Bérasar: Difference between revisions

'''Bérasar''' is a major coastal city in northeastern [[Great Kirav]], the capital and largest city of the Kiravian state of [[Fariva]]. One of the oldest Coscivian settlements in [[Ixnay]], Bérasar is the economic, cultural, and transportation hub of the [[Great Kirav#Far Northeast|Far Northeastern region]], and has an almost thousand-year-old history shaped principally by its status as a major port of the [[Kilikas Seaway]]. Along with [[Valēka]], it was a leading Kiravian nexus of the intellectual, cultural, and technological movement known as the [[Kilikas Enlightenment|Northern]] or [[Kilikas Enlightenment]], and is regarded as the "most Levantine city" in Kiravia due to its strong historic and demographic ties to [[Fiannria]], [[Burgundie]], and [[Faneria]]. It is the northernmost major city in Kiravia and one of the most northerly in the world, at a slightly lower latitude than [[Dol Awraidd]] and trailing the northernmost national capital, [[Rolvssvik]].

Contemporary Bérasar stands at the forefront of many knowledge-intensive fields, such as higher education, medical research, high-tech manufacturing, naval architecture, and investment banking, while still maintaining the robust shipping, fishing, brewing, and papermaking sectors that have been active in the city for centuries. It has a longstanding rivalry with its southern neighbour Valēka that extends from economic competition for dominance in certain industries to cuisine, music, and, most importantly, sports.

Kilikas Storm Belt, snow starts in late September, early October.

During the [[Colour Wars]] and the general social and political tumult of the XYZth century, Bérasar's high society was a stronghold of Occidentophile and Whiggamore-Freetrader sentiments, as well as the "national bourgeoisie", while strong support for populist movements and [[Kirosocialism]] simmered among the city's working-class population and sparked numerous demonstrations and (mostly short-lived and alcohol-fuelled) episodes of revolt.

On [October 14 2023], an {{wp|LNG carrier|liquefied natural gas tanker}} exploded while docked at the ÁLO KiliGas LNG terminal in Bérasar Harbour, triggering a chain of explosions that destroyed the terminal and caused extensive strucutral damage and loss of life in surrounding areas of the city. Among the casualties were Provost Jakee Shanahan and the majority of the Board of Estimate - killed when half of the city hall collapsed, and the entire [[Kirav national soccer team]], who were practicing 500 meters away at Pitchblende Park. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation. State, federal, civil, and international - from [[the Cape]] and [[Alstin]] organisations were involved in the containment and relief efforts.

Bérasar is a predominantly Christian city. Just under half of the population belongs to the [[Catholic Church]], with the next largest denominations being [[Insular Apostolic Church|Insular Apostolic]], Coscivian Orthodox, and Mercantile Protestant. Most of the non-Christian minority adheres to Ruricanism or Læstorianism (monotheistic religions of Coscivian origin) or are irreligious theists.

Catholic influence in Bérasar has always been very strong, owing to the city's close links with the Levantian mainland. Bérasar and its sattelite city of [[Cities of Kiravia#Epsilar|Epsilar]] are the only Kiravian cities of significant size outside of the [[Tryhstian Littoral]] where more Catholics belong to the Latin Rite than to the Coscivian Rite. The Archbishop of Bérasar is usually a Cardinal and has strong influence over the Kiravian Church as whole.  

The city's Ĥeiran Coscivians, Féinem, and most of its Gaels belong to the Insular Apostolic Church. Coscivian Orthodoxy is the traditional faith among most of the Coscivian ethnic groups who immigrated to Bérasar from southern and southwestern Éorsa, as well as from the New Coscivian countries. Mercantile Protestantism arrived in the city with Burgundine merchants.