Editing Dark Fantasy

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In a nutshell, '''Dark Fantasy''' is a form of [[Setting Aesthetics]] where a standard fantasy setting is portrayed in darker and edgier ways, usually with whole-hearted embracing of [[grimdark]]. Whilst it is sometimes overlapped with [[Low Fantasy]], this does not have to be the case; [[High Fantasy]] trimmings such as abundant magic or plentiful non-human races can be used in Dark Fantasy, it is merely the grimdark light that they are presented in that defines this setting - [[Warhammer Fantasy]] is, when looked at from the angle of its wargame, a Dark High Fantasy setting (although the Warhammer RPG, inversely, presents its as more of a Dark Low Fantasy).

Common trappings of Dark Fantasy include:
* Magic is at best a neutral and easily abused force, at worst it's an [[Chaos|actively evil force and often corrupts or destroys those who wield it]].
* "Darker" forms of magic, such as [[Blood Magic]] and [[Necromancer|Necromancy]], tend to be much more common than benevolent magics, such as healing.
* Magical weapons will often require a price in exchange for their power, exacted from either the bearer or the bearer's allies.
* The wilderness is actively malevolent, with the (often [[Chaos Spawn|horribly deformed]] or [[/d/|unnatural]]) beasts and monstrosities seeking the destruction of humanity.
* Civilization is an [[Skaven|utter shithole]], where the powerful crush and debase the weak.
* At best, "heroes" are closer to anti-heroes. At worst, you've got a case of self-centered assholes who'd normally be the villains being presented as "heroes" because they're at least fighting the forces seeking to make the world even ''worse''.
* The gods are apathetic, viciously cruel, non-existent or on the defensive.
* The church(es) is (are) [[Ecclesiarchy|corrupt]], incomptetent, actively evil or on the defensive.
* [[Grimdark|The world is truly bleak and any victories you win are ultimately pushing back the inevitable destruction of the world, and your efforts are pointless in the long run]].

==Examples==
* [[Berserk]]
* [[Dark Souls]]
* [[Witcher]]
* [[Elric]]
* [[Call of Cthulhu]]
* [[Darkest Dungeon]]
* [[Delta Green]]
* [[Don't Rest Your Head]]
* [[Ravenloft]]
* [[Dark Sun]]
* [[Midnight]]
* [[Exalted]]
* [[Kult]]
* [[Lamentations of the Flame Princess]]
* [[World of Darkness]]
* [[Warhammer Fantasy]]
* [[Warhammer 40,000]]

[[Category: Gamer Slang]] [[Category: Setting Aesthetics]]