The Council of Elders is a group of seven Orcs of equal standing. They are elected by their peers and judged on reputation and their achievements in life before they are accepted into the Council, but there are few examples of any one candidate being denied – usually the people will only put forward men or women they consider worthy, and Orcs are especially demanding in this regard. If a Council member is revealed to have committed foul deeds in the past, they are immediately stricken from their number and executed without fail.

As a whole, the Council are responsible for deliberating on the matters of trade, war, diplomacy, agriculture, and all other business that a self-sufficient city might encounter. While the members may take differing positions during their internal discussions, they always present an united front once they have voted on the issue. Because indecision is seen as a great weakness in the eyes of the tribe, no member is allowed to bastain.

They hear out petitioners every morning – with the exception of religious holidays – then discuss these matters among themselves. Their decisions are always announced at the end of the week, and this prompt system has seen Bhathairk through many crises where other governments would’ve been too slow to react.

The only matters the Council has no power over are those of a sacral nature. Rituals, holidays, and celebrations are entirely in the purview of the Circle of Shamans, and the Council don’t even attempt to meddle in their business – it would be considered a great offense to the people and the spirits alike.

Like many of their kin that have settled down, the Orcs of Bhathairk have ceased to follow warmongering chieftains and instead begun to look up to those wiser and more worldly than themselves. This eventually evolved from simply seeking advice into a proper governmental device, and thus the Council of Elders came into being.

The Council leads the stronghold with a steady hand. Their predisposition for deliberation and diplomacy tends to anger the younger Orcs who itch for action, but divisive elements are often encouraged to leave the Bhathairk by their own kin if they are deemed too rebellious. These men and women frequently return when they have experienced all that Arethil has to offer, and some of them even go on to become members of the Council with their newfound experience.

It is this well-travelled worldview that has given rise to an open and inclusive society in the stronghold – a fact that the many immigrated species appreciate. They are treated as fairly as the Orcs inside the walls of Bhathairk, and all are given equal opportunity based on competence rather than their origin. The only matter where the Council hasn’t budged in centuries is their harsh punishment of transgressions. Crime, especially of a sacrilegious nature, is dealt with swiftly and severely.

In general, the people of Bhathairk are content with the Council and their decisions, and the way they have led the stronghold through the centuries has brought much wealth and renown to the city. Outsiders who have lived under different regimes before consider the Council one of the fairest forms of rule, and it is one of the main reasons for the influx of other species besides rich trade opportunities and the wealth of jobs on offer.

The Council of Elders naturally evolved when the current tribe took over Bhathairk from their bloodthirsty predecessors. Quite fed-up with war, the ancestors of the current Orcs settled down for a more peaceful lifestyle of agriculture and trade. As the need for a strong, battle-tested leader faded to obscurity and conflict no longer robbed them of life at a young age, the older and more experienced members of society became the natural cornerstone.

Their advice shaped their tribe as one, and eventually the matter became official – thus the Council of Elders took up governance of the stronghold and its outskirts, and have done so ever since.