Dungeon core is a subgenre of fantasy, sci-fi, Gamelit/LitRPG that is based around the main character or secondary protagonist taking the physical form of a ‘dungeon’. The modern-day use of dungeon refers back both to legends of monsters and treasure to be found in the dark places of the world, such as the labyrinth of Crete in Greek mythology, and to the more modern video game definition of places where monsters are to be hunted to reach a final goal at the end.

In dungeon core stories, the ‘dungeon’ is alive and capable of both reacting to and preparing for the arrival of outsiders to their dungeon. How the dungeon chooses to treat these outsiders is up to the dungeon themselves and the story’s context, and there is no limit to the design, layout, goal, or function of the dungeon.

The core elements of dungeon core are: singular physical place with sentient ability, a partner of some kind, the ability to create/wield monsters and/or traps, and the presence of some kind of ‘treasure’ within the dungeon. The word treasure is used loosely depending on the nature of the dungeon, from literal gold and jewels to more abstract things such as knowledge and friendship.

An important part of the dungeon core genre is the partner, the individual who can connect to the dungeon in a way no one else can. The original partner is the dungeon pixie, a race created by Jeffrey “Falcon” Logue to serve as such. Others have used things such as fairies, wisps, A.I.’s, a human, a pet creature, a sentient plant, etc. The partner’s purpose is to allow the dungeon the ability to converse with another to continue the story without resorting to heavy doses of monologue.