Thursday, August 13, 2009

Berger

While the Boggle may be famous for their Boggle Butter, the Berger are famous for their cheese! The Berger are master cheese-smiths, and have perfected thousands of recipes for creating some quite interesting cheese combinations.
True Funkey food connoisseurs love to attend the Berger's famous cheese tasting parties where they can debate the merits of each variety of cheese. Does the Triple-Dipple Funkberry Gouda taste better with a glass of fresh bumblejuice, or is the not so subtle taste explosion of a Dirty Berger Cheddar Platter more appropriate? It's all just a matter of taste!
The Berger have a real sense of their history. Their ancient King is preserved in a kind of plastic coating and on the display in the great Berger hall. He is a real tourist draw, attracting many visitors each day. Some find him majestic, others a bit creepy as he stares out at you with plastic eyes.
Not only do the Berger create the most delicious varieties of cheese throughout Terrapinia, they are also the cheesiest when it comes to conversation! The Berger are notorious braggarts, particularly about their cheeses, and always seem to have an obvious and artless way of making a point. They have a very effected way of speaking that makes even their most casual statements sound like conceit. "I'm soooooo happy to see you" or "please moooooove your car" come off quite arrogant. Despite this, deep down the Berger are truly good natured Funkeys!

Lucky

There's an old Funkey saying "I'd rather be Lucky than good." And nobody is more lucky than the Lucky, that is why, of course, they are called the Lucky.
Many, many years ago, The Lucky discovered, quite by accident, the secret to controlling all the rainbows in Terrapinia. The first thing they did with this skill was use it to find the pot of coins that everyone knows is at the end of rainbows. Since they have so many coins, they've never again had to work a day in their life! Because of this, the Lucky are always friendly and have a permanently sunny disposition, even when it's raining!
While the Snipe will always aggressively assert that they are the roughest, and the Wasabi may be legendary for their stealthy Funk-Fu powers, everybody really know that the Lucky are the toughest of all Funkeys! Being the toughest Funkeys around, the Lucky really don't feel any need to prove their toughness to anyone!
Not feeling a need to brag about their toughness, the Lucky instead pride themselves on the education level, frequently telling others how book smart they are. They spend considerable time keeping their minds healthy by playing challenging puzzles and word games. The Lucky have even established a very prestigious college called Our Lucky Lady University as a rival school to the Waggs' University of Soft and Cuddly. Not only is it one of the finest academic schools in Terrapinia, it also consistently has one of the best Bowball teams throughout the land. LLU's current head mistress Lucky D is not only one of the smartest Funkeys in the land, she is also one of the prettiest . . . and of course, the luckiest.

Dyer

Legend tells of a young boy, a shepherd named Dyer who was a notorious prankster, and of a gullible wolf who loved to play cards. The boy would call the wolf over and bet that he could guess what card the wolf would draw from the deck of cards. They would cut the deck, draw the card and the boy always guessed right. One day, the wolf checked the cards and found they were all the same. The boy barely escaped with his life.
The boy learned his lesson and vowed never to take advantage of another being again; to live a life of peace and harmony with all living creatures. They even befriended the Cootie, a small bug that lives on the skin of Funkeys. The Dyer realized that use of soap was killing the poor Cooties so they stopped washing and using soap.
The Dyer are fond of sleeping, or as they call it "extended deep thought sessions". The Dyer like to participate in these "deep thought sessions" in large groups, and it is not uncommon to find large groups of Dyers just lying around in parks, on the beach, or on the campuses of Our Lucky Lady and USC. Rather than speak, The Dyer write down their thoughts on small plastic discs and throw them back and forth to each other. They've even claim to have developed a mass communication method where many Dyers run around chucking the
message disk back and forth. They say it is the ultimate but it is yet to catch on.

