Flying Fortress

The Flying Fortress, also known as the FLOATING CASTLE or Sky Castle, is a location from the original Final Fantasy only accessible through the Mirage Tower. In the NES and MSX versions, in a significant plot twist, it was revealed on entry to be a purely-technological satellite station in high stellar orbit above the planet, displaying the stars in the background; the releases starting with the WonderSwan Color version changed it into a more traditional castle in the clouds, albeit still made with technology significantly more advanced than anything on the surface. This structure is where the Wind Crystal rests and where the Fiend of Wind, Tiamat, awaits the Warriors of Light.
An even greater threat exists on the bridge leading to Tiamat's lair: the powerful machine of death known as the Warmech.
== Story ==
The Flying Fortress was home to the advanced Lufenian race. Their expertise in technology is seen in the grand structure of the fortress and its ability to levitate. Four hundred years before the advent of the Warriors of Light, Tiamat drove the Lufenians out and they were forced make a home on the surface, Lufenia.
After obtaining the Chime from Lufenia and the Warp Cube from the Waterfall Cavern, the Warriors of Light venture to the Mirage Tower to reach the Flying Fortress where they defeat Tiamat and restore the Wind Crystal.
== Items ==
thumb|Flying Fortress artwork by Yoshitaka Amano.
Item 	Location
Razer 	First Floor
180 gil 	First Floor
5,000 gil 	First Floor
Protect Ring 	First Floor
6,720 gil 	First Floor
Healing Helm 	First Floor
7,900 gil 	First Floor
4,150 gil 	First Floor
9,900 gil 	First Floor
Potion 	First Floor
Diamond Gloves	Second Floor
Diamond Shield	Second Floor
Ribbon 	Second Floor
White Robe 	Second Floor
Black Robe 	Second Floor
Adamantite 	Second Floor
Cottage 	Second Floor
Mythril Helm 	Second Floor
8,135 gil 	Third Floor
Protect Cloak 	Third Floor
9,500 gil 	Third Floor
Clothes 	Third Floor
Gold Needle 	Third Floor
5,450 gil 	Third Floor
Potion 	Third Floor
9,000 gil 	Third Floor
Protect Ring 	Third Floor
Sasuke's Blade	Third Floor
3,400 gil 	Third Floor
4,150 gil 	Third Floor
Gold Needle 	Third Floor
== Encounters ==
right|thumb|Battle background.
right|thumb|Tiamat battle background.
Encounters 	Encounters 	Areas
Pixel Remaster	Other releases	Areas
* [80/1000] Black Knight x3
* [80/1000] Earth Medusa x1
* [80/1000] Black Flan x3
* [70/1000] Spirit Naga x1
* [70/1000] Nightmare x1, Death Knight x1
* [70/1000] Manticore x3
* [70/1000] Earth Medusa x2
* [60/1000] Black Knight x5
* [60/1000] Air Elemental x1, Spirit Naga x1
* [60/1000] Evil Eye x1
* [60/1000] Nightmare x2, Death Knight x1
* [60/1000] Manticore x4
* [60/1000] Earth Medusa x3
* [60/1000] Sand Worm x1
* [60/1000] Black Flan x4	
* [24/64] Black Knight x2-5
* [12/64] Spirit Naga x1, Air Elemental x0-1
* [12/64] Evil Eye x1
* [6/64] Death Knight x1, Nightmare x1-2
* [6/64] Manticore x3-4
* [3/64] Earth Medusa x1-4
* [1/64] Black Flan x3-6	1F
* [80/1000] Spirit Naga x1
* [80/1000] Earth Medusa x4
* [80/1000] Stone Golem x3
* [80/1000] Black Flan x3
* [70/1000] Manticore x3
* [70/1000] Chimera x1
* [70/1000] Earth Medusa x3
* [70/1000] Stone Golem x2
* [60/1000] Air Elemental x1, Spirit Naga x1
* [60/1000] Evil Eye x1
* [60/1000] Manticore x4
* [60/1000] Nightmare x2, Death Knight x1
* [60/1000] Nightmare x1, Death Knight x1
* [50/1000] Black Flan x5
* [50/1000] Black Flan x4	
* [12/64] Spirit Naga x1, Air Elemental x0-1
* [12/64] Evil Eye x1
* [12/64] Manticore x3-4
* [12/64] Chimera x1
* [6/64] Death Knight x1, Nightmare x1-2
* [6/64] Earth Medusa x1-4
* [3/64] Stone Golem x2-4
* [1/64] Black Flan x3-6	2F
* [70/1000] Medusa x1, Rakshasa x3
* [70/1000] Rakshasa x3
* [70/1000] Chimera x1
* [70/1000] Manticore x3
* [70/1000] Stone Golem x3
* [70/1000] Stone Golem x2
* [70/1000] Vampire Lord x2
* [60/1000] Soldier x1, Guardian x1
* [60/1000] Soldier x1
* [60/1000] Manticore x4
* [60/1000] Fire Hydra x4
* [60/1000] Vampire Lord x3
* [60/1000] Dark Fighter x2
* [60/1000] Dark Fighter x1
* [50/1000] Medusa x2, Rakshasa x3
* [40/1000] Medusa x3, Rakshasa x4	
* [12/64] Guardian x0-1, Soldier x1
* [12/64] Rakshasa x3-7, Medusa x0-5
* [12/64] Chimera x1
* [12/64] Manticore x3-4
* [6/64] Fire Hydra x4
* [6/64] Stone Golem x2-4
