Qandaq City
The society of Qandaq is built on trade. Therefore, it only makes sense that the city that gives this nation its name is a great center of trade. It is the wealthiest port in all the Twin Worlds, but this is only this wealth is only skin deep. Life here is more complex than any could know.
Demographics
As a port town, the permanent residents of the city of Qandaq are only part of the population found there. A majority of these people are human, with goblins as a minority. Although not a significant portion of the population, there are members of every race living here.
A vast majority of the sailors in the port are merchants. Most of these come from Port Vald or Seahome. Most of these individuals are human or halfling, although many come from all races and all walks of life.
Government
Qandaq is home to the sultan that rules the entire kingdom. Thus, the sultan has almost total control over what happens in the city. Many other nobles reside here as well. They have many privileges, but no power.
There is a powerful city guard, but their enforcement of the law is spotty, at best. Violent crimes are dealt with swift and harshly with very little exception. Property crimes, such as theft usually go unpunished, although this depends very much on how much the victim is willing to pay for the guards' services.
Defences
The city of Qandaq is very well-defended from both the land and sea to preserve its immense wealth. It is protected by a majority of the powerful Qandaqi navy. Many of these ships are armed with the mysterious Qandaq Fire, making attacking by sea an almost suicidal endeavor.
By land the most effective defensive measure is the harsh Aljanni Desert. Any attackers would have to cross through miles of dry and desolate terrain. Even if these attackers do reach the city, they will find it protected by a high sandstone wall. As none have even attacked this wall since the Third Rising, most citizens believe it is for nothing more than keeping sandstorms out.
Industry & Trade
As a port city, much of Qandaq's wealth comes from trade. This trade begins with the Janni nomads. The Qandaqi give them basic necessities for the gems they take from the desert. These gems are then worked into jewelry, or simply traded with foreign merchants.
Merchants operate with no oversight, whatsoever. This leads to unethical, even predatory business practices being the norm. Experienced traders are very careful in dealing with the locals, but many end up making a bad deal and ending up destitute.
History
When humanity first came to the Aljanni Desert, they encountered the lamias. These creatures quickly enslaved them with their bewitching powers. They enjoy their decadence, so they forced their slaves to build them a grand city.
Despite the city's monstrous rulers, it still became extremely prosperous. There was always a risk to captains that not all their crew would return from the journey, but the wealth earned was more than worth the risk. The lamias had all the luxuries they could ever desire.
Their rule could not last forever. From deep beneath their paws, a danger waited. The mind flayers rose up once again. This was the Third Rising and it destroyed the rule of the beasts. Their bewitched slaves were all too easy for the invaders to control.
When the mind flayers arrived, the gates of the city opened without resistance. Those who once blissfully bowed to the lamias mindlessly bowed to the new invaders. The systematic domination of the city began right away, and the lamias were driven off or destroyed.
The Third Rising did not last forever. After the defeat of the Overbrain, the mind flayers retreated to their home in The Warrens, leaving the city truly free. The wealth of the lamias remained, and those that were left fought over it relentlessly. When the dust settled, one man controlled most of this wealth. This was the first sultan.
By order of the sultan, all evidence of the rule of the lamias and mind flayers was removed. The city was even renamed to Qandaq. This was now a free city, and the beginning of a free nation.
Architecture
Qandaq's buildings are built of sandstone, and the general quality varies widely based on the wealth of the owner. The buildings in the poorer districts are little more than crumbling ruins while those in the wealthier districts are opulent palaces in perfect repair.
The skyline is dominated by massive gilded domes that shine in the reflected light of the sun. Many of the grandest are temples, and palaces. Many of the wealthier districts are decorated with silk banners and colorful murals.
Geography
The city is built around a small bay. On the water's edge is, suitably, the waterfront. This district is one of the most heavily decorated parts of the city, as the Qandaqi enjoy showing off their wealth to the rest of the world. There is always activity here, from the calling of merchants, to the revels of the sailors. There are more guards here than the rest of the city put together.
Next, is the upper-class districts. Many of the merchants live near the waterfront, while the nobles live closer to the wall. The Sultan's Garden dominates the center of the city. This is a private, walled park filled with exotic plants and animals and attended by beautiful servants. In the middle of this garden sits the Palace of Twelve Suns, the private palace of the sultan of Qandaq.
The inner city is divided from the rest by a massive, ancient wall. This wall is extremely weathered with age, but is still sturdy. It is covered with massive carvings far too weathered to make out. On the other side of the wall are the poorer districts. Those closest to the wall but furthest from the gates are little more than shantytowns while the outer districts, being newer, tend to be more middle-class.
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