Authors and game designers borrow heavily from this aesthetic. The dark, vertical majesty of castles and the candlelit interiors of Gothic churches provide atmospheric backdrops for quests and confrontations. These buildings are not merely decorative; they embody power, mystery, and tradition.
Art, Music, and Culture
Though often overlooked, the art and music of the 14th century also inspire fantasy’s cultural landscapes. Courtly songs, religious hymns, and illuminated manuscripts provide models for fantasy poems, prophecies, and visual designs. Medieval festivals and rituals — with their masks, processions, and symbolic performances — often appear in fantasy as world-building tools.
The blend of sacred and secular in medieval life is echoed in many fantasy cultures. A royal feast might include music, juggling, poetry, and prayers — all drawn from real practices that aimed to reflect both human joy and divin shutdown123