Rather Minor Deities
22-11-2006, 10:12
Quick Factbook of the Most Serene Republic of Rather Minor Deities
Geography: This Most Serene Republic is located on a small chain of islands in the East Pacific, not unlike the obviously fictious islands of Hawaii. Each resident of the Republic has a small patch of land, which, depending on the resident’s power and emotional state, may or may not conform to the general climate of rainforest, bogs, and shrublands.
People and Population: Any survey of this most unusual nation must address its unique population. The Most Serene Republic of Rather Minor Deities is composed, as the name might suggest, of minor deities. Every resident had, at one point or another, believers whose mere existence granted the deity some measure of power. Most are now rather bitter at the one called the SF (‘Supreme Fascist’), colloquially known as God in the rest of the world, who has been grabbing up believers at an obscene rate. Due to their shared history and resentment, the residents of the Most Serene Republic tend to resist forces of globalization. However, they are so prejudiced against monotheistic religious fundamentalists that they sometimes hypocritically embrace certain modern ideas out of sheer perverseness.
History: The Most Serene Republic of Rather Minor Deities has been around in some form or another for thousands of years. In 312 AD, when Emperor Constantine took the throne of the Holy Roman Empire, a number of residents held a riotous Night of Commiseration, which is repeated annually on February 27th. The current republic was founded in 622 A.D. (“Never again!” was the rallying cry), and adopted as its motto, “There’s No Such Thing As Too Much Fun.” Historians generally attempt to avoid speculating too much on the significance of this new national policy so as not to alarm the general public of the rest of the world.
Economy: The economy of the Most Serene Republic is rather behind the times, as it arose out of a primitive bartering system of I.O.U.’s. Today, each citizen ‘sells’ favors (granted according to his, her, its, or their function as a deity and culture of origin) for a certain number of ‘divine iou’s’; a good english translation of a fifty-two word passage of latin for a college student by the Terribly Talented Tutor of Troubled Latinites (formerly known as Consus, a Roman god of the harvest) might go for 23 divine iou’s. One reason why the Most Serene Republic has had trouble developing its economy is that the conversion rate between divine iou’s and other forms of currency is dependent not only on how much the world values the other currency, but also how much the person attempting to make the transaction values the other currency. Thus, one US dollar for a poor man might be 50 divine iou’s, while the same amount for a moderately wealthy man might only be 0.5 divine iou’s.
Military: Currently, the Most Serene Republic of Rather Minor Deities has no military. Some residents may occasionally act as vigilantes, but they are discouraged from doing so within the boundaries of the Most Serene Republic.
Government Structure and Political Structure: As its name might suggest, the Most Serene Republic is indeed a Republic, similar to that of ancient Rome (which it is modeled after). It has a Senate (whose official title varies so much day to day that only the words ‘Senate’ and ‘most’ are always included) of two official elected representatives of each island, and a coalition government of the three most powerful political parties rules its elective branch.
Communications: The Most Serene Republic of Rather Minor Deities uses a series of temples as official communication posts. Messages to the government itself are burnt at the altar on the right, while requests to private citizens are burnt on the altar on the left.
International Relations: The residents of the Most Serene Republic have developed complicated ways to amuse themselves. The most recent consists of formally participating in international politics, beginning with establishing as many embassies as possible and joining the UN.
Foreign Embassies Present In the Capital:
Avenue D: lot 43: Dynasti of Kamasha
Monotheistic Meander: lot 3: Gospel of the Holy Divine Trinity.
Embassies are established in: Dynasti of Kamasha (temple of Indian goddess Tara).
Pending Embassies: Gospel of the Holy Divine Trinity (temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus).
Alliances: n/a
Trade Relations: Informal and pervasively international.
Recent News: A prominent members of the Winsomely Warlike Deities resigned in protest yesterday over the beginnings of embassy talks with the Gospel of the Holy Divine Trinity.
A government worker who wishes to remain anonymous disclosed today that the Most Serene Republic may soon establish an international trade port on the Island of Kilikala, though the Department of International Trade refuses to confirm or deny this prospect.
