The Dol'Kar

The Dol'Kar are sizable tribes of orcs and half-orcs that live among the Dol'Gahash in the East. They are tribes that believe in peace and only war to protect themselves. Their society is built on fundamental spiritual and religious beliefs.

History
The Dol'kar's history is rooted in mysticism and a need of change in the behavior of the people at the time.

The first of the Dol'Kar
The first of the Dol'Kar where shamans who claimed to have been enlightened. These shamans claimed to see spirits in their dreams. It was not long before these shamans started to gather followers, who either enjoyed the stories or beloved them to be true.

The first of the shamans would teach the followers of "The Dol'Kar" or "The Shepard" in common. The shamans claimed to have seen this mysterious figure in their dreams, leading them and their souls. Over a period of time other shamans joined in these vision quests and the idea of Dol'Karism formed a new religion among the orcish tribes, one that would later become not very popular among the Dol'Gahash.

The basics of the new religion are that the Dol'Kar believe that in war or battle if you die your spirit becomes lost and wonders the lands without ever hoping to go to an afterlife. The new formed tribes and religion of the Dol'Kar are peaceful peoples, who avoid battle and war as best they can.

Clashing with the Dol'Gahash
It would not take long for members of the Dol'Kar to separate from the clans and tribes of the Dol'Gahash, and start forming their own clans and tribes. Though the Dol'Kar are small, any reason for the certain tribes of the Dol'Gahash to go to war, is found and then taken with haste.

The Dol'Kar since its beginnings have been at odds with most tribes of the Dol'Gahash. The fact that the Dol'Kar refuse to attend the great city and partake in the rituals of the Dol'Gahash and their priestess' is seen as a great affront and many of the priestess call for war against the Dol'Kar.

A vision of the future
The tribes of the Dol'Kar send out young aspiring shamans to walk the lands far and wide. These young shamans are sent to far edges of the planet, in search of "Fuadh'as Kol'ta Dol'Kar" or "The Fields of the Shepard" in common. The tribes hope that these young shamans can find such a place in the material realm, so the tribes can migrate to it, and live a peaceful life until their spirits can transition into the afterlife.

The Dol'Kar have been sending shamans for a longtime while very few have returned, those that have returned have returned in failure, not finding the Fields of Dol'Kar.

"'Mehkta ik'ta Dol'Kar' - Common Phrase" A common phrase meaning "to meet in the fields of the shepard" this is said as a "good bye" or said before battle.

Goverment
The Dol'Kar are a tribal people, each tribe has its own subset of rules made within but most follow a basic format of democratically elected Chieftain and Spiritual Chieftain.

To be the Chieftain
In most Dol'Karian tribes a Chieftain is often selected by a majority vote within the tribe. Most Chieftains have proved themselves to be strong leaders that have done great deeds in protecting the tribe from the Dol'Gahash or other enemies. The peoples of the tribes look to the Chieftain to make the right decisions of where the tribe will roam to next, where to winter, where to hunt, etc.

Justice is served through the Chieftain, when there is inner conflict the tribes people look to the chieftain for judgement. The Chief works very close with the Spiritual Chieftain to make sure their decisions are being made in alignment of the tribe's beliefs.

Spiritual Chieftain aka The Spirit Walkers
Often refereed to as "the Spirit Walkers" or "the head shaman" the Spiritual Chieftains are similarly elected as the Chieftain of the tribe, but only candidates suggested by the current shamans can be elected.

The duties of the Spirit Walkers is to find more truths about their religion and convey them to the tribe. Often the Spirit Walkers look for solutions to problems that currently plague the tribe. They are also the healers of the tribe, and use their mystic powers to aid the sick, or weak within the tribe.

Oppositions and Enemies
The Dol'Kar strongly oppose forces of chaos, for example those who follow the All-Dragon. The Dol'Kar believe chaos is what keeps the spirit locked into turmoil and what anchors them to the spirit realm. Keeping them from traveling to the Fields of the Shepard.

The Dol'Gahash have been enemies of the Dol'Kar since the beginning of the Dol'Kar's creation. The Dol'Kar have tried many times to find a peaceful solution between themselves and the Dol'Gahash. They still have not found any common ground between themselves and the Dol'Gahash still find war the better option between the two.

Religion
The basis of the Dol'Kar is founded in their Religious beliefs.

Forsaking Balnor
A belief of the Dol'Kar that is greatly despised by the Dol'Gahash is that Balnor no longer deserves the worship of their people. Though the Dol'Kar understand Balnor's role in their creation and past they believe the damage is already done. They take the position that Balnor has repented and seeks forgiveness from his actions to his brothers, though they believe that worshiping him will bear no fruit and no affection of their previous patron.

This belief has caused the most turmoil between them and the Dol'Gahash.

The Ishta
The Dol'kar have fundamental belief in the Ishta, they understand most of the tenants and understand the creation myths, though they choose to focus on only a few of deities.

Many of the shamans of the Dol'Kar have found power among Ishad the shamans have learned to use his power to help protect the tribe with his immense elemental strength. They understand Ishad's indifference and do not ask much from him, instead they find the fine balance of asking for to much or in some cases to little.

The Shepard
Very little is known of the Shepard but the Dol'Kar and a few other civilizations believe that The Spirit Forger sent a being known as The Shepard of Spirits, to help guide spirits to the afterlife. The Dol'Kar hold the belief that The Spirit Forger has a responsibility to all beings imbued with a soul, and believe that The Shepard will guide them and their spirits to the afterlife, regardless of their association with Balnor.

Animism
The Dol'Kar believe that the lost spirits of their ancestors share the forms of animals. The Dol'Kar shamans often commune with animals, and ask for their aid in spiritual guidance. Shamans often craft totems that draw in spiritual power of their ancestors.

The animal most revered by the Dol'Kar is the Giant Eagle, the Dol'Kar believe that The Shepard often takes the form to help guide them.

Geography
The Dol'Kar are a nomadic people and where they reside changes from time to time.

The East
The Dol'Kar travel in the east, in the shadows of the great hordes of the Dol'Gahash.

Plans of Settlement
The Dol'Kar wish to one day create a settlement within the Fields of the Shepard. They believe that there is a place for them to live in peace among all the other races. This is why the Spirit Walkers send people across the lands in search of such a place.

The Shamans that travel try their best to learn of different civilizations, to gain renown and respect of the different races for they might have to one day live among them.

Demographics
The primary race of the Dol'Kar are orcs.

The Halfborn
Many of the Dol'Gahash shun halfbreeds. The Dol'Kar believe that all creatures with a soul have a place among the fields of the Shepard, thus a lot of the lost wayward souls of the halforcs find their way to the Dol'Kar.

The Dol'Kar see the halforcs as refugees, even though they feel that they themselves are seen as refugees in the shadows of the Dol'Gahash.