70 Dark Fantasy Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Dark fantasy mixes the wonder of magical worlds with the menace of something sinister. It’s a genre where enchanted castles may be cursed, heroes are forced to confront their inner darkness, and every spell comes with a terrible price. For teen writers, dark fantasy provides endless opportunities to explore morally complex characters, eerie landscapes, and stories where hope and horror collide.
This collection of 70 dark fantasy writing prompts is designed to spark imagination in classrooms and beyond. You’ll find story starters, titles, opening and closing lines, character concepts, evocative settings, and visual prompts to help build rich, atmospheric tales.
1. Plot Hooks
Plot hooks in dark fantasy set the stage for conflict, curses, and impossible choices. They create scenarios where magic is dangerous, victories are bittersweet, and characters are pushed to their limits. These story starters give teens a way into the heart of the genre while leaving room to twist each idea in unique directions.
A kingdom where the sun hasn’t risen in a hundred years.
The queen’s crown whispers to whoever wears it.
A knight discovers their shadow moves independently.
Every time a villager makes a wish, someone else in the town disappears.
A forest where the trees remember those who harmed them.
A cursed library where books rewrite themselves overnight.
A sorcerer trades memories for spells, but one memory is too precious to lose.
A river runs with blood once every decade — and this year, it has come early.
A healer finds that every life they save shortens their own.
The only way to defeat the monster is to become one.
2. Title Ideas
Titles in dark fantasy often combine beauty and menace, hinting at both the setting and the struggle at the heart of the story. A powerful title can capture the tone before a reader even turns the first page. These examples can be used directly or adapted to fit original ideas.
The Crown of Ashes
Shadows of the Forgotten
The Bone Cathedral
Whispers in the Hollow Court
The Last Candle Before Dawn
Bloodroot and Iron
The Sorcerer’s Bargain
Thorns and Ruin
The Midnight Throne
Kingdom of Chains
3. Opening Lines
A strong opening line sets the tone for the entire story. In dark fantasy, beginnings often hint at curses, secrets, or looming danger. These examples help writers establish atmosphere from the very first sentence and invite readers into worlds where something is already unsettling.
“The candles burned black, though no flame touched them.”
“I had always known my magic would kill me, I just never thought it would choose today.”
“The castle bells rang, not for celebration, but for the dead.”
“His shadow was still on the wall, long after he had gone.”
“We called her the witch-queen, but even that word was too kind.”
“The first snowfall was red as rust.”
“When the king smiled, I saw the fangs he tried to hide.”
“The villagers lit their lanterns at dusk, not to see, but to keep the darkness away.”
“Every child in the kingdom was born with a mark — except me.”
“The prophecy said a hero would rise. No one said it would be me.”
4. Closing Lines
Endings in dark fantasy rarely tie everything up neatly. They leave readers with questions about sacrifice, morality, and the lingering effects of magic. These closing lines help writers finish stories in ways that feel haunting, memorable, and thematically complete.
“The kingdom cheered, but I couldn’t tell if we’d been saved or cursed.”
“The shadow leaned closer, and I let it in.”
“We burned the throne, but its ashes still whispered.”
“She smiled through bloodied teeth, and I finally understood why we feared her.”
“The forest closed behind us, erasing every trace we had lived.”
“Light returned to the world, but I never trusted it again.”
“The crown sat heavy in my hands, demanding its next sacrifice.”
“In silence, I became the monster I had once hunted.”
“The war was over, but the curse had only just begun.”
“Even in victory, the darkness had claimed us.”
5. Character Ideas
Characters in dark fantasy are rarely simple heroes or villains. They carry curses, make difficult bargains, and often blur the lines between right and wrong. These character concepts push writers to explore motivation, sacrifice, and the heavy weight of power.
A healer who accidentally kills with their magic instead of saving.
A scholar who discovers forbidden texts that start to rewrite their mind.
A monster hunter slowly turning into what they hunt.
A noble cursed to never feel warmth or kindness again.
A witch bound to the forest she once tried to burn.
A prince who carries a coffin everywhere he goes.
A thief who steals shadows instead of gold.
A girl who sees people’s true faces — twisted and monstrous beneath their skin.
A warrior whose weapon demands blood, even when there is no war.
A child who has never spoken, but whose silence carries magic.
6. Setting Ideas
Atmosphere is central to dark fantasy, and settings often feel like characters in their own right. These places are eerie, cursed, or filled with history that refuses to stay buried. They provide a backdrop for stories where even the environment resists the characters’ survival.
A crumbling castle perched on cliffs that scream when the wind blows.
A labyrinth beneath the city where candles never stay lit.
A mountain where the dead whisper in the snow.
A cursed village where no one can die — but no one can heal, either.
A marketplace that only opens at midnight, where bargains always cost more than money.
A battlefield where the ghosts still fight each night.
A cathedral made of bones and glass.
A vast desert filled with black sand that swallows footsteps.
A forest where trees drip tar instead of sap.
An abandoned throne room, where the tapestries shift to show new horrors each day.
7. Picture Prompt Ideas
Visual prompts can make dark fantasy come alive for teen writers. They give students an immediate image to describe or build a story around, helping to capture atmosphere quickly. These suggestions are designed to be eerie, vivid, and full of possibility.
A cracked crown half-buried in ash.
A castle window glowing with red light under a storm.
A shadow stretching away from its owner, clawed and alive.
A cathedral made of bones under a blood moon.
A forest path lit by lanterns made from skulls.
A throne twisted with thorns.
A sword dripping black liquid.
A desolate battlefield with ghostly figures.
A hooded figure carrying a coffin across a bridge.
A library where every book has chains instead of spines.
Final Thoughts
Dark fantasy is one of the most powerful genres for young writers because it allows them to explore magic, morality, and mystery all at once. These 70 prompts give teens a way to experiment with story starters, characters, settings, and images that push their imagination further into eerie, atmospheric worlds.
If you’d like a fresh spark of inspiration every day — not just when you’re diving into a new genre — don’t forget to check out our Daily Writing Prompts. Each month we create themed collections with story starters, opening and closing lines, and even teacher slides to make classroom use simple. It’s the easiest way to keep creativity flowing all year round.
