Leyline Foci Pools

DISCOVERY

The existence of a network of powerful Leylines had been known to arcane scholars (alongside how to gather the energy around focal points with collections of specifically dedicated Quelenite crystals which formed into pools of liquid mana) in some form or another for as long as recorded time has continued. Their restorative properties in terms of returning a wellspring of magical energy to spent casters and how to conctruct them both common knowledge, but it took some time for their use in medicine to be officially discovered.
Originally they were only sanctioned for use by those of noble blood, and even then only on occasions of grave need such as injury or during wartime, as the belief was that the Leyline system was powerful but possibly fragile and it was unknown whether frequent use would damage it and cut mortals off from a large well of (relatively) easily accessible arcane power.
When the Four Leaves War concluded with the Arbormir's royal house effectively exterminated, their last known heir assassinated, control of the majority of their assets fell to House Redtree. They were almost immediately then disseminated amongst the other Great Houses, as part of the political manouvering which went into the formation of the Chancellory Council that went on to instill more democratic rule after the fall of House Ildyth. As experts in the arcane field, the largest leyline foci pools became the dominion of representatives from House Ravencroft. One such mage, already somewhat practiced in medicine - at least in theory - suggested removing the royal decree limiting use of (and experimentation with) the foci pools with the aim of using their power to provide healing.
When Enwerel's initial tests were satisfactory, and the strength of the Leylines did not fail (as contrary to previous expectations, the creation of more pools seemed to strengthen the Leyline network rather than spread it thinner as it expanded) the Foci pools were opened up to a wider range of experimentation and mages continue to study them into modern times, trying to push the boundaries of what they can be used for outside of magical regeneration.

ACCESS RIGHTS

Originally, access to Leyline Foci pools was extremely limited due to royal decrees restricting access. With the decline of House Ildyth and their decrees no longer being counted as law, the Foci pools are now much more numerous. The method of creating them was an open secret across the Arbormiri lands that was effectively forbidden in practice, so once that stopped being the case practically every township of sufficient size and wealth began gathering the required materials to create them and they are no longer rare. In ninety nine percent of cases, a settlement's Foci pool can either be located in the local Sunfire Abbey or, if one is not present, nearest place of magical learning. Public access is usually permitted under observation, to ensure the Foci pools are used for benign purposes only. 

The technology was originally a closesly kept military secret that the Arbormir did not intend to share, but after some heated debates on the topic the use of Leyline Foci pools in relation to healing was voted by the Chancellory Council as too beneficial to innocent lives regardless of their country of origin. The knowledge was then disseminated to students of the EAA (Elderna Academy of the Arcane) and has inevitably filtered out to other territories, though their access policies are sometimes more restrictive.

UTILITY

Leyline Foci pools essentially provide a background pool of mana that divine or arcane spellcasters can tap into in an effort to magically heal diseases and injuries, or even to perform resurrections in extremely rare cases. The liquid energy can also be manipulated to create either basic healing potions where no alchemical ingredients are on hand, or to essentially concentrate existing healing potions into their more potent forms when mixed into them.

By the same logic, it is theorised that any potion mixed with Leyline energy becomes more potent - including poisons and other potions with less deadly but still negative effects - which is why use of a Foci pool is normally observed and logged incase that information later becomes useful for the relevant authorities.

Inventor(s)

Uses in healing discovered by Enwerel Ravencroft - a previously lesser known Arbormiri mage, who went on to become a noted archmage of the aforementioned 'Great House' Ravencroft, as a result of his research into the practical applications of Leyline energy in medicine.