Gunung Sangat (ɡu.nuŋ saŋ.ɡat)
"Don't venture into the heart of Gunung Sangat. Those caves may look tempting, but you'll probably be eaten by the Sopali Malapua. If you're lucky."
Gunung Sangat is the highest point in the Mangimoi Archipelago, located on the island of Inagimoi. It is a part of the mountain range which runs along the island's spine, and it is the highest point in the Mangimoi Archipelago. Like the rest of Inagimoi, the mountain is very active and tends to feel like it is constantly shifting underfoot. The Pulawan people avoid the mountain, and claim that it is a not a place for civilized people to visit, for it is the domain of the Sopali Malapua and their goddess-queen, Sang Layara.
Notable Spirits
The Hyang of Gunung Sangat is Sang Layara, the queen of bats and ruler of the Sopali Malapua. She is a shapeshifter, known for changing between a human form and that of a gigantic bat at a moment's notice. She serves Ibunda Rimba, the Wild Mother of Inagimoi, enforcing her will and carrying out her punishments. Sang Layara is also known as a trickster and a temptress, who will lure stray humans into trouble for her own amusement. More than one person has pursued an alluring figure in the dark, only to find themselves lost when she vanishes, leaving only the sounds of laughter and wings behind.
Geography
Gungung Sangat is a challenging mountain to climb. It is covered in tropical rainforests, and the constant shivering of the earth can result in sudden landslides and unstable footing. The mountain is also riddled with caves and sinkholes, and many climbers have found themselves suddenly falling into an unseen chasm when they least expected it. In addition to the heavy forest cover, there are several rivers that cascade down the slopes, and heavy rain often results in mudslides and floods that can sweep a climber off their feet and over a steep cliff. All of this gets a little easier above around 7000 feet when the trees thin out, but the reduced tree cover makes the traveler more visible to the hunting Sopali Malapua, who consider any creature on the mountain fair game.
Geographic Details
Location: Southern RegionLatitude: 3.04 degrees South
Longitude: 18.22 degrees West
Elevation: 9,931 ft
The Sopali Malapua
The Sopali Malapua are the servants of the gods of Inagimoi, and take the form of gigantic, primate-like bats. They stand nearly five feet tall, and have foxlike features and a long, prehensile tail. They sleep within the caves of Gunung Sangat during the day, and at night emerge to hunt for food in the rainforests of Inagimoi and beyond. While they do not themselves have the ability to shapeshift, many stories tell of a Sopali Malapua transformed by their goddess-queen into a human, in order to perform some task for the gods. These tasks can be anything from shopping to assassination, and the Sopali Malapua are renowned for always getting the job done.
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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.
This sounds like a place that is not for the faint of heart! Does anyone actually try to go there?
Adventurers are crazy, so they might. But outside of them? No - people with healthy survival instincts leave the region alone.