Sela (se.la)

"We may not grow spices on Sela, but without us they would never come to market elsewhere. Our hands harvest their gold."

— Kalama Tofinu, king of Tali

Sela is the second-largest of the Nofo Islands, and the one located furthest to the west. It is ruled by the Kingdom of Tali, but it not truly indpendent of its neighbors. Unlike the kingdoms of Pagi and Kodu, Tali is not a major spice producer, and Sela is relatively poor when compared to its neighbors. In order to gain some benefits of the lucrative spice trade, Tali has been a tributary state of both larger kingdoms in turn. They are currently paying tribute to Pagi, by sending a large portion of their population to work the plantations on Gimoi. For this service, the Kingdom of Pagi allows Tali to access their ports and trade with the foreign merchants who would otherwise pass the remote island by.

The most valuable commodity produced on Sela is timber, particularly ironwood, ebony, and teak. A century ago, the islanders nearly destroyed their forests by over logging in an attempt to compete with the spice islands to the east. This led to a brief period of prosperity, but this collapsed when they could not continue to provide more lumber, and the damage done by the clear cutting of the forest led to a famine. While the forests of Sela have somewhat recovered, logging is strictly controlled by the Kingdom of Tali and only a certain amount of lumber can be brought to market each year. This is shipped northeast to Gimoi, where it can be sold either to merchants from the Kingdom of Pagi, or to foreigners. The largest settlement on the island is Talina, located on the northeastern coast. It is the captial of the Kingdom of Tali, and Sela's only major port.

Notable Spirits

The forests of Sela are said to be home to the Soa, a race of lizard-people who walk on two legs and can appear and disappear at will. They are much taller and thinner than the Kikipua found throughout the Great Ring, and some believe that they were once gods worshipped by the Anma before the breaking of Bato and the creation of the Mangimoi Archipelago. During the mass logging of Sela a century ago, the Soa became increasingly hostile to the humans cutting down the trees. Before the logging was stopped, the Soa had progressed from stealing tools to kidnapping and slaughter, leaving the bodies of loggers half-buried in the forest floor. Fear of what the Soa might do was one of the reasons Tali ceased logging when they did, and as the forests have slowly grown back, the Soa have ceased harassing those who enter their territory. Still, it is considered wise to bring an offering to the Soa whenever entering the forest - this is typically a gift of fried pork and raka, a potent alcohol made from the sap of the coconut palm.

Geography

Sela is long and narrow, with a shape like that of a canoe. It stretches from northwest to southeast for about 56 miles, with a maximum width of 18 miles. The terrain is rugged, with a narrow range of mountains down the island's center and forested hills on either side. The coastline is dominated by sheer cliffs, with occasional deep bays surrounded by mangrove swamps. Much of the island's animal and plant life was severely impacted during the deforestation, but the regrowing forests are still home to bats, owls, and monitor lizards, along with other species who managed to survive the logging.

Type

Island

Location under

Nofo Islands

Included Locations

• Gunung Tona
• Talina

Included Organizations

• Kingdom of Tali

Geographic Details

Location: Southern Region
Latitude: 1.8 degrees South
Longitude: 19.67 degrees West 
Average Elevation: 174 ft
Highest Point: 4,469 ft (Gunung Tona)
Lowest Point: -3 ft
Area: 1,120 sq mi

Related Articles