History Main / LeyLine

* While not explicitly used in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsZ'', but [[SignificantAnagram Asakim]] [[OriginalGeneration Dowin's]] HumongousMecha Shurouga can execute its strongest attack "Ley Buster", which turns into a [[RammingAlwaysWorks crash attack]] generated by a circle of seemingly magical energy. The above picture is even given a ShoutOut as part of the "[[SphereOfDestruction Spheroid of Destruction]]", which is in turn a reference to [[SignificantAnagram Masaki]] [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWars2 Andoh's]] "[[GeniusBonus Akashic Buster]]" attack, named for [[AkashicRecords a similar concept]]. This trope combined with the characters' similarities are the only things keeping fans from calling the attack "[[SpellMyNameWithAnS Ray Buster]]".

* Found in the ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' novels, complete with [[PlaceOfPower Nodes]]. They're described as rivers of LifeEnergy that bleed off from all living things and "flow" to another plane. Further, it requires [[PowerLevels certain magical potential]] to attempt to tap their energy without being overwhelmed or burned out; mages who can do this are called Masters (or Adepts, if they can also handle nodes).

These things were first described by archaeologist Alfred Watkins in his 1925 book ''The Old Straight Track''. He claimed that in ancient times when UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} was very densely forested, people built roads in geographically convenient straight lines. He believed that the lines had been called "leys" because so many of them passed through towns with "ley" in their name. He would later claim that these "ley lines" existed in many countries all over the world, especially in UsefulNotes/{{Europe}}. His theories were generally dismissed by his peers, however.

Then wacky occultists heard about it, and decided that they ''must'' be magical.

* The electrical power-grid could be considered a man-made version; because there are good and bad places to ground, for the flow of electricity. The book ''Cross Currents'' notes that widespread human electrical systems are such a recent occurrence that the interaction with the Earth's natural electrical systems (even it's magnetic field) could be affected in ways that may take centuries to understand fully. This may be a problem as we depend on the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_magnetic_field geomagnetic field]] to protect us from solar and cosmic radiation, and we've already seen what can happen when chemical [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone_depletion pollution interacts with the Ozone layer.]]

-->-- '''Aisha Clanclan,''' ''Anime/OutlawStar''