Thazvaari Ascension
Alias: None
Location: Coastal Thazvaar, mixed districts on the Geba Continent
Thazvaari Ascension is a vertical combat sport where two teams race to raise their flags up unstable towers while enduring collapse timers, direct assaults, and vertical route puzzles. It descends from Thazvaari Dominion boarding drills and was formalized after assimilation as a shared practice in mixed Thazvaari and Geban communities. The Jeyrhan Bio-Engineering Consortium mainstreamed the sport by installing standardized towers, and Yelidra Veykar funded further growth and relay visibility. Unlike the often remote Yuvaar Hunting Games, Ascension towers stand inside population centers and draw constant live audiences from balconies, rooftops, and plazas.
Core Rules and Match Objectives
One team plays offense and must ascend with its flag. The flag must remain in ascent. If it is dropped off the tower, the offensive team is disqualified. If it is dropped but remains on the structure, it must be recovered before the current level collapses. If defenders capture the offensive flag, defenders are not permitted to continue ascending until the flag is returned. If this capture stalls and the level collapses, the offense loses the round. Defenders also ascend with their own flag and may choose an aggressive strategy to eliminate attackers before collapse begins. The offense wins if even a single player reaches the top platform with the flag. If the offense fails to reach the top, defenders win. Engineered individuals are banned outright from the sport, as they are from all physical competitions on Geba, to maintain fairness and integrity.
There is no extra score or penalty for knocking players from the tower. Deaths are rare and do not pause the match. Judges can impose penalties or disqualify a team for intentional unnecessary harm that results in injury or death.
Tower Features and Game Elements
- Platform Collapse: Delayed failure forces constant upward motion and prevents static defense.
- Non-Lethal Rifles: Wide, unbalanced rifles deliver painful impacts that remove players from play without intent to kill.
- Legal Contact: Grapples, shoves, and throws are permitted, including removals from platform edges.
- Vertical Combat: Fire and engagement occur between levels and during transitions across gaps.
- Route Solving: Some levels lack direct access and require jumps, climbs, or use of moving elements under pressure.
Variants and Tower Types
- Street Towers (up to 14 levels): Casual stacks built from scaffolds or scrap for local play, wagers, and pride.
- Relay-Class Towers (up to 51 levels): Broadcast structures with sensors and standardized basins for long matches.
- Training Towers: Slower platform timing, labeled paths, added grip ledges, and lower jumps. Designed for recruits, casual players, and those without advanced athleticism. Not exclusive to children.
- 1v1 Variant: Played only on the first 8 levels and prioritizes speed, agility, and route mastery.
Towers were once built as scaffolds around mega-relays for visibility. This practice was banned after fatal falls.
Scene and Reach
Although the Yuvaar Hunting Games dominate global spectacle and sponsorship, Ascension thrives on density and accessibility. Most cities across Kharan’s Gulf support regular play with local stars, relay coverage, and steady audiences.