Salhichin

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The Salhichin, or People of the Wind, are the nomadic herders and warriors of the Grass Sea, living beneath the eternal shadow of Tengri-Uul. They are the lifeblood of the floating city, tending to the great herds that pull it across the plains, ensuring its movement and survival. Without them, Tengri-Uul would be nothing more than a drifting island, lost to the whims of the wind.

For generations, the Salhichin have lived in harmony with the land, moving with the seasons and the migration of the herds, their existence intertwined with the Dalbukh, Mörögnüher, and Büregüher that sustain their people. They are fiercely independent, deeply spiritual, and bound by tradition, holding fast to the laws of the steppe even as tensions with the Tengri-Kharn grow.

Though they provide the means for Tengri-Uul’s movement, the Salhichin are not its masters, a fact that many among them resent. The Tengri-Kharn rule from above, living in luxury, while the Salhichin toil in the dust and wind below. This has led to generations of unrest, with whispers of rebellion growing louder with each passing year.

The origins of Tengri-Uul and its great tethers are inseparable from the Salhichin’s story. The floating city is governed by the Tengri-Kharn, whose wealth and authority depend upon the herders below.

Clothing and Appearance

The Salhichin dress for survival, their garments designed to protect against the harsh elements of the Ötgön Tal. Their loose, flowing robes are made from woven herd-beast wool and light wind-silk, allowing them to move freely while shielding themselves from the relentless sun, dust, and cold winds of the plains.

The Salhichin dress with both practicality and symbolism, their attire reflecting the harsh realities of life on the Grass Sea. They often wear layered veils and scarves, known as Wind-Wraps, which protect them from dust storms and the scorching sun, while also concealing their expressions from outsiders. These veils serve an additional purpose in battle, making it difficult for enemies to read their movements or anticipate their attacks.

Though primarily herders, the Salhichin are also warriors, and many wear lamellar armour reinforced with raptor-hide, offering both flexibility and protection without restricting their speed or agility. Unlike the Tengri-Kharn, who favour gold and jewels, the Salhichin adorn themselves with carved bone, and polished stones, each piece a testament to their bond with the land and the beasts they tend. These adornments serve as personal totems, marking their connection to the steppe rather than the wealth of Tengri-Uul.

Unlike the Tengri-Kharn, whose elegance is meant to impress and intimidate, the Salhichin dress with purpose, their attire reflecting the unforgiving world in which they live.

Culture and Traditions

At the heart of Salhichin society is the belief that the land and sky are one, and that all things must remain in balance. While the Tengri-Kharn believe they rule the heavens, the Salhichin see themselves as the rightful stewards of the land, protecting the great herds that make life possible.

The Salhichin do not see themselves as owners of the great beasts, instead, they are caretakers, ensuring the herds are strong and the migration remains unbroken. Every clan has its own section of the herds, but no beast truly belongs to any one person, they are shared among the people, just as the land itself is.

To disrupt the herds is to disrupt the world. A Salhichin who fails to protect their herd is seen as cursed, unworthy of the land, and cast out to wander the Grass Sea alone.

Many clans make their homes on the backs of the great Dalbukh, building Chödör-Khot: wooden platforms, tents, and small structures that travel with the herds. The great herd-beasts provide transport, shelter, and the strength that keeps Tengri-Uul moving.

The Law of the Wind

Salhichin laws are not written, but spoken, passed down from elders to warriors, from warriors to children. Known as the Ikh Salhi (“Great Wind”), these laws dictate how one must live, fight, and treat the land. Some of the most sacred laws include:

• The Strong Protect the Weak – A warrior who fails to defend their people is no warrior at all.
• The Wind Guides Us, Not Walls – To settle permanently is to die—one must always move with the herds.
• Honour is Carried in the Blood – A family’s reputation is not measured in gold, but in deeds.

While the Tengri-Kharn rule by decree, the Salhichin govern by respect, a leader who loses the trust of their people is abandoned, left to wander the steppe until they prove their worth once more.

