Qara (country)

The **Imperial Qaran State** is a state located on the continent of Qara and is a merger of the Nazarahriar Governorate-General's and the Saradin Governorate-Generals that were colonies of the Vosteibian Empire. Emperor and Tsar Lubomir IV was crowned as Caliph Aziz I, Aziz was chosen due to the name translating in both Saradic and Nazarian as *"powerful, respected, beloved"*. The proclamation by the Emperor and Tsar announced the formation of the Imperial Qaran State with an appointed Viceroy by the Vosteibian Empire and announced that it will be locally administered by a Grand Vizier, likely wise appointed by the Emperor and the Tsar but will be a local.

The Imperial Qaran State is headquartered out of the planned city of al-Salam, which translates roughly in Saradic and Nazarian to "Land of Peace" which is done as a means to avoiding giving any of the respective political entities in Saradin or Nazar any specific authority over one another. The Imperial Qaran State will share its capital with administrative capitals in Tel Ketra (Saradin) and Tehrazd (Nazar). The Imperial Palace was built in al-Salam and a secondary palace was created in al-Salam in order to house the Viceroy and the Grand Vizier.

## History

The planning for the creation of a unified state on Qara came through a series of meetings. These meetings were with Saradin Governor-General Lavr Tikhonovich Varennikov and Nazarahriar Governor-General Ludomir Leonidovich Revyagin and local leaders as far back as the 1850s when Emperor and Tsar Lubomir III traveled to the continent. The economic success underneath the cautious colonial oversight of the Vosteibian Empire was one of the reasons that a quasi-independent state was considered. Oaths of fealty and loyalty were and are continually required by all local leadership including sheikhs, emirs and other economic and religious leaders. Qara is the home of Taeideenism, despite a somewhat unified religion, there are sometimes regional differences and influences from paganistic and local religious customs. It is likely that division among ethnic and religious lines were becoming apparent, alongside the somewhat violent tribal history of both the Saradic and Nazarian people and the Vosteibians are attempting to avoid a wholesale conflict between the two major ethnic groups.

The first Viceroy appointed by Emperor Lubomir IV was General Zinon Varennikov and the first Grand Vizier was Mawdood al-Ayoub, a Saradian. One of the first acts of Caliph Aziz I was the creation of the Imperial Qaran Army and the Imperial Qaran Navy, organizing a military mission to his new lands, the Emperor also invited a Sturien military mission to assist in further building of the Imperial Qaran's state ability to defend itself and handle internal matters.

## Government and politics

### Caliph

The Caliph, according to the principal documents related to the foundation of the Imperial Qaran State, accords the Caliph absolute authority and power. The House of Kalganov is the first claimant to the title of Caliph in several decades. Caliph Aziz I, known in Vosteibia as Emperor and Tsar Lubomir IV, was proclaimed Caliph after a series of high level meetings with local sheikhs, emirs, some proclaimed sultans and leading officials within Saradin and Nazar.

### Imperial government

The government of the Imperial Qaran State is often referred to as the "Imperial Government" and while it is *de facto* lead by the Imperial Viceroy (Vosteibian: наместник; tr. namestnik) the Grand Vizier is largely in charge of the day to day operations of the government. On the initial creation of the Imperial Qaran State an "Imperial Council" was formed but underneath a reform of Saif I (Emperor and Tsar Lubomir V) the Imperial Council was folded and a "Council of State" was formed around the Viceroy, the Viceroy chairing the Council of State. The Administrative Council was formed and lead by the Grand Vizier as an organ of the Council of State. In keeping with his fathers decree, the Qaran Administrative Council must be split between 50% Nazarian and Saradian.

Caliph Saif I expanded the Administrative Council to include a more focused approach to building the wealth of the region that continues to serves as a metaphorical gold mine for the Vosteibian Empire. The Council of State directed administers the Ministry of Natural Resources and has a large staff involved in several ministries.

* Ministry of State
* Ministry of Finance and Commerce
* Ministry of War
* Ministry of the Interior
* Ministry of Railroads and Ports
* Ministry of Religious Affairs
* Ministry of Education and Culture
* Ministry of Agriculture and Food

### Administrative divisions

The Imperial Qaran State is divided into Governorates. The Saradin region is divided into 22 Governorates and the Nazar region is divided into 17 Governorates, two special governorates were created for the southern portion of Qaran between Saradin and Nazar that is home to a distinct, KURDISH, people. The creation of the *"Wilayah"* system and the appointment of *Wali*, or governors, allowed for more localized leadership and promise to create a system of peace.

## Military

One of the first objectives that the Vosteibian's had when they colonized Saradin and Nazar was to build local defense forces, using the locals they formed a close working relationship with the Tarqoom, a nomadic peoples who are noted for their horsemanship and mastery over survival in the harsh deserts of Qara. By bridging the gap, the Tarqoomi became a dominant force within the early formations of the Vosteibian colonial military forces and have become close advisors within the Vosteibian military mission. The original head of the military mission was Major General Count Mili Gennadiyevich Bortnik who was involved heavily in the early establishment of a colonial military force that pulled forces from the homeland and sent them on several expeditions, a constant rotation of military officers and soldiers from the Imperial Vosteibian Army and the Imperial Vosteibian Navy have allowed for innovation within the Armed Forces of Vosteibia which has prompted several technological, medical and other advancements notably in the field of tactics and strategic decisions.

The Vosteibian military mission, bolstered by support from a Sturien military mission, formed a coordinating staff to assist in building the Imperial Qaran Armed Forces, consisting of the Imperial Qaran Army, commonly called the Qaran Army and the Imperial Qaran Navy, commonly called the Qaran Navy. At the head of it all is the Caliph, the Emperor and Tsar, but operational control is exercised by the Ministry of War and the Qaran General Staff, which is chaired by the Chief of General Staff. Alongside the establishment of a modern armed forces, the Vosteibian military mission focused on the opening of local industries in the field of defense, several ports were converted to military harbors and naval bases for the Imperial Qaran Navy and to be operated by the Imperial Vosteibian Navy.

* Ministry of War
	+ War Council
* Qaran General Staff
	+ Operations Department
	+ Intelligence Department
	+ Military Railroads Department
	+ Military Education Department
	+ Military History Department
	+ Personnel Department
	+ Information Department
* Imperial Qaran Army
* Imperial Qaran Navy

The first Minister of War was Saradian Field Marshal Irfaan el-Saade and the first Chief of General Staff General Faramarz Yeganeh, both of these officers were appointed by Caliph Aziz I (Emperor and Tsar Lubomir IV) and their tenure was extended by Saif I (Lubomir V).

## Economy

The Qaran economy is largely dominated by Vosteibian companies with nearly 97% of all businesses being owned and operated by Vosteibians, mostly the Vosteibian government though some private ownership has been permitted. The Qaran economy in its early days was largely focused on agriculture and mining precious resources, however, the discovery of oil by the Imperial Oil and Gas Industry, the state-owned company that initially discovered oil and gas located throughout Odesia. Oil and gas reserves have been found throughout the northern and very southern portion of Saradin and Nazar; leading to the dispatching of several dozen expeditions and eventual foundation of several oil and gas wells. Iron mining, coal mining, aluminum, gold, jade and silver alongside other resources are all managed by the State Mineral Industry, the state-owned corporation that has purview over all mining operations across Vosteibia.