Gimoi (ɡiˈmɔ.i)
"Welcome to Gimoi! The greatest island in the Mangimoi Archipelago!"
"Second-greatest, you mean. Ngofa is the greatest."
"Ngofa is a tiny gilded hill! Gimoi is a work of art!"
"Gimoi is an overblown pile of rocks, and you know it!"
Gimoi is the largest island in the Mangimoi Archipelago, and the heart of the Kingdom of Pagi. The island is largely given over to the cultivation of spices for trade, and is a major source of nutmeg, cloves, pepper, and ginger. Those areas of the island not under cultivation are covered in tropical rain forest.
The largest settlement on the island is Tobel, capital of the Kingdom of Pagi. The city is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world, with glorious architecture, wide boulevards, and many works of public art. The beautification of the city is part of the ongoing rivalry between the Kingdom of Pagi and their neighbor to the south, Kodu. Both kingdoms have grown wealthy from the spice trade, and have used their wealth in a constant effort to upstage each other with ever more lavish and opulent improvements to their cities.
One of the more notable natural features of Gimoi is the vast network of caves that lie beneath the northern hills. These caves are known as the Tano Lumoto, or Place of Echoes. Kano Malitu, the island's largest river, has its source deep within the caves, and is the longest navigable underground waterway in the Great Ring. The river winds through miles of gigantic caverns, many of which are considered sacred by the Mangimoi, and have been decorated with beautiful statues and paintings, enhancing the already spectacular natural beauty. Some believe that whatever is said within the Tano Lumoto will continue to echo forever through the caves, and it is common for couples to make vows to on another inside the caverns so that their words will never fade.
Notable Spirits
While many spirits reside within the forests and caves of Gimoi, there is one group who are better known and more feared than the rest. They are the Suangea, and they are spirits of death and vengence. According to legend, the Suangea were a group of humans brought to Gimoi when the Nakaal drew them into the world of the Great Ring. They arrived surrounded by Kikipua who knew nothing of what was happening, and a conflict broke out. All of the Suangea were destroyed in the battle, but their spirits became lost in the strange new world - there was no afterlife for them in the Dream close to this new world, and their gods were far away. Their ghosts haunted the site where they died, driving away the Kikipua who lived there. When the Clarati overthrew the Nakaal's empire and slaughtered all the Kikipua they could find, the entire island of Gimoi was abandoned to the wilderness. Years passed, and the lost ghosts of the Suangea grew mad and strange in their isolation.
When the Mangimoi of Gotugimoi crossed the channel to occupy Gimoi, they found the spirits of the Suangea there. They knew the stories of the lost people, and hung sacred symbols around their homes and fields to keep the mad ghosts away. Today, these symbols are found throughout the island, and the Suangea are banished to the wild places. During the War for Gimoi, the Suangea captured the spirits of the slain and feasted upon them, inflicting the terrible fate of soul-death upon them.
Geography
Gimoi is an irregularly shaped island, with four large peninsulas which extend out from a small central region. The largest of these extends to the northwest of the center, and is where the Tano Lumoto cave system is located. The other three extend to the west, southwest, and south of the island, separated by wide bays. To the east of Gimoi lie the islands of Gotugimoi and Golowu, homelands of the Mangimoi and Ngofangare peoples respectively. Gimoi stretches for over 200 miles from the tip of the northernmost peninsula to the southernmost, and about 80 miles from the eastern coast to the shores of the western peninsula.
Geographic Details
Location: Southern RegionLatitude: 0.65 degrees North
Longitude: 16.57 degrees West
Average Elevation: 151 ft
Highest Point: 5,120 ft (Gunung Sahu)
Lowest Point: 0 ft
Area: 6,860 sq mi
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This article was originally written for Spooktober 2024. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
This article was originally written for Spooktober 2023. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
The quote at the beginning made me laugh. I would really love to visit the Place of Echoes. Sounds beautiful.
Explore Etrea | March of 31 Tales
Thanks!