The Land of Oz is a location present in the World of the Hourglass. It is the land named for and based heavily upon by the stories of L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
History[]
According to legend, the Land of Oz was once a desolate wasteland with scarce habitation, along with the rest of its continent, Nonestica. The Fae Queen Lurline, who seceded from the Seasonal Courts in search of a new land to rule, as well as a place to hide from the inevitable onslaught of humanity, discovered Nonestica, which was conveniently located underneath fluid tears in reality between the worlds of men and faeries.
Lurline enchanted the entirety of Nonestica, though directed most of her attention to her favorite land on the continent, which would later become Oz. She dropped five gemstones onto the land: a single emerald was placed in the middle, while the four others located around the median. The amethyst provided the life and ushered the growth of the Gillikin Country, the sapphire for Munchkinland, the ruby for the Quadling Country, and the citrine for the Winkie Country. The emerald became the basis for Oz's capital, the Emerald City.
Lurline mysteriously vanished from Nonestica completely, leaving behind her husband Pastoria and her daughter, Ozma, who contained a fraction of Lurline's very soul.
Approximately two hundred years later, the four quadrants of Oz were ruled by witches, two of which paying fealty to Pastoria and Ozma while the two others opposing the King and Princess and plotting their downfall. The two Wicked Witches, Mombi of the North and Bixx of the South, were later defeated by their successors, the Good Witches Locasta (North) and Glinda (South). It is alleged that Glinda was a former acolyte of Lurline.
For the next four hundred years, the four Good Witches ruled in harmony, but an enchanted cyclone (believed to be the doing of Mombi) abducted two German girls and deposited them into the land. These girls were eventually twisted and warped by the strange dark magics of Oz, and became the Wicked Witches of the East and West, Austra and Vestra. Vestra usurped the throne of the Winkie Country by killing the Good Witch of the West, and Austra stole the throne as well, albeit more peacefully. The Good Witch of the East may have kept her life, but she was transformed into Austra's eternal slave, Nimmie Amee.
Mombi, working from the shadows, kidnapped Ozma, using magic to transform her into the boy Tip, and poisoned Pastoria, throwing Oz into chaos. Oscar Zoroaster Diggs, a human con artist from Nebraska, was eventually spirited away into the land via another magical tornado, and ended Oz's disarray by laying claim to the throne, and tricked nigh the entire population into believing he was a godlike wizard.
By the time Dorothea has been transported to Oz, it is on the brink of war, and although the world seems sugary and wonderful, darkness holds a firm grip upon the country.
Inhabitants[]
Witches[]
The witches, whether Good or Wicked, play a crucial role in both Oz's present and past. The most powerful of Ozian witchkind rules over sections of Oz.
- Vestra is the Wicked Witch of the West. Formerly a poor German girl named Adelgunde, she was taken to Oz, along with her sister Elfriede, by an enchanted tornado. She and her sister both succumbed to magical corruption, and later became the Wicked Witches of the East and West. Vestra attacked the Winkie Country and ravaged the lands using both her magic skillset and aid from the Winged Monkeys, beings enslaved to the Golden Cap she stole from the Gillikin Country. She murdered Gloma, the Good Witch of the West, and enslaved all her former soldiers and citizens. Vestra later took residence in Gloma's castle, where she observed the Winkie Country for any signs of Intruders.
- Austra is the Wicked Witch of the East. She was once known as Elfriede, a young German girl brought to Oz by a magical cyclone. She and her sister Adelgunde were later transformed by Oz's dark magic, devolving into the Wicked Witches. Under her new name, Austra, she dominated Munchkinland at the end of a brutal war against Lazmaria, the Good Witch of the East. Lazmaria begged Austra to not kill her, and the Wicked Witch complied, transforming her into her slave Nimmie Amee and eradicating the memories from her past life.
- Locasta is the Good Witch of the North. Once a humble and lowly woman, Locasta managed to depose Mombi, relying on tricks and logic rather than spellcraft. Locasta, although weaker compared to most witches, managed to become famous for her kind-hearted and loving disposition. When meeting Dorothea, it is revealed she had been trying to free the Munchkins from Austra's rule for many years.
- Glinda is the Good Witch of the South. She deposed of Bixx, the former ruler of the Quadling Country, by transforming her into a piece of bixbite. Glinda is the most powerful witch in Oz, and is currently searching for Ozma to return her to her rightful place, as she sees straight through the 'Wizard' and his deception. It is theorized that Glinda was formerly a follower of Lurline and a witness to Oz's founding. Glinda lives in a castle hewn of ruby in the center of the Quadling Country.
- Gloma was the Good Witch of the West, the former ruler of the Winkies before she was killed by Vestra. She dwelled in the only forest in the Winkie Country (the Dark Forest), and her tomb is also located there. According to Vestra, although Gloma seemed weak, murdering her was not an easy task.
- Lazmaria was the Good Witch of the East. After losing a bloody war to Austra, she begged to have her life spared. Austra granted Lazmaria's wish, not by ending her life but remaking it completely. Lazmaria lost her memories and magic, becoming Nimmie Amee, the Wicked Witch's slave.
