Fish Bowl

## Architect

* Sharkberries
* HyperSilence

The **Fish Bowl**, also called the **Nipple** and the **Biodome**, was the arrival point and community center of the land of Asgarth on planet Halfast during the Eighth Era.

Under the glass dome lay diverse mini-biomes divided into "pie slices" by a series of roads that radiated outwards from the central square. The large floating tropical fish in the upper atrium gave the structure its name.

Most types of damage were disabled within the Fish Bowl.

# History

As the growth of his fledgling world began to wane midway through the Eighth Era, HyperSilence embarked on an ambitious project to draw newcomers and ensure that they stayed. One element of this plan was the creation of a remarkable entrance that would excite fresh arrivals.

Not wishing to raze Zen's river town of Koan, Hyper moved the point of origin west into an undeveloped plain. He chose Sharkberries to design the new entrance after being impressed with his eye for detail and work on Iolanthe and Camillia, not to mention his memorable builds on distant Dragonhollow.

On 8E:184, HyperSilence and Sharkberries unveiled the Fish Bowl to the public and it became the point of origin for the entire planet, the first thing one saw after arriving.

A week later the Skyhop parkour opened in the heights of the Fish Bowl and not long thereafter the Lava Leap also became accessible from a pool of lava in a concealed cave.

When the GPS was introduced, the Spawn GPS configuration sent users to the center of the Fish Bowl at a cost of 3 levels of XP.

HyperSilence and Sharkberries continued to improve the Fish Bowl as time went on. Several community message boards segregated by rank were added to the central square. When the Dueling Arenas opened for combat a series of warp gates were established for easy access. Leaderboards for Halfast Survivor and Top Voter eventually appeared along the south and north pathway.

On 8E:231 the airships *Jungle Jaunt* and *Arctic Air* entered into service and to board them residents had to find two embarkation points hidden somewhere in the Fish Bowl.

With the completion of the Hammerlea Survival Guide copies were placed upon lecterns for browsing at all four Fish Bowl exits .

Sharkberries gave the Fish Bowl a festive makeover on 8E:508 by placing candy canes, colored ornaments, and gift boxes.

# Points of Interest

### Community Square

The Community Square was the entry point for all of Halfast. Residents arrived on a bedrock block and immersed in the light of a blue beacon that provided no status effects. The square contained recipes for the GPS and a number of message boards segregated by rank.

To be honest it wasn't really a square at all but more of an dodecagon.

### Paths

Residents navigated and exited the Fish Bowl by using the nine paths beneath the dome. Eight led to and from the Community Square along the cardinal and ordinal directions while the ninth intersected each of them in a ring near the outside edge of the dome. At each path exit was a lectern displaying the Halfast Survival Guide and a "RTP" random teleport to the wilderness within a three-kilometer circumference of the Fish Bowl.

The north path featured the Top Voter leaderboard while the south path displayed the prizes and leaderboard for Halfast Survivor. A path to the Dueling Arenas was marked with red concrete.

### Flower Slice

The flower slice was a field of blossoms and watermelon. Beneath a solitary oak tree was a plaque honoring Sharkberries for his architectural work in designing the Fish Bowl.

It was also home to four warp gates to the Dueling Arenas, though only the Dragon Lair was ever open to the public.

### Apple Slice

The apple slice featured a spooky orchard of apple trees. An enchanting table surrounded by skulls and mushrooms perched above a shallow pond. A small campsite with a bedroll was located near the dome's edge.

A secret entrance to the Skyhop was located there.

### Frosty Slice

The frosty slice was covered in ice and snow. There was an ice fishing spot with seating and storage below a birch tree with hanging icicles.

An entrance to the *Arctic Air* airship was hidden at the base of an iceberg at the outer edge of the dome.

### Forest Slice

The forest slice was filled with dark oak trees. In the center was a tannery with a hide rack and smoker. A tent with an accompanying campfire existed at the slice's far end.

The slice also contained the Top Voters leaderboard.

### Stony Slice

The stony slice was a craggy group of mini-mountains, cliffs, and bluffs connected by rock bridges.

An ore-rich cave with signs of ancient habitation concealed a route to the Lava Leap.

### Sequoia Slice

The sequoia slice was filled with podzol, mushrooms, ferns, and tall grass that thrived in the shadows beneath the dark canopy of towering redwoods. There was a small logging camp with bundled timber and circular saws.

Near the edge of the dome lay a small cave with two skulls.

### Golden Slice

The golden slice was characterized by steep clay and stone hills containing a great deal of gold ore. A number of acacia trees, dead bushes, and yellow weeds grew here.

Old mines with broken railways were found throughout the slice.

### Jungle Slice

The jungle slice contained vine-enshrouded jungle trees of varying heights and moss-covered stone ruins. The leaderboard for Halfast Survivor also appeared there.

An entrance to the *Jungle Jaunt* airship was hidden in the branches of the tallest tree.

### Exterior

The Fish Bowl was surrounded by dense oak forest teeming with enemy monsters, leaving four stone paths the only safe route into the more brightly lit population centers beyond.

Four hot-air balloons modeled after *Windbreaker* rose above the dome.

# Gallery

Dome under constructionSharkberries hard at workCompleted projectSharkberries socializes in the Community SquareHyperSilence arrives from the westLooking up into the dome's atriumGPS recipesThe stony sliceIn the atrium looking downHyperSilence and Zerg in the Fish BowlFishies!A newcomer arrives on HalfastLooking northSunsetZerg and Hyper visitThe frosty sliceAt nightJrod near the north exitFish Bowl interiorAlec checks the Halfast Survivor leaderboardIn a thunderstormForest exteriorWaffles heads for the south exitAlong the east pathRetro tours the Fish BowlLooking southSplarbs in the Community Square*PEE YOUR PANTS* visible from stony sliceOnly Exception arrives via GPSOn the north pathDirk Funk on the northwest pathBetween the flower and apple slicesJrod in the Community SquareDueling Arenas warp gatesIn the shade of treesVeterans message boardThe enchanting apple sliceMods message boardTanneryCitizens message boardThe northeast pathTiny cave nook in the sequoia sliceBoiled Rice is/is not looking for helpMineshaftTowering jungle treesHidden route to board *Jungle Jaunt*Facing northeastSharkberries' plaqueSouth sideCampsite with bedrollGreywatch takes over message boardRoute to board **Artic Air**Why is Zerg so damn sexy?Why is Zerg so damn icky?CaveDeeper within the caveBottom of cave with hidden way to Lava LeapCalp0l gives his regardsFishies!Greywatch, Eternal Chaos, and Dapton SolutionsSoutheast sideDirt on who, Jinx?Jungle slice ruinsCitizens chatterExterior facing north"Can I hear from a player over 14?"Exterior facing eastHi Azu!Exterior facing southJoin Salmonwatch!From aboveBeacon's eye viewApproaching from the northNorth entranceChristmas decorationsChristmas decorationsChristmas decorations

# Behind the Scenes

*The following is out-of-universe information about the real world Halfast.*

The Fish Bowl became the new spawn of Half-Assed on January 9, 2020, replacing Koan.