Difference between revisions of "Pilon"

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{{Infobox_Nation |
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{{Nation_Infobox |
subject_name=[http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/index.cgi/page=display_nation/nation=Pilon Pilon] |
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subject_name=[http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/index.cgi/page=display_nation/nation=Pilon Pilon] | flag =http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/uploads/pilon.jpg | motto= The greatest power lies in the genetic code. | map=[[Image:pilon_web.jpg]]  
flag=http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/uploads/pilon.jpg |
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| region=[[The Planet Mars]]  
region=[[The Planet Mars]] |
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| population=9 Billion
motto=The greatest power lies in the genetic code. |
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| currency=[[Pi]]  
map=[[Image:pilon_web.jpg]] |
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| language=Pilonese
language= [[Pilonese]], [[English]], [[Aquan]]|
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| uncategory=Capitalizt
capital= [[Transhumana]] |
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|}}
population=7 Billion|
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currency=[[Pi]] |
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leader= [[Pilias Simber]]
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}}
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'''The People's Greater Hegemony of Pilon''', referred to more often simply as Pilon, is a [[Wikipedia:Virtual Democracy|Virtual Democracy]] located primarily in the Northern Ocean, surrounding the Lyot Crater on [[Wikipedia:Mars|Mars]]. Pilon also has a number of smaller colonies and outposts spread throughout the solar system and beyond. Among Pilon's neighbors are [[Tiburon]], [[R'yleh]], [[The Snel]] and the Neutral Northern Ocean Trade Waters.
  
== Introduction ==
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[[Image:Pilon13.jpg]]<br>
  
'''The People's Greater Hegemony of Pilon''', referred to more often simply as Pilon, is a Virtual Democracy located primarily on Mars.  In addition Pilon has a number of smaller colonies and outposts spread throughout the solar system and beyond.  The Martian territories are treated with total equality, with the colonies and outposts only receiving a larger amount of the total resources of Pilon due to a majority of the population residing on Mars.  The citizens of Pilon are usually called Pilonese.  The Nation is an economic powerhouse on Mars, conducting trade with as many other nations as possible not just on Mars, but with also with off world nations too.  The Government of Pilon is heavily influenced by the corporations in Pilon, many of whom have joined together into powerful Megacorps.  
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The Martian territories are treated with total equality, with the colonies and outposts only receiving a larger amount of the total resources of Pilon due to a majority of the population residing on [[Wikipedia:Mars|Mars]].  The citizens of Pilon are usually called Pilonese.  The Nation is an economic powerhouse on [[Wikipedia:Mars|Mars]], conducting trade with as many other nations as possible not just on [[Wikipedia:Mars|Mars]], but with also with off world nations too.  The Government of Pilon is heavily influenced by the corporations in Pilon, many of whom have joined together into powerful Megacorps.  
  
== Geography ==
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{|style= border="0" align="left"
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|__TOC__
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<br>
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The nation of Pilon was founded upon the principle of taking control of one's life and nature around them by embracing certain technologies including bio-engineering, bio-augmentation, and social engineering (highly developed with the full understanding of the Human psyche, late in the 21st century).  The Secret Society that later became Pilon adopted these priciples forming a splinter group of [[Wikipedia:Transhumanism|Transhumanism]] in the early 21st century on Earth.
  
'''Location''' - Northern Martian Ocean, bordering R'yleh, Tiburon, The Snel, Kalessin, Tor Yvresse, and the International Trade Waters of the Northern Ocean.   
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When space travel was developed the nation left the cradle to settle on the soon to be Terraformed [[Wikipedia:Mars|Mars]] in the hopes of starting anew without the interference of an already existing biosphere.  That experiment grew into what is now known commonly as the [[Eco-Jungle]], a voracious underwater biosphere, with millions of competing species all precisely controlled and adjusted over timeTheir work is unparalled in Human history.
  
'''Area''' - Mars – 15,500,000 KM³
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In addition the pivotal piece of Pilonese technology is called the [[Nodelink]], which is a collective knowledge base accessed through use of implanted [[Nodes]] or [[Node-Ports]].  The [[Nodelink]] gives a person access to the common knowledge of the people of Pilon, even allowing the sharing of thoughts, feelings, even providing a place for communication with not just other Pilonese, but also the [[Eco-Jungle]] around them.  This connection to their environment gives the Pilonese people a unique perspective on the world, often an alien one to other cultures that is somewhat unnerving to those not used to their culture.  In addition the liberal viewpoints on Sexuality, Nudity, [[Wikipedia:Capitalism|Capitolism]], and even Genetic Engineering make it very difficult for them to get along with some of their less liberal neighbors.
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<br>
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== History ==
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[[History of Pilon]]
  
Netheril – 3,375,000,000 KM³
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[[Image:Pilon07.jpg|right|thumb|An early experiment involving manufacturing replacement organs.]]Pilon was formed following a social movement within the inhabitants of the Burmese Highlands that pushed for a society that would focus on the advancement of technology towards the creation of a superior human being.  This was an offshoot of the [[Wikipedia:Transhumanism|Transhumanist]] movement.  Eventually, due to persecution from the conservatives who controlled the government and the religious elite of the Burmese Highlands, the Pilonese people left on a mass exodus eventually settling in the swampy lowlands, where they built a city, known as Pilon, named after the pilons that supported it.
  
Mars B - 475,000,000 KM³
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As time passed the small settlement grew into an industrialized nation, taking advantage of the rich underwater resources in the area.  This focus on underwater technology, and underwater habitation that quickly followed, transformed the society into an aquatic civilization.
  
''Note'' - Does not colonies and bases, only large population centers.
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The technologies that allowed Pilon to expand underwater were found to be easily adapted into spacefaring technologies and within 3 decades were sending colony ships out in search of new areas to settle.  This entire time a single concept weighed most heavily upon the Pilonese people, the [[Grand Experiment|"Grand Experiment"]], which was a fully independant ecosphere developed by Pilonese scientists, without the interference of an already existant system.  They found the perfect place for such an experiment on [[Wikipedia:Mars|Mars]], within the Lyot Crater.
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<br>
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[[Image:Pilon2.jpg|thumb|Logo of the Pilonese Explorer Corps, an early spacefaring company.]]
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<br>
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The [[Grand Experiments|"Grand Experiment"]] continued on [[Wikipedia:Mars|Mars]] and as it quickly became apparent that it was a success Pilon moved its capitol there, leaving a significant portion of its population on Earth.  From that time on the focus was mostly on [[Wikipedia:Mars|Mars]] and Martian affairs.  As the population grew, the Earth population moved from its origanal site to [[Sisgardia]] where other technology focused nations were gathering, and settled in the ocean of that region.
  
'''Ocean Boundaries''' - 3,200 KM
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With the invention of the [[Node]], Pilon developed at an exponential rate.  They quickly developed their technologies and rapidly advanced their knowledge.  About this same point the primordial versions of the [[Eco-Jungle]] were first developed out of the [[Grand Experiment|"Grand Experiment"]] and Pilon began the process of conversion from their traditional technology to one that was completely based off of Biological Components grown instead of built.
  
'''Natural Resources''' - Exotic Foods, High Yield Food Supplies, Fish, Noble Gases, Nitrogen, Sulfur, Carbon, Oxygen, Calcium, Chlorine, Iron, Uranium, Zinc, Tin, Copper, Silicon, Biomass, Pearls, Timber, Titanium, Quartz, Silicates, Nitrates, Deuterium, Tritium, Methane, Platinum, Tungsten, Ivory
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Over the next several thousand years Pilon continued to grow and expand its influence, becoming a major economic power on [[Wikipedia:Mars|Mars]].  During this time several great construction projects were commisioned, some in joint efforts with other nations. 
  
'''Climate''' Tropical
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[[Image:Pilon17.jpg|right|thumb|Eco-bomb project T + 1 second, taken from an aerial surveillance satellite.]]The first of these projects was an attempt to rapidly reorganize the geography of  Sisgardia where Pilon had settled, this was primarily seen as a means of quickly setting up habitable areas for the Pilonese to live in new environments.  After several long decades of dedicated research this project resulted in the creation of the devastating [[Eco-Bomb]].  A weapon capable of reorganizing matter on a mass scale into an aquatic environment optimally set up for life.  This has never actually been used in a military capacity though the capability to use it in such a manner is well within their capability.
  
'''Average Temperature of Water''' – 35ºC
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The next project was a joint construction project within Sisgardia.  Pilon primarily donated construction materials and labor to the project which eventually resulted in the creation of the [[Omeldor-1]], a craftworld.  Following the completion of this project, the 5 million Pilonese who lived and worked on the project broke away from the main body of Pilonese and became independant, residing on the craftworld.
  
'''Average Temperature within Arcologies''' - 43ºC
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Another project during this time period was a joint project between all of Mars.  A system called GEC-42 was discovered by [[Sunset]] and was opened to colonization by all Martian nations.  Pilon's colony was called [[Netheril]] and was a successful experiment where the [[Eco-bomb]] was used to create a habitable living territory for the Pilonese.  It has since remained as a major research and military facility under Pilonese jurisdiction.
  
'''Air Pressure''' – 850mb
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The last major construction project during this time period is by far the most meaningful to Pilonese history.  With the rising tensions between Pilon and [[Auman]] it was determined that a secret base within striking distance of [[Auman]] should be constructed.  This resulted in the construction of the [[Hellas Tunnel]], a tunnel that goes through the core of the planet connecting the Lyot crater to the middle of the Hellas Sea, determined to be neutral territory.  Later Pilon conceded to political pressure from [[Mangala]] to close the entrance to this tunnel, but it was reopened later as a trade route with [[Valinon]] and [[Mangala]].
  
'''Average Humidity''' – 78-88%
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During the Civil War the autocratic Council of the Wise was forced to concede power to the populace, transforming the government into the current Democratic Government.  Also during this time certain destructive technologies were banned due to their use in the fighting, where a reported 250 Million people died.
  
