Waddood

Waddood is a fictional city-state frequently featured in speculative fiction and tabletop role-playing settings. It is positioned as a coastal polity on the eastern edge of the Siltan Sea, noted for its labyrinthine streets, whitewashed walls, and bustling harbor.

The city-state comprises a primary urban core on a natural crescent bay and a network of smaller ports on adjacent islets connected by drawbridges and causeways. The population is diverse, including long-established merchant families, artisans, fishermen, and migrants from neighboring regions. Waddood uses a pidgin trade language alongside regional tongues and maintains a strong tradition of maritime knowledge.

Historically, Waddood traces its origins to merchant leagues formed in the 11th century and grew as a crossroads for spice and textile trade. It later came under the dominion of a regional empire in the 15th century, before regaining autonomy in the early 18th century. Throughout its history, it remained an important port and naval hub, balancing trade with local governance.

Government in Waddood is organized around a Council of Guilds, with representatives elected by guild membership. A ceremonial figurehead known as the Speaker presides over sessions, while the council relies on informal checks and balances, commercial law, and customary codes to resolve disputes.

Economically, Waddood depends on port activity, shipbuilding, and related services. Major exports include ceramics, timber, and spices, with imports of fabrics and metal goods. The local currency is the wad, used primarily within the city-state and its trading networks.

Culturally, Waddood emphasizes tradecraft, seafaring knowledge, and mercantile prudence. Festivals celebrate the sea, harvests, and guild milestones, and the cuisine blends coastal seafood with spices. Religious plurality is common, with multiple temples and shrines reflecting diverse traditions.

In fiction and media, Waddood appears as a backdrop for political intrigue, maritime adventures, and economic drama, with differing fictional depictions across works.