The Monastery of Ynys Gwynn

Ynys Gwynn, or the Blessed Isle as it is also known, is a small tidal island a mile off the mainland coast of Pow An Mor.  The island is approximately a hundred acres in size; is home to the oldest Monastery on the peninsula.  The sandy shoreline of the island is followed by a ring of grassland, much of which has been turned to cultivating crops, and keeping livestock, before giving way to a large granite mound upon which the Monastery itself is situated.

The Monastery was founded over 500 years ago, less than a century after the first Missionaries of The Nine arrived at the Peninsula, and was established as a place of sanctuary for those spreading the word.  Within 50 years, the Church of Nine became the official religion, as King Margh 'The Pious' adopted the faith, although to this day, most common folk still observe the Old Ways in one way or another.

The Monastery’s founder, Father Caspian, is credited with King Margh taking up the faith, after invoking a miracle which saved the life of Margh’s daughter, and he went on to become High Seer in Trevance.  On his death, Caspian’s body was returned to the Blessed Island to be interred in the Monastery’s crypt, and a decade later he was Canonised as a Saint.  Caspian’s faith and influence aside, his real legacy was the founding of the Monastery’s library, which over the centuries has grown into an impressive collection, and as such, Ynys Gwynn has for many years been a place of pilgrimage for worshippers and scholars alike..

Nowadays, Ynys Gwynn is permanent home to 81 Monks, including the current Abbot, Father Wiglaf, although at any time, there may be a handful of pilgrims on the island, who are boarded in separate accommodation, and whose access to the Monastic Buildings is strictly controlled.  The separation of pilgrims is a policy introduced by Wiglaf, for under his leadership, the community of Ynys Gwynn, has become increasingly insular, as the Abbot seeks to distance the monastery from its missionary roots. This has forced the monks to become largely self-sufficient, with all who reside on Ynys Gwynn being expected to contribute to sustaining their communal existence. However, not all members of the order are happy about the direction that Wiglaf has taken the community, and in the cloisters, whispers of descent are on the rise, threatening to shatter the harmony which has bound the community for centuries…