Besi (ˈbɛ.si)

"...and that's the core of it. Both kingdoms think they own the island, and both think war is barbaric. So they bicker and squabble, and in the end the farmers and the merchants vote with their feet by which market they buy and sell at."

— a merchant explaining the twin ports of Besi

Besi is the southernmost member of the Nofo Islands, a part of the Mangimoi Archipelago. It is claimed by both the Kingdom of Kodu to the south and the Kingdom of Pagi to the north. Practically speaking, while both kingdoms claim total ownership of Besi, it is split between the two, with Kodu controlling slightly more territory than Pagi.

While the kingdoms are rivals, they both agree that war is a barbaric practice, and thus pursue their rivalry by other means. In the case of Besi, their competition is primarily economic. Each kingdom maintains their own port on the island where the spice farmers can bring their wares to trade with merchant vessels from around the Great Ring. Kodu's port is Ngofakiaha, located on the southern coast, while Pagi has Marikoro in the north. In each port, the kingdoms set their own rules - how much they take in tariffs and port fees, for example - and build their own amenities to draw people in. The merchants that live in each city use their profits to acquire land in the island's interior, with the more profitable city able to purchase and rule more of the island.

Outsiders often express skepticism that this system works, but it has persisted on the island of Besi for nearly two hundred years. Over time, the exact amount of the island controlled by each kingdom has fluctuated, but neither side has been able to buy all of the other's territory, and it is usually nearly half-owned by each kingdom.

Notable Spirits

According to legend, Besi is the body of an ancient sea monster, slain by the hero Tanjung Baleha. After death, Tanjung Baleha underwent Apotheosis, and became the god of the island he created. However, his ascension to divinity has not been ideal.

Both the Mangimoi people of Pagi and the Ngofangare of Kodu lay claim to Tanjung Baleha, and believe fervently that he came from their people. This belief, translated through the Egregoric Force, has pulled at the young Numina since he manifested, causing a rift in his identity. As a result, Tanjung Baleha suffers from intense mood swings, memory lapses, and can even shift personality completely to match one culture or the other more closely. At the same time, the image of the god is similar enough between the two cultures that it never quite reaches the level of breaking Tanjung Baleha into two entities. Instead, he remains stretched between similar but incompatible expectations.

Geography

Besi is a long, thin island that measures about thirty-five miles from north to south. It is wider in the north than the south, with a maximum width of about eight miles. A low ridge runs down the center of the island, rising to the highest point at Gunung Xulla, a little south of the island's center.

Most of the island is cultivated, and produces a variety of crops. The most common are nutmeg, cloves, sago, and coconut. These are sold in the markets to the north and south, and have brought great wealth to the people of Besi.

Type

Island

Location under

Nofo Islands

Included Locations

• Gunung Xulla
• Marikoro
• Ngofakiaha

Owning Organization

Kingdom of Kodu

Contested By

• Kingdom of Pagi

Geographic Details

Location: Southern Region
Latitude: 2.2 degrees South
Longitude: 18.55 degrees West 
Average Elevation: 108 ft
Highest Point: 2,024 ft (Gunung Xulla)
Lowest Point: 0 ft
Area: 215.45 sq mi

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