Overview
The actual power behind the Tarim Basin's governance — an open secret among those who know how to look. The Dwarven Tarim Authority controls the karez water systems that make Tarim Basin civilization possible, and therefore controls everything that depends on that water. The Human Tarim Councils are the visible administrative face; the Authority is the structural reality underneath. This is not hidden because it is shameful — it is simply how the arrangement works, and changing it would require someone to be willing to let the water stop.
Structure & Governance
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Relationship to Power
Officially, the Human Tarim Councils govern the basin cities. The Authority presents as infrastructure management. Hidden influence: [TODO — stub] Leverage: The karez water systems. Whoever controls underground water channels controls who lives and who does not in a desert basin.
Cultural Character
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Key Tensions
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Narrative Hooks
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Relationships
| faction | relationship | notes |
|---|---|---|
| Human Tarim Councils | controls / fronted-by | The Councils are the visible face; the Authority holds the actual structural power |
| Dwarven Mountain Confederations | related — relationship unclear | Two distinct Dwarven power structures; coordination vs. competition is a design question |
DM Notes
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References
- Index: world/factions/_category
- Public face: world/factions/human-tarim-councils.md
- Related locations: world/locations/kashkar.md · world/locations/khotan.md · world/locations/yarkand.md · world/locations/turfan.md