Government & Royalty:

Dondel Government is saturated deeply with tradition and religion. At the top position of power, The High Emperor shares his post with Shamans of the civilization, named the "Pheonix Shamans" after the mountainous land in which the Dondel Race calls home.

The High Emperor is deemed to be appointed divinity, or holy power, through the Shamans in order to rule over the Dondels. Each time an Empeor is needed, upon the death of the previous Emperor, it is the Shamans who have the final say on who should be appointed. Of course the previous Emperor is allowed to voice his wish for a predecessor, and the choice is almost always "blood" related. As such, the son of the previous emperor is usually considered for taking a post where his father once did. There has never been a situation in which the new High Emperor has been someone outside of the previous Emperor's bloodline.

The Aristocratic Council works much like a senate, supporting the Emperor and Shamans when they so wish in the making of government decisions. The real power of the Council is not in opposing the Emperor or Shamans, it is difficult for them to do this due to the divinity from Dondel gods that the two higher groups enjoy. However, the Council is useful in organizing and planning projects and endevors the two entities above wish to see done

With the great victories over the Nical clans during the years 98-103, the Dondel Empire expanded dramatically, out of the Pheonix Mountains and into the fertile westlands of the Great Plate. With the acquisition of such land and power, two new positions, that of the "Northern King" and "Southern King" were created. The two are appointed by the High Emperor himself, and act as independent kings might over their land and subjects. They pledge alliegence to the High Emperor only, paying him tithe and following what ever orders he passes to them.

They must also follow the orders of the Council if it is acting as the mouthpiece of the Emperor.


Religion and Culture:

The Dondel people are very religious, with a large array of gods and goddesses that they pray to. All of their dieties are from the Pheonix Mountains, and the Dondels believe that the Mountains were created by their gods to protect and nuture them until their civilization was ready to overtake the Great Plate in it's entirety.

For this reason, the Dondel culture tends to be very isolationist, and yet very arrogant towards outside cultures. They believe Nicals to be a lower life form, and give them little more consideration than they do a beast of burden, such as cattle.

With the defeat of the Nical clans, this arrogance has increased dramatically, and the Dondel culture has become ever-confident of it's destiny to rule the eastern and western sections of the Great Plate.

Their nature makes them a dangerous foe because often kingdoms and clans do not even know who the Dondels are, as they hide in their mountain kingdom waiting to grow stong enough to take their neighbors over through suprise attacks. Once their civilization has been "nutured" to the point where it is ready for expansion, they organize and attack.

In all of this, as in almost everything in their lives, they look constantly to their gods, whom they believe to be working in the heavens above for the Dondel goal of dominance on the earth below.