by Max Barry

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The Despotic Dictatorship of
Psychotic Dictatorship

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The Despotic Dictatorship of Despoticania

The Despotic Dictatorship of Despoticania





Motto: "God was a dream of good government."




Population: 755,846,307 (2014)
-Density: 349 / kmē
-Breakdown: 87.4 % human, 7.5 % nonhuman,
3.1 % upload, 2 % AI


Capital: Despoticania Prime
Largest City: Despoticania Prime (14,182,048 inhabitants in 2014)
Other major cities: Lookitthat (10,419,992 inhabitants in 2014)
Starfall (8,100,764 inhabitants in 2014)
New CWCville (7,513,744 inhabitants in 2014)


Official Language: English
Demonym: Despoticanian


Government
- Head of State: The Despot
- Head of Government: The Despot
- De facto leader: The Despot


Independence: Before recorded history
- Reformation: Aug 17, 1995


Land Area: 2,166,086 kmē


Economic system: State capitalism
Currency: Despollar (DDP)
GDP: 62.013 trillion DDP (2014 estimate)
- Per capita: 82,045 DDP


Primary exports:
electronics
computer software
automobiles
high-tech weapons
tailored memes
refined uranium
nanotechnology
cybernetic implants
web hosting services

Primary imports:
luxury foods
refined iron
refined copper
genetic templates
magical items
art
industrial chemicals
spacecraft components
refined petroleum


National Religion: The Church of Transcendental Hatred


Overview

Despoticania is less of a unified nation than a collection of mostly-independent city-states and competing factions that share common language, history and culture, all based on a large island near the Terran arctic. The country is kept formally united by its mysterious leader, known only as The Despot, who ensures, through intimidation, guile and the occasional act brutality, that despite their differences, all Despoticanian factions ultimately work for the common interests of the whole. Despoticania has existed since antiquity, but today Despoticanians celebrate The Despot's rise to power (in August 17th 1995) as their Independence Day. Despoticania is very isolationist, and it is extremely hard for foreigners to gain citizenship. That said, Despoticanian trade vessels are common sight in ports around the world, and the nation often takes part in various international research projects.

Another thing Despoticania is known for are its actively transhumanist politics. Despoticanians seek to enhance themselves through genetic engineering, cybernetics and AI research. The Despot himself is rumored to be heavily modified, but since no one has ever seen this elusive dictator in person, these rumors remain unconfirmed. Lately, Despoticania has been experiencing the early stages of a "technological singularity", an event where artificial intelligences surpass humans in intellectual capacity and understanding. Unaugmented Despoticanians are quickly becoming an endangered species, and it may at this point be impossible to tell what future holds for Despoticania and its people.


Demographics

Despoticania has a population of approximately 756 million, one of the largest in the world. Most of the population lives in the southern third of Despoticania, and the east coast is more densely populated than the west coast.

More than 87 % of the population consists of humans of the Despoticanian ethnic group, characterized by long limbs, gracile physiques, pale, almost grayish skin and an unusual range of hair colors, from light blue to black. An unusually large percentage of Despoticanians also show magical and/or psionic potential. These characteristics likely originate from the Eldians, a now-extinct demihuman race who were absorbed by the early Despoticanians thousands of years ago.

In addition to the human majority, millions of nonhumans and artificial beings are recognized as citizens with full sapient rights. In recent decades, genetic engineering and radical cybernetic augmentation have blurred the line between human and nonhuman. Many Despoticanians are so heavily augmented that their lifespans are essentially indefinite; some people remain active well into their second century, while others have uploaded their minds into sophisticated quantum computers, becoming entirely virtual intelligences.


Geography

Despoticania is a cold, inhospitable country with extremely hostile wildlife and many dangerous environments, ranging from freezing arctic wastes to areas of wild magic with extremely low Hume values. Various mutants and mosters roam the wilderness, attacking anyone unfortunate enough to encounter them without sufficient protection. Most cities are built like fortresses and equipped with powerful defenses in order to keep the horrors found outside their walls at bay. Long-distance transportation is dominated by vac-train tubes and aircraft.

Thanks to a warm ocean current known as the Central Stream, southern regions of Despoticania are warmer than they would otherwise be. The climate there is temperate and allows farming (though nowadays Despoticania produces most of its food in underground fungus and insect farms and artificially-lit greenhouses). Other environments in the south include coniferous forests and marshlands. The northern parts of the country consist of near-lifeless arctic wastelands and jagged mountain ranges. Shores are dominated by rocks and cliffs in the south and by glaciers in the north.