The Salhichin as Warriors – Masters of the Land

The Salhichin are a people forged by the unforgiving Ötgön Tal, where survival demands strength, endurance, and resilience. Tending to the colossal herd-beasts that pull Tengri-Uul requires not just skill but raw physical power. They must be strong enough to guide the beasts, swift enough to avoid their crushing steps, and enduring enough to travel for days without rest. Over generations, this way of life has shaped them into taller, broader, and more physically imposing figures than many of the more civilised races of Tymora. Even their children are taught to lash tethers, haul supplies, and ride through the shifting grasses, building a natural toughness that few outsiders can match.

This strength is not just for herding but for defence. The raptors of the plains and the raiders of the Dal Mörgöl are constant threats, and a Salhichin warrior can wrestle a beast into submission or break a man’s bones with a single blow. Their powerful frames and hardened endurance make them formidable in combat, able to strike harder and withstand wounds that would cripple lesser warriors. While the nobles of Tengri-Uul may see them as crude and unrefined, none would dare challenge a Salhichin in a test of strength, for they are not just warriors of the land but masters of the beasts that move the very sky itself.

The Talyn Bökh, the elite raptor cavalry, are feared across the plains, their trained Khar Angir able to run circles around traditional cavalry. Unlike horses, raptors can leap, climb, and dart between herd beasts, making the Talyn Bökh unmatched in skirmish warfare.

The Taming of Raptors – The Talyn Bökh and Their Bonded Beasts

The Talyn Bökh, the Steppe Wardens, are the elite raptor-mounted cavalry of the Salhichin, revered as guardians of the herds and protectors of the migration paths. Unlike the wild Khar Angir, which roam the Ötgön Tal in deadly packs, the raptors ridden by the Talyn Bökh are trained from hatchlings, forging a deep bond between rider and beast that lasts a lifetime. The process of taming these creatures is dangerous, requiring strength, patience, and an unbreakable will. To the Salhichin, riding a raptor is more than a skill, it is a sacred duty, and only the most skilled and fearless riders can claim the title of Talyn Bökh.

Not all raptors can be tamed. Unlike horses or Mörögnüher, raptors are intelligent, independent, and naturally resistant to domestication. To find those worthy of training, the Salhichin must steal hatchlings from wild Khar Angir nests, a dangerous undertaking known as the Chasuun Yavakh, or Trial of the Hunt.

This ritual is reserved for young warriors seeking to join the Talyn Bökh. They must venture alone into the wild, track a Khar Angir pack to its nesting ground, and steal a hatchling without being detected. If the pack discovers them, survival is unlikely, and many aspirants never return. Those who succeed bring back one or two hatchlings, marking the start of an arduous training process.

Some Salhichin clans, wary of dwindling raptor populations, have established breeding enclosures, where captured raptors are raised in captivity. However, these raptors are often seen as less fierce, and traditionalists among the Talyn Bökh argue that only a raptor taken from the wild has the true spirit of the steppe.

A newly taken hatchling is not immediately broken like a horse, it must first be bound to its rider through weeks of feeding, trust-building, and dominance rituals. Raptors are fiercely territorial and view humans as either prey or rivals, making early training a battle of wills. A young raptor must recognise its rider as the dominant force, or it will never accept the saddle.

At first, the hatchlings are fed by hand, ensuring they associate their rider with protection and sustenance. The Talyn Bökh spend countless hours with their raptors, speaking to them, mimicking their pack calls, and reinforcing their bond through controlled interactions. At a certain age, the hatchling will begin to test its rider, lunging, snapping, and attempting to assert dominance. This is where many aspiring riders fail, if they show fear or hesitate, the raptor will never submit.

The final stage of taming is the Tösgooch Urdakh, or First Mounting. The rider must climb onto the raptor’s back for the first time without being thrown off. Raptors do not accept riders easily, and the first few attempts are often violent, with broken bones and bruises common among trainees. Only when a raptor accepts its rider without resistance is it truly tamed, and the bond between the two is considered unbreakable.

