Dark Fantasy: Difference between revisions
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Common trappings of Dark Fantasy include: | Common trappings of Dark Fantasy include: | ||
* Magic is at best a neutral and easily abused force, at worst it's an actively evil force and often corrupts or destroys those who wield it. | * 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. | * "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. | * 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 horribly deformed or unnatural) beasts and monstrosities seeking the destruction of humanity. | * 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 utter shithole, where the powerful crush and debase the weak. | * 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''. | * 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, or non-existent. | * The gods are apathetic, viciously cruel, or non-existent. | ||
* The church(es) is (are) corrupt, power-hungry, or actively evil. | * The church(es) is (are) [[Ecclesiarchy|corrupt]], power-hungry, or actively evil. | ||
* 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. | * 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. | ||
Revision as of 10:48, 5 June 2019
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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 actively evil force and often corrupts or destroys those who wield it.
- "Darker" forms of magic, such as Blood Magic and 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 horribly deformed or unnatural) beasts and monstrosities seeking the destruction of humanity.
- Civilization is an 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, or non-existent.
- The church(es) is (are) corrupt, power-hungry, or actively evil.
- 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.