Komorebi

The first thing you notice is the freezing cold, why anyone would choose to locate their home around these parts is incomprehensible to you. The second thing you notice is the giant, stone wall with no clear entrance. You begin to imagine these people want to keep outsiders outside.

Population:
Surface:
Government: Monarchy
The country of Komorebi, also known as Selshearth, is located near the poles of Mars, far to the north of any other settled land. The country is largely known for being closed to outsiders. It is surrounded by mountains and where it isn't, a huge stone wall has been errected armed with high precision cannons. These cannons are also placed around the country's mountains, making it difficult for even the mountaineering crazies to get in unscathed. It is extreemly rare for a komorebian to leave the country aswell. Komorebi also doesn't use the cyberway making it so komorebians and non-komorebians will likely never meet. The small town of Hendel(location) is the only contact the country has and even then, an envoy will be sent to the town to discuss trade and after some time Hendel(location) will transport the goods the only and highly guarded entrance. Very few non-komorebians have ever stepped foot inside the country.
The country was founded by Sora Toku, a bioengineer, on the principle of being completely free from the oppresive influence of Neo Sim and to be a country of beautiful people. While no more than 200 people followed Sora to the new land, these numbers soon increased when the inhabitants started growing genetically modified embryos in artificial wombs in a mobile lab on where the capital now sits. The result was a population of what Sora considered to be the ideal humans with the best traits. This first generation grew and had many children (the average amount was between three and four children per couple) of their own and thus the country was born. Most people on Mars have never seen a komorebian, though have heard rumors. They're beauty is legendary, they seem to retain their youthful appearance for much longer than normal people, they are more intelligent, have an easier time growing muscle and becoming fit, are less susceptible to disease, about 33% shorter pregnancies and have a natural resistance to hot and cold weather.

The country, or better kingdom, is a monarchy ruled by the White Sun family together with the four noble families, the Blue Rain family, the Purple Mountain family, the Red Sky family and the Green Seed family. Each of these families is made up of several subsidiary families. When the ruling monarch chooses to abdicate the throne, the most suitable member of the White Sun family will be chosen. The country is strongly meritocratic, nobles are expected to compete with each other to become the most exalted. There are three ways to accomplish that: Politics, duels and honor.
While the ruling monarch is the highest authority in the country, they will often delegate power to and ask advice of the government which has a prime minister, ministers of several areas and a room of 37 elected officials who discuss policy. Once a policy is agreed upon by the government body, known as the Chamber of Commons, the ruling monarch needs to sign off on it before it becomes law. The monarch can, at any time, enact their own laws. Becoming a member of the Chamber of Commons is difficult as the positions aren't closed to commoners. Just like the commoners, the nobles will need to get elected to be part of the chamber. Becoming minister is a whole level more difficult as you need to be elected by the chamber with a majority, let alone become prime minister who needs the approval of all ministers. Komorebi politics is a high stakes game of appearance, popularity, favors and gifts.
Duels are a huge part of Komorebi culture. At three years old (six in Earth years) every child recieves a fake or youngster, an expensive wooden or more economical plastic sword. From that point on swordfighting becomes a regular class in school and children are expected to train at home. At ten years old (eighteen in Earth years) they recieve their first real sword. Swords hold special meaning in Komorebi society, they, unlike firearms, can wound and protect against evil. To kill a man with a sword is personal and carries the weight of the act, firearms are impersonal and dehumanize the people around you. To carry a sword is to respect yourself and the people around you. To be a master swordsman or swordswoman is a feat that comes with a lot of respect. Sometimes people will want to know who between them is the better swordsfighter. In these cases they will duel using fakes and first to hit the other wins. Rarely will someone challenge another to a real duel, using real swords. Rejecting these duels is less dishonorable than rejecting a normal duel. Real duels will often end in the death of one of the participants. Stories about heroes winning real duels with a fake are popular, so are stories about Komorebi swordfighters defeating non-Komorebi people carrying firearms.
The last way gain renown is to be unusually good at some profession. Scientists who contribute regularly to science, artists who become famous throughout the country, an exceptional swordsmith, any profession really. This is the rarest and hardest way to become a person of stature for the superiority in skill and craft need to be noticable by even a common person.
Someone's status is an attractive trait to the people of Komorebi, even the nobles. Once the most exalted individual of the White Sun family is chosen to be monarch, they will choose their significant other. Often this will be the most renowned noble of the opposite sex. Rarely will a monarch-to-be succumb to "crazy love" and wish to wed a less suitable individual. Such an act might cost the monarch-to-be their position. Becoming monarch is the ultimate desire of all members of the White Sun family and becoming the spouse of the monarch is the ultimate desire of every member of the four noble families. Having a member of your family become royalty is the goal of any subsidiary noble family for the title will bring great prosperity to the that branch aswell as, though less, the whole noble family. While the spouse of royalty is the best a noble can strive for, only being highly renowned is still very respectable and will often grant the ear of the royal couple. Because high honor brings fortune to the family, the noble families have embraced the practice of adoption, where they will adopt highly exalted commoners, elevating them to nobles, so the families can benefit from hard work of a commoner.
The capital of Komorebi is Star City, in the south west of the country, seat of the Chamber of Commons and under direct control of and taxed by the monarch couple. Every noble family has their territory, White Sun to the south west, Blue Rain to the north west, Purple Mountain to the north, Red Sky to the north east and Green Seed to the south east, and every subsidiary family rules one or two settlements within the family's territory. While it's the government's role to pass laws, it's the ruling noble's job to collect taxes and take care of civil matters in their territory like paying civil servants. The government is recieves their salery directly from the monarch who also takes a small portion of all collected taxes in the country.