The Erin Reef
The Erin Reef is one of many names given to the land formation of floating islands surrounding Ireland.
The islands make it impossible to venture Inland without careful navigation through it's maze-like passages. Large Airships find it impossible to navigate and the islands venture so high that it is often just as impossible to Simply go above. The islands are linked together and linked to the ground through tethers made of metal that prevent them from going too far astray, making The Erin Reef just as much a man-made formation as it is natural.
The First Skyfall
To say that is a natural formation is not entirely accurate as there is something very unnatural about how it was created. The Reef was created by a Skyfall, a cataclysmic event that has far-reaching and often negative consequences when a City of Blue falls from the sky. The event shattered Ireland's mainland and much of the massive land masses that the event created took to the sky. Very little is left of the country save for a few coastal regions and the Erin Isles.
The Emerald Crown
A common name used to describe The Reef is The Emerald Crown. This is due to the lush landscape that settles on top of each island. The islands are known for there viridescence, the largest among them even sharing the name.
Viridescence is the island on which the city of New Dublin is located. Years after the skyfall, New Dublin became the capital of Ireland and is a major port for merchants and airships that need to travel further into Europe.
The Warning
The Locksmith and The Watchmaker knew and even warned of the catastrophe that became skyfall. They also knew their warnings fell on deaf ears.
It is believed that they built The Workshop so that Keymakers could admire the verdant brilliance of The Reef.
The Ties That Bind
After these islands were settled by the survivors of the Skyfall, it became clear that there was nothing holding them in place. Each island began floating in random directions further and further from the mainland. To combat this, The House of Exiles , a house among The Sky Barrons who see The Reef as their territory, began constructing tethers that would bind the islands together. This allowed them to bring the reef closer together closing gaps that larger ships will be able to get through. It is one of the key defensive qualities of their territory and the main reason why they have no problem holding on to it.
The Exiles of Erin
The House of Exiles is led by a single family. Most people who live in the reef, and even on the mainland below, are considered part of the house and are given the same treatment as anyone in the family would. The term Exile of Erin came from a group of Irish soldiers who fought in the American Civil War. While the term has a certain notoriety, given that the Exiles fought for the South, in The Reef it is and identity that has come to be worn like a badge of honor. To be an Exile is to be a survivor of a great cataclysm no one saw coming. The Irish potato famine was already in full swing when the event occurred, and it was in the aftermath that the McClain family took up arms and stole what they needed to feed their people. There is a fierce loyalty among the Irish for this act of criminal kindness.
Alternative Name(s)
The Emerald Crown, The Irish Fractures
Owning Organization
Contested By
"Sometimes, beauty is the gift of chaos. It's hard to believe such horror can give birth to visions worthy of song."
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This is an interesting article, the description and detail paints a vivid image of the location. I'm wondering what happened for the location to have floating islands? I'm also really curious as to how Earth was changed so drastically in general. Tell me, are Elves a thing in your world? I read the region of Sidhe and the name made me think of the elven Sidhe of mythology. I'll be following this world to see if there is anything that might answer my questions and possibly things that could bring up more questions.
Ohhh absolutely. So the ground work has been laid as far as why it changed so much, but its in a non sc article I made just for this lol the article called skyfall and the cities of blue will answer that question. No elves. The name is simply a reference. Since its Ireland I wanted to do what I could to keep that feel. The Irish were going through... a rough time in the 1800s. Wanted to display it.