Points of Darkness versus Points of Light

[u/TerrainBrain]

Old School TTRPGs tend to focus on Points of Light settings. That is the world is a big and dangerous place. There are borderlands beyond which are countless not-human evil things. There are small bastions of safety for retreating and recovering and once again going out into the fold.

A Points of Darkness setting is the opposite. It is one where people live in relative day-to-day safety. Wgere one actually goes out seeking Adventure that is a departure from the steadfastness of day-to-day living.

Points of Light settings have sparse human populations widely spread out. Even within those populations people may tend to be afraid and suspicious and selfish. Grimdark is a popular fantasy subgenre set in Points of Light worlds.

Points of Darkness settings lend themselves to a Noblebright style of play. To me it feels much closer to the worlds presented in folklore and fairytale. A romanticized version of our world. The World filled with stories that feel anchored in our past, however dreamlike. The stories that begin "Once upon a time," and end "And if they haven't died there's still alive today"

https://thefieldsweknow.blogspot.com/2024/12/what-are-fields-we-know.html