Ley Influence
Ley influence causes a magical imbalance in the mind/heart/soul of a person. It is generally viewed as something to be avoided or fixed, as it alters the personality of the person under the influence of a leyline. Each leyline has a specific influence on someone should you be exposed to its particular energy too much (or not enough). These effects are entirely roleplay-based and can be manipulated through Leyline Skills and some Rituals. Both PCs and NPCs can be leyline-influenced and sometimes this can be important to putting together some puzzle pieces, especially when dealing with monstrous adversaries. On occasion, one may wish to become ley influenced in order to pass as some group they wish to infiltrate, or enter an area requiring strong power in that particular element.
PCs who become leyline influenced may seek out the assistance of someone with Alter Ley Influence. Some world or NPC effects may increase or decrease the effects of ley influence. In character, you may or may not be aware that you have been influenced, depending on the circumstances of how you became influenced. Think about the way things played out and determine if your character would know what has happened to them and to what degree. Keep in mind that because only the directly opposing leyline reduces influence, this means you can be influenced by multiple leylines are once that are not opposed, like Day/Death or Nature/Life or even Day/Death/Chaos.
If you are affected by an increase of a leyline while under the influence of its opposing leyline, that instead decreases the effect of that opposed leyline. Pushing through ley influence costs 1 essence for minor influence and 2 essence for major influence. You may only push through each instance of influence once. For example, if you are influenced by Night you may push through once. If later that game you become influenced by Nature, you may push through the Nature influence once.
Leyline influence sometimes wears off at dawn and dusk, the threshold times. This only steps the influence down by one level. For example, if you are majorly influenced by Day and then dusk happens, you will only be minorly influenced by Day. This wearing off effect is not absolute or reliable. If you think it would be more interesting to stay influenced through an upcoming dusk or dawn, then the ley influence stays. It is entirely a player decision.
Some individuals are permanently minorly influenced by a single leyline. This is their normal baseline. For example, a person who permanently has minor Chaos influence who receives minor Order influence would be at neutral, but would return to minor Chaos influence if the Order influence wears off at dusk. Speak to a member of the Story team if you would like your character to have a permanent minor influence, either starting from character creation or acquired later as a result of in-game actions.
Culturally, "influence" is the neutral term for being emotionally affected by a leyline. Those who feel positively towards the influence of a certain leyline might refer to it as being "blessed" while those who feel negatively may refer to it as being "tainted" or "cursed."
Leylines
The Leylines below are listed in their opposing pairs. The RP suggestions below are not anywhere close to exhaustive, feel free to come up with your own creative ways to interpret each leyline and its effects!
Day -- Night
Day
The leyline of day is one of passion and optimism. Those who follow its energy to the extreme believe they can and should do anything and everything. Perhaps it is enough of a boost to get over the anxiety of trying something new or perhaps it pushes someone to try something impossible to their detriment. Its primary color is orange.
RP Suggestions
Minor Influence: You feel strangely motivated, in a way that isn't typical. You might finally have the courage to try something you normally wouldn't, or are just more optimistic than normal if you tend to be the more realistic type. This is clearly more than just a happy day, but one where nothing can stop you.
Major Influence: The laws of nature don't apply to you! You can do anything. Nothing can stand in your way, not even something like gravity or physics. Danger? You hardly know 'er.
Night
Night is contentment. A satisfaction with where you are. Taken too far one may seem unmotivated or withdrawn, but at its core, Night is about acceptance of your place in the world and the hand you have been dealt. Less the nihilism of the void and more of a placid view of "why bother." Its primary color is black.
RP Suggestions
Minor Influence: All this stuff going on? That's someone else's problem. Things are fine as they are and people shouldn't try to change them. It's annoying that everyone goes off and tries to be heroes. They really shouldn't be doing that. You could confront them and try to get them to stop, or you could just relax and ignore. Both options seem good.
Major Influence: Why are people working so hard? They just don't get it. The world solves itself around you, so just... enjoy the ride. It doesn't need nor want your help. People need to just... mind their own business and stop meddling. You've had enough and you actively work against this so called "progress" people are trying to make. If that doesn't work... then maybe just hiding in some dark corner and pretending it all doesn't exist is the right move.
