The Domumfortis Castle

The Domumfortis Castle was a massive unfinished fortress that towered over Helmira during much of the Third and Fourth Era.

History

The Domumfortis Castle began construction under Emperor Henry II Viromaro. Its purpose was to aid in the defense of the city of Helmira, during a time when the King’s Keep Treaty was not yet signed, and when the city’s defenses were still depending on partial walls from the Second Era. Located north of the Bay of Splendour, it was easily reachable by the Kythiran crown in the event of a siege.

As a symbol of Helmiran power, it was to be the largest castle in history. Its massive foundations took several years to create, using a mixture of granite, bricks and near impenetrable obsidian. The outer walls soon began to rise up, making the building the tallest in the world. Upon realizing this, the Emperor ordered the King’s Keep’s tower to be increased in height.

Emperor Henry II never saw the completion of his castle. By the time his son, Richard II Viromaro signed the Treaty of the King’s Keep, establishing the Long Peace, construction was halted due to their exorbitant costs.

During the Fourth Era, occasionally members of house Viromaro tried to reignite the construction of the castle as a prestige project. However, by this time the original plans were already lost, and the outer shell of the fortress had been occupied by Helmira’s lower classes, who lived in tents among the towering walls.

At the end of the Fourth Era, Emperor Louis Viromaro began his great expansion of Helmira. To make way for the new Imperial Senate building, the castle was demolished. Former inhabitants were relocated to distant provinces, such as Alcanzar or Ardoragh.