("World Map Theme - Animist Side)

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"...The Ley Lines are not children's toys to be flung around without concern. They use the essence of life and death, and to be granted the ability to wield them come with a great weight upon the soul..."

~ "Armaments and Magic", Chapter XXI, Professor Laythein Monrose

The Great Elemental Quate forever disrupted the flow of energy through planet Taeryn. It groaned, then screamed defiance as an ugly gash ripped its way through the planet's torso; life essence shooting from the broken earth like fireworks. The decimation of the continents that lay in the path of the quake was impossible to predict, and countless lost their lives to the disaster. Even more lost their abilities as an Animist.

Fire. Air. Wind. Water. Life. Time. Gravity. Death.

Eight distinct patterns of Ley Lines course through the planet of Taeryn. When a person is born, he may attune to a Ley Line, and once he realizes that attunement, he will be able to manipulate that element. Before the Great Quake, everyone was born under a different Ley Line. There was balance and prosperity.

In the disaster, the Ley Lines that crossed over the path of the Great Quake were severed, and those people who were born under those specific Ley Lines suddenly lost their powers as Animists, people who had mastered the power of their elemental Ley Line sign. As Man needs a scapegoat for terrible occurrences, these unfortunate men and women were branded as outcasts and heretics and were blamed for causing the Great Quake.

On the west side of the World Gash, they Ley Lines remain largely unaffected by the Great Quake. The residents on this side of the world are still able to manipulate Ley Lines to cast spells of their elemental attunement. People who live in small towns manage life simply; taking only what they need and using their animist powers to protect their loved ones and to perform chores. Larger cities are under a social caste system based on bloodline and financial status. Greed and corruption, while behind the scenes, run rampant in most large towns.

West Taeryn is heavily dotted with foilage and mountain ranges of all shapes and sizes. Forests are not limited to just trees however; Mushroom and Crystal forests are just as common. Rivers flow freely throughout every portion of the continents.Monsters in this region are generally associated with the nearby Ley Lines, as they are born under a sign as well.

One odd thing about West Taeryn is in areas of high concentrations of Ley Line energy, thick mist will gather that can be so concentrated that it will completely obscure the vision and in some cases, even asphyxiate if the person cannot find fresh air. In addition during the nights, this same Ley Line concentration blocks the view of the stars in the light sky. The only celestial bodies that are visible are the two moons Retia and Faust, which under high moonlight conditions, will reflect a purple haze down onto West Taeryn.