Tank

Another of Dr. Tinker's failed experiments was his quest to fix the eyesight of all Funkeys. He developed an innovative but doomed procedure to correct bad vision that he called Oasic. By playing the music of a popular Funkey band really loud right into the eyes, the lens that covers all Funkey eyes, called the Wonder Wall, was supposed to become smooth and flawless. Dr. Tinker always claimed complete success. The problem was the patients no longer produced tears. The Tank, as they became know, had to wear masks that were always filled with salt water so their eyes wouldn't dry out.
The Tank turned this affliction into a strength, and became the greatest sea explorers in the known world. The Tank are as obsessed with undersea discovery as the Xener are with space exploration.
Prior to the creation of the Dream States, the Tank had fully explored every drop in every ocean throughout Terrapinia. From the shimmering reefs of Kelpy Basin to the bottomless trenches of the Frigid Murk, there were no more mysteries of the marine to be discovered.
When the portals to Daydream Oasis were opened, and the Fractal Sea was discovered, the Tank couldn't get there quick enough. With a new ocean to explore, and amazing undersea discoveries to be made, the Tank quickly built a dock on the shores. Now they live a life of ease, every one of them has all they need, sky of blues, and seas of green, they all live in their Yellow Funkmarine!

Sprocket

As an ambitious primary student at the Funkeystown School for Gifted Funkeys, the young Dr. Tinker created the first Sprocket as an entry into his school science contest.
Designed to help the Boggle with garbage disposal duties, Dr. Tinker bragged to the contest judges that, "His design would turn waste materials into a much more delicious food then that "bland" Boggle Butter!" However, when turned on, rather then producing something delicious, Sprocket only wanted to dance. While their herky-jerky groove was impressive in its own right, Dr. Tinker had no time for a Sprocket when they danced.
While Dr. Tinker may not have liked it, the kids in Funkeys town loved to dance like Sprocket! Sprocket's dance, the Robot, as it became known, was all the craze. Sprocket's popularity grew, but like all fads, one day the kids no longer wanted to do the dance. Since he was kind of a one dance Funkey, he wandered off and was not heard of again.
Now, the Sprocket, dancing robots, are a reoccurring nightmare for most Funkeys kids, as they are reminded of just how silly they really looked!

Vlurp

Often feared for their fiendish fangs and ferocious features, the Vlurp are some of the most misunderstood Funkeys in Terrapinia. Rather then being brooding vicious fiends, the Vlurp are in fact strict vegetarians who prefer nothing more then good salad and a glass of tomato juice! This misconception, which causes the irrational fear of the Vlurp in most other Funkeys, drives the Vlurp absolutely batty!
The only Funkeys that the Vlurp have managed to convince of their true gentle nature are the Sprout. Being strict vegetarians, the Vlurp share the Sprout's love of gardening, and have formed a strong, if unlikely friendship.
However, while the Sprout are the most accomplished gardeners of all Funkeys, the Vlurp are hands down the worst! The Vlurp prefer to live in harsh cold environments, and have an irrational fear of the sun, which of course are not good conditions for growing vegetables!

Ptep

In the Golden Age, the Ptep were the personal guards to the great King Funkankhamun. While the Stitch were responsible for keeping the secrets of the great King, the Ptep were entrusted with the King's safety!
King Funkankhamun ruled the land with his inner council: The devoted Ptep, the trusted Stitch and his personal adviser, Kamenwati the magician. While both the Ptep and the Stitch were true loyal subjects to the

King, Kamenwati desired to usurp the King and rule the Funkeys himself. Kamenwati believed that if he could discover the nature of the secret that Funkankhamun had entrusted to the Stitch, that he could bring down the king and rule the land!
After years of being unable to discover this secret from the trustworthy Stitch, Kamenwati decided instead to prepare a curse! A curse that, when cast, would transport the king to the furthest land in Terrapinia so that Kamenwati could finally claim the throne.
The following day, his plan was hatched. While Funkankhamun was eating breakfast, the devious Kamenwati leaned over and whispered the curse into the King's ear. With a puff of smoke the King vanished! The Ptep, realizing that it was the evil Kamenwati that had banished the King, quickly seized the traitor.
The Ptep decided that if it was the throne that Kamenwati desired, then it was the throne that Kamenwati would get. The Ptep proceeded to seal the magician in a tomb beneath the Kings throne, to forever to be trapped!
Always loyal to the King, the Ptep still guard his throne today, making sure that the evil Kamenwati never escapes, and awaiting the day that the King will return and bring another Golden Age to the Funkeys!

