In the early 2nd millenium of the seventh era, the city of Gwer was the seat of the Gwerian Empire. It was the largest city in Nurfel, and one of only two walled cities in the region alongside Inshe to the East.
Gwer sat on the south-western coast of Nurfel, and was thought to have been built around the landing site of the people group who later became known by scholars as Gwerians, the ancestors of Halflings and Gnomes, when they fled Shuul in the fourth era. In the sixth era, the city's inhabitants started to interact regularly with the Sea Elves, whose kingdom spanned the shallows of the ocean south of Nurfel and the Eimrough Isles. Thus, Gwerian architecture and culture was influenced heavily by sea elf styles, and Sea Elves were the city's third most abundant race after Gnomes and Halflings.
Architecture
The city was a collage of architectural traditions, incorporating small, timber-framed halfling homes and the awe-inspiring green glass domes constructed by the Sea Elves which earned the city its nickname, the Emerald City.
While many of Gwer's Gnomish residents lived above ground in typical halfling-style homes, there were also expansive burrows that spanned the city's underbelly, comprising almost half of the real estate. These burrows ranged from large and well-lit paved streets, to winding and dirty tunnels at the city's fringes. This network of burrows included homes, shops, farms, and large stockpiles that allowed the city to weather droughts, seiges and famines throughout its history.