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The role fantasy dungeons play vary by world. In some worlds, they’re sacred grounds where only a select few have permission to enter. Other places feature them as unique buildings just off the beaten path that are grander than castles that have their own secrets, their own history. Regardless of what role they play, one thing is for certain: they serve as crucial points throughout the story. One of these places is the fabled light dungeon.
The light dungeon is considered the holiest type of dungeon due to its strong connection with the deities of the world. It is a place where evil cannot control, despite the servants of darkness’ constant attempts to seize it. As such, it is the polar opposite of the dungeon of darkness.
With it being a holy place, it comes as no surprise that the designs for the light dungeon are modeled after religious buildings like churches or cathedrals. Indeed, much of its outside displays its relationship with the gods and goddesses by displaying symbols that honor them. From afar, there is no doubt that the building you see pays homage to the divine beings.
Moving into the inside proper, an aura of holiness dominates all. From the statues memorializing the deities all over the place to the candelabras that line the white stone walls, you can’t help but feel a spiritual connection with these powerful beings. All you can do is honor them in your own way.
The light dungeon is one of the first targets the forces of evil go after in their crusade for domination. Sadly, of these monsters have infiltrated this sacred place and it’s up to you to cleanse it. Besides them, you have to contend with the servants of light, whose job is to ensure that you are the rightful hero the world needs.
This is already the fourteenth article in the fantasy dungeon series which is hard to believe! If you missed out on the thirteen that came before this one, you can check them out on our blog page.
Religious buildings are where people worship and pay tribute to the deities of the world. A holy light shines upon them, as if coming from the heavens. This is true for the light dungeon, which is precisely why all of the designs used for it take after these kind of buildings.
The sacred light brings hope to all those who come to pray, a hope that just maybe things can turn out right. Every design used for the dungeon incorporates that light in a large way, whether it’s a large sun-like symbol anchored above the entrance or the building contains a great number of vaunted windows that brightens the inside.
Several types of buildings you can go with for the light dungeon are churches, cathedrals, temples, and shrines. Each one has their own architectural style so choose one that fits in well with your world. If you have a vision of your own, bring it to life!
When it comes to designing it for your world, you want to showcase some grandeur. Make it feel truly special out of all the other dungeons, a place that gods and goddesses would walk and live in. You want to emphasize how sacred of a place this is.
Where’s a good location for the light dungeon? One such is way up in the skies, in the heavens where the deities dwell. Placing it in the skies highlights its connection with them. It also means that when you get there, you’re in a place where few mortals have ever ventured to.
Alternatively, you can put it somewhere where it receives abundant sunshine all year round. This rules out the polar regions, the bottom of the ocean, and places of evil. The top of mountains and deserts are excellent locations! Even the depths of the forest will work since you can have it tower over the trees. You have a lot of fantastic options to work with!
Now that you’ve made it inside, a cursory glance around the first room of the light dungeon tells you you’re in a place unlike any other you’ve ever been to throughout your journey. You feel a holiness radiating throughout and that feeling calms you down and makes you at peace.
With that divinity feeling comes regality. Everything you see inside pays respect to the deities, whether it be those golden chalices atop the white-cloth tables or marble-stone statues built to honor them. Even the elegant doors have their personal symbols on them.
Bright colors bring out that regal-like feeling in the light dungeon. Whites and light grays are the top colors used to evoke that feeling in conjunction with the material selected like stone for the walls and ceiling and ceramic tile for the floor. Some tiles depict an image of one of these supreme beings.
On the many walls of the corridors and rooms hang many different objects like candelabras and paintings. They make the place feel a little homey but with a sense of refined style. You can’t help but look at how well-designed and intricate they are.
The peace you feel within your heart stills all your nagging doubts and fears. Nothing but positive vibes course through your body. This enables you to focus solely on the task before you with a clear mind. As much as you want to keep that feeling forever, you can’t for it’s a creation of the dungeon. That means the moment you leave, all your doubts and fears will come flooding back.
Unlike the others, the light dungeon doesn’t seek to deceive you. Instead, it serves to test you much like its sister, the spirit dungeon. Everything inside tests you in one way or the other and is why you have that peaceful feeling. The dungeon wants you to not let your fears cloud your judgment as you face whatever it throws at you.
Interestingly enough, the light dungeon is different that the others in that many of the enemies you fight aren’t actively working against you. Instead, they serve a higher power and their only job is to determine whether you are the hero destined to triumph over the forces of evil.
These servants of light are impartial, meaning they hold no bias towards you, and they’re found in several, if not many, rooms of the dungeon. Each one of them holds a trial you must pass before you can move on. The trial challenges the hero in one way or another and passing it leads to him becoming stronger. If you fail, you have the option to try again. Should you choose not to, these servants may begin to reconsider whether you are the rightful hero.
Since they must await the hero, these guardians of light spend decades, if not centuries, waiting for him to come to the light dungeon. As such, they must be races that have long lifespans like the Ancient Sheikah in Breath of the Wild or robots. These races are devoutly loyal to their deities and will stop at nothing to ensure that their will is followed.
Besides the servants of light, you must contend with monsters who serve the dark side. The villain sends his underlings to either seize control or at least cause mayhem in the light dungeon. Occasionally, you’ll see both sides clashing and you can choose to help or run past them.
The monsters you might come across range from the grunt soldiers all the way up to the elite of the elite soldiers. Insects, plants, and other creatures who serve the Dark Lord like to pop up, especially arachnids or any other poison-spewing bug. Defeating them will go a long way in winning over the guardians of light.
And finally, we come to the boss of the light dungeon. The big bad is usually one of two things. Firstly, it’s the strongest servant of light and fighting him is the dungeon’s final trial. Secondly, it’s the leader of the group of monsters who’ve attacked the place and you must slay the fiend to prevent evil from gaining a foothold in this holy place. The monster is typically a larger variant of the ones you’ve clashed with throughout the dungeon.
In the end, the light dungeon is a sacred place only a fortunate few have tread. It’s a series of trials that determines whether you’re the hero fated to save the world. Just because it’s a place where you feel at peace doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take it lightly. The fate of the world hangs in the balance and it’s your job as the hero to sail through all these trials with flying colors so you gain access to a power that may just prove crucial in the final showdown with the villain.
The dungeon is stylized after religious buildings due to their relationship with the gods and goddesses of the world. These buildings are grand in appearance and symbols honoring them are prevalent on the outside. Moreover, they’re easy to see from afar due to their great size.
As for the inside, an ambience of holiness is prevalent all over. You’re in a place where everything you see reveres deities, from the soft plush rugs to the stone columns that support floors above you. All your worries and concerns have been plucked out of your mind for the time being, allowing you to focus on overcoming the trials with a clear mind.
Many enemies within the light dungeon aren’t enemies, per se. Rather, they’re dedicated servants of the divine beings whose job is to assess all those who come before them to see whether they’re the hero the world needs. Besides these guardians, there’s quite a few evil monsters wandering around who’s trying to destroy the place.
For stories where dungeons play a significant role, the light dungeon is one you need to have in your tale! It houses a power that may alter the course of history and to reach it, you must first prove yourself by passing a series of trials by the servants of light. In the end, these trials will only make you stronger and more prepared for the final showdown.
There’s one question you have to ask yourself: are you ready to create a light dungeon that other people can’t get enough of?
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Sunfire
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