The Empire of Astheria is a massive, cultured nation, ruled by Asther with an even hand, and notable for its pith helmet sales, complete lack of prisons, and devotion to social welfare. The compassionate population of 3.219 billion Astherians are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.

The large, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Industry. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Groẞ Astheria. The average income tax rate is 80.7%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Astherian economy, worth 367 trillion Therls a year, is led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Book Publishing, and Beef-Based Agriculture. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 114,042 Therls, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Television characters who ask how someone's doing are charged with harassment, droves of former desperados are applying to join the border police, election ballot papers are so long that unused ones are recycled as toilet roll, and holidaymakers sleep curled up on the floor as hotel beds are replaced with oversized bookcases. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Astheria's national animal is the Gryphon, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Versexia.

Astheria is ranked 252,230^th in the world and 2,806^th in the West Pacific for Highest Disposable Incomes, with 22,010.25 Standard Monetary Units.