Nyissa is the southernmost of the countries of the West in David Eddings' book series The Belgariad and The Malloreon. Nyissa is named after its god Issa, who is the snake-god. As a result of their God's totem animal, snakes are deeply respected and admired for their beauty in Nyissa, and are common pets there. The country is ruled by the priestess Salmissra, who is named after the first priestess of Nyissa and love of Issa. At first all the Salmissras were chosen to look exactly like the original, and also given medicines to slow the visible aging process. This was until Polgara turned the latest Salmissra into an immortal snake, who rules them to the end of the series and beyond. Nyissa is located in the swamp and jungles of the southeast of the West, and is largely uninhabited except fo