Tian Shan

"Trade. This is what has defined the Great Steppe since the beginning of humanity, and that is what defines it now."
-Oybek Oila
The Islamic Republic of Tian Shan is a nation in Central Asia, bordering Kazakhstan to the north, Turkistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south. It's is an odd nation created through the union of O'zbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Its capital city is the ancient trade center, Samarkand. The nation is named after the Tian Shan mountains, which span all three member states. 
Formed for reasons of self-defense against potential anomalies created by the Cataclysm, it quickly evolved to become a major trade and travel artery between Europe and Asia. Its creation is partially owed to the Silk Nomads, which were originally formed from mages from all three member states. The Silk Nomads were once in charge of all magic activities across the Islamic world, but after these various nations developed their own organizations, the nomads returned to their home region, resulting in a greater feeling of unity and an eventual unification between O'zbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. 
It rode the waves created by the Chinese Belt and Road initiative, and after a quick revolution in 2077 following the worldwide Auto-Corp Crisis, it transitioned from oligarchy to liberal democracy. Nowadays, Tian Shan is a major tourism destination and travel point, with nearly half of all trans-Eurasian flights having layovers in Samarkand.
When the Cataclysm brought magic to the world, it embraced the changes much better than its neighbors, and it created its own national magic organization, the Silk Nomads. These nomads wander central Asia, defending the people from monsters, anomalies, and other mages who seek to harm them.