Friday, July 31, 2009

Snipe


If you ask a Snipe, they will gladly tell you that the Snipe are the best trained, best equipped, toughest, fastest, meanest and most humble members of the Funkeys Armed Recon Stealth Elites. Of course that's because only Snipe are allowed to join the F.A.R.C.E.!
While it is typically the Webley explorers that will discover new lands on Terrapinia (and beyond), it is always an elite group of Snipe that will be next sent to the newly discovered territory. Being uniquely suited to sneak around without being detected, It's the job of F.A.R.C.E. to perform stealth reconnaissance on any new territory, scout out and deal with any potential danger, and make sure that everything is safe for future Funkeys travelers.
The Snipe pride themselves on their extensive training regiments and their military discipline. The distinguished F.A.R.C.E. leader, General Key-oki expects his troops to always be ready for new and dangerous missions. General Key-oki, keeps the Snipe commandos in constant training exercises so that they will be prepared to deploy at a moment's notice! Because of this constant training, these groups of Snipe become like brothers.
Spending so much time crawling thru high grass and running training missions deep into the bush, has led the Snipe to be given the nickname "The Bush Brothers." Most enlightened Funkeys equate the words bush with F.A.R.C.E. However, most Funkeys also say, "May the F.A.R.C.E. be with you...because you certainly don't want them against you!"

Drift


The Drift feel the need...the need for speed! The Drift do everything fast. They walk fast, drive fast, and even talk fast. The Drift talk in their special Drift language, which consists of motor and screeching tire sounds, and they talk in this language as rapidly as they possibly can! They talk so fast that the term "motor mouth" was coined to describe anyone who is talking too quickly to understand what it is they are saying! Also, when someone is having trouble being understood they say, "do you catch my Drift?"
The Drift have a gifted talent for anything mechanical, and are constantly tinkering things in order to make them faster. The Drift are always designing and building faster and faster vehicles, and they will spend days making slight yet precise adjustments to their creations in order to get even the littlest amount of additional speed.
This mechanical talent and love of fast things makes the Drift the best friends of the Vroom. The Drift are always making modifications to Vroom stunt vehicles in order to make them faster and able to jump larger and more dangerous stunts. The Vroom, in turn, test all the new crazy fast vehicle designs that the Drift can think of.....sometimes with spectacular results!

Waggs


The Waggs are the most faithful friend that any Funkey could have. With their tails constantly wagging, they seem as if they have no care in the world, but in truth, they are fiercely loyal to their companions, and will always defend a Funkey in danger.
Despite their funny chin whiskers, shaggy fur and bouncy gate, The Waggs are born leaders. They often rise to prestigious posts in Funkey corporations. The have almost endless energy going from one issue to the next until they solve every problem they encounter. To keep up this energy, the Waggs often spend much time in the gym, and while they are known for their passion for all sports, they especially love jumping thru hoops. It's not uncommon to see a Waggs jumping thru many hoops at a time.
Because of their natural leadership abilities and endless enthusiasm, the Waggs have set up the premier pet training school in Funkeystown, the University for the Soft and Cuddly or USC. Graduating pets from USC hope to earn a coveted MBA (Master Barking Ability) degree. The Waggs instructors teach that anything that is worth saying once is worth saying 3 times! You can always tell a graduate from USC, because they tend to speak in threes. Arf, Arf, Arf!
The Waggs students from USC have a friendly, if sometimes competitive rivalry with the students of Our Lucky Lady University. While the Lucky tend to focus on academics, the Waggs students tend to focus all their attention on creating sports programs. The result is a school that tends to dominate Funkeys sports and a USC curriculum that focuses mostly on simple spelling exercises.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Sol


