Ischa

Ischa, sometimes known as Ischa-Woschakschon, is a city in the Wos Democratic Republic, under the de facto rule of the Kingdom of Maroka.

Etymology
Ischa, pronounced 'Isha' or 'Iska' is sometimes thought to be named after Ischerite, the green/black rock that is found almost exclusively in a tight region near the city. Where that name comes from is unknown, however.

Most historians argue the opposite, though, that Ischerite was named after the rock instead.

Geography
Ischa is situated in the Bronta, where the rocky, but permanently habitable lands meet the desert proper.

Ischa has the richest known Ischerite fields in the world, producing 90% of the world's supply.

History
Human habitation in Ischa appears to have started around 28,000 years ago, during which time the Bronta was green. Before the Brontic empire existed, Ischa was an independant city-state.

Brontic Empire
Ischa was an important city in the empire. A combination of oral records, archaeological data and surviving written records suggest a peak population, about a hundred years before the collapse of the empire, between one and one-and-a-half million residents

Early Iron Age
When the Bronta dried up, the city was largely abandoned. It always, however, had people living in it. With little agricultural land and the disappearance of trade routes to support a large population and therefore a powerful, well-equipped army, the city was conquered by the Mokassans in 171 Fa.

Early Modern Era
The use of gunpowder greatly increased the need for nitrate. Nitrate mining in the Bronta caused the city to boom from a low of 18,500 around 4150 to more than 500,000 in 4240.

Recent History
When a method for creating nitrate synthetically was invented, mining operations shrank substantially. However, the city was still exporting a large variety of materials.

The breakthrough came in 4263, just five years after the end of the Panthalassa War, when oil was discovered in the west of the desert.

Oil Wars
Main article Oil Wars

Between 4266 and 4281, a series of sporadic conflicts over oil known as the Oil Wars, were fought, mainly between Maroka and Idris. A ceasefire agreement was formally agreed upon in 4282, but the countries are still officially at war. Ischa was attacked by Idrisian forces several times in the conflict.

Terrorism/Freedom Fighting
Since the Caltrop March of 4266, the large Wos population of Ischa have participated in a number of demonstrations against the Mokassan Marokan government. Vigilante bombings of Mokassan government officials are not uncommon, but are usually heavily repressed.

In Janus of 4318, 14 demonstrators were killed by Marokan military police in an event largely overshadowed by the death of web video idol Sy14nt.

Demographics
Ischa has a large population of both Wos people and foreign workers.

Economy
Historically, Ischa has been a trade hub for the modest traffic of the east/west transcontinental route across Torica. In modern times, it has relied heavily on mining in the area and traffic from mining operations further west. Tourism to the area has increased rapidly since the 4300 as global interest in its rich archaeological treasures is peaked. Its proximity to the famous ruins of Ar-Kabaroum, Ar-Karbala and Ar-Kircham, is also a positive factor.

The city is an important base for mining in the modern era and several mining companies are headquartered here, mining the region's natural deposits of precious minerals. Oil is a key resource further west, so Ischa is well-positioned as a stopover town or a place to house workers.