Semvhu (ˈsɛm.ʋu)
"We have suffered Rangdayan's malice more than any, and we know what must be done to stop her. Call it monstrous if you will, but we will do what we must to survive."
Semvhu is the largest island in the Kanluranan, and the political center of the Persatuan Phaṇin. The island is divided into several Karajans, but in the aftermath of the eruption of Gunung Ratnala, the ruling council of the confederation gained much more power than the individual Sris. Much of that power is vested in Wira Suryanata, a general in the service of the Persatuan Phaṇin and leader of the Tirta Baya. He has used that power to dedicate the Phaṇin of Semvhu into a force dedicated to the destruction of Rangdayan.
While the Phaṇin have warred against Rangdayan and her Utkrośa for centuries, the eruption of Gunung Ratnala two centuries ago changed the shape of the war. It was the largest eruption in recorded history, and the mountain shed more than five thousand feet in height during a massive explosion. Thousands were killed during the eruption itself, and many more in the famine that followed. The Karajans of Semvhu all but collapsed during the disaster, and were only able to survive due to the efforts of their in the Persatuan Phaṇin on other islands. While all of Kanluranan suffered, Semvhu was at the center and saw the worst.
Shortly after the eruption, stories spread that it was the work of Rangdayan. The Phaṇin claimed that she had created a monstrous beetle of fire and malice that burrowed into the mountain and triggered the eruption. This tale ignored the fact that several Utkrośa communities in the mountains of Semvhu were completely destroyed by the eruption, and that no reports of this great beetle existed before the disaster. Soon, it was the common belief that Rangdayan had triggered the eruption in an attempt to wipe out all the Phaṇin of Semvhu, and it was very nearly a success.
Notable Spirits
The island of Semvhu is populated by a vast array of nature spirits known as the Hantu, who inhabit every aspect of the physical landscape. However, in the aftermath of the great eruption, many of these spirits vanished as their physical anchors were destroyed. The island's spiritual population is still recovering over two centuries later, and the new Hantu who are emerging are said to be corrupted by Rangdayan and hostile to the Phaṇin. Those who have repopulated the regions most heavily impacted by the eruption have grown wary of the spiritual world, for it seems to be populated by the ghosts of the dead and the new, violent Hantu.
Geography
Semvhu is an irregularly shaped island that resembles an hourglass or a butterfly. Large bays and rugged peninsulas divide the island into a northern and southern section, connected by a narrower midsection. The island is roughly one hundred and eighty miles from north to south, and about forty miles across at the widest point. Both the northern and southern sections are dominated by high mountains.
Geographic Details
Location: Southwestern RegionLatitude: 20.07 degrees North
Longitude: 31.72 degrees West
Average Elevation: 259 ft
Highest Point: 9,350 ft (Gunung Ratnala)
Lowest Point: 0 ft
Area: 5,916.54 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.
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