The southern forest of Sestros, marking the transition between the kingdom's settled grasslands and the wilder country beyond. Tukiwood is temperate woodland—dense enough to provide timber and game, open enough that the Shailin don't find it threatening.
Character
Tukiwood spreads across the southern reaches of Sestros where the land rises toward the Widebarrow Mountains. The forest is primarily deciduous—oaks, maples, and similar hardwoods—with scattered evergreens on the higher slopes. The canopy is thick enough to shade the forest floor but not so dense as to block all light.
The forest covers perhaps 200 square miles, though the boundaries are imprecise. Grassland gives way gradually to scattered trees, then to proper woodland. The southern edge climbs into the foothills before the terrain becomes too steep and rocky for large trees.
Resources
The Shailin harvest Tukiwood's northern edges for timber, charcoal, and game. Logging operations are modest—Talresses teaches contentment, and the Shailin have enough grassland that they don't need to clear forest for pasture. They take what they need and leave the rest.
Hunting parties venture deeper, pursuing deer and wild boar that provide variety from the mutton-heavy Sestran diet. Professional hunters know the forest well enough to navigate safely. Casual visitors sometimes get lost.
What Lies Beyond
The deep forest is largely unexplored. The Shailin have no reason to push into it—everything they need lies in the grasslands—and Talresses's teachings discourage unnecessary curiosity. The southern reaches of Tukiwood give way to the foothills of the Widebarrow Mountains, where the terrain becomes too rugged for casual travel.
What lives in the deep forest is unknown. The hunters report normal wildlife—deer, boar, wolves, the occasional bear. But they don't go far enough south to encounter whatever might dwell in the mountain approaches. The Shailin don't worry about it. They don't worry about much.
Significance
Tukiwood serves as Sestros's southern buffer. Any approach from the Widebarrows or Chimea would have to cross the forest first, giving the Shailin warning and defensive advantage. The forest also limits southern expansion, keeping the kingdom compact and manageable.
The timber industry, while modest, produces the wood that builds Sestran homes, ships, and weaving looms. The textile workshops of Mu depend on Tukiwood lumber for their equipment.