Fort Buwan

Just like how the Realm of the Sun has the Corona Fort, the Realm of the Moon has a fort. Named Buwan, it is the headquarters of the 28 Lunar Mansion Knights. It is known for being shrouded in a silver mist and its tendency to change location.

## History

It is a structure in the old Aether World that was where the armies of the Realm of the Moon live in. During the war against the Devourer of Worlds, this fortress was one of the buildings destroyed, its foundations remaining.

It is one of the buildings rebuilt by Ranald and his classmates as a part of their final-year project. It is now the meeting place of the 28 Knights of the Lunar Mansions and Mayari herself when they want to discuss matters.

## Description

The fort is made of Lunar Silver and sandstone, with marble statues, tapestries, columns and stained glass windows alongside bastions, half-bastions and other defenses. In the middle of the fort is a citadel comprised of the dwellings of the Knights and a palace-fortress called the Deer's Repose that serves as their meeting place.

### The Interior of the Deer's Repose

Cold Light Hall: A lobby that you enter in once you pass through the main gate. Its Lunar Silver floor glows softly in the dark, and above it are floating lamps that represent stars. Depicted on the walls are images of the moon in its phases led by a deer and the heraldry of the 28 Knights as seen on the silver badges above them. There are doors that lead to the other rooms.

Knight's Hall. This hall can fit all 28 Knights and others including the Silver Deer Warrior of Changing Moon, the Zodiac Generals and the Four Guardians. It has a viewing gallery that can be accessed by spiral stairs. There is a podium from where the Silver Deer Warrior addresses the Knights.

Dining Hall: Where the Knights assemble to eat. It is not as elaborate as the Argent Castle's Harvest Moon Dining Hall, but it possesses its own beauty. The table cloth is made from lunar moth silk, and the chairs are carved from osmanthus wood. An elegant chandelier hangs from a ceiling, with scented candles attached to it.

Moonlit Spa and Bathroom: A place where the Knights bathe and relax in a steaming hot bath, in contrast to the cold in the fort. The walls are made of the Realm of the Moon's Jade Bamboos, with Lunar Pearls fitted on poles that light up the room flanking the mirrors, the entrance and exit in the room. There's a shower that resembles a fountain that is in the middle of a bathtub as big as a swimming pool built into the marble floor, surrounded by the magic lava crystals from the Realm of Mars that supply endless heat to the spring water that is mineral-rich and is actually from Clear Moon Pond. A pathway connects the shower to the floor of the spa and bathroom.

A shoji screen with the Realm of the Moon's landscape painted on it serves as a room divider that separates the bathroom from the changing area, where users can wear their swimsuits if they brought any before relaxing themselves. The changing area is divided into two sections for male and female by a Jade Bamboo wall, which has wall mirrors on both of its sides. Usually, one can bathe in the shower first before entering the bathtub for their hot bath. The entrance is at the left side of the changing room, while the exit is at the right side of the spa and bathroom.

Theatre and Concert Hall: An extension of the fortress where performances are held. Accessed through a colonnade with Lunar Marble columns with silver trim leading to a double door with musical instruments engraved on it, which leads to the foyer. It has 800 seats total, with a sandalwood thrust stage and an orchestra pit. There are midnight blue curtains hanging from a proscenium arch and galleries for additional seating on all three levels, with the theatre's ceiling decorated with glowing real stars. The stage has a recital studio beside it, accessible from the right-wing. It is also used for awards ceremonies and fashion shows. The theatre and concert hall's exterior though is well defended by stun cannons.

Antler Keep: Named for the antlers above its doors, this tower is accessed by an antechamber as its first floor. Climb the stairs and you may find the hall leading to the Discussion Room, where the Knights meet to talk to each other and share battle strategies. It has a silver table with seats and a holographic screen. Climb up further and you get to the viewing gallery, where you can see the Realm of the Moon's scenery. At the keep's top, there is a belfry where a gold and silver bell is rung to announce the coming of day.

Teleporter Room: Accessible to the Knights designated as squad leaders, this room is based on the one in Argent Castle, with its teleporting crystal on a stand and the table with the 3D holographic map of the Realm of the Moon, with the addition of communicators for contact with the Silver Deer Warrior or anyone else. Like with Argent Castle, the user simply needs to put her hands on the crystal and say where she wants to go. On the map, a hologram of Fort Buwan will appear on the desired location, and the actual fort will teleport there.

