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The Mysterious World of the Fantasy Cave
Sunfire
CONTENTS
Introduction
Climbing the top of the mesa, the man noticed a large opening that went underground. In triumph he smiled, for he was thrilled that he didn’t have to investigate the other mesas. Taking his first step inside the opening, he had no idea how long it went or what he would find down there. With a steadfast resolve, he waded inside the fabled fantasy cave.
The cave, yet another fantasy environment, is one of the most popular for it offers something not many other environments have: the chance to explore a wholly new world, for it’s found only underground.
A fantasy cave being located underground is its unique selling point. While dungeons and buildings too can go underground, the cave is unique in that the only part that links it to the surface is the way in and out. It’s also composed out of rock.
The cave’s cold and darkness serves those that live within quite well. In fact, the cave is home to several denizens not usually found on the surface which can catch people by surprise, for they rarely see them. Such denizens don’t play nice with people.
Believe it or not, the fantasy cave plays a pivotal role in the story. It’s used as a mechanism for the hero and his party to navigate an otherworldly environment full of dangers not seen on the surface. The constant dangers ensures the audience is glued to their seats, wanting to see what happens.
As the eighteenth article in the series depicting the various kinds of fantasy environments, if you’ve been following along, you’d know that this is the first that actually talks about the underground.
Here’s a little tidbit for you, this article kicks off a mini-series that covers caves. Caves are interesting in that there’s different types and you bet we’ll take a look at them! Sadly, you’ll have to wait until the next one comes out.
If you haven’t checked out any of the other seventeen, you can find them on our blog page.
Grab a lantern, some warm clothes, and a sword to protect yourself with, for we’ll take a step in the cave with absolutely no idea what we’ll stumble upon!
The Sub-terrain Structure
The fantasy cave is an underground area that can differ in size. You could have one that’s just one small room and that’s it. Or it could reach deep into the earth, spanning numerous rooms essentially representing a dungeon of some kind. Lastly, it could be somewhere in between.
The cave is interesting in that while it’s an environment, it’s entryway(s) depended on the others. All the ones we’ve looked at were all out in the open, meaning that there was nothing stopping you from moving freely between them. Here, the cave is only accessible where it’s found. If you wanted to visit a particular cave and you knew where it was, you had to travel to get there since the surface environment the cave was in restricted access to it.
Where can you find a fantasy cave? Such places are:
- hills
- mountains
- mesas
- canyons
- forests/jungles
- volcanoes
- lake/river
So what kind of materials can a fantasy cave be made of? It’s made solely out of rock, however there’s many different kinds that you can use. For instance, you can go with granite or stone or marble. Heck, you could even have a cave made out of nothing but gems! There’s no shortage of possibilities of what type of rock to use when designing a cave.
Its sub-terrain lends a fantasy cave to be used in many exciting ways. Most of the time, it serves as a mining source where dwarves or miners extract ores from veins to be transported outside. It can also be the site of a civilization like dwarves or one that shuns the light like orcs. Due to its geological formations, it can house water at its bottom where only the rarest of the rare creatures dwells.
The Monsters of the Cave
Traveling through a fantasy cave is no easy task, for it’s fraught with aggressive creatures that attack intruders. These beasts are either territorial in nature, wanting to protect their home from unwanted guests, or vicious predators on the search for their next meal.
The one thing every cave has is bats. These flying fiends love the cave for the darkness it offers and hundreds, if not thousands, of them call it home. While they’re nocturnal beasts, the darkness of the cave means they can be active at any time. Even though the wide majority of bats are small, there’s some versions that can be larger than the average human.
Other denizens besides the bat reside in the fantasy cave. One such is the orc. Carrying rudimentary weapons, orcs are vicious, aggressive monsters that kill on sight. They hate the light, preferring instead to live in places that have none. The cave is the perfect place for them to inhabit.
Lizards are found in many parts of the cave. Keep in mind, these aren’t your run-of-the-mill lizards. Instead they’re human-sized, walk on two feet, and live together in packs. They like to gang up on their prey and they use weapons like swords and scimitars to inflict damage. Their agility serves them well, for they can move around quickly, making it difficult to take out.
Among those who dwell in the cave, trolls are one of the most savage beasts. Being quite taller than the typical human, they tend to move slow. However, to compensate for their slowness, trolls pack a hefty punch, usually carrying a powerful weapon that can easily kill someone or knock them unconscious. Fight them at your peril.
The worst kind of monster to inhabit a fantasy cave is none other than the undead. Since they despise light, the darkness of the cave suits them perfectly. While there’s not many of them, they nevertheless pose a great threat to those exploring the cave. They can attack travelers and leech their life out of them. It’s generally best to leave them alone.
The Fantasy Cave's Role in the Story
The cave plays a gripping role in the story. It’s usually one of the first major environments the hero and his crew must navigate. They’re forced to trek through it, for going around will take too long and cost them precious time. The cave an alien environment to them which is unlike anything they’ve ever dealt with before. It drips with dangers every step of the way.
What kind of dangers does a cave have?
- Falling rocks that can pulverize someone in an instant.
- Too narrow pathways where a misstep could cause someone to fall off and plummet to his doom.
- Vicious monsters who kill to live.
The dangers heightens the tension not just for the character but for the audience as well. Nobody knows what’s lurking just around the corner. This makes for riveting suspense as the audience’s attention will be fixated on how the characters will get out — or if any will be lost.
Due to the intense tension, the cave becomes an important setting, appearing in one or more parts of the story. It teaches the hero an invaluable lesson, one he would be wise to keep in mind for the rest of of his journey: circumstances can change at a moment’s whim. One minute, things will be going smoothly and the next, you’ll be fighting for your life against a pack of orcs.
As a major setting in the story, a fantasy cave can be used for worldbuilding. It could be the site of a long-bygone mining civilization or a dungeon filled with treasure and savage monsters. The tale of what happened is told by the sage character or someone who’s knowledgable about history as the party makes their way through.
The cave also is where a climatic event transpires. This could be the hero and his allies facing off against something evil like the villain or his underlings but most likely, it’s a monster who lives in the cave. An intense skirmish ensues and the evil presence is vanquished or driven away.
The climatic event, coupled with the eeriness of the cave, causes the hero and his party to temporarily lose faith in what they’re trying to achieve. This takes place after they’ve made it out safely. Only by finally processing everything that happened in the cave can everyone move on.
Tying it all Together
In the end, a fantasy cave isn’t just a vital part of worldbuilding; it’s equally vital for the story. It’s one of the most dangerous environments, for the potential for things to quickly go off the rails is considerably high. Things can turn on a dime. Ironically enough, that danger is precisely why the cave is a popular environment.
Found only underground, the cave is a world unlike any. It’s a dark place that sees little to no light and that lack of light is a magnet for monsters. The cave is found only in certain places; to find one you’ll have to do some hunting.
The cave is home to some nasty monsters. From bats to orcs to the undead, there’s no shortage of terrifying creatures who’d love to gorge themselves on fresh prey. Tread with caution and come well armed. That just may spell the difference between life and death.
In terms of the story, a fantasy cave is an important set piece. The hero is forced to traverse through an unfamiliar world filled with dangers he’s only heard of beforehand. The foreboding darkness surrounding him and the unpredictability of what happens next keeps the characters on their guard and the audience glued to their seat, wanting to see what’ll happen.
There’s no reason not to have a fantasy cave in the world you’re building. In fact, it’ll only make it feel more realistic. You can craft really fascinating caves that your audience will remember for years on end!
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Thanks for reading this and until the next time,
Sunfire
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