Dorlan was the leader of a tribe that worked as slaves for the Great Bear, Coyn. They were pressed into service constructing a huge stone temple. When one of the slaves, a friend of his sister Saffen, was killed by a falling stone, Dorlan was prepared for sacrifice by Coyn's magic-maker, Shalin. The Eighth Doctor and Sam Jones intervened, with Sam taking Dorlan to the TARDIS to fix his arm, which had been broken by Coyn.
Sam showed Dorlan how she could use spray paint to frighten the Bear Men into letting his tribe go free. She warned Dorlan that it was dangerous to spray the paint in someone's face. Dorlan sprayed paint in the face of a Bear Man, and he and Sam went back to the temple to start a rebellion. In the fighting, Dorlan's uncle Teln was killed. Coyn allowed Dorlan's people to go free on the advice of the Doctor. (PROSE: The People's Temple)