Training for Battle – The Deadliest Cavalry on the Steppe

Once tamed, the raptors are trained for speed, manoeuvrability, and combat. Unlike traditional cavalry, which relies on mass charges, the Talyn Bökh fight in loose, fast-moving formations, striking in surgical raids before retreating into the grass. Raptors are far more agile than any horse, able to leap over obstacles, climb rocky outcrops, and weave between herd beasts with ease.

In battle, a Talyn Bökh and their raptor fight as one mind, their movements perfectly synchronised. The Talyn Bökh do not wear heavy armour, favouring light, flowing garments that allow for rapid movement. Their weapons are designed for quick, devastating strikes, including:

• Curved Steppe Blades – Designed for slashing attacks while riding at high speeds.
• Barbed Spears – Thrown from a distance to cripple enemy mounts or impale fleeing foes.
• Recurve Bows – Raptors are fast enough to keep pace with a fleeing target, allowing the rider to fire arrows mid-gallop with deadly accuracy.

When engaging the wild Khar Angir packs, the Talyn Bökh use tactics learned from their own raptors, they circle their prey, isolate the weak, and strike with coordinated precision.

The Bond of Rider and Raptor – A Warrior’s Death

The relationship between a Talyn Bökh and their raptor is not one of master and servant, but of equal warriors bound by blood and battle. If a Talyn Bökh falls in combat, their raptor will often refuse to be ridden by another, either escaping into the wild or fighting to the death beside their fallen rider. For this reason, many Salhichin warriors bury their raptors alongside them, believing their spirits will ride together in the afterlife.

For a raptor to outlive its rider is considered a tragedy, as it means the warrior died before their time. Some old raptors, when their riders pass, wander away from the herds, returning to the wild to live out their final days. Others, unable to live without their bonded human, refuse to eat, dying at their rider’s grave.

Only the strongest warriors of the Salhichin earn the right to ride a raptor, and the bond between them is forged through pain, trust, and years of battle. The Talyn Bökh are not just cavalry, they are the embodiment of the hunter’s spirit, and to ride with them is to be feared across the Grass Sea.

The Faith of the Salhichin – The Wind, the Land, and the Eternal Cycle

The Salhichin do not follow gods of stone temples and written laws; their faith is as vast and shifting as the Grass Sea itself. They believe in the eternal balance between wind and earth, movement and stillness, life and death, seeing themselves as a part of an unbroken cycle that governs all things. Their religion is a blend of ancestor reverence, elemental worship, and deep-rooted animism, where the spirits of the steppe, sky, and beasts guide them through life.

Khökh Salhi – The Great Wind

At the heart of their belief is Khökh Salhi, the Great Wind, the unseen force that shapes the land, moves the herds, and whispers the fate of all who live upon the steppe. The wind is sacred, it carries messages from the ancestors, warns of danger, and guides the herds and riders across the endless plains. To the Salhichin, a life spent in one place is unnatural, one must follow the wind, never settle, never stagnate.

When the winds are strong, it is said the ancestors are restless, urging the Salhichin forward. When the air is still, it is a sign of death, misfortune, or coming hardship. Before every journey, battle, or great decision, the elders and wind-seers listen to the whispers of Khökh Salhi, interpreting its direction, force, and tone as omens of what is to come.

The Spirits of the Steppe

The Salhichin do not worship gods in the way that the Tengri-Kharn or the people of The Kingdom of Valendor do. Instead, they believe in spirits that inhabit every part of the world, from the tall grass to the stars above. Some spirits are benevolent, watching over the herds and hunters, while others are vengeful, punishing those who disrupt the balance.

