Andarr
| Andarr | |
| Other Names: | Gateway to The Sea |
| Society: | |
| Nation/Territorial Area: | The Seven Cities |
| Population: | 1.5 Million |
| Languages: | Common, Orcish, Romini, Elven |
| Deities Worshipped: | The Nine, and other minor deities |
| General Alignment: | Neutral Good (Neutral) |
| Head of City Government: | Lord Whelan Ferrin |
| Races: | |
| 40% Human, 20% Orc, 20% Elf, 20% Other | |
History
Andarr is the westernmost city of the confederation making up The Seven Cities. This city serves as a major year-round port for virtually the entire western coast of Avlis. While other cities in the confederation, such as Stalwart and Malekia, have ports of their own, only Andarr's is large enough to accommodate the huge amounts of trade going in and out of the region, and only Andarr's port has all the necessary technology for building, repairing, and maintaining ships of all sizes. In the port of Andarr, there are ships from all nations conducting trade. Goods from inland areas come down the Divalok River to the Blackwater River and land in Andarr where they are loaded onto bigger vessels and taken away. Conversely, ships from elsewhere come into Andarr and unload their goods where they are carted up the river to the inland areas. A good portion of these goods are also known to go directly out the northern and southern gates of the city as well. As most citizens will tell you, "Everything stops and starts in Andarr."
Early Settlement
Settlement of the land occupied by present-day Andarr began in the 3rd century A.O.D. The deep water and clean access to trade routes by land and sea made the area attractive for new settlers from the north. Not long after the first settlers arrived, the population increased to the point where Emperor Joral Kuras of The Kurathene Empire issued the official city charter dated 317 A.O.D to Lord Arvanos, a prominent noble and close associate of Emperor Kuras.
For the next several centuries, the city grew in size and the lands immediately surrounding it were gifted to or inherited by minor members of the Arvanos family who lacked the seniority to control assets in the main fiefdom up north. Due to the volume of trade goods flowing in their direction, these noble offshoots inevitably became richer than some of their compatriots back home, occasionally causing squabbles within the political framework of the Arvanos lands.
One unforeseen effect of the trade boom in the area was the attraction of settlers from other regions of Negaria. Hopeful merchants from T'Nanshi, Galdos, Deglos, M'Chek, and even as far away as Drotid made successful livings selling goods back to their home countries, and amassed great wealth for themselves. Over time, this wealth enabled them to purchase lands around the city and assets within the city, displacing some of the original Arvanos noble family members who were all human.
Independence
By the 14th century A.O.D., the human population was in the minority and the noble rulers of the city were gradually displaced by wealthy merchants who wielded more power. This cultural and political shift drew Andarr away from its loyalties to The Kurathene Empire and the Arvanos fiefdom. For two centuries, the cities of the area were already governed by a Provincial Council of The Chartered Cities, and in 1363 this council elected to declare its independence from the Empire, conveniently after the Empire was weakened by a recent war with Dubunat in 1360. Without any alternative choices, the Empire relented and withdrew its garrison from the area, thereby giving the chartered cities their independence.
The Seven Cities Confederation
Unfortunately, unity among the chartered cities did not last. Their squabbling degenerated into skirmishes and the council broke up into completely independent city-states, each responsible for its own defense and well-being. The nation of Dubunat to the south took advantage of this disunity in 1518 and invaded, nearly conquering the entire realm, but were beaten back once the cities realized they must unite and work together. Later that year, Lord Governor Curtis Allendale of Andarr proposed a confederation of the seven cities for mutual defense and trade. Within six months the treaty was ratified and the The Seven Cities Confederation was born.
The presence of the confederation was a stabilizing force in the region that nearly halted war between Dubunat and the remnants of the Empire to the north. Trade flourished as well as the population and its diversity.
Districts
Some of the major features of Andarr are that it is bisected by the Valokian River into a northern and southern half, and each of its districts is completely walled in and separate from all the others. The creators of the city felt that this would make it more easily defensible against invaders from the sea who might try to establish a beachhead there. Anyone coming in from the ocean would need to take each district separately as if it were its own tiny little city.
Docks District
The docks district is one of the larger sections of Andarr. This area is located on the western shore of the city and serves both as a trade depot and a military rally point for all manner of naval activity. The docks district is so big that it stretches from the northernmost tip of Andarr to the southernmost tip. In effect, the entire western piece of the city is made up of docks and dock-related buildings.
