Technology and Inter-Species Relations:
Due to their isolation from the galactic community, very little was known of the Myneyrsh by either the Galactic Empire or the New Republic. Myneyrshi never evolved past the stage of using weapons such as spears, daggers, and bows. Their only means of transport was the domesticated animals of their home planet, which also provided the small amount of power needed for local rudimentary agriculture.
The Myneyrshi were obstinate beings, much like their Psadan rivals, especially when dealing with Humans and other offworlders. They had a long-standing aversion to technology, which was heightened by the Imperial occupation of Wayland during which the use of exotic technology by Humans forced them into servitude. After the departure of the Imperials, Myneyrshi became actively opposed to the use of technology because it was seen as a representation of their Imperial conquers. Myneyrshi shamans declared anything technological in nature as an "item of shame," and that they must avoid technology if at all possible. In contrast, Myneyrshi living offworld did utilize technology for their own benefit, fighting with blasters or piloting airspeeders.
The Myneyrshi hated and were constantly at war with Wayland's other native species, the Psadan. The Psadan were a more primitive species who worshiped nature and were always eager to fight. When the Empire arrived on Wayland, the two species attempted to unify and defeat their oppressors, though the attempt failed. When the Empire departed from their homeworld, the Myneyrshi ratified treaties with the other indigenous species of Wayland, though they remained wary of their neighbors.
Language:
Myneyrshi spoke a primitive language of snorts, honks, and deep vocalizations known as Myneyrsh. While no written form of the language ever existed, the Myneyrshi passed on their knowledge and history orally. Most members of the species could also speak the Psadan language. Although extremely rare, it was not unheard of for a Myneyrsh to speak Galactic Basic Standard. Sample Myneyrsh names included Chyresh, Eychani, Orychee, and Panaysha.
History:
Myneyrsh in the Galaxy:
Attribute Dice: 12D
DEXTERITY 2D+1/4D
KNOWLEDGE 2D/4D
MECHANICAL 1D+2/3D+2
PERCEPTION 1D+2/4D
STRENGTH 2D+1/4D
TECHNICAL 2D/3D+1
Special Abilities:
Armored Body: The blue crystals covering a Myneyrsh act as armor, adding +1 to Strength to resist physical damage in combat.
Move: 11/14
Size: 1.9 meters tall
Source: Ultimate Alien Anthology (p. 102), The Thrawn Trilogy Sourcebook(p. 172-173), Heir to the Empire Sourcebook (p. 97) & Wookieepedia (For the Myneyrsh Description)