History

Main article: History of Despoticania

Despoticania is an ancient nation with a history stretching back thousands of years. The earliest known settlers landed at the southernmost tip of Despoticania around 7,500 BCE and spread over the entire island during the next millennium. It is believed that these first Despoticanians were slaves who had escaped from the Eldian Empire, a powerful demihuman realm in Tyrannia. Other notable ancient events include the destruction of the Eldian offshoot kingdom of Blacklight in 6,889 BCE and the founding of the Church of Transcendental Hatred around 5,000 BCE.

Over the years, Despoticania has seen many different forms of government. The country has been ruled by a hereditary monarchy, an elected monarch, a council of nobles, a theocratic council, brutal warlords and technocratic oligarchs. Since 1995 Despoticania has been firmly under the control of a shadowy dictator known only as "The Despot".


Places of Interest

Blacklight
A port town on the west coast of Despoticania. In ancient times, Blacklight was the capital of a powerful demihuman kingdom that fought against the human settlers. The demihumans, known as Eldians, were eventually defeated, and while most were exterminated, some were absorbed instead, and their genetic material survives in modern-day Despoticanians. Blacklight still has many ancient ruins which are popular tourist attractions.

Despoticania Prime
The capital - and the largest city - of Despoticania, and its economic and political heart. Famous for its giant "stalactite towers", Despoticania Prime is mostly built in a vast network of underground caverns, some of which descend all the way to the mantle. The Anganol University located here is the most prestigious learning institute in the nation. Despoticania Prime is an ancient city and has been the seat of power for most historical Despoticanian cultures. The Despot's fortress is located in the outskirts of the city.


Stalactite towers of Despoticania Prime

Dragonspire
Mt. Dragonspire and its surroundings are the site of an ancient magical catastrophe of uncertain nature that has left them an area of wild magic. It is home to the Dragonspire Institute, the largest magical research organization in Despoticania.

Granny's Island
A large island just off the west coast, Granny's Island is an important commercial and military port.

Icewind Shore
The northernmost permanent settlement in Despoticania, Icewind Shore is the home of a large military base and an important military shipyard. Historically, it was a holy site for the early barbarian settlers of Despoticania, who called it "The Snow Hell".

Jylkurfyk
A major port town and the location of the largest shipyards in the nation, jointly owned by the government and several private parties and known for constructing both commercial and military vessels. Most archaeologists believe that Jylkurfyk was the site of landing for the first human settlers of Despoticania, arriving from the southeast.

Lookitthat
Mt. Lookitthat is the highest point in Despoticania, rising over 10 kilometers above the sea level. Originally called Orikalturo, Mt. Lookitthat received its current name in 1688 AD when the famous explorer Alia Paravel first set her eyes upon it. The city of Lookitthat, which has grown around the mountain, is the second largest city in Despoticania. The mountain itself is the site of the richest metal mines in Despoticania.


Mt. Lookitthat

New CWCville
The fourth largest city in Despoticania and the center of entertainment industry. New CWCville enjoys a special amount of autonomy, with hereditary Mayors serving for life.

New Thule
A major city known for its booming information technology industry and the Thulian Institute of Hard Sciences (TIHS), a private research university.

Old Thule
One of the oldest cities in Despoticania, Old Thule once served as the capital of the Second Despoticanian Kingdom (c. 3,300- 2750 BC), altough it has since been overshadowed by its younger sister city, New Thule.

Port Hestra
A heavily industrialized port town with the largest purely commercial shipyards in Despoticania.

Starfall
The third largest city in Despoticania, Starfall is built inside an ancient impact crater (formed around 7,500 BC). It was here where the famous Monkey-Prophet St. Marukh founded the Church of Transcendental Hatred. In addition to its status as the unofficial spiritual capital of Despoticania, Starfall is known for its many rich mines and heavy construction industry, although the city is also the headquarters to MindWorm, Inc., the largest privately-owned neural augmentation company in Despoticania. The headquarters of the Despoticanian Space Fleet is located in Starfall.

Towen
Not really a town but rather a remote coastal fortress, Towen is the home of the Necrotechnomancers Union, a relatively new and innovative organization combining magic (specifically, necromantic magic) and technology in previously unseen ways in a quest to attain immortality.

Wail
An important port town with a healthy fishing industry. In historical times, Wail was known for its Snow Bear Riders.

Yokelia
The largest farming town in Despoticania and one of the most important sources of traditional food, Yokelia has managed to thrive despite heavy competition from synthetic, vat-grown foodstuffs.

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