Standing Stones

One of the most notable features of the Armorican Peninsula is the prominence and sheer numbers of the standing stones scattered across the landscape. These megalithic structures, found across the Peninsula from the Penn-ar-Bed to the Ducal Cities, dominate both the physical land and the cultural identity of both Fae and Bediz populations, but are especially connected with the Korrigan, the native faerie of the Peninsula.

Type of Standing Stones

Standing stones can by typically grouped into 3 common categories: Cromlechs, Dolmnes and Menhirs. These can exist independently or in larger complexes.

Cromlechs - Stone Circles or alignments, containing rings or lines of Menhirs or Dolmens. These are typically used as cultural centers, halls of justice, observatories, or as power conductors for magical leylines. They are overseen by the Hoseguéannets.

Dolmens - Stone tables, constructed by placing a menhir as a lintel atop two "post" menhirs. These can be built back to back to form a tunnel-like structure, an allée couverte. When covered with dirt and stones, these can be made into hollow, artificial hills called tumuli, serving as burial grounds, communal meeting areas and fortresses. Often the allée couverte serve as entryways into pockets of Old Faerie, similar to the more refined Silverkey dwellings. Tumuli are the domain of the Boléguéans.

Menhir - Also used as a general term for all megalithic standing stones, menhir also refer to solitary stones, separate from more organized alignments, cromlechs and dolmens.

Notable Locations

The alignment of Carnag, in Gwened on the banks of the Kiberen Bay, is the largest alignment of Menhirs in Alvez, and a place of special cultural and religious significance to the Korrigan. At least 3,000 stones, over 4 km in length, are planted in rows along the fields, a massive solitary menhir , 7 meters tall, stands nearby as well as numerous tumuli.

The Dolmen of Ezieg, near Gwitreg is the largest in Alvez and nearby megalithic sites were at one time the largest settlement of Boléguéans.

The Champ Dolent in Dol is a large solitary menhir, site of a bloody battle.

Construction

Standing stones of all varieties are typically built by the Korrigan of all varieties, traditionally over the course of a single night. These range, depending on the vision of the architect and the flightiness of the workers, from grand complexes of dozens of carefully aligned stones, to scattered fields of menhirs seemingly dropped and abandoned mid-construction. An ere-hud of confoundment is placed on many alignments, preventing an accurate count, allowing the Korrigan to take advantage of the oversight for their own purposes.

Ornamentation

Most menhirs are unadorned, but some contain elaborate spiral patterns, carved by expert hands, that seem to shift and move. Some Menhir are cut off at the top, with a cup-and-ring pattern carved into the top, the hills and valleys used for archaic rain-making rituals and wind control.