Smith District
Near the center of the city, and immediately east of the docks, is the Smith District. The other major commodity which Andarr is known for is metal goods. The government of Andarr is a major importer of iron ore, which is fashioned into all manner of metal implements by the smiths in the smithing district. Many know that the dwarves are the best smiths in the land, but the people in Andarr would argue that that's only true if the dwarf is Andarrian. A large portion of the smiths in Andarr are orcish, and there are even some human and elven ones. Truthfully, the smiths of Andarr are of all races, and no matter which race they are, it is generally accepted that their goods are superior to all but the finest from Galdos and Deglos. The Smith District is bisected by the river that flows through the center of the city.
Residential Districts
To the north and south of the Smithing District are the Northern and Southern Residential Districts where the large population of Andarr makes its go at living. The two residential districts, with the Smithing District in between them, are all adjacent to the docks.
Business District
East of the Smith District is the largest district of Andarr, the Business District. The bulk of Andarr's economic and governmental activity takes place here. Goods that are brought down by boat are sold in a small market if desired. However, the majority of the space in this district is used by trading companies who conduct imports and exports. The sprawling mass of buildings in this district goes for the entire length of the city from north to south.
Northeastern Quarter
In the extreme northeastern part of the city is an out-of-the way neighborhood that sees little traffic from the other city districts. This spot has become a haven for shady dealings and secret meetings. Most of the underhanded organizations in Andarr make their headquarters here, but the area is not limited to seedy types. Government officials who do not wish to broadcast their business are known to conduct affairs here as well, both local and global.
Southeastern Quarter (Tavern District)
In the district to the extreme southeast of the city, there are many taverns and other establishments for fun and pleasure, and the residents of Andarr often refer to this place as the Tavern District, though officially it is still known as the Southeastern Quarter.
Government
As in all seven cities, the population of Andarr is diverse. However, because of Andarr's strategic location, there is a lot of outside influence from other governments. The lords of Andarr are closely tied to various Kurathene nobles, such as the goodly Lord Arvanos, and the much defamed Lord Crullath. It is not uncommon to see ships from the various Kurathene nobles docked at this port.
The so-called "Lords" of Andarr in the present day are actually not nobles in any sense of the word, but rather they are powerful merchant families that are able to buy power and influence in the city. Those with the means to buy into the rulership get a seat on the Andarr National Council. The number of members on the council has no limit but the price to join is especially high. Proceeds (that are not lost to corruption) go toward beautification and defense of the city. The Council has the power to levy taxes on the citizenry, which it does, and make laws concerning trade, which it also does usually to the benefit of its members. The final power of the Council is to elect a member to represent Andarr to the Confederation, where matters are decided for all of The Seven Cities. This person is the de facto ruler of Andarr, with limited executive powers.
As the winds of fortune blow, the families with membership on the Council rise and fall, but in general they fall into one of four categories which correspond at various times to certain political parties, all of them motivated by financial interests:
Arvanos Loyalists
These merchants are sometimes distant descendants of the Arvanos family but not always. Most of the time they are wealthy members of the oligarchy that see the Arvanos fiefdom as a source of financial and military security and push for good relations between Andarr and its distant ancestral land. Extremists of this faction sometimes go so far as supporting reunification with Arvanos, but that position is usually untenable because The Seven Cities Confederation has strong political influences of its own.
Confederates
The Confederates remain the strongest faction in the political realm of Andarr. Their aim is to strengthen the the Seven Cities Confederation and bring prosperity to the area through continued growth in trade. They have no aspirations of joining any empire, although some of the more fringe elements of this faction do support offering membership in the Confederation to other cities, like Brekon, which would surely create a firestorm since that city is the capital of the orcish nation of the same name. The Confederates who support this position think that incorporating Brekon into the fold would help them compete against the growing influence of the Crullathian Empire.
Cosmopolitans
Cosmopolitan is the polite term for powerful merchants in the government that favor none of the existing factions, or favor some other position, such as free trade with all nations, dissolving the Confederation back into independent city-states, or closer ties with some unnamed group or nation. The impolite term is "squib".
Crullath Loyalists
As the flip-side opposition to the Arvanos Loyalists, the Crullath Loyalists see Arvanos as a weak provider and has-been political force. They admire the strength and prestige of the Crullath family and its lands, which are presently a small empire in their own right. For the most part, members of this faction support close ties and trade, but as with the Arvanos Loyalists, the extremists support joining the Crullathian Empire.
Religion
Due to the diverse nature of the citizenry, it is possible to find worshipers, shrines, and temples to virtually any Avlissian deity within Andarr. If one were to tally up the total number of temples and worshipers, there would be a slight skewing toward gods of Good alignment, such as Gorethar and Dru'El, but an equal skewing toward gods like Hurine, Ingoren, and Valok who all deal with some form of safety, security, and glory. As a second tier, Fegall becomes quite common in the Smith District due to his influence on crafting.
Unlike many other cities throughout Negaria, most of the temples of Andarr are located within the various residential districts.