Trekestan

The Soviet Federal Duchy of North Trekestan, often abbreviated as SFDNT and colloquially referred to as The Duchy or Trekestan, is a nation in the deep Northwest Quadrant. It is bordered by the Kaiserreich, Hallow, and Columbia. The SFDNT was established in June of 2018 following the Longest March, during which ethnic Trekish peoples were forcibly removed from their homeland in the Southwestern Quadrant, and forced to relocated to what is now the SFDNT. The SFDNT operates using under a monarcho-bolshevist government system, where nearly all property is communized and regulated by the state. The government is comprised of the Politbureau, a legislative body elected of the proletariat, and an executive led by the head of the House of Trekzenzern, the royal family of Trekestan.

Name
The name "Trekestan" is derived from the ethnic Trekish peoples, the ancestors of many of the modern Trekestani people. The term "treke" is derived from the Trekish word treeken, meaning either "people" or "together", depending on the context. The term "Trekish" was first used to describe the ethnic population by Rowan settlers, who misinterpreted the phrase treeken as a way to describe the native peoples, instead of its original intention. The term "Trekestan" used to refer to a sovereign nation was also initially used by Rowan settlers to describe the natives; by this point, however, the native Trekish peoples wished to distinguish themselves from the Rowans in any way possible, and adopted the term in their own uses.

Geography, Climate, and Environment
The mainland of North Trekestan is a largely a desert; however, further toward the interior of the island, the soil becomes rich enough in nutrients to support the farming of cacti native to the island. The coastline is an extremely salt beach, incapable of growing any flora except for sugar cane, a reedlike plant that thrives in the salty soil. The southern extreme of the island has been terraformed to form the grassy fields of Southport using soil imported from the Cumbrian Peninsula and Hallow. Rainfall is sparse on the mainland, but occasional rainstorms nibble at the coastline from the surrounding seas, never reaching the inland. The North Trekestani mainland is not inhabited by many fauna, but occasional rabbits bounce across the desert. The rare blaze are occasionally seen in the far inland of the mainland, sparking fires among the cacti that quickly burn out. The salty seas around the island are largely inhabited by squid, although fish can be caught as well.

The Cumbrian Peninsula is a much more hospitable climate to both flora and fauna. The entirity of the peninsula, as well as the land that borders Hallow, is a forest of oak and birch. Yellow flowers are common, with red flowers being uncommon. The Cumbrian Canal cuts through the peninsula near the Hallowan border. Rainfall is frequent on the peninsula. Sheep and chickens are common, and pigs are rare.

Pre-History
Although the modern iteration of the SFDNT is relatively young, the spirit of Trekestan dates back to Devoted, where the ancestors of modern Trekestanis settled as Gijans in the Free City of Gija, and later as Palestinians in the Volterran Protectorate of Palestine. In CivClassics, however, the Trekestani people began their civilization in the land that is now The Thalassocracy. The land was known to the Trekestanis as Trekestan. However, the land was contested with the former nation of Rowa, who claimed it as their own.

The House of Trekzenzern
During their time in the land formerly known as Trekestan, the Trekestani people, after a triumphant victory over Rowan raiders, declared their leader, MicahMrPres, King of the Trekish. In doing this, MicahMrPres became claimant to the long-discontinued throne of the Duchy of Trekestan, and the head of the long-deceased House of Trekzenzern. The Duchy of Trekestan is a legend among the Trekestanis; it is said that thousands of years ago, Mikhail I, the first King of the Trekish, established a nation so powerful that the Trekish people were safe and protected by a Pax Trekana as far around the world as a man could walk in a lifetime. However, no written records exist of Mikhail I or this mythical Duchy of Trekestan, so most scholars, even those with Trekish heritage, regard the story to be nothing but a myth.

Bordering Nations
The Kaiserreich is a nation to the north and west of the SFDNT. The two nations are separated to the north by the Trekzenzern River, and to the west by the Bay of Trekestan. Construction is underway on a railroad line that will connect the city of Southport to the city of Wien, the capital of the Kaiserreich.

Columbia, or the Second Columbian Empire, is a nation to the south of the SFDNT. The two nations are separated by the Strait of Southport, which is 23 blocks at its thinnest point. Plans are in the early stages of development regarding a railroad bridge across the strait, which would connect the city of Southport to the city of Rotterdam, the capital of Columbia.

Hallow is a nation to the east of the SFDNT. The mainlands of the two nations are separated by the Cumbrian Sea, but share a small land border in Cumbria near the end of the Cumbrian Peninsula. The King of Trekestan has considered plans to build a railroad through Hallow to the SPQR (CivClassic) and/or Impasse, but such plans have not been approved nor have negotiations begun with the Hallowan government.