Villages and Big Town

Guali villages are always built around a large fire pit. Wooden roundhouses with thatched roofs spiral out from the fire pit with the village chieftain living in a longhouse with room to meet with an assembly of villagers. Covered by large leather canvases during rainy days, the fire pit at the center is kept alive by the towns flame tenders, a role that is assigned to a different villager every day. At sundown the flame is fed and the villagers gather to sing, dance and share food together. If the flame ever goes out completely a torch bearer or more recently a Lanternbearer is called to bring a flame originating from Mount Guatu. In villages farther out the flame has often been relayed through a number of fire pits in different towns.
Big Town is different. The largest settlement of Guali in the world, the Big Town is more like a collection of towns. Gathered around the western base of Mount Guatu the Guali live, sing and dance among the numerous fire pits scattered around the Town. Each one representing a separate district. Merchants walk the streets peddling metal forged tools and jewelry. It's only here that food is not shared but traded for, bits and scraps of metal that can be reforged later or a fresh catch from the river might get you a stuffed masa roll or a slice off the slow cooking pork on a spit.
At the eastern end of Big Town, by the open mouths of the caverns that lead to the heart of the mountain, live the true rulers of the Guali, the Smiths. While the chieftains of the individual towns might claim higher status none of them is foolish enough to question the wisdom of Guatu's chosen. To the Smiths Guatu gifted the skill to create with flames just as it does. Within the caverns lies the first fire pit. The first Smiths learned to forge by observing how the fire within Guatu's fire pit shaped and warped the cavern walls creating images of beauty and wonder. Here the Guali were forged, here they will return when they leave this earth, to be reforged anew and begin their journey again.