GATE: Worlds At War

Hoc Est Bellum

"Truth is always the first casualty of war." – Aeschylus

LOCATION: SADERA – IMPERIAL CAPITAL

DATE: ARBETI 06, 687 IC

TIME: 08:36:53

Sadera, the crown jewel and the seat of power of the mighty Saderan Empire – it was here upon this vast stretch of land did the Saderans' ancestors laid the foundations from which the Empire grew to what it is today. For centuries, this has been the home of this great Empire since its conception and at the center of the city, atop the highest hill, laid the home of the Emperor himself.

The Main Imperial Palace is the home of the most powerful man in the Empire, Molt Sol Augustus. He held nearly uncontested power in ruling Empire with only the Imperial Senate having the power to overrule him.

Located below the hill are smaller palaces of the Imperial family, including the South Palace, home of Molt's eldest son and heir apparent to take his place as Emperor, Prince Zorzal El Caesar.

To the North of the Imperial Palace and located near the Temple to the God lay the Azure Palace, home of Prince Diabo El Caesar. Diabo was Molt's second eldest son from a different woman and is second in line for the throne should anything unfortunate to happen to Zorzal.

To the East of the Imperial Palace lay the mansion of Princess Piña Co Lada, Molt's daughter from one his many concubines but he surprisingly recognized her as his legitimate child and placed her tenth in the line of succession.

Further to the West of the Palace was the Imperial Senate Building. It is located in a prominent location in Sadera near a large forum or a market place, and the entire structure is constructed of white marble with numerous ornately carved columns and sculptures on both the interior and exterior. This is where numerous Imperial Senators and the Emperor himself meet in order to pass new laws and legislations.

Surrounding these structures were the residential and commercial areas of the city. These sections were separated from the Imperial Complexes by walls and each section was also separated by walls. Located at the South Eastern section of the city was the district of Akusho, a place where rape, poverty, and crime are a common occurrence. This district is ruled by the four crime families of Akusho: Gonzori, Medusa, Paramount, and Bessara. It was so bad there that even the Imperial Army would think twice before entering the district other than to spend some gold and enjoy the pleasures of the flesh.

The city's water comes from multiple aqueducts. Overall, the architecture of the city has an appearance similar to that of ancient Rome, including common use of large marble structures, including columns, domes, and statues. Truly, one may say that Sadera is very reminiscent to Ancient Rome.

In the main throne room of the Imperial Palace, the Emperor himself, Molt Sol Augustus, was sitting comfortably on his throne as he enjoyed the precious tranquility this day has graciously afforded him. There was no one else with him there save for a small contingent of his elite Imperial Guards. He tolerates their presence because they know better than to disturb him and they mostly keep quiet.

If Molt was being honest with himself, life as the Emperor was excellent. He held almost uncontested power over his subjects with only the Imperial Senate as whole having enough power to challenge his word but even still, he had the final say in things.

Molt took a deep breath before releasing it, reminiscing about the Saderan Empire's long history which spanned more than a thousand years – even before the Empire's birth. In the beginning, the beast-men and demi-humans had dominated these lands with the humans cowering in fear. It was almost pitiful to think about it but what could their ancestors do? Then salvation came when Molt's honored ancestor and first emperor of the Saderan Empire, Titus the Great, rallied the humans and waged a victorious war against the non-humans and laid the very foundations that would eventually lead to the birth of the Empire.