Mayyim

Mayyim is a tiny island in the Sabaen Archipelago and the personal estate of Sagda Malahum, the wealthiest merchant in the Malikate of Saba. The island has a fine natural harbor but little fresh water and has never supported a resident population. Until Sagda Malahum purchased the island from the Malikate, the largest buildings on Mayyim had been reed huts for fishermen who sometimes stayed on the island (and had brought the reeds with them). During his youth, Sagda Malahum was stranded on the island after a mutiny and spent several months there before being rescued. After becoming rich, he decided he would enjoy owning the island he had once been trapped on, and making it a quiet retreat from the busy world of Tarshish. He spared no expense on the grand estate he built upon Mayyim, and he frequently entertains guests from around the Great Ring there.

Notable Spirits

While the island itself does not seem to have a resident god, the waters around Mayyim are known to harbor spirits known as the kuliltu. These appear as hybrids of fish and humans, with scaled skin and bulging eyes. They are the embodiments of the currents that swirl around Mayyim, and are blamed for the many shipwrecks that have happened near the island over the centuries. When Sagda Malahum began to build his estate, he consulted with several oracles, including the famous one at Dirfyos, on how to appease the kuliltu so that his ships might be unmolested. Based on the advice he received, he deliberately sank a great treasure near the island as an offering. This appears to have worked, as no ship flying the flag of Sagda Malahum has come to harm near Mayyim since.

Geography

The island of Mayyim is shaped much like a crab, with the claws embracing a large natural harbor on the southwestern coast. The estate of Sagda Malahum stands on the hill overlooking the harbor, and a small village for the servants has sprung up on the shore.

Type

Island

Location under

Sabaen Archipelago

Owner/Ruler

Sagda Malahum

Geographic Details

Location: Southeastern Region
Latitude: 8.83 degrees North
Longitude: 29.8 degrees East
Average Elevation: 21 ft
Highest Point: 219 ft
Lowest Point: -7 ft
Area: 5 sq mi