Inquanok is a mining town from
H. P. Lovecraft's
Dreamland. The primary industry is
onyx mining, and many caravans come and go from the city every day. To the north lie the
Great Barrier Mountains, and beyond that, the
Cold Wastes. Near the mountains lies a vast onyx quarry, which no one dares go near; from this quarry, which was not hewn by human hands, the blocks of the gargantuan castle atop
Kadath were cut many ages ago. Pack animals cannot be forced to go close enough to the mountains to approach the quarry; they tend to get extremely spooked. It is not unwhispered that dark forces lurk deep in this quarry, and
Shantaks are known to roost in and around it.
Another aspect of life in Inquanok is that there are no cats. Cats cannot tolerate any proximity to the Cold Wastes; they say that it is because a certain hint of outer space blows over the Great Barrier Mountains, which the cats cannot stand.
The minor gods of Dreamland are known to take human wives, producing mixed offspring. Inquanok is populated chiefly by these offspring and their descendants, and are easily recognized by certain facial features common to the minor gods themselves. When visiting Inquanok, it is always wisest to show respect and reverence toward these descendants, especially the ones with more godlike facial features.