Known for their optimistic outlooks and relaxed attitudes, the Sol bring a ray of sunshine into the lives of everyone they meet. When the Sol adventurer Pol-i-an-na-na Sol, called P-Sol by his friends, first reached Funkiki Island, he was sure that everyone would love to come to bask on the beautiful beaches and drink in the endless sunshine. Financed by the Flurry, P-Sol opened the Heck-a-Wee Resort and Spa. P-Sol also discovered on the island a turtle-like animal, called the Huh by locals, with amazing relaxation powers. When you arrive at the resort, the Sol greet you with their sunny personality and a necklace made of Huh shells. The Huh necklace erases all your worries and concerns. P-Sol had a philosophy that continues today at the resort, that each guest should be treated as a member of the Heck-a-Wee family. The family atmosphere combined with plenty of sunshine, some tasty waves and the mind clearing power of the Huh, causes visitors are so relaxed the lay around the beach saying "Huh, we're the Heck-A-Wee" all day long. At the end of your stay, the Huh necklace is removed. Guests say they experience an intense but painless rush of memories returning to them called "Turtle Recall."

Webley


Don't let their hairy scary appearance lead you astray, the Webley are a highly intelligent and creative tribe of legendary inventors and explorers. In fact, the Webley have patents and trade marks on more inventions and have discovered more lands than anyone else in Terrapinia. Most famous of them is the World Wide Web, invented by one particularly hairy scary Webley called Ali Gory. Ali was known for his wildly wicked and way out stories and tales. Hi World Wide Web, spun entirely by his mind, is the cornerstone of all Funkeys communication. Many of today's technologies spun out from Ali's Web creation including Web phones, Web travel, Web mail and Web voting (a particular favorite of Ali's). But soon after the creation of Web advertising, the Webley started to become disillusioned with the high tech, fast paced, hustle and bustle of FunkeysTown. They sent their great explorer, Captain Brock Loosetoe, to find a remote island where the Webley could relocate, away from all technology. When he discovered Funkiki Island and its native inhabitants, he knew it was the place. On Funkiki Island, the Webley have become outdoorsy. Using their webs as ropes, sails, and various other tools, the Webley now live a subsistent existence in an outpost deep in the jungles of Funkiki Island. They only use natural fibers, spun by themselves, catch all their own food and have become the vocal caretakers of the planet. In order to raise funds for their cause, they conduct jungle tours, catering to only the most courageous Funkey travelers.

Flurry


Originally from the Shivery Ice Flow region, the Flurry are very cool under pressure making them the shrewdest negotiators in Terrapinia. It is said, they literally have ice water flowing thru their veins. Legendary for their ability to sell anything to anyone, it is rumored that the Flurry even sold Butter to the Boggle. You would think that, coming from frozen tundra, the Flurry would seek a warm sunny patch of sand to spend their vacation, but after their first visit to Funkiki Island, the Flurry had entirely different plans. They bought the highest piece of land from the local natives, for two scarves and a worn out mitten, and set about creating Powder Peak, Terrapinia's premier ski resort. A Flurry spokesperson told the Funkiki vacation board that "they spared no expense, importing only the choicest snow, even handpicking each individual snowflake from the tallest mountain peaks throughout Terrapinia." Weather or not that is true we'll never know but the Flurry are cool enough to keep snow on a tropical island year round.

Nibble


The original inhabitants of Funkiki Island, Nibble have a deep love and respect for the ocean. The Nibble have a natural affinity towards the ocean, preferring to spend more time at sea then on land. In fact, they spend so much time in the water, they have permanent swimmers ear. Their scary, chomping appearance is less about eating and more about clearing their ears. They are always yawning and opening and closing their big mouths. The yawning sounds like growling and the movement looks like biting so most visitors are first quite scared of the Nibble. But once you get to know them, you'll dive right in. Some believe the Nibble to be ancient ancestors of the Glub who eons ago crossed the great Blue Divide on primitive boats guided only by the stars. But while the Glub are known for the wonderful singing voices, the Nibble's water clogged ears make them tone deaf. With the invention of the portals, and the subsequent flood of Funkey tourists to Funkiki Island, the Nibble established the now famous Chum Divers beach shop. Chum Divers offers snorkeling, guided fishing tours, and their special Pearl Diving expeditions. Or just stop in for a quick bite.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Scratch


The Scratch discovered early on that they had the power of music. In the Time of Troubles, during the Funkey Wars of the 3rd Funkazoic Era, they used this power to disable their enemies.
Masters of Music, whether techno, hip hop, or rock, when the Scratch started to spin tunes, all other Funkeys were compelled to dance. With opposing armies in a hypnotic dance trance, the Scratch were able to win many battles.
These days they use this power only for good. Known as party starters, the Scratch are always looking for things to take it to the next level. But if trouble ever returns, the Scratch could make a valuable ally…..or a powerful enemy.

