Eternal Fortress
More dangerous to the imperial treasury than it is to any enemy.Most castles and forts take years to build. Some take decades. None take centuries - with one exception. A fortress that has recently celebrated an anniversary of two hundred years, yet it is still in process of construction. A project that was at time suspended, but never cancelled. A testament to the imperial might and archetecture as much as to its rigid administrative policies. Why would anyone allow any project, and an expensive one at that, to drag on for so long? Put simply - tradition. When something has been the case for your entire life as well as the lives of your father and grandfathers, it is not easy to just make it go away without everyone talking about it. Add to that corrupt officials and interests of local nobility, and you get a perfect recipe for disaster.
Purpose / Function
Officially? A key defensive structure in the region, protecting the shores of Ardenian Empire from invasions by ever-confontational Kingdom of Eire. In my opinion? A massive embezzelement scheme, with thousands of workers depending on it as a major source of income for their entire lives. And even the emperor would not want to upset the guilds without a good reason.
Alterations
It was never meant to be this important of a fortification to begin with. A simple castle, a place to host several dozen soldiers and act as a resupply point in a dangerous area. It was then expanded again, and again, and again. To the point where one would be hard pressed to find a mightier castle across the lands, if any even exist.
Still, it is never quite finished. A tower might be under construction, even if it is missing just a few bricks. A new layer of walls might be erected, conveniently located in place of an old one. But that is not repairs, no, it is new constructions! For the most part, the garrison of the fortress - now thousands strong - treats its status as more of a peculiar quirk seldom affecting their day-to-day life. No one even uses its official name anymore.
History
I should note here that the whole situation is, at least in part, due to a long streak of coincidences. Had an emperor lived long enough to see the fortress finished, that would be the end of it. Had his son not decided to expand the project in honour of his father, things would be done on schedule. Had Eirish not come back to haunt the Empire, all the better. Every time more excuses were made up to justify the expense, as emperors strove to outdo each other in how majestic they wanted the place to be. And here we are now, two centuries later.
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