History Main / PlaceOfPower

Don not confuse with PeninsulaOfPowerLeveling, a location where stronger-than-usual enemies can be fought for faster LevelGrinding.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' has the Spear Pillar, ancient ruins on top of a mountain where [[BigBad Cyrus]] uses the Red Chain to summon Dialga and Palkia (the gods of time and space).

* Crystals in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyI'' (GBA Remake) (Each kept an element in harmony).
** Crystals in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'' shared a similar purpose.

** ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'' goes on to imply that every planet in Pop Star's solar system has similar fountains as Kirby has to gather their power in the ''Milky Way Wishes'' story.

* ''VideoGame/MasterOfMagic'' has nodes of power that can be tapped for Mana.
** ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders'' has a similar mechanic.

* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'': The [[ElementalPowers Elemental Lighthouses]] boosts the power any Adept of the corresponding element. The beacon of Mercury Lighthouse, which represents Water, has already been lit when the heroes enter. Its power constantly restores Mia's [[ManaMeter Psynergy points]], therefore allowing her to heal and throw [[AnIcePerson ice attacks]] around without having to worry about [[IncrediblyLamePun running dry]]. Saturos, being a Mars (Fire) adept, is greatly weakened by the power instead. Later it is revealed that Venus (Earth) and Mars shares a symbiotic relationship, as do Mercury and Jupiter (Air). Even when Saturos and his partner Menardi [[spoiler:are [[RecurringBoss defeated again]] on top of Venus Lighthouse, they struggle to light the beacon, which ends up fully restoring their power.]] Curiously enough, Garet, the party's own Mars adept, is [[GameplayAndStorySegregation unaffected by Mercury Lighthouse's beacon.]] [[note]] Garet could change jobs so he wasn't using mars psyenergy. It's also possible that Garet, being more of a warrior than a mage, wasn't nearly as reliant on his psynergy. [[/note]]

A MagneticPlotDevice is sometimes explained this way. Often acts as a FieldPowerEffect. Compare and contrast the more malevolent EldritchLocation. Contrast YourMagicsNoGoodHere, i.e. Place of No Power.

* ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' introduces the concept that certain places are stronger in the Force than others, such as the cave on Dagobah that Yoda sends Luke into as a test. The ''Franchise/StarWars'' [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse ExpandedUniverse]] and ''[[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Legends]]'' pick this up and run with it.

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[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Star_Maker_by_Les_Edwards_4681.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:A room with a view. Of ''everything.'']]

* ''Literature/TheMagicCottage'': Gramarye, the titular cottage, is built on a point of the Earth's crust which exudes the "[[SentientCosmicForce ethereal vitality]]]" said to drive and shape the universe. A crack in the wall is found to have unaccountably closed over; local wildlife is uncannily tame, and the new occupants' creative inspiration is remarkably stoked.

* An important ritual for practitioners, the magic users in ''Literature/{{Pact}}'' and ''Literature/{{Pale}}'', is the ''Creation'' of such places through the demesne ritual. There are several interludes that discuss what the ritual entails and the benefits of such a place, while there you're effectively an unchallenged god and numerous other benefits apply. Beings of sufficient power or those with PositionOfLiteralPower can have similar places of power which are broadly similar but still different enough from a being

* ''Literature/AmericanGods'' has these, one of which is the site of the House On a Rock, which is a real place. The meeting of the old gods happens there, because the wall between the physical world and the SpiritWorld is thinner. [[Spoiler:There's also the antithesis, dead zones of utter mundanity where nothing interesting or important happens. The parley between the two factions of gods is held in one such place, the exact geographical center of the US.]]

* ''Literature/AmericanGods'' has these, one of which is the site of the House On a Rock, which is a real place. The meeting of the old gods happens there, because the wall between the physical world and the SpiritWorld is thinner. There's also the antithesis, dead zones of utter mundanity where nothing interesting or important happens. The parley between the two factions of gods is held in one such place, the exact geographical center of the US.

Don not confuse with PeninsulaOfPowereLeveling, a location where stronger-than-usual enemies can be fought for faster LevelGrinding.

* The "Your Sanctuary" locations in ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}'', which Ness had to dominate in order to make the power of the Earth his own.

[[caption-width-right:300:A room with a view... of everything.]]

* ''Literature/MasksOfAygrima'' has the two large deposits of black lodestone which attracts magic to it. They're used to mine magic for Aygrima to use. It's implied that if Mara's theory about black lodestone being from a meteorite is true then it landed in the mountains that house the deposits.

* ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' introduces the concept that certain places are stronger in the Force than others, such as the cave on Dagobah that Yoda sends Luke into as a test. The ''StarWars'' [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Expanded Universe]] and ''[[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Legends]]'' pick this up and run with it.

* In the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, the Odinforce is a mystical energy that is intrinsically tied to Asgard. While it is implied that much of Asgard's {{Magitek}} (the Destroyer, Gungnir, the Bifrost, etc.) is powered by the Odinforce, its primary wielder has always been whoever reigns over Asgard, each heir to Asgard wielding it in different forms, either bestowing them powers or enhancing preexisting magical abilities. Bor and Odin seem to manifest it as pure energy (Bor using it against the Dark Elves, Odin against the Frost Giants), Hela manifests it as limitless Necrosword matter in a variety of forms (as well as her invincibility by the time she reaches Asgard) and Thor is able to generate lightning without his hammer Mjolnir. It seems that the Odinforce was destroyed along with Asgard when it was destroyed by Surtr in ''Film/ThorRagnarok'', Thor unable to channel this power by the time he encounters Thanos.
* ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' introduces the concept that certain places are stronger in the Force than others, with the cave on Dagobah that Yoda sends Luke into as a test. The ''StarWars'' [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Expanded Universe]] and ''[[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Legends]]'' pick this up and run with it.

A MagneticPlotDevice is sometimes explained this way. Often acts as a FieldPowerEffect. Compare and contrast the more malevolent EldritchLocation. Contrast YourMagicsNoGoodHere, i.e Place of No Power.

* Certain locations in the world of ''VideoGame/{{Pokemon}}'' carry power due to their association with [[OlympusMons Legendary and Mythical Pokemon]]. Some of them are places where the legendaries can be summoned to assist you under certain circumstances, while others experience a direct physical effect due to the presence of the legendary Pokemon -- for instance, Sinnoh's Flower Paradise is overgrown with flowers due to Shaymin's presence.

* In ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' there is one moving around the Earth and is currently situated under Ichigo's hometown - explaining the going on weirdness and making it the vital location of the BigBad's EvilPlan.
%%* Tokyo's "Crystal Points" in ''Anime/SailorMoon''.
%%* ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' had these in TheMovie.

* In the Manga ''Ore no Ie ga Maryoku Spot datta Ken - Sundeiru dake de Sekai Saikyou'', the main character is [[SummonEverymanHero summoned to another world]] along with his house. His house happened to land on an area where a vast amount of magical power meets up, making him the most powerful person in the world. This also caused the Spirit of the house to come to life.
* In ''Manga/BlackClover'', Strong Magic Regions are special areas with strong mana force fields, causing many different magical phenomena to occur there.

* In the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, the Odinforce is a mystical energy that is intrinsically tied to Asgard. While it is implied that much of Asgard's {{Magitek}} (the Destroyer, Gungnir, the Bifrost, etc.) is powered by the Odinforce, its primary wielder has always been whoever reigns over Asgard, each heir to Asgard wielding it in different forms, either bestowing them powers or enhancing preexisting magical abilities. Bor and Odin seem to manifest it as pure energy (Bor using it against the Dark Elves, Odin against the Frost Giants), Hela manifests it as limitless Necrosword matter in a variety of forms (as well as her invincibility by the time she reaches Asgard) and Thor is able to generate lightning without his hammer Mjolnir. It seems that the Odinforce was destroyed along with Asgard when it was destroyed by Surtr in ''Film/ThorRagnarok'', Thor unable to channel this power by the time he encounters Thanos.

* In Diana Wynne Jones' ''Literature/DeepSecret'', Hotel Babylon is a hotel built right on top of a power node, giving it [[AlienGeometries hallways that turn ninety-degree angles and keep going on past the point of a perfect square]], a clear path to the next dimension over, and a hotel full of people unconsciously attracted to the [[WeirdnessMagnet fan convention]] it's hosting. (Admittedly, the protagonist's fiddling around with fate may have something to do with the last one).

* Invoked in ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime''. There are arguably three Places of Power: the Eye of the World, the city of Rhuidean, and Shadar Logoth. However, they are all man-made; the ones useful to protagonists were even made for those specific purposes. The magical power of those places can be destroyed or used up, and when it happens there's nothing special left of them. However, the world of the Wheel of Time also has many places where certain locations ''[[PowerNullifier prevent]]'' magic from working.
%% ''Literature/TheAgeOfTheFive'': Voids
* ''Literature/MasksOfAygrima'' has the two large deposits of black lodestone which attracts magic to it. They're used to mine magic for Aygrima to use. It's implied that if Mara's theory about black lodestone being from a meteorite is true then it landed in the mountains that house the deposits.
* Creator/HPLovecraft's work sometimes features places like this. The best example would be ''Literature/TheDunwichHorror'', where there are several large hills topped with ancient monoliths around the town of Dunwich. Strange noises and smells are often reported around these hills, and some are completely devoid of all plant life. A passage from [[TomeOfEldritchLore Necronomicon]] in the same book links such site to the [[EldritchAbomination Great Old Ones]].
--> "They walk the lonely places of the world, where Words have been spoken and Rites have been committed. The wind howls with Their voice and the ground rumbles with Their thoughts."

