Dear Readers,
Osashiburi! Yeah... it's been too long. I have no excuses and no good reason; just haven't really been able to finish anything analytical in a while. Which is why I decided to end the drought with a bit of a joke post.
So the other day, I was on Reddit, and someone asked about dungeons in isekai and other fantasy anime. More specifically, how there can be so many dungeons? The closest real world parallel to the classic fantasy dungeon are ancient ruins and tombs, but there really aren't that many of those, and they are quickly excavated/looted in reality. So how can there be so many dungeons in fantasy world, to the point that numerous adventurers join together to form guilds and earn their livelihoods simply by exploring them?
I really enjoyed the topic, and ended up answering with a pseudo academic voice- as if inter-dimensional studies was an actual thing and dungeon ecology a valid field of research. I am quite pleased with how it turned out, and decided to share it here in order to end my many-eth months drought of writing. Anyway, here it is, enjoy!
How do dungeons come to be, and how are there a large enough number to sustain adventurer activities?
As someone with a tangential interest in dungeons as an academic field, I feel compelled to address your very thoughtful question.
*pushes up glasses, assumes an academic posture, while pacing in front of a chalkboard that magically appeared*
First, one must recognize that the colloquial term "dungeon" as used by adventurers, is a catch-all that refers to any location that is both dangerous and profitable. The source of such dangers or profits can be both human and natural. The main point is that a "dungeon" must have something that people want, and that only a few strong individuals can acquire.
Delving specifically into the roots of such locations, they tend to vary depending on the specific world and history of the relative fantasy universe, however, they can broadly be divided into two specific types; naturally occurring and constructed.
Naturally occurring dungeons are locations where monsters congregate. Some examples include natural habitats of the species (such as spiders in a dark forest, or slimes in a wetland environment), or deposits of magical energy that potentially attract or create said monsters. In some environments, sufficient levels of magical energy cause the spontaneous creation of monsters, while in others, this energy serves as a food source, that draws in a wide variety of magical creatures. These deposits of magical energy affect not just the fauna, but also the flora, and even the geology of a given area in sufficient amounts, resulting in large cave structures. Of course, creatures that are able to imbibe large quantities of magical energy naturally become stronger, leading to a gradient in the "level" of these entities that choose to inhabit magically rich areas. Such places become profitable due to the magical reserves of the flora, fauna, and mineraloids from these naturally occurring dungeons. Monster parts, rare herbs, and magical crystals are popular resources due to their increased resiliency and magical attributes. Such locations can be "cleared" (an adventurer term for removing all the valuable materials in a location) repeatedly as long as the environment remains stable, making them popular with many adventurers.
Secondly, we shall consider constructed dungeons, which feature a wider variety of sources.
The most simple forms are tombs and other structures similar to those on earth. In these cases, one must take into account that human history on earth is only about 5000 years. However, many fantasy worlds feature histories spanning tens of thousands of years to millennia. Given such antiquity, it is only natural that there would be a larger number of locations similar to those previously mentioned. These ruins may only be cleared once, and exist in limited quantity, and so are far less common in most fantasy worlds.
More relevant that the human parallels is the existence of long lived species such as elves, mages, demons, dragons, etc. Especially in the case of mages, demons and dragons, they are known for constructing labyrinth like lairs. Their possessions accumulate over the course of their long life spans, and these lairs often become a statement of pride or wealth for the denizens. As such, anti-intruder methods such as traps and magical guardians are utilized, and these measures can often outlive the original occupant. Because such entities also tend to be anti-social, it is not uncommon for their life and deaths to remain unknown to the general population, and their belongings to be unclaimed for prolonged periods of time. This type of dungeon does not reset after it has been cleared, however, depending on the population of the relevant species, such dungeons are always being newly formed, resulting in a constant renewal of the applicable resources.
Another case of constructed dungeons are those created by higher powers such as gods or magical transcendents for the purpose of testing individuals who enter them. These dungeons serve as a form of teaching tool for adventurers, while successfully clearing them means they have been acknowledged by the entity that created the dungeon. Such acknowledgement comes in many forms such as a blessed artifact, a contract with said entity, or magical enlightenment. These dungeons often disappear after they have been cleared, but more can be created as long as there are enough such powers, or if a singular power should have sufficient strength.
Thirdly, there are dungeons that fall in between the two categories, such as the remnants of a "catastrophe". A simple example would be an underground bunker for magical experiments where a spell goes awry, resulting in an energy explosion. The deaths of the participants ensures that the highly secured facilities are never exposed, while the concentration of magical energy from the explosion creates a suitable environment for monsters to thrive. This creates a "dungeon" with both important artifacts and high numbers of dangerous monsters. On a more massive scale, many fantasy worlds will experience a "Catastrophe" on a national, continental, or even global scale due to the implications of magical warfare. In such cases, it is not unusual for entire civilizations to be buried, and the remnants of their magical achievement to become priceless treasures. In such cases, the fallout from such a large amount of magical energy creates new monsters that are adapted to the dangerous environment, resulting in large scale dungeons. While these dungeons are also "non renewable," the massive scale of the pre-Catastrophe civilization in comparison with the pre-industrial technological level of most fantasy worlds means that the resources of these dungeons, while finite, are extensive enough to support prolonged adventurer activity.
Of course, the roots of dungeons are generally as deep as the history or ecology of any given fantasy world, and any explanation of their appearances will depend greatly upon the given case. I sincerely hope you continue your study of this wonderful and diverse field in the future.
So yeah,
I just wrote an essay on the formation of dungeons in fantasy worlds. It was great fun, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Anyway, back to reality!
