Pachaug

Pachaug is an international charter city in Cusinaut. It is an official client of Urcea under the terms of the trade charter it signed in 2017, and was the first such charter city established in western Crona. Initially part of the Northern Confederation, it was subjugated by Algoquona but subsequently established its semi-independence under the charter agreement in the aftermath of Operation Mission Shield and Operation Western Blizzard.

Pachaug is a member of the Nysdra Sea Treaty Association.

Early history
Pachaug was likely established sometime in the late 1600s as a fishing village like many other coastal settlements on the western coast of the Nysdra Sea. Its founders unclear in the historical record, but many scholars since the 1990s have claimed that the founders of the city were political outcasts from the major members of the Northern Confederation, in particular the Mixcalan people. Consequently, the village itself became viewed as a place of contrast with its neighbors, attracting many similar outcast groups. By 1750, the village had grown to a city with a population of nearly two thousand, and its harbor became a popular stop-off destination for Occidental traders going eastward to the trade ports of Quetzenkel. Relative to its neighbors, the Occidental trade made Pachaug wealthy and allowed a high standard of living within city limits. Within the city, the traditional village council model was replaced with a council of prominent merchants, requiring a certain level of wealth to participate. Although having a population no greater than 4,000 in 1800, Pachaug had considerable influence, allowing it to expand over its neighbors and establish a small state on the Nysdra. Its interaction with the Occident, while lucrative, also had its downsides; the city was well known to the Occidentals and between 1800 and 1850 it was attacked or nearly attacked by Occidental powers fifteen times. In 1852, the council voted to incorporate the city within the Northern Confederation, and although it did not retain the power and independence it had, it nonetheless remained an economically influential city. By 1930, the city grew to approximately 17,500 people and had early signs of industrialization, largely with help from Occidental investors and trade partners. The Great War and closure of the trade ports of Quetzenkel lead to an economic decline within the city between 1930 and 1955, but the city began to rebound following the end of the war. The 1960s and 70s saw increased influence afforded the city within the governing apparatus of the Northern Confederation. This period of local integration saw population and economic growth, and by the year 2010 the city reached the milestone of a $10,000 GDP per capita, making it the richest city in the Northern Confederation. The growing prevalence of blood feuds and decreasing stability of the Confederation in the 2010s and 2020s precipitated yet another economic decline. The city contributed some forces during the War of the Northern Confederation in the late 2000s, but the collapse of the Confederation lead to the city being suddenly seized by Algoquona in 2011.

Algosh domination
For the next two years, Pachaug (along with other cities, especially Housatonic) agitated for greater autonomy within Algoquona while treading carefully out of fear of central state reprisals. Following the Treaty of Narasseta, government crackdowns were reduced and by 2013, the cities formed a league seeking autonomy and independence with regards to its trade negotiations, demands that were repeatedly denied. During 2014-15 and the onset of the South Nysdra War, the focus of the two cities turned from a well-defined platform of autonomy was transformed into a single foreign policy goal: something the cities referred to as the "right of appeal" to Urcea, relying on the fact that the latter state often allowed for great autonomy in exchange for religious and military concessions. These demands were viewed with suspicion within Khurnwah as the two cities became viewed as potential fifth columnists within the country, especially as the Treaty of Narasseta began to break down in 2016. The dispute between the cities and central government became a near political crisis and it was thought the cities would be besieged by Algoquonan forces, but the sudden onset of Operation Mission Shield severely reduced the ability of Algoquona to respond to internal matters. The subsequent Operation Western Blizzard largely destroyed the ability of the government of Algoquona to project power, and Khurnwah began to turn to tribal and local militias to supplement its failing armed forces. Housatonic and Pachaug formed the "two cities force", known as "Tokorua nga taone nui" natively, in an effort to extract concessions from the government in exchange for military support. By 2 February, negotiations broke down as the Tokorua nga taone nui began its march on Khurnwah, defeating pro-government militias and surrounding the city on 11 February. Following a three day siege, the two cities called for arbitration from Urcea, terms that Algoquona found to be humiliating but nonetheless agreed to. On 27 February, the two cities and Algoquona agreed to the Treaty of Electorsbourg. Under the Treaty, the two cities would formally remain under the sovereignty of Algoquona but would become international charter cities under Urcean administration. Algoquona's acceptance of the treaty lead to further instability within the country, while the two cities prepared for greater stability and economic growth in the years ahead. The subsequent charter between Pachaug - which negotiated for itself - and Urcea was signed on 1 March and was to become effective on 3 March 2017.

Charter era
On 3 March, Urcean administrators entered Pachaug for the first time, meeting with local elected officials in order to begin erecting a local governing apparatus. The Armed Forces of the Apostolic Kingdom of Urcea were permitted to enter the territory on 5 March, and missionaries from the Catholic Church were permitted entry on 10 March. The governing structure of Pachaug was firmly in place by 1 April 2017, splitting administrative duties between local and Urcean administrators. On 2 April, the Communal Council ratified the Nysdra Sea Treaty, and the city joined the Nysdra Sea Treaty Association on 15 April 2017.

Unlike nearby Housatonic, the charter era did not bring significant economic growth to Pachaug, and many analysts have considered the enterprise a failure. Pachaug entered the charter era with nearly twice the amount of wealth as Housatonic, but its neighbor quickly outpaced Pachaug in opportunity and growth throughout the 2020s. Between 2020 and 2030, Pachaug only averaged 2% annual economic growth while Housatonic doubled in prosperity, and the decade even saw many once prominent Pachaug business leaders depart the city for Housatonic. Local leaders began to express disappointment and opposition to the continuance of charter government by 2025 following the end of the Final War of the Deluge.

Government
Pachaug is an international charter city under Urcean administration, though in practice much of the domestic affairs of the city-state are handled by its native elected government modeled after some Occidental systems. The executive of Pachaug is called the Mayor-Intendent, who is elected by majority vote in years ending with 5 and 0, similar to the electoral calendar of Urcea. Pachaug employs universal adult suffrage for individuals over the age of 23. The Mayor-Intendent oversees most of the social and legal policies as well as some economic policies within the city, and he oversees the Charter Administration consisting of several ministries divided into various areas for the administration of state. The Mayor-Intendent is joined by the Communal Council, a 20-seat legislature divided into 18 districts by population and 2 at-large districts. The Council approves treaties, modifications to the city's charter, allocates budgetary funding to the Charter Administration, and executes other legislative roles. Joining the Charter Administration and Communal Council is the Charter Commission, a commission of three Urceans with some veto power over the affairs of state, especially with regards to zoning and economic provisions. Under the arrangement of the 2017 Charter, the Charter Commission and its subordinate agencies are largely responsible for the defense and economic planning for the city while providing "large-picture strategic goals", while the native government is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the city-state and are responsible for ensuring the concerns of the local population are properly heard and understood by the Charter Commission.

Military
Pachaug is a member of the Nysdra Sea Guard (NSG), which serves as its primary naval and coast guard force. Like Housatonic, Pachaugers make up a disproportionate presence within the NSG relative to their overall population share of NSTA.