Ley line

Ley lines (or leylines) are channels of immense power that course through the earth of planets^[1][2] like blood vessels carrying arcane magic^[3] instead of scarlet fluid.^[4]

Description[]

In Azeroth, the lines are intersected by a series of "anchors"^[5] to form a complex arrangement in which the whole planet is draped.^[6] Said junctions are catalogued in the Arcanomicon, the map of all ley lines gifted to Malygos by the titan Norgannon.^[5]

Ley lines exist all over Azeroth and are sources of deep and natural magic. They are often harnessed for magical purposes, from the creation of moonwells to the portal spells created by magi.^[7] The raw energy within ley lines can build and build if the flow is restricted, resulting in a ley fissure. These points become an easy access point for travel and further study.^[8] Many places overwhelmed with ley line energy can be deadly to the beginning Dimensional Rifter. In places like these, the sheer number of rifts create instability and the potential for important belongings to be severed from your person.^[9]

Archmage Vargoth studied the ley lines of Draenor and discovered several similarities to those on Azeroth. He believed this may indicate a similar genesis.^[10]

Ley lines on the surface tend to crystallize in the form of glowing purple mana crystals,^[11] but they require time to form.^[12] Eating one of these ley crystals can lead to deadly arcane poisoning.^[13]

The Mystic Runesabers feed on magic and have recently emerged from the shadows in search of ley lines.^[14]

Stellagosa, and presumably the rest of the blue dragonflight, are capable of seeing the ley lines when they are underground.^[15]

Ley lines can also be redirected. Malygos used surge needles to redirect Azeroth's ley lines into the Nexus and to the Twisting Nether^[16][17] which triggered the Nexus War.^[18]

The  [Sarcen Stone] was created during the War of the Ancients to redirect ley lines and draw power away from the Legion's portal.

The nightborne conduits located in the Arcway can direct the flow of power within ley lines. The Nightfallen use them to direct the power to Shal'Aran.

Ley lines can be used to communicate over long distances by channeling the user's mana through a projected runic construct. It was a technique that Malygos invented.^[19]

Locations[]

Azeroth[]

Before Malygos redirected them,^{[18][20][21][22]} all ley lines on Azeroth led to a location under Karazhan.^[23] The Kirin Tor then spent years reversing the damage done to Azeroth's ley lines, eventually restoring them to their former power.^[24]

Eastern Kingdoms[]

• Shortly after landing in the Eastern Kingdoms, the Highborne led by Dath'Remar Sunstrider detected potent ley energies in the Tirisfal Glades. Dath'Remar's scouts later discovered a confluence of ley lines in the land that would become known as Quel'Thalas.^[25] The Sunwell was built upon a nexus of ley lines. The camps of An'telas, An'owyn and An'daroth are built on ley line intersections.^[26]
• Ley lines in Ghostlands are used by the Sentinel spies to spy on Silvermoon.
• There also seems to be a ley line in the Eversong Woods, which gives the three sanctums (North Sanctum, West Sanctum and the East Sanctum) their power. This Ley-Nexus is also mentioned in connection with the Sunwell.^[27]
• A dormant ley energy node flows beneath Ambermill.^[28]
• Dalaran was constructed on a nexus of potent arcane ley lines.^[29] It was previously stated that the city was built upon a massive ley line.^[30]

Northrend[]

• East of Camp Oneqwah, in the Grizzly Hills, there are intersections of ley lines marked by ancient stones.^[31]
• There is a ley line on the seafloor between Coldarra and the Borean Tundra.^[32]
• Moonrest Gardens was a powerful ley line nexus until the blue dragonflight destroyed it with a surge needle, freeing the power to redirect at their will.^[33] This energy was redirected to the Azure Dragonshrine through a series of foci to empower themselves for an attack upon Wyrmrest Temple.^[34][35][36]
  • There is a ley line focus in Lothalor Woodlands.^[37]
  • There is a ley line focus on the Glittering Strand.^[38]
  • There is a ley line focus under Lake Indu'le.^[34]

Broken Isles[]

• Suramar is built on ancient ley lines,^[39] and arcane coils in the tunnel system running beneath Suramar and the surrounding areas tap into those ley lines' power.^[40] Since the creation of the Nightwell, the ley lines have become redundant and the arcane coils abandoned.^[41]
• There are ley lines under the Ley-Ruins of Zarkhenar in Azsuna,^[42] and presumably at the Leyhollow as well.
• Most roads of the Broken Isles are built on ley lines.^[43]

Nazjatar[]

• The naga found a way to drain ley lines through accumulators in the Spears of Azshara.^[44]

Dragon Isles[]

• The Azure Archives controls the ley lines beneath the Azure Span.^[45] Vakthros is connected to all the major ley lines in the Span.^[46] The ley lines come to the surface in arcane crystal caves at various points across the zone, similar to in Azsuna. The tuskarr call these caves "Gleamcoves".^[47] The gnolls of Brackenhide Hollow have been infusing their foul Decay magic into the local leyline.^[48]