'''Rainfall (On Land or Over Sea Territory)''' – 500-650 cm/year
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[[Image:Pilon06.jpg|right|thumb|Pharmaceuticals being shipped out to other Martian nations.]]Since that time Pilon has seen a steady increase in both international influence and economic power on Mars.  Joining [[Martian_Free_Trade_Agreement|MFTA]], [[MIDAS_II|MIDAS]], and more recently the [[MDI]] and the [[Concordat]].  Pilon has small trade ports scattered throughout Mars and built the [[Hellas Tunnel]] which connects the Nothern Ocean to the Hellas Sea.  Pilon is a major voice in the [[Duma]] and has successfully utilized the court as a means of solving disputes with several nations in the past.
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<br>
  
'''Average Number of Species per Hectare''' – 450,000
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== Government and Politics ==
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<br>[[Government of Pilon]], [[Politics in Pilon]]
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<br>
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The GPH of Pilon is a [[Wikipedia:Virtual Democracy|Virtual Democracy]], meaning it is a government where every citizen has a true voice in the passing of laws and debating of issues.  Every sentient citizen in Pilon who is not currently a part of one of the other branches of government is part of the Legislative Branch, called the Assembly.
  
'''Ocean Use''' - Agricultural Domes - 23%
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The other three branches of the government are:
Cultivated Sea Farms - 16%
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Arcologies - 21%
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Eco-Jungle - 33%
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== People ==
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The Executive Branch - Headed by a council of 7, appointed to their positions by the assembly.  Generally these are some of the most wise or skilled people in all of Pilon.  There is a precedent to maintain a balance of speakers, choosing a specialist in specific fields to replace the previous speaker however it is not a requirement for them to do so.
  
'''Major Languages''' - Pilonese (99%), English (85%), Aquan (55%), Elphin (50%), Elven (50%), Orc (45%), Gnomish (40%), Dwarven (22%), Protoss (15%), French (12%), Spanish (10%), Arabic (8%), Russion (7%), Mandarin Chinese (5%), Japanese (5%), German (5%)
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The Judicial Branch - A series of courts headed by the High Court which has 9 Supreme Judges residing over it.  They make the final decisions on rulings.  Judges are appointed to their positions by the Executive Branch.
  
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The Directive Branch - The Arbitrators make up this branch of the government.  Every branch of the military, corporation, and research project is given a single seat in this parliment.  They debate and cast votes in a similar fashion to that of the Assembly, however once the votes are cast a directive based on the majority vote is issued which offers guidelines on specific courses of action that should be taken.  In addition the Directive Branch carries to power to veto decisions made by other branches of government.  Arbitrators vary in how they are appointed to their positions, ranging from picking out of a hat (general tactic used by research projects) to political positions vied for in corporate politics.
  
'''Population''' - ''(Sentient Only)''
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[[Image:Pilon48.jpg|right]]Although political parties exist in Pilon, laws have been passed to prevent them from extending political influence over more than specific issue, and membership is allowed in multiple parties.  Due to these restrictions political parties are much less influential in Pilonese Politics than in most other Democratic Governments.
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<br>
  
Mars – 2,500,000,000
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== Geography ==
Mars B - 1,000,000,000
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[[Geography of Pilon]]
Netheril – 475,000,000
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Ctan Territories - 3,000,000,000
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A majority of Pilon's territorial claims are on [[Wikipedia:Mars|Mars]], [[Mars_(MTO)|Mars B]], and [[Nertheril]].  The GPH also has small colonies in the Asteroid Belt, the Kuiper Belt, and the Oort Cloud, as well as an orbital research station in orbit over Mercury.  A splinter colony of Pilonese also live on the Sisgardian Craftworld, [[Omeldor-1]].
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All of Pilon's major holdings are underwater.  The Pilonese have lived in an aquatic environment for most of their history and feel as comfortable in that environment as most feel above water.
  
Other – 25,000,000
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On [[Wikipedia:Mars|Mars]] Pilon’s territory is located around the Lyot crater in the Northern Ocean, however they also have established deals with many nations on Mars to set up small trade ports in their territory that serve as centers of international commerce between Pilon and the hosting nation.  In addition Pilon constructed the [[Hellas Tunnel]], a tunnel that delves through the core of the planet connecting the Hellas Sea to the Lyot crater. 
  
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On [[Mars_(MTO)|Mars B]] Pilon controls the entirety of the Hellas Sea, and has also expanded to the Lyot crater by manufacturing a replica of the [[Hellas Tunnel]] found in [[Wikipedia:Mars|Mars]].  [[Mars_(MTO)|Mars B]] is more primitive and Pilon has lived there for a shorter period of time so there are differences between teh [[Eco-jungle|Eco-jungles]] in the two regions.
  
'''By Age'''
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[[Netheril]] is Pilon's colony in the GEC-42 system as part of the Joint Martian Colony project.  A large icy planetoid was settled and the insides were melted.  This is primarily used as a research facility for new Pilonese technologies though there is also a military base in the colony as well.  The [[Eco-jungle]] here is based off a slightly colder model, averaging about 5-7° C colder than the Martian Territories.
  
0-18 Years – 6.7%
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[[Image:Pilon47.jpg|right]]Most of Pilon's territory is tropical in climate, making the arcologies extremely humid and wet.  This is due to Pilon’s careful manipulation of their environment, creating what is known as the [[Eco-jungle]], a complex ecosphere that is customized to the specifications of the Pilonese and is strictly controlled through the nodelink, allowing the Pilonese to live within nature and retain control of their environment without destroying it.  
  
19-55 Years – 5.3%
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Due to the biological elements integrated into the arcologies the Pilonese live in, there is a distinct bog smell to the place, which when coupled with the 35° C temperature and the high humidity makes the place fairly uncomfortable to outsiders.  In areas that are frequented by non-Pilonese efforts are made to reduce the temperature to usually between 25-30° C as well as implant perfume emitters to cover the bog smell.  The humidity tends to stay about the same throughout Pilonese installations.
  
56-150 Years – 6.6%
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Outside the arcologies, the water is teeming with life, making it unique to Pilon, no other place is as full of life with such a grand variety.  On average, there are around 40,000 species/hectare in the [[Eco-jungle]].  This life is carefully watched over by sentient shepherds, called [[Elphins]], a Elf/Dolphin hybrid that resembles mythic Mermaids on Earth.  Through the guidance of the [[Nodelink]], the [[Eco-jungle]] is tailored slowly to match the changing needs and desires of the Pilonese people, and as a result there is a constant change of lifeforms as old ones are removed and new species better adapted to the new environment are put in to replace them.  All species removed in this fashion are catalogued and samples are preserved in laboratories in a kind of biological archive.
  
151-275 Years – 9.4%
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Spread throughout the [[Eco-jungle]] lay various hydroponics farms where most of Pilon’s non-aquatic agriculture is grown. There are also aquatic farms where some of the most popular common foods in Pilon are mass produced to be consumed, in particular the national animal, the [[PiFish]]. Through use of genetic engineering these farms are kept at peak efficiency outputting enough food to keep the prices low yet still ensure a wide variety of selection in their foodCertain foods are purposely kept in low production and are sold as Pilonese exotic foods marketed to other nations as delicacies, in addition many popular Earth foods are mass produced and sold to other nations where the demand for such foods are high.
 
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276-500 Years – 18.2%
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501-1,000 Years – 15.8%
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1,000-2,500 Years – 12.1%
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2,501-5,000 - 15.1%
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5,001+ - 10.8%
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'''By Race''' ''(Sentient Races Only)''
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Transhuman (32%)
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Elf - (28%)
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Elphin - (13%)
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Gnome – (11%)
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Dwarf - (6%)
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Protoss - (2%)
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Orc - (2%)
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Human - (1%)
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Other - ''(Multiple Races each consists of less than a percentage point)'' (5%)
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'''By Sentience'''
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Sentient – .00001%
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Non-Sentient – 99.99999%
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'''By Gender'''
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Male – 35%
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Female – 55%
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Other – 10%
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'''By Residence'''
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Urban – 99.1%
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Rural – .9%
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Surface – .3%
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Underwater – 96.7%
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Orbital – 3%
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== Government ==
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'''Name of Nation''' - Greater People's Hegemony of Pilon
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'''Conventional Short Form''' - Hegemony of Pilon, or just Pilon
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'''Abbreviation''' - GPH
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'''Government Type''' - Constitution Based Virtual Democracy; Strong Capitalist Tradition
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'''Legal System''' - Federal Court System based on common lawJudicial Review of Legislative Acts as influenced by the Directive Branch.
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'''Suffrage''' - 56 years old; universal
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'''Executive Branch''' - Headspeaker ''Pilias Simber''
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Other Speakers of the Council - ''Ben Richards'', ''Maren Touraine-Simber'', ''Ap Chip Fa Ta'', ''Teran Simber'', ''Ahoyo Maquo'', and ''Issac Malisse''
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'''Legislative Branch''' - Assembly - Every Citizen who is not currently serving as a representative of the Executive, Judicial, or Directive Branch
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'''Judicial''' - National Court of 9 appointed for life by the Council of Speakers, Pilon Court of Appeals, and Pilon Higher and Lower Arcology Courts
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== Economy ==
 
== Economy ==
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[[Economy of Pilon]]
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<br>
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Pilon’s economic system can be described as a Free Market style economy, in which the market price for goods is determined with virtually no intervention from the government.  It is a supply and demand driven system in which the consumers as a whole determine the market price for goods and make the decisions regarding economic activities.  The sole influence the government has on the economy is a series of anti-monopoly laws and regulations to prevent coercion and manipulation to occur that will artificially inflate a product’s cost.
  
'''Major Exports''' – Exotic Foods, Specialized Foods, Genetically Improved Foods, Technology, Pressurized Gases, Processed Metals, Weapons, Chemical Agents, Biological Agents, Biomass, Food, Energy, Luxury Items, Manufactured Goods, Technical Experts
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Taxes in Pilon are only levied to a point to cover the costs for administration of the government, currently this tax is set at 4%.  With a per capita GDP that is one of the highest on [[wikipedia:Mars|Mars]], the Pilonese people overall tend to live a fairly comfortable and carefree life, with no overwhelming concerned for their welfare and few worries about where money will come from to cover expenses.  Financial management is one of the critical skills taught in school to prevent poor money management habits.
  
