Marad

Marad is a fortified village of the Sintashta pastoralist peoples of the Parsan Plateau. The village is enclosed within weathered stone walls, their ancient surfaces bearing scars of past conflicts. Square, flat-roofed buildings are washed in a dingy white plaster, their walls adorned with faded symbols of protection and resilience.   Within this sheltered enclave reside 40-60 villagers, their homes arranged in a close-knit manner around a central grounds. The air is thick with an eerie silence, broken only by hushed conversations and the occasional clinking of metal as villagers work on fortifying their defenses.