HotRodia
| |
| Flag of HotRodia | |
| Motto: Jump In, Burn Out, Take It Home | |
| Region | Texas |
|---|---|
| Capital | HotRodia City |
| Official Language(s) | Texan |
| Leader | Minister of Hospitality |
| Population | 3.5 Billion |
| Currency | tequila |
| NS Sunset XML | |
The Current State of HotRodia
The below articles were taken entirely or in part from the Encyclopedia HotRodia, 18th Edition, which was published by the HotRodia Publishing Corporation. These articles contain information that was current at the time of writing.
Government
The Tire-Burning Torque Empire of HotRodia does not have a government in the normal sense of the word. There are no regulatory agencies, no executive offices, and no legislators of any kind. People are allowed to enter and leave HotRodia as they please, enter into contracts with others as they please, and generally behave in whatever manner they think appropriate. The only government official of any kind that is present in HotRodia is the Minister of Hospitality, a position for which a candidate is elected by a vote of whomever wishes to vote. The Minister of Hospitality has little real authority in HotRodia. His or her only function within the rather small HotRodian political sphere is to represent the nation in the region of Texas and to other nations and regions in the world. The current Minister of Hospitality, Sam I Am, has chosen to represent his nation to the region of Texas by taking on the role of Texas Sports Commissioner, Texas Ambassador to Wysteria, and Texas Consul in the Exodus.
The HotRodian Empire
It is an alliance for mutual benefit composed of three states that all have common origins and culture, HotRodia, HotRodia II, and HotRodia III. These three states have agreed to defend each other in time of need, trade freely with one another, and generally be friendly towards one another. The HotRodian nations agreed to collectively label their allied nations the Intercooled International Engine of The HotRodian Empire. The alliance began when the Minister of Hospitality decided to approach HotRodia II and HotRodia III in the interest of re-unifying the HotRodian people after the historical secessions that brought them apart.
Affiliated States
Texan Hotrodders is a nation that was initially started as a colony of HotRodia and grew gradually into a nation of its own with all the attendant sovereignty that entails. Texan Hotrodders has no formal alliance with HotRodia, but relations between the two have been very good and the Fuel-Injected Federation agreed to represent its own interests and those of HotRodia in the the Texas Defense Force and the United Nations. HotRodia had previously been a member of the United Nations, but most HotRodian citizens grew to despise the United Nations for what they saw as its grossly offensive and impractical legislation and so the citizens chose to resign from the organization and many also chose to shoot UN Inspectors in protest, a practice that continues to this day.
Chromera is a nation that was formed as one of the largest marketing ploys by the HotRodia Motor Corporation in an effort to promote one of their most popular automobiles in the international arena, the HRMC Advertising Spot of Chromera. It grew into a nation of its own, and is no longer administrated entirely by the HotRodia Motor Corporation. The nation has friendly relations with HotRodia, but most interactions between the two nations are economic, not political or military in nature.
Supercaria is a nation that was formed when many zealous members of the religion of Combustianism grew disgusted with what they saw as the grotesque immorality of HotRodian life, which is largely secular. They founded a nation based entirely on their religious principals which has thrived to this day as an anarcho-socialist federation that wants little to do with their HotRodian progenitors.
Culture
Due to the lack of restrictions on immigration, the residents of HotRodia are a diverse mixture of people from a variety of species and geopolitical backgrounds, including but not limited to native HotRodians, humans of various other geopolitical backgrounds, elves, dwarves, sentient robots, certain energy-based life-forms, and so on. Despite all of this diversity, there are certain common cultural patterns that apply to the vasty majority of residents, regardless of species or geopolitical background. The first is that they are a peaceful people that get along with their neighbors and generally operate by a philosophy expressed succinctly in a trite phrase common in HotRodia, "Live and let live." They also believe strongly in the effectiveness of the complete liberty of individuals to make their own decisions without interference from a government. Furthermore, the culture is a free market culture in which individuals are encouraged to create new products to improve the well-being of all and to consume those products as a means of supporting the prosperity of their fellow citizens. It is considered very bad form to hoard wealth in HotRodia, and often such persons who hoard their money are denigrated and called all sorts of rude names. Religion does not play a big role in the lives of most residents, but there are sizable religious organizations that operate quite successfully in HotRodia, and the people seem to have no particular aversion to religion. The only religion native to HotRodia is Combustianism.
