Tall, strong, aggessive, Tusken Raiders, or "Sand People", are a nomadic, humanoid species found on the desert planet of Tatooine. Commonly, they wear strips of cloth and tattered robes for protection from the harsh rays of Tatooine's twin suns, and a simple breathing apparatus to filter out sand particles and add moisture to the dry, scorching air.
The language of the Sand People is an unintelligible, angry combination of consonants and growls. None of the more civilized portions of Tatooine have anything to do with the desert nomads, and the moisture farmers avoid contact with these people as much as possible. For these reasons, the Sand People's tongue remains a mystery.
Wrapped mummylike in endless swathes, bandages, and loose bits of cloth, these nomads are masters of stealth and very little is known of their culture and habits. It is known, though, that these fierce nomads are powerful, dangerous fighters hardened by the glaring suns and arid desert sands. They fear little, but can be driven away by a strong show of force. They travel in bands of 20 or 30 individuals never staying in one place for too long. Not very numerous, Tusken Raiders remain in more desolate regions of the desert world.
Tusken Raiders have domesticated the Bantha, which serves as a beast of burden. Their weapon of choice is the gaderffii, or gaffi stick, a double-edged ax made of cannibalized metal scavenged from abandoned or wrecked vehicles. They also carry blaster rifles, but they are not as refined or accurate as, for example, Imperial Stormtrooper's weapons.
Averse to the human settlers, Sand People kill a number of them each year and have even attacked the outskirts of Anchorhead on occasion. If the opportunity arises wherein they can kill without risking too many of their warriors, Sand People will attack isolated moisture farms, small groups of travelers, or Jawa scavenging parties. They shy away from Jawa's massive sandcrawler fortresses, heavily protected farmsteads, the larger cities and settlements, and the dread Krayt Dragon. As more and more settlers arrive on Tatooine, the raiders rarely stray from the isolated wastes. They seem to want to avoid confrontations that could bring the entire force of Tatooine's human population down on them. This infrequent contact with moisture farmers provides an uneasy peace for the planet's inhabitants.
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