Travelog - "A Curious village in Oz"
[Morning]
Many places populate the vast land of Oz, surely one can find a home here for the people are very hospitable and the lands are lush. Tis true, upon my travels I have come across many villages that beckon me to settle down and live out my life as a solitary author. My youth is fleeting but my spirit still calls for the thrill of exploration!
Today I find myself in such a town that reminds me of why I fancy traveling in the first place, such interesting folk inhabit this curious village and it's landscape is nothing short of fascinating. It's located in a remote section of the munchkin country, but you won't find it following the yellow brick road. Instead follow the munchkin river, nestled in a crook between some mountains you can find this quaint little town. A shallow cavern cradled the western side of the town, and the blues of the buildings reflect the pools of water from revisers connected to the munchkin river. Upon first arriving I thought I'd reached an early section of Lake Orizon, but I was sure I hadn't climbed that high up and there wasn't a Hippocampus in sight.
A large bridge enters the south end of the town and leads to the towns center. Little signs around the town say "Welcome to Little Lamp Light."
In the town center is a strange sort of well, I've seen people throw things in an have also seen others climbing in and out of the gated hole. The well was over 15 feet in diameter, and on the roof of the well was made of copper with a smaller port hole at the top. I asked a young bespectacled child who had popped his cyan head out of the well. He seemed to be in his late teens, and he had a funny cap that looked like a hard hat, but with binoculars built in. His name was Orwell, and I asked him about the town and the well he just came out of.
He laughed when I called the hole a well, he made a cheeky quip that I wasn't from around here based on the looks of my travelers gear. He then told me that the "well" he just crawled out of is something called the "Spark Pot," it's like a big furnace that they light up during the new moon.
"What's a kid like you doing inside of a furnace? Isn't that dangerous?" I said with concern.
"The Spark pot doubles as a Kiln, I'm from a family of potters and so are many other people in the town. We put our works along the inner wall of the Spark Pot and after the events of the full moon, we can retrieve our works once the Pot has cooled."
"Odd to have a pottery schedule based on the moon don't you think?"
"Well we still make pottery when there isn't a new moon, the Spark Pot makes special pieces that are used for magic."
I peeked over the edge of the Pot to see a large pit filled with flammable items and wood. Small alcoves lined the walls and various pots, jars, urns, and other clay goods were tucked away on the platforms. Orwell mentioned that people regularly throw things in to stock the fire. Some of it is just trash, but its not uncommon for items of sentiment to be throw in as well. He claims that it helps with magical properties because of the givers feelings that are attached to the item. As I jotted this down in my travel journal, Orwell took his leave but just before he left completely he shouted in my direction.
"Hey, if you ain't just passing through, stay the night and see what the Spark Pot can do!"
A new moon was due that very night and now I was curious to see what the fuss was about.
[Mid-day]
As I continued up the west streets I found path leading too a plateau in front of the shallow cavern. What looked like a crafting quarters fell under the shadow of the caverns arc. Various trade shops were tucked away in this part of the town: blacksmiths, carpenters, metal workers, jewelers, Glass blowers, toy makers, and more. This section was a craftsman's dream. I wandered past a pet shop that sold glass and patchwork creatures, there were blacksmiths smelting intricate tools and decorative tomes. I wondered if I might find a book weavers shop and bind a new home for my travel log. Looking closer at the walls of the cavern I notices some shining stones that hung overhead, though as much as a strained my eyes, I couldn't completely make out what they were.
"You're going to strain your neck if you stare for too long" A burly man sat outside of a carpentry shop called the Hammer and Nail, he had the most glorious sideburns I had ever laid eyes on. He was widdeling a small wooden duck, and around his feet were other animated wooden ducks that chirped at him softly.
"Whats up there?" I asked quizzically
"Crystals, hundreds of thousands of small crystals line the walls of this cavern." He gave a hardy laugh and said, "We've mined out so much already, but it looks like the supply never ends"
My eyes widened as it dawned on me that this cavern was man made and not a natural shaping of the land.
"The crafters guild here has been working in this cavern for generations, the more we mine, the bigger the shopping district gets!" He chuckled again
"Could you tell me if there is a book keep around here? I wanted to get a new journal for my travels"
"Ah, ol Penderwins, past the metal work and two turns past the jewel smiths. You cant miss the metal plume on the storefronts sign."
I thanked the man and soon found myself in front of Pernderwin's Penmanship Emporium. The store front's giant metal plume could be spotted a mile away if you knew what it was. The layout of this shopping district seems to follow ovular rings that only expand deeper into the cavern. I'll be sure to make a full loop before I leave this town.
[Afternoon]
After an extended period of time around the Traders hall in the western cavern, I wandered around the pools of water that riddled the town. Cool blues washed over the living quarters of the town and seemed to touch just about everything with the reflected light. Many of the pools caught glimpses of the face of the cavern, which were dotted with sparkles. Starring deeper into the pools I noticed that the bases and edges were lined with a glossy clay. Is this where the potters got their resources? I'd passed various pottery gallery since coming across this town and each shop has unique wares. One shop I passed looked like it made clay golem toys that were sprinkled with the Power of life. Kids in this town were fond of them and they also acted as small helpers to other individuals. I intently stared into the pools as I jotted things down in my journal, a breeze came through the mountain an calmly brushed over the town. Ripples of water walked over the waters surface, it was mesmerizing.
