Caracua

Caracua Federation Aquayanderino Karáhkwasa
Flag State emblem
Location of Ashkenang (green) in Cusinaut (gray).
Official languages	Ashkenauk
Ethnic groups	Ashkenauk (86%), Malki (4%) Algosh (8%), Rianee (1%), other (<1%) (check vs official numbers)
Demonym(s)	Ashkenauk
Government	Federal parliamentary republic
• President of the Council of Directors	some dude
Legislature	Confederated Council
Independence from Algoquona
• Ashkenauk Revolutionary Popular Reclamation Council	2023
• Ashkenauk Constitution ratified	2024
Population
• 2025 estimate	20,894,300
GDP (nominal)	2025 estimate
• Per capita	$8,136
Gini (2025)	59.6 high
HDI (2025)	0.462 low
Currency	Noler (NLR)
Time zone	??
Mains electricity	test
Driving side	right
Calling code	4-(349)
Internet TLD	.ahk

Ashkenang, formally the Ashkenauk Confederated Republic, is a country in northern Cusinaut. It spans a swathe of mostly land-bound seasonal tundra bordering Maloka to the west, Canespa along with the Algosh Republic to the south, and New Harren to the east. It is composed of eleven states, one territory, and seven Semiautonomous Republics. It is a mostly M'acunist country with an internal struggle regarding the future of the country and who it should lean towards in a post Northern Confederation world.

Etymology

The name Caracua it a latinized version of the word karáhkwasa, "sunset". This word was used by the people of the eastern Northern Confederation, particularly the Algosh but also the Housatonish, to refer generally to the people in the western parts of the Confederation. As such, it originated as an exonym, and likely entered common use by the end of the 19th century. The name gradually entered use among these western peoples to refer to themselves and their area generally, as no local collective term for the area existed. When the peoples of the region declared their independence from Algoquona at the end of the Final War of the Deluge, it was adopted as the official name for the peoples collectively and the state they established.

Geography

Ashkenang primarily consists of hilly seasonal tundras, with population centers primarily orbiting the Ashuk and Copehe rivers. Of these two, the Ashuk leads to Mera Bay, while the Copehe is a tributary of Lake _____'s endorheic basin. The Ashuk and Copehe have distinct fish breeds and chemical differences, with the Copehe being more saline and less ecologically dense due to drawing salt off of flats in its northernmost reaches that see regular thaws during deep summer.

History

Northern Confederation

Main article: Northern Confederation

Algosh Conquest and Occupation

Main article: Algosh coup

Final War of the Deluge

As the war progressed, various opposition elements within Ashkenang formed the Ashkenauk Revolutionary Popular Reclamation Council. The Council, officially proclaimed in January 2023, was an alliance of resistance cells supported by the Occident, revolutionary socialists, M'acunist traditionalists, and other elements who opposed Algosh domination. From then on, the Council assumed leadership of popular resistance to the Algosh-dominated government, directing sabotage campaigns while providing intelligence to both the Fanerian and Urcean armed forces.

The advance of Fanerian forces into the Cusinaut interior, combined with grievous defeats of Algosh forces in the east at the hands of the Urceans, offered opportunities to the peoples of northwestern Algoquona. Many local garrisons were either ejected by the Fanerians or significantly reduced in size in order to provide forces in the east, weakening the hold of Algoquona over the area. On 18 April 2023, Fanerian forces issued a crushing defeat on the few remaining armored Algosh forces 73 miles west of Ashkenauk, precipitating a hasty withdrawal of Algosh forces from the region. That night, the Ashkenauk Revolutionary Popular Reclamation Council declared the independence of the "Ashkenang Republic", and forces loyal to the Council seized control of Ashkenauk and ejected the small remaining garrison of Algosh-aligned militia. On 19 April, the new Republic was recognized by Faneria, Urcea, and all NSTA members. On 20 April, some of the small indigenous nationalities in the northern Algoquona region also declared their independence, and following two days of negotiations they officially joined the revolutionary effort, with the state being renamed the Askhenang Confederate Republic.

Politics and Government

The government of Ashkenang is based on a reformed version of the government of the Northern Confederation and is governed under the Constitution of 2024. The Constitution of 2024, which itself incorporates large parts of the Northern Confederation's "Received Guidances", was designed to codify the tradition-based unwritten constitution of the Confederation with some alterations to strengthen the stability of the state.

Ashkenang's government has been referred to by some scholars as a "parliamentary democracy with extra steps" based on its practical values being balanced with the nominal traditions of the Northern Confederation.

Confederated Council

The Confederated Council is the unicameral national legislature of Ashkenang. It consists of only 70 seats with each state having 5 representatives, each Semiautonomous Republic having 2, and the lone territory having 1 symbolic representative. The states pick their representatives through a process of votes cast by a group of elders in each subdivision of each state. Through this process the majority of the representatives are picked, who are mostly from the elders of each subdivision. In the Semiautonomous Republics the seats are chosen in a way decided upon by the republics that fits their traditional way of life. Some republics have universal votes while some have a similar elder system to elect individuals. In the lone territory the representative is appointed by the Council of Directors. This representative does not have to live within the territory but usually has lived in the territory during some part of their life. This representative is not allowed to officially belong to a party but usually has some alliegence to a certain party.

The Confederated Council can apply its power via its ability to pass bills and approve the declaration of wars.

Council of Directors

The Council of Directors is the executive branch of Ashkenang's government, comprised of twelve Directors. Per the Constitution, it serves as an executive committee, nominally sharing all executive authority but having the authority to appoint a chairperson - the President - to direct its affairs. In practice, this means that the President executes much of the day-to-day lead authority of the country under the approval and confidence of the Council. The remaining eleven Directors each have a specific policy portfolio and functionally serve as cabinet ministers.

