Dark fantasy borrows the mood of horror. It portrays magic as ominous… more likely to harm than help. Supernatural beings are powerful and indifferent to human concerns, if not outright malevolent; their attention is feared, not sought. Remember the ancient custom of talking about “the fair folk” (faeries) or “the kindly ones” (the Furies of Greek myth) to avoid giving offense. Any use of magic, even for virtuous purposes, should have a price. The elaborate mythologies that underlie much high fantasy also form an essential element in dark fantasy – but in dark fantasy, most people may not even have heard of them. In the darkest settings, the ultimate truth may be maltheistic, and the heroes may be doomed to struggle hopelessly against evil and horror. A great theme in dark fantasy is the hero’s sacrifice. This may be his life, willingly given to kill a foe or close the gates of hell; wounds and scars that will never heal; madness; or his own corruption by using evil to defeat worse evil. He faces constant fear – not only for himself, but also for the people he defends. Dark fantasies often end in tragedy. Their heroes have appropriate traits, from tragic character flaws to curses or unhappy destinies.