Labiruta (la.bi.ru.ta)
"Here in the Mangimoi Archipelago, we are more civilized - we conquer with gold, not steel."
Labiruta is one of the Nofo Islands in the Mangimoi Archipelago. Until about fifty years ago, it was ruled by the the Kingdom of Biku, along with several nearby islands. Over the course of a few decades, the Kingdom of Pagi, assisted by many loyal Mangimoi merchants, undertook to purchase as much of the land on Labiruta as possible, with the intent of acquiring its valuable avocado groves. These fruit are not found anywhere else in the Great Ring, and Pagi wanted control over this valuable commodity.
The purchase of Biku was done quietly, and for many years nobody on Labiruta saw the pattern of sales as troubling. When the King of Biku finally did take notice, Pagi owned more than 80 percent of the land on Labiruta, and had also acquired most of the islands nearby as well. When they acquired most of the land, Pagi (and its agents) began deliberately devaluing it to reduce tax revenues going to the Biku throne. They would leave produce unharvested, or sell it below cost, and the amount of revenue going to the Kingdom plummeted. This was actually brought the matter to the attention of the government, who suddenly found they had no money to use to purchase their land back. In the end, the King of Biku accepted an offer to purchase the kingdom outright, married one of the princesses of Pagi, and retired to an estate on Gimoi.
Notable Spirits
Like most of the archipelago, there are many gods and ancestor spirits resident on Labiruta, but the most famous is called Mofalapisa, the Avocado Bringer. According to legend, a strange woman once appeared on the island bearing a sack of strange green fruit. She called herself a lost dreamer, but the islanders named her Mofalapisa, the bearer of a gift of green fruit. She was a True Mage and a wise woman, who was able to make the crops flourish, ward off disease, and even temper the greatest storm into a gentle rain. When Mofalapisa finally died, the people of Labiruta mourned her passing deeply. But some whispered that such a powerful figure could not truly die, and continued to leave meals for her in the avocado grove she had planted. In time, the meals disappeared, and those who had left them found little blessings in their place, charms of good luck and health that nobody could account for. They knew that Mofalapisa had truly returned to them then, and were confident that her apotheosis would keep her and her wisdom with them forever.
Geography
Some people call Labiruta a triple island, as it has three distinct parts connected by two narrow isthmuses. The largest section is to the north, and makes up almost half of the island's total area, while the central region contains Gunung Buku, the highest point in the Nofo Islands. To the southeast is the third section, smaller than the northern region, but larger than the central highlands. The entire island is heavily cultivated, with dense forest covering any place the population isn't using for agriculture. Labiruta has many species of animal and plant, including the Ningomoi, a giant bee that reaches nearly two inches in length and lives in enormous hives built jointly by them and a species of termite.
Geographic Details
Location: Southern RegionLatitude: 0.01 degrees South
Longitude: 16.18 degrees West
Average Elevation: 417 ft
Highest Point: 6,749 ft (Gunung Buku)
Lowest Point: -7 ft
Area: 733.59 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 Kingdom of Pagi was so sneaky and clever in how they went about taking the island. It makes me not like them much.
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