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles''
** Near Chicago there's an island that is said to be the source of a major ley line. [[spoiler: Harry forges a connection to it, giving him awareness of whatever happens on the island, as well as gaining the spirit of the place as a dubious ally. It turns out that said ley line is the "body heat" of all of the EldritchAbomination prisoners of the island.]]
** Ley lines in general. There are places where several of them converge, and those are places where much more serious magical power can be drawn, so there are fortresses and temples at these places - the seat of the White Council is on one, the Red Court's Chichen Itza, and others.
** The LandOfFaerie itself, where the laws of physics work differently, allows things like the gunpowder in guns to work very well or not at all.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': High Heart is a place in the Riverlands where apparently the old gods still have power, despite the weirwoods being cut down. The red priest Thoros, who [[MutuallyExclusiveMagic follows a different god]], doesn't see any visions in the fire here. Godswoods in The North are also this by virtue of having Heart Trees, weirwoods with faces carved into the trunks so that the old gods (and, incidentally, sufficiently powerful wargs) can see the goings-on there.
** The Wall might also be one, as Melisandre finds that her magic is much stronger at the Wall than it ever has been before. Whether this is because the Wall was built on a natural place of power or because the spells used in its construction mean it produces a BackgroundMagicField isn't clear.
* In ''Franchise/TheWitcher'' novels, the sorcerers can only hold to a limited amount of Power at the time, so they must draw it from the crossing points of natural energies, usually following underground water veins, in order to cast their spells. The video games have these places giving the player character short boosts to various abilities when he activates them.
* ''Literature/MythAdventures'' had lines of power that went through the air or ground. One of the first things Aahz taught Skeeve was how to find these. They also used them to track down the BigBad in the opening book.
* ''Literature/AmericanGods'' has these, one of which is the site of the House On a Rock, which is a real place. The meeting of the old gods happens there, because the wall between the physical world and the SpiritWorld is thinner. There's also the antithesis, dead zones of utter mundanity where nothing interesting or important happens. The parley between the two factions of gods is held in one such place, the exact geographical center of the US.

* The planet Vjun in ''Yoda: Literature/DarkRendezvous''. Vjun's population had always had a high percentage of Force-sensitives, and then the Viscount Malreaux conducted an experiment to unlock Force potential in the rest. It [[GoneHorriblyRight went horribly right]]; those who weren't killed outright went mad and murdered each other. Vjun is now steeped in the dark side, one of the reasons Count Dooku chooses it as a retreat. All Jedi visitors, even the WeakButSkilled Padawan Scout, have their powers amplified on Vjun, and those who are already strong and prone to the lure of the dark, such as Whie Malreaux and Anakin Skywalker, find themselves capable of amazing feats.
* The Origin Wells from ''Literature/TheWitchlands''. They supply power to witches all over the continent and have amazing healing properties.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Rifts}}'': The places where [[LeyLine ley lines]] intersect are called "nexuses" and are places where [[{{Mana}} magical energy is most concentrated]]. These locations are optimal for practitioners of magic but are also where the eponymous rifts are most likely to form. Some very powerful super-nexuses with a lot of ley lines running into them exist, and often have megalithic structures built on them, including Stonehenge, the Great Pyramid of Giza and the ironically named [[HellGate St. Louis Gateway Arch]].

* ''TabletopGame/OldWorldOfDarkness'':
** ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse'' has caerns, some of the few remaining "wild places" in the world, where werewolves can commune with Gaia and gain spiritual power.
** ''TabletopGame/MageTheAscension'' has Nodes, places in the Tapestry where the separate strands knot up and generate Quintessence.
** And all nodes can be turned into caerns, and all caerns can be used as nodes. Oh, and [[TabletopGame/KindredOfTheEast the undead kuei-jin]] also want to use them. Naturally, this leads to conflict...
** ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheDreaming'' has Freeholds, untamed places that still bear a connection to the Dreaming that provided a font of Glamour for changelings.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' has demesnes, manses, and freeholds, all of which are places where [[{{Mana}} Essence]] pools and/or wells up, often but not always as a result of [[LeyLine dragon lines]] intersecting. The chief difference between them is whether they have been left largely undisturbed (demesnes), harnessed for occult purposes (manses), or transformed by TheFairFolk into miniature Wyld zones (freeholds).
* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' has many varieties. Notable examples are Wild Magic zones, which distort spells at random, and ''mythals'', powerful wards that provide permanent spell effects and can augment or restrict the spellcasting of people within.
* ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}} Magic'' and ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}} Thaumatology'' both spend some time discussing both natural places of power and ones that the caster must create himself (such as a sanctified room).
* In ''TabletopGame/BigEyesSmallMouth'', "Place of Power" is an actual character advantage; it represents a place where he or she can recharge his {{mana}}.

