Enez-Sun

Location

  Enez-Sun is located off the Western coast of The Armorican Peninsula, marking the boundary between the Ar Mor Kernev and the Hirwazh Sea. The closest Sovereignty to it is the Lordship of Kab Sizun.  

Geographic Features

  The island of Enez-Sun is flat and treeless, barely rising above the sea, and all but its highest points are submerged during strong storms. The island is made up of two sections of land along an East-West axis, connected by a thin natural bridge of bare stone. The Eastern "island", surrounded by rocky shores and pebble beaches, features a narrow, sickle-like protrusion extending to the South-Southeast, forming a partially sheltered harbor and the lower town. An old stone lighthouse sits atop a rocky promontory to the Northeast.   The Western landmass, can only be accessed by crossing the land bridge, passing through a pair of Maen-Harz, known as the Speakers. This landmass is higher than its neighbor, a large hillock rising above its rocky shores. A Nemeton is found atop the hill, with a small village of stone and slate houses along the slopes.

The island is home to numerous seabirds, including terns and cormorants, as well as a unique species of mouse, the Crocidure and invasive rabbits. The waters around the island are populated by grey seals, bottlenose dolphins, conger eels, lobsters and mackerel.

The Island of Women

  Enez-Sun is a Fisher Kingdom. Any males who pass through its threshold are transformed into women, though the speed of this change varies depending on the present state of the Hud, happening faster when more magic is present. Both physical sex and gender identity are often effected. Memory loss often accompanies these changes. The Marie-Morgane take advantage of this, and the nearby Wyldstorms to ease the use of the Oceansong  

The WItchboats

The shades of the eight slain Gallicenae travel on Bagou-Sorseurez (Witchboats), single passenger catboats derived from the silver longboats of Fjallkonan. These boats can maneuver through Gwaien Bay without being effected by storm or wave, always traveling as though the waters were calm. These boats approach fishing ships in the bay, telling the captain a terrible secret. If the captain revealed it, his ship would sink the next time it set out. If any spoke of the encounter, they would die within the week after setting out to sea once more.

The island relies on the storms and its rocky shores to exercise the right of jus Naufragii (The Right of Wreck) and the harvest of seaweed to support itself, trading with Barrad-Faout and settlements along the Rade de Brest and Douarnenez Bay. The islanders have a reputation as wreckers, but this accusation may be overblown.

Enez-Sun was first settled as a sacred site of The Path of the Forest during the reign of Gradlon Mwar, a holy island overseen by a council of between seven to twelve (most counts at nine) druidesses known as the Gallicenae.   The Gallicenae were powerful seers and similherez, capable of the gift of prophecy to any who made the dangerous journey to consult them, and capable of manipulating the Gaoithe Sidhe and the elemental power of Druidecht. The Gallicenae were highly regarded in Great Kernev, and were frequent advisors to Princess Ahes Dahut.   When St. Guenole established his abbey at Landevenneg on the Aon River in what is now the Barony of Rouzig, he would frequently make a voyage through the Rade de Brest to visit the island, establishing a small chapel of the Maiden near the Speakers.  

The Siege of Enez-Sun

 

The Ice Bridge of Guenole

  During The Fall of Ys, Guenole sought to quell the last major stronghold of the Druids by building a bridge to assault the island. To accomplish this, he contracted with a Paolig similherez to construct the bridge, but found himself trapped in a magical conundrum. The paolig, secretly a supporter of the Druids, announced that he would be the first to cross and bolster the Gallicenae's defenses. If the bridge was not completed, the saint would break his ere-hud and face the consequences.   To escape this trap, Guenole drew on the Black Wind, forming a bridge of ice across the straight. When the Paolig attempted to cross, the bridge melted, plunging the mage into the sea, commonly stated as the foundation of Paolig's aversion to water.  

The Curse of the Gallicenae

  With the bridge destroyed, the forces of Salomon I launched a naval invasion of the island, capturing the Gallicenae. As they were put to the sword, they laid a curse on the island: No men would set foot on the island past the Speakers. It would be a refuge for women fleeing the mainland. As the last of them were executed, Cadfan's Tempest returned to the straight, battering the fleet and submerging the island, killing most of the raiders.  

Present Day Enez-Sun

The island is controlled by the last of the Gallicenae, the Red Witch Velléda, a Mac'htiern Similherez. The women of the island wear distinctive black lace coiffes.

Few mainlanders venture to the remote, storm-tossed island, offering few natural resources and no natural harbors. The island, however, did serve as the first meeting place between The Marie-Morgane and the Selkie, and the shallows beneath the land bridge serves as their primary point of contact.