"Your eyes are like an ocean..." A sudden voice said from beside me, in my surprise I turned to see a patchwork girl. Tall an plump, probably stuffed with cotton, this life sized patchwork doll looked out at the shimmering pools with her silver button eyes.
"Your breast are also an ocean..."
I couldn't help but let out a snort, what a silly start to a poem. They patchwork girl turned to me and smiled a pearly white smile at me.
"Did you like that? So much blue covers the Munchkin country, people wonder if it make munchkins blue? what about you? do you like the blue?"
Her rhymes brought a smile to my face, I replied, "Well if blue be blue and sad be true, then why not make blue happy too?" Smiled so wide that I thought the seems of her cheeks would burst. She twirled in place by the pools gleefully and started to cheer.
"Blue be happy too!" I delighted at her reaction, but watched cautiously as she nearly fell into the pools on several of her turns.
[Night]
Soon the night came and people gathered into the town center around the Spark Pot. I watched everyone from the 3 floor balcony of the Inn I was staying at. The sun was setting as people gathered with lanterns and torches around the Spark Pot. Once it was completely dark, the Munchkins started to put the lights out by tossing them into the Spark Pot, a dull light started to bloom from within the center of the hole. I saw someone instruct another person to turn a crank next to the side of the Spark Pot. The roof of the Pot was then slowly lowered down to form a lid on top of the pot. Smoke started to filter through the smaller hole at the top of the lid and soon a bustling flame shot out from the same opening. To my surprise, the column of fire not only lit up the town square but the light was caught by the mouth of the cavern and reflected a rainbow of light across the town. I stood up from my eat on the balcony and gazed in wonderment at the beautiful sight before me. The lights danced off the pools of water and showered the town in its rainbow. The towns folk cheered and danced, I could hear music playing in the town circle. The carpenter from the traders quarter was among the crowd, he looked to be dancing with whom I would assume to be his wife. The Patchwork girl danced circles around the plaza, keeping her distance from the flame but chasing the light as it touched the ground. Orwell looked like he was conversing with some other kids his age, cheering and having a good laugh under the twinkling lights.
Its night like these that make me seek adventure, the world hold so much beauty. This curious village was a hidden gem tucked away in the land of Oz. I truly hope to find more gems like these on whatever adventure I come across next.
Many places populate the vast land of Oz, surely one can find a home here for the people are very hospitable and the lands are lush. Tis true, upon my travels I have come across many villages that beckon me to settle down and live out my life as a solitary author. My youth is fleeting but my spirit still calls for the thrill of exploration!
Today I find myself in such a town that reminds me of why I fancy traveling in the first place, such interesting folk inhabit this curious village and it's landscape is nothing short of fascinating. It's located in a remote section of the munchkin country, but you won't find it following the yellow brick road. Instead follow the munchkin river, nestled in a crook between some mountains you can find this quaint little town. A shallow cavern cradled the western side of the town, and the blues of the buildings reflect the pools of water from revisers connected to the munchkin river. Upon first arriving I thought I'd reached an early section of Lake Orizon, but I was sure I hadn't climbed that high up and there wasn't a Hippocampus in sight.
A large bridge enters the south end of the town and leads to the towns center. Little signs around the town say "Welcome to Little Lamp Light."
In the town center is a strange sort of well, I've seen people throw things in an have also seen others climbing in and out of the gated hole. The well was over 15 feet in diameter, and on the roof of the well was made of copper with a smaller port hole at the top. I asked a young bespectacled child who had popped his cyan head out of the well. He seemed to be in his late teens, and he had a funny cap that looked like a hard hat, but with binoculars built in. His name was Orwell, and I asked him about the town and the well he just came out of.
He laughed when I called the hole a well, he made a cheeky quip that I wasn't from around here based on the looks of my travelers gear. He then told me that the "well" he just crawled out of is something called the "Spark Pot," it's like a big furnace that they light up during the new moon.
"What's a kid like you doing inside of a furnace? Isn't that dangerous?" I said with concern.
"The Spark pot doubles as a Kiln, I'm from a family of potters and so are many other people in the town. We put our works along the inner wall of the Spark Pot and after the events of the full moon, we can retrieve our works once the Pot has cooled."
"Odd to have a pottery schedule based on the moon don't you think?"
"Well we still make pottery when there isn't a new moon, the Spark Pot makes special pieces that are used for magic."
I peeked over the edge of the Pot to see a large pit filled with flammable items and wood. Small alcoves lined the walls and various pots, jars, urns, and other clay goods were tucked away on the platforms. Orwell mentioned that people regularly throw things in to stock the fire. Some of it is just trash, but its not uncommon for items of sentiment to be throw in as well. He claims that it helps with magical properties because of the givers feelings that are attached to the item. As I jotted this down in my travel journal, Orwell took his leave but just before he left completely he shouted in my direction.