Draenor[]

Most of Outland's ley lines were destroyed or upheaved after Ner'zhul opened so many portals.^[49]

• Draenei cities and outposts across Draenor were linked to the ley lines.^[50]
• Draenor had several oceanic ley line conjunctions.^[51]
• One of the major ley line conjunctions was below the temple of Karabor.^[52][49]
• The Throne of Elements in Nagrand was built on one or more ley lines.^[51]
• The location of the Dark Portal was chosen because it sat on a convergence of ley lines.^[53]
• Anzu learned arcane magic while investigating the ley lines,^[54] hinting to their existence in the Spires of Arak.
• The Kirin Tor excavated ley lines while in Farahlon.^[10]
• In the alternate Draenor, Khadgar's tower in Talador is built on one or more ley lines.^[51]

In the RPG[]

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

Overview[]

Across the face of the world there flow lines of power - patterns of magical energy that carry vitality of the lands of Azeroth through them, like blood vessels in a creature. These lines of power are recognized subtly by every culture; the races of Azeroth identify them as those places sacred to the Light, the chosen locations of moonwells, haunted places where the power of death has tainted the flow of energy, and natural sites overflowing with elemental power that are sacred to shamans. Most cultures, however, only really focus on those places where the lines converge and meet, seeking to tap the most power from them. Those who seek to understand and master runic power understand that the convergences are not the only important part of this power - the patterns formed by the lines themselves are important as well. These patterns, which resemble letters in a strange alphabet, are called runes.

There are lines of power that run across the land in a select few areas, but these are not the only lines - simply the most obvious. Inside of these thick and corded ropes of power, there are also tiny, web-thin lines that run between these great ley lines, connecting them in a vast net of pulsing, subtle power.

Those with great magical power and ley walkers seek out these sites.^[55]

A community which sits on top of a convergence of two or more lines of magical energy is called a "ley line nexus".^[56]

Locations[]

Kalimdor[]

• The ley line pattern of Restoration can be found in the Moonglade in the Valley of Dulvarinn. The rune pattern derived from the ley lines increases resistance to poisons and diseases, and is able to heal wounds at double the normal rate.^[57]
• The ley line pattern of Beast can be found in the Vale of Beasts in Ashenvale. The rune pattern derived from the ley line is the source of all the beast mark spells.^[58]
• Stonetalon Mountains has two known ley line patterns. Mount Farview is the location of ley line pattern, the pattern of Awareness. The rune pattern which is derived from the ley line amplifies the senses of the caster.^[58] Another ley line pattern can be found in the Great Maze, known as the Stone pattern. The rune pattern derived from the ley lines can be used to increase the resilience of the caster.^[59]
• The indigenous tauren created a camp south of Mirkfallon Lake, built upon ancient ley lines in the Stonetalon Mountains. It is perhaps due to these ley lines that the elementals are drawn to the area around the Charred Vale.^[60]
• Near the windswept plains of Mulgore, there is a series of hot springs that house the ley lines that originate the healing pattern. The rune pattern derived from the ley lines doubles the natural healing rate of healing spells.^[61]

Eastern Kingdoms[]

• The Great Bulwarks near Grim Batol is the location of the ley line pattern of shielding. The rune pattern derived from the ley lines allows casters to generate protective wards around themselves.^[57]
• A ley line pattern that forms the basis for the motion pattern can be found in a series of intricate canyons in the Badlands, wherein all manner of fast-moving creatures can be found. Those who move quickly within this area find their movement inexplicably increased. Casters who use the rune pattern derived from the ley lines are able to increase their speed.^[61]
• Blackrock Spire is the site of the ley line pattern of Striking. The rune pattern derived from the ley lines increases the martial prowess of the casters.^[59]
• The ley line pattern of Flame is found deep in the Searing Peak in Redridge Mountains. When the rune pattern derived from the ley lines is used by casters, it increases fire resistance.^[61]
• One ley line pattern exists in the mountains surrounding the city of Stormwind, which causes the great winds from which the city received its name. The rune pattern derived from the ley lines allows casters to unfailingly predict the weather one day in advance.^[59]

Northrend[]

• The ley line pattern of Frost, is found in Northrend, in a vale of terrible, biting cold that is said to be the source of all cold in Azeroth. The rune pattern derived from the pattern increases cold resistance.^[61]

Notes and trivia[]

• In the ancient history of Azeroth, Freya was looking for places where the Well of Eternity's energies - or the ley lines - had coalesced. In these places, she built enclaves full of life, now known as Un'Goro Crater, Sholazar Basin, and the Vale of Eternal Blossoms.^[62][63]
• Magical and protective wards placed at the Nexus are powered by ley lines.^[6]
• Ley Sprites could once be found in Deadwind Pass.
• "Ley Lines" is the title of a track on the World of Warcraft: Legion soundtrack.^[64]

Gallery[]

Fan art

• 

  Map of Azeroth's ley lines by yung-rage.

References[]