Hyperborea
 | This article contains information pertaining to a geofictional nation, politician or other element of geofictional society or culture located on the planet Micras. |
A former Duchy and current County of Shireroth.
Name Origins
In ancient Greek mythology, Hyperborea was the land beyond the north wind, an area of peace and plenty somewhere in northern Europe. The Hyperboreans worshiped the god Apollo, lived for a thousand years, and never knew war, disease, or sorrow. Although there is no historical evidence of Hyperborea ever having existed, it has been believed in or written about by people as diverse as Geraldus Mercator, Adolf Hitler, and Clark Ashton Smith.
Micronational History
The micronation of Hyperborea was founded by Scott Alexander and its original Elder, Adam Stone after the fall of Audentior in March 2000. Its original intent was to experiment with a new type of micronationalism that would solve the problems of the Apollo Sector and lead to greater stability. Its most striking innovations were policies of refusing dual citizenship, banning political parties, reaching all decisions by consensus, and remaining completely neutral in all international disputes. The project was marginally successful, garnering about ten citizens, but its life was cut short when it merged with Shireroth, Tapfer, and Jasonia in May 2000 to become New Audentior.
After the fall of New Audentior, Hyperborea became a province of the Flying Islands of Jasonia. Although its annexation was a milestone in Jasonian history, the province soon became very inactive. When its fellow province of Shireroth seceded in December 2000, Hyperborea chose to do so as well, with the Jasonians' approval. In the new incarnation, Scott became Elder. The most active other citizen was Ryan Caruso, who developed the sister culture of Volsaarn and invented the Paladins.
Hyperborea joined Shireroth and Machiavellia in the Commonwealth of Benacia. Although it enjoyed a brief period of popularity as Commonwealth citizens flowed in, the country became a province once again after Benacia merged into the Hegemony of Alexandros. When the Hegemony became part of Tymaria, Hyperborea became one of the original eight Tymarian states.
When Alexander left Tymaria for a few months, he came back to find Hyperborea extremely inactive. After considering options, he allowed the country to be annexed by Shireroth, now Tymaria's most populous and successful state. For a few months it disappeared, but at the end of the crises in Menelmacar Scott returned to Shireroth and tried to get it a higher status. After a few months, it became a Barony in the Duchy of Elwynn, and in December 2002 it became a Duchy in its own right.
The three citizens who were most instrumental in the activities of the Duchy of Hyperborea were Scott Alexander, Eoin Dornan, and Philip Locke, the last of whom became the new Duke during the reign of Kaiser Los II. Other Hyperboreans during this period included Ric Lyon, Charles Beard, and Harvey Steffke.
Culture
The Hyperborean culture has changed many times since its inception, but has always contained a few basic points. Although it is represented as a small island chain on the MCS map, in the real world it is considered to have been a fictional civilization in the south of Greenland thriving from 4000 to 1000 BC. The nine major cities of Hyperborea were united in a loose confederation around the capital and holy site, Thulel.
Because of the far northern climate, the Hyperboreans raised few crops, the exceptions being a now extinct variety of cold-climate apple and the extinct and slightly hallucinogenic flower nipila. Most of their food was obtained by hunting, fishing, and fish-farming, although they had a great respect for animal life and refused to kill except to eat. Polar bears were considered sacred and never hunted except on very special ceremonial occasions.
The Hyperboreans were primarily mystics, artists, and poets. The religion they developed, sumurayh'Borelan, has many similarities to Buddhism and Hinduism, as well as to the schools of Greek philosophy. Their art was primarily mandalas and brightly colored geometric figures. Their poetry, written in their own formal language, uses a distinctly Hyperborean verse called the borate, or ninefold, with nine syllables in mostly iambic feet upon each line.
Language
The Hyperborean language, called silika or Borele, is understandably logical, its modern grammar supposedly being the construction of Kadham Ragum, Hyperborea's legendary founder. Most of its words are five letters long and are strung together rhythmically to make compounds or sentences. The language is SVO, inflecting, and not at all related to the Indo-European family. The main source for Hyperborean language information is the radara'Silikan, which can be found on Hyperborea's site.