The Universal National Secret

[Lyinginbedmon]

I've had this vague story idea, really more of a setting, rattling around in my head for years, and I figured others here might find it interesting to contemplate and discuss.

Simply put, imagine that every country has its own innate superpower. Every native resident of that country has this superpower, with the governmental mandate that it is a national secret not to be shared with any outsider nor to be used outside the country, at least not in plain sight. The power might have contributed to the national stereotype abroad and/or to the geopolitical history of the country, but remains secret nonetheless.

What would those superpowers be and why?

Some of the ones I'm reasonably stable on:

• United Kingdom: Teleportation, which enabled significant troop movements in warfare and global dominance during the empire
• United States: Pyrokinesis, because just about everywhere it goes (including home) seems to burst into flame at some point
• Japan: A unique case, because they possessed a different power prior to the atomic bombings. The national superpower has since "mutated" into extreme technological aptitude, though the odd survivor with the original power might still exist.
• Russia: Environmental resistance, especially pertaining to cold, which has enabled their success in the frigid northern climate as well as their legendary defeat of other nations attempting to invade

[House MD]

Afganistan: Telepathy. Useful during the many times their country has been invaded, enables them to communicate without causing any noise.

Ireland: Cellular Regeneration. Originally a body wide power, it quickly became specific to the liver and brain.

Austrailia: Enviromental Resistance. Their power, much like that of Russia has to do with surviving in a harsh enviroment. However, theirs is a hot, dusty land filled with poison. It would also explain how they can drink Fosters.

[Master Gunner]

Obligitory Canadian entry.

[Lyinginbedmon]

I kinda feel like New Zealand should get the power of great cinematography...

[The_Doctor]

It would also explain how they can drink Fosters.

We don't drink, we just send it to you as some form of colosal practical joke.

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

Wales: Innate sense of hearing. Able to dissect sound and rearrange it into its perfect components.

England: Soft Xenophobia. Being able to invent something to poke fun with any nationality.

Scotland: Two Tongues. Being able to speak two languages simultaneously creating a strange tone that confuses any potential threat.

Netherlands: Hydomancery. Being able to manipulate water.

[tak197]

Actually Gunner, while that would be a pretty cool one, I feel like Canada's would be emotional manipulation. I mean think about it:

- The apology, while joked about, is a trademark Canadian thing, which helps to diffuse tension.
- Some of the more well-known celebrities and comedians in American media are from Canada. You have Pam Anderson and Ryan Reynolds for the "OMG do me now!" manipulation of lust and attraction, and you have Phil Hartman (may he rest in peace), Elvira Kurt, and about 50 percent of SNL actors for the funny people that make you feel good. Then you have William Shatner, who has to be the Dr. Xavier of Canada.
- Ever notice how wherever a Canadian goes in the world, very few people ever say anything bad about them? That's not a fluke...

I think I may have just either blown my own mind, or cast myself in Lyinginbedmon's story as the conspiracy theorist who no one believes and all the other countries are trying to "silence".

[tak197]

Austrailia: Enviromental Resistance. Their power, much like that of Russia has to do with surviving in a harsh enviroment. However, theirs is a hot, dusty land filled with poison. It would also explain how they can drink Fosters.

After having watched a bunch of Adam Hills stand-up comedy, I would have gone with "superhuman skill at ruby and cricket".

[Kapol]

Interesting concept. Too bad I'm too tired to add anything to the conversation other the voicing my opinion the general idea.

[The Architect]

I kinda feel like New Zealand should get the power of great cinematography...

Illusion casting.

Now, here's the question: what happens when someone emmigrates to another country and has a kid with a native of this new land? Is the power tied to the nation?

[Kapol]

Now, here's the question: what happens when someone emmigrates to another country and has a kid with a native of this new land? Is the power tied to the nation?

I would think that it would be tied to the nation they were born in, depending on the source of the ability. If it's exposure to a certain environment, then it'd likely be where they grow up.

Though that does raise a good question if it is genetic-based. What happens when two people from different countries have a child? Is there a dominant gene? Would they get both? And if it is environmental, what if they spend a roughly even time in two countries? Less common, but still possible.

[Psyclone]

Ever notice how wherever a Canadian goes in the world, very few people ever say anything bad about them? That's not a fluke...

