Appearance
The Ocadians (Orcaldaldar in their tongue) are a strong ethnic group that live in The Ocadian Ring, the areas of around the Ocadian Desert. They are a little shorter than average with fairly flat faces in comparison to some groups. Their skin is quite fair. There eyes are light brown to dark brown - nearly black. Their hair ranges about the same spectrum of browns. They have no definative body type.

Social
There are eighteen Sooks in the Ring. A Sook is an amalgum of tribe and clan with complex rules of blood, marriage, and star position at time of birth determining which Sook one belongs to. Normally one is raised by ones own Sook, but there are exceptions. The Sooks is led by a single star choosen leader, supported by an elder council.

All the Ocadians are semi-nomadic, following their Yak and Horse herds around The Ring and the Ocadian Desert. Five Sooks are fairly stationary (Ochaltha, Kokdaltha, Chendi, Podaltha, and Quan), counting on agriculture and trade to suppor themselves. Two are completely nomadic (Hycks and Woots), having nothing more stationary than their felt tents. The rest range in specific areas, staying in certain areas with valuable resources for most of the year (Dhendha, Bolhaltha, Chemdi, Koon, and Doonbal). While these people can be quite fierce with outsiders, they are reasonably peaceful with each other.

There lives, except for the presence of the Spirit and the Ocadian desert, their lives are what one would expect for a semi-nomadic people.  They move with the seasons, returning to favored lands or stationary camps (where farming occurs) throughout the year. They craft. They sing. They ride horses (are are competent, but not exceptional). They herd Yaks. Their garb is warm and sturdy, as it is cold in The Ocadian Ring.

The Spirit
They live in the area around the Ochre Desert. They will venture into the Desert for valuable resources such as plants, minerals, game, and grazing lands (there isn’t much water, but there is always some scrub plants for their yaks). No one would ever live there.

The Spirit of that Land is sick they will tell you. To live there would be to invite the sickness into you. They even call the Great Spirit of the place The Sick Spirit.

However, the Spirit and the place is quite magical. The tale goes, the Sick Spirit isn’t using its magic, so it is willing to let others use it.

It is said that the land itself grants magic to those that would respect it.

That bonding and respect process is common to all the Ocadian peoples. The Peoples all have a tradition of magic through the Sick Spirit (as it is no longer using its magic, it does not mind others using its magic). Thus every adult member is deepely stained by the Ochre Soil.  Some stain their entire bodies and hair (practice of the stationary Sooks), others just create patterns on their faces, while others embedd intricate patterns on their body (Hycks, Koon, and Woots).

While not all are highly skilled with magic, all adults and some children have some magics. While some can only work magic in the desert itself, most can work magic in the Ring.  Most Ocadians “spells” are cantrips: simple charms for luck in an endevor, increased perceptions, little changes. They frequently sew by magic, binding two skins together. This allows them to make their famous tents that are so perfect.

With some practice, greater spells are possible. They can see paths and life in the desert, to change the desert itself to fit their whim (summon water, summon plant, call animal). They can even warm their encampments with the magic by making it less cold or causing the wind to avoid it. Starting fire seem to be one trick the land will never provide. The same is the calling of rain or any moisture from the sky.

While spells can be attempted in The Ring and beyond, the power and ease of spell casting is based upon the distance to the Ocadian Lands.

Note: Horse Magic
The horses of the Ocadians are gifted with magical gifts as well. They are painted with various symbols with the Ochre dust of the desert. This provides them with enhancements to their performance and protection from harm. It is good that they are enhanced, as the Ocadians are only fair riders for a horse people. They also practice various charms and such, similar to Horse Brass.

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