Frozen Moon Dungeon: An oubliette deep in the basement, it has been jokingly dubbed the 'Cold Palace', since there are Snow Diamonds embedded in the dungeon's walls. A ladder is the only way to access this dungeon from above, and there are silver-pearl steel chains hanging from the walls too. They are made from the metal of the chains adorning the wrists of Chained Maiden's gauntlets mixed with silver, and thus are impossible to break. Also, the chains hold a villain in place for him to be frozen into an ice crystal, preventing him from escaping. Only the Silver Antler Keys that are in the Argent Castle's private quarters can free one from the ice.

### The Exterior of the Deer's Repose

The Deer's Repose is surrounded by 28 bases divided into four areas. Each area has seven bases, and each has its own unique appearance. They are connected to the fortress by paths of crystal.

Northern Area: The seven bases of this area have common traits: They have black decorations, with the New Moon as a common motif. Hexagons and tortoiseshell patterns are found throughout their bases, as well as armour displays. Water and ice motifs are common as well, with some examples: icicles hanging from the walls, snowmen on the floor, wave patterns at the bottom of columns and walls of some Knight's bases, wall decorations and hanging lamps resembling snowflakes and ice growing from the floor, some of which glow. A pond where Aetherian snow turtles can be fed is a common meeting ground in the area.

Eastern Area: With green trees and plants surrounding them, this area's seven bases have common traits: Shades of green are common colours of decorations found on them, as well as blue and even turquoise. The half-moon and gibbous moon turn up in this area often as motifs. Floral motifs and imagery decorate these bases, with vines growing on some columns and blue flowers on the walls and as ceiling lights. Dragons are another motif, usually found as statues, coiling around other columns, or with plant features attached to them (wings made of leaves or tree branches for horns). A common meeting ground in this area is a garden filled with the Realm of the Sun's morning glory and butterfly pea plants.

Southern Area: The bases of this area have common traits: They have decorations in shades of fiery red and orange, with yellow sometimes being present. A full moon, either a yellow moon or red moon, is another motif that recurs in the bases decorations. Feathers and wings, especially in the mentioned colours are common too, either as hanging decorations or carved above the entrances of the bases (Fire Snake of Wings is one example). Flame motifs are also common, usually at the bottom of columns as well as in candles, and a campfire is a common meeting ground for the Knights in this area.

Western Area: This area has common traits found throughout its bases: White and black, like the Northern Area bases, but more white, and sometimes silver. The black is often a jagged or striped pattern (suggesting tiger stripes-or teeth) on the columns of some bases and interiors. The crescent moon and half-moon are commonly seen motifs in these bases. Tigers are a common motif, either as stone statues or as in paintings and murals. Sharp items, perhaps reminding one of tiger teeth or claws, are on display, such as a Knight's bladed or polearm weapon or pointed stakes. A common meeting ground is a pit where the Knights in this area hang out.

### Other Buildings

Tower of Polar Night: A prison for more dangerous dimensional villains, it is known for being a tower with seven stories. Each story has a crystal slab where the offending person is sealed in and released from if he serves his time. Lunar Pearls light up the tower's walls, and Snow Diamonds keep this place cool. Sometimes Lunar Mansion Knights volunteer to guard this tower from any villain who may be planning to free its prisoners.

Firefly Teahouse: This place is where you can relax, sup tea, and view the fireflies. It can be recognized by the signage over the main doors. Enter through its main doors and you get automatically cleaned of sweat, grime, and rainwater. It has a yukimi shoji (雪見障子, snow watching shoji) as the windows and they can slide open to lead to the balconies where you can view the fireflies dance anong the scenery. If you want to leave a message, tell the fireflies about it and who you want the message to be conveyed to. They will form it when the recipient of your message arrives.

Inside the teahouse, there are cushions and tables arranged in random positions. Of course, tea is served there, and the kitchen where it's brewed is accessible through a reed door.

Community Center: Like Fort Corona's, it's where the Knights can meet and socialize with each other, as well as some Crusaders and even Stars of Destiny. They can do many activities there.

### Exterior

Gates: The gates leading to Fort Buwan's inside are made of Lunar Marble and moonstone. With deer statues flanking its sides and portraying a shield with a full moon above the entrance, this defence has laser cannons fitted above the towers of these gates. One can be found at the exterior of the Deer's Repose, and the other is built into the walls surrounding the fort.

Bastions: There are cannons on these bastions that serve as the main defence. They are non-lethal. Once shot by one, you end up sleeping, with your soul drifting to Dreamland until you wake up.

Curtain Walls: Sandstone walls surround the citadel and its buildings, impenetrable to most physical and magic attacks. There are towers built into these walls and at their bottom, there are mist generators that shroud the fort in mist while it teleports away.

## Trivia

* 'Buwan' means 'Moon' in Tagalog

**See Also**

* Fort Corona