The recent history of this species has been riddled with exploitation and slavery, since war swept over their homeworld. After the enemy forces of the One Bakkar ravaged their planet with technology and firepower far more advanced than anything the mascen possessed, they were enslaved in the wake of the ruin by a corrupt private organisation called the Terran Battlefield Reclamation, who fronted the atrocity by claiming they were salvaging anything left from the battle.
The slavery went unnoticed by the Terran Sovereignty until long after the mascen homeworld had disappeared behind the One Bakkar front line. By the time they had been freed and protected by Sovereignty law, there was nothing for them to return to. Most of the mascen adapted, forming tribes scattered throughout the Segovax cluster on the edges of Terran space. Many joined the military to aid the fight and reclaim their homeworld.
Though some races might consider the mascen primitive, their true complexities lie in the richness of their culture, which they have cherished and clung to throughout their difficult history. They believe strongly in the guidance of their ancestors, the brave members of their tribes who have gone
before them.
The mascen are unusual in that they are comprised of two separate subspecies: Big’uns and Little’uns. Mascen Big’uns are typically tough, violent, and bloodthirsty. They are more robust than the average humanoid and able to withstand far more punishment than a human before being incapacitated.
Little’uns consist of Tinkerers and Shamans. The Tinkerers are responsible for building and invention, and, given more time for their culture to develop, they would certainly be a very innovative species. As it stands, however, they have been thrust into a universe they were not ready for, and their
tinkering is far more of an eclectic experiment that accidentally yields results than a careful and precise practice.
Shamans hold a spiritual position in the mascen society, and display an innate connection to the Omega, guiding their tribes with the help of direct contact with their ancestors.
All mascen have grey or green skin and pointed ears. Mascen Big’uns and Little’uns can be told apart by the difference in stature between the two subspecies, which gives them their names, and the fact that Big’uns sport a set of sturdy horns protruding from their foreheads.