Reydovan Prime was the capital and most powerful planet of the former Empire, until its fall in 2503. Established in 2270 by the Federation and conquered in 2296 by Reydovan Emperor Joshmaul I, Reydovan Prime was his crown jewel for his entire two century reign.
The planetary capital and seat of power was First City, on the continent of New Europe. This is the largest part of the planetwide cityscape on Reydovan Prime, which is why it is the planetary capital.
Reydovan Prime has been a hotbed of political intrigue for years, with battles between what would become the Republic and the Reydovan Empire stretching across Reydovan space. Most of the battles were done amongst the legislation, with pro-Imperial and anti-Imperial forces having shouting matches, which broke into fistfights and eventually military division between the pro- and anti-Imperial forces. Chancellor Underwood declared the Reydovan Directorate on March 11, 2501, and drove the Empire from Reydovan Prime. The final battle between the Empire and the Republic took place at Serenia, Reydovan Prime's moon, on June 17 of that year.
There are many features on Reydovan Prime, including the Hillary Mountains and the Imperial Desert, in addition to the mass cityscape.
The Hillary Mountains, on the continent of New Europe, are named after the British mountain climber who was the first to reach the top of Earth's Mount Everest in the late 1950s and makes up about 80% of the landscape surrounding the Capital District. The tallest peak, Black Mountain (shown here before Montagne Noire was built) reaches 34,000 feet above sea level. The fortress of Joshmaul was built here before it was destroyed by "terrorists" (freedom fighters working under the command of Chancellor Underwood) in 2500, as well as the Tower of the Argonath, Jeremiah Neill's mountain castle, and later, the tower of Montagne Noire, which was carved out of the top of Black Mountain itself.
On March 23, 2503, all civilization on Reydovan Prime was completely destroyed by massive seismic upheavals causing super-tsunamis to consume the entire planet and everyone on it. Only the upper 400 feet of Black Mountain - with the ruined fortress of Montagne Noire on top of it - pokes up out of the radiation-infested ocean. Imperial scientists speculate that the people will need to wait another four thousand years before Reydovan Prime will ever be habitable again.