Technology
Environment
HotRodia is located in the gulf coast area of the Texas region. Due to its location, it originally had a great deal of thriving vegetation and unique wildlife (such as the accelerus rapidamus) that drew tourists from many other nations each year, providing a boost to the then hardly impressive economy. After many years of mining and an industrial sector that has overwhelmed the landscape with manufacturing plants and urban residential areas that extend far underground and far into the sky, HotRodia has little in the way of natural beauty anymore, unless you enjoy stark, barren landscapes of concrete that are devoid of plant life and building that are designed for practicality and not beauty. Fortunately, there are some archtecturally impressive buildings that please the eye (such as the Museum of Automotive History) and a few natural preserves kept clean by certain private citizens in an attempt to recall the natural beauty of the HotRodian past.
Economy
Historical HotRodia
Below is an account of the history of HotRodia which is excerpted from the 18th edition of the Encyclopedia HotRodia.
Prehistory: The First Era
Little is truly known of the first centuries of HotRodian history because of a lack of written records from the time, but there are myths relating to the origins of HotRodia, and some of the facts have been verified to the satisfaction of historians. The following is a summary of an excerpt from from The Manual, a religious text belonging to Combustianism, which provides a narrative of the origins of HotRodia.
Chapter One: The Land Before Time
A long time ago, in a land known as Texas, a few people, united by their love of all things car-related, their appreciation for food and drink, and their overwhelming tendency to be goofy, banded together to create a group called...
The HotRod League!
The fearless leader of this band of like-minded individuals was HotRodianthicalopimus (hereafter referred to as HR), a man of great physical stature, incredible mental acuity, and a comprehensive sense of cool. HR inspired countless car lovers to lived in harmony with the jungles of concrete and metal, working towards their common goal of a world of smog-filled beauty and speed.
His beautiful wife Automobilica was the more practical half, the one who actually organized the people whom he inspired. She set up the First Car Show, and caused many to join the HotRod League, doubling their numbers.
Shortly after the First Car Show, HR had a dream in which the Supercarious, God of the Road and Track, The Omnipotent Internally-Combusting One, The Great Engine that Drives the Universe, told him that a huge wave of government regulation would destroy all hope of their utopian dreams. Supercarious commanded that a large vehicle be created that could move The HotRod League to The Promised Land, an unnamed land of petrol and dragstrips.
HR did as he was told, and constructed...The Carviathan, the largest automobile in all of history. So they set out in search of The Promised Land, wandering the highways for 1500 years, constantly looking for the unnamed land they had been promised by The Car God.
Chapter 2: The Promised Land
At the end of a millenia and a half, the HotRod League was cresting a large hill, when Supercarious appeared in the sky in front of the weary band and began speaking in a voice as loud as the rumble of a V12 engine.
"Oh privileged People of the Car, you have reached the edge of The Promised Land that I have given to you! Since we are already appropriately located on a hilltop (it's no mountain, but it will do) I will give you 5 Commandments.
1.) Thou shalt worship Supercarious, the God that hath brought you forth from the land of the treehuggers.
2.) Thou shalt offer a constant prayer to Supercarious, in the form of exhaust fumes.
3.) Thou shalt not ride a vehicle that is not powered by an engine, for this is blaspemy before your God.
4.) Thou shalt multiply upon this land, pave it, and drive at incredibly fast speeds upon it.
5.) Thou shalt drink tequila, for it is good.
Now go forth and get busy, I have to get back to The Great Car Show in The Sky. Junior tends to make a mess of things when I'm gone."
And so the intrepid band marched forward into to the land where they would settle and prosper.
Early History: The Second Era
The facts about HotRodia's second era are much more clear than with the first. Much more has been historically verified because of increasing technology and the beginning of a shift away from an entirely oral culture.
In those days, the Leader of the HotRod League was being led by the vivacious and beautiful HotRodia, a direct female descendent of HR and Automobilica. It was proposed that The Promised Land needed a new name, one which reflected the spirit of the people. The decision came to a vote, and the name 'HotRodia' was chosen by a majority of the people, although 'The Big One', 'Car Country', and 'Chromera' were seriously considered.
The first town was built shortly thereafter. It was named HotRodia City, in an odd twist of fate. It is now the capital city of HotRodia. At that time the first HotRodia Tequila was brewed at a saloon appropriately called 'The Fuel Injector'. Soon, other towns began springing up: Margaritaville, Showroomtown, Garage.
Margaritaville was and still is the most culturally diverse city in HotRodia. It is home to peoples from hundreds of countries around the world, and the giant themepark TequilaWorld was first built there. Showroomtown is where the automobile industry first became established and the HRMC has its headquarters and main production facilities there to this day. Garage is the largest city in what is now West HotRodia and much of the 'old wealth' in HotRodia live their opulent lifestyles there while everyone else looks on with disapproval.