Geography: This Most Serene Republic is located on a small chain of islands in the East Pacific, not unlike the obviously fictious islands of Hawaii. Each resident of the Republic has a small patch of land, which, depending on the resident’s power and emotional state, may or may not conform to the general climate of rainforest, bogs, and shrublands.
People and Population: Any survey of this most unusual nation must address its unique population. The Most Serene Republic of Rather Minor Deities is composed, as the name might suggest, of minor deities. Every resident had, at one point or another, believers whose mere existence granted the deity some measure of power. Most are now rather bitter at the one called the SF (‘Supreme Fascist’), colloquially known as God in the rest of the world, who has been grabbing up believers at an obscene rate. Due to their shared history and resentment, the residents of the Most Serene Republic tend to resist forces of globalization. However, they are so prejudiced against monotheistic religious fundamentalists that they sometimes hypocritically embrace certain modern ideas out of sheer perverseness.
History: The Most Serene Republic of Rather Minor Deities has been around in some form or another for thousands of years. In 312 AD, when Emperor Constantine took the throne of the Holy Roman Empire, a number of residents held a riotous Night of Commiseration, which is repeated annually on February 27th. The current republic was founded in 622 A.D. (“Never again!” was the rallying cry), and adopted as its motto, “There’s No Such Thing As Too Much Fun.” Historians generally attempt to avoid speculating too much on the significance of this new national policy so as not to alarm the general public of the rest of the world.
Economy: The economy of the Most Serene Republic is rather behind the times, as it arose out of a primitive bartering system of I.O.U.’s. Today, each citizen ‘sells’ favors (granted according to his, her, its, or their function as a deity and culture of origin) for a certain number of ‘divine iou’s’; a good english translation of a fifty-two word passage of latin for a college student by the Terribly Talented Tutor of Troubled Latinites (formerly known as Consus, a Roman god of the harvest) might go for 23 divine iou’s. One reason why the Most Serene Republic has had trouble developing its economy is that the conversion rate between divine iou’s and other forms of currency is dependent not only on how much the world values the other currency, but also how much the person attempting to make the transaction values the other currency. Thus, one US dollar for a poor man might be 50 divine iou’s, while the same amount for a moderately wealthy man might only be 0.5 divine iou’s.
Military: Currently, the Most Serene Republic of Rather Minor Deities has no military. Some residents may occasionally act as vigilantes, but they are discouraged from doing so within the boundaries of the Most Serene Republic.
Government Structure and Political Structure: As its name might suggest, the Most Serene Republic is indeed a Republic, similar to that of ancient Rome (which it is modeled after). It has a Senate (whose official title varies so much day to day that only the words ‘Senate’ and ‘most’ are always included) of two official elected representatives of each island, and a coalition government of the three most powerful political parties rules its elective branch.
Communications: The Most Serene Republic of Rather Minor Deities uses a series of temples as official communication posts. Messages to the government itself are burnt at the altar on the right, while requests to private citizens are burnt on the altar on the left.
International Relations: The residents of the Most Serene Republic have developed complicated ways to amuse themselves. The most recent consists of formally participating in international politics, beginning with establishing as many embassies as possible and joining the UN.
Foreign Embassies Present In the Capital:
Avenue D: lot 43: Dynasti of Kamasha
Monotheistic Meander: lot 3: Gospel of the Holy Divine Trinity.
Embassies are established in: Dynasti of Kamasha (temple of Indian goddess Tara).
Pending Embassies: Gospel of the Holy Divine Trinity (temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus).
Alliances: n/a
Trade Relations: Informal and pervasively international.
Recent News: A prominent members of the Winsomely Warlike Deities resigned in protest yesterday over the beginnings of embassy talks with the Gospel of the Holy Divine Trinity.
A government worker who wishes to remain anonymous disclosed today that the Most Serene Republic may soon establish an international trade port on the Island of Kilikala, though the Department of International Trade refuses to confirm or deny this prospect.