Dothraki

The Dothraki are a nomadic people of horse-mounted warriors who roam the vast grasslands of central Essos, the great inland plain known as the Dothraki Sea. Fierce, proud, and contemptuous of settled life, they live to ride, raid, and conquer, and they are among the most feared peoples of the known world.

Way of Life

The Dothraki live in mobile bands called khalasars, each led by a warlord called a khal. They despise farming, walls, and the sea, which they distrust because their horses cannot drink its water. A Dothraki is rarely parted from his horse, and horseflesh is central to their diet, customs, and pride. They take what they want by the sword, enslaving the peoples of the towns they sack and selling captives to the slavers of the cities.

Customs

The Dothraki braid their hair and hang it with bells to mark their victories, cutting the braid only in defeat. They believe the stars are a fiery khalasar of the dead, and their dead khals are honored at the holy city of Vaes Dothrak, the only settlement they permit, where weapons may not be drawn. A khal's widow joins the dosh khaleen, the crones who guide the people.

In the Story

The Dothraki enter the central narrative through Khal Drogo, to whom Daenerys Targaryen is wed. After Drogo's death and the hatching of her dragons, Daenerys gathers the remnants of his people and later a great new khalasar, building a power base among the horselords for her bid to reclaim the Iron Throne.