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With the last of the vast grassland in the rear view, the man continued on his journey. He had come to the place he knew he would have to go through, a place he wasn’t looking forward to. As he got closer, he could feel the humidity rising and beads of sweat cascading down his forehead. The place he would have to work up the courage to make it to the other side was none than one of the fabled fantasy jungles.
As a fantasy environment, the jungle biome doesn’t take up much space. It appears only in specific areas and the conditions to make them can’t be recreated anywhere else.
One thing jungles are known for is their oppressive heat and humidity. In just a matter of moments, an explorer will be drenched in sweat even in the morning! And yet it’s one of the most fascinating places to explore.
The reason why fantasy jungles are so fun to look around is that it’s full of vegetation, from the thick tree canopy to the overgrown bushes that have thorns. The greenery is great to look at and it hides many things that may or may not want to be found.
While the jungle biome is a favorite environment, sadly it doesn’t play much of a role in the story. This of course depends on the type of story being told but many of them take place in parts of the world where the jungle is just too far out to actually matter. There’s some tales that take place in only the jungle or where the majority of their scenes are set there.
This is the thirteenth in a series focusing on the different kinds of fantasy environments. That’s a lot of articles and there’s still more to come! As always, if you’d like to check out the others, you can find them on our blog.
Without further ado, let’s venture in the jungle and see what it’s all about!
The jungle biome appears only in certain areas of the world. More specifically, the tropics or areas close to the planet’s equator. The tropics has abundant light all year round and it’s warm throughout the year. The constant light and warm temperatures make it easy for plants to not only grow but explode with frenzy.
Fantasy jungles get plenty of rain as the year progresses. The rain helps fuel the plants’ growth. The tradeoff? It makes them more humid, which isn’t fun. They’re also likely to get struck by hurricanes which bring devastating rain and fierce winds with them.
Combining the heat and humidity results in a miserable experience for the average person. After taking just a few steps into the jungle, he’ll be soaked in sweat and it’ll only continue the deeper he wades in. It’s really easy to get dehydrated while exploring the jungle which is why it’s a good idea to have a canteen full of water.
While the average joe might decide that going in a jungle biome isn’t worth it, only enthusiastic explorers leap right into the fray with a fierce determination to not let anything hold them back. They see a golden opportunity to discover something that just might lead to them becoming famous!
Whether you’re someone who just happens to be a typical traveler or an explorer filled with ideas about fame and glory, it’s imperative to prepare before going in. This still applies to fantasy. The last thing you want is for your audience to be skeptical that your characters are walking through the jungle and not breaking a sweat.
What should you, the creator, do to ensure that your audience doesn’t lose the ability to immerse themselves in your world when your characters are in the jungle? For starters, have them wear light, loose clothing. And be sure to have them carry canteens or any other kind of containers full of water. You can give them rest breaks where they discuss their next moves. These little details go a long way in winning people over.
The goal here is to have your audience pay attention to what’s going on, not nitpick over a character wearing an outfit more suitable elsewhere or the fact that they went inside a jungle without bringing water with them. You want to give them an experience they’ll never forget!
One thing fantasy jungles are known for is how they’re overrun by plants. Trees that seem to reach into the skies. Large, thick bushes that prove difficult to get through without getting scratched. No matter which part of the jungle you’re in, you’ll definitely be surrounded by plants!
Large palm-like trees dominate the jungle biome, with their leaves and tough bark. While their huge leaves overlap, providing a respite from the heat of the sun, they also make it feel more humid. These trees have coconuts or similar fruits hanging on them and it’s not an easy climb to get them. They’re so tall that it only takes one mistake to fall off and falling off might cause severe injuries, if not worse.
While the great trees of fantasy jungles might catch your attention, the many bushes on the ground will most definitely get your attention. There’s too many different kinds to mention here so just a few will be covered. They are as follows:
You might think that with all this vegetation, the jungle biome is paradise for insects. Well, on that count, you’re right. Insects like mosquitoes and beetles plague the jungle, annoying people traveling through the jungle. They never cease, even bothering people at nighttime.
The massive vegetation makes fantasy jungles excellent places to unearth secrets. One popular secret jungles conceal is treasure. Many intrepid explorers scour these areas, searching for the ‘legendary treasure’ that’s supposedly full of riches.
The foliage of the jungle biome also hides ruins of ancient civilizations. In the years following their collapse, nature’s reclaimed the ruins. Where pristine buildings once stood there’s now crumbling structures full of vines and other plants that’s grown over the years. Nature reclaiming the ruins makes them interesting places to explore but it also makes them more dangerous, for explorers have to tread carefully and not touch poisonous plants.
When it comes to the story, fantasy jungles play only a marginal role. That is, they usually appear only one part and they don’t show up again afterward. In some cases, they’re not even in the story at all!
The reason for this is the jungle biome is more of a situational environment. What that means is there are certain circumstances where you can use it; otherwise you have to keep it out of the plot. As a creator, your goal is to always keep moving forward. If the jungle doesn’t move your story forward even one inch, it just won’t work. If you really want to feature a jungle in your story, you’ll have to rework it in a way that works.
Certain circumstances include being part of a treasure hunt or having to travel through it in order to reach a destination. The number one reason why fantasy jungles are used is for the hero to find a long-lost artifact that’ll help him either get rich or defeat the villain of the story. You see this in countless movies and video games.
Forcing the hero to travel through the jungle is a superb way to bring it into the plot. This means he’ll have to navigate the many dangers it poses, which makes for excitement and drama, which the audience loves! Unfortunately, once the hero emerges on the other side, the jungle doesn’t show up again later on.
If you really want fantasy jungles to feature heavily in your story, the best way for that to work is to have one that takes place in one. Stories like Tarzan are great examples. They work because the setting and characters complement each other perfectly.
The reality of it is there’s only so many environments to put in the story. The last thing creators need is to cram every single one of them in there. Don’t put an environment you love in the story for its sake; the story dictates what appears. Shoehorning one in even though it doesn’t warrant it will ruin it and leave your audience with a bitter taste in their mouths.
The jungle biome is full of intrigue and excitement. From being harassed by bugs to crossing a roaring river by walking on a rickety bridge, there’s never a dull moment in the jungle. This makes it one of the best environments to explore.
If there’s two things fantasy jungles are known for, it’s the heat and humidity. They see temperatures in the seventies and higher virtually all year long which combined with the high humid levels makes for a terrible time. These two things make people more likely to get dehydrated.
The jungle biome is also known for its great assortment of flora and fauna. From the tall palm-like trees to the small hedges laced with thorns, the jungle is a plant lover’s paradise. Unfortunately, all these plants are a magnet for many insects like mosquitoes.
While fantasy jungles are key for worldbuilding, they really aren’t needed for the story. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t discard them. Quite the opposite, you should fit them only if it’ll work with the story. If the whole plot takes place in one, even better!
In the final analysis, jungles are a fundamental part of the world and you should strive to put them in the world you’re creating. If they don’t appear in your story, it’s okay. Who knows, maybe they’ll appear in your next one?
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Sunfire
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