Ley Lines
Ley lines are straight lines drawn between various ancient structures and landmarks and are thought to be a source of magic. Locations where ley lines intersect in fictional worlds are often sources of great energy and may be home to important structure like wizard towers, castles, temples, altars, or portals to another dimension. In paranormal worlds, the intersections of ley lines may point to the ruins of long-lost ancient civilizations or powerful artifact. They may also be locations where the gaps between dimensions or other realms are weakest.
| Synonyms: holy lines |
| Example Mythonyms: the 9th Ley, a thread of power |
Designing Fictional Ley Lines
When designing ley lines for your own fictional world, consider what is causing them and how they are used. Does everyone, or only a small subset of the population know of their existence? Can they be seen by natural means? Is something leaking through them?
If ley lines are a source of magical energy, have your fictional people learned to harness it as a consistent power source?
Historical Context
The idea of ley lines was first put forth in early 20th-century Europe by Alfred Watkins. Watkins argued that straight lines could be drawn on a map that could link various sites of historical significance and that these ‘ley lines’ most likely represented trade routes. The idea was rejected by archeologists at the time as roads and paths do not follow straight lines as they typically curve around terrain features such as hills and mountains. The idea of ley lines was revived in the 1960s by the Earth Mysteries movement, who believed the lines were established by prehistoric communities to signal to alien spacecraft. Ley lines became associated with hunts for sites like Atlantis, the discovery of ‘earth energies,’ numerology, and other similar beliefs.
