Dark Fountain

If One Was Simply
Determined Enough
Could Not Anyone Make A Dark Fountain?

Queen, Chapter 2

The Dark Fountains (JP: 闇の泉 Yami no Izumi) are important phenomena in the plot of Deltarune. Dark Fountains are large, gushing pillars of darkness which any "determined" Lightner can summon. Within the Light World space in which they are created, these Fountains give form to a localized Dark World.

The "will" of a given Fountain is reflected in the Darkners who inhabit the world it creates. When a Dark Fountain is created in the Light World, it takes the form of an opaque black fog that fills the location it was made in. Sealing new Fountains has been the heroes' primary goal in each Chapter of the game thus far.

Overview

According to Ralsei, the recent appearance of new Dark Fountains beyond the one of Castle Town threatens to shift the balance of LIGHT and DARK. The creation of some of these Fountains is attributed by King and Queen to the Roaring Knight.

As foretold by the prophecy, the creation of the Dark Fountains, and their shattering of harmony between the Light and the Dark, threatens to cause an apocalyptic calamity known as the Roaring. To prevent this, three "HEROES" are destined to seal the Fountains and restore the balance. Sealing a Dark Fountain results in a Dark World reverting into the Light World location it was based upon. According to Ralsei, Kris is the only one capable of directly sealing a Dark Fountain, thanks to the power of the SOUL they possess.

The Knight, Kris, and Susie are currently the only known entities known to have created Dark Fountains. However, any Lightner could potentially create a Dark Fountain by projecting their "determination" into a sharp object and piercing the ground. At the end of Chapter 2, Berdly nearly makes one inside the Cyber World as an apology to Noelle, but is swayed against it after Ralsei explains the Roaring.

Titans can also be created through a similar process to Dark Fountains, by stabbing the ground inside the Dark World. In Chapter 4, the Knight stabs the ground inside the Dark World, causing a stream of darkness to rise out of the ground, but a Titan emerges from the pillar instead of a Dark Fountain being created. In Chapter 5, the Knight creates a new Dark Fountain inside the Flower Kingdom right as Kris seals Flower Kingdom's original Dark Fountain, causing the Dark World to remain even after the Fountain is sealed, but this does not result in the birth of a Titan.

In Chapter 4, parts of Kris's phone call with an unknown caller imply that Kris cannot enter the Dark World without their SOUL (this is more explicit in the Japanese localization).

Fountains

Grand Fountain

The Fountain of Darkness, as seen in the prophecy

The Grand Fountain (JP: 大いなる泉 Ooinaru Izumi), also referred to as the Fountain of Darkness (JP: 闇の泉 Yami no Izumi) in Ralsei's summary of the prophecy, towers above Castle Town. It is visible at or near Ralsei's castle. Its maker is currently unknown.

As a Dark Fountain, it "gives this land form", creating and maintaining the closet Dark World. It can also transform Castle Town if Kris recruits Darkners in other Dark Worlds and brings the corresponding objects into the closet. Since the Grand Fountain is "made of pure darkness", it allows them to survive without turning to stone.

Eastern Fountain

The Eastern Fountain (JP: 東の泉 Higashi no Izumi) is the second Dark Fountain that Ralsei mentions in his summary of the prophecy. Its recent creation is described as the sign of the beginning of the imbalance between Light and Dark. Its creator is currently unknown. The Fountain reflects the school's unused classroom, in turn creating Card Kingdom. Its source is at the top of King's Card Castle, and it is sealed by Kris via the power of the SOUL at the end of Chapter 1.

Library Fountain

Projector footage of "The Birth of a Fountain", depicting the creation of the library Fountain

The library Fountain is the third Dark Fountain encountered in Deltarune. It was made by the Knight in the library's computer lab sometime after Chapter 1, and makes an electronic-themed Dark World known as the Cyber World. It stands at Queen's Mansion and is sealed by Kris at the end of Chapter 2.

According to Asgore, the black shard he found near this Fountain matches the shard found at the site of a Fountain created long before the events of the game.

Dreemurr residence Fountain

The Dark Fountain forming at the end of Chapter 2

At the end of Chapter 2, Kris, after removing the SOUL and turning on the TV previously plugged in, uses a knife to make a Dark Fountain in the Dreemurr residence's living room while Toriel and Susie are sleeping. This makes a TV-themed Dark World known as TV World. The Fountain stands near the Cold Place, where it can be seen in the distance.

