The Cantrev of Snowdonia is a County in the Principality of Gwynedd in Cymru, the land mortals know as Wales.
Overview[]
Snowdonia is a rugged and lonely land. Years ago, the Land of Mountains and Meadows fell under the jurisdiction of High King Gwyddno Garanhir, who set a much loved tradition of appointing a commoner to oversee the cantrev, thus creating the office of Seneschal of Snowdonia. When Powys fell, the Seneschal of Snowdonia was a nocker by the name of Yvana ferch Dewys. She led survivors from the flooded plains of Powys north to Mount Snowdon. Yvana spent the rest of her life getting the survivors settled, as did her successor; thus, the office of seneschal more or less turned into one of administration rather than creating and rebuilding Powys.
Cantrev Snowdonia proper stretches along the mountain tops from Carnedd Llewellyn in the north to Cadair Idris in the south. The valleys below, however, mark the beginning of free territory in Gwynedd that the Kithain don't necessarily claim. This area to humans is, after all, a national park. The pooka, however, conveniently ignore this fact.
The current Seneschal of Snowdonia is Gwilym Pugh.
Mount Snowdon[]
Mount Snowdon's icy summit bejewels the crown of Snowdonia. The Welsh call it Yr Wyddfa Fawr, which means "the great tomb." Old stories, maybe even older than the Dreaming, tell about a sleeping giant who rests deep beneath the earth. Some say the giant is an evil demon who killed great kings and clothed himself in their beards. Others write that somewhere on the mountain is a great bell that will awaken King Arthur's sleeping warriors who rest under the hill. Finally, rumors circulate that Arthur himself rests near Bwlch-y-Saetheu, the Pass of Arrows, not too far from the summit.
Yr Wyddfa Fawr is a strange place. Sometimes, the dross of the pool does bizarre things, far beyond the wild and unpredictable nature of Glamour. What certain Tylwyth Teg report is that sorcery using dross from Mount Snowdon sometimes grows impossibly powerful, rather than just failing or going haywire. Nestor Evans spins a tale about the troll Ulric One-Arm getting drunk on mead while at Mount Snowdon. The troll started picking on the redcap McGowan, and before anybody could intervene, the two were in a scuffle, rolling around, punching, biting and gouging. Gwilym finally got the two pulled apart and set about repairing everyone's injuries. The seneschal is famous for his healing salves, and so he drew some water from the pool, stirred up his salve and smeared it all over the casualties. And something amazing happened; in addition to their wounds healing, the troll and redcap lost about five years of age! Gwilym tried over and over and over to figure out what he'd done, to no avail. By no means is this the strangest tale about the Glamour of Mount Snowdon, but it is perhaps the most famous.
The Freehold[]
The entrance to this glade is an almost invisible cleft high in the rocks any mortal would walk past with hardly a second glance. But the cleft opens for Kithain, and set along the stone inside are carved stairs spiraling down to a realm of crystal splendor. The balefire here takes a strange form, that of a frozen waterfall that never melts; since any can remember, the cascade drips steadily into a tiny pool with water so pure and full of Glamour that some have sworn they see shadowy images of Arcadia in its reflection. The stone walls bear no decorations, and little furniture livens the eyrie; a few trolls lugged in rocks for tables, and most people just sit around on the floor. The freehold is probably less than a thousand square feet, but the ceiling rises high above all to make it seem much, much larger. So Mount Snowdon gets my vote for the most naturally beautiful freehold in Cymru.
The Secret Pool of Yr Wyddfa Fawr[]
Yr Wyddfa Fawr, Mount Snowdon, is far more than even the wise Nestor Evans suspects. The mountain's source of Glamour is a small, flat stone resting at the top of the waterfall; not only is this a hard spot to reach, the stone seems so ordinary that few would recognize its powers. And to complicate matters further, the waterfall's pool rests upon a powerful Node, so that each cup of water carries within its drops not only Glamour but also Quintessence. Thus. Yr Wyddfa Fawr is not only the must beautiful freehold in Cymru, but the most powerful as well.
The secret of Mount Snowdon's hidden stone rests only in the minds of the Seneschals of Snowdonia, passed along from old master or mistress to young successor. Gwilym is thus the only Kithain in Cymru who knows the truth... though a few such as Tom John and Nestor might have suspicions. Gwilym is of two minds regarding the glade. He needs trusted Kithain such as Nestor or even Ulric and McGowan around to help him keep an eye on things; thus he welcomes most Welsh fae to the mountain, albeit cautiously. On the other hand, he knows that should someone guess the true nature of the glyn (the Tylwyth Teg's term for glade) and try to seize and misuse its powers, all Cymru will suffer. Thus Gwilym's desperation to find a high king who can guard and nurture the glyn is quite justified.
Trods[]
Betws-y-coed []
The picturesque town of Betws-y-coed sits astride the Conwy River and serves as a major center for display of fine Welsh crafts, including lovespoons, woolens, and pottery. Kithain adore the town for its abundance of Dreamers among the craft folk. Only about 900 people live here, but Betws-y-coed prospers from tourism. The town has a number of Victorian inns and shops, with two old churches and a footbridge across the River Conwy. Several sheep farms form the town's perimeter, and the view from almost any point is spectacular, highlighting the surrounding mountains. Swallow Falls is a pleasant hike north of Betws-y-coed and has a splendid river overlook.
Pentref Crafts []
Near the center of Betws-y-coed is one of the largest and finest centers of craftsmanship in north Wales. Pentref Crafts is a two-story stone and slate building from the late 1800s that has both merchandise and demonstrations of weaving, carving, and pottery. The store operates as a collective, with members paying a modest annual fee and working part-time as cashiers. Several of the local Kithain, including Gwilym and Rowena ferch Cadwyr, sponsor the younger artisans by paying their annual fees. At least once per year, usually in the spring, Pentref Crafts has an opening party exhibiting new works, gearing everyone up for the summer tourist season. Kithain from all over Cymru look forward to this celebration of their country's culture.
Penmachno Pony Trekking Club[]
Just a few miles south of Betws-y-coed is the tiny village of Penmachno, right in the heart ofthe Snowdonian Mountains. The road to Penmachno has sharp turns and stunning overlooks into the valley below. Gwilym Pugh has his home and pony trekking club just outside the village on about 70 acres of land. The house and barn are stone, built around the turn of the century, but they have all the modem amenities. About 15 well-trained ponies of varying sizes live in the stable; most are for trail riding, but a few are trained for dressage and hunting. Gwilym's youngest daughter, Susan, is still in school and often helps her father with the animals and rentals. Riders can rent ponies hourly or for overnight trips up into the mountains.
Susan knows about her father's fae nature and is sad that she seems to be completely "normal." She would do anything to be "special," not realizing her father takes tremendous pride in her just the way she is.
References[]
- CTD. Isle of the Mighty, pp. 157-160