https://www.ishtar-collective.net/cards/ghost-fragment-cabal-4 This is a pretty old Ghost Fragment from D1. It reads: [quote]Psion analysis indicates that specific areas are inimicable to Guardian counter-attritional reconstruction. Phobos Command has initiated an orbital survey. BL I/2 will attack the Vex gate artifact in Meridian Bay to secure possible related intelligence. Flayer analysis suggests that the Hive have developed unconventional counter-Dead Person capability. The capture of Hive leadership might yield vital strategic intelligence, including weapons or tactics capable of defeating Guardians permanently. [/quote] So, yeah, it seems that there is some kind of logic behind the Darkness Zones, but it's hard to tell what exactly is. About the Hive -since they are linked to the Darkness itself- probably they are simply able to generate Light Suppression Fields with their Magic. Also, we know that powerful Wizards can suck the Light out of a Guardian and Knights are able to "cut" it out of them. [i]([b]MODIFIED:[/b] also, Thralls can "eat" the Light out of a Guardian)[/i] The Cabal, with the Traveler Cage used by Ghaul, have shown that there is also some kind of technology that is able to suppress the Light somehow. However, how they obtained this kind of techonology and if they have ever used it in the past is unknown for what I can say. About the Fallen, I may be completely wrong, but I think that it has something to do with the Arc Energy. This comes from the Lore books about The Warlock Aunor, "The Salt Mines": [quote]In a campsite on a cliff above the salt mines of Trostland, a man with a Golden Gun held two Guardians hostage. Behind them, an ashen silhouette smoldered on the cliffside. "I gave you every chance," said the man with the Golden Gun. "Any last words?" One hostage lifted his head and took a breath. Before he could speak, his skull erupted in a bloom of Arc Light. A Void arrow lanced through the air and lodged in the throat of the second hostage. He slumped over, falling against his dead companion. The man turned to look in the direction of the shots. The Golden Gun blazed bright in his fist. The Ghosts of the dead Guardians materialized to resurrect their fallen charges—[b]but were cut short as two restraining bands whistled through the trees and snapped across their frames. The Ghosts fell, enervated by Arc pulses flowing from their restraints[/b].[/quote] It seems that the Arc Energy can somehow damage or block Ghosts. We have already seen this also in the "Exodus Crash" Strike when we reach the second Fallen barrier and we must defend the Ghost from the Elctrified Shanks. However, again, this is just an hypothesis. About the Vex, I really can't say, but if the Darkness Zones are also connected to some form of technology its likely that the Vex are able to create/use it. Again, these are just hypothesis.

Darkness Zones are probably just an umbrella term for areas where it's simply too dangerous for your ghost to resurrect you, likely because the Ghost itself is in legitimate and immediate danger upon death. It doesn't have to be an area where the light is necessarily blocked, such as the beginning of certain strikes/missions.

[quote]some floaty librarian that spends too much time with books (Warlocks).[/quote] ‘Das me! Darkness Zones are created by areas where the Darkness is stronger and the Light is stifled. This Darkness is often generated by those that use the Darkness. Hive, Hive rituals, and Taken are the best examples. The Hive and Taken devour the Light and use the power of the Darkness, effectively creating zones where the Darkness is strong and the Light is weak, and some more powerful beings such as Ascendant Hive and powerful Taken can stifle the Light with their presence. Keep in mind that a lot of Darkness Zones are used for game mechanics and many don’t make sense. It really doesn’t make sense that an insignificant group of Fallen thieves or a Cabal outpost (for example) would have a strong presence of Darkness or weak presence of Light. The Fallen and Cabal don’t use the Darkness (though the Cabal learned to “eat Light” from studying the Hive, but that seems to only be stripping the Light from Ghosts and possibly the inspiration for the Traveler’s Cage). The Vex only used the Darkness in the Black Garden; the Vault of Glass uses no Darkness but stifles the Light so much that it’s considered a Darkness Zone for the utter lack of Light. All that to say that the Hive and Taken should be the only creators of Darkness Zones. The best examples of Darkness Zones would be the Hellmouth, any Hive or Taken hotspot in general, the Ascendant Realm/Throne Worlds, in the presence of powerful Hive or Taken, the Black Garden, and the Vault of Glass. Lore also states that distance from the Traveler affects a Guardian’s and Ghost’s connections to the Light, but it’s unknown how much this actually affects Light abilities and revival. Removing the source of the Darkness should be enough to remove the Darkness Zone, though time and effort may be needed to remove the strength/presence of the Darkness.

Basically, yeah. If there is an entity that's very powerful and exerts enough darkness, it's enough to block out the Light, and that reduces the abilities of Guardians. Particularly the ability to resurrect. If the source of the darkness is killed, the darkness will fade and the Light will return

The Division's dark zones were garbadge despite the idea sounding cool.

There’s actually an entry in the Ghost Stories lore book about this. I think it has something to do with your ghost not finding a place in time where you aren’t in danger, and as such you can’t be resurrected

I think it honestly just is places where the light can’t reach. Like there will be darkness zones only when there’s fallen around. It could be the fuçking kell of Kells and be the strongest fallen ever but there’s still no affiliation with darkness. It’s just where the light can’t reach ig