Portal-Gates

In my thirteenth year, a momentous occasion graced my life as my illustrious father finally deemed me worthy to accompany him on his annual caravan journey. This venture, a closely guarded family secret, was hailed as one of his most lucrative trade routes in the realm, and I, the young scion of the merchant prince, was granted the privilege of being entrusted with this valuable enterprise.
Our destination was of utmost importance, as the trade partner with whom my father dealt had a fleeting window of opportunity for exchange. The grand caravan, comprised of a multitude of majestic camels laden with chests brimming with gold, silver, and the precious spice saffron, traveled under the watchful eyes of my father's chosen elite guards and the family wizard, Nouzar. Though both my father and I held reservations about Nouzar's eccentricities, there was no denying his mastery of the arcane arts, which rendered his presence indispensable.
Our journey through the harsh, scorching summer heat of the southernly desert brought us to the foreboding mountains of the southern waste. The locals referred to this region as the "burning desert" due to its volcanic landscape, where molten lava cascaded over the terrain, and acidic lakes simmered alongside streams of poisonous substances. It was a realm uninhabited by common folk, where only monstrous creatures and deranged cultists of the destroyer god roamed. My youthful curiosity could not fathom why my father chose to engage in trade with such perilous lands. How could he barter with such beasts and fanatics?
The revelation came upon reaching our destination, a day ahead of schedule, much to my father's satisfaction. This extra time allowed him to establish camp within the shelter of a foreboding crag, a seemingly insignificant spot amidst parched and cracked terrain, protected by a looming rock formation that resembled the blade of my dagger.
As the caravan settled in, my father and Nouzar busied themselves with intricate calculations and stellar observations to ascertain the precise timing for the trade. Every second of accuracy held the weight of gold in my father's eyes, and any deviation could cost him dearly.
A day later, I was to witness a marvel beyond imagination. Awoken before dawn, I donned my most resplendent robes, an attire befitting a prince, even amidst the hazardous and poisonous wastes we found ourselves in. Accompanied by my father and other esteemed members of the caravan, I approached the dark, stony crag, and my gaze was drawn to a peculiar alcove etched with enigmatic glyphs, seemingly leading to an impassable wall - a door to nowhere in the heart of desolation.
Nouzar commenced his arcane ritual, consulting stars, hourglasses, and mystical formulae. Meanwhile, my father exuded an air of noble pride, resplendent in his opulence. At the crack of dawn, Nouzar chanted an incantation in the ancient tongue of the dragons while applying an enigmatic substance to the glyphs.
To my astonishment, the archway to nowhere began to swirl and shimmer, the glyphs crackling with potent energy. My vision blurred for a moment, and I could have sworn I glimpsed a flickering red-orange leyline where the arch stood. The sorcerous blood of my ancestors stirred within me, hinting at untold tales of arcane power.
The swirling energies stabilized, and before us emerged a realm of wonderment. Verdant fields, vibrant blossoms, and the sweet fragrance of flowers filled the air. It was a land like no other, a breathtaking sight beyond my wildest dreams.
My father, wearing a reserved smile at my wonder, kept his focus on the portal. Soon, figures stepped through from the other side - humans, yet unlike any I had encountered or studied before. They arrived bearing bolts of fine silk and baskets of exotic spices, conducting a barter with my father for our family's treasured gold, silver, and saffron. Their lord, adorned in splendid silks depicting flowers and drifting clouds, was accompanied by warriors wielding scimitar-tipped pole arms.
As the exchanges were completed, my father conversed with the foreign merchant in a language hitherto unknown to me, arranging the groundwork for future trade agreements. When all was concluded, the mystical gate began to fade, returning the crag to its former state of black stone.
Rokhara, he told me, was the continent to which the portal led, home to a nation named Long Gou. This distant land, virtually unreachable by sea, was a secret exclusive to the el-Shahan family - a wellspring of wealth that was ours alone.
As I matured, my fascination with esoteric knowledge and the arcane arts grew alongside my distant elemental lineage. I envisioned myself as a true sorcerer, destined to master the powerful art of crafting gateways and traverse the world at will. I vowed to surpass the dubious Nouzar, whose teachings tapped into my magical heritage, and become a merchant prince like my father renowned for my unparalleled wealth and mystical prowess. The day will come when I shall unlock the secrets of these ancient gates and etch my name into the annals of history and be counted among the most formidable sorcerers the world has ever known.
-Shakeel el-Shahan, Sorcerer, merchant, and world travler.
Portal-Gates, an enigmatic phenomenon within Syann, they exist in various locations, potentially spanning the entire world. While some of these gates were created by a long-lost and mysterious civilization, little evidence remains of their origin. A select few have been crafted by modern spell casters of extraordinary power and magical expertise, revealing the rarity and costliness of such endeavors. This raises the intriguing question of just how powerful the ancient empire that birthed most of these portals must have been.
Moreover, each portal possesses its own distinct set of keys required for activation, bearing little resemblance to one another. These keys might involve factors such as specific times of day, unique vocalizations, or specific objects. Certain gates even feature multiple destinations, each requiring its own peculiar key. Those who possess control over or knowledge of these gateways find them invaluable for traversing inconceivable distances or venturing into other dimensions and planets.
Among the most renowned types of Portal-Gates are the following:
Moon-Gates: Crafted by the Witch Queen Consolida "Larkspur" for her city of Cailleachthwaite, Moon-Gates can only be activated when the moon's reflection touches a body of water. These gateways are large enough to accommodate trade ships, serving as a vital conduit for trade with a city dwelling within a demi-plane, connecting the mortal world with the mystical fey realm.
Elf-Gates: Named after the elves who discovered them eons ago, these portals are the most common type of gate created by the lost empire of immense magical prowess. Scattered seemingly at random across the world, they remain a testament to the lost civilization's awe-inspiring abilities.
Vortex Gates: Legends speak of these Gates as originating from otherworldly merchants, most often Genies or the strange giants called Mercane. Found exclusively at elemental or planar vortices that form at Layline Nexus pools, they serve to stabilize these holes in reality, thwarting unwelcome incursions from other dimensions. Additionally, they facilitate rare and invaluable trade opportunities in our world.
Inter-world Gates: An enigmatic type of gate whose origins remain a mystery, Inter-world Gates are said to exist in conjunction with every world in our Solar System. These gates open only when their respective worlds align perfectly with Syann. While they are rare and challenging to locate, their openings can be reasonably predicted.

Power Generation

World gateways are intricately connected to the mystical laylines that course through Syann. These magical conduits tap directly into the potent magical energy of nearby laylines, making them inexorably linked to these rivers of power. As a result, world gateways are never discovered far from these sources of magical energy. The convergence of a gateway with a layline grants it the ability to connect to distant realms, enabling unparalleled opportunities for trade, exploration, and knowledge exchange.