The Pits of Walhoon

The Pits themselves are scattered throughout the valley of gold, and there are literally hundreds of them. The Pits lead down into the bowels of the earth where they turn, twist and eventually connect with numerous other cave systems, creating the largest subterranean community in Urova, bar none. The largest of the pits is called The Maw of Walhoon and is over fifty miles across at its widest point. It is through the maw that most activity and trade with other gnomish communities that lie beneath takes place. Although they have a relatively small outlet into the surface world, the size of the pits and the number of inhabitants should not be underestimated. There are literally millions of gnomes beneath the surface of the ground; the tunnels go on for hundreds, perhaps thousands of miles creating thousands of towns villages and cities throughout the kingdom.

Most outside accounts of the contents of the Pits of Walhoon are a combination of hearsay and guesswork. It's not that the gnomes are a particularly anti-social bunch, but they have absolutely no call or need to associate with the outside world. There is nothing that the outside world has that the gnomes of the Pits cannot produce themselves. The gnomes do not see themselves as insular, indeed there is great variety among the communities that inhabit the pit, they just tend to keeps themselves (and their accomplishments) to themselves. There is not even any effort to maintain a link with the Five Colour Kingdom or Stonebark, so the gnomes aren't likely to go out of their way to communicate with humans.

All that is known about the Pits is therefore a little sketchy. It is suspected that there are several different races of gnomes living in the community. Rock and Forest gnomes are certainly represented, but the svirfneblin are known to dwell in the deepest part of the pits and a great number of the inhabitants are Minoi - the tinker gnomes. The minoi have really made the Pits their own. By their skills, and often lack of them, they have created a vast array of technological masterpieces that attempt to make gnome life run more smoothly. Where as their cousins in Stonebark often rely on illusionary magicks, these gnomes have fallen squarely on science. Rumours speak of steam powered monorail, airships, series of complicated mirrors that focus sunlight down to the bottom of the pits. For defence gnomes have created devices that suck up magma and squirt it at their goblinoid foes.

The gnomes of the Pits are ruled by an ancient and venerable line of kings who can trace their ancestry back to before the coming of the moon gods. The kingship has passed from father to son through all this time with each king seemingly more benign than the last. The current king is Boddynock Surglefoot Tam Tappanier Stumbleduck, who has been more than equal to the task of keeping the Sultan of Junos from invading the Pits and making off with their secrets.