The Federation of Shicksal is a massive, socially progressive nation, ruled by Siegfried Kaslana with an even hand, and notable for its avowedly heterosexual populace, compulsory military service, and stringent health and safety legislation. The hard-nosed, democratic population of 2.243 billion Valkyries are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.

The medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Education, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Hyperion. The average income tax rate is 69.4%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Valkryja economy, worth 271 trillion Crystals a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Book Publishing, and Tourism. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 121,228 Crystals, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The aphorism "there's no need to argue" has been dismissed by Valkyries, the government regularly publishes lengthy reports on its own excessive recordkeeping, over a third of the seats in sports stadiums have been removed to make room for female-only commodes, and if foreigners can hit a spittoon from five paces they get a free holiday to Shicksal. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Shicksal's national animal is the Honkai, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Imaginary Tree.

Shicksal is ranked 245,600^th in the world and 922^nd in Europe for Highest Crime Rates, with 1.99 crimes per hour.