Sonko

Every morning, Sonko slips into the woods, their wanderer’s gear making no sound. They are not charting new territory or stalking some great beast, but fulfilling a much higher calling: the search for the perfect bamboo stalk. Sonko is an artist, a master of a craft known only to them. They spend days carving intricate flutes, each a masterpiece of balance, with one intentional flaw. Every flute plays only a single, slightly flat note. The joyful locals, obsessed with their songs and feasts among the amber-leaved trees, adore these instruments and trade berry pies for them. Outsiders see a mysterious night-walker on a secret mission. They never get close enough to hear the soft *poot* that makes Sonko’s eyes light up with glee.