Runic Circles

Magic Transportation

Circles of stones and runes are hidden amongst buildings and trees, keeping them from the wandering eye but yet close at hand. With magic layered over time, a circle that was once only drawn with a piece of chalk, a handful of stones, or anything else becomes something that can tie the world together, allowing the distance to be little more than a blink in time. Such a process is far from simple, taking days, weeks, months, and even more in terms of manpower, but the result is something great.
The once mundane circles eventually hum with power, imbued into the earth with runes and magic, sweat and blood. With the expense to create such a thing so great, it cannot be used lightly, or used without some cost. Once the magic is established, it will be guarded and managed, its uses documented and paid for in order to recoup even just a fraction of the original cost. All great things come with some necessary cost, even if this one in particular brought together a world that was once separated.
Runic circles were a feat of magical engineering, created through trial and error but with a result that brought a world together. The cost of such things is somewhat prohibitive, allowing for only a few to be scattered throughout the world in wealthy places, with the cost of usage as fair as possible. Not all will be able to use this method of travel, but even the transmission of information that can be brought about with its invention brought the world closer together.

Utility

Runic circles were created to transport people and goods across long distances nearly instantly. Through the use of complex magic that is layered over time, these circles are tied to other circles throughout the world, and with the correct spells additionally cast, items within the circle can be transported to another circle of the caster's choosing. The further the receiving circle is away or the larger the amount of things transported, the more magic is required to complete the spell and move the items.

Manufacturing

Creating these circles is a time- and manpower intensive process, which is why there are truly so few across the world. Once a location is chosen to create a circle, most likely in a city with a magic academy or a large presence of Mages, a circle is drawn with mundane items. These items can be as simple as a chalk line, a circle of stones or flowers, or any other manner of item that is obvious.
Once the circle is drawn, the initial magic is laid. This process can take nearly a year, with daily casting of a mixture of spells that layer and create the baseline for the runic circle's power. After this baseline is laid, additional spells must be cast weekly to help refresh the established magic. Specific spells are cast to transport items and people, requiring a great number of Mages to be ready at any point in service to the circle.

Runic Circles

Concentric Terraces by Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Unsplash

Runic circles begin with a circle created with any number of things, such as chalk, rocks, terraces, or whatever works best to establish the circle before the magic is cast. Some areas wish the circles to blend in and make them look like art.

Access & Availability

Because of the complexity of the magic, these circles are not common, with fewer than one hundred across the world. To use a runic circle requires a fee to be paid based on the distance and number of people traveling.