Halvalla

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Halvalla is a universe mentioned in Ascent: Trials of Vore. It is the home reality of Syl.

It was first mentioned in Floor 1 - The Gateway.

Description
Halvalla is the home-world of Syl and her family. By some accounts, it has lots of very large, thick trees, to the point that towns such as Arel's Tree - an elven, tree-based locale - would seem to be a norm for the world, the idea of cities on the ground and made of stone being strange to some locals, though some more ground based, mining communities - such as those of dwarves - were known to exist. The world supposedly has ley lines, though little is known of them.

Halvalla is home to many races, including wood elves, drow, dwarves, "cute snake ladies" and "witches". Halvalla also has dragons, who's physiology seemingly makes their vision movement-based.

There was a food - likely plant-based - that existed in Halvalla, known as "fae-leaf", as well as crackers produced by the drow. Eating too much fae-leaf had at least once caused someone - Syl - to be stuck in a window.

Background

 * Before the Tower, Syl lived on Halvalla, in Arel's Tree. (Floor 1 - The Gateway)
 * In Halvalla, there were tales of "weird witches" who absorbed warriors to steal their power. (Floor 1 - The Gateway)
 * At one time, a dwarven community on Halvalla would become so good at mining gold, silver and gems that they would use vegetables as currency to avoid inflation. (Floor 4 - Out Of Time)

Ascent: Trials of Vore

 * On the 2nd Floor of the Tower, Syl would note the fields around Chessboard, the medieval inn in the city, and the thick trees of Morning Wood reminded her of Halvalla. (Floor 2 - Mirror/Mirror)

Culture
Per Syl, several cultures existed in Halvalla. The most known were the elven races, coming in at least two sub-species. The "womanly" drow had females with "giant spiders for legs" instead of butts, who "sucked", made crackers, were "good at inflation" but were unlikely to meddle with time magic, and had scary familiars with large, bat-like wings, sharp teeth, a kind of breath attack and looked like Morcels. Aside from them, there were the "stealthy" wood elves, plus some hybrids of the two sub-species.

There were supposedly "cute snake ladies", who shed scales when scared, and "weird witches" who absorbed warriors to steal power - though it was unclear if the witches were real or a story.

It can be assumed that at least elven society is pre-industrial, as Syl was unfamiliar with the rocket launchers, underwear and railways, and mistook a train for a dragon, but was familiar with bows, arrows and shields. In turn, though, magic would seem to be commonplace, as Syl was familiar enough with the taste of magic from Halvalla - which tastes of chutney - to find the idea of other "tastes" of magic to be silly, and recounted elven families who would use magic to enforce a specific dress code within their households.

Dwarven society seemed - while possibly still pre-industrial - less naturalistic, having mining communities so efficient in the collection of gold, silver and gems that - to avoid inflation - they would use vegetables as currency.

At least two languages exist in Halvalla: Fae and High Fae.

Locations

 * Arel's Tree

Trivia

 * Halvalla is meant, in many ways, to evoke a stereotypical, Tolkein-esque fantasy setting.
 * Halvalla's name parodies Valhalla, the hall of Odin and rough equivalent to Heaven in Norse myths.