Marking a region that forms part of the boundary to Mellowdene is an unusual forest that has effectively been impenetrable - well, according to all the records in Mellowdene library. This is Tall Tree Forest.
Some of us have learned that the barriers are due to a "wild energy". Some theories say this is linked to the creation of Sylvania, and whilst typically this is located deep beneath the ground, it is so close to the surface in this area that it is channeled by the trees. One effect of this is to distort space within the forest so that paths loop. Near the edge this has the effect of returning those that venture within to paths that lead back out.
One path, winding so much that it would take a seasoned traveler around four hours to traverse, does lead to a clearing in the centre of the Tall Tree Forest. It is here that one may find a small community of critters in a village called Chunglewood.
One Chunglewood resident was not content to remain within the forest all his life and, unlike his fellow villagers, braved the journey to emerge. He does periodically return to his family and friends, but otherwise he is based in Mellowdene and has become a travel writer who drives his van around Sylvania. He is called Ricardo Porcini.
Much of that I've learned about Chunglewood is thanks to Ricardo. He has a travel column in my newspaper.
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Chunglewood is within a sizeable clearing. It is roughly kidney-shaped and it has been developed to support the small community.
A section has been put aside to farm crops and all villagers share the responsibility for caring for the land whilst producing most of their food.
There is a spring that produces sufficient water for their needs.
Rainfall is unusual as the air above the clearing is also prone to the spatial distortion shaped by the surrounding trees. Rain does find its way through but the path isn't a direct one. One can see patches in the sky where rain water has gathered into small pools.
Most of the residents live in stone-built houses beneath the tree line. It is unclear why they chose to build here but it does free up more open land for farming.
There is also a "crystal pool" where translucent stones have bubbled to the surface. The crystals are of interest to people beyond Chunglewood. They are exceedingly rare to find elsewhere in Sylvania. It is suspected that the path to the clearing (as used by Ricardo) was discovered by the outsiders. It isn't certain, but it is believed that the first visitors were owls. Once relationships were established, a handful of critters from the Sylvanian Research Group were to follow.
The SRG were interested in the stones and established a trading agreement whereby they could take a small number of the stones. In exchange, technology was provided to help the people of Chunglewood achieve tasks that would otherwise be difficult if not impossible.
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Subsequent posts will feature information about some of the Chunglewood residents.
