Andro Coast
the Free City of False Flags
Andro Coast, often just Andro, is a port city on the coast of the Thorn Horn in Tinjir. The remote city is bordered on to the north and west by the waters of the Cota Ocean and Bushwa Expanse. To the south and east, beyond the Sparte Flats, are the Areian Peaks.
The city has a reputation among the seafarers of Tinjir as something of a port of ill-repute. The nations of the Farlands see the city as a lawless hive, where slavery is legal, and pirates are sheltered. A city that has embraced the evil Orc population of the region. A city where grievances are settled with murder and wizards that delve into the Shadow walk free among the people. While these tales are exaggerations, like many others there is some truth to all. The Human of Andro Coast call their city 'Free City'. They see themselves as merchants, no different than the Cavea to the south. They are just not limited by the bias of the other humans, willing to trade freely with the orcs that dominate the Thorn Horn. To the people of Andro slavery is a business like any other, as is smuggling and piracy. All sea trade is welcome of the coin is right.
Andro is led by a council of wizards rarely seen in public. When a wizards walks the streets he/she wears hooded robes that hide their gender. A smooth wooden mask with no mouth or eye holes always covers their face. The number of members and who they are is a closely guarded secret. These wizards rule out of a fortress complex within the rocky plateau at the southwestern edge of city. There is a fear among the people that anyone could be one of these dark wizards, even a trusted neighbor or childhood friend. This causes the citizens of Andro to avoid conversations about their rulers in fear of one being among them. Many have disappeared who have spoken poorly of the council. Decrees are given to the citizens by shadowy whisps drifted through the city each morning proclaiming new laws, and information that the wizards feel the people need to know.
As stated, Andro Coast has a bad reputation among the sailors that travel the seas around the Farlands. Business, however, can be quite lucrative in the city that accepts all business. For a port that is rumored only to be for pirates and rogues, its docks stay busy. This is due to the fact that many 'lawful' sailors also use the port, sometimes for ill-gotten gains, but just as often for legitimate trade. Andro's reputation is so poor across Tinjir however that these ships often hide their colors, sporting fake flags, and draping sail cloth over their ship names to avoid recognition. This practice has given Andro Coast the moniker of 'the City of False Flags'. While other ports throughout the world frown on such practices, in Andro, coin is coin, and who the sailors that do business are is their own business.
These is no single ethnic group that dominates the city. Be it Dagmon from far away Dergonhad, Lhakamen or Tinjin from the eastern Farlands, or Normon of Novyum, the city is a melting pot of people. Even orc walk, dwell, and trade freely on the city streets. No Elf, however, are seen in Andro Coast, they seem to hate the place. An occasional Juhl'are may show up, often without the people batting an eye in their direction.
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