The Empire of NIGHTRAY is a massive, orderly nation, ruled by Kai Nightray with an iron fist, and notable for its anti-smoking policies, triple-decker prams, and national health service. The hard-nosed, cynical population of 2.87 billion Elestrians are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

The medium-sized, corrupt, moralistic, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Education, Healthcare, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Nightgard. The average income tax rate is 65.4%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The powerhouse Elestrian economy, worth 332 trillion Ducals a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. However, for those in the know, there is a slick, highly efficient black market in Information Technology, Tourism, Arms Manufacturing, and Book Publishing. The private sector mostly consists of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, but the government is looking at stamping this out. Average income is an impressive 115,989 Ducals, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.0 times as much as the poorest.

The nation's soldiers are considered the best-dressed in the South Pacific, it is mandatory for actors to exit stage left, every worker receives exactly the same pay regardless of productivity, and Elestrian novella fans become unusually flustered when thinking about Kai Nightray. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. NIGHTRAY's national animal is the Alicorn, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Celestial Vision.

NIGHTRAY is ranked 22,333^rd in the world and 690^th in the South Pacific for Smartest Citizens, with 58.54 quips per hour.