-SPOTLIGHT- Equestrian Center Train Station

Hello again Crafty Miners! Welcome back to the World of RAAR. This week we travel into the desert to spotlight the Equestrian Center Train Station. Let's get to it.

The Equestrian Center was first conceived when horses were first brought into the world. It was designed to be a place where horses could be raced, breed and tested. Prior to the construction of the Equestrian Center, a transport system was needed to link it to the rest of the kingdoms of the world. This was especially necessary since Sam Co. was hired to build the entirety of the Center and needed to routinely make daily runs between Jursammic Park and the building site.

To accommodate the limited space available in the desert location, it was decided that the train station should be constructed beneath the Equestrian Center. This proved to be a wise decision as both the above ground structure and the train station project would grow in enormity and become some of the largest builds in the World of RAAR. 

Being in the desert, sandstone was chosen to form the base of the design feature with quartz as a major decoration element. A spiral walkway circles down around the above ground pavilion to provide access to the subterranean station. Intricately designed floors help guide passengers to and from the train platform which was built into the side of an underground ravine.

There is also a large ornate room dedicated to the Creeper. Many epic battles took place with these fearsome creatures when the desert was first discovered and conquered by Talamer. This room pays homage to those battles experienced by some many in those early years of the survival age.

Though the station has been long completed, the Equestrian Center itself is still in mid construction. No timeline is known for when it may be completed.

Thank you for visiting. We hope you have been inspired in your own creations and we appreciate your support for this blog, community page and YouTube channel. Take care and until we meet again, Happy Crafting!

-SPOTLIGHT- Macwood Castle

Hello Crafty Miners, and welcome back to the World of RAAR!

We're so excited you're here to tour the town site of Macwood with us.  This quaint sleepy town has just about everything.  A harbor, a lighthouse, an inn & tavern, a huge forest, a giant wall, shops, ruthless bandits, a crazy log sawing windmill, and a shady past.  What more could you ask for?     

Yes, I know what you're thinking,  “...but does it have a castle?”

The answer is YES, and it's an EPIC one! 

 Let's get to it.

THE CASTLE

This masterful piece of architecture is located on a hill nestled in the heart of Macwood forest. Macwood Castle is an awesome site to behold. It was once home to the mysterious Earl of Macwood. Who was also a Knight. I wonder if they called him Sir Earl Macwood, or the Earl of Macwood Knight?

Sadly not too long ago this grand castle was once nothing more than a burned out ruin. Luckily SammyMacman discovered the ruins and set to work, determined to restore the castle and town to their former glory. Sammy single-handedly mined and crafted every stone and block required for the build. The beautiful dark roofs are handcrafted from nether block.

THE TOWN   

Because of the seeming endless forest that surrounds the town the main industry is, of course, timber. Long ago the ingenious townsfolk created this log sawing windmill. The rustic smell of freshly cut logs is always lingering in air as you walk around town. 

Macwood's quaint downtown is filled with lovely shops and cafes. The shops are filled with beautifully carved and crafted exotic wood items. Everything from tiny carved wolves to twelve foot long dining sets.

The Old Mayor's Mansion is another neat building in town. The first mayor was appointed by the Earl to help with the town duties. No record exists of what happened to the mayor after the town and castle were burned down by the Abyssium long ago. He simply disappeared with all the rest of the townsfolk back then.

THE WALL

There is a grand wall that surrounds Macwood. It is thought that the wall was constructed to protect the town from conniving bandits that preyed on the roads to and from town. Some also say the wall was to protect against wolves that reside in the forested hills. Still others say the wall was made to keep the people locked in town to prevent them from finding a great secret deep in the Macwood forest. 

THE CREEPER ARM

Don't leave town without stopping by the Creeper Arm Inn and Tavern. It's long been notorious in the region as a great place to talk trade and mystery. The tavern is always thick with whispered rumours and ghost stories of the dead Earl Knight, the Sallow King, wild bandits in the forest, the missing townsfolk from long ago, and a mysterious portal in a nearby mine. 

 Of course, everything you hear in the tavern is true! 

Creeper Arm got its name because during construction, it suffered a plague of creeper attacks. Several ended in creeper explosions that took out parts of the inn & tavern. The name Creeper Arm has stuck ever since.

THE FESTIVAL

So when's the best time to visit Macwood you ask? Why Sep“timber” of course. But seriously you'll want to be sure to take in the “Limber Timber Festival” held annually the last weekend of September. This festival is Woodstock/Ironman for lumberjacks. Don't worry if you can't swing an axe, watching is half the fun. Everyone is free to enter the diamond axe draw at the festival's closing ceremony.

We hope have enjoyed our brief glimpse into the town of Macwood. Like always please feel free to leave a comment and join our Google+ community to share your creations and stories. Thanks for all your support.

Until we meet again, Happy Crafting!

~RAAR News Team