* [3/64] Vampire Lord x1-3
* [1/64] Dark Fighter x1-2	3F
* [90/1000] Vampire Lord x2
* [90/1000] Dark Fighter x1
* [80/1000] Soldier x1, Guardian x1
* [80/1000] Soldier x1
* [80/1000] Neochu x2
* [80/1000] Air Elemental x2
* [80/1000] Vampire Lord x3
* [80/1000] Air Elemental x2, Spirit Naga x1
* [80/1000] Dark Fighter x2
* [70/1000] Air Elemental x3, Spirit Naga x1
* [60/1000] Air Elemental x4
* [40/1000] Medusa x3, Rakshasa x4
* [30/1000] Medusa x3, Rakshasa x6
* [30/1000] Medusa x4, Rakshasa x5
* [30/1000] Mindflayer x3, Clay Golem x1	
* [12/64] Rakshasa x3-7, Medusa x0-5
* [12/64] Guardian x0-1, Soldier x1
* [12/64] Neochu x1-2
* [12/64] Air Elemental x2-4
* [6/64] Mindflayer x1-6, Clay Golem x1-2
* [6/64] Vampire Lord x1-3
* [3/64] Spirit Naga x0-1, Air Elemental x1-3
* [1/64] Dark Fighter x1-2	4F
* [90/1000] Air Elemental x2
* [90/1000] Air Elemental x2, Spirit Naga x1
* [90/1000] Black Flan x6
* [90/1000] Black Flan x5
* [90/1000] Black Flan x4
* [80/1000] Neochu x2
* [80/1000] Air Elemental x4
* [80/1000] Fire Hydra x4
* [80/1000] Air Elemental x3, Spirit Naga x1
* [80/1000] Dark Fighter x2
* [80/1000] Dark Fighter x1
* [30/1000] Mindflayer x6, Clay Golem x2
* [30/1000] Mindflayer x5, Clay Golem x2
* [10/1000] Warmech x1
* [Boss] Tiamat x1	
* [12/64] Neochu x1-2
* [12/64] Air Elemental x1-4
* [12/64] Mindflayer x1-6, Clay Golem x1-2
* [12/64] Fire Hydra x4
* [6/64] Spirit Naga x0-1, Air Elemental x0-3
* [6/64] Black Flan x3-6
* [3/64] Dark Fighter x1-2
* [1/64] Warmech x1
* [Boss] Tiamat x1	5F
== Musical themes ==
The Flying Fortress's background music is named after itself, only reappearing in certain floors of the Whisperwind Cove.
== Other appearances ==
=== Final Fantasy Tactics ===
The Floating Castle is mentioned as one of the wonders in Final Fantasy Tactics. It bears the following description:
:The winged ones possessed technology allowing them to transmute cloudstone into crystals, like the ones that keep this castle aloft. Unfortunately, both the winged ones and their wondrous knowledge were lost in the Cataclysm.
=== Dissidia Final Fantasy ===
In Dissidia Final Fantasy the fortress is referred to by name, as both Wing of the Hawk and the Town on the Hawk's Wing.
The Dreams of a Flying Castle Gateway in Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy is located in the middle of the Mirage Sandsea (Dissidia 012's given name to the Yahnikurm Desert area), and is a reference to the Flying Fortress.
=== Final Fantasy Record Keeper ===
The Flying Fortress is a Realm Dungeon, unlocked by completing Sunken Shrine. Completing it unlocks Nibelheim.
===Final Fantasy Brave Exvius===
FFBE Flying Fortress.png|
FFBE Flying Fortress 2.png|
FFBE Flying Fortress 3.png|
FFBE Flying Fortress 4.png|
A explorable sky fortress was made available as a limited time event, and completely recreated the maps of the dungeon in the exact same layout as in the original game. The art design taken with this was in line with the sky castle concept seen in later revisions of the original game, however its battle graphic showed highly polished metallic floors instead of stone.
The enemies present in the exploration stage showcase some, but not all of the monsters seen in the original games. Unfortunately Warmech or デスマシーン (Desu Mashīn) was not included in the enemy listings on the final floor, but Tiamat does serve as the boss to the stage. The music selected to play here was the original 8-bit melodies instead of the updated remastered music heard in the PS1 and later versions.
== Gallery ==
FF NES Flying Fortress.png|Flying Fortress (NES).
SkyCastle.gif|Flying Fortress's battle background (NES).
Sky Fortress PS.png|Sky Fortress (PS).
FF Flying Fortress GBA.png|Flying Fortress (GBA).
FFI Wind Crystal GBA.png|The Wind Crystal (GBA).
FF1 Wind Crystal Room.PNG|The Wind Crystal (PSP).
NES FF1 Graphic.png|Flying Fortress in the center of an "orb" in the official NES-era cover artwork. This piece was modified from Yoshitaka Amano's concept art of the Flying Fortress.
FFRK Flying Fortress JP FFI.png|The Japanese dungeon image for Flying Fortress in Final Fantasy Record Keeper.
==Notes==
=== Annotations ===
=== Citations ===
de:Luftschloss
es:Fortaleza Voladora
it:Fortezza volante
pt-br:Flying Fortress
Category:Locations in Final Fantasy
Category:Castles