'''Major Imports''' – Technology, Nitrogen, Exotic Food, Rare Metals, Manufactured Goods, Raw Materials, Weapons, Biological Agents, Chemical Agents
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[[Image:Pilon25.jpg|right|thumb|Pilon's seas are rich with natural resources, including mineral deposits.]]In the recent years Pilon has seen a slight economic decline due to a series of economically damaging events namely the Volaria Incident.  This is being combated currently with a massive campaign to expand Pilon’s international sphere of economic influence throughout the Hellas Sea and the Northern Ocean as well as off [[wikipedia:Mars|Mars]] into friendly territories where Pilon has something to gain.
  
'''Major Industries''' – Agriculture, Bio-weapons, Chemical Weapons, Retail, Soda Pop, Gambling, Book Publishing, Information Technology, Furniture, Fishing, Manufacturing, Weapons Manufacturing, Automobile, and Cheese
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The Pilonese [[Pi]] has seen a steady increase in value over the years. The Economic scene is dominated by a couple of megacorps that control vast swaths of Pilonese capital and infrastructure including the military.  These megacorps compete with one another using unwritten laws of competition which were set in place to ensure security for Pilon yet still allow competition to drive the economy forward.  Generally this includes hiring specially trained group to conduct corporate espionage on each other rather than openly engage each other with military forces, and avoid outright violence between corporations as this weakens Pilon’s position in the international market and also damages Pilon’s reputation as a safe and secure nation.
  
'''Currency''' – Pi
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Before this most recent decline the economy has seen a steady increase for the 150 years. Unemployment is still low, hovering around 3%. The largest sectors in the Pilonese econonmy include Gambling, Defence, Automobile Manufacturing, Book Publishing, and Food.  The Megacorps all have a particular area that they are dominant in and several other areas that they compete strongly in but are not in dominance.  This equilibrium between the Megacorps is credited with the steady increase in overall strength of the economy.
  
'''Symbol''' - ∏
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There is a dark side to Pilon’s economyThere is a fair amount of disparity between the upper and lower classes.  Those who fall into debt tend to stay there, and because of the contracts they sign when borrowing money, these debts are passed on genetically to their children creating a culture of extreme poverty-stricken people who have no choice but to labor and see little profit from their laborsThis is being combated however with a program where Pilonese are employed by [[The Ctan]] to work in their service industry and earn higher wages than they would back homeSo far this has helped to get a couple of these people out of debt and back on their feet.   
 
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<br>
The Pilonese Economic System follows the Free Market system, almost to an extremeEverything in Pilon is privatised with the exception of a tiny government that prevents Monopolies and regulates international relations, though through the Directive Branch the Megacorps wield influence over much of Pilon's Government Agencies.  A small flat tax is levied on all services and products sold in Pilon, and on the incomes of those who live in the nation.  There are no tariffs in Pilon.
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== Foreign Relations ==
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[[Pilon's Foreign Policy]]
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Ever since the civil war much effort has been made to improve the diplomatic relations with all nations nearby Pilon.  Pilon joined into economic and mutual defense treaties, mostly involving Mars, it's primary residence including MFTA and MIDASWith the creation of MDI Pilon left MIDAS in favor of the new alliance.  Pilon endeveurs to establish both diplomatic and trade relations with as many nations as possible setting up embassies in all nations that Pilon considers to be on good terms with currently.  Pilon also hopes to become a more active voice in Martian Politics as efforts are made to reform a more powerful Duma, or at least make the current Duma workable.
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Recently two of Pilon's largest Megacorps, PPC and Genesis Corp, have made a deal with the Ctan to employ some of the more poverty sticken Pilonese in service industry jobs in Ctan.  In addition Pilon endeveurs ever to gain acceptance by ToY members, in the hopes of one day being invited to join its membership.
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== Research Projects ==
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As a majority of the focus in Pilon is on the advancement of Science and answering the questions of the universe it should be detailed about how research is carried out in Pilon.
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Those who are scientists are given all that they need to work on their projects, materials are provided by manufacturers as long as the needs do not exceed the specified amount determined by the Arbitrators.  Food and other needs are also provided for.  A scientist working on a research project will often fully envelop themselves in the project devoting years, decades, sometimes even centuries of their life to the project.  They are free to leave at any time but most often stay as it tends to be their life’s dream to see the fruition of the project.
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Once a project is complete is oftentimes will find a new focus for itself or sometimes will disband and the scientists will go their separate ways.
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Pilon spends approximately 50% of its total GNP on these projects.
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Some of the current projects of note include, The Bio-weapons Project, The DNA Cataloging Project (Cataloging how practically every combination or variation in the DNA strand will affect a being), and more recently a new effort to drastically improve the Pilonese Space Force in a project called the Ragnarok Project.
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==Education ==
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One of the major focus’, especially for native born Pilonese is the integration with the Node Implant they receive before birth (usually about 7-9 months into pregnancy). 
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At first it merely broadcasts information and not much can be picked up by the infant however as they grow and learn how to better control their bodies and their minds develop more they acquire the ability to access information from the Nodelink.  As education is the fundamental focus of raising a child in Pilon they go to school for the first 25 years of their life, but it is divided into two separate stages.
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The first stage, which begins as soon as the child is sent to the crèche, the main focus is on general education and social development.  Fellow members of the crèche interact and are raised together for their entire childhood and often these relationships last throughout the entire life of the person.  The young children receive their education from pretty much everyone in the community.  People donate their time freely and take turns, usually about 1 time a month, spending a day with the children and teaching them the lessons of the day.  For the younger children the daily care taking activities are managed by specially designed modules in the crèche that make sure the children are intellectually stimulated, fed, kept clean, and get plenty of rest.
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By the time the children reach the age of 13 they are moved out of the crèche and into the Dormitory.  The children are taught more of the same broad educational material they began in crèche but also will begin to focus on specific areas that interest them.  They will often be taken up by a mentor who already works in the field they are studying for.  In addition the social interactions become more complex and intermingling between Dormitories is encouraged to get the children out and among as many different people as possible.  By this time they also often have full access to the information on the Nodelink and are encouraged to participate in debates and political discussions so they can make educated decisions when voting in the Assembly.
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For immigrants who are not born in Pilon it can be a bit harder to integrate yourself into the society but recently initiatives have been put into place to more quickly integrate outsiders into Pilon.  In order to properly access most information networks an immigrant will need to receive a Node implant.  At first it can be disorienting but an advanced VR tutorial has been developed that can be taken at your own pace during free time to increase the amount of time it takes to be able to fully use it.  Even so it will still take as long as 20-30 years for some though most people are can do it in as short as 5 years.
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In order to receive the implant an Immigrant must first become a citizen as only citizens are allowed to have active Nodes.  Those citizens that choose to revoke their citizen status find within a few hours that their node has broken itself down, like most Pilonese devices it has a self destruct mechanism that can be activated by the Nodelink at any time.
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For tourists and those that are not citizens there are Node Access points that allow access to most of the information on the Nodelink but do not allow access to memories or emotions of people.  These access points can also be integrated into wireless connections with other types of Computer networks to allow access to virtually any other network that is compatible.
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Throughout the education system physical exercise is also emphasized.  In the lower gravity colonies as much as 4 hours a day are spent working out to keep the body in good shape, though chemical treatments do exist to help counteract the negative symptoms of a change in G, the Pilonese know that the best way to keep healthy is to keep physically fit.
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== Technology ==
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'''Communications'''
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The Pilonese communicate mostly via the Nodelink, however to help accommodate those without Nodes they also broadcast messages via the MNN and other related Communications Networks.  A backup system uses pulsed light to send communications but it requires a line of sight to use.
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In addition the most commonly used form of information storage in Pilon is DNA coding where information is stored in information packets attached to the DNA of the carrier.  A more recent advance also allows the transfer of information at the Subatomic Level attaching information onto Quarks, but this technology is still under development and hasn’t become widespread yet.
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Pilon also makes heavy use of PNN (Pilon News Network) Which links directly into the global MNN network and allows Pilonese to view events going on in the rest of Mars and also allows the rest of Mars to see whats happening in Pilon.   
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'''Travel'''
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The primary means of transportation in Pilon is through the vast system of Maglevs that crisscross through Pilon territory.  In both Sisgardia and Mars Pilon is interconnected with other nations in an international network of Maglevs.  In addition to the Maglevs, Pilon used many small shuttles and transports to transport people and cargo short distances.  For longer distances cargo carriers and node-link transfers are used.  Using access ports two people connected by the Node-link can transfer matter from one place to another, the transfer is nearly instantaneous and is similar in design to wormhole technology.  Though Pilon has not spent a huge amount of effort in space travel they have had the technology to travel faster than light for sometime.  Using Hyperspace engines they can travel from a known point to another known point or with specially equipped explorer ships travel to explore new points of entry.  With the majority of resources being concentrated into Genetics however only a small portion of research goes into space travel.
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'''Weapons'''
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Most of the weaponry in Pilon is organic based.  The three primary types of weaponry used in Pilon are Ballistic Weapons, Explosive Weapons, and Energy Weapons.  Though these weapons are organic based, when compared to traditional weaponry used by other nations these weapons are on par with them, only the method of manufacture is changed.
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The Ballistic Weapons are by far the most common type of weapons used in Pilon.  They come in a variety of forms anywhere from microscopic parasites to massive suicidal drones that will crash into objects. 
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The Explosive Weapons are a specially developed organic compound that is grown in farms.  It is compressed and sometimes used in combination with Ballistic Weapons.
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The Energy Weapons are usually only used in the largest structures as they require large amounts of power to utilizeMost of the Energy Weapons currently used are plasma based weapons.  These are primarily used to drain energy shields.  They are able to sustain a constant beam on the target often able to quickly take out the energy shield allowing other forms of weapons to get past and hit the ship directly.
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In addition it’s been well documented that Pilon used a variety of Chemical and Biological Weapons in battle.  These primarily come in the form of specially designed virus or chemical compounds extracted from plants or animals in Pilon.
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'''Defensive Systems'''
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Like everything else the Defensive Systems of Pilon are also mostly Organic Based.  On a personal level most defensive systems consist of Carapace Armor, grown on the Organism or Grafted onto the body, or as Stealth system designed to prevent detection.  The Carapace Armor is capable of rapidly shifting its form to evenly distribute the energy of an attack throughout the entire armor, this is particularly effective against Kinetic Energy as it will spread the energy of bullets all across the armor drastically decreasing the damage done to the armor.  Some recent advances in Stealth Technology have allowed specially designed organisms to meld into the shapes of beings they have taken DNA samples of and can even mask their own DNA to resemble that of their targets.
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Many of the larger life-forms also sport point defense weaponry or defensive fields that will destroy incoming missiles or other projectiles.  They have also been known to use a carpet defense system involving millions of tiny “Gnats” which swarm around and intercept incoming weapons taking the brunt of the damage from the weapon.
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In addition some of the larger buildings, installations and ships have Energy Shields to protect against attacks but unfortunately when using these protective shields most weapons cannot be used to fire back and are usually only used for short periods to regroup forces or to holdout until reinforcements can come, or the ship can get away.
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Overall Pilon has built an integrated network of orbital Stations, Satellites, and Ground based systems in Sisgardia, Mars, and Netheril to defend against invasion.  Underwater their Eco-jungle’s outer limits are outfitted with plants specially designed as monitoring stations that watch the borders and defend against hostiles.  Due to Pilon's stance against the use of Weapons of Mass destruction except in the case of ultimate destruction the Pilonese people have spent hundreds of years developing countermeasures to such weapons, especially Nuclear weapons.  These countermeasures involve the use of Pilon's own Weapons of Mass Destruction, referred to as Eco-Bombs and repulsor fields that slow down incoming projectiles.  The integration of these Eco-Bombs into the Pilonese Defense Network is capable of deploying against such weapons with between 90-100% accuracy depending on the advance warning, method of deployment, and location of the launch sites.
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'''Medical'''
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As the main focus in Technology in Pilon is Genetics and Biology many advances have made their way over to the medical field giving Pilon quite advanced Medical Technology as well.
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Using advances in Genetic Engineering Pilon has developed a means to indefinitely extend the life of a living being.  Life extension techniques have been around in Pilon now for 1000 years and there are still some people living in Pilon now from those times.
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Another often used technology in Pilon is Cloning.  They have developed two different applications for this technology, the first allows for multiple copies of a life-form to be created and born, each with an identical DNA.  The other, newer technique allows for a subject to be given a specific DNA pattern who can then be grown in an accelerated environment until they reach the desired state.  This also carries over to the growth of replacement organs and limbs, and the mass production of any type of Biological Component.
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The use of Bionics and Cybernetics is widespread in Pilon, almost all citizens sport some sort of augmentation even if it’s a simple Node Implant.  Many have more, some with as much as 100% of their bodies replaced by some sort of artificial replacement that augments their bodies.  Pilon encourages this as it allows for greater diversity in its populace and an increased capability.
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Genetic or Nano-augmentation is also widespread.  Many people at the very least take some sort of Intellect enhancing serum that improves mental capacity or improves memory.  Others, especially soldiers inject Nanites programmed to constantly repair the human body allowing them to recover from a wound in hours instead of days, or minutes instead of hours.  Only the most lethal injuries are fatal for these people.
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Due to advances environmental controls the birthrate as compared to the conception rate is nearly equal, only .01% of conception do not make it to birth, though some are induced as early as 1 hour after conception to ensure no health problems occur for the embryo.  It is considered a tragedy and will often make the news if an embryo is lost unintentionally.
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Disease is widespread, but only at younger ages, after a few decades most of the diseases in Pilon have already infected a person and immunity to the disease has been built up or treatments have prevented death.  Numerous inoculations to diseases are given out and some vaccines though the concentration is more on treatments after infection has occurred.  The widespread disease is mostly due to the wide variety of life forms and the widespread use and experimentation with Diseases.  It is estimated that as much as 5% of the total population of Pilon dies each year to diseases.
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In pharmacology the focus is not on the symptoms but rather on the cause of the symptoms and as such drugs are not nearly as widespread as alternate forms of treatments that actually take care of the problem not symptoms.  Drug use is still widespread for recreational use.
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Due to the extraordinarily high number of species in the Pilonese eco-jungle, all kinds of medicines have been discovered from the plants that grow.  Many of these drugs have become widespread in recreational use.
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In warfare each soldier is equipped with a monitoring system that alerts implanted nanites of damage to the soldier.  The nanites are then released into the bloodstream of the soldier to stabilize the soldier and then begin work to repair the damage.  Wounds that would normally render a soldier incapable of fighting can be repaired in a matter of mintes to hours.  In addition in the case of the death of the soldier this system will rapidly break down the body of the fallen soldier and return the nutrients into the biosphere, giving a boost to Pilon when fighting on homesoil for every defender they lose.
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Pilon also equips most of their soldiers with treatments, cures, or vaccines for the commonly used chemical and biological weapons used in warfare, allowing Pilonese forces to still operate in battlefields that have been contaminated by Chemical or Biological weapons.
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+
'''Power'''
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Most power generated in Pilon comes from one of two different types of chemical process.  The first, in Plant Based life-forms generates power through Photosynthesis.  The second, in Animal Based life-forms comes from Food Digestion.   
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In some of the more complex or larger structures these power generation techniques are augmented by Cold Fusion Reactors.
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'''Construction and Architecture'''
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Most structures in Pilon are grown rather than built.  The design is made and programmed into the DNA of the cells then chemical proteins specially designed to speed up the growth process are introduced to augment the RNA.  The speed that a building grows increases exponentially as time passes until it reaches its final state.  It will usually take 3 days to grow a single story building of about 1000³Meters.
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Once completed Nanites are introduced to the structure to maintain its form, in addition the structure can heal itself.  All buildings are linked to the Nodelink as are all ships.
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One of the pinnacles of Pilonese construction efforts was the Hellas Tunnel construction effort, which delves straight through the planet connecting Pilon's territory with the Hellas Sea using a combination of ultra strong and flexible carbon lining outlining the tunnel and preventing the molten mantle from rushing into the tunnel and also absorbing much of the heat from the Mantle which is then transferred to power collectors providing a nice source of power for Pilon.  Then one side of the tunnel was lined with Gravity Generators to create a "bottom" and was filled with water to allow Pilon's ships to sail through the planet from Pilon to Hellas.  Recently this tunnel was quadrupled in size to allow greater flow of traffic.
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'''Parasciences'''
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Para-Sciences – A bit of research has also been put into what Pilon classifies as Para-Sciences, namely Psionics, but also applications into Magic and other similar pursuits.  Not much progress has been made except in the area of Psionics.  Approximately 1% of the population has exhibited Psionic Potential and after proper instruction has been made into effective Empaths, Telepaths, or even a few Telekineticists.  These people are used in Special Forces units in the Military and also in Civilian life in a variety of economic ventures.  Magic is less commonly used as the development of this force has only existed in Pilon for the last decade or so.  Used primarily for transportation there has also been some studies into magical defences, energy sources, and even weapons development.  A great research has been put into defences against magical forms of attack as well, especially since the Osage Incident.
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'''Pseudosciences'''
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Pilon has spent quite a bit of time in experimentation in the Pseudo-Sciences of Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Xeno-Psychology, and other similar pursuits.  Using the knowledge gained from such research they have developed an effective means of education that allows for greater acceptance of differences in others and a society that is inclusive of dozens of various races with almost no discrimination or prejudice. 
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Considerable research has been put toward learning effective Psy-Ops, Xeno-relations, and Propaganda.  One of Pilon's largest obsticles in the international community is overcoming the differences in culture between the Pilonese and most other cultures and many prejudices against Pilonese way of life exist, especially among nations like Kajal, Menelmacar, and Zero-One.
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== Culture ==
 
