Andorian Empire

Emblem of the Empire (Paul Mahler)

The **Andorian Empire**, or ***Vren Ghelni*** in Graalen, was the interstellar state of the Andorian people. The moon Andoria served as the government's capitol and the military was the Andorian Imperial Guard.

In Golic Vulcan, it was ***Andorsu-eik-te'kru***; in tlhIngan Hol, ***anDorya'ngan wo'***, in Rihan, ***Andor Nneikha***.

## Organization

While the head of state was technically the individual who sat upon the throne, the position had remained empty for centuries and was known as the Empty Throne. The Presider of the Parliament Andoria was thus the de facto head of state after the 19th century.

### Agencies

Several agencies were responsible for various aspects of government functions. The Astronomical Survey was the space exploration arm, while the Imperial Guard were the defense force.

## History

### Early space age

The Astronautical Exploration Guild was the key player in the Empire's evolution into an interstellar state. The organization was formed of several clans, with Keth Ivari being the most powerful and prominent, intent on escaping the confines of their moon. The efforts of the guild's numerous scientists, engineers, and astronauts led to the first piloted space flight by Captain Tr'vyshondiz th'Halorik. Several years later, the *Lor'Vela* became first the Andorian spacecraft to break the warp speed barrier. The guild evolved into the Andorian Astronomical Survey when the Empire joined the Federation.

## Territory

At its peak, the Empire held territory in both the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. The Procyon system, containing Andoria, was core to the Empire's territory. Other key systems included Arken, Axanar, and Thonalan. The Arken system, and its native Arkenites, was given its independence in 2161 as a stipulation for the Empire to join the Federation.

## Culture

### Art

The art of *traloxa'ilnir*, meaning "art made from fruitful ice" in Graalen, was a form of ice sculpture that had been practiced for millennia. It involved using chaka, known to most artists by their traditional name of *leex'raas*, to carve the ice. A key element of the art form was the understanding that the ice would change, due to wind, glacial shifts, and other factors. It was a great insult to a traditional practitioner of traloxa’ilnir to preserve their work in an unchanging state.

Music played a key role in the Andorian community, with the flabbjellah (*flaav'grela*) often playing a key role. In line with the martial culture of the Andorian people, the instrument also served as a weapon and was central to its own martial art form.

### *Kethni*

A *keth,* "clan" in Graalen, was the basic communal unit in Andorian culture. Originally allied families and bloodline groups, the *kethni* evolved after the formation of the Andorian Empire into groupings with similar interests, occupations, and goals. Each clan pursued a specialization and Andorians often moved from their birth clan to the clan that most aligned with their personal interests and goals.

### Languages

By the 22nd century, there were three official languages of the Empire: Graalen, also known as Greater Andorian, Andorii or Lesser Andorian, and Grulen, a unified sign language. Though Graalen and Andorii were distinct languages, there was significant crossover in many names and terms partially due to all Andorians since the early 2120s were educated in both. There were also several clan and regional languages and dialects, but these tended to not be spoken outside of an Andorian’s keth or home.

### Nomenclature

Like many other cultures, Andorians made use of personal names, known as *ezatamor* in Graalen. These were followed by an individual’s *ekathamor,* or clan name.

The *ezatamor* typically held symbolic meaning, with parents giving deep thought to the names chosen for their children. This practice began to wane the first century after the establishment of the Federation as parents began to choose names for how they sounded over their meaning, in Graalen or any other language. By the 24th century, some Andorians had even started giving their offspring common names from Earth and other worlds.

In tradition naming, a gendered prefix would precede the clan name: zh' for *zhen*; sh' for *shen*; th' for *thaan*; ch' for *chan*. Most Andorians had dropped this practice by the early 22nd century, but the prefixes saw a resurgance in the mid 24th century due to worries about population growth.

### *Ushaan*

"A blue blade stains the ice." - Andorian proverb
The ushaan or ulshaan was a traditional, ritualistic duel within imperial culture. Two opponents faced each other in individual combat using a weapon designated the ushaan'tor (or ulshaan'thoor), meaning "source of truth in the ushaan." The weapon chosen was most commonly the chaka or varchuk, but could be any form of one-handed, bladed weapon agreed upon by the combatants. On their offhand, each combatant donned a zethi (or zhethi) which were tethered together, forcing the two individuals to remain in close proximity during the duel.

Known as “the most intimate combat,” the duel had its beginnings in the Age of Lament. Fought between two Andorians, the duel was used to defend honor and seek justification. It was typically fought to first blood, but duelists could choose to continue even until the death of one of the participants.

The most historic and influential duels were recorded, step-by-step, by *ataneki* and reenacted in a form of pantomime known as *amdanalnar*. These duels could be of significance to greater Andorian history or simply an ushaan of importance to a single family. While some practitioners (*amdanalnarani*) treated it as a hobby or method of connecting with their culture and history, there were also professional troupes that would tour the Empire, and sometimes the greater Federation.

### *Chako Thaani*

Intimately connected to the ushaan were the multitude of Andorian martial arts. Collectively known as *Chako Thaani* (“war skills systems”), each style had various strengths and focuses. The styles that were acceptable to use in the ushaan were known as *Ushaan Fulaal* (“passionate movement of the ushaan”) and all but a few of the Chako Thaani fell within this category.

Chaka Hramdal centered on the use of the chaka and had over eight hundred substyles due to the general preference within the Empire for the use of chaka as ushaan’tor. The styles with the most practitioners were Am'orshia, Chetari, Chuken, Desalari, Hlesha Tlara, Ivarus Hrisalnar, Kolnat, Neeshrala, Tlonaru, Tluthat, and Veshtro Thana.

Only a single style, Hrsa'ondara, existed for those who used flabbjellah. The most difficult martial art was Alnaav, a mystical style that involved a practitioner connecting with their *shonalnov* in a ritual of *shena*. The few styles not allowed in the ushaan were Hleshvalath, a form of unarmed wrestling, and Kharakom, a form of boxing.

## Appendices

### Connections

**Starship classes:** *Atlira* • *Ilthirin* • *Kloneeth* • *Kumari* (*Charal* • *Chimesh* • *Khyzon* • *Kuthar* • *Thozyn*) • *Omtil* • *Sevaijen* • *Shola*

### Sources consulted

* Andorian Empire article at *Memory Alpha*.
* Andorian Empire article at *Memory Beta*.
* *Among the Clans: The Andorians* by Last Unicorn Games.
* *Starfleet Operations Manual* by Decipher, Inc.

### Footnotes

1. ↑ "Andoria's First Astronaut" exhibit, United Federation of Planets Heritage Museum.
2. ↑ *Star Trek Roleplaying Game: Player's Guide*.
3. ↑ *Continuing Mission* blog post: "Author Ensley F. Guffey Introduces Homebrew Rule—Andorian Ice Sculpture."
4. ↑ *Among the Clans*, 60.
5. ↑ Excerpts from "An Intimate Look at the Intimate Duel" exhibit at the United Federation of Planets Heritage Museum.