Synoppeia

Large city to the southeast of The Empire . Synoppeia was part of The Old Empire and during the reigns of its last two emperors Adruhil and Zariel served as the winter capital of the the empire . When The Church of the Holy Celestial Pantheon seized power in the chaos that followed Zariel's death, the Patriarch named himself as The Celestial Pantheon's representative on Erdde . To many (especially among the High Elves ), this was heretical. Only the Emperor could claim audience with the gods.
Opposition to the Patriarch centred on Archbishop Polzuss of Synnopeia . He denounced the Patriarch , kept Synoppeia outside of the the New Empire and installed a distant relative of Empress Zariel as her 'successor'.
Synoppeia's fortunes have waxed and waned over the centuries. The city controls a large territory southeast of The Empire as well as possessions all around The Celestial Sea . There has never been outright war between The Empire and Synoppeia, but tensions have often been high.