Fountain
A Fountain is a place where magic and energy have burst through into reality. It can be tapped into directly for immense power, though the physical and mental consequences of doing this are harsh. More often, it is protected by a Bonded family line and allowed to seep through reality to give power and energy to all things.
Purpose / Function
As energy builds up within the natural world, it streams just under the surface of reality. Sometimes, it bursts through the veil and creates a Fountain. This prevents the energy from expressing in the form of chaos.
Sensory & Appearance
The appearance of a Fountain is very much like a water fountain, though a Fountain is much less likely to obey the laws of gravity and flow. If one focuses on the Fountain or taps into its power, the strands usually glow with bright lights and colors, and emit sounds, scents, and flavors, and even give off tactile sensations. Some have reported that a Fountain has made them feel dizzy, confused, or even like their body was out of proportion.
When not in use, the appearance is much more subtle. It tends to be a distortion, like a heat mirage, and is often detected by odd temperature changes or extreme emotions with no apparent cause.
One of the first signs of a nascent Fountain is reports of a haunting. Many of the feelings given off by a Fountain are mistaken for ghosts, like the feeling of being watched, or seeing shapes out of the corner of one's eye. Reports of such experiences only result in finding a Fountain about 1% of the time, but MAGE, MAGUS, and Unseelie all investigate as many of these reports as they can, just in case.
When not in use, the appearance is much more subtle. It tends to be a distortion, like a heat mirage, and is often detected by odd temperature changes or extreme emotions with no apparent cause.
One of the first signs of a nascent Fountain is reports of a haunting. Many of the feelings given off by a Fountain are mistaken for ghosts, like the feeling of being watched, or seeing shapes out of the corner of one's eye. Reports of such experiences only result in finding a Fountain about 1% of the time, but MAGE, MAGUS, and Unseelie all investigate as many of these reports as they can, just in case.
Great articles lead to more questions and I am interested to learn more. Are there any other affects of Fountains? Since magic flows out into the world, does it affect the flora, fauna, and landscape? Is there a reverse of the Fountain? Something that drains magic from the world? Places known to be traps or neutral grounds for magic-users to meet?