== Culture ==
The Pilonese culture is widely misunderstood by most other nations and takes a while to get used to my other cultures.  Unfortunately for Pilon these cultural differences result in misunderstandings that tend to cause other nations to develop prejudices against Pilon.  Above all else is the issue of what is called "Genecide" by other nations.  This misunderstanding stems from the practice in Pilon of eliminating species from their ecosystem when their uses are replaced by better or more efficient species.  They have never exterminated a sentient species and maintain that its this critical difference that makes all the difference.  Other issues involve experimentation that are conducted on the DNA of various sentient species, most namely the Elves and Orcs.  There is a certain amount of hostility toward Pilon regarding light shed on the development of the Elphin race, a hybrid of Dolphin and Elven DNA.  It is now rumored that there has been experimentation on a hybrid between Elves and Orcs to reduce the racial tensions between these races passed down from immigrants of other nations.
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[[Culture of Pilon]]
Probably one of the largest aspects that is hard to get used to is the alien world in which the Pilonese reside.  Everything from the buildings to the animal life around them is biological based.  The entire culture lives in harmony with this constructed ecosystem.  Though foreigners are not forced to participate with this integration this often enhances the sense of seperation experienced making them more uncomfortable.
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Another aspect of Pilonese culture that is alien to almost all other cultures is their belief that part of this harmony includes allowing diseases, which run rampant throughout Pilon, to run their course. Treatments are developed to ease the symptoms and vaccines are developed for foreigners and others who do not wish to be sick but for the most part all Pilonese do nothing to prevent the spread of disease losing as much as 10% of their total population each year to disease.  These losses are almost entirely the youngest demographics as the older you get the more resistant to all forms of disease you become in Pilon due to the side effects of life extension treatments.  This incredible loss of life is countered by the extreme number of children born each year.  The Pilonese are one of the most promiscuous cultures on Mars with as many as 15% of the total population born each year.
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The primary basis of Pilonese culture is the pursuit of pleasure in its many forms.  They have been described by many other nations as a decadent culture that is more interested in satisfying "carnal pleasures" then in fighting with othes, and most of their international policy is centered around pleasure in one sense or another.
Due to actions in the past that have adversely affected the Pilonese people they are adamantely opposed to the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction, especially the use of Nuclear weapons and will only advocate the use of such weapons by the Pilonese military in the case of facing an overwhelming force that is likely to cause the destruction of the Pilonese people and their nationThey haved vowed to respond violently to any nation that uses Weapons of Mass Destruction on Mars, even to the point of supporting the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction against that nation to bring about the downfall of nation.
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[[Image:Pilon49.jpg|right|thumb|Pilonese vegetables, ripe for harvesting.]][[Pilonese cuisine]] is characterized by its extreme diversity.  The variety ranges from rare aquatic fish and other creatures to more traditional hydroponic foods grown in giant food farms spread through Pilonese territory.  Approximately 20% of Pilon's territory is dedicated to food productsIn addition to its wide variety, Pilon is also one of the major suppliers of spices both unique to Pilon and commonly used in cooking throughout Mars.
== Social Issues ==
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<br>
The healthcare in Pilon is an intricate system that gives access to even the most advanced facilities to those that can afford to pay for it.  A large number of people in Pilon work in the medical field and a push for this type of work is encouraged at a young age to keep the number of healthcare providers upSwift transportation and advanced life support systems allow for all but the most severe injuries to be taken care of and only rarely does someone die from an injury when they are covered by a health coverage contract.  Unfortunately many of the most poor cannot afford any coverage and are left to fend for themselves, many of whom die before reaching the age 50.  Many of those who are poor have now been employed by the Ctan in the service industry, allowing them greater access to healthcare than they could afford domestically. This has reduced the Pilonese mortality rate, but also the fertility rate, resulting in a lower demographic equilibriumSome experimentation with life transference techniques are being developed and one day its hoped they will lead to a treatment even for those who die instantaneously, though much more research in this area still needs to be done.  All Pilonese cities are covered with maintenance symbiotes that clean up waste and break it down for use in the support systems of Pilon. Everything is recycled and reused including those that die. To keep the body clean sonic washers are kept next to almost every entrance and exit in almost all buildings and washing facilities exist in most homes and in public baths, which are a popular social gathering point as well.
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One of the better known cultural traditions in Pilon is the practice of nudityRecent liberal movements have rid Pilon of the restrictive laws that required nudity within Pilon, mostly to better suit the international communityNow though it is still widely accepted to be nude a thriving textiles industry based on silk and other comfortable clothes.
 
