Haqar (ha-KAR)

"The pinnacle of humanity in a world ruled by the fey"

Haqar is a city-state in the only major pass through the *Carbon* Mountains. It is the only human state of economic and geographic significance to remain sovereign over itself, due to its unique defensibility and position as a cultural crossroads.
Geography Haqar is a mountainous region interspersed with fertile farmland and deep valleys. Its highest peak is just short of 3000m and most of its peaks and ridges are in the 2500m range. Three major river systems stem out of the heights, two going in easterly directions and one going west.

Demography and Population

Population: 840000 people Urban Population 301447 people Developed Land Area 4666 square miles Wilderness Area 3334 square miles
Race and Ethnicity: Human Middle Region 60% Human Southern Regions 20% Human Western 8% Svartali Altitude 5% Svartali Sub 3% Jinn 4%

Territories

Haqar occupies a relatively small territory in the passes of the Carbon Mountains. Humans have occupied and cultivated this region for many thousands of years, after the initial expansion of nomadic humans. It was properly established as a regional power in the wake of the Nether wars and was strong enough to wave off the migrant jinn and svartali when they arrived on the continent centuries later.

Military

Haqar maintains a small standing military but because of the training of the entire population, the whole nation would be deployed against a foreign instigator.
Because humanity has a dirth of magical ability and it is surrounded by fey races, the warrior tradition of each youth in Haqar is extremely important. Its position in the mountains affords it great strategic advantage, but it is not a military that would have any power to engage in conquest outside the region.

Foreign Relations

Haqar is the hub of major trade between the most powerful nations and territories on the continent. Because of its position, it is highly sought-after as a territory and was historically threatened by war for much of its history. By the time its internal politics had settled out and its unity was assured through the adversity by its neighbors, it had become the single most important international post on the continent.
The entire population of the state is brought up in the warrior tradition alongside whatever trade or skill they develop. This was a natural response to the growing powers around them, and it served well during the two incursions by the jinn during the jinn expansions 500 years ago. In the wake of those wars, Haqar developed a scorched-earth policy by guaranteeing complete geological blocking of the trade routes that make it so essential.
Now the powers that pincer Haqar understand the value of maintaining diplomacy with the city and respecting the sovereignty of the region. Because of its international importance and its position as a center of scholarship and trade, it became a mediating power in the courts of the other world nations.

Agriculture & Industry

The geology of the region supports incredibly fertile soil and an abundance of agricultural access. Cereal grains and vegetables are plenty. Cattle, Sheep, Goats, and Fowl are plentiful; there are not extensive horse populations.
Because it is a center of scholarship and innovation, it is technologically advanced by human standards and with conventional means. There is some integration of fey-forging through svartali magics that provides industrial energy sources for steam and other power. Steel refinement is very advanced and tiny-scale tooling is achievable.
Architecture is advanced to Earth-equivalent 18th century; integration of metal reinforcement and advanced glazing alongside heavy masonry and fine detailing.

Type

Geopolitical, City-state

Government System

Democracy, Direct

Power Structure

Autonomous area

Economic System

Mixed economy

Currency

Minted Silver

Legislative Body

The Major Council is a body of ten members representing the outlying regions and boroughs of the city. It does not make laws as much as it studies history and science and economics in order to advise the Mayor. It is the job of the Mayor to oversee the workings of the city and its international relations and make policy as fits the time, or delegate a policymaker from the Major Council.

Judicial Body

The Scholar Judicial is a body made of several representatives from the School that hear judicial cases and rule a legal opinion that is then presented to the Mayor. Traditionally, this opinion is agreed to by the Mayor.

Executive Body

The Mayor has centralized control over the police force and military.

Neighboring Nations

• Luminism