Unlike in the
The Fantasme,
Earth does not have a consistent flow of mana and magic does not happen spontaneously on the planet, making it difficult to absorb magic for casting. However, Mana Pockets are an exception to this rule.
Function
Mana pockets are small locations around Earth that have stronger mana in it's air than the rest of the planet. The pockets rest near by open/opening
portals and along leylines. Pockets can be as small as a a few meters, to the size of whole cities. With in these pockets, much more mana than normal is produces, allowing for magic to be used in the area more easily.
Effects
The pockets are most often the source of weird supernatural events on Earth. Being some of the few magic rich locations on the planet, it attracts many a wandering Fantasmian,
Demon or monster to make it's home there. This often makes the location home to strange occurrences and supernatural activity.
Strangely, full moons tend to increase the mana level in these pockets significantly, and also promotes mana absorption for spell casting. As well, the full moon is when many potential magic user have their magic awakenings and become witches. Magic users and magic based creatures tend to be much more powerful during these full moons, and tend to be far more active as a result. Much of the more mysterious events in mana pockets occur during full moons.
Culture
Mana pockets are very popular with
vampires,
werewolves, earth-bound Fairy, and
witches. These groups tend to form communities with in mana pockets as it is where their powers are strongest, and is the easiest to meet others of their kind.
The magic community on Earth is very different than the one in the Fantasme. It's far more secretive to prevent them from becoming public knowledge, and it's difficult to find information about them. Because of how small these pockets tend to be, groups in them tend to fight over resources often. This is coupled with the fact that the secretive nature of the pockets attract more unsavory and dangerous individuals, making it difficult for supernaturals to trust each other.
I love the idea of mana pockets, good way to incorporate many cultures having 'places of power'. Do the pockets cause the portals or do the portals cause the pockets? *ponder*
Most likely the portals cause the pockets. You have to think of the barrier between earth and the Fantasme like the lining of a balloon and mana like air. There's so much magic in one dimension compared to the other that it rips holes in time and space and spews that excess magic into Earth.
Oooh. Thanks, that's a great visual.