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Even in Pilon there is crime, though the crime rate is very low.  The Judicial Branch has published a number of guidelines for various offences but it’s completely up to the judge to determine what sentence is given if found guilty.  Before a sentence can be given though a person must first be found guilty by a jury of 10 randomly selected individuals and 2 AIs programmed specifically to look at the facts of the case to determine guilt.  There is no death sentence in Pilon, most punishments involve massive re-education and brainwashing, though some go a few steps further in corrective action totally reprogramming or even erasing a person’s memory or personality then giving them a new one. 
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[[Image:Pilon50.jpg|right|thumb|One of the Pilonese agricultural domes.]][[Pilonese literature|Pilon's literature]] is now mostly written in digital form that is trasmitted via the Nodelink, however prior to the implementation of the [[Node|Nodes]], Pilon had a large writing tradition, producing a wide variety of books in almost every GenreMost of the novels written center around questions involving aspects of society, new technological advances or even alternate history texts exploring how history might have been.  These are all widely popular and read throughout Pilon, even traded to other nations where there is sufficient demand.
Incarceration is only used for as long as the legal proceedings are going on and while the sentence is being prepared.
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[[Pilonese music|Pilon's music]] tends to be primarily instrumental, usually emulating the sounds produced in natureWhen vocals are used, they tend to be accompaniment to the instruments and not the primary focus in the songThough no longer widely in use, movies mostly tended to bring to life popular novels or plays not just in Pilon, but anything thought to be a good story, going all the way back to historical sources in Earth history.
There are many types of leisure activities in Pilon.  There are a variety of sports that are very popular, anything from more traditional Earth sports to new inventions that involve Zero-Gravity or low G environments.  In addition to sports there are a wide variety of physical or simulated physical activities including swimming, rock climbing, hiking, camping, and other outdoor sports and there are also advanced games of all kindsPilonese delve into new technology to spend their leisure time on as voraciously as they pursue all other types of technology as leisure is seen as one of the best ways to make one’s life happy and more fulfilling.
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[[Image:Pilon51.jpg|right|thumb|View from one of Pilon's underwater Casinos in the Hellas Sea.]]The nightlife of Pilon is almost as active as the regular "business day" as when their regular labor time for the day is put in, most Pilonese head out to enjoy themselves.  The evening meal is only rarely shared at home, they prefer to go out into the social atmosphere and be with their friends and familyAnother huge aspect of Pilon's nightlife is their love of games of chance, spreading the practice of gambling throughout Pilon.  Most large Pilonese facilities sport a large casino which serves as the center of entertainment for its customers.
There are thousands of political parties in Pilon.  Rules have been passed limited the political party to one issue only, meaning that every time a new political issue comes up a new political party is formed for each stance that people take on the issue, usually 5-12 per issue.  These limits are an attempt to keep political parties from dictating the policies of Pilon and instead allow the people of Pilon to dictate policy.
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=== Pilonese Sexuality ===
== Military Information ==
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[[Image:Pilon10.jpg]]<br>[[Pilonese Sexuality]] is understood to be a natural part of life and is not only accepted but is embraced by its people. Due to this attitude many forms of sexuality generally seen to be out of the norm by other cultures are mainstream and widely practiced. In particular, BDSM, Fetishism, and Role-Playing are extremely popular, and entire clubs are set up for those into the same types of activities to meet up with one another. Group sex is also practiced by certain groups fairly regularly.
There are 7 branches in the Pilonese Military.  They are the Army, the Navy, the [[Submarine]] Guard, The Marines, The Aerospace Force, The Space Fleet, and the Space Marines.  All of the branches take advantage of the very best in genetic and bionic augmentation to enhance the combat ability of its members, though the specifics vary from branch to branch.  The members of the active duty military are taken from birth and trained in military installationsThey are completely controlled by the Military and specialize as killing machines making them exceptional at their jobs.  They have no remorse or compassion and lack any sense of right or wrong, only following the orders of their superiors and following the rank structure of the military.  It is said by many reservists that the active duty Military is very creepy, and many prefer to avoid interaction with the active duty as much as possible.  The reservists are regular citizens who wish to serve in the military but are not as fully trained as the active duty military, but serve as a good backup force that is low cost and quick to bolster defense if the need arises. 
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'''The Army''' is one of the smallest of the Military Branches; their primary use is in defending the Arcologies from invading enemies and to conduct long term ground missions in foreign territories. Historically they tend to be used as the occupation force after an attack.  The Army is further divided into the Bio-Engineered Warmachines that make up the Aerial Support and Mechanized elements of the army, and the actual ground force which is further divided into light forces, mainly used to hold defensive positions, flank, and snipe the enemy, the medium forces, used mainly to reinforce weak positions, bring in heavier weapons than light forces usually carry, and secure territory, and the Heavy elements, which are primarily used to take out enemy mechanized, aerial, and Infantry forces, serve as a frontline trooper against an incoming enemy, and take the brunt of the punishment in an engagement.  Survivability rate is progressively lower as you gain in firepower, but so is your offensive capability and the extent to which you are genetically modified.
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'''The Navy''' is the largest of the branches in the Military; their primary use is in defending the water territories of Pilon against foreign invadersOnly a few vessels in the fleet are surface vessels, mainly used as PT vessels hunting unauthorized vessels, most are underwater vessels.  Most of the augmentations used by the navy involve genetic adaptations to underwater living, like enhanced tolerance to pressure changes, gills, and even fins, flippers or webbed appendages.  Some are also given vision enhancements to allow better vision when in low light, or no light areas.  An elite team of Special Forces Navy known as the Infiltrators also exists.  Infiltrators are trained in infiltration and espionage techniques as well as a variety of commando tactics and have been given genetic enhancements that allow then to change color, shape, or even facial features.  Most of the actual Bio-Engineered ships in the Navy are designed to be quick, manuveurable, and adaptive to a variety of weapons systems that could be brought to bear on them.  When used against vessels capable of both water and air or space travel the specialized Naval vessels have a clear advantage.  Many of the larger vessels act as carriers to symbiotic lifeforms that will be launched into the water to swarm the enemy.
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'''The Submarine Guard''' protects the Arcologies of Pilon from attack but is primarily used to fight Piracy and terrorism in the water.  They are the back up defense behind the Navy against foreign invasion.  Most augmentations are similar to that of the Navy’s augmentations, and the ships tend to be faster and lighter than Naval Vessels.  They also have fewer carrier vessels.  In wartime they tend to serve as scouts and patrol vessels.
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'''The Marines''' are the assault force of the Navy and Submarine Guard. They are specially trained in underwater combat and storming ships or coastal assaults.  Historically they tend to be used as shock troops in attacks.  Of all the branches the Marines are the most heavily augmented, some being so heavily changed they are no longer recognizable as whatever race they once were.  These include gills, vision enhancements, exo-skeletal enhancements, physical enhancements, wings, multiple appendages, or even nano-treatments that allow for rapid healing and wound recovery.  Special Units of the Marines include entire units of flight enhanced Marines that perform aerial missions and “Tunneler” units that can quickly burrow underground and come up from the ground.  They also have a unit that serves as a heavy assault unit.  There is also a Special Force of Marines trained as Commandos who are used for specific small missions to extract critical data, or to take our specific targets.
+
The Marines also include Bio-Engineered units that tend to be hybrid Army/Navy units capable of both water and land missions, and serve as the Mechanized and Aerial forces of the Marines.
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''Task Force Wendigo'', an elite unit specifically trained as an expeditionary force specializing in combat against Aumani war tactics is one of the best trained units in the Pilonese Military and draws heavily from the Marines.  Only the top military personnel can get into the unit and they are given the lastest and most advanced technology Pilon has to offer.  It is a division sized element.
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'''The Aerospace Force''' defends Pilon’s skies and patrols the lower orbit above Pilon, monitoring everything that flies through it.  Most Aircraft are capable of atmospheric and orbital operation as well as aerial combat and are often used as a back up force in orbital battles.  The primary augmentations given to the Aerospace Force include reflex enhancers, sensory enhancements, neural-ship integrations, and adaptations for high G tolerance. Unlike many of the other branches many of the Aerospace Bio-Engineered creations rely on their pilots, the two are joined into a symbiotic unit that feels and hears everything as one.  The pilot steers and acquires targets while the ship takes care of everything else including weapons systems and maintatence/repair.
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'''The Space Fleet’s''' primary mission is the defend Pilon against threats from orbit and to hunt down and destroy orbital pirates or terrorists.  It is the second largest Branch in the Military and mostly consists of smaller ships that swarm the enemy.  The smaller ships also allow for a greater number of patrols and greater versatility in the distribution of the force.  The Space Fleet uses similar augmentations as the Aerospace Force.  A special division of the Space Fleet specializes in Orbital Bombardment and has ships specially equipped with orbit to ground weapons like Mass Drivers and pinpoint targeted ballistic systems. 
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'''The Space Marines''' are the orbital equivalents of the Marines.  They are fully trained in orbital combat and the assault of enemy ships and are used to take control of damaged or disabled ships in a battle.  The Space Marines use similar augmentations as the Marines.  In addition to ship to ship combat the Marines are trained for Aerospace Insertion and Orbit to Ground invasion techniques.  Each trooper is equipped with their own personalized space transport that allows for rapid deployment to positions.
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In addition to the Military Pilon also employs a number of Civil Defense Forces that protect the Civilian Population, these include the Police, The Foreign Investigative Body, The Internal Security Force, The National Investigation Bureau, The Paranormal Special Forces Agency, and the Civil Defense Organization.
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'''The Police''' are the enforcers of the Counsel of SpeakersThey maintain peace and order in Pilon and make sure that everyone is obeying the law.
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'''The Foreign Investigative Body (FIB)''' is the Espionage Agency of Pilon, they send agents into other countries and work with allied Espionage Agencies to gather intelligence and keep tabs on nations that are considered a threat to the safety of Pilon.
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'''The Internal Security Force (ISF)''' is a force that monitors things in Pilon and tries to root out spies or other security threats in PilonThey are the most secretive of all the agencies in Pilon.
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'''The National Investigation Bureau (NIB)''' are a national force of Investigators that look into major incidents in Pilon to try to determine the cause of the incident, they work closely with the Police and the ISF.
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'''The Psionic Special Forces Agency (PSA)''' are specially trained people who have displayed Psionic ability who perform a variety of Special Services only a Psionic could perform, whether it be for the Military, the Government, or Private Contractors.
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'''The Civil Defense Organization''' is a Civilian Group dedicated to the preservation of Pilon.  They train civilians in the use of weapons and set up facilities to maintain combat ability for civilians.  They make for a quick source of militias or recruits to the military if the need arises.
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== International Rankings ==
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Copied directly from nation. Repeated rankings will be copied over last entries.
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(October 3, 2005) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 164th in the world for Largest Timber Woodchipping Industry.
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(March 3, 2006) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 274th in the world for Largest Mining Sector.
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(October 6, 2005) Pilon is ranked 17th in the region and 109,266th in the world for Most Compassionate Citizens.
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(October 24, 2005) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 1,037th in the world for Healthiest Nations.
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(October 10, 2005) Pilon is ranked 16th in the region and 63,366th in the world for Most Politically Free Nations.
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(December 14, 2005) Pilon is ranked 7th in the region and 1,301st in the world for Rudest Citizens.
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(October 30, 2005) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 170th in the world for Largest Basket Weaving Sector.
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(November 4, 2005) Pilon is ranked 18th in the region and 110,536th in the world for Best Weather.
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(October 17, 2005) Pilon is ranked 4th in the region and 368th in the world for Most Eco-Friendly Governments.
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(October 18, 2005) Pilon is ranked 4th in the region and 828th in the world for Most Subsidized Industry.
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(October 19, 2005) Pilon is ranked 23rd in the region and 110,333rd in the world for Stupidest Citizens.
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(March 8, 2006) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 225th in the world for Largest Automobile Manufacturing Sector.
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(October 21, 2005) Pilon is ranked 3rd in the region and 778th in the world for Fastest-Growing Economies.
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(November 23, 2005) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 165th in the world for Largest Soda Pop Sector.
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(February 22, 2006) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 124th in the world for Largest Information Technology Sector.
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(November 28, 2005) Pilon is ranked 10th in the region and 18,739th in the world for Safest Nations.
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(October 27, 2005) Pilon is ranked 7th in the region and 11,778th in the world for Highest Police Ratios.
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(October 28, 2005) Pilon is ranked 8th in the region and 2,496th in the world for Largest Agricultural Sector.
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(January 5, 2005) Pilon is ranked 21st in the region and 109,970th in the world for Most Devout Nations.
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(November 26, 2005) Pilon is ranked 11th in the region and 14,577th in the world for Greatest Rich-Poor Divides.
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(November 2, 2005) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 121st in the world for Most Rebellious Youth.
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(November 3, 2005) Pilon is ranked 19th in the region and 110,425th in the world for Most Politically Apathetic Citizens.
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(November 7, 2005) Pilon is ranked 2nd in the region and 525th in the world for Largest Nations.
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(November 14, 2005) Pilon is ranked 2nd in the region and 5,236th in the world for Most Comprehensive Public Healthcare.
+
 
