Amo-te

To the south of Goldenmere’s windswept fields, beyond the rhythm of plow and sun, lies a forest unlike any other. It is not a wild place. Nor is it tamed. It is simply Amo-te; a word whispered through the trees, spoken by wind, etched in bark and bone. A name that means "I love you."

But Amo-te is no gentle garden. It is a grave, a sanctuary, and a promise born of one of the darkest wars in the New World’s memory.

Waystones

No wall marks the edge of Amo-te. Instead, its borders are defined by a solemn ring of carved monoliths called Waystones these towering slabs of moss-covered stone shaped like entwined roots and marked with silent glyphs.

Their magic is subtle, but powerful. Outsiders who approach the forest without invitation or clarity of purpose will soon find themselves walking in circles, unable to make true progress inward. Some leave with no memory of ever stepping beneath the canopy. Others find themselves halted by unseen barriers quickly turned away not by force, but by gentle refusal.

The Waystones serve two purposes:

To anchor the edge of the forest and prevent its slow, creeping expansion.

To ward the mind, gently turning away those not ready to enter.

Only those with peace in their hearts or those accompanied by those who already belong will find a path through.

Dancers Hollow

At the heart of Amo-te, where the trees grow oldest and light filters soft through leaf and fog, lies Dancers Hollow. This sleepy village is home to the Circle of the Verdant Thread, a halfling druidic order devoted to tending and listening to the forest with love.

Here, homes are grown rather than built. Trees have doorways, hammocks rest in high boughs, and walkways span the canopy like spider silk. Lanterns bloom from bioluminescent vines. Music is venerated and silence is rare.

The druids of Greenthread are lively and kind, but speak little. Many live in animal form for weeks at a time, walking with the deer, swimming in hidden springs, or curling among roots in the form of foxes and badgers. It is said the forest speaks most clearly to those who let go of themselves.

Dancers Hollow welcomes few visitors. Those who do find entry are met not with questions, but with warm tea, a place to rest, and the eyes of a thousand watching animals.

The Sealed Cave

Deep in the southern glades of Amo-te lies a cave that none may enter. It is not hidden, but it is warded surrounded by standing stones, twisted roots, and unseen eyes. The forest thickens here, the air stills, and even birds do not sing.

No one speaks of what lies within.
Not because it is secret
But because it is sacred.

Amo-Te Keman

The forest was not always called Amo-te. The name came later, given not in triumph, but in remembrance.

It means “I love you” in a language older than any still spoken in the valley.

It is a name of remorse and responsibility, a reminder of mistakes long buried, and a vow not to repeat them. Amo-te does not forget what was done to it. Nor does it lash out. Instead, it waits. It watches. And it welcomes only those who walk with care.