The House of Hardyng is a colossal, socially progressive nation, ruled by Ser Harrold Hardyng with a fair hand, and remarkable for its compulsory military service, state-planned economy, and punitive income tax rates. The compassionate, democratic, devout population of 2.574 billion Hardyngs love a good election, and the government gives them plenty of them. Universities tend to be full of students debating the merits of various civil and political rights, while businesses are tightly regulated and the wealthy viewed with suspicion.

The large, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Welfare, Spirituality, and Defense. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Castle Hardyng. The average income tax rate is 58.3%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but underdeveloped Hardyng economy, worth 81.8 trillion golden dragons a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is fairly diversified, is led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Cheese Exports, Soda Sales, and Pizza Delivery. Average income is 31,772 golden dragons, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Ser Harrold Hardyng has just been declared ruler of Hardyng in an international press conference, Hardyng has designated Castle Hardyng as its capital city, village elders are often called in to interpret voting outcomes in Parliament, and cane fights are a common sight in nursing homes. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Hardyng's national animal is the falcon and its national religion is Faith of the Seven.

Hardyng is ranked 74,443^rd in the world and 4^th in Westeros for Highest Average Tax Rates, with 58.31 Effective Tax Rate.