A desert kingdom of loosely connected cities, Anduria’s population centers are few and far between. With so much desert to cross, each city has developed their own unique, isolated cultures. Much of Anduria relies on trade caravans that pass from city to city, and they have strong trading partnerships with the neighboring Sondabad, as well as Elendar by sea. The capital of Anduria is Obsidian City, and here the Ostenello royal family rules the kingdom. Governors preside over each of the cities, and the king’s actual power is limited.
Population.
400,000
Demographics.
Government.
(constitutional monarchy)
Anduria is ruled over by a king, historically the Ostenello family, though the throne has greatly limited power. The majority of the cities and territories of Anduria are ruled by popularly elected governors, many of whom are wealthy and well-known merchants and land-owners. Protection is a big issue in the minds of Andurian citizens, leading to opportunity for warlords and gang leaders to attempt power grabs through elections. The Andurian king has the power to deny the approval of any governor, leading to a indeterminate amount of time in which the area is without centralized leadership while a representative of the king's court steps in. This process is reliant on the often slow communication across the desert. Eventually a second election takes place, with the option to add new candidates available. If the people continue to elect the denied candidate, the king once again can deny or relent. The process can be repeated up to a full year, at which point the will of the people override's the king's decree. Governors serve for 8 years, and if a majority agree, can negate the king's executive actions.
History.
The land of Anduria was once a lush and fertile land on the far southwest corner of Temura named Farsis. The Farsy Oasis held a revered lake, and the Godstream River carried this water across the country, the lifeblood of an otherwise harsh desert. Human settlers travelled from the east and established a kingdom, and the Ostenello royal family built advanced aquifers to reach settlements and towns away from the river. At the time of the Great War, Farsis was mostly unaffected, though they continued to trade with their previous allies. However, at the end of the conflict, the Alliance of Syr's forces retreated to the west, and waste was laid to the kingdom. All hope of recovery was quelled when the monument was raised, destroying the city of Farsy, and cutting off the source of the Godstream. The monarchy tried to maintain what it could, but the land and kingdom continued to wither. About twenty years later, a man by the name of Gerard Tzerakkis incited a coup and dethroned the Ostenello's. Thus began a long and bloody history in which Farsis never fully recovered in name or scope. Rule changed hands many times, but in the year 1128 A.G.D., a man named Derren who traced his lineage back to the ancient royal family took on the name Ostenello and united the remaining settlements under the name Anduria, named for the endurance of her peoples. He begun the lengthy task of unearthing the ancient aquifer system from the sand as well as building a new system where the Godstream once ran to pump ocean water to the rest of the desert. This was made possible by the recent development of a process to remove the salt from water by researchers in Obsidian City. Theis new aquifer, dubbed the Godstream, feeds water to the whole nation, and has remained for over 200 years. Since then, the Tzerakkis family has reemerged as well, gaining popularity in the port city of Blisswater. While the two families have remained outwardly peaceful, there is concern that yet another coup may be on the horizon.
Geography.
- Desert
- Dunes
- Cliffs
- Plateaus
- Canyons
- Coastal Cliffs
Architecture.
- Formerly Persian
- Currently Byzantine
Resources and Industries.
- Salt
- Minerals
- Spices
- Oil
- Exotic goods
- Shipyards
- Sciences
- Historical records
Military.
Anduria faces little threat from outside threats, and only maintains a small army stationed in Obsidian City. However, the monarchy maintains an internal military force known as the Obsidian Riders, who are stationed both within cities and patrol major trade routes. Smaller settlements hire their own lawmen or protection.
List of Cities and Settlements.
- Obsidian City
- Blisswater
- Steepscar
- Bleakbellow
- Redally
- Bruiserock
- Elderbrook
- Phantompoint
- Lundy
- Scornfort
- Shallow Dune
- Meekford
- Whisperreach
- Giant's Worth
Factions and Organizations in the Area.
- The Obsidian Riders
- The Great Library of Antiquity
- The Dune Striders
Unique Flora and Fauna.