It's basically my policy to say I'm Canadian when asked where I'm from wherever I'm traveling. Except at the US Ambassador's 4th of July party, because they probably would have kicked me out. Seriously though, I have a Canadian flag patch on my suitcase so I don't even have to say anything. I'm sorry for taking advantage of your good international reputation, Canada.

[Lord Chrusher]

It would also explain how they can drink Fosters.

We don't drink, we just send it to you as some form of colosal practical joke.

Not that other mass market Australian beer is that much better.

[Preacher]

Oh, I don't know. Theres always VB....

[Darkobra]

Australian beer is like sex in a canoe. Fucking close to water.

[The Jester]

Netherlands: Hydomancery. Being able to manipulate water.

Ok. Time for an etymology lesson.

Hydro = water. Mancy = divination. Exousiazo = control.

Hydromancy = using water to try and get some insight into the future.

Hydroexousiazo = control over water.

[Lord Chrusher]

Oi, that is the wrong country. Although Australia beer is slightly weaker on average than Canadian beer.

VB is not good beer but it is proper beer unlike the fucking light beer that seems to be everywhere. I prefer it to Carlton Draught. Why the hell do you advertise beer as being 'made from beer'.

For those keeping score at home, both VB and Carlton Draught are owned by Foster's Group. Despite no one drinking Foster's in Australia (the only place I have had it was in Abu Dubai) Foster's Group is one of the two big breweries in Australia.

[Lyinginbedmon]

Hydroexousiazo = control over water.

Doesn't quite roll off the tongue as well though...

Germany I think needs some degree of superhuman strength, but I'm not entirely convinced of that being their full blown power.

France almost seems like its power should have died with the monarchy, but I think some kind of empathy would be appropriate given their command of the arts and theatre, and of particular note being revolution and Napoleon, a man so potent in the art that he convinced an entire army sent to kill him to join him instead.

[The Jester]

Hydroexousiazo = control over water.

Doesn't quite roll off the tongue as well though...

Well no, but I just can't take a character seriously any more if their power is described as "pyromancy", for example. Or Necromancy. It totally pacifies them as a threat.

Another option could be "command", or perhaps "master", but I can't be bothered looking all of those up and cross-checking them to make sure the word given by the translator makes sense in context.

Actually, here, the English to Greek translator I was using. It gives the words in the Greek alphabet and a Anglicised one.

[Deedles]

Except that Necromancy is the termed used for what Necromancers practice pretty much everywhere.

Just because you don't take it seriously doesn't mean it's wrong.

[Metcarfre]

The word "necromancy" is adapted from Late Latin necromantia, itself borrowed from post-Classical Greek νεκρομαντεία (nekromanteía), a compound of Ancient Greek νεκρός (nekrós), "dead body", and μαντεία (manteía), "prophecy or divination"; this compound form was first used by Origen of Alexandria in the 3rd century CE.[3] The Classical Greek term was ἡ νέκυια (nekyia), from the episode of the Odyssey in which Odysseus visits the realm of the dead, νεκυομαντεία in Hellenistic Greek, rendered as necyomantīa in Latin, and as necyomancy in 17th century English.[4]

The Latin word for Control is imperium

The Latin word for Water is aqua

Aquamperium?

[DarkAbyssKeeper]

My go to magical word construction of choice is -thurge or -thurgy/-turgy, meaning 'to use'.

Pyrothurge, necrothurge and hydrothurge all sound more sinister than their -mancy equivalents. Although I do like using -mancy if I'm referring to divination, because it does sound cool.

[Dutch guy]

Just call us water-benders. Everyone understands that.

[House MD]

Austrailia: Enviromental Resistance. Their power, much like that of Russia has to do with surviving in a harsh enviroment. However, theirs is a hot, dusty land filled with poison. It would also explain how they can drink Fosters.

After having watched a bunch of Adam Hills stand-up comedy, I would have gone with "superhuman skill at ruby and cricket".

Ha, we beat them at cricket. England all the way.

[Lord Chrusher]

I expect next year's Ashes to be much closer.

Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi!

On the note of Australian cricket:

I am quite certain that if the rest of the world vanished over night and the development of cricket was left in Australian hands, within a generation the players would be wearing shorts and using the bats to hit each other.