Mascapo (Mask'-uh-po)

The Mascapo are a seafaring race of Zivoyans. They are friendly, fair, and outgoing - trading readily with anyone. They are never seen inland. Indeed, It is purported that they stay within eyesight of their boats at all times. There aren’t many Mascapones, as most Zivoyans are unwilling to give up their easy ability to inhabit corpses. However, those that do are not looked down upon in society. In fact, when the dockmaster sees a Mascapo boat arriving, they get the word out quickly as the items they trade are highly sought after and, thus, they never stay in port for very long.
As a result of the constant exposure to the depths and salts of the oceans, a Mascapone’s skin changes. It toughens, making it very difficult for them to enter corpses as all Zivoyans can. However, the toughened skin enables them to stand the extreme pressures without extra gear.
You can either be born a Mascapo or adopt their lifestyle. Those that are born do not inherit the toughened skin. They remain a Mascapo until the age and constant exposure starts to change their skin. At that point they must choose to either remain a part of the culture, or become a land-based Zivoyan. If a young Mascapo chooses to go back to land, they can always rely on former Mascapones to give them food and shelter until they can get on their feet.
Rarely, the land-based will choose to become a Mascapo. Some are driven to explore their depths of the oceans, and the Mascapo readily accept them. However the toughening of the Mascapone skin is irreversible, so it is a choice not made lightly. In fact, from it, there is a saying, "as enduring as a Mascapo choice".
The Mascapo trade items they collect from the deepest oceans. These items include rare pigments, high quality rare artist materials, highly sought-after food products, and an incredibly rare high tensile strength thin silk string. The Mascapo highly regulate the trade of these products understanding that they are finite and believing in the conservation values of the society as a whole.
The farming spots of the resources they collect are a closely guarded secret of the Mascapo. Many an illegal poacher, farmer, or miner has gone into the depths of the oceans searching for the prized locations, but the incredible few that have returned vow to everyone never to go again and will say no more. Those that have tried to infiltrate the Mascapone society, affecting a desire to become one of them, are never heard from again.
The Mascapo choose to remain on Murtath even with the Burn so close. None have left the planet, and all have resisted the efforts of the ARC to preserve the deep ocean life. Their faith is that the ocean will preserve and protect them from the Burn, so there is no need.