Andoria

Curious how some people walk weeks through a searing hot desert just to honour a god. I have to admire the perseverence but I am glad that I can fly if it would want to visit there.

— High Sage Syronikir

Deep in the southern part of the Volker Desert a settlement can be found hidden between rock formation. Because of these high cliffs surrounding it Andoria is protected from the hardest of desert winds while also receiving lots of shadow.
The most important aspect of the city is, however, its temple dedicated to the god Bethir. As this is believed to be the site where the god was born many pilgrims travel many days through the harsh desert just to visit the temple.

by kefkejaco with Inkarnate

Extra Information

Founding Date

End of Avaronian Era

Location

Andoria is located within several canyons in the southern Volker Desert

Owner

Kevarim

Population

10 600

Primary Races

Humans, Gnomes, Draconids

Known for

Temple of Bethir, rock cut buildings

Avg. Temperature

29 °C

History

Myth

The place where Andoria was built always had a significance to the people of the desert. According to Misiran mythology, the location was the birthplace of Bethir, the god of earth, crops and fertility. Before his arrival the gods Aster and Nuvi, goddess of rain, made the place their home. Aster was at this time the god of earth. But soon things took a turn for the worst as Aster was bitten by a venomous snake and perished.
Nuvi was inconsolable and cried entire rivers of tears, flooding the region in the process. Over the years the frequent floods of Nuvi's tears created the canyons of today. But one day the strangest thing occurred. A small seed grew from the remains of Aster and from this seed came the largest fruit in the world. Nuvi was curious, cut open the fruit and was perplexed when Bethir emerged.

by kefkejaco with midjourney

by kefkejaco with midjourney

Founding

The first to settle in Kevarim after the defeat of the Selefer were the Draconids. The founding of the precursor settlement to Andoria, however, only happened several centuries later. They built the first settlement and temple but the settlement was mostly abandoned when the Dragon Scourge hit.
At the end of the Avaronian Era new interest in the region arose as the city of Safir to the north grew. Pilgrims started to come from that city to the place where Bethir was born. Up until then only a small group of remanants tended to the temple while the rest of the ancient settlement fell into ruin. With new interest, however, the settlement was once more populated and became known as Andoria.

Growth

As the city grew it became clear that new methods had to developed to sustain a growing population. By using cisterns and other water control contraptions they were able to use the regular flashfloods to collect large quantities of water. Old buildings were restored or repurposed and the temple was expanded upon.
Despite it being in the middle of the desert the city flourished and it became a tradehub between Zerevil to the south and the Eridani River region to the north.

Landmarks

Temple of Bethir

The main reason for many to visit the remote city of Andoria is the temple dedicated to the god Bethir. The temple itself was built upon the location that is said to have been the place where Bethir sprout from a fruitbearing tree.
Today the original tree is no longer present but at the very center of the sanctuary there is still a tree to be found. When a tree dies it is replaced with a seed from the current tree. In this way the current tree can always trace itself back to the ancient tree from which Bethir was born.

by kefkejaco with midjourney