Inagimoi (i.na.ɡi.moi)
"To those who have lived on Inagimoi, no other island feels alive. They are all so still most of the time. Inagimoi is never so quiet, she is always restless."
Inagimoi is the largest of the Sama Islands, and the second largest island in the Mangimoi Archipelago. To the Pulawan, it is known as Pulau Induk, the mother island. Inagimoi is where the Pulawan people first arrived in the Great Ring, and they make up the majority of the population. It is a part of the Kingdom of Kodu, which controls the entirety of the Sama Islands from their capital on Ngofa. Inagimoi has a reputation for being a wild and untamable land, which persists despite the many spice plantations found in the island's lowland areas.
The largest settlement on the island is the coastal city of Gotong, where the Jaji appointed by the Kingdom of Kodu lives. In recent years, the city has suffered significant unrest, as the majority Pulawan have clashed with the ruling Ngofangare over the laws placed on the Pulawan's ability to trade freely with international merchants. At the moment, the Pulawan plantations are only permitted to sell their spices to the Kingdom itself, which sets the prices far below the market value with the intent of reselling them at great profit. This inspired a huge number of smugglers, who were then hunted by the Kingdom. The most recent riots in Gotong were in response to a series of public executions of captured smugglers, and led to Jaji Sofani fleeing the island in fear of her life. She has since returned with reinforcements from Ngofa, and tensions remain high.
Notable Spirits
The Hyang of Inagimoi is called Ibunda Rimba, the Wild Mother. Shrines to Ibunda Rimba are found throughout the rainforests that dominate the highlands, always outdoors and in an uncultivated place. She is the goddess of the rainforest and of earthquakes, and all the creatures born on the island are her children. The Pulawan honor her with offerings of cooked food, wine, and artwork, gifts calculated to convincing Ibunda Rimba that there is some value in the plantations and settlements of her lowland areas. She has declared the central mountains with their rainforests to be off-limits to the human settlers, and set the Sopali Malapua, a race of giant intelligent bats, to guard them for her.
Geography
Inagimoi is dominated by a central ridge of mountains, including Gunung Sangat, the tallest mountain in the Mangimoi Archipelago. The lower regions along either side of the mountain range are mostly agricultural land, with spices such as cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon being grown on huge plantations.
The island is known for its frequent earthquakes, and visitors are often disconcerted by the sensation that the island is always moving at least a little bit. Those who live on Inagimoi learn to ignore the feeling that the island is always shifting a little, and complain that other islands feel ominously still and dead.
Geographic Details
Location: Southern RegionLatitude: 3 degrees South
Longitude: 18.17 degrees West
Average Elevation: 135 ft
Highest Point: 9,931 ft (Gunung Sangat)
Lowest Point: 0 ft
Area: 6,600 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.
Wow, the Kingdom sucks. I'm not surprised there were riots, and even less surprised at the smuggling.
Explore Etrea | March of 31 Tales
Yeah - when I get to writing up all the details of Kodu and Pagi, it's going to be a real question which one is more evilly focused on wealth at the exclusion of all else.