The Gold Shroud of Taun is a mammoth, cultured nation, ruled by Kaykaus with a fair hand, and notable for its barren, inhospitable landscape, national health service, and irreverence towards religion. The compassionate, hard-working, democratic population of 8.574 billion Tau are effectively ruled by a group of massive corporations, who run for political office and provide their well-off citizens with world-class goods and services. Their poorer citizens, however, are mostly starving to death while being urged to go out and get real jobs. The populace has reasonably extensive civil rights, although these are mostly aimed at allowing them to buy whatever they like.

The medium-sized, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Industry, Education, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Kaykhshahr. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 64.8%.

The frighteningly efficient Tau economy, worth a remarkable 1,480 trillion Taunis a year, is broadly diversified and dominated by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Book Publishing, Automobile Manufacturing, and Basket Weaving. Black market activity is extensive. Average income is an impressive 172,706 Taunis, but there is a significant disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 556,376 per year while the poor average 40,575, a ratio of 13.7 to 1.

The stratosphere is full of "silent but deadly" attacks from Kaykaus's rear echelons, the love has gone in Taun, the tenet of free speech is held dear, and seafood restaurants assure customers 'If it lives in the sea, it's on our menu'. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Taun's national animal is the Pallid Bat, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to toxic air pollution, and its national religion is Lion of a Moon.

Taun is ranked 74,251^st in the world and 260^th in the Outback for Highest Poor Incomes, with 40,575.12 Standard Monetary Units.