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In the northeastern region of the city of Mascaloma, right close to the river, upon the rightmost bank, a small hill sits, uncovered by the urban sprawl. There are no houses dotting the flats, but shining walls and rising bastions. There are no docks upon the incline, but a lush orchard upon the riverside. And sitting upon the hill, sitting higher than the tallest buildings and more proudly than the proudest buildings, lays a palace without compare; <span class="mu-s">El Imperial Alcàsser de Mascaloma</span>
It is, without a doubt, the greatest palace you have seen, incomparable to any previous. It is like a mountain given form, whittled down into an fine sculpture. It is visible even from afar, from beyond the river, the ornate walls visible even from afar, where the crimson-white paint paint shines upon the sun. It is in this great building that the House of Brascarams - the Imperial House - lives when upon the capital. It is here where the Throne of Mirevale is situated. The Imperial Court, most notably, is not held in the Alcásser itself, but on a separet building upon the Imperial Estates, very close and yet far more open to visitors.
You, of course, are not here to visit the Court.
Standing upon the bridge, you stare at the gateway, ensuring you have not forgotten anything before you approach. Before you stand a collection of the finest soldiers upon all of the Empire; covered from their lowermost toe to the highest tip of their hair in the finest of armor suits, not a single sight remains of their human form; not a single goal is left, save that of the protection of that greatest of families. As you walk towards them, a captain, signified by the sash around his helmet, approaches you, hand on his scabbard.
"State thee thy business."
"I am Don Alessandro Galliota, Viscount of Portblanc, of the Princedom of Segoma. I answer the call of my liege, for his imperial highness hath called me forth to meet."
Immediately, the man looks to one of his subordinates, and with a nod of his head, the man sets off towards the palace, marching with halberd in hand with perfect drill. For the next few minutes, there is waiting - a good deal of waiting. You stand patiently, the rushing of water and the distant sounds of the city filling your ears as you do. Some time later, the man arrives yet again, approaching the captain and almost certainly whispering to him something you cannot tell. Whatever the case, the captain stares upon you, before speaking yet again.
"Disarm thyself of any weapons you hold; show to me any items you wish to keep. Thou guardsmen shall remain behind, behind this gate and no further. Doth thou comprehend?"
"Verily." you reply, before beginning to check yourself. You deliver your personal belongings to your guards, trusting them to remain with it, and step forward to be checked by the guardsman. He pats you down, searching for all traces of threat, going so far as to demand you to remove your boots. Safety, after all, was paramount.
