Avalon: The Riven Veil · Board game rules
Are Ley Lines considered settlements for the purpose of the game?
Quick answer
No — Ley Lines are a separate Druid-specific component, distinct from Settlements, even though they grant similar bonuses.
Details
The rulebook consistently lists "Settlements," "Strength Tokens," and "Ley Line Markers" as three separate categories of components that remain in their regions when regions return to the mists, which shows they are not treated as the same thing [p.5 — The Mist Phase]. Ley Line Markers are represented by 8 Faction Discs placed on the Faction Board specifically for asymmetric Druid play, separate from the standard Settlement tokens [p.4 — Game Setup].
However, Ley Lines function much like Settlements in that "Each Ley Line has its own Settlement bonus that is gained when placed and in each Mist Phase" [p.14 — Faction Glossary, Druids]. This means they replicate the bonus-granting behavior of Settlements without being classified as Settlements themselves for other rules purposes (such as Settlement slot limits, battle strength contributions from Settlements, etc.).
Watch out: Because Ley Lines are not Settlements, rules referencing "Settlements" (e.g., the 1 Settlement per region limit, or Settlement strength contributions in battle) do not automatically apply to Ley Lines unless the Druid faction card explicitly says so.