+
(November 18, 2005) Pilon is ranked 8th in the region and 21,745th in the world for Most Liberal Nations.
+
 
+
(January 19, 2006) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 199th in the world for Largest Retail Sector.
+
 
+
(November 21, 2005) Pilon is ranked 2nd in the region and 490th in the world for Most Cultured.
+
 
+
(February 20, 2006) Pilon is ranked 2nd in the region and 449th in the world for Largest Defense Forces (per capita).
+
 
+
(September 16, 2004) Pilon is ranked 6,043 in the world for Environmental Spending.
+
 
+
(February 10, 2006) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 165th in the world for Largest Pizza Delivery Sector.
+
 
+
(May 18, 2004) Pilon is ranked 50,121 in the world for Nudest country.
+
 
+
(February 1, 2006) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 75th in the world for Largest Trout Fishing Sector.
+
 
+
(February 7, 2006) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 89th in the world for Largest Furniture Restoration Industry.
+
 
+
(December 15, 2005) Pilon is ranked 10th in the region and 50,887th in the world for Most Corrupt Governments.
+
 
+
(December 19, 2005) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 121st in the world for Largest Cheese Export Sector.
+
 
+
(January 24, 2006) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 697th in the world for Largest Public Sector.
+
 
+
(January 3, 2006) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 34th in the world for Largest Gambling Industries.
+
 
+
(January 30, 2006) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 28th in the world for Largest Publishing Industry.
+
 
+
(January 27, 2006) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 129th in the world for Largest Insurance Industry.
+
  
(January 23, 2006) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 201st in the world for Largest Arms Manufacturing Sector.
+
Despite their attitude that sexuality is normal, sexual activity in public places is frowned upon, except in specific areas that are set aside for it.  Sexual activity with children is illegal, and those who engage in pedophilia are taken to special clinics where they can be treated.  Pedophilia is seen as a mental disorder and programs have been developed to help cure people with this disease to correct their behavior before releasing them back into society.
  
(February 2, 2006) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 1,404th in the world for Largest Welfare Programs (per capita).
+
To prevent disease, unwanted pregnancy, and other problems related to sexual activity, an extensive Sex Education with accurate information is given to teenagers who are nearing the age when they will become sexually active.  Typically this age is determined by the teenager and full access is given when they have made the decision to become sexually active.  The idea of restraining sexual activity is a foreign concept in Pilon, most see it as a natural part of life.  Though monogamy is practiced by some, it is not the only type of relationship supported by the government, equal support is given to those who choose to have many partners, or even for those couples who choose to swap partners with others.
 +
<br>
  
(February 22, 2006) Pilon is ranked 1st in the region and 180th in the world for Largest Retail Sector.
+
== Demographics ==
 +
[[Image:Pilonlanguage.JPG|right|450px]]
 +
{|style=align= "left"
 +
|colspan="2"| '''Major Languages'''
 +
|-
 +
|[[Pilonese]]
 +
|(99%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[English]]
 +
|(85%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Aquan]]
 +
|(55%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Elphin]]
 +
|(50%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Elven]]
 +
|(50%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Orc]]
 +
|(45%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Gnomish]]
 +
|(40%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Dwarven]]
 +
|(22%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Protoss]]
 +
|(15%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[wikipedia:French|French]]
 +
|(12%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[wikipedia:Spanish|Spanish]]
 +
|(10%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[wikipedia:Arabic|Arabic]]
 +
|(8%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[wikipedia:Russian|Russian]]
 +
|(7%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[wikipedia:Chinese|Mandarin Chinese]]
 +
|(5%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[wikipedia:Japanese|Japanese]]
 +
|(5%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[wikipedia:German|German]]
 +
|(5%)
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
[[Image:Pilonpop.jpg|right|450px]]
 +
{|style=align= "left"
 +
|colspan="2"| '''Population'''
 +
|-
 +
|colspan="2"| ''(Sentient Only)''
 +
|-
 +
|[[The_Planet_Mars|Mars]]
 +
|2,500,000,000
 +
|-
 +
|[[Mars (MTO)|Mars B]]
 +
|1,000,000,000
 +
|-
 +
|[[Netheril]]
 +
|450,000,000
 +
|-
 +
|[[Ctan]] Territories
 +
|3,000,000,000
 +
|-
 +
|Other
 +
|50,000,000
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
<br>
 +
<br>
 +
{|style=align= "left"
 +
|colspan="2"| '''By Sentience'''
 +
|-
 +
|Sentient
 +
|.00001%
 +
|-
 +
|Non-Sentient
 +
|99.99999%
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
[[Image:Pilonage.jpg|right|450px]]
 +
{|style=align= "left"
 +
|colspan="2"| '''By Age'''
 +
|-
 +
|0-18 Years 
 +
|6.7%
 +
|-
 +
|19-55 Years 
 +
|5.3%
 +
|-
 +
|56-150 Years 
 +
|6.6%
 +
|-
 +
|151-275 Years 
 +
|9.4%
 +
|-
 +
|276-500 Years 
 +
|18.2%
 +
|-
 +
|501-1,000 Years 
 +
|15.8%
 +
|-
 +
|1,000-2,500 Years 
 +
|12.1%
 +
|-
 +
|2,501-5,000 
 +
|15.1%
 +
|-
 +
|5,001+ 
 +
|10.8%
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
<br>
 +
{|style=align= "left"
 +
|colspan="2"| '''By Gender'''
 +
|-
 +
|Male
 +
|35%
 +
|-
 +
|Female
 +
|55%
 +
|-
 +
|Other
 +
|10%
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
<br>
 +
[[Image:Pilonrace.JPG|right|450px]]
 +
{|style=align= "left"
 +
|colspan="2"| '''By Race'''
 +
|-
 +
|colspan="2"| ''(Sentient Races Only)''
 +
|-
 +
|[[Transhuman]]
 +
|(32%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Elf]] 
 +
|(28%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Elphin]] 
 +
|(13%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Gnome]] 
 +
|(11%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Dwarf]] 
 +
|(6%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Protoss]] 
 +
|(2%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Orc]] 
 +
|(2%)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Human]] 
 +
|(1%)
 +
|-
 +
|Other 
 +
|''(Multiple Races each consists of less than a percentage point)'' (5%)
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
[[Image:Pilonresidence.JPG|right|450px]]
 +
{|style=align= "left"
 +
|colspan="2"| '''By Residence'''
 +
|-
 +
|Urban 
 +
|99.1%
 +
|-
 +
|Rural
 +
|.9%
 +
|-
 +
|Surface 
 +
|.3%
 +
|-
 +
|Underwater 
 +
|96.7%
 +
|-
 +
|Orbital 
 +
|3%
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
<br>
 +
<br>
 +
<br>
 +
<br>
  
