About the Sunshade Forest

General Information

The Sunshade Forest is an ancient woodland said to be older than the nearby town itself. Though its borders shift subtly with the seasons and its winding paths seem to change when no one is watching, the forest has never truly died. Even in the harshest winters, orange leaves cling stubbornly to its towering canopy, glowing warmly against frost and snowfall alike. Travelers often describe the forest as feeling endless, as though the deeper one walks, the farther the world outside slips away.

At the heart of the forest stands the mysterious Heart Tree, a massive ancient tree with brilliant amber-orange leaves that never wilt. Legends surrounding the tree differ from village to village. Some believe it was the very first tree in the world, and that the entire forest slowly grew around it over countless ages. Others say the woods were once ordinary and green until the Heart Tree awakened and changed everything around it. Whatever the truth may be, the Heart Tree radiates a strange and endless magic that seeps into the soil, the streams, and the roots beneath the forest floor.

Despite its unnatural nature, much of the forest appears peaceful. Deer wander freely through the undergrowth, rabbits nest beneath moss-covered roots, and birds sing among the branches as though nothing is unusual at all. The Heart Tree does not twist the natural wildlife into monsters or strange creatures. The animals remain exactly what they are meant to be, living quietly beneath the eternal orange canopy.

Yet the forest does not treat people the same way.

The townsfolk who live near the woods know better than to wander too deeply beneath its leaves. Farmers warn their children not to follow voices carried on the wind or glowing lights drifting between the trees at dusk. The forest is known to play tricks on wanderers. Some hear loved ones calling their names. Others glimpse pathways that were never there before. Sometimes travelers swear the trees themselves shift positions while no one is looking.

Those who lose themselves within the Sunshade Forest do not always return unchanged.

The longer a person remains lost beneath the Heart Tree’s influence, the more the forest begins to claim them. Their memories of the outside world soften like fading dreams, and slowly they begin to transform into small forest creatures known as Chickies. Some resist longer than others. Those with strong wills, clear purpose, or a powerful desire to return home are often able to escape the forest unharmed. Others eventually surrender to the warmth and comfort of the woods, becoming part of the strange family the forest quietly gathers for itself.

No one truly understands why the Heart Tree does this.

Some believe it is lonely. Others think it is protecting the forest by turning intruders into harmless creatures rather than destroying them outright. Whatever its intentions may be, the Heart Tree is not cruel. The forest provides shelter, warmth, and safety to those it accepts. Lost souls rarely starve beneath its branches, and many who become part of the forest eventually stop longing to leave at all.

To the people of the nearby town, the Sunshade Forest is both beautiful and frightening, a place of wonder, old magic, and quiet danger where the wind whispers names no one should follow.

Chickie Prime

Chickie Prime is believed to be the origin and central link between all chickies within the Sunshade Forest. Every chickie seems subtly connected to it, as if sharing a quiet, unseen bond. Whether it is their source, their guardian, or something far older remains unknown.

Unlike ordinary chickies, Chickie Prime displays a noticeably higher level of intelligence. It observes, remembers, and reacts with intent, rather than instinct. Most unsettling of all, it can alter its voice—mimicking sounds, tones, and even familiar voices with eerie accuracy.

Its diet further separates it from the rest. While normal chickies feed harmlessly, Chickie Prime consumes fairies. The magical essence of these creatures appears to sustain or even strengthen it, though the full extent of this effect is not yet understood.

Chickie Prime does not appear naturally at all times. Instead, it has only been observed manifesting after a certain number of chickies have gathered within the Sunshade Forest. Whether this is a summoning, a transformation, or a response to some unseen threshold is still being studied.

Despite its soft and harmless appearance, Chickie Prime is not simply another chickie.

It is something more.

Shou

Shou is a palm-sized wanderer of the Sunshade Forest, a quiet soul with a kind heart and a gift for listening. Chosen by the forest itself, he carries the title of Tidemender, one who restores balance where things have gone gently wrong.

With a small satchel of herbs, a leaf-worn cape, and a steady patience beyond his size, Shou travels the forest’s edges, helping lost creatures, mending broken paths, and keeping the quiet harmony of the woods alive.

He is not a hero of grand battles.
but in the Sunshade Forest, the smallest hands often make the biggest difference.