Atom Realm
| Region | Puffbird Forest and its surroundings |
|---|---|
| Age | Atom Age (age of atomic research, seeking answers in the Cosmos) |
| Locations | Puffbird Forest, Looney Lark Caverns, Cornetto Lake, and a nameless town |
| Climate | Humid continental climate |
| Founding | Founded 444 years before Fork IV (Foramen Solis) |
| Cults | Children of Moss, Bowline Critterhood, Birdwatchers |
Geography and Climate
The unnamed town ensconced within the Puffbird Forest is an enigmatic settlement nestled in a scenic region. It is renowned for its captivating surroundings which include the dense Puffbird Forest, the enigmatic Looney Lark Caverns, and the tranquil Cornetto Lake. These natural wonders lend a unique charm to the town, making it a hotbed of exploration and intrigue.
The town experiences a humid continental climate with warm summers, cold winters, and significant rainfall throughout the year. Its diverse geography nurtures a wide variety of flora and fauna, some of which are endemic to this region, making it a sanctuary for nature enthusiasts and researchers.
Pre-Fork History
The nameless town within the Puffbird Forest was founded 444 years before Fork IV. No record of its original name exists, leading some to speculate that this forgotten detail is a side effect of the fork event. The town boasts numerous natural and critter-created attractions, drawing visitors from all corners of the region.
The Puffbird Forest is a dense woodland teeming with pitch pines and hickories, offering a tranquil retreat for hikers and birdwatchers. It is home to a unique yellow moss, a psychoactive substance utilized by the Children of Moss in their spiritual rituals. The Looney Lark Caverns, a complex network of caves, offer thrilling adventures for the more intrepid explorers.
Cornetto Lake, known for its crystalline waters and diverse wildlife, offers breathtaking views of the moon. The lake holds a special significance to the Bowline Critterhood who believes in a hidden link between the lake and the Looney Lark Caves. The Birdwatchers also frequent the lake to document the behavior of various bird species in the area.
The Floating Goose, a locally famous hotel, is recognized for its unique architecture, luxurious accommodations, and enigmatic past. Once seen as a beacon of hope and refuge, it now casts a long, ominous shadow over the town, with guests reporting strange occurrences, leading even the most level-headed residents to question their sanity. Within the depths of the Looney Lark Caverns, an ancient and potent entity stirs, its influence permeating the Puffbird Forest and its surroundings. The townsfolk find themselves ensnared in a web of cryptic secrets and eerie events. The few who have tried to unravel the truth have found themselves navigating a labyrinth of deceit and subterfuge.
The town's unique circumstances and landscape draw a variety of secretive groups such as the mentioned Bowline Critterhood, Birdwatchers, and the Children of Moss. Each of these cults pursues its mysterious objectives, potentially linked to the fork event, exploration of dimensional passages, or the pursuit of spiritual transcendence.
Notable Pre-Fork Events
The period leading up to Fork IV was marked by several events that deeply impacted the history of the Puffbird Forest and its surroundings. Among these, the infamous ~Puffbird Forest Incident~ stands out.
The Puffbird Forest Incident
This incident involved a series of peculiar events within the Puffbird Forest and its neighboring regions in the days leading up to Fork IV. These events included the sudden disappearance of critters and the emergence of mysterious lights in the sky. When detectives were dispatched to the town, they faced numerous challenges due to the secretive nature of the inhabitants, the sway of the resident cults, and significant areas declared off-limits by the local government.
Their primary line of investigation led them to a startling conclusion: the vanished critters were in fact ~members of the investigation team themselves, alongside a third critter that was reportedly not even present yet~1. The investigation remains unresolved, as the occurrence of the Fork I preempted the team's ability to reach a definitive conclusion.
The Cornetto Lake's Reshape
Cornetto Lake, with its distinct shape, has long been an object of interest to the town's diverse cults. The Bowline Critterhood believes in secret connections between the lake and occult dimensions, while the Birdwatchers document the behavior of local bird species. The Children of Moss, dressed in thermal suits, explore the waters of the lake. In the local library, the history of the lake is very well documented, with the most recent entry being the lake's sudden transformation into a perfect circle. Photos from a few decades before the incident, show the lake in its original shape and show engineering plans to transform the Lake. However, not even the most ancient townsfolk can recall the lake's original shape or the artificial transformation of the lake.
Many speculate that the lake's unique shape is a reverse pyramid construction, with connections to the shapes and dimensions of actual pyramids. It is suspected that the supposed reshaping of the lake was an attempt by the government to establish contact with other civilizations. However, it remains unclear which group is responsible for this transformation, as many were interested in the lake at the time of the fork since no one was able to enter the government-forbidden areas2.