The Grand Imperial Palace
Lying at the heart of the city of Meltaro, the Grand Imperial Palace is an enormous complex which contains within its walls most of the vital infrastructure that is the political heart of the Empire of Turelion. Its ornate chambers and sumptuous gardens are also the home of the Emperor of Turelionmediate family.
Purpose / Function
Initially the palace was simply envisaged as being the home of the Imperial Family, but over the many years of its existence its purpose has expanded and contracted to meet the whims of the Emperors of Turelion. At present it is still used as the main Imperial residence, though the only members of the Imperial Family who actually reside within its walls are His Imperial Majesty Belliotrix IV, his wife Her Imperial Highness Salonia Imperation, their daughter Her Grace Belladonna Imperation, and the emperor’s two younger brothers His Holiness Marcus Imperation and His Grace Gaius Imperation.
As the residence of the emperor, the palace hosts many important social and political occasions and so many state dinners, victory feasts and myriad other celebrations have been held within the Imperial Banqueting Hall that the Imperial Annals and Archives gave up making detailed records of them several centuries ago.
Additionally, the Imperial Palace also contains within it key institutional parts of the Empire, amongst them the Chamber of Lords, the meeting place of the Congregation of Lords. The palace has also long been the residence of the Arch Priest of Astartes, reinforcing the strong link between the Imperial Church of Astartes and the Imperial Family. Finally, the members of the Imperial Court are granted as part of their membership access to the Rooms of State, a complex of rooms within the palace which act as the unofficial parliament and deal making place within the Imperial System.
Alterations
Originally the Grand Imperial Palace was nothing more than a fortification constructed in the heart of Meltaro. Whilst historical records indicate that it was an impressive edifice designed to reflect the military might of its conceiver, Machestaro I, in terms of functionality it was unsuitable for anything other than withstanding a siege and housing a garrison.
However, as Machestaro had requisitioned the entire northern hill within Meltaro for the project, there was plenty of room for expansion and successive Emperors and their families created first annexes to this main building, then sprawling corridors, colonnades and walkways to connect the various parts, until the original structure was subsumed into the larger mass of the building. Indeed, so many alterations have taken place to the complex, that the only externally visible part of the original structure is the façade that now overlooks the Imperial Parade Ground, which contains within it the Imperial Garrison.
Architecture
As a complex that has grown haphazardly, rather than being meticulously planned, the palace has a mixture of architectural styles ranging from the dour, practical façade of Machestaro I's original keep to the, dark imposing wood panelled chambers constructed at the turn of the era from Divine Peace to Divine War, to the much more lavish and airy marble lined halls and colonnades that were all of the rage during the palace’s most recent makeover.
Locations of Note
Whilst there are a great many impressive and august rooms and chambers within in the complex of the Grand Imperial Palace there are a number of places of special note, including: Chamber of Lords – The official meeting and debating chamber of the Congregation of Lords. The chamber contains the tiered seating that the Lords themselves occupy during sessions, along with the throne upon which the Emperor sits when attending sessions, or in their absence the Lord Elect. Above the seating of that the Congregation themselves occupy is a viewing gallery where other members of the Imperial Court who do not belong to the body can observe proceedings. Above the actual debating chamber are several floors of offices for the use of the Lords, along with accommodation for those who do not have residential space in Meltaro. The Chapel Imperial – The private worship space of the Imperial Family, which is also accessible by members of the Imperial Court. The complex of the Chapel Imperial also includes the private apartment of the Arch Priest of Astartes. There is also a tunnel which leads from the Chapel Imperial complex out of the palace and directly to the Grand Astartic Temple, allowing the Arch Priest and members of the Imperial Family to traverse the distance with ease, should they not wish to fight their way through the busy streets of Meltaro to attend a service at the temple. Golden Gardens – Though it is the buildings of the Grand Imperial Palace which are visible from afar, a large portion of the hill on which the palace stands is actually taken up by a formal garden, known as the Golden Gardens. This is a meticulously cultivated and managed space providing shady avenues to walk in