In the grand sweep of Golarion’s history, nothing quite like Andoran has ever existed before. Though old Azlant may have seen the first stirrings of democracy among a few privileged members of society, this radical government was neither widespread nor widely accepted, and it died when Azlant was shattered among the waves. Born again in the dreams of the poet Darl Jubannich and the philosopher Hosetter, the idea of equality before the law found a fuller expression in the tide of darkness that threatened to shadow Golarion after the death of Aroden.
Faced with the choice of servility under the lash or the terrors of freedom, Andorens chose to follow their impossible dreams—and succeeded. They chose to shape a future free of infernal taint, of tyrants dictating the course of their lives, and to greet their destiny with open eyes. Against the armies of Hell and the machinations of princes, against the words of those who were too faint of heart to continue the fight, they gambled with their lives and were victorious. They chose to assert their beliefs for themselves and for their children, neighbors, and countrymen—and in so doing, lit a fire in the spirits of the oppressed across Golarion.
Their descendants still carry this torch, and its light fills the hearts of the citizens of Andoran. They are neither pure nor innocent, but nearly all of them subscribe to the dreams of their ancestors, and believe passionately in the vision of freedom and equality that was born decades ago. The Chelish skeptics say (and are encouraged by their government to continue in this vein) that the Andoren experiment is a false front for a shadowy cabal that manipulates the citizens. They insist that the government runs on self-serving interest, that greed and selfishness are human nature, and that the people of Andoran are not truly free. They say that in a crisis, the Andorens will revert to form and prove their animal nature. Andorens are determined to prove them wrong. The people of Andoran are fiercely independent. Having freed themselves first from Taldor’s influence, and then from the boot of Cheliax, they now insist on charting their country’s destiny without the influence of foreign dictators, and on allowing each and every citizen his or her own say in the matter. They are egalitarian, and look beyond what a person says to what that person does.
The history of Andoran prior to its independence is one of existence with greater powers—not exactly subservience, but neither with willful steps toward selfrule. The country had always existed slightly apart from the centers of power, acting primarily as a resource for the rulers who drew their necessities from its forests, rivers, and people. Andorens have lived for centuries with others siphoning away their most precious resources; thus it was that when they were asked to submit to Hell itself, on top of the other indignities, they revolted at last. They discovered their power, and have decided they will assert it, both for themselves and for others across Golarion.
Andorens are generally good, though their convictions range from a firm belief in the rule of law to upholding an individual’s rights above that of the group. They believe in examining an argument on its merits, rather than listening to gossip, slander, innuendo, and half-truths— as Chelish agents have discovered, to their great regret. Andorens are passionate about their country, about their history, and about their future. They are not so proud that they are blind to the potential pitfalls and dangers of their ideology, and they do not share a collective mindset, but they are truly engaged and informed citizens, believe strongly in Andoran’s rightness, and will fight to the death to protect their land. They believe in everyone’s right to speak his mind, and believe equally in their right to disagree—sometimes with a thrown fist.
The greatest schism in the country is between those who believe in Andoran without question and without fail, and those who believe that it is best and healthiest to point out flaws and shortcomings in the country and government so they can work to fix those flaws. Factions do exist in the land, but given their neighbors, they take care to ensure that their own arguments are clean from foreign taint: no one wants their argument likened to Chelish positions.