 
== Links ==
 
== Links ==
 
[http://pilonese.blogspot.com Pilon's Blog]
 
[http://pilonese.blogspot.com Pilon's Blog]
 
[[Category:Pilon]]
 
[[Category:Pilon]]

Latest revision as of 01:40, 7 June 2007

Pilon
pilon.jpg
Region: The Planet Mars
Capital: {{{capital}}}
Motto: The greatest power lies in the genetic code.
Map: Pilon web.jpg
Population: 9 Billion
Area: {{{area}}}
Official Language(s): Pilonese
Religions: {{{religion}}}
Government Type: {{{government}}}
UN Category: Capitalizt
Currency: Pi
Leader: {{{leader}}}


The People's Greater Hegemony of Pilon, referred to more often simply as Pilon, is a Virtual Democracy located primarily in the Northern Ocean, surrounding the Lyot Crater on Mars. Pilon also has a number of smaller colonies and outposts spread throughout the solar system and beyond. Among Pilon's neighbors are Tiburon, R'yleh, The Snel and the Neutral Northern Ocean Trade Waters.

Pilon13.jpg

The Martian territories are treated with total equality, with the colonies and outposts only receiving a larger amount of the total resources of Pilon due to a majority of the population residing on Mars. The citizens of Pilon are usually called Pilonese. The Nation is an economic powerhouse on Mars, conducting trade with as many other nations as possible not just on Mars, but with also with off world nations too. The Government of Pilon is heavily influenced by the corporations in Pilon, many of whom have joined together into powerful Megacorps.


The nation of Pilon was founded upon the principle of taking control of one's life and nature around them by embracing certain technologies including bio-engineering, bio-augmentation, and social engineering (highly developed with the full understanding of the Human psyche, late in the 21st century). The Secret Society that later became Pilon adopted these priciples forming a splinter group of Transhumanism in the early 21st century on Earth.

When space travel was developed the nation left the cradle to settle on the soon to be Terraformed Mars in the hopes of starting anew without the interference of an already existing biosphere. That experiment grew into what is now known commonly as the Eco-Jungle, a voracious underwater biosphere, with millions of competing species all precisely controlled and adjusted over time. Their work is unparalled in Human history.

In addition the pivotal piece of Pilonese technology is called the Nodelink, which is a collective knowledge base accessed through use of implanted Nodes or Node-Ports. The Nodelink gives a person access to the common knowledge of the people of Pilon, even allowing the sharing of thoughts, feelings, even providing a place for communication with not just other Pilonese, but also the Eco-Jungle around them. This connection to their environment gives the Pilonese people a unique perspective on the world, often an alien one to other cultures that is somewhat unnerving to those not used to their culture. In addition the liberal viewpoints on Sexuality, Nudity, Capitolism, and even Genetic Engineering make it very difficult for them to get along with some of their less liberal neighbors.

History

History of Pilon

An early experiment involving manufacturing replacement organs.
Pilon was formed following a social movement within the inhabitants of the Burmese Highlands that pushed for a society that would focus on the advancement of technology towards the creation of a superior human being. This was an offshoot of the Transhumanist movement. Eventually, due to persecution from the conservatives who controlled the government and the religious elite of the Burmese Highlands, the Pilonese people left on a mass exodus eventually settling in the swampy lowlands, where they built a city, known as Pilon, named after the pilons that supported it.

As time passed the small settlement grew into an industrialized nation, taking advantage of the rich underwater resources in the area. This focus on underwater technology, and underwater habitation that quickly followed, transformed the society into an aquatic civilization.

The technologies that allowed Pilon to expand underwater were found to be easily adapted into spacefaring technologies and within 3 decades were sending colony ships out in search of new areas to settle. This entire time a single concept weighed most heavily upon the Pilonese people, the "Grand Experiment", which was a fully independant ecosphere developed by Pilonese scientists, without the interference of an already existant system. They found the perfect place for such an experiment on Mars, within the Lyot Crater.

Logo of the Pilonese Explorer Corps, an early spacefaring company.


The "Grand Experiment" continued on Mars and as it quickly became apparent that it was a success Pilon moved its capitol there, leaving a significant portion of its population on Earth. From that time on the focus was mostly on Mars and Martian affairs. As the population grew, the Earth population moved from its origanal site to Sisgardia where other technology focused nations were gathering, and settled in the ocean of that region.

With the invention of the Node, Pilon developed at an exponential rate. They quickly developed their technologies and rapidly advanced their knowledge. About this same point the primordial versions of the Eco-Jungle were first developed out of the "Grand Experiment" and Pilon began the process of conversion from their traditional technology to one that was completely based off of Biological Components grown instead of built.

Over the next several thousand years Pilon continued to grow and expand its influence, becoming a major economic power on Mars. During this time several great construction projects were commisioned, some in joint efforts with other nations.

Eco-bomb project T + 1 second, taken from an aerial surveillance satellite.
The first of these projects was an attempt to rapidly reorganize the geography of Sisgardia where Pilon had settled, this was primarily seen as a means of quickly setting up habitable areas for the Pilonese to live in new environments. After several long decades of dedicated research this project resulted in the creation of the devastating Eco-Bomb. A weapon capable of reorganizing matter on a mass scale into an aquatic environment optimally set up for life. This has never actually been used in a military capacity though the capability to use it in such a manner is well within their capability.

The next project was a joint construction project within Sisgardia. Pilon primarily donated construction materials and labor to the project which eventually resulted in the creation of the Omeldor-1, a craftworld. Following the completion of this project, the 5 million Pilonese who lived and worked on the project broke away from the main body of Pilonese and became independant, residing on the craftworld.

Another project during this time period was a joint project between all of Mars. A system called GEC-42 was discovered by Sunset and was opened to colonization by all Martian nations. Pilon's colony was called Netheril and was a successful experiment where the Eco-bomb was used to create a habitable living territory for the Pilonese. It has since remained as a major research and military facility under Pilonese jurisdiction.

The last major construction project during this time period is by far the most meaningful to Pilonese history. With the rising tensions between Pilon and Auman it was determined that a secret base within striking distance of Auman should be constructed. This resulted in the construction of the Hellas Tunnel, a tunnel that goes through the core of the planet connecting the Lyot crater to the middle of the Hellas Sea, determined to be neutral territory. Later Pilon conceded to political pressure from Mangala to close the entrance to this tunnel, but it was reopened later as a trade route with Valinon and Mangala.

During the Civil War the autocratic Council of the Wise was forced to concede power to the populace, transforming the government into the current Democratic Government. Also during this time certain destructive technologies were banned due to their use in the fighting, where a reported 250 Million people died.

Pharmaceuticals being shipped out to other Martian nations.
Since that time Pilon has seen a steady increase in both international influence and economic power on Mars. Joining MFTA, MIDAS, and more recently the MDI and the Concordat. Pilon has small trade ports scattered throughout Mars and built the Hellas Tunnel which connects the Nothern Ocean to the Hellas Sea. Pilon is a major voice in the Duma and has successfully utilized the court as a means of solving disputes with several nations in the past.


Government and Politics


Government of Pilon, Politics in Pilon
The GPH of Pilon is a Virtual Democracy, meaning it is a government where every citizen has a true voice in the passing of laws and debating of issues. Every sentient citizen in Pilon who is not currently a part of one of the other branches of government is part of the Legislative Branch, called the Assembly.

The other three branches of the government are:

The Executive Branch - Headed by a council of 7, appointed to their positions by the assembly. Generally these are some of the most wise or skilled people in all of Pilon. There is a precedent to maintain a balance of speakers, choosing a specialist in specific fields to replace the previous speaker however it is not a requirement for them to do so.

The Judicial Branch - A series of courts headed by the High Court which has 9 Supreme Judges residing over it. They make the final decisions on rulings. Judges are appointed to their positions by the Executive Branch.

The Directive Branch - The Arbitrators make up this branch of the government. Every branch of the military, corporation, and research project is given a single seat in this parliment. They debate and cast votes in a similar fashion to that of the Assembly, however once the votes are cast a directive based on the majority vote is issued which offers guidelines on specific courses of action that should be taken. In addition the Directive Branch carries to power to veto decisions made by other branches of government. Arbitrators vary in how they are appointed to their positions, ranging from picking out of a hat (general tactic used by research projects) to political positions vied for in corporate politics.

Pilon48.jpg
Although political parties exist in Pilon, laws have been passed to prevent them from extending political influence over more than specific issue, and membership is allowed in multiple parties. Due to these restrictions political parties are much less influential in Pilonese Politics than in most other Democratic Governments.


Geography

Geography of Pilon

A majority of Pilon's territorial claims are on Mars, Mars B, and Nertheril. The GPH also has small colonies in the Asteroid Belt, the Kuiper Belt, and the Oort Cloud, as well as an orbital research station in orbit over Mercury. A splinter colony of Pilonese also live on the Sisgardian Craftworld, Omeldor-1. All of Pilon's major holdings are underwater. The Pilonese have lived in an aquatic environment for most of their history and feel as comfortable in that environment as most feel above water.

