Editing Salhichin (section)

== The Oasis Tribes ==

The Oasis Tribes are permanent settlements of Salhichin who have chosen to guard and maintain the rare freshwater springs scattered across the Ötgön Tal. Unlike their nomadic kin, who roam with the great herds, the Oasis Tribes have rooted themselves in the land, building fortified encampments and stone-walled villages around the oases. They see themselves as stewards of the waters, tending to the sacred springs and ensuring that neither overuse nor neglect leads to their destruction. Without them, the Grass Sea would be a true wasteland, and few living things could survive its endless expanse.

As the gatekeepers of life, the Oasis Tribes hold immense influence over the movement of Tengri-Uul and its people. Every trading caravan, migrating herd, and Tengri-Kharn envoy depends on their willingness to share water, and they do not give it freely. Some tribes remain loyal to the Tengri-Kharn, exchanging water and supplies for trade, protection, and diplomatic ties, while others see the floating city as a parasite that takes without giving back. In times of drought or political unrest, they have been known to restrict access, using their control over water as a bargaining tool to extract favours, trade rights, or even hostages.

The Oasis Tribes are not defenceless, nor are they passive. They train skilled warriors, hardened by generations of defending their precious springs from raiders, rival clans, and desperate outcasts. Many ride Mörögnüher, the swiftest of the herd-beasts, allowing them to patrol their lands with speed. Unlike the Talyn Bökh, who fight from the saddle of trained raptors, the Oasis warriors favour ambush tactics, fortified defences, and the use of terrain to wear down their enemies.

Despite their power, the Oasis Tribes walk a delicate balance. If they hoard their water too greedily, they risk angering the Tengri-Kharn and the Salhichin, who may try to take the oases by force. But if they give too freely, they weaken their own people and risk depleting their lifeblood. Every drop of water they share is measured, every alliance they forge is calculated, for they know that in the endless sea of grass, water is not just survival, it is power, it is wealth, and it is worth killing for.