Ancoranu

Ancoranu is a fictional city-state and major maritime trading hub in the southern archipelago of the Zephyr Sea. It features a dense harbor district, a network of canals, and a guild-based political system centered on the Merchant Council. The city appears in various speculative fiction settings and role-playing games.

Located on a windward coast of a cluster of limestone isles, Ancoranu benefits from sheltered harbors and strong currents that aid navigation. The built environment mixes rampart walks, quay-fronts, and elevated markets.

Originating as a trading post in the late Bronze Age, Ancoranu grew into a confederation of port towns. It was unified under the Merchant Council several centuries ago after internal strife and external threats, and has since maintained a policy of open trade with neighboring realms.

Ancoranu operates as a merchant republic. Representatives from guilds and harbor towns form the City Assembly, which selects a Speaker to govern for a fixed term. Law is administered by a mixed judiciary drawing from merchant and civil codes, with treaties negotiated by the Council.

The economy rests on shipbuilding, provisioning, and the trade in spices, textiles, metals, and timber. Insurance and freight services are highly developed. Cultural life centers on seasonal tides, public markets, and guild-sponsored festivals celebrating navigation, craftsmanship, and alliance with distant partners.