The Combustian Era
Early in the ultra-industrialization that accompanied the growth of cities, the worship of Supercarious became highly ritualized and became known as Combustianism. As Combustianism was very popular among the wealthy and powerful, it was eventually named the state religion, and the high priestesses within the Combustian religion were given all the legislative power. Since Combustianism is by philosophy socialistic, the priestesses centralized the government and began enacting some serious Robin Hood legislation. Fortunately, the priestesses also enacted many educational reforms, upgrading materials, hiring the best teachers, and promoting an incredibly expansive and interactive curriculum. Their last legislative act (before their role as legislators was officially terminated) was to provide free college educations to everyone in HotRodia.
The Era of Secessions
Near the end of the Combustian Era, many people became disappointed with the decrease in economic and political freedoms that accompanied the new governmental form and decided to break away from HotRodia and form their own nation of a distinctly Libertarian flavor called HotRodia II. The government of HotRodia reluctantly let them go.
About midway through the Combustian Era, many more people decided that HotRodia had been too liberal for too long and decided to start their own more authoritarian nation that focused strongly on civil rights and the economy called HotRodia III. Once again, the government of HotRodia let the people go peacefully.
Near the end of the Combustian Era, HotRodians began a movement towards decentralizing the government in an effort to put the power back in the hands of local officials who would understand the local issues better. Toward this end, HotRodia was subdivided into four regions, North HotRodia, East HotRodia, West HotRodia, and South HotRodia.
HotRodian Corporate Entities
Below is a listing of many of the larger businesses in HotRodia and a short description of each.
HotRodia Publishing Corporation
The HRPC produces some of the finest literature to come out of HotRodia, and is willing to publish almost any type of publication you can think of.
HotRodia Tequila Vendors Conglomerate
The HTVC produces and distributes all types of alcoholic beverages, not just tequila.
HotRodia Motor Corporation
The HRMC produces a large variety of automobiles, a small number of which are available on the international market.
HotRodia First Regional Bank
The HRFRB offers banking services including savings accounts, free checking accounts, CD's, loans, safety deposit boxes. All accounts and funds are fully insured, and any errors on the part of the bank will be fixed promptly and the person who was subject to the error will recieve appropriate compensation.
HotRodia Electric Company
The HREC provides power for over half of HotRodian citizens, and is constantly researching new power resources such as wind, water, and solar-powered alternatives to serve its customers better.
HotRodia AviTech
HRAT designs and produce avionic technology, including ornithopters, helicopters, airplanes, and their various component parts, such as engines, wings/blades, etc.
HotRodia TeleComm Incorporated
HRTCI provides telephone, internet, and wireless services to over 80% of HotRodian citizens.
HotRodia Home Renovation Warehouse
The HRHRW retails items that are commonly used for home improvement projects, building materials, paints, plumbing fixtures, lighting implements, etc.
HotRodia ArmaCorp
The HRAC produces various types of military hardware, including small arms, ground-based transports, tanks, ships, aircraft, etc.
HotRodia Film Productions Company
The HRFPC is the largest producer of films and television series in HotRodia, and is responsible for the wildly popular 'Jimmy Bomb' movies.
HotRodia HardSoft Electronics
HRHSE makes hardware and software for individual, commercial, and military applications. Their most famous work is the infamous Spelling Nazi program.
HotRodia Hotels and Resorts Corporation
HRHRC hotels are among the finest in the world. Complimentary services include open bars, restaurant dining, valet parking, access to fitness equipment and spa facilities, room service, and pillow mints.
HotRodia Clothiers Limited
The HRCL can supply any and all clothing needs. Whether your clothing needs to cover as little as possible or as much as possible, this company can design it to fit your complexion, body shape, size, or lifestyle.
South HotRodia AgriFarm Incorporated
SHRAFI is the only supplier of feeds, hormones, housing materials, etc. for the entirety of HotRodia, and for good reason. They produce and sell high quality items for a reasonable price.
East HotRodia Waste Management Systems
The EHRWMS provides sewage and waste disposal services for all of HotRodia's billion+ citizens.
North HotRodia Drilling and Refinement
The NHRDR is the company that is driving the proper use of HotRodia's natural gas, oil, and coal resources.
West HotRodia Timber Incorporated
WHRTI has chopped down thousands of trees, and replants thousands more, in an effort to make sure that the high paper usage by the government doesn't totally destroy the environment.
I Am Tired Mattress Manufacturies Company
The IATMMC builds the finest, softest, most pleasantly supportive beds in...the...*snore*