The Twelve Directors are voted into office via a combines popular vote to narrow the candidates down followed by a vote from the Confederated Council on who the official twelve Directors should be. The official term of the twelve is 8 years before they are cycled out. A director can serve for a maximum of three terms and you are required to be of the age of 40 to run for Director.

President of the Council of Directors

The President of the Council of Directors is the de facto chief executive of the country and is often referred to in foreign press as simply "the President". Though the President does not have direct authority as an individual to make war or peace or direct the affairs of the military, the position is viewed to have the confidence of a majority of the Council of Directors to direct its policy affairs. Accordingly, the President is envisioned by the constitution as having the ability to execute the broader dictates, policies, and aims of the sovereign Directors as its both its legal executor and leading representative.

The President can only be chosen from among duly appointed members of the Council of Directors. The President serves the same term of office as the other members of the Council in their capacity as a Director; their term of office as President at the pleasure of a majority of the Council of Directors.

Corporatism and Foreign Influence in Ashkenang

Beginning in the late 2010s and acceerating post-Deluge, significant foreign investment has resulted in the deepening of corporate oliopolies in Ashkenang. Corporate influence from Canespa and Faneria in particular have resulted in the monopolization of public resources, with investors such as the Canasta Company competing for local control of arable land and Cebhin Allied Extraction buying out mineral rights at alarming rates. Local employment and the introduction of corporate loyalties have lead to significant concerns about captive agencies and local governments especially near the Canespan border and in the Copehe River Basin.

Political Parties

Current standing in Ashkenauk legislature

The Confederation has a largely two-party political system split between the Blue Party and the Yellow Party; of these, the Blues are more conservative, pacifistic, religious, and focused on traditional life, whereas the Yellows are more militaristic and expansionist, supportive of Occidentalization, and promulgate a doctrine of centralization of power. Both are kept in check by a number of foreign advisors from abroad, as while Faneria maintains a large stake in Ashkenang's statebuilding process as its original patron nation, other Cronan powers (namely The Cape, Arcerion and Canespa) have exerted influence in the area. In general, Arcerine, Capetian and especially Canespan advisors have tacitly supported the Blue Party, whereas Faneria supports the Yellows due to its declared intent to build Ashkenang back into a hub of regional influence in Cusinaut. In the past the Canespans especially have taken much more physical movements to exert influence in the country. Among these movements Canespa has promised to use some of the energy generated via the Hamuq City dam on poor towns in southern Ashkenang. The towns promised these utilities all have large Blue Party majorities.

Culture

Sports

Lacrosse is the most popular sport followed by wrestling, specifically mixed martial arts has become widely popular within the borders of Ashkenang. The National Ashkenauk lacrosse league has gained widespread popularity. Due to the poor nature of the country the league was created and is owned by the Canasta Company, but has many shareholders within the country. This league was created shortly after the War of the Deluge as the previous league had become unprofitable and had lost a lot of infrastructure during the war. Though due to lack of capital even the new NAL league is relatively small.

Religion

Ashkenang is a vary M'acunist nation and its culture shows. Ashkenauk M'acunism mainly follows the Man School with small minorities from the Plant School and Nature School. Despite being mainly M'acunist, small christian minorities have appeared but have been mostly unsuccessful in expansion, mostly due to the rough terrain and semi-autonomous republics within Ashkenang.

Demographics

Ethnic Groups and Semiautonomous Republics

Ashkenang contains many small minorities of mostly arctic cultures that have long had autonomy, even since the days of the Northern Federation. These autonomous territories are spread throughout the country and range in size from a few kilometers to over 50,000 kilometers.

Religion

Ashkenang is a majority M'acunist nation with a large Christian minority. M'acunism in the nation mainly follows the Man School but a large transition to the Nature School has been seen in the southern and eastern portions of the country.

Economy

The Ashkenauk economy has historically been based on subsistence agriculture. Due to the enviornment of Ashkenang being so hostile this farming has mainly taken place in the southern plains and along the _ River. In more modern times the Ashkenauk economy has been centered around mostly logging and mining. Since the discovery of large Uranium fields in the Cusinaut the Ashkenauk mining sector has thrived. Common mining operations also include copper, iron, and small amounts of gold. In the logging sector Ashkenauk thrives via the vast and limitless northern forests within the country. Mining operations have been slightly limited as many of the countries republics have outright refused companies and the state ability to chop down trees within the republics. With the northern forests also comes a fairly large syrup industry that thrives in the northern regions of the country. Since the 2010s Ashkenang has seen a large increase in activity and investments from the Canasta Company with an increase in the Syrup and housing markets. With this the southern plains of the country have seen an increase in the farming of cold crops.

Currency

Ashkenang's currency is the Confederation Coin, which was the official currency of the Northern Federation and is the currency of many other Northern Federation break away states.

Military

The Confederate Army consists of a single brigade-scale formation, organized as an 'Armored Regiment' more akin to an armored cavalry unit, supported by a Confederate Air Guard and Coast Guard. Ashkenang maintains four fighter aircraft and several scout planes and a small fleet of helicopters, as well as a few patrol boats for riverine and coastal patrol duties; it only has brown-water naval capabilities. By far the largest portion of the Confederate Army is made up of the Territorial Guards, a mixture of gendarmes and reservist forces maintained locally and called up in times of crisis to form a large militia force around the core of the Central Army. Ashkenang has drafted plans to expand the ground forces of the Confederate Army at an undetermined point in the future, with internal legal disputes and the threat of warlordism preventing such plans from being immediately implemented out of concern for unfettered military control of the civilian government.