Andalos

Andalos, also called the Hills of Andalos, is an area of northwestern Essos which was the homeland of the Andals. Due to migration and invasion little is left of the original Andal culture, however.

## Geography

Andalos is located south of Braavos and the Braavosian Coastland, west of the narrow sea, and east of the Hills of Norvos. Western Andalos near the narrow sea appears to be plains, while further east it becomes hilly and includes the Velvet Hills. The heart of the ancient kingdom of Hugor of the Hill lay in the hills of Andalos. South of the hills were the southern marches of the kingdom, now called the Flatlands. A Valyrian road in the Flatlands runs east from Pentos to Ghoyan Drohe and then northeast to Norvos.

The headwaters of the Upper Rhoyne and the Little Rhoyne lie in Andalos.

## History

The hills of Andalos were the homeland of the Andals prior to their invasion of the Fingers in Westeros. Possibly originating from the Axe, the Andals took Andalos from a race of hairy men believed by some to have been cousins to the Ibbenese.

The Faith of the Seven originates in Andalos. It is said that the Seven made themselves manifest in the hills, and thus the Andals felt blessed by the gods. The Father is believed to have pulled seven stars from the heavens to make the crown of King Hugor of the Hill, the first King of the Andals.

The Rhoynar are believed to have taught ironworking to the Andals, and the historian Doro Golathis of Norvos wrote about Rhoynish outposts in Andalos. Living in Andalos for thousands of years, the Andals spread their influence possibly as far as Lorath and Myr.

The Andals eventually migrated to Westeros and conquered most of the kingdoms of the First Men. According to Andal tradition, they traveled to Westeros because the Seven had promised them kingdoms in a foreign land, but maesters believe the Andals were instead threatened by the Valyrian Freehold. The *True History* states the Andals invaded Westeros four thousand years ago, but some maesters claim it was only two thousand years ago. After repelling Andal attacks on the eastern coast of the north, King Theon Stark raided a coastal section of Andalos in retaliation. Most of Andalos eventually became controlled by Pentos, a Valyrian colony and now one of the Free Cities.

## Recent History

In 323AC, the Prince of Pentos dispatched the Brazen Titans, a sellsword company of some two thousand strong to investigate reports of a dragon in the Andalos foothills said to be preying on travellers and merchants - leaving naught but burned cloth, wood and bones. Curiously however, their investigations led them to discover that all items of value are stripped from the fallen - and that true dragonflame would be capable of melting rings and bracelets to the flesh of a man. Concluding it is the work of men, not a great beast, they scoured the Velvet Hills but found nothing of the supposed bandits.

New reports of attacks similar to that of the year before started to reach the Magisters of Pentos and Myr in 324AC, but were now taking place along the Trader's Road between the two cities. The Brazen Titans were dispatched once more, finding greater success. Capturing the bandit captain and forcing him to reveal the location of his trove through methods crude and vicious, they managed to retrieve half of that stolen - the rest already spent on wine and whores alike. The Brazen Titans were granted a tithe of the retrieved items as part of their reward, and the bandit Nakado and his men were burned alive in a great pyre shaped like a dragon.