Imperial City
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Overview
Imperial City, the glittering jewel in Praetoria's crown, is the commercial and entertainment hub where Praetorians go to work and play. But Imperial City is more than a glitzy showcase for Praetorian amusements and entrepreneurial endeavors. It is also the site of one of the first victories against Hamidon and the Devouring Earth. At the location now dubbed People's Park, Marcus Cole and his trusty lieutenants, the Praetors, dealt the Devouring Earth a major blow, and the park now stands as a symbol of nature reclaimed. The city grew around this reclaimed territory, a testament to Marcus Cole's vision of Imperial City as a place of recreation and comfort for his people.
Imperial City features the vibrant entertainment district of Aureas, where highly regarded stage dramas, musicals, and comedies draw crowds from across the Empire. The headquarters of the world's preeminent media conglomerate, the Total Praetoria Network (TPN), which disseminates a constant flow of information, education, and entertainment to the masses, lies in Imperial City's Logos district. A companion ministry to TPN is the Cultural Direction & Education Center, which crafts the message of the Empire for public consumption. The CDEC offers a multitude of courses for the public covering a wide array of topics, in addition to being the publishing arm of the Empire and distributor of Marcus Cole's seminal work of political theory, An Empire of the Mind, throughout the world. As is stated in book 3, chapter 12, page 482 of An Empire of the Mind: "Knowledge is a sword that bests all enemies."
The lavish neighborhood of Four Gables stands as a reminder of what benefits may come to those who have established themselves in the corporate arena and who bring glory (and lucre) to the Empire, though not every enclave in Imperial City is so joyous. It is a sad fact that while Hamidon and the Devouring Earth have been defeated and the sonic pylons continue to keep them at bay, their dread influence can extend into the hearts and minds of every innocent Praetorian in the form of the Tellurian Plague. Borne by spores exuded from the Devouring Earth monstrosities, the plague exerts a malign influence upon the minds, and ultimately the bodies, of those infected. For the safety of the Empire and for the plague victims themselves, Marcus Cole has established the Behavioral Adjustment Facility to house the afflicted, to treat the disease, and also to devise a cure. Unfortunately, a cure has yet to emerge, and until that wonderful day arrives, the guests of the B.A.F. are forced to remain sequestered within.
Not all of those who are drawn to the bright lights of Imperial City come for its entertainment value or its world class restaurants. Imperial City, above all, is Marcus Cole's gift to the people of Praetoria, and he will not have that gift sullied by thugs and usurpers. But even with the supreme investigatory skills of the PPD and the Powers Division, a pervasive criminal element blights Cole's perfect city. The global criminal cabal dubbed the Syndicate has insinuated itself into Praetoria's corporate establishment, using bribes, intimidation, and guile to pervert Praetoria's noble purpose toward the Syndicate's own ends. Though, arguably, not as great a threat to the peace of Praetoria as the Resistance is, the Syndicate is an affront to Cole's vision of a world founded upon honor, merit, and the rule of law. Wherever its influence spreads, corruption and deviance are the only result.
