Chapter Eight: Crescent City (Interlude I)

During the first couple of days in Crescent City Lorelei manages to befriend one of the swamp elf denizens of the city. She sees him on a street corner selling "bowls of brown" for a copper each and strikes up a conversation.

The elf slave is very evasive at first and only has interest in selling his stew. Over the next few days Lorelei visits him daily, and eventually the charismatic bard manages to win him over and glean a few facts about the swamp elves from him:

• The swamp elf is named Greenroot. He comes from the swamps east of Crescent City. He belongs to a spice trader that he only calls Master. Any coppers he collects selling his swamp stew he uses to buy luxury items for himself like new shoes, an extra meal or occassionally a pint of ale.
• Swamp elves have been enslaved by all of the races of Caldraza forever. The elves of Xoth Sarandi started the tradition eons ago.
• Swamp elves worship the aspects of nature. They do not have "gods" per se. It takes a bit of charm to get this information out of Greenroot. Initially he tells Lorelei that he follows the tenants of Marianism, but after he comes to trust her he tells the truth . . . the swamp elves still follow the "old ways" in secret.
• When Lorelei mentions the name Kharad, Greenroot makes some warding sign and flees from her. He doesn't speak to her again that day, but comes around again on the morrow.
• Swamp elves live in crude villages in the swamps and jungles east of Caldraza. Any "master" (human, elf, etc.) with permission from the governor of Crescent City can venture into the swamps and claim any swamp elf as his/her slave.
• Greenroot has never heard of the Starborn, the Host, the Equinox of Heroes or Severil Blackthorn. He expresses complete bewilderment at the mention of any of these names.
• All swamp elves are illiterate. It is illegal in Caldraza to teach a swamp elf how to read and write.

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