• The Great Beasts – The Dalbukh, Mörögnüher, and Büregüher are not just herd animals, they are sacred, believed to be the living children of the steppe itself. To mistreat a herd-beast is to invite the wrath of the land, while a well-tended beast will guide its rider even in the darkest storms.
• The Black-Winged Watchers – The pegasi of Tengri-Uul are viewed with equal parts reverence and suspicion. Some believe they are the steeds of ancient spirits, while others say they were once winged demons, tamed by the Tengri-Kharn but never truly loyal.
• The Khar Angir – The Shadow Hunters – The raptors of the plains are both feared and respected, seen as manifestations of death itself. To be hunted by a raptor pack is a sign that one’s time has come, while a warrior who tames a raptor is seen as having mastered fate itself.

Each clan or family has its own guardian spirit, a protective force that watches over them, guiding them in dreams, wind patterns, and the movements of the stars.

Ancestors and the Voices of the Wind

The dead are never truly gone in Salhichin belief. Their spirits ride the winds, whispering through the tall grass and shifting dunes, guiding their descendants. The greatest warriors and leaders become eternal wind-riders, their souls carried across the steppe forever, watching over their people.

When a Salhichin dies, their body is returned to the land, placed upon a high place where the wind may carry their spirit away. Their bones are often carved into jewellery or tools, a way for the living to keep the wisdom of their ancestors close. It is believed that if one listens carefully to the night winds, the voices of the elders and fallen warriors can still be heard, offering guidance and warning to those wise enough to listen.

Rites and Rituals

• The Wind-Binding – Before a warrior rides into battle, they stand atop a herd-beast, letting the wind wrap around them. If the wind is gentle, it is a sign of victory. If it is harsh, it is a warning to be cautious. If no wind blows, it is an omen that the warrior will not return.
• The Bone Offering – Before a great journey, warriors and herders leave small carved bones, inscribed with prayers and markings, in the roots of ancient grasses or along migration paths, asking the spirits of the land to guide them.
• The Naming of the Herds – Every great beast is given a name and blessing, passed down from one generation to the next. It is said that a named beast will always find its way home, while an unnamed beast is doomed to wander lost forever.

The Conflict with the Tengri-Kharn’s Faith

The Salhichin faith is fundamentally at odds with the Tengri-Kharn’s celestial worship. The Tengri-Kharn believe in divine rulers chosen by the heavens, while the Salhichin believe the sky and land belong to all. To the Salhichin, the Tengri-Kharn’s belief in rulers ordained by fate is a lie meant to justify their control over the herders and the Grass Sea.

Many among the Salhichin whisper that the Tengri-Kharn do not truly listen to the wind, that their floating city is an abomination, cut off from the spirits of the land. Some Salhichin seers even claim that one day, Khökh Salhi will rise in fury and tear Tengri-Uul from the sky, returning it to the steppe where it belongs.

For now, the Salhichin keep their faith to themselves, performing their rites in secret, their whispers carried only by the wind. But in their hearts, many believe that Tengri-Uul will not fly forever, and when it falls, the Salhichin will be waiting to reclaim the life it stole.

Tensions with the Tengri-Kharn – The Sky’s Burden, the Land’s Price

The Salhichin and the Tengri-Kharn are bound together, yet their relationship is fragile. The Tengri-Kharn need the Salhichin, but they do not respect them—to the Sky Lords, the herders are mere servants, useful only for tending the beasts that keep Tengri-Uul moving.

Among the Salhichin, resentment has been growing. Many believe that Tengri-Uul has become too greedy, its nobles demanding too much while offering too little in return. The herders toil beneath the Möngke Süü (Eternal Shadow) of the floating city, knowing that without them, the Tengri-Kharn would fall from the sky.

Some Salhichin leaders whisper of rebellion, of cutting the tethers and forcing the Tengri-Kharn to live on the land like the rest of them. Others warn that to destroy the floating city is to doom all of them, for if Tengri-Uul ceases to move, the balance of the Grass Sea will be broken forever.

For now, the Salhichin remain loyal, but loyalty is not eternal, the wind changes, and so too may the fate of Tengri-Uul.

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.

