Slate Hollow

Slate Hollow is a Gnomish city located in the mountains surrounding Redhammer Village on the Sword Coast. Its population is almost entirely Gnomish, with the exception of a few Dwarves or Halflings. Due to the city's extremely condensed living space, dwellings for "tall folk" are not made.

## Economy

Slate Hollow’s major export is… well, slate. Often used for roofing and infrastructure, a few intrepid gnomes lead trading caravans to neighboring towns, using illusions to disguise their carriages. They’ll trade the stone and any other minerals found for food.

Some gnomes have made a tidy profit exporting their crafts, including elaborate armor and clothing, ceramics, glassware, and curious inventions. Gnomish trinkets and inventions are highly coveted, but unable to be repaired when a part breaks, due to their schematics being a well kept tinker gnome secret.

## Geography and Architecture

Slate Hollow is a huge underground cavern, with homes densely packed together. Gnomes abhor wasting any space (they’re also hoarders). Architecture is not as elaborate as the clothing, but even houses built side by side can look dramatically different in style. Cobblestone houses can sit beside log cabins, and log cabins beside a home of brick-red adobe. Nothing seperates them besides narrow, winding streets that are quite easy to get turned around in. Its always easy to find the center of town by following the light of a gigantic lantern that hangs above, and helps warm it during the winter. The center of town is an open square with a fountain in the center, showing all seven Gods of the Gnomish Pantheon. On weekends and holidays, the square is opened as a bazaar, for craftsmen to sell their wares.

## Religion and Demographics

Slate Hollow is a unique Gnome community demographically. Where the majority of Gnome population primarily worships Garl Glittergold (a jovial God of unorthodoxy and good humor) of the Gnomish Pantheon, one in every three Gnomes in Slate Hollow worships Segojan Earthcaller (the more somber God of death and honoring one’s underground home). While the two gods have quite the contrast from one another, the differences amount to little more than a friendly rivalry.

Worshippers of Segojan gravitate towards more protective or private professions. Many of the devout become paladins, scholars, craftsmen, and lead exploration parties into the deep to expand mining operations and future dwellings. They dress much more conservatively than Garl’s worshippers, favoring darker earth and jewel tones. While still mostly pleasant, some have the habit of speaking very directly. They appreciate a good prank, though their humor is more sarcastic and dark. Nyvian and the Awgmas are all worshippers of Segojan Earthcaller, save for Nyv’s mother.

Worshippers of Garl are boisterous, humorous, and curious. They often become inventors (tinker gnomes), wizards (usually of illusion magic), and craftsmen. They love meeting new people, and are often the type of Gnomes who venture out onto the surface. They’ll often use their magic or inventions to aid them in their pranks. Their clothing is often elaborate and multilayered, in lighter earth tones.

### Lesser Gnomish Gods

Within Slate Hollow there are smaller sects of lesser known Gnomish Gods, including:

* Gaerdal Ironhand: stern God of warriors and protectors. Lawful good. Their order is militaristic in nature and organization, which has caused clashing in the past with the more Laissez-faire government of most Garlish Gnomes. Their numbers were much greater when Slate Hollow was first founded, but dwindles severely in this time of extended peace.
* Baervan Wildwanderer: God of the forest. Mostly worshipped by Forest Gnomes who have migrated underground, for one reason or another. The rarest sect, considering Baervan encourages exploration of the surface and being out in nature.
* Baravar Cloakshadow: God of illusion and deception. Considered a sect, but only as a more polite way of calling them what they are- a thieves guild. As such, many worshippers of Baravar do not declare themselves as such, preferring to keep their devotions a secret.

* Flandal Steelskin: God of Blacksmiths. While not many metalsmiths in Slate Hollow dedicate themselves to creating weapons and armor, there remain a handful of master blacksmiths in worship of Flandal. Their work is unmatched, but they are aging  and dying out fast.

## Citizens of Note

* Nyvian Awgma
* Nheria Awgma
* Gylda Shimmerstone
* Opal Shimmerstone
* Pernilla Copperwick
* Malt Doppelbock
* Saaz Shandy
* Almandine