Smale

Smale
Established
Motto
Neighbours	Omnia, Ushistan, Betrek
Geographical Features	rocks, gravel, sand
Population
Size
Capital
Type of government
Notable Citizens	Koomi the philosopher
Imports	Angry inquisitors from Omnia; religious pilgrims wishing to venerate the holy martyr, Koomi.
Exports	Ideas about gods; small miscellaneous holy relics claimed once to have been integral bodily parts of the holy martyr Koomi.
National Anthem
Books	Small Gods, The Compleat Discworld Atlas

If you trek several hundred miles rimward across the desert from Kom to the edge of the Klatchian Ramtops, you may reach the region of Smale. You will then probably wonder why. You will be standing on what is a largely featureless sandy plateau with nothing to see except the Herelayan Mountains to the rimwards and widdershins. And by then you are likely to be surrounded by fierce nomads demanding any camels, goats or women you may have about your person. Smale is known mainly as the home of Koomi, a religious philosopher who ran afoul of the Omnian Church who eventually ended up travelling the length and breadth of the empire - albeit in many small and widely separated pieces. Today, purveyors of religious icons and Holy Relics will attempt to sell you desiccated and possibly organic fragments of what they claim was once an integral bodily part of Koomi. One presumed genuine part of Koomi is kept by the Chief of the Smalians and used as part of the wedding ceremony for his daughters. Apparently it guarantees fertility.

Smale and Elharib were at war over religion for two hundred years, owing to a typographical error in the holy book of their mutual god. The conflict ended ten years before the events of Jingo, when both sides ran out of rocks. Despite this technical truce the squabble between the two nations rumbles on, with the Smalians spending their time stealing Elharibian goats, Elharibian camels, and if goats or camels are too well guarded, making do with stealing Elharibian women. The Elharibian tribesmen return the compliment.

Smale is said to be potentially rich in mineral resources, up to and including gold, but because of the continual fighting not many prospectors have been able to get in there and confirm this.