and picturesque fountain courtyards surrounded by vibrant flower beds where guests can be entertained al fresco, or where members of the Imperial Court can find secluded spots for private conversations. Imperial Banqueting Hall – Though not the only banqueting space by any means within the Palace complex, the Imperial Banqueting Hall by far the largest and most grand. It is reserved for use in state banqueting, which generally takes place during the visits of important foreign dignitaries, on major feast days or particularly lavish or formal celebrations. There is space for up to 300 guests to be seated in the hall. Imperial Library – A private library that has been built up over hundreds of years by the successive Emperors and their families, the Imperial Library is a large rotunda in the north of the palace complex whose walls are lined with bookshelves, galleries and secluded reading spaces. The library is one of the few places within the palace that routinely attracts visitors from beyond the circle of the Imperial Court, with many scholars from the Empire of Turelion and beyond requesting access so that they can study the many unique texts held within the Imperial Library’s collection. Imperial Parade Ground & Garrison – Immediately opposite the main entrance gates to the palace in the south of the complex is a large open space that is the parade ground of the Imperial Drakes, who duty bound to protect the palace and the Imperial Family. The garrison can often be seen drilling in on the parade ground in the shadow of the garrison building itself to the north. The garrison is the only part of the palace complex which still retains the original façade of the keep built by Machestaro I all of those centuries ago. Within the garrison building itself are the billets of the Imperial Drakes and their support staff and the headquarters of the regiment, from which the coordination of the Drakes’ activities and deployments across the Empire of Turelion are organised and monitored. Imperial Throne Room – At the heart of the palace is the Imperial Thone room, a marbled walled and floored room which stands bear, save for the imposing mass of the Imperial Throne at its northern end. On the whole, the throne room is used rather infrequently, normally only being dusted down for the initial receiving of important guests from beyond the Empire of Turelion's borders. The Rooms of State – Proceeding the Imperial Throne Room is a complex of smaller receiving rooms, lounges and salons which are referred to as the Rooms of State. Whilst these rooms serve no official purpose, they are used as a meeting space by the members of the Imperial Court, many of whom will use the space to meet one another to discuss matters of state, or simply relax in the opulent surroundings.Defenses
On the face of it, the Grand Imperial Palace is lightly defended, it has not had a central fortified citadel for many hundreds of years, and the majority of its structures have been built and designed with comfort, not defence in mind. Beneath the surface, however, it is clear that careful work has gone into creating effective and discreet defences for the home of the Emperors.
To begin with, the palace is set on the top of the hill that dominates the north of Meltaro, and great care has been taken to artificially raise the northern, eastern and western sides of the hill, so that instead of sloping down to meet the rest of the city, there is instead a large wall, over 100ft high. The top of this wall has been built to match the topmost height of the natural hill, with the intervening space having been filled in to create a large, level platform on which the palace is built, which also provides panoramic views across the city and the Plains of Gold beyond. Meanwhile the southern side of the hill has been terraced so that no other buildings are on the same level as the palace and a curtain wall also acts as a separating barrier to the south as well.
These walls and artificial earthworks have many tunnels running through them, with numerous arrow and gun loops overlooking the city, discreetly hidden from the view of the Imperial household above in the palace proper.
Additionally, the oldest part of the structure, the original keep constructed by Machestaro I has been turned into the garrison and headquarters of the Imperial Drakes, the military force specifically dedicated to the defence of the Emperor, their household and property.
Access
As one would expect, access to the Grand Imperial Palace is highly restricted and in general only members of the Imperial family, the Congregation of Lords and the Imperial Court are allowed access without the express permission of the Emperor or a senior officer of the state.
Founding Date
Begun in 352DP, most recent refurbishment completed in 570DW.
Alternative Names
The Grand, Palace of Meltaro, The Dragon's Nest
Type
Palace
Parent Location
Included Locations
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
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