Juudan

Juudan is a fictional city-state commonly depicted in fantasy literature and tabletop role-playing campaigns. Set on a sheltered harbor on the southern coast of the Archipelago of Eldren, Juudan functions as a major commercial hub where sea trade meets inland markets. Its streets are lined with granaries, shipyards, and guild halls, and its cosmopolitan population includes sailors, merchants, artisans, and scholars.

History and politics: According to common depictions, Juudan was founded by seafarers seeking protection from pirates and storms. It grew through merchant alliances and strategic marriages, eventually forming the Admiralty Council, a body of ten powerful mercantile families that governs in conjunction with a magistrate who oversees civil and criminal law. The city has alternated between periods of autonomy and external domination, leaving a tradition of pragmatic governance.

Economy and geography: Juudan's economy rests on its port, shipbuilding, and a diversified trade in spices, textiles, timber, and metals. The harbor is reinforced by breakwaters and a lighthouse known as the Lantern Keep. The surrounding countryside provides grain and livestock, though most food is imported.

Culture and society: The city is culturally plural, with markets that host traders from distant lands. Guilds regulate crafts and commerce, festivals celebrate the sea, and a tradition of oral storytelling preserves legends of sea voyages and merchants' codes.

Notable sites: The Lantern Keep, Gate of Salt, and the Blue Tower are commonly cited landmarks in Juudan's depictions.