Sapphire Palace

The Sapphire Palace, also referred to as the Palace Proper, is the central sovereign complex of the Sapphire Empire. It serves as the formal residence of Empress Salena Athomath and Virellia Irisa Athomath, as well as the ceremonial, judicial, and symbolic heart of the Empire. Located at the innermost point of the Imperial City in Athomathia, the Sapphire Palace functions as the final administrative threshold, enclosed by the Veil Gate, which separates it from the Spire Ring.

The Palace is a single, unified architectural structure, housing residential wings, imperial courts, internal military staging zones, and ceremonial spaces. It is neither divided among ministries nor shared with any other governing body. All decisions, edicts, and sovereign movements originate from this structure alone.

The facility is internally segmented by function:

  • Moonwalk Gallery: Sovereign residential wing.
  • Nightingale Court: Judicial and diplomatic wing under Virellia Irisa Athomath.
  • Sapphire Throne Room: Used for high-level declarations, state reception, and ceremonial announcements.
  • Grand Rotunda: Central transitional hub linking all internal sectors.
  • Eastern Wing: Private training, medical, and staging areas for the Empress and authorized Glaive personnel.

The Sapphire Palace is not open to the public and does not host legislative or military command operations.

The structure stands atop the former royal capital of Athomathia, symbolically marking the transition from fractured kingdom rule to singular imperial authority.

Purpose / Function

The Sapphire Palace functions as the sovereign seat of power for the Sapphire Empire. It is the central authority hub for imperial declarations, court functions, and ceremonial proceedings. It houses the private residences of the Empress and her heir apparent and includes court wings, ceremonial halls, and secured internal training and medical facilities.

Key sovereign functions include:

  • Residential occupation by Salena Athomath and Virellia Irisa Athomath
  • Hosting of imperial court sessions (limited in number and highly formal)
  • Conduct of sovereign decrees and ceremonial announcements
  • Security and operational coordination with the Spire Ring and Glaive elements
  • Housing of symbolic and legal spaces central to imperial authority

Alterations

The Sapphire Palace was constructed as a single, unified structure during the initial formation of the Imperial City. No major structural expansions have occurred since its completion in 2 AFE.

However, notable internal modifications have included:

  • Integration of Virellia Irisa Athomath’s private wing and courtroom facilities
  • Installation of additional sovereign-only passageways connecting to the Spire Ring
  • Expansion of the Eastern Wing to incorporate modern medical and training spaces
  • Preservation modifications in ceremonial sections to reinforce structural longevity

Architecture

The Palace is designed in Imperial Ascension Style, a formalist architectural style developed uniquely for the Sapphire Empire. The layout emphasizes tiered verticality, reflective marble, and internal rotation chambers structured around a central rotunda.

Key architectural features include:

  • Vaulted ceilings, high archways, and broad peristyle courtyards
  • Central Grand Rotunda that links all major sectors of the palace
  • Moonwalk Gallery: open-roof, circular residential wing with a central garden and dark marble pavilion
  • Use of Pearlstone, polished basalt, and mirrored polyglass throughout interior surfaces
  • Integration of thermal gradient walls and light-filtered skylights to maintain internal climate control

Defenses

While not outwardly militarized, the Sapphire Palace includes comprehensive internal security systems and structural safeguards:

  • Controlled Access Points: Entry and exit strictly regulated through the Veil Gate (connecting to the Spire Ring)
  • Embedded Guard Posts: Staffed exclusively by elite members of the Sapphire Glaive, particularly those bearing the Silver Raven insignia
  • Internal Surveillance Systems: Visual and environmental monitoring systems routed to Spire Ring security command
  • Secure Corridors and Reinforced Zones: Designated safe paths and blast-resistant architecture in critical sectors
  • Personnel Access Registry: All internal movements by non-sovereigns are monitored and recorded
  • Anti-Spatial Wards: Spatial displacement, teleportation, rift manipulation, or any similar magics are neutralized within the palace boundaries via layered Weave suppression fields.

History

The Sapphire Palace was constructed directly atop the former royal seat of Athomathia, the historical capital of the Kingdom of the same name prior to imperial unification. The site was once home to the region’s monarchic lineage, and remnants of that foundation—some architectural, some symbolic—remain embedded within the current structure.

Construction of the Palace began in 0.6 AFE, shortly after Empress Salena Athomath’s establishment of the Sapphire Empire. Its placement was intentional: to overwrite the fractured legacy of independent rule with a single, sovereign authority. The original seat of Athomathia was razed, excavated, and incorporated into the deeper sub-foundations of the Palace Proper.

Final construction was completed in 2 AFE, coinciding with the official transfer of imperial ceremonial authority from the Alagorian Senate to the centralized Throne. Since that time, the Sapphire Palace has remained the locus of sovereign residence, command, and ceremonial presence.

Tourism

Tourism to the Sapphire Palace is strictly prohibited. The structure is not accessible to the public under any condition. Official visitors are restricted to:

  • Authorized foreign dignitaries
  • Approved Sapphire Glaive and Azure Vanguard command staff
  • Specific court-appointed advisors or envoys
  • Imperial ministry staff under direct summons

While the Civic Mantle and Cultural Promenades provide limited access to imperial symbolism and exhibitions, the Sapphire Palace itself is completely sealed to civilian access.

Public depictions are tightly controlled, and even internal maps are classified. The structure remains one of the most restricted sites in the entire Empire.

Founding Date
2 AFE
Alternative Names
Palace Proper
Type
Palace
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization