The Martu (pronounced MAR-too) are a group of tribes that dwell in the foothills between the Skysprings and the Cracked Fangs. Reclusive amd broadly unfriendly to outsiders, their origins and culture remain poorly understood to the broader world.
History
The history of the Martu is not information they willingly offer to those outside their communities. Certainly they have resided in the region for many centuries, as accounts of explorers and wandering merchants mention their presence at least as far back as the early ninth millennium. Their distinctly Khapeshan names and traditions have led many to conclude that that Martu were colonists, refugees, or mercenaries from the desert kingdom who made the trek over or around the Skysprings long ago, or who perhaps traveled there by way of the now-broken anchor site nearby.
The Martu have been seemingly almost completely unaffected by the mass emergence of the undead across Oscan in Y9940*. Unlike the Bleached Bones and other surrounding tribes, no Martu tribes undertook the journey west into the Sangora Desolation fleeing the undead.
Culture
Martu names clearly show Khapeshan influence, often taking mononymic and theophoric forms, both especially common amongst their leaders. So too does their religion show their roots, as they worship a variant of the Khapeshan pantheon, albeit one that centers around the deity Maahes as a goddess of war and kingship. They provide offerings to their deities at great cairn-shrines that also serve as meeting places for the tribes.
Although the Martu are almost entirely nomadic, dwelling in hide tents that blend in well with the rocky and arid landscape in which they live, they nonetheless build impressive tombs for their deceased war-kings, mastabas that once again show their Khapeshan roots. These monumental burial sites are guarded by the animated armor once worn by the ruler's loyal warriors who preceded them in death.
In Talmithe the Martu have long been known for their potent alcohols made from camel's milk, the taste of which, if not altogether unpleasant, must certainly be acquired.