On Formosa Ultima, deep within forests where almost no light reaches the ground, live the beings known as the Roots. They are ancient forest spirits born from the memory of the woods themselves. The Roots are neither fully physical nor completely invisible. They emerge where giant trees have stood for centuries and where endless roots have grown together beneath the earth. Over time the forest begins to remember every sound, every creature, and every traveler who ever entered. From this memory the Roots awaken. People who wander too far into the dark forests of Formosa Ultima often report strange changes around them. Paths disappear moments after being seen. Trees seem to move during silence. Footsteps echo between the trunks even when no one is nearby. The Roots rarely show themselves directly. Most only sense them as shifting shadows, sudden cracks in the distance, or a feeling of being watched deep within the woods. Some believe the Roots protect the forest from outsiders. Others believe they test the intentions of everyone who enters. One truth is known across Formosa Ultima. Those who disrespect the forest rarely find their way back out again.