"Hey, if you ain't just passing through, stay the night and see what the Spark Pot can do!"
A new moon was due that very night and now I was curious to see what the fuss was about.
[Mid-day]
As I continued up the west streets I found path leading too a plateau in front of the shallow cavern. What looked like a crafting quarters fell under the shadow of the caverns arc. Various trade shops were tucked away in this part of the town: blacksmiths, carpenters, metal workers, jewelers, Glass blowers, toy makers, and more. This section was a craftsman's dream. I wandered past a pet shop that sold glass and patchwork creatures, there were blacksmiths smelting intricate tools and decorative tomes. I wondered if I might find a book weavers shop and bind a new home for my travel log. Looking closer at the walls of the cavern I notices some shining stones that hung overhead, though as much as a strained my eyes, I couldn't completely make out what they were.
"You're going to strain your neck if you stare for too long" A burly man sat outside of a carpentry shop called the Hammer and Nail, he had the most glorious sideburns I had ever laid eyes on. He was widdeling a small wooden duck, and around his feet were other animated wooden ducks that chirped at him softly.
"Whats up there?" I asked quizzically
"Crystals, hundreds of thousands of small crystals line the walls of this cavern." He gave a hardy laugh and said, "We've mined out so much already, but it looks like the supply never ends"
My eyes widened as it dawned on me that this cavern was man made and not a natural shaping of the land.
"The crafters guild here has been working in this cavern for generations, the more we mine, the bigger the shopping district gets!" He chuckled again
"Could you tell me if there is a book keep around here? I wanted to get a new journal for my travels"
"Ah, ol Penderwins, past the metal work and two turns past the jewel smiths. You cant miss the metal plume on the storefronts sign."
I thanked the man and soon found myself in front of Pernderwin's Penmanship Emporium. The store front's giant metal plume could be spotted a mile away if you knew what it was. The layout of this shopping district seems to follow ovular rings that only expand deeper into the cavern. I'll be sure to make a full loop before I leave this town.
[Afternoon]
After an extended period of time around the Traders hall in the western cavern, I wandered around the pools of water that riddled the town. Cool blues washed over the living quarters of the town and seemed to touch just about everything with the reflected light. Many of the pools caught glimpses of the face of the cavern, which were dotted with sparkles. Starring deeper into the pools I noticed that the bases and edges were lined with a glossy clay. Is this where the potters got their resources? I'd passed various pottery gallery since coming across this town and each shop has unique wares. One shop I passed looked like it made clay golem toys that were sprinkled with the Power of life. Kids in this town were fond of them and they also acted as small helpers to other individuals. I intently stared into the pools as I jotted things down in my journal, a breeze came through the mountain an calmly brushed over the town. Ripples of water walked over the waters surface, it was mesmerizing.
"Your eyes are like an ocean..." A sudden voice said from beside me, in my surprise I turned to see a patchwork girl. Tall an plump, probably stuffed with cotton, this life sized patchwork doll looked out at the shimmering pools with her silver button eyes.
"Your breast are also an ocean..."
I couldn't help but let out a snort, what a silly start to a poem. They patchwork girl turned to me and smiled a pearly white smile at me.
"Did you like that? So much blue covers the Munchkin country, people wonder if it make munchkins blue? what about you? do you like the blue?"
Her rhymes brought a smile to my face, I replied, "Well if blue be blue and sad be true, then why not make blue happy too?" Smiled so wide that I thought the seems of her cheeks would burst. She twirled in place by the pools gleefully and started to cheer.
"Blue be happy too!" I delighted at her reaction, but watched cautiously as she nearly fell into the pools on several of her turns.
[Night]
Soon the night came and people gathered into the town center around the Spark Pot. I watched everyone from the 3 floor balcony of the Inn I was staying at. The sun was setting as people gathered with lanterns and torches around the Spark Pot. Once it was completely dark, the Munchkins started to put the lights out by tossing them into the Spark Pot, a dull light started to bloom from within the center of the hole. I saw someone instruct another person to turn a crank next to the side of the Spark Pot. The roof of the Pot was then slowly lowered down to form a lid on top of the pot. Smoke started to filter through the smaller hole at the top of the lid and soon a bustling flame shot out from the same opening. To my surprise, the column of fire not only lit up the town square but the light was caught by the mouth of the cavern and reflected a rainbow of light across the town. I stood up from my eat on the balcony and gazed in wonderment at the beautiful sight before me. The lights danced off the pools of water and showered the town in its rainbow. The towns folk cheered and danced, I could hear music playing in the town circle. The carpenter from the traders quarter was among the crowd, he looked to be dancing with whom I would assume to be his wife. The Patchwork girl danced circles around the plaza, keeping her distance from the flame but chasing the light as it touched the ground. Orwell looked like he was conversing with some other kids his age, cheering and having a good laugh under the twinkling lights.
Its night like these that make me seek adventure, the world hold so much beauty. This curious village was a hidden gem tucked away in the land of Oz. I truly hope to find more gems like these on whatever adventure I come across next.
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