On Mars Pilon’s territory is located around the Lyot crater in the Northern Ocean, however they also have established deals with many nations on Mars to set up small trade ports in their territory that serve as centers of international commerce between Pilon and the hosting nation. In addition Pilon constructed the Hellas Tunnel, a tunnel that delves through the core of the planet connecting the Hellas Sea to the Lyot crater.

On Mars B Pilon controls the entirety of the Hellas Sea, and has also expanded to the Lyot crater by manufacturing a replica of the Hellas Tunnel found in Mars. Mars B is more primitive and Pilon has lived there for a shorter period of time so there are differences between teh Eco-jungles in the two regions.

Netheril is Pilon's colony in the GEC-42 system as part of the Joint Martian Colony project. A large icy planetoid was settled and the insides were melted. This is primarily used as a research facility for new Pilonese technologies though there is also a military base in the colony as well. The Eco-jungle here is based off a slightly colder model, averaging about 5-7° C colder than the Martian Territories.

Pilon47.jpg
Most of Pilon's territory is tropical in climate, making the arcologies extremely humid and wet. This is due to Pilon’s careful manipulation of their environment, creating what is known as the Eco-jungle, a complex ecosphere that is customized to the specifications of the Pilonese and is strictly controlled through the nodelink, allowing the Pilonese to live within nature and retain control of their environment without destroying it.

Due to the biological elements integrated into the arcologies the Pilonese live in, there is a distinct bog smell to the place, which when coupled with the 35° C temperature and the high humidity makes the place fairly uncomfortable to outsiders. In areas that are frequented by non-Pilonese efforts are made to reduce the temperature to usually between 25-30° C as well as implant perfume emitters to cover the bog smell. The humidity tends to stay about the same throughout Pilonese installations.

Outside the arcologies, the water is teeming with life, making it unique to Pilon, no other place is as full of life with such a grand variety. On average, there are around 40,000 species/hectare in the Eco-jungle. This life is carefully watched over by sentient shepherds, called Elphins, a Elf/Dolphin hybrid that resembles mythic Mermaids on Earth. Through the guidance of the Nodelink, the Eco-jungle is tailored slowly to match the changing needs and desires of the Pilonese people, and as a result there is a constant change of lifeforms as old ones are removed and new species better adapted to the new environment are put in to replace them. All species removed in this fashion are catalogued and samples are preserved in laboratories in a kind of biological archive.

Spread throughout the Eco-jungle lay various hydroponics farms where most of Pilon’s non-aquatic agriculture is grown. There are also aquatic farms where some of the most popular common foods in Pilon are mass produced to be consumed, in particular the national animal, the PiFish. Through use of genetic engineering these farms are kept at peak efficiency outputting enough food to keep the prices low yet still ensure a wide variety of selection in their food. Certain foods are purposely kept in low production and are sold as Pilonese exotic foods marketed to other nations as delicacies, in addition many popular Earth foods are mass produced and sold to other nations where the demand for such foods are high.

Economy

Economy of Pilon
Pilon’s economic system can be described as a Free Market style economy, in which the market price for goods is determined with virtually no intervention from the government. It is a supply and demand driven system in which the consumers as a whole determine the market price for goods and make the decisions regarding economic activities. The sole influence the government has on the economy is a series of anti-monopoly laws and regulations to prevent coercion and manipulation to occur that will artificially inflate a product’s cost.

Taxes in Pilon are only levied to a point to cover the costs for administration of the government, currently this tax is set at 4%. With a per capita GDP that is one of the highest on Mars, the Pilonese people overall tend to live a fairly comfortable and carefree life, with no overwhelming concerned for their welfare and few worries about where money will come from to cover expenses. Financial management is one of the critical skills taught in school to prevent poor money management habits.

Pilon's seas are rich with natural resources, including mineral deposits.
In the recent years Pilon has seen a slight economic decline due to a series of economically damaging events namely the Volaria Incident. This is being combated currently with a massive campaign to expand Pilon’s international sphere of economic influence throughout the Hellas Sea and the Northern Ocean as well as off Mars into friendly territories where Pilon has something to gain.

The Pilonese Pi has seen a steady increase in value over the years. The Economic scene is dominated by a couple of megacorps that control vast swaths of Pilonese capital and infrastructure including the military. These megacorps compete with one another using unwritten laws of competition which were set in place to ensure security for Pilon yet still allow competition to drive the economy forward. Generally this includes hiring specially trained group to conduct corporate espionage on each other rather than openly engage each other with military forces, and avoid outright violence between corporations as this weakens Pilon’s position in the international market and also damages Pilon’s reputation as a safe and secure nation.

Before this most recent decline the economy has seen a steady increase for the 150 years. Unemployment is still low, hovering around 3%. The largest sectors in the Pilonese econonmy include Gambling, Defence, Automobile Manufacturing, Book Publishing, and Food. The Megacorps all have a particular area that they are dominant in and several other areas that they compete strongly in but are not in dominance. This equilibrium between the Megacorps is credited with the steady increase in overall strength of the economy.

There is a dark side to Pilon’s economy. There is a fair amount of disparity between the upper and lower classes. Those who fall into debt tend to stay there, and because of the contracts they sign when borrowing money, these debts are passed on genetically to their children creating a culture of extreme poverty-stricken people who have no choice but to labor and see little profit from their labors. This is being combated however with a program where Pilonese are employed by The Ctan to work in their service industry and earn higher wages than they would back home. So far this has helped to get a couple of these people out of debt and back on their feet.

Culture

Culture of Pilon
The primary basis of Pilonese culture is the pursuit of pleasure in its many forms. They have been described by many other nations as a decadent culture that is more interested in satisfying "carnal pleasures" then in fighting with othes, and most of their international policy is centered around pleasure in one sense or another.

Pilonese vegetables, ripe for harvesting.
Pilonese cuisine is characterized by its extreme diversity. The variety ranges from rare aquatic fish and other creatures to more traditional hydroponic foods grown in giant food farms spread through Pilonese territory. Approximately 20% of Pilon's territory is dedicated to food products. In addition to its wide variety, Pilon is also one of the major suppliers of spices both unique to Pilon and commonly used in cooking throughout Mars.


One of the better known cultural traditions in Pilon is the practice of nudity. Recent liberal movements have rid Pilon of the restrictive laws that required nudity within Pilon, mostly to better suit the international community. Now though it is still widely accepted to be nude a thriving textiles industry based on silk and other comfortable clothes.

One of the Pilonese agricultural domes.
Pilon's literature is now mostly written in digital form that is trasmitted via the Nodelink, however prior to the implementation of the Nodes, Pilon had a large writing tradition, producing a wide variety of books in almost every Genre. Most of the novels written center around questions involving aspects of society, new technological advances or even alternate history texts exploring how history might have been. These are all widely popular and read throughout Pilon, even traded to other nations where there is sufficient demand.


Pilon's music tends to be primarily instrumental, usually emulating the sounds produced in nature. When vocals are used, they tend to be accompaniment to the instruments and not the primary focus in the song. Though no longer widely in use, movies mostly tended to bring to life popular novels or plays not just in Pilon, but anything thought to be a good story, going all the way back to historical sources in Earth history.

View from one of Pilon's underwater Casinos in the Hellas Sea.
The nightlife of Pilon is almost as active as the regular "business day" as when their regular labor time for the day is put in, most Pilonese head out to enjoy themselves. The evening meal is only rarely shared at home, they prefer to go out into the social atmosphere and be with their friends and family. Another huge aspect of Pilon's nightlife is their love of games of chance, spreading the practice of gambling throughout Pilon. Most large Pilonese facilities sport a large casino which serves as the center of entertainment for its customers.


Pilonese Sexuality

Pilon10.jpg
Pilonese Sexuality is understood to be a natural part of life and is not only accepted but is embraced by its people. Due to this attitude many forms of sexuality generally seen to be out of the norm by other cultures are mainstream and widely practiced. In particular, BDSM, Fetishism, and Role-Playing are extremely popular, and entire clubs are set up for those into the same types of activities to meet up with one another. Group sex is also practiced by certain groups fairly regularly.

Despite their attitude that sexuality is normal, sexual activity in public places is frowned upon, except in specific areas that are set aside for it. Sexual activity with children is illegal, and those who engage in pedophilia are taken to special clinics where they can be treated. Pedophilia is seen as a mental disorder and programs have been developed to help cure people with this disease to correct their behavior before releasing them back into society.

To prevent disease, unwanted pregnancy, and other problems related to sexual activity, an extensive Sex Education with accurate information is given to teenagers who are nearing the age when they will become sexually active. Typically this age is determined by the teenager and full access is given when they have made the decision to become sexually active. The idea of restraining sexual activity is a foreign concept in Pilon, most see it as a natural part of life. Though monogamy is practiced by some, it is not the only type of relationship supported by the government, equal support is given to those who choose to have many partners, or even for those couples who choose to swap partners with others.

Demographics

Pilonlanguage.JPG
Major Languages
Pilonese (99%)
English (85%)
Aquan (55%)
Elphin (50%)
Elven (50%)
Orc (45%)
Gnomish (40%)
Dwarven (22%)
Protoss (15%)
French (12%)
Spanish (10%)
Arabic (8%)
Russian (7%)
Mandarin Chinese (5%)
Japanese (5%)
German (5%)


Pilonpop.jpg
Population
(Sentient Only)
Mars 2,500,000,000
Mars B 1,000,000,000
Netheril 450,000,000
Ctan Territories 3,000,000,000
Other 50,000,000




By Sentience
Sentient .00001%
Non-Sentient 99.99999%


Pilonage.jpg
By Age
0-18 Years 6.7%
19-55 Years 5.3%
56-150 Years 6.6%
151-275 Years 9.4%
276-500 Years 18.2%
501-1,000 Years 15.8%
1,000-2,500 Years 12.1%
2,501-5,000 15.1%
5,001+ 10.8%



By Gender
Male 35%
Female 55%
Other 10%



Pilonrace.JPG
By Race
(Sentient Races Only)
Transhuman (32%)
Elf (28%)
Elphin (13%)
Gnome (11%)
Dwarf (6%)
Protoss (2%)
Orc (2%)
Human (1%)
Other (Multiple Races each consists of less than a percentage point) (5%)


Pilonresidence.JPG
By Residence
Urban 99.1%
Rural .9%
Surface .3%
Underwater 96.7%
Orbital 3%






Links

Pilon's Blog