Leylines

Magic Rivers of the World

Glowing rivers of raw magic once carved the land like a sculptor to a block of granite but the millennia have not been kind to these rivers, slowly burying them beneath earth turned and solidified by thousands of glaring suns and tamping feet. Moving like water, rushing and bubbling, these rivers brought unimaginable power to the oddest of places, gracing those that did not have magic of their own with the power of others. Now the glowing rivers are rarely seen, a secret to all but those that guard them.
Leylines are physical manifestations of raw magical energy in roaring rivers that crossed Isekai. In the days of the Divine Races, these rivers were above ground, useful to the fledgling races that called the world home. The Djinn harnessed the power of these leylines in their homeland, using it to power and change anything to their whim so that they may spend their time unraveling the secrets of the world. While the other Divine Races often ignored the leylines, the Djinn embraced their existence.
As the Djinn slowly disappeared from history, so too did the leylines. Slowly running dry or buried beneath layers of compacted earth, these rivers of magic lost their glow, only accessible to the few that knew where these prominent paths once traveled. Few remain throughout the world that are accessible, most hidden within the Djinn Ruins or buried beneath the Cradle of Clay, erupting from the earth into plumes of Arcane Dust. Harnessing such power is difficult and seemingly ends in destruction more often than success.

Localization

Arcane Geysers

Arcane Geysers by Image via Midjourney, created by Riverfang

While not commonly seen during the day, the eruption of an Arcane Geyser is one of Isekai's many wonders. Arcane Dust releases in a hot, colorful flurry, catching the wind and dusting the ground with magic that becomes part of the natural cycle of the Cradle of Clay.

The two most common locations to find the leylines in modern times are in the Cradle of Clay as well as around the Djinn Ruins. It is believed that the slow erasure of both the existence of the Djinn and their place in history had something to do with the disappearance of the leylines, but it is unknown whether the leylines were the cause of the disappearance of the Djinn. Leylines have always been known for their highly destructive power, allowing only the most skilled to be able to harness even the smallest amount of energy.
Those with incredible ability with magic are often the most harmed by the destructive power of the leylines, which is why it is believed that these rivers of magic are to blame for the disappearance of the Djinn. It is believed that the leylines will sap large amounts of magical energy from those that get too close.

Cradle of Clay

Leylines in the Cradle of Clay exist below the ground and can only be witnessed through the eruption of Arcane Geysers. Over the centuries, the Clay Giants of the area have learned to harness this power and gather the Arcane Dust that falls from these eruptions. While others have attempted to track the leylines and the geysers, it is believed that only the Clay Giants have the aptitude to find them due to their lack of magical ability.

Djinn Ruins

If one enters the Djinn Ruins, it is possible to see leylines flowing on the surface in some areas around the city like a moat of some sort. In various places, leylines spring from the cracked ground like water features, but even here, the power of the leylines is diminished. Some magic keeps the leylines flowing here and certain people from entering the city, but this is all part of the mystery that surrounds the Djinn and their disappearance.

Leyline

Leyline by Image via Midjourney, created by Riverfang

Once prominent across all lands of Isekai, above-ground Leylines are now extremely rare, although the power of the Leylines can be witnessed in the Cradle of Clay and the Djinn Ruins. These rivers of magical energy were paramount to the Djinn society but seemingly disappeared as the Djinn did.

Type

Metaphysical, Arcane

Location

Cradle of Clay
Djinn Ruins

Manifestation

In the earliest days of the Divine Races, leylines manifested as wide flowing rivers of raw magical energy that flowed across the land. These rivers would cut deep canyons in even the toughest of rocks, flowing unhindered as much as possible. Now, traces of the leylines can be found buried beneath the ground as well as above ground in select locations in Nótios.