At the start of Chapter 4, Kris dreams about sealing the Fountain alongside Susie, but before they can seal it, they wake up to the Fountain having already been sealed. This Fountain was presumably sealed by Kris at some point prior to the start of Chapter 4, making it the only one that is not sealed on-screen in its respective Chapter.

Church Fountains

The Dark Fountain created within the 3rd Sanctuary

In Chapter 4, at some point after church service had ended, the Knight makes two Dark Fountains in the church, creating Dark Sanctuary and the 3rd Sanctuary. After Kris seals the Dark Sanctuary Fountain, which is significantly thinner than all other Dark Fountains shown, Susie uses their knife to make another Fountain to figure out the code to the door the second one is behind, making the 2nd Sanctuary. The 2nd Sanctuary Fountain is sealed shortly after Kris and Susie defeat the Sound of Justice. Later, the Knight makes a Dark Fountain inside the 3rd Sanctuary, which hardens into stone before hatching into a Titan. With their friends and the Old Man's help, Kris manages to purify the darkness the Titan is made of before sealing the 3rd Sanctuary Fountain near the end of Chapter 4.

Flower King Fountains

The Dark Fountain of Flower King

In Chapter 5, following the Festival, Kris sneaks into the back of Flower King to make a Dark Fountain while Asgore is inside. This Fountain creates Flower Kingdom, and is located at Top of Castle, visible from the beginning of the Cliffs. Thanks to its power, the 7 Colored Flowers that formed the Dreemurrs' wedding bouquet are able to gain a higher form of consciousness and take on human forms, in order to fulfill their dream of creating a world dedicated to Asgore, who is in turn interested in finding out more about its creation.

At the end of the Chapter, Kris seals the first Fountain, however the Knight unexpectedly makes another one, causing a commotion, where Flowery is ultimately damaged and Asgore is kidnapped. Shortly after, the second Fountain is sealed. The Dark World that is created appears to be the same as Flower Kingdom, but the party never returns to previous sections after this Fountain is created, so it is unknown if the two overlap.

Shelter Fountain

Evidence of a Dark Fountain floating out of the shelter

At the end of Chapter 3, it is revealed that there is a Dark World within the shelter. As of Chapter 5, it has not been shown to have been sealed.

Unknown Fountain

A mysterious Fountain created before the events of the game, unknown even to Ralsei. It is not clear where this Fountain was made and whether it has been sealed at all.

According to Asgore's notes, he found a black shard at this location, and was able to match it with another black shard he found in the computer lab the day prior to Chapter 5. Due to the Knight's armor and sword being made of the same material as the black shard, this leads Susie to speculate that the Knight was also responsible for the creation of this Fountain as well.

Background

In the background of Dark Fountains is an asset internally labeled IMAGE_DEPTH. It is a cropped and recolored stock image of the ocean that, aside from in Dark Fountains, reoccurs several times within Deltarune:

• as the background of the introduction sequence, when the voice speaks to the player;
• below the Knight during the fight with it in Chapter 3;
• as the background of the glass tapestries depicting the prophecy in Chapter 4;
• as the background of the stained glass during the fight with the Hammer of Justice, as he is explaining Lord of the Hammer's fourth chapter;
• as the foreground of the library room of the 3rd Sanctuary.

It is among the few assets within the game whose filename is completely uppercase, a trait associated with the voice.

• 
  The game file
• 
  The background
• 
  The source image
• 
  A base sprite for the IMAGE_DEPTH effect found in Dark Fountains and the Chapter 3 Knight fight
• 
  The background for the altered Legend and the stained glass in the Hammer of Justice's fight
• 
  The background used in the intro when first loading up Chapter 4
• 
  The background used for the prophecy tapestries in Chapter 4
• 
  The background used in the introduction

Allusions

• The appearance of the Dark Fountain from which the Titan hatches in Chapter 4 is similar to the Fountain shown in the version of the File Select screen that appears after completing a Chapter at least once.

Gallery

• 
  The party gazing at a Dark Fountain
• 
  Dark Fountains, as seen during Ralsei's explanation of the Roaring
• 
  The thinner Dark Fountain initially found in the church's lobby
• 
  Promotional artwork with the Deltarune logo