Sochi’s caves are nothing like Egyptian tombs. Different kind of darkness entirely.
Spent yesterday deep in limestone caverns, following narrow passages that twist deeper than torch light reaches. The guide warned about getting disoriented, but that’s exactly what I came for.
Egyptian pyramids were engineered spaces – deliberate architecture designed to guide souls through specific journeys. These caves are organic. Chaotic. They don’t care about your destination.
Perfect research for The Maw’s final levels. Been struggling with how the abyss should feel as characters descend toward the Heart. Manufactured horror versus primal terror. Now I understand the difference.
In constructed spaces, you can predict the psychology. Narrow corridors create claustrophobia, sudden openings provide relief, lighting controls mood. Standard techniques. But natural caves operate by different rules entirely.
The darkness isn’t just absence of light – it’s presence of something else. Your mind fills the void with shapes that aren’t there. Sounds echo from directions that don’t exist. The rock itself seems to breathe.
That’s what the deepest level needs. Not clever interactive design or carefully calibrated choice points. Raw geological indifference to human presence.
The interactive elements should break down as readers descend. Fewer options, more inevitable momentum. The abyss takes control of the narrative just as these caves take control of your perception.
Final month before release. Time to make readers feel what I felt yesterday – that moment when civilised thinking dissolves and something older takes over.
The darkness teaches better lessons than any classroom.
Daria Ryzhikova Writer