City-State of Andalar
Perched on a wind-swept peninsula along the northwestern coast of Malidor, Andalar is an independent city-state governed by the Majlis al-Hikma, or Council of Wisdom. A bicameral body composed of the Circle of Coin—wealthy merchants and trade magnates—and the Circle of Ink—renowned scholars, archivists, and priest-scribes—this council oversees all legislation, public works, and diplomatic affairs within the city. Debate, rather than decree, is the foundation of Andalusian governance. Every law is subject to deliberation, and each voice within the council is measured as much by intellect and rhetoric as by coin or creed.
The city’s rise began centuries ago with the arrival of Hisham, a solitary wizard who built his tower along the peninsula’s fertile highlands during an age of conflict. There he amassed a vast collection of arcane texts, philosophical treatises, and forbidden knowledge. After his death, the city inherited his collection, which became the House of Illumination, now one of the most celebrated repositories of knowledge in the Sea of Riches. A university slowly formed around the archive, attracting minds from across Avalor. Though Hisham was not especially devout, the Church of Ioun canonized him posthumously as Saint Hisham of the Quill, and his writings on governance became the foundation for the Hishamic Concordance, the city’s modern guiding civic charter.
While Andalar’s influence does not stem from territorial power or military strength, its reputation as a neutral haven for knowledge grants it diplomatic leverage. Its harbor welcomes traders, scholars, and pilgrims alike. Rooftop gardens cool the desert air, mechanical fountains crafted by artificers decorate plazas, and marble lecture halls ring with poetry, logic, and invention. Though coin changes hands daily in its markets, true power lies with those who can shape thought and illuminate truth.
Goals
Andalar’s foremost priority is the preservation of its sovereignty and intellectual autonomy. The city-state views knowledge not only as a path to enlightenment, but as a civic inheritance to be cultivated, safeguarded, and shared. To that end, it invests heavily in arcane research, historical preservation, and academic exchange, striving to maintain its status as the Sea of Riches’ premier center of learning. It sees the unrestricted pursuit of knowledge as both a moral obligation and a necessary defense against tyranny. The Majlis al-Hikma also prioritizes social harmony through education and open debate. City leaders believe that conflict can be prevented through discourse, that class division can be softened by shared scholarship, and that prosperity is best sustained through transparency in trade and public service. The city encourages the upward mobility of artisans, scribes, and thinkers alike, and many municipal offices are filled not by bloodline, but by meritocratic examination. Inspired in part by Hisham’s early writings on civic order, Andalar aims to model a republic of reason—one where knowledge is wielded not merely to empower the few, but to elevate the many. To this end, Andalar balances diplomacy with careful neutrality, maintaining open ports and dialogue with rival powers while ensuring no foreign hand can lay claim to its streets or sanctums. Its long-term ambition is not conquest or expansion, but the enduring protection of thought, art, and memory.Relationships
Andalar enjoys long-standing trade relations with the Kingdom of Cantabria, whose merchants are deeply embedded in the city’s commercial networks. While Cantabria occasionally pressures the Majlis al-Hikma to support its favored religious institutions—particularly the faith of Kord—such influence is generally kept at bay by the Circle of Ink’s insistence on secular governance and religious freedom. Relations with the surrounding Maldite tribes remain fluid; while occasional land disputes flare up near the outer groves, shared cultural memory and regular trade have kept the peace. More serious tension arises from the ambitions of the Republic of Caspia and the Aloen Empire, both of which have made overtures to purchase or annex Andalar in recent decades. Caspia’s acquisition of nearby Carnaza Island has only sharpened its appetite for regional control, and its merchant houses continue to tempt Andalusian leaders with promises of protection and prosperity. The Aloen Empire, more subtle in its approach, has sought influence through generous academic patronage and alchemical collaboration. While a handful of merchants may quietly entertain such offers, the prevailing mood within the city remains firmly independent. As one archivist famously remarked, “We are not a prize to be won, nor a candle to be snuffed out.” So far, Andalar has resisted all external pressures, clinging to its neutral charter and cultural sovereignty. But as rival empires grow more aggressive, the question of how long this independence can be preserved looms ever larger.Figures of Interest
Though the members of the Majlis al-Hikma publicly extol the virtues of open debate and civic cooperation, many within its twin chambers harbor rivalries, ambitions, and quiet agendas of their own.Bashar Jaloun, Ra’is of the Circle of Coin
Male tiefling A charismatic and ambitious younger statesman, Bashar Jaloun rose swiftly through Andalar’s merchant guilds before securing a seat in the Majlis. As Ra’is of the Circle of Coin, he blends calculated diplomacy with opportunistic flair. Jaloun has courted controversy by advocating for a formal partnership with the Republic of Caspia—citing Tyrennian patronage, control of the Strait of Tartesio, and looming conflict to the east. His now-infamous speeches before the Council, delivered with fiery oratory and heavy citation of Hisham’s writings, have earned him both admirers among younger guilds and sharp rebuke from traditionalists.Faisal al-Rassid, Ra’is of the Circle of Ink
Male human An aging political philosopher of international repute, Faisal al-Rassid has led the Circle of Ink for over a decade with an austere, uncompromising presence. He advocates for a state rooted in moral clarity and institutional restraint, believing that power should be checked by tradition, discourse, and the written word. To Faisal, the Hishamic Concordance is not merely a founding document, but a sacred covenant protecting Andalar from both populism and foreign influence. He views Jaloun’s overtures to Caspia as dangerously shortsighted, and his essays on civic virtue, legal balance, and rhetorical ethics are studied in universities across Avalor.Samira Valebright, Archpriestess of Ioun
Female half-elf Graceful and discerning, Samira Valebright serves as Andalar’s Archpriestess of Ioun, guiding the faithful with a gentle voice and a fiercely independent mind. A half-elf born to a sun elf mother and a Mariscan scholar, she is both cosmopolitan and devout. Samira’s sermons are celebrated for their poetic lyricism and moral clarity, often invoking the pursuit of knowledge as a sacred, communal act. Though she maintains cordial relations with the Majlis al-Hikma, she has drawn attention for her pointed critiques of recent policies and her impassioned calls for transparency in council deliberations. Some of her most rousing addresses—delivered from the steps of the Archive’s outer plaza—are now circulated as broadsheets among the city’s students and scribes.Mingyuan Xu, Headmaster of the House of Illumination
Male human Originally from Shang, Mingyuan Xu is a distinguished wizard and scholar who now serves as headmaster of Andalar’s most prestigious university. Earlier in his life, he served in Shang’s Bureau of Harmony—the empire’s scholar-run civil bureaucracy—where he developed a reputation for rigorous logic and diplomatic tact. Since settling in Andalar, Xu has worked to broaden the Archive’s reach by inviting foreign scholars and instituting academic exchange programs with institutions across the Sea of Riches. Though some traditionalists criticize his openness to foreign thought, Xu maintains that knowledge must cross borders as easily as trade, or it risks becoming stagnant.
Founding Date
462 PD
Type
Geopolitical, City-state
Alternative Names
Andalar
Government System
Meritocracy
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Market economy
Neighboring Nations
Comments