Policeman Edward Malus (Nicolas Cage) receives news from his ex-fiancée, Willow Woodward (Kate Beahan), that her daughter Rowan (Erika Shaye Gair) is missing. He travels to an island off the coast of Washington state where a group of neo-pagans lives. The island is led by Sister Summersisle (Ellen Burstyn), an elderly woman who supposedly represents the Goddess they worship. Sister Summersisle explains to Edward that her ancestors had left England to avoid persecution, only to settle near Salem and find renewed persecution in the Salem witch trials before arriving on the island. Sister Summersisle explains that their population is predominantly female, as they choose the strongest stock—evading Edward's concern about the birth of unwanted males. The island's economy relies on the production of local honey, which Edward learns has declined recently.