The Living Enclave

The Living Enclave – Tropical Climate

The Living Enclave consists of a circular chain of a dozen islands, the size of each is puzzlingly recorded as 15 square miles during the day and 5 square miles during the night. This is because each of these islands is in fact a flower of an indescribably massive and ancient angiosperm. It is also a beacon of symbiosis which predates history. The nectar produced at the center of these flowers is a favorite treat of giant cranes up to 500 feet long called Island Cranes, larger than most sea kings, which are the cranes favored prey. The cranes can stand in waters less than a half a mile deep such as those where the island plants grow, but can swim through or fly over deeper oceans. The cranes spread the pollen of these plants across the New World. Once pollinated the plant bears fruit the size of schooners with seeds the size of men, which in turn attract the sea kings the giant cranes feast upon. It is the flesh of these fruit and the bones of the consumed sea kings that are the primary commodities that the Living Enclave exports. Unlike sea kings, the island cranes are indifferent or friendly with humans, as humans living on these flowers warm and protect the crane's eggs until they hatch, as such they do not mind humans attaching giant carriage baskets to their backs in which travelers can ride the cranes from giant plant to giant plant. This is among the safest means of traversing the New World but the cranes have minds of their own such that journeys can take months and the cranes will not always pass the place you would most desire to go.

The cities of this country are built on the petals which close during the night. Consequently the local architecture is quite unique, all the rooms of homes and other buildings are hung like fruit from scaffolding affixed to these petals. As such when the petals close the buildings will hang downward staying upright from the occupants perspective as the petals close. The smallest of these can be caused to sway by the people inside. The locals consider a bedroom which swings nightly to be a sign of a healthy marriage. Most of these buildings are connected to each other by a network of rope ladders allowing person's to climb between them during the night and consequently most islanders are excellent at climbing and in very good shape. At night the cities are lit by a gentle blue glow coming from the bulbs of bioluminescent flowers raised and tended too by the locals as fires are outlawed and considered extraordinarily dangerous, in part because of the risk of burning the plant and in part because of the trapping of smoke.

Clemens Edvard is a well liked king who abolished much of the more restrictive policies of his father. He is liked on the council but is disliked by the nobility for his progressive policies and tax reform.