The Salhichin in Other Lands – Wanderers, Seekers, and Exiles

Though deeply tied to the Ötgön Tal, the Salhichin have always been a people of movement and change, never bound by borders or walls. Some have left the steppe by choice, seeking fortune, knowledge, or adventure, while others have been driven from their homelands by forces beyond their control. With the Plain of Bones stirring, more Salhichin than ever before are venturing into foreign lands, their departures whispered about in hushed tones. Though few openly speak of it, many believe their people are fleeing something unseen, reading omens in the wind that urge them to seek safer lands, new allies, or lost knowledge before it is too late.

For some, this journey is personal, a warrior proving their worth in distant battles, a merchant establishing trade routes, or a seer seeking wisdom in foreign temples. Others travel with purpose, sent by the Tengri-Kharn to gather knowledge, search for forgotten relics, or uncover ancient defences that might shield Tengri-Uul from an unknown fate. Whether mercenary, trader, or exile, all Salhichin carry a lingering unease, as if the winds of their homeland have shifted, whispering that the steppe is no longer as it was, that something is coming, and they must be prepared.

Mercenaries and Warriors-for-Hire

The Salhichin are famed warriors, their Talyn Bökh raptor riders feared for their speed, precision, and brutal efficiency. Across Tymora, they serve as mercenaries, skirmishers, and shock cavalry, their deadly mounts and knowledge of open-field tactics making them highly sought after in times of war.

In Valendor, Salhichin warriors have been recruited into noble houses and city militias, particularly in Driftmire, where their beast-handling skills are invaluable to sea captains and monster hunters. In the Free Cities, some have formed mercenary companies, commanding high prices for their unique combat style. Yet, many do not fight simply for gold. Some believe that war and bloodshed forge strength, and that to survive what is to come, the Salhichin must become stronger than ever before.

Traders, Caravaners, and Smugglers

Though the Tengri-Kharn control the great floating trade empire, many Salhichin and Oasis Tribespeople have carved out their own trade routes, using their knowledge of the land to guide merchants through dangerous terrain.

In Highwall, the Salhichin serve as guides for sky-traders, helping airship captains navigate the unpredictable winds of the steppe. In the Free Cities, Oasis traders bring rare steppe herbs, enchanted fabrics, and medicinal supplies, their goods highly sought after in markets bustling with foreign merchants.

Others turn to smuggling, using their intimate knowledge of hidden paths to move contraband, fugitives, and stolen artefacts across borders, slipping through the cracks of civilisation like whispers on the wind. Some traders move simply to build wealth, while others are gathering resources for their people, ensuring that if disaster strikes their homeland, the Salhichin will not be left defenceless.

Wanderers, Seers, and Exiles

For some Salhichin, exile is not a choice, but a fate imposed upon them. Whether branded traitors, accused criminals, or outcasts, they are forced to roam foreign lands, their names lost to the winds of the steppe. Others leave by divine calling, drawn by visions, prophecies, or whispers on the wind that lead them far from home.

Wind-Seers are respected as oracles and mystics, sought after by kings and scholars for their knowledge of fate, omens, and hidden truths. Some find refuge among scholars, while others are hunted by those who fear their prophecies.

Steppe Exiles, those who have broken the laws of their people, often become sellswords, bounty hunters, or desperate thieves, surviving in harsh lands far from their homeland. Some Salhichin have been captured or enslaved, their strength and endurance making them prized labourers, gladiators, and warriors in foreign lands. Yet many escape, determined to return home or take vengeance on those who wronged them.

A People Scattered, but Not Broken

As more Salhichin leave the steppe, their presence in foreign lands is growing. Some have begun forming new settlements, small nomadic encampments where they rebuild their traditions away from the looming threat. Others see the world beyond the Grass Sea as an opportunity, seeking allies, knowledge, and strength to one day reclaim what was lost.

Yet, no matter how far they travel, one truth remains, the wind still calls them home. And many believe that, in time, the scattered Salhichin will return, not as wanderers, but as conquerors.

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