Kaprivious
A Mathematical Marvel in Politics
Kaprivious–”The Great Sum,” is a small, modest country just north of Thitherland, in a southwestern area of the Aligorian continent, and away from any major influence or interest of the Aligorian Empire itself. The Empire mostly ignores Karivious; it’s not a threat, and its existence is (to them) a kind of funny joke, and too out-of-the-way to care about.
Kaprivious is a highly lawful nation with strong rules and a strong dedication to enforcement. It was founded relatively recently (810 bce). Everything done in Kaprivious is according to statistics and probabilities. No danger or gamble is ever taken by the government, unless it is the mostly likely way to success. Their legislation can absolutely carry the citizens’ best interest (they say).
The government seems like a meritocracy but is actually ruled by a legislative body of gifted mathematicians–recruited from the Kaprivian school system, who gather data and run statistics on every decision and person, but it feels for many like they are indentured to statistics.
The “Parts” of Kaprivious are divisions based on even factions of statistical norms, each carefully selected to average all of their statistics and needs across the entire nation. Each Part contributes to the overal “SUM” of Kaprivious. Every ten years or so, a census is take–a VERY big deal for the country, almost like an extended holiday, at least for the country’s magistrates.
The nation is ruled by The Calculator, a position held for life, or until mental faculties begin the wane. They are lifted up as the figurehead, the Most Average Person in all the land, demonstrating traits of a kind of “every-person” in the nation. They are a benevolent face for people to look up to, although they have absolutely no power over any mathematics.
THE FOUNDING
One summer day in 810 ce, some 112 years ago or so, a man named Kapriv–a brilliant logician–had had enough of the provincial attitude and people of Thitherland. He set out north. By chance, he met three strange looking wizards, and in talking to them he found out they too were heading far north for a new life in Terralus, perhaps to work for the Empire in some capacity.
Their talk soon turned to the passion they all shared: Science and Data, and Statistics. One conversation led to another, and before long they were creating the basis for an entire society, based on their passions in life. They looked up at eachother after a while shared a shocked look. “We could actually do this,” whispered Kapriv. They all slowly nodded their heads in wonder.
“Imagine,” he whispered, “A country where everyone strives to be completely average… And imagine to Data to gather, the calculations to be made…”
The were all silent, taking in this possibility
The next day the work began: Finding people of average strength to build cities of average size. Kapriv and his Council (as they were called then) got to work joyfully, taking a census of the people of the region, and spreading the word of basic, normal prosperity for all of the nation. Needless to say, the common people joined the nation without a second though, and began the process of normalization, working just as hard as the average workers worked.
The Council did not shy from using divination Magic to gather data; two of them were very talented Inquisitors, and one a Wizard.
Five years they worked, with joy and satisfaction, setting up the systems and magic that would gather the basic information that could not only run the country, but could be passed down from government to government for the generations. So far so good after 121 years.
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
For those that have lived there and then left, Kaprivious is know as the most boring place in the world, if also the safest place you might find, as long as the police aren’t after you. The penal system runs on what they call “the Law of Averages.”
For those who break it, there is a quite unpleasant consequence (if you are not deemed innocent by the average conviction rate for your crime). Those who have gone through the process will tell you, with a pleasant-enough smil, but in a flat tone, “Yes, I got averaged. It was nice. I feel okay now.”
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