- Mombi was the former ruler of the Gillikin Country, and the Wicked Witch of the North. Crafty and cunning, she was later defeated by Locasta, her sly equal. She lives in a cottage located in the south of the Gillikin Country, where she keeps Tip (the transformed Princess Ozma) as an oblivious captive. Mombi also poisoned Ozma's father Pastoria.
- Bixx was the Wicked Witch of the South, and the original ruler of the Quadlings. An insatiable and fearsome woman motivated only by bloodlust, she was eventually defeated by Glinda and transformed into a bixbite yemstone, kept in a cage hidden in the castle.
Royalty[]
The royal family of Oz consisted of Pastoria and Ozma, the husband and daughter of Lurline, respectively. Pastoria was eventually poisoned by Mombi, and Ozma was kidnapped by the witch and transformed into the boy Tip by nefarious magic. Afterwards, the Wizard of Oz, a lowly and conniving man from Nebraska, held claim to the throne.
- Pastoria was the King of Oz and Lurline's spouse, but his reign concluded after he was poisoned by Mombi.
- Ozma was the former Princess of Oz, and Lurline's daughter. It is said a remnant of Lurline's soul resides in Ozma's heart. She was abducted by Mombi after she poisoned her father and was changed into Tip, a boy she treated as a servant and held captive for many years.
- Oscar Diggs was a con artist from Nebraska who was transported to Oz via a tornado. He posed as a wizard of unfathomable power and eventually seized the Emerald City, saving Oz from political chaos. Diggs actually fools nearly all of Oz (save Glinda) via use of pyrotechnics and a projector machine.
Munchkins[]
The people of Munchkinland, the eastern region of Oz, are a diminutive and cutesy folk. The Munchkins almost always dress in blue and most are farmers. They were enslaved by Austra after her conquest of the East. They prize sapphires above all jewels, and their mines are rich in them.
Quadlings[]
The Quadlings are the cheerful subjects of Glinda. They are blacksmiths, and red is their prime color. They mine rubies and all manner of red stones. At their best, they are extroverted and comforting, but at their worst they are lustful and choleric.
Winkies[]
The Winkies are the stern warrior people of their respective country, and are constantly used by Vestra in her battles. They are armed with spears and halberds, and have an affinity for hunting in the grasslands they inhabit.
Gillikins[]
The Gillikins are an aristocratic people, and at worst, are stern or pompous. Purple is the color that they adore, and magic seems to be an innate talent for them.
Winged Monkeys[]
The Winged Monkeys are savage beasts controlled by the Golden Cap, a magical item gifted by the sorceress Gayelette to her fiance Quelala. Whomever owns the Cap may summon the Monkeys thrice to do their bidding, and although they are ruthless, they are not inherently evil. The Monkeys are currently in the servitude of Vestra.
Kalidahs[]
Monsters dwelling in the treacherous parts of Munchkinland, the Kalidahs are hybrids, incorporating the visage of lions, tigers, and bears.
Talking Beasts[]
Animals that have gained sentience are the result of Oz's magic affecting a beast's generic makeup. This process also occurs in inanimate objects, such as the case of the Scarecrow.
Geography[]
Oz is of varying geographies, and most, if not all, will depend on the section of the country it lies in.
Munchkinland[]
Munchkinland is a lush area, filled to the brim with all manners of vegetation. It is known for having the most corn fields in Oz. However, as one gets closer to the Emerald City, the terrain shifts to much darker, dense forests. The only mountain is located near the border between the Munchkin and Gillikin Country. At the very edge of Munchkinland, right in front of the Emerald City, lies a field of bright red poppies which put those who smell them into an enchanted slumber.
Gillikin Country[]
Swamps riddle the North, though a lot of the marshland has been cleared. The Gillikin Country is heavily forested as well, and quite a few mountains dot its western section. As one nears the Emerald City, the terrain becomes a lot more flat and hilly.
Quadling Country[]
The Quadling Country is very hilly, and cherry trees are the most common tree in the land. Mines are found at the country's border, where plenty of rubies are hidden. Lakes also dot the place.
Winkie Country[]
The West is a plain, sunny grassland, though it becomes more mountainous at its border. A Dark Forest is located miles away from Vestra's castle, and a few rivers slice through the land as well.
Magic System[]
Oz's magic is fundamentally different from the rest of Earth. It is described as having some of its roots in the spellcraft of the faeries, though a lot more whimsical in design and action. However, it does have a much darker aspect, for example, corruption. This is what transformed Adelgunde and Elfriede into Vestra and Austra, and according to Glinda, Dorothea could've been susceptible to this taint as well, had she not been marked by Locasta.
Trivia[]
- Oz, and the rest of Nonestica, is said to be located in the south of the Pacific Ocean.
- On the interdimensional map, Oz is adjacent to Wonderland.
- While Wonderland embodies madness and irregularity, Oz embodies marvel and glamor.
- The flag of Oz shows four triangular sections (yellow, blue, purple, and red) all surrounding a green star, representing Oz's political and geographical order.