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Caelestis is a giant technological masterpiece of a city built by Meraxis, and Clan Scholae Palatinae's capital city since 34 ABY. It makes up the Southern portion of the continent of Maqor, which lies North of the Nethal Archipelago. The continent itself is shared in equal portions between Scholae Palatinae and the Democratic Republic of Elaya, with Scholae lands lying to the West of Maqor’s Hypraex Mountain range, which includes the western portion of the Kaskon Lake basin -- a crater full of rich and fertile lands.
As a sprawling metropolis, Caelestis is home to 72 million people, and is famous for its high levels of technology in comparison to the rest of the space-faring system. Once a major commercial hub of the Meraxis Empire, the city is now the central trading point for Scholae Palatinae and its neighbours. It has also become a popular tourist destination, especially with Scholae’s allies.
Under Meraxis rule, the city was given extremely little freedom. However, once Scholae presented itself as the lesser of two evils compared with Meraxis to gain the support of the people, its citizens enjoy slightly more freedom of movement and free speech than they did under their former overlords, which goes a long way to keeping the people happy. However, any pro-Meraxis sentiment is still monitored closely by the Imperial Scholae Intelligence.
Massive corporations that once called Caelestis their home have been welcomed back into the Scholae Empire as it tries to maintain the thriving economy of the city. The city’s rich, elite and famous that reside in the city have also been offered citizenship and political favour in exchange for financial donations to the Empire. The more common citizens typically live in high rise apartment blocks, and benefit from a high standard of living in the city.
Important City Landmarks
Adoniram Tower
Adoniram Tower, the Headquarters of Scholae Palatinae, Caelestis City
Adoniram Tower: Adoniram Tower was commissioned by the Emperor of Meraxis, Adoniram, as a symbol of his rule, power, and the wealth of Meraxis. Since taking over [[Caelestis City|, Scholae Palatinae took the building, which towers over the rest of the city, as their headquarters. As an insult to Adoniram, they kept the name, with the only modification being a giant emblem of Clan Scholae Palatinae plastered on the side. Scholae Palatinae uses the building as the offices and personal residence of its top command, and is central to the management of the empire.
The Lighthouse
The Lighthouse: Located in the harbor of Caelestis City and rising from the tides without a rock in sight, the 250 metre tall lighthouse is a beacon of safety for all seafaring vessels. For everyone else, it is a frequent and infamous place to carry out feuds under Meraxis' Code Duello. The most popular choice is the top-level platform, fifty meters wide and open to the elements, save for the tall transparisteel cylinder protecting the torch. There is no barrier around the edge of the platform to prevent a 250 metre fall into the waters below. However, robust Meraxian engineering has hardened the critical components of the lighthouse in such a fashion that the whole building is open for battle, provided the duellists sign off on funding repairs. It has become quite an attraction for the local populace to watch the duels unfold from the harbor or from tall buildings.
Palpatine Colossus Monument
Palpatine Colossus: A very large and imposing statue of Emperor Palpatine now stands a good head higher than the city’s tallest building and watches over the city’s spaceport, and Caelestis City’s bay. The city councilors have passed a motion that no building should ever block his view or ever surpass him in height.
The Undercity
Millenia ago, Ragnath had been populated with ancient civilizations, each of which left their mark on the various continents of [[Seraph|Seraph’s] moon. Caelestis City was built over a much older city, whose aqueducts and subterranean complexes are still partially intact to this day. Folk stories abound of people entering the undercity and never coming back, but those who make the trek and do come back to speak of the ordeal often refer to ghosts and red eyed creatures that skitter in the city’s undercity that connect to Caelestis’ sewer systems.
After Scholae cleared the undercity of enemy troups, they closed off all the known entryways into the undercity, and have kept it securely under military control. There are still parts of the undercity that have yet to be tamed by Scholae Imperial Forces, but some of the harder to reach areas can still be exploited by the less timid of characters. One such area is called The Labyrinth of Trials where some of Scholae’s rising stars are now given their Knight trials.
Caelestis Spaceport
Caelestis City’s Spaceport is a massive structure overshadowed by the welcoming arms of the Emperor’s Colossus. It boasts landing and docking for nearly any kind of vessel; shipyards and repair facilities; and quality service. In fact, Caelestis City’s Spaceport is reputed as being very good and affordable, and many of the Seraph’s companies have offices directly at the spaceport or nearby.
The Spaceport includes an Imperial Customs Office on site and caters to a rather large Naval presence within the Caperion system.
Museums and Performing Arts
Amongst the city's national museums and galleries are...
- The Emperor’s Club, one of the many socialite clubs where the “in” people go; the club itself attracts a wide variety of patrons to their mammoth-sized dance floors and labyrinthine basement concert halls.
Educational Institutions
The city has many educational institutions, but the two most important are:
- Imperial Scholae University (originally named "Riadam College" under Meraxis rule) was the first institution established in the city, and named after the Meraxis Emperor who was reigning at the time. The university eventually expanded to become the largest university in Caelestis City.
- The Emperor’s Academy of Military Studies (TEAMS) was founded more recently in honour of Emperor Adoniram, shortly after he took the Meraxis throne. The plaque and statue dedicating it to the Meraxis Emperor were removed shortly after Scholae Forces took control of the city. The Academy’s memorial plaque now dedicates the Academy to the Empire’s founder (and Scholae’s revered patron) Sheev Palpatine.
Neighbourhoods, Districts and Outlying Areas
Border Crossing 17
Border Crossing 17 is a testament to the Scholae-Elayan-Meraxis War. When Clan Scholae Palatinae launched an assault on Caelestis City, Ragnath (Seraph’s moon), and took over the lands from the Meraxis Empire to established their rule over half of the continent of Maqor, the Meraxis fought back. Historically -- the then heavily armed and unofficial -- border crossings that was defended by hundreds, if not thousands of soldiers prepared for eventual battle. The crossing itself contained one large, hastily placed steel bridge. Meraxis had built the bridge as a way to quickly reconquer the lands, while Clan Scholae Palatinae viewed it as a way to hunt down the displaced Meraxis armies even further. Land mines and traps existed on the tiny river below.
Today, the western side still sports a dense forest and treacherous mountainous landscape. Birds of prey soar from tree to tree and small animals rouse the forest floor, along the easing streams that eventually feed the dry river under the main bridge. On the eastern side are rolling, yellow hills where dead grass and excoriated surfaces dig into the moon’s surface. Civilians still remember when mortar fire streaked across the skies into enemy positions, including the edges of Caelestis City, that Scholae Palatinae now occupies.
Other People & Organizations of Note
To follow