Hollow Bastion/Radiant Garden

Hollow Bastion is dominated by a castle which, now derelict, once was the world's seat of power. A combination of clockwork mechanisms and magic operate lifts, which are used to traverse the castle. Underneath the castle entrance are the dungeons and a series of waterways which provide plumbing throughout the castle. A library upstairs contains knowledge collected by the castle's former scientists. A previously unknown entrance here leads to Ansem's study and his computer room. In the deepest part of the castle is a factory where Heartless were once manufactured. Aside from the castle itself, there is a town at its foot which is the base of operations for the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee. Hollow Bastion was once a peaceful kingdom called the Radiant Garden, ruled by Ansem the Wise. In his thirst for knowledge, he began studying the darkness in people's hearts, with six apprentices, including Xehanort. Ansem grew wary of the experiments and stopped them. Without his knowledge, his apprentices continued his work, producing the Heartless from hearts that were overwhelmed by darkness. A chain of events led to Ansem the Wise being banished, Xehanort splitting into two beings, and the world being overrun by the Heartless. Empty, the castle was later adopted by Maleficent as a headquarters.