Deep Cave

Deep Cave Martians live in the deeper levels of the caves on Mars. They rarely come near the surface and most spend their entire lives underground. Deep Cave Martians tend to live in small villages. They are well known for cultivating and harvesting the plants and fungus found in the deeper caves. Many medicinal compounds can only be found in the deep caves. Deep Cave Martians are more sensitive to sunlight than their surface dwelling brethren. Their eyes are well adapted to the dark and direct sunlight is painful to them. They are typically less battle hardened than their surface kin due to their environment. The deep caves are dangerous enough that fighting among Martians is rare. They tend to build their villages in smaller cave networks only leaving for trade or to journey to larger caverns to collect plants and fungi that are rare or difficult to cultivate. Other large hunting parties will sometimes travel to the large caverns to hunt large animals to provide food for their village. The claws and teeth of these beasts are used as trophies to denote skill and honor for hunters. Deep Cave Martians tend to be deeply suspicious of outsiders and slow to trust those who do not respect their ways. Most trade is conducted near the surface so as to keep other Martians from knowing about their homes.

Culture

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Common customs among deep cave tribes are using face paints to denote family groups and social position. Their holidays revolve around harvests and hunts rather than a yearly cycle because they have no seasons.

Coming of Age Rites

Children are considered to have graduated to adulthood when they have completed a test of skill in their chosen role. For growers they must tend a difficult crop to harvest on their own, for hunters they must bring a sufficient kill back to the tribe.

Encompassed species