What types of light sources could be possible in an underground setting?
I am interested in the slavic underworld where Veles, the god of the natural world rules. It has been described as a lush plane with plants and animals and very wet as there are natural springs everywhere. Here mortals who have passed away herd Veles's cattle on the underground grassy plains.
But I have no idea what could light such a place if at all. I came up with bioluminescent plants and animals, cracks in the earth from which shafts of light can pass through and maybe even lava shining through the cracks from even further below.
How would you fix the problem of no lighting?
>>43722628
There's a sun in there.
Hollow Earth.
>>43722643
The sun is too heavily associated with the more heavenly gods in the slavic pantheon. Veles is in a neverending struggle to shed his material nature and ascend to heaven, only to be struck down by Perun the thunder god and fall back into the earth, representing the cycle of rain.
The idea of light in the underground goes against this representation but I do want to somehow weasel my way out of it, so far I think the most appropriate one would be the glowing animals and plants, but I would like to mix it up a bit.
>>43722628
>>43722687
Is that from Sunless Sea? Because I am actually taking inspiration from that as well and I might tie it into the world of Veles by making the Zee connect to his realm, seeing as one of his elements is wetness.
Some of the beasts there could secrete a bioluminescent mist that gathers in clouds.
>>43722701
Yup, Sunless Sea. One of the few sources of light within the Underzee is the Dawn Machine, a very mysterious clockwork construct that sits in the corner. It's 'awakening' is viewed with horror and superstition by the zailors.
I'd also say that you can add stars on the roof of the cavern but leave it as a mystery that is never truly explained.
>>43722778
Stars on the roof of the cavern might not be a bad idea, since there isn't any god of starlight or the night which opposes Veles and it could be an insulting reminder to him of what lies above his home.
burning skeletons
>>43722844
I can't imagine a lot of burning things in a place where wetness and greenery are the two most prolific elements. Though GLOWING skeletons might not be a bad idea.
>>43722628
I thought the ghosts of the dead gave off a faint ethereal light - enough of them and you get a light source.
>>43723954
Thats a pretty good concept I might use, though I am super invested in the idea that the dead would all be skeletons with moss growing all over them. They would stylize the moss to somewhat reflect their past selves or whatever they remember of themselves.
Still glowing ghosts would be pretty dope, I'll have to add that.
Glowing mushroom trees
Reflection of sunlight on pools of water. It's magic/mythology, it doesn't matter that the sun itself isn't at all visible.
Glowing crystals are a classic.
In more volcanic areas, you can also have magma pools (also a classic) and vents of glowing gasses.
For more civilized areas, how about tuning forks made of a metal that glows when it vibrates the right frequency. That is a good bit more interesting than the standard glowing orbs and eternal flames.
>>43722628
Shining motes of light generated by leski floating and running by.
Cool picture, OP.
>Lanterns.
Flowers that release luminous pollen when they bloom, which is every 6 hours because of the wet vitality of the plane.
>>43724829
Oh my yes yes yes. That sounds perfect, I want to emphasize that this is a place blooming of life most of the time, especially in spring.
In winter I suppose that the luminescence of the spirits would be brighter as it is a time of death and connecting with the dead.
>>43724493
I doubt there will be many civilized areas, though I do like the idea of tuning forks, just maybe forks which would be somehow carved into the earth itself.
>>43724781
The hecks a leski? Leši/Leshy? Google gives me nothing.
I'm hoping this thread lives a bit longer until I get back on my home computer so I can post more images of what I have in mind and more importantly so I can get even more good ideas for this.
>>43726573
bump
>>43722628
Lighting in the underworld? There isn't any. It's perpetual darkness. But you can still see like in broad daylight, plants still grow.
Diamonds are shiny. Every one kwows this.
So just increase their numbers in the underworld!
tell us more about your slavic setting.
what are th emosnters/races
Who are the players?
Maybe there's a FUCKHUGE bioluminiscent mushroom (or several smaller but still quite big mushrooms), whose "roots" manifest on the surface as trees.
You can get a day/night cycle out of this: at night, the mushroom "turns off" (or "goes to sleep") allowing animals, plants or other shrooms that feed on the giant shroom's radiance to light up in a spectacle similar to a starry sky.
>>43722628
bio-luminescent mushrooms, the standard choice for all your subterranean lighting needs!
I liked the idea of luminous water.
The more water is in one place the more luminous it gets.
Underground sea is birght as the sun.
Seeing as the Slavic underworld is quite literally under the tree of life in its roots, there should be all kinds of roots fucking everywhere.