* ''TabletopGame/ArsMagica'': Areas can have [[HolyGround Divine]], [[UnholyGround Infernal]], Magical, and Fae "auras" of various strengths, which affect creatures and magic within. If sufficiently powerful, they can even distort the area into a "regio" EldritchLocation with built-in {{Pocket Dimension}}s. Magical auras are especially prized to mages, since they enhance spellcasting and create natural {{Mana}} deposits, but strong ones can slowly warp creatures who spend too much time inside.

* The four temples in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks'' act as power nodes, connected to the Tower of Spirits by the Spirit Tracks.
* Rainbow Resort and the area immediately surrounding the Fountain of Dreams in ''VideoGame/KirbysAdventure'' and especially in the GBA remake. The landscape is bizarre even by Kirby standards with strange geometric shapes and what appear to be vertical music staffs falling from the sky; even the enemies are [[PaletteSwap oddly colored]]. This is possibly a result of the dream giving mist that normally flows from the fountain.
** ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'' goes on to imply that every planet in Pop Star's solar system has similar fountains as Kirby has to gather their power in the ''Milky Way Wishes'' story.

* Crystals in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyI'' (GBA Remake) (Each kept an element in harmony)
** Crystals in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'' shared a similar purpose
* The "Your Sanctuary" locations in ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}'', which Ness had to dominate in order to make the power of the Earth his own.
* ''VideoGame/Mother3'': You have the Seven Needles that keep the Dark Dragon asleep. Once pulled, a "great power resonates."
* ''VideoGame/MasterOfMagic'' has nodes of power that can be tapped for Mana.
** ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders'' has a similiar mechanic.
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'':
** The series lore includes the idea of "[[LeyLine joint points]]" of reality, a side-effect of the creation for Mundus, the mortal plane. Atop these joint points can be constructed metaphysical [[TheTower Towers]], which "[[RealityWarper define reality]]" in their "Aurbic vacinity". The [[OurGodsAreDifferent ed'Ada who would become the Aedra]] constructed the first such tower, "Ada-Mantia" or the Adamantine Tower, atop one such point to hold "Convention" following the creation of Mundus. The mortal races would then discover how to create their own towers atop other such joint points (Crystal-Like-Law, White-Gold, Numidium, Red Mountain, Snow-Throat, etc.). By the 4th Era, the majority of these towers have been destroyed or otherwise de-powered, contributing to [[TraumaCongaLine the chain of catastrophic events]] afflicting Tamriel leading up to the events of ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]''
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIDaggerfall Daggerfall]]'' includes effects like this as part of character creation. Included are being better/worse/unable to cast spells in sunlight or in darkness. In practice, since the majority of the time battling enemies is spent in the darkness of dungeons, most players take "Cannot use magic in Daylight" as a debuff. (Taking debuffs increases the rate at which you level up).
* ''VideoGame/TheWitcher'' has [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Places of Power]].

* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'': The [[ElementalPowers Elemental Lighthouses]] boosts the power any Adept of the corresponding element. The beacon of Mercury Lighthouse, which represents Water, has already been lit when the heroes enter. Its power constantly restores Mia's [[ManaMeter Psynergy points]], therefore allowing her to heal and throw [[AnIcePerson ice attacks]] around without having to worry about [[IncrediblyLamePun running dry]]. Saturos, being a Mars (Fire) adept, is greatly weakened by the power instead. Later it is revealed that Venus (Earth) and Mars shares a symbiotic relationship, as do Mercury and Jupiter (Air). Even when Saturos and his partner Menardi [[spoiler:are [[RecurringBoss defeated again]] on top of Venus Lighthouse, they struggle to light the beacon, which ends up fully restoring their power.]] Curiously enough, Garet, the party's own Mars adept, is [[GameplayAndStorySegregation unaffected by Mercury Lighthouse's beacon.]] [[note]] Garet could change jobs so he wasn't using mars psyenergy. It's also possible that Garet, being more of a warrior than a mage, wasn't nearly as reliant on his psynergy. [[/note]]
* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', one of the Mage Collective quests has the Warden seek out four places of power, located in the Circle of Magi, the Brecilian Forest, the Deep Roads, and the Denerim Alienage.
%%* The Standing Stones from ''VideoGame/CliveBarkersUndying''.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Dominions}}'', magic sites are province features that can provide gems, special units, other benefits, or actually harm the province. The fourth game also adds Thrones of Ascension, which have stronger effects such as altering your dominion and are required for the Ascension victory.
* In ''VideoGame/NexusClash'', quite a lot of places with entirely mundane historical or sentimental value in the mortal city of [[ShiningCity Laurentia]] became Places of Power once Laurentia became the battlefield of the Nexus. A lot of formerly physical objects either turned into a [[PortalDoor Portal Door]] to other planes or became mystically empowered shrines to one of the [[PowersThatBe Powers That Be]]. For instance, the shrine of the [[ForHappiness god of Cooperation]] is a ''necklace'' that was once owned by a historical figure whose [[TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth tragically short]] life was an inspiration to greater peace, love and harmony throughout Laurentian history.
* Certain locations in the world of ''VideoGame/{{Pokemon}}'' carry power due to their association with [[OlympusMons Legendary and Mythical Pokemon]]. Some of them are places where the legendaries can be summoned to assist you under certain circumstances, while others experience a direct physical effect due to the presence of the legendary Pokemon - for instance, Sinnoh's Flower Paradise is overgrown with flowers due to Shaymin's presence.
* According to notes found throughout ''VideoGame/ThePark,'' Atlantic Island Park was built specifically to take advantage of one of these: [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Nathaniel Winter]] had discovered a "nexus of dark energies" hidden beneath the soil of [[EvilSorcerer Archibald Henderson]]'s property, and hoped that he could use it to make himself an immortal mage; of course, it could only be unlocked via an influx of emotion, hence the siphoning devices hidden around the park. [[spoiler: ''VideoGame/TheSecretWorld'' implies that this "nexus" is actually the [[CosmicKeystone Gaia Engine]] hidden under Solomon Island - which might explain why Winter ended up being transformed into the Bogeyman once he got the energy he was after.]]

* In ''VideoGame/{{Control}}'', Places of Power that cause mysterious anomalies to manifest are found across the United States. The Federal Bureau of Control seeks out such places to contain them, keep the public ignorant of them, and neutralize them whenever possible. The Oldest House is a particularly large Place of Power where the FBC is based and in which they contain numerous anomalous objects and organisms.

* In ''Literature/{{Phaeton}}'' the orphanage is built on one such place, the Arks all landed in such places and various man-made structures quickly become places like this, which is why ghosts are drawn to Indian burial grounds.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheDragonPrince'', there are six places in the world, called Nexuses, where the magic of Primal Energies are most pure and powerful. The beginning of season 2 has the heroes staying at the Moon Nexus for a while.

%%* In the Franchise/DCUniverse, Comicbook/SwampThing's swamp in Louisiana and Stonehenge.
%%* In the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, Comicbook/ManThing's swamp in Florida and Comicbook/DoctorStrange's Sanctum Sanctorum in [[BigApplesauce Greenwich Village]].

** ''{{TabletopGame/Warhammer}}'' has its fair share as well, although the form they take tends to be more varied: the Black Pyramid of Nagash is a font of necromantic power, while Brettonia is riven with actual ley lines. Occasionally these become actual game mechanics.

* The "Your Sanctuary" locations in ''Videogame/{{Earthbound}}'', which Ness had to dominate in order to make the power of the Earth his own.
* ''VideoGame/{{Mother 3}}'': You have the Seven Needles that keep the Dark Dragon asleep. Once pulled, a "great power resonates."
* ''Videogame/MasterOfMagic'' has nodes of power that can be tapped for Mana.
** ''Videogame/AgeOfWonders'' has a similiar mechanic.

* VideoGame/{{Touhou}}: The [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Forest of Magic]] is the favorite hotspot for magic users specifically for this reason.

* The city of Lea Monde in ''Videogame/VagrantStory'' is described as a "wellspring" of dark magic; humans who visit it sometimes develop supernatural powers such as {{Clairvoyance}} or becoming {{Living Lie Detector}}s, and those who die there are fated to be BarredFromTheAfterlife and reborn as [[TheUndead walking corpses]].

[[folder:Web Comics]]

** In ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'', the World Tree at the school's campus glows due to excess power every 22 years, right around the time of the School Festival. during that time, six points around the tree also radiate power, enough to turn a simple Love Confession into a magical compulsion.