Saralamo (sarəˈlamo)

"We may be far from Kojima, but we are still citizens of the Empire, and our village is as much a part of it as Wamato itself." - Takumi Haruto, headman of Sarato

Saralamo is a small island in the western half of the the Harafora Islands, which are a part of the Mangimoi Archipelago. Most of the island's population is of the Pulawan ethnicity, but the island is mostly known for Sarato, the sole Yanjin village on the northern coast. Given that the closest territory claimed by the Empire of Wamato is nearly five thousand miles away in the Manmosu Islands, their claim to be a part of the Empire is puzzling to their neighbors. The village has only existed for about ten years, but they have gotten a reputation as a curiosity, and ships will visit to see the Yanjin fishing village that was so misplaced. The villagers have even gone so far as to send tribute and greetings to Emperor Ariwara Komachi, although they have so far received no acknowledgement in return.

Like most of the islands in the region, most of the wealth comes from the unique spices found in the archipelago and each island tends to specialize in the cultivation and production of one or more. Saralamo black pepper is well thought by spice merchants, and sells well in markets both east and west. While there are black pepper vines elsewhere in the archipelago and beyond, Saralamo black pepper is known for its piquancy and fruity undertones.

Notable Spirits

The god of Saralamo is known as Musiraya, and she is said to live within the deep forests at the island's heart. Like the other Hyang of the Harafora Islands, she was asked by Tabarunai to create a welcome gift for humans when they first arrived in the islands, to entice them to stay and become part of the god's collection of peoples. She was not very interested in the newcomers and a little irritated to be commanded to greet them, so she simply took some berries from a vine in the forest and rubbed them against her skin so that the sweat of divinity would soak into them. She left of bowl of these sweat-covered berries for the humans, and was a little surprised by how pleased they were to recieve them. According to her priests, she remains puzzled by human beings, and prefers to stay among the trees and animals of the forest rather than interact with people.

Geography

Saralamo is a flat island, about twenty miles long and between eight and twelve miles across. A low ridge runs down the center of the island, and most of the interior is covered in tropical forests. The coast features many small coves and swampy regions, and a tidal lagoon dominates the southeastern shore.

Type

Island

Location under

Harafora Islands

Included Locations

• Sarato

Geographic Details

Location: Southern Region
Latitude: 4.48 degrees South
Longitude: 11.28 degrees West
Average Elevation: 39 ft
Highest Point: 220 ft
Lowest Point: -16 ft
Area: 153.67 sq mi

Librarian's Note - Meddling Gods

Tabarunai, the god of the Harafora Islands, is well known to collect specimens of the cultures from around the Great Ring. While he normally does so by enticing them with gifts and hospitality, I suspect that in the case of Sarato he was a little more heavy-handed, and used his divine power to manipulate the sailors to want to stay within his domain. I don't think he would have gone so far as to shipwreck them on purpose - but once they were stranded, their sudden decision to settle down and form a village of their own seems like he just couldn't resist the opportunity to increase his collection.