Andoran

Andoran

Andoran is a nation of the people, governed by the principles of Common Rule which grant every citizen a voice. Andoran holds the reins of its own destiny in the strong hands of its people; it considers itself the birthplace of freedom.

Structure

Andoren government (and Andoren society as a whole) are built on three principles: the tolerance of all benevolent religions, a transparent government, and an efficient, prosperous system for trade. To ensure that all are treated fairly and that no one abuses the power of their office, public servants in Andoran are regarded with a measure of suspicion and subject to regular scrutiny.

The People's Council

The nation's ruling body is a group of 350 representatives known as the People's Council. Based out of the capital city of Almas, these individuals are elected by the nation's populace every five years; Andoran is divided into numerous municipalities, each of which is allowed to elect a single representative to the Council. Additionally, every major guild in the nation is also granted a representative. It's these individuals that are responsible for overseeing all aspects of the nation's government, from the selection of mayors for each municipality to the running of Andoran's military forces.

The Supreme Elect

The People's Council is led by the Supreme Elect, a position appointed by the Council's members following each election. The Supreme Elect manages the nation's Executive Office, and acts as the mayor of Almas. The People's Council also selects a supreme vicar from the local clergies of Sun and The Light. This individual serves primarily as an adviser to the Supreme Elect. The supreme vicar also acts as the bishop of Almas, and oversees the actions of all Andoran's faiths.

Foreign relations

Being the only country in the Inner Sea region with open, democratically-elected leaders, Andoran's relations with its more autocratic neighbours is generally poor. Foreign powers worry that their peasantry might desire freedoms similar to those earned by the people of Andoran as a result of the People's Revolt. This fear is reinforced by Andoran's efforts to spread its cultural, mercantile, and philosophical beliefs beyond its borders. The nation even exhibits a willingness to bring its military might to bear when no other means of accomplishing this goal remain.

They are close with the island kingdom of Absalom. They share many ideals about being a force for good in the world. 

Andoran and slavery

During the People's Revolt, revolutionaries opened all of Andoran's prisons and freed its slaves, partially on ethical grounds, and partially to bolster the Revolt against foreign and domestic anti-revolutionary forces. These abolitionist ideals continue to this day, with the Andoren government forbidding any trade in sentient creatures, as well as sending out agents to undermine slavery abroad. This brings Andoran into conflict with the primary states supporting slavery in the Inner Sea region, particularly Cheliax, Katapesh, Osirion, and Thuvia. Because of this, Andorens in general are seen as troublemakers abroad. Katapeshi slavers in particular has been in the crosshairs of the Andoren government for the past decade, after Codwin I and the People's Council made it legal to board and sink Katapeshi slave ships in 1704 AR. When the Gray Corsairs sank three of these ships the following year, it began what some call the Andoren War Against Slavery.

Economy

Andoran is a nation with abundant natural resources, and transport ships carrying lumber, minerals, and other goods frequently leave the cities of Almas and Augustana for destinations throughout the Inner Sea region and beyond. Additionally, the nation's three leading exporters, House Goldfield, House Naran, and House Vaylen, operate large and profitable banks within the region. Andoran's banks provide readily accessible and affordable credit to the nation's people, though any who seek to exploit this system are exiled as traitors.

Andoran profits from resources beyond its borders as well. Artifacts and resources originating in exotic locations such as Osirion, the Mwangi Expanse, and even Azlant and Arcadia are gathered and sold. These goods are sometimes rare, often difficult to locate and obtain, and many groups fight one another to possess them; despite the risks involved, these items generate significant wealth for Andoran. Competition in this field has also been growing with the neighbouring states of Cheliax and Taldor.

A new Supreme Elect

In 1716 AR, Andira Marusek was elected to succeed Codwin I. Coming from a background in both the Twilight Talons and as the general of the Steel Falcons, she is one of Andoran's youngest Supreme Elects and has made international abolition a principal tenet of her administration.

Demography and Population

The human population of Andoran is primarily of Chelaxian and Taldan extraction, with halflings the most common non-human race. Andoran also has the largest concentration of kobolds in the Inner Sea region, and one of the biggest number of aasimars.

Above all else, the citizens of Andoran are passionate about their country and their freedom. A history of being ruled by foreign powers, first under Taldor, and then Cheliax, resulted in a heavy burden; over time, as the region's resources and the people's independence were slowly worn away, this burden grew too great to be tolerated any longer. The proud people of Andoran claimed their nation's sovereignty, and are determined to prove to disbelievers that the concepts of freedom and equality that they hold will remain strong in the face of any hardship.

The people that inhabit the nation of Andoran are also highly opinionated, often holding differing perspectives on how best to preserve their nation and spread its influence. That said, almost all Andorens share certain beliefs in common. Arguments and discussions should be based on merit, rather than half-truths or falsehoods. All people have a right to have their voice heard, and one should be judged by their actions above all else. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, so long as it is not actually that of a foreign power. By embracing and preserving these beliefs and others like them, the people of Andoran hope to ensure Common Rule, and the freedom it brings, for many generations to come.

Territories

Andoran is located on the northern coast of the Inner Sea. The nation is separated from its western neighbour, the empire of Cheliax, by the Aspodell Mountains. The Five Kings Range perform a similar function in the north, serving as a barrier between Andoran and the nations of Druma, Isger, Kyonin, and the Five Kings Mountains. To the east lie the nations of Galt and Taldor; much of Andoran's eastern border lies within the Verduran Forest, and follows the flow of the Sellen River. The nation can be divided into five general regions: the capital city of Almas and its surrounding countryside, the coastal Arthfell region, the agriculture-rich Carpenden Plains, Darkmoon Vale, dominated by the Lumber Consortium, and the fey-contested Verduran Forest.

Andoran's interior is dominated by plains and hills, and the remnants of Arthfell Forest. Darkmoon Vale in the northwest is dominated by Droskar's Crag, a massive volcano that serves as the southernmost point of the Five Kings Range.