Serunda

Serunda is an uninhabited island in the Mekonggan Archipelago. It was once home to the Legata people, who were forced to flee about a century ago when violent volcanic activity made the island unlivable. Most of their evacuation boats were subsequently wrecked in a great storm, and the surviving Legata eventually integrated into nearby communities, with the largest number settling on Remad.

Since that time, Serunda has gained a reputation for misfortune and is generally avoided by those who sail through the region. Some claim that its soil can be used to place a curse of ill luck upon another. However, gathering the soil is considered an unlucky act in itself, for the curse merely transfers Serunda's misfortune onto the intended target - should the ritual fail, all that bad luck remains with the caster instead.

The Tagápulo Empire has expressed interest in establishing a base on the island despite its dire local reputation. Newly arrived in the Mekonggan Archipelago, they see Serunda as a strategically placed outpost for supplying vessels traveling from the Paminta Archipelago to the east. Thus far, however, none of their attempts at settlement have succeeded. The first expedition vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a single grave. The second remains on the island, but struggles constantly with outbreaks of malaria and yellow fever.

Notable Spirits

Little is known of the spirits or gods that may inhabit Serunda. The tragic destruction of the Legata people also erased much of the oral tradition that once described the island’s Numina. Only scattered legends remain, colored heavily by the darker tales that have gathered around the island in the century since its abandonment. These stories speak of shadowy beings that dwell within the central volcano - creatures of ash and smoke, enraged at having been forsaken by those who once revered them. Some claim these spirits can command the weather itself and were responsible for the storm that destroyed the fleeing Legata ships. They are likewise blamed for the disappearance of the Tagápulo Empire's first settlement. Residents of the surrounding islands have been urging the empire to withdraw from its second attempt before the spirits of Serunda strike again.