Background of TO FIND AND WAKE THE DREAMER

Background Briefing

The City State of
Oolong Morblock
        The city state of Oolong Morblock, also known as Omblock, or, more formally, as the Federal Republic of Oolong Morblock, consists of the Six Islands (which, working clockwise from the north-west, are Sclag, Conflux, Woosung Shanghai, Parkes Pilkem, Glud Hurgus and Irian Ko), the Two Outliers (Gorleth and Gasproid Helm) and Zisperhaven-Chilp, otherwise known as Zisperchilp.
        Omblock is ruled by a President who is elected by general franchise, and who is assisted by a Senate. The role of the Senate is chiefly advisory. The individual states which constitute the Federation (that is to say, Sclag, Conflux, Woosung Shanghai, Parkes Pilkem, Glud Hurgus, Irian Ko, Gorleth, Gasproid Helm and Zisperchilp) are variously governed in accordance with arrangements which have evolved down through the centuries.
        Although each state of the Federation is ultimately, in theory, subordinate to the rule of the President, in practice the rulers of the individual states enjoy a considerable degree of autonomy. One of the ongoing sources of tension in Oolong Morblock is the constant struggle (muted but real) between the federal government's desire for hegemony and the fierce desire of the individual states for self-government.
        The federal state is funded chiefly by UST, the Universal Sales Tax, which amounts to twenty percent on all goods and services, everything from a packet of peanuts to a subway ticket. The individual states levy taxes on personal and corporate income at rates which vary from state to state. Conflux has the lowest tax rate and, partly in consequence, the highest level of economic growth.
        The population of Oolong Morblock in the year 9,726 was estimated at 20.76 million, an estimate generally believed to be reliable, although there has been no attempt to take a census since the disastrous Headcount Riots of 9,690. The most densely populated area of Oolong Morblock is the island of Gorleth. The most populous islands are Conflux and Woosung Shanghai; Glud Hurgus is also heavily populated in the south and the east. The island of Sclag, by contrast, is lightly populated, and the greater part of Irian Ko is eco reserve, almost devoid of human presence.
        In terms of reproduction, the population, as of 9,726, is failing to achieve the replacement rate, with the result that long-term problems are predicted for the nation state, as an aging population will become increasingly reliant upon an ever-shrinking tax base. Or, to put it another way, each citizen of taxpaying age will have to pay more to support those who can no longer support themselves.
        Omblock's electricity is generated, for the most part, by the massive Torrent Gates which tap the tidal surges of the Ashabrikus Flux and Tornado Gate. There are also oil-fired generating stations at Hammerhead Harbor and Tapioca. The city's main desalination plants are also located at Hammerhead Harbor and Tapioca. Water is scarce and expensive. There is a salt water flushing system for sewage, employing water pumped in from the sea, obviating the need to waste potable water on flushing toilets.
        Other notable features of the city include the massive garbage incineration complexes at Olkrash, Xgadriver and Paprosh. Some garbage is trucked to these incinerators but most of the garbage is moved to the incineration points by barge. The incinerators are a major source of dioxin and other pollutants.
        Oolong Morblock's economy is characterized by extreme diversity, to the point where the city state cannot be said to be dependent on any one particular industry. The economy features, amongst other things, high-tech manufacturing (chiefly on Conflux), a strong chemical industry (concentrated on the island of Gasproid Helm), pharmaceutical research and bioengineering (mostly on the island of Sclag), munitions and military hardware (concentrated on Glud Hurgus) and computer services and software (the center for which is Woosung Shanghai).
         However, the economy is richer and more diverse than this sketchy description might suggest.
        By international standards, the citizens of Oolong Morblock are generally well educated and reasonably prosperous, and enjoy adequate health care. The city's weak point is unity. The division of power between the federal government and the various states is seen as a safeguard against tyranny, but does make for problems when city-wide initiatives are under consideration. Another impediment to effective government is the Constitution, a document consciously designed to inhibit the powers of the state. There is often talk of holding a Constitutional Convocation to rewrite the Constitution, but the bitterness of historical scars and the difficulties of moving from the present uneasy equilibrium to something new make it highly unlikely that the revision of the Constitution will ever be attempted.
        Those, then, are two of the problems which affect the business of governing Oolong Morblock.
        Additionally, ethnic tensions between the Xalbardoz (the norms, constituting ninety-eight percent of the population) and the Gedahedda (the astrals, comprising two percent of the population) make for an uneasy civic environment. In Omblock's case, ethnic divisions overlap religious divisions, with the religion of the Xalbardoz being Qid Hartha and the religion of the Gedahedda being Jaznaria.