Ley Lines.

The ley lines of Phantasmagoria are the reason for the powers of its ley families. They resemble glowing white veins of various sizes -- the larger the more powerful. The smallest recorded is five inches across, while the largest is fifteen feet across.

Their history

Lines of ancient energy of an unknown source, they permeate the entire planet, going through it as well as on top of the surface, a crazy pattern which has only recently been mapped (by Sylvie Verlaine) and resembles that of cobwebs in a long-abandoned room. Each line is a seperate entity though they are all connected, and hums with its own energy type. These lines have long imbued the natural world, though most creatures are not mentally equipped to use the power properly. At certain points, when these lines jut to the surface, they "bond" with any trees or structure in the area; after a certain amount of time, however, they tend to isolate themselves to one spot. This is why a ley powered individual of that specific type can be born in only one home, and not another.

Each line is named specifically, and those that have bonded to houses are named after that family, i.e. "the Verlaine ley line."

Families with ley power call others "Normals," and there is a fair amount of racism involved. There have been numerous incidents where ley families have been accused of witchcraft, and some burned at the stake, by Normals, which has long promoted fear and hatred on both sides.

Types

There are four energy types: nature, shadow, energy, and stone. Nature, self-explanatory, works in harmony with the natural world, and often is the kind that imbues wildlife and plants with its energy. Shadow is the rarest and most elusive; there are only three spots on the surface of the planet where a shadow line comes to the surface. But at spots where it comes close to the surface, and there are many, "Normals" often report strange noises and sights; usually the phenomenon are called ghosts. Energy is the most destructive and volatile type; it is, unfortunately, the most common. Often forests around shallow lines will burst into flames without reason, or the lines will even catch houses on fire -- though a ley families' abode (i.e. something it's bonded to) is never harmed. Stone is the second most common, hardening soils and often seeming to "suck the life out of them," petrifying wood and bones that the line comes into contact with.

For information on various "powers" individuals exhibit, click here.

Serafryst

A whitish, near-clear crystal that grows on certain ley lines, sometimes hard to see because of its color. The crystal is extremely durable, akin to diamond hardness, and can dampen the affects of ley power when an individual wears it (see "lighting"). It is most commonly used as a power "battery" for ley energy; even though it's called a battery, it never goes out. The Brant family uses it to light their home, arrogantly signifying their power, for a ton of the crystal grows off of their line.

"Lighting"

When a person of ley descent comes into contact with their own ley line, a phenomenon occurs that is called "lighting." They emit white light from every pore and from the tips of their hair. This can potentially blind people in the vicinity if dampeners aren't worn; alternatively, a savvy ley user can usually control it enough to not "light." The Heads of the four main Houses, however, are so powerful that they cannot control it, and must wear dampeners made of Serafryst crystal. Lighting will only occur in mature individuals, and never with children.

Theories

The first two families to encounter the ley phenomenon directly -- the Brants and the Verlaines -- were very thoughtful about what could have created the lines, and there have been many ley philosophers since. No theory is actively pushed as the "right one," because no one, not even the Council itself, can agree on which is the most likely. Here are a few of the more popular ones:

Brant's Theory, named after its creator Werner Brant (original ancestor of the family), says that the lines were created by God to imbue certain people so that those people could look after the others' safety. This theory holds that the ley lines will keep on going forever, as they are powered by God himself, and that nothing the lines do is by accident. This is also called the Ley God Theory, and is very popular. Those who dislike it often call it the Religious Theory.

Verlaine's Theory, named after creator Bleu Verlaine (daughter of Blase and Sylvie Verlaine), says that the lines are an offshoot of the Earth's natural energy and balance the equilibrium of the planet. When they bond to a specific abode, the abode then becomes part of the line itself. This theory is extremely popular because when a line bonds to a family, their home becomes indestructible. This theory also says that eventually the lines will probably stop, when or if the planet doesn't need them anymore, and that ley families are chosen at "incident", i.e. at random. It is also called the Battery Theory. Those who follow Brant's Theory call this one the Godless Theory.

Stephenson's Theory, named after creator William Stephenson, is third-most popular and holds that the ley lines are a network of transportation for higher beings. This became popular after Gregoire Verlaine's portal experiments, when he brought strange and horrible creatures from other worlds onto the Earth. These higher beings are not agreed upon even by purists, who all have a different idea of what creature made the lines. This one is treated as paranormal nonsense by Verlaine's Theory purists and they, more recently, have given it the mocking name of Alien Theory.

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