Sama Islands (sa.ma ˈaɪ̯ləndz)
"Truly, the lands at the heart of the archipelago are the most beautiful and blessed. Not like the scrublands around the edges."
The Sama Islands occupy the heart of the Mangimoi Archipelago, and contain some of the largest and most productive islands in the region. It is known for its prodigious production of valuable spices, including allspice, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, pepper, mace, nutmeg, star anise, cloves, and turmeric. These spice farms have made the merchants of the Sama Islands extremely wealthy, and the region is known for its opulent homes and gratuitous displays of wealth. The Sama Islands are ruled over by the Kingdom of Kodu, one of the wealthiest countries in the Great Ring. Locally, only the Kingdom of Pagi rivals Kodu for wealth and influence, and these rival kingdoms have a long tradition of competing over who can display the most wealth.
Points of Interest
Much of Kodu's wealth can be found on display in the city of Bunam, on the island of Ngofa. This is the capital of Kodu, and has been turned into showpiece to demonstrate how wealthy the kingdom is. At the heart of the city is the temple to Opu Ngamutu, the crocodile king of the island. This massive structure encloses a manmade swamp with over a hundred crocodiles within, who are fed the finest food available and are considered avatars of the god. It is highly advised that anyone wishing to journey into the interior of Ngofa make a sacrifice to Opu Ngamutu before they go, lest the crocodiles seek to extract their tribute themselves.
Another landmark worth visiting is Gunung Sangat, on the island of Inagimoi. At over nine thousand feet, it is the tallest mountain in the Mangimoi Archipelago, and one of the highest in the Great Ring. The mountain is home to a wide variety of unique species, including the legendary giant bat known as the Sopali Malapua.
Geography
With the second and third largest islands in the Mangimoi Archipelago, the Sama Islands have more territory than any of the other island groups in the region. There are over five hundred islands in the Sama group, although the vast majority of these are small and uninhabited.
The Sama Islands (sorted by size)
This table includes all those islands in the group with an area greater than one hundred square miles.| Name | Area (sq mi) | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|
| Inagimoi | 6,600 | 3° South, 18.17° West |
| Ngofa | 4,886.35 | 3.04° South, 15.34° West |
| Mole | 287.02 | 3.63° South, 16.67° West |
| Wambelau | 118 | 3.47° South, 15.86° West |
Geographic Details
Location: Southern RegionLatitude: 2.92 degrees South
Longitude: 16.62 degrees West
Average Elevation: 360 ft
Highest Point: 9,931 ft (Gunung Sangat)
Lowest Point: -7 ft
Area: 14,128.04 sq mi
Related Articles
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.
I don't know why, but I absolutely love the combination of spice and crocodiles. I bet those crocs are fat and happy. :D
Explore Etrea | March of 31 Tales
They absolutely are.