Unlike the gnomes of Zilargo, the gnomes of Lorghalen are insular and unwelcoming. Almost every structure on the island has been sized exclusively for small inhabitants, making the humans, dwarves, and orcs of the isles deeply uncomfortable when they visit. Still, the island’s vast alchemical and elemental resources make it a valuable port for merchants willing to put up with the gnome’s rules and tariffs. Furthermore, the gnomes are more than willing to sell their shipbuilding expertise, augmenting any number of features for captains with coin to spare.
The city’s deep harbor has been enhanced and secured over the millenia of habitation. A network of cooperative shorebirds allows the gnomes to track incoming ships so the stonesingers can let the Hammer know if it should let them pass.
Source: Politics of the Lhazaar Principalities