Life -- Death
Life
The leyline of life is pretty much exactly what you'd expect. All living things are connected and beautiful and wonderful and it would be even better if there were more living things! Taken too far, Life influence tends to skew towards ignoring the consequences of giving self awareness to things that may not be prepared for it. Not every brick needs an existential crisis and the hunt for immortality may actually be a bit more cursed than you'd imagine. Its primary color is red,
RP Suggestions
Minor Influence: Death is particularly painful. Even things that live a long fruitful life shouldn't have to go right? Plants and animals have far too short lived existences and treading on one and cutting that life short is... well an abomination.
Major Influence: There is only one pure thing in this world... existence. Immortality is the only thing worth striving for and you can't bare to see the pains of illness and death. You would give everything you are in order to find and create a world without the pangs of passing on. No death... no decay... no movement aware from pure life.
Death
Death is just as important as life. Without the passage into the world beyond, what meaning does the world have? It is all a balance. Death feeds back to sustain life and without it, everything collapses. Death is to be respected or revered. Its primary color is bone.
RP Suggestions
Minor Influence: The world must be watered with the blood and dust of the fallen. You may not have particular desire to go out and water it yourself, but if something is passing into the beyond, well, might as well give it a little push, or at least not slow its passage. You may sit and give a small ritual for the fallen, but it is not your place to end the journey they are on.
Major Influence: Things are getting too complacent... the world has ceased to respect the final judge that all must face. If you have to introduce them... so be it. Those that interfere with the passing of another should be stopped. You cannot rob death of her just reward and assume there will be no consequences.
Order -- Chaos
Order
A place for everything and everything in its place. This is Order. There's a law and reason to everything and so we must follow it. To deviate from the plan is heresy. To try to forge your own path beyond what is determined is foolish. Its primary color is yellow.
RP Suggestions
Minor Influence: Laws and rules should be abided by strictly. The letter of the words is more important than their meaning or any hidden intent. If someone says something, that's what they mean. You should follow it.
Major Influence: Others are out of order. All this lawlessness, all this chaos. It must be brought into harmony with your viewpoints. There is only one truth and you know it. Now it must be shown to others.
Chaos
Rules are for suckers. It's not that they're meant to be broken, they're just laughable. To try to contain to beauty of the randomness of the universe is pointless. It's much better when we let the chips fall and watch some glorious fun unravel. Its primary color is purple.
RP Suggestions
Minor Influence: Laws and rules? Hah, ya ok. Whatever those say is for boring and uncreative people. Sometimes it's fun to play with them a bit... see what nonsense you can get up to that's not technically breaking them. Maybe you view the laws as a challenge of things to avoid. See how far you can get and how many things you can do for yourself while just, ignoring them.
Major Influence: The shackles of the world are twofold: expectations and rules. It's your job to subvert them the best you can. Every element in the universe is random. The so-called order and sense that people see in science and nature is just a lie they tell themselves for comfort. The world as it truly is is random, unpredictable and fun. Time to show them all how fun it can be. The first thing that comes to your mind is always the best thing.
Nature -- Void
Nature
Creation in all its glory is so wonderful. Sometimes the natural world is beautiful and colorful, sometimes it's scary... and thorny... and a little gross. All of these things are to be loved and embraced. The light of physical organic things is precious and to be taken in, in all its splendor. Its primary color is green.
RP Suggestions
Minor Influence: That tree is pretty... and that flower! And that squirrel! And that gross fungus! And that decaying body! Ahhh to be alive and among all things.
Major Influence: Why aren't the others appreciating that which you love? They must be shown its beauty! If not... maybe they deserve to be the feed upon which nature grows.
Void
Pointless. The void... space... everything is endless darkness. This universe is doomed to heat death and entropy always wins. To think otherwise is naïve and foolish. Child's play. The true test of maturity is understanding where this all ends. As the same star dust from whence we came... and eventually, nothingness. Look to the sky for your answers, for in the space between the stars is where you find them. Its primary color is blue.
RP Suggestions
Minor Influence: The things your hold precious are only temporary. The only truth is the void which we'll all return to one day. Best to come to terms with this truth. At least the sky is pretty until then.
Major Influence: Do you not see it? Do you not see our future in the black? The answers are out there... others... they must see... they must be shown... Stare into nothingness with me, for there... there is peace... and power... and answers.