Lotus


Lotus are extremely calm & peaceful Funkeys and have an intense connection to the planet - the Great Mother Terrapin. Lotus are friends to all wildlife and have the ability to communicate with many different types of animals; some say they can even talk to trees.
With such a natural bond with the environment, it seems odd that the Lotus reside in the heart of Funkeys Town. Could this be the reason for the broken heart? Then again, maybe it is their strong bond with environment that holds all of Funkeys Town together.
Either way, the Lotus stay cool in all situations, even Master Lox and his evil henchmen don’t get the Lotus too worried; their expressions never change.

Glub


The Glub are extremely agile and elegant when submerged but on land are like….well, a fish out of water.
The Glub speak in a strange bubbling slurping way that most Funkeys find difficult to understand. But oddly enough, the Glub have the most beautiful singing voices. All their speech difficulties go away when they sing. They perform in the great Funkey Hall, always sing the Funkey anthem “We Want the Funk”, before sporting events and, of course, at Parliament.
Despite their awkwardness on land, the Glub waddle around with their noses in the air and act like big superstars. They are the royalty of all Funkey celebrities and they act like it.

Tiki


The Tiki are believed to be the first Funkeys to inhabit Terrapinia. All other Funkeys evolved from the Tiki. The first Tiki crawled out of the primordial soup and walked on land over a million years ago.
Hunters and gatherers, they quickly became the dominant species. They created a thriving society, the ruins of which can still be seen in the MesoFunkey Plains. They developed the first language and writings, and were also prolific artists.
Tiki artifacts are highly prized by Funkey collectors. While once fierce warriors, the Tikis now live an almost Zen like existence and despite their ferocious look, modern Tiki are vegans.

Twinx


Twinx means “star” in the native Funkey language, and the Twinx embody this word. They have achieved celebrity status in Terrapinia.
Like the Amazons on Earth, the Twinx are all female. But don’t let their beauty fool you, the Twinx are a strong & proud race. Legend has it that the Twinx captured all the power of the moon and the stars in their big beautiful eyes.
The Twinx shimmer with the energy of the entire Funkey Galaxy. You can see it in their captivating and hypnotic eyes. But the energy that went in can also come out. The Twinx could change the world in the blink of an eye.

Sprout


The Sprout are always precisely prim, particularly proper and the most purely polite of all of the Funkeys.
The Sprout have perfectly manicured lawns, elaborate gardens and showpiece homes. They are often featured in Funkey Home and Garden and Architecturally Funkey Digest, and a Sprout has won the coveted FELIX award (given to the neatest Funkey) for as long as anyone can remember.
Most jobs around town associated with keeping things beautiful are held by Sprout. They work in concert with the Boggle to keep trash off the street although they find the Boggle to be “gross creatures.” They have a natural ability to grow any type of vegetation. If they had thumbs, they would most certainly be green!

Wasabi


Naturally stealthy and skilled in the ancient art of Funk-Fu the Wasabi are extremely secretive and rarely speak. Always appearing silent and composed, their aloofness is often misunderstood and sometimes feared by their fellow Funkeys.
The Wasabi do nothing to dispel this image. Preferring to keep to themselves, they are in perfect harmony of mind and body. Honesty, self discipline and respectful behavior are their core values. They are often deep in meditation, studying ancient scrolls, painting and sculpting or engaged in rigorous exercises to hone their fighting skills.
Wasabi physical feats are those of legend including stories of walking up walls and on water, and extended levitation. No one has ever challenged a Wasabi and lived to tell the tale.

