From the introduction:
A series of racially charged civil wars, called the Black Wars, rage in the north creating thousands of refugees from all walks of life. Bound together by race and persecution, many of the gnomish refugees have partaken in a mass migration to the vast untamed jungles to the south. The dense jungle is rich in natural resources, and far removed from the conflict. There they have established a new city, Nu’Lawtempor’kalindromil, or NuLaw for short. The city is overflowing with war weary refugees, and yet in the short time it has existed, NuLaw has become a place of wonder. It is a town of gleaming copper, fanciful inventions, and many prevalent public artworks. Perhaps because of their recent experiences, the persecuted gnomes seem to have gone out of their way to be friendly, upbeat, and positive.
This haven has come at a cost though. All of the building materials have been harvested with abandon from the jungle in an attempt to construct secure housing for the refugees. There have been some minor problems with aggressive wildlife and dryads attempting to block the gnomes’ progress, but nothing the refugees couldn’t handle. With their steam powered machinery, the industrially minded gnomes have cleared a large area around NuLaw showing little regard for the natural beauty of the area, and only seeing it as a ready supply of raw resources. As the nearby trees disappeared, so too did the pesky tree spirits, and the citizens of NuLaw considered the matter over.