Halanna's Breath

**Halanna's Breath** (*also called Frudrnarmr in Dwarven*) is a magical energy flow emerging from deep chasms, fissures and gorges responsible for enabling life, even plants, in the subterranean environments of the Serpentspine Mountains. It is said that Halanna's Breath originates from the Primeval Serpentdepths, a level far deeper than even that old dwarven civilization could achieve.

## Etymology

The word *Frudrnarmr* in old Dwarven can be translated to "The Flow from Below the Serpent". Previous translations misguided early researchers on the matter, as "The Flow of the Serpent", implied this mysterious energy was inherent to across the Serpentspine, but further discoveries in old dwarven script in addition to the rediscovery of a far deeper underground biome seen in Mycos Caurak disproved this theory - and that the source of Halanna's Breath was from a place far deeper below the Dwarovar itself, a place later explorers called the Primeval Serpentdepths.

## Origin Theories

### Halanna's Remains and Inherent Breath

Ancient dwarven texts is and originator of the term Halanna's Breath and is the earliest theory on its nature. The old Dwarven Pantheon believes that the earth goddess Halanna created the dwarves in a place named Earthseed and it is where Halanna was also buried later when she died. The original theory states that her divine energy was so potent that it laid the groundwork for life to thrive in the Dwarovar and that it imbued the rock of the mountain itself with the capability for life, leading to the original idea that Halanna's Breath was inherent in the Serpentspine.

#### Later Modifications

After the rediscovery of the Primeval Serpentdepths and the link of Halanna's Breath to fissures and deep gorges, it is now believed that Halanna's remains provide the basis of the energy emanating from the primeval depths.

While there was still no absolute proof of this theory, the Tree of Stone region where Earthseed allegedly lies contains the largest and most numerous amounts of fissures that emanate Halanna's Breath, resulting in a lush ecosystem full of plant life.

### Primeval Serpentdepths as the Breath's Origin

When the link between fissures and gorges and Halanna's Breath was established, and that flora and fauna was most abundant at these points the idea of the breath being inherent and originating from Halanna's remains fell out of favour amongst the scientific community. All sources led to the idea of a Primeval Serpentdepths, a level far deeper than even the old dwarven empire of old went, and was only reachable through deep and cavernous fissures that either ended in incredibly small holes deep into the rock or led to tunnels so hot and inhospitable that no explorer or device could function.

The revelation of the Primeval Serpentdepths divided the scientific community into two predominant theories:

#### Gigaflow Theory

This theory suggested that the Serpentspine was based on top of a colossal flow of natural magical energy, probably remnant of some ancient cataclysm that violently shaped the geology of Halann, which, to many religious scholars, there had been many like the Inheritance War.

The other camp however, saw this as nothing more than *geological* activities, from which heat and various minerals and nutrients emerged from the earth mantle. The primary problem was that a magical origin was largely of the unknown, and from experimentation with Damestear, a purely magical product, it like the Gigaflow theory could not explain nor find a source for the base nutrients required for a living ecosystem. While the geological theory couldn't explain the magical energy surrounding the area, nor give a satisfying answer to the *nutrients problem*.

#### Megafauna Theory

With the discovery of the abundant ecosystem of Mycos Caurak and the ancient rotting corpse of a huge snake-like beast covering vast portions of it, the second theory emerged. The theory states that the Halanna's Breath from the Primeval Serpentdepths originates from the corpses of megafauna, or colossal beasts, and that the biomass and energy released from their corpses is carried through fissures, lava and other sources all across the Serpentspine - allowing the nutrients to create life.

This revelation captured all peoples, from religious scholars, suggesting that it is Halanna or the world serpent Malliath's corpse itself that provides such life, to scientists excited of the prospects of colossal beasts to the masses reading the pulp short stories of the *Primeval Hunters,* a story of a multiracial group exploring the Primeval Serpentdepths to tame and defeat the "underbeasts".

## Effects on the Flora

Halanna's Breath gives the flora not only nutrients but also gives energy to circumnavigate the dependence on the sun. Indeed, the flowers, plants and trees that inhabit this vast underground ecosystem are perfectly capable of surviving and thriving without solar energy, relying solely on what the bowels of the earth produce. This has given rise to incredible symbioses, with large numbers of bioluminescent plants illuminating vast caverns and producing the light needed by other plants for their survival. Indeed, this very characteristic bioluminescence of the Serpentspine seems to be the result of a prolonged exposure to the energy of Halanna's Breath or its direct exploitation by the plant, which can manifest itself in many different forms. Sometimes, only the fruits of a tree will have this characteristic, while in other places, entire meadows will be illuminated by a type of plant that is very thin and not very tall, whose entire plant glows with a slightly pearly light, sometimes making us almost forget the danger of these caves.

## Effects on the Fauna

While still poorly studied, some recent observations of the effects of Halanna's Breath on the fauna of the Dwarovar seem to point toward a direct causality between Halanna's Breath exposure and perceived aggressiveness. But no definitive, or other answers can yet be drawn.