Stich


Funkey folklore reports it like this - a long time ago the Stitch were trusted with the great secret of King Funkankhamun of the Golden Age. It was a secret so great it could bring down the King, his Golden Age and maybe all of Terrapinia.
As protectors of the this great secret, the Stitch kept away from most other Funkeys, spending their time lurking in graveyards, peacefully cultivating and gathering mushrooms. They were so successful in keeping this secret, that all Funkeys started entrusting their secrets to the Stitch. They would follow other Funkeys around, learn the secrets and then store them for safe keeping.
After years of this behavior, the Stitch evolved to having lips sewed shut, an eye for danger, and no heart so that they can never be tempted to tell their secrets. If what they knew got out . . .

Deuce


Fond of all things hip and trendy, the Deuce set the standards for cutting edge culture. In fact, the phrase “What the Deuce” means what’s hot and “That’s Deuce” means that’s cool.
The Deuce love music but not that snooty, high culture opera that the Glub sing. The Deuce like rockabilly and anything that’s fast and you can dance to.
The Deuce are notorious pranksters. The most famous was when they tricked the Glub into wearing elaborate costumes with big platform shoes, rhinestone sunglasses and jeweled hats for their performance before Parliament and the Queen. She was not amused.
Despite getting on the nerves of many Funkeys at one point or another, everyone wants to be Deuce.

Bones


The Bones are what they are. They don’t hide their feelings or thoughts from anyone. But it’s easy to get under their skin making them often grumpy and disgruntled.
The phrase “you old bucket of bones” has come to mean someone who is in a bad mood, and if you “have a bone to pick” you are upset about something. But make no bones about it, they still have fun.
Most doctors in Terrapinia are Bones and they are accomplished at playing piano. Their favorite pastime is fishing, although their catch is often just skin and bones.

Boggle


The Boggle are eating machines. Their highly advanced digestive systems can process anything from the most poisonous spiders to raw iron.
The Boggle break down any material and excrete a pure, sweet substance, similar to Peanut Butter, that is a staple for all Funkey diets. Nothing beats a Boggle Butter and Jelly sandwich with a warm glass of purple milk.
The Boggle are an essential part of the Funkey society as they dispose of all waste with zero harm to the Funkey environment. Don't be scared by their hideous appearance, the Boggle wouldn't hurt a fly, unless it gets too close to their mouth - then they'll eat it.

Fallout


The Fallout are the mad scientists of Terrapinia. Scientist, in that they are constantly seen conducting strange experiments throughout Funkeys Town. Mad, oh yes, because Funkeys are always asking them what they are doing and interrupting their “important” work and, more notably, because their experiments rarely work.
The Boggle often follow them around eating…errr…cleaning up their messes to keep their many failed experiments from polluting the town.
It is rumored that they are experimenting with the essence of fun, but what that actually means is a mystery. It is commonly believed, and discussed, debated and deliberated, that one day the Fallout will either discover this “essence” or release something quite the opposite – a destructive substance that not even the Boggle can digest.

Vroom


The Vroom have an instinctive love for anything fast and dangerous. Their natural mechanical skills and enthusiasm for showing off have given them the reputation of being the most daring of all of the Funkeys. The Vroom only reinforce this reputation by constantly performing what appear to be ever increasingly dangerous feats, when in fact these stunts are carefully choreographed and practiced with safety in mind.
Most Vroom perform their stunts purely for the love of the stunt itself, and often do so before a cheering audience of their fellow Funkeys. They constructed a giant arena, called the Room de Vroom, on Laputa Station for their performances.
The Deuce work hard at being deuce, but the Vroom are just naturally cool.

Xener


Xener means traveler in Funkey. In the late 40th century, Funkeys were obsessed with space travel. They spent millions of coins, on missions that accomplished very little. The last flight mission crashed and remains intact to remind them of this frivolous program. But the Xener still believed that space is the final frontier.
It was the Xener experience with travel that helped the guild of master technicians build the first portals. Their intention was to boldly go where no Funkey had gone before – the furthest reaches of space. But they found the portals ill equipped to reach that far. An unexpected benefit was using these portals for travel throughout Terrapinia.
Now the Xener spend most of their time playing space video games, honing their skills, waiting for the day they return to space.