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Each building in fantasy has its own story to tell. While not a building per se, the fantasy mine is the same though it is considered one of the most dangerous environments in the genre. Nestled within the mountain, there are dangers practically everywhere in the mine which means you have to be on your guard at all times, for letting it down even for just one moment could prove fatal.
The fantasy mine is seductive to a lot of people. It offers a path to riches since priceless ores are found inside though extracting them won’t come so easily. Breaking them open is a painstaking process since many fantasy worlds are set in medieval times. That means pickaxes are miners’ main weapon of choice when working. They have to be careful not to hit something that could cause a cave-in or worse.
The way to the mine begins right at the entrance. Since mines are located primarily in mountains — and in some cases, hills — getting there is only half the journey. Once you get there, you’re greeted with the darkness beckoning you to come on in. You have no choice but to grab a lantern and muster up the courage to step inside.
All parts of a fantasy mine teem with danger, beginning with the entrance. The deeper the mine is in the mountain, the more dangers there are. Besides the prospect of a cave-in, miners have to contend with wild, vicious animals that attack when they feel threatened or be careful where they step, lest they accidentally take a misstep and fall into a chasm.
With the mine being such a dangerous place to work in, it is relevant to the world because that’s where ores such as iron are mined. These ores are used in the construction of weapons and garments, among other things. In short, they help make civilization possible which makes the mine one of the most important parts of worldbuilding.
This is article number twenty-six in the fantasy buildings series. If you want more, check out more at our blog page!
Traditionally, a fantasy mine is not strictly considered a fantasy building but more of an environment. However, its entrance and exit are the same and people actively work inside, things it has in common with buildings. For the purpose of this article, we’ll treat the mine as a building.
The entrance officially signifies the starting point of the mine. In many fantasy worlds, miners have only basic protections such as the hat. This largely reflects the medieval era where working in the mine was considered one of the most dangerous occupations. They don on their hats and grab the pickaxes and lanterns and step inside.
Depending on the size of the fantasy mine and the ores within the mountain, miners navigate a series of narrow corridors, each one having been painstakingly broken using the pickaxes in their hands, as they head towards the veins bearing the ores.
The veins containing the ores differ from mountain to mountain. Some are found not too far from the entrance whereas others are very deep in, requiring extensive work just to get to. Regardless of their location, once the miners reach them, they set down their lanterns and get to work pronto.
As they use their pickaxes against the veins, the miners manage to unearth ores. They then place them in buckets or wheelbarrows and others transport them to the outside where they are then sent elsewhere. They continue working throughout their shift which may be eight or twelve hours or another number.
At the end of their shift, they pick up their things and make their way to the entrance, taking care not to anger the mountain on their way out. They’re covered in dust and some take a quick bath in a nearby river or stream whereas others just go straight home and clean themselves there.
There is not a single part of a mine that is danger-free. Even the entrance can be dangerous which is why it’s always best to exercise caution at all times. The fantasy mine can be more perilous than its real world counterpart since you can introduce threats unique to your world which can make for dramatic storytelling.
The mine contains a number of natural dangers. The prospect of a cave-in is ever present and can occur at anytime and anywhere. It is precisely for this reason why miners move slowly when they’re extracting ores from the veins. They know striking the wrong spot can cause a cave-in and that one inch may spell the difference between life and death.
Besides the chance of a cave-in, miners have to watch where they step. There are makeshift wooden bridges across bottomless pits that connect different parts of the mine together. Just a single misstep can lead to someone falling down the dark chasm.
In addition to having to worry about natural dangers, miners have to contend with hostile creatures. A great number of denizens inhabit caves and there’s no way of knowing which ones have them at first glance. You have those like bats who love the darkness of the caves which makes the fantasy mine the perfect place for them to call home.
Other vicious creatures such as orcs and goblins like the mine because it’s the perfect place for them to live in. They shun the sunlight, instead preferring dark places, and they attack those who dare encroach upon their territory. Mining companies usually employ a security force to clear these troublemakers out though eradicating them will take some time and there will be some unfortunate losses of life in the meantime.
The greatest dangers of the mine aren’t natural or creatures; it’s the ones who have been lying dormant for a long time. Powerful beasts like dragons burrow in the heart of the mountain and stir when they hear noise. They savagely attack everything in their path. These beasts are power personified and can instantly make a mining company cease all operations in the mine.
If the mine is such a dangerous place, then why do people keep wanting to work there? It’s because the mine is a major contributor to the world, being one of the cornerstones of civilization. Without the use of mines, medieval civilization would not exist.
The reason why the fantasy mine is so important is because of the ores found within. There’s a great number of different types of ores and each one has its own use. For example, a diamond ore is predominantly used for jewelry whereas an iron ore is used to make armor or weapons.
The ores unearthed from the mine are used in a wide variety of things from building magnificent castles to roads. Before they can be used, they have to be melted down and forges are the perfect vehicle to accomplish this. Usually mining companies have an in-house forge to do this.
The fantasy mine is one of the kingdom’s most significant assets since the ores within can dictate its future. Kingdoms with many mines in use wield more power in the world than those that don’t. They can even use them as bargaining chips to negotiate deals with those that have something they want like food such as bananas.
Many stories incorporate war in some capacity. Whether it’s one that transpired in the past or one that’s presently unfolding, the mine is the source of the kingdom’s power. It is where metals like iron that the soldiers use in their weapons and armor are mined and the mine has to be protected at all times since enemies will undoubtedly attack it in order to cripple the kingdom’s ability to wage war which can prove fatal.
The fantasy mine is one of the most dangerous places in the world. No matter where you are inside it, there will always be danger lurking around. It is because of the dangers that the mine is a great setting in which to tell stories for its constant tension will keep your audience interested all the way through!
Getting to the mine isn’t easy. With it located in the mountain, miners have to journey quite a bit just to get there and that’s before they even step foot inside! After they reach the entrance, they go inside and head towards the part of the mine they’ll be working that day.
Once they’re in, they have to keep their guard up for there’s no shortage of threats such as a cave-in or vicious animals that moved in overnight lying in wait. Even when they reach the worksite, they’re still not safe for the possibility of something going bad will always persist through their shift.
The mine is where priceless metals such as iron are mined. These metals make medieval civilization possible. Mines are a key strategic asset to the kingdom since they enable it to construct a military that can either defend it or wage war. During wartime, the kingdom’s enemies will do whatever they can to weaken it, even going as far as to attack the mine, hoping that by making it inoperable, it will cripple the kingdom and enhance its chances of victory.
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