Pryldahnian Slave Market

Capital De Seraphim, Pryldahn, 1438 ATC

Elves were slaves to humans and Pryldahnians. They made themselves useful with the farms, mines and tunnels and wherever else they could. In the previous years after the cataclysm over a thousand years ago a vast army of elven raiders from the Alphonse Islands sailed to Pryldahn and took advantage of the ensuing chaos.

They had slaughtered entire families of Pryldahnians and humans alike while they sacked the capitals. Men, women, and young ones alike. When the rest of Posiil heard of this deed they were horrified and disgusted with this awful act of the elven islanders and for once united the entire continent.

Thus, elves were enslaved. Many of the islandic elves had become slaves to the Pryldahnians after their defeat, much to the disgust of the rest of the world, and though the Oceanic Slave Trade had been abolished many of the Alphonse Islandic Elves descentands still remained in slavery. Some of the native wood elves to the southern lands were even subject. Some masters treated them well and they even earned their freedom although most chose to remain with their masters not knowing what else to do. Others treated their slaves horribly but it was against Pryldahnian law to abuse property, whether it be anyone else's or their own.

"Hmmmmm..."

Venser Karkaldwin stood in the slave market, wearing his usual turquoise and crimson tunic with baggy red pants, bright red boots, and a black cape. Atop his head sat a brand new hat to replace the one that had been taken long ago from the spider centaur women. This one was black, wide brimmed, and had a large yellow feather sticking out of the side.

"Hmmmmm..." He scanned the slave stalls as he browsed, trying to decide which ones to buy.

If Ro were here she'd be attacking everyone. Nuikia too.

He had been wandering through the crowded, fly-shrouded stalls guarded by rough looking mercenaries and a few foreign traders from Leonatina wearing flat brim helmets with a crest from front to back assiciated with said country, who looked very shady, even for this slave market.

All the elves in the stalls were scrawny and barely kempt, and were all female. They looked unhealthy and malnourished much to Venser's disgust, and they hadn't even been owned yet.

How could anyone do this to them?

It should have been illegal to keep them in this horrible state.

He heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes as the random slave trader, a squat, stoud man that wore black hat with a bright white feather similar to Venser's, a necklace, and a brown leather coat with golden embroidery and had a greying goatee and a moustahce reached out his grubby hands gesturing wildly and trying to gain his attention, ranting about how good and strong his slaves was, pointing out several of them.

Blatant lies from a little man who was clearly mistreating them.

It was this particular stall that made Venser stop, his face in a frown looking to this man's collection of slaves. All tanned skinned she-elves from the Alphonse Islands. They looked to be in horrible condition... He eyed them all while the squat man continued to ramble.

“These girls, they'll work! They’ll show yeh a good time…! I, Joello Delossantos alwayyys tell-a the-a truth! Ask any merchant here.” The squat man with the dark goatee and moustache trailed off meaningfully, directing his hands over all of them, about ten in total.

Venser sighed and looked around him. Left to right. Right to left.

The surrounding crowd varied, a lot of foreigners.There are a mix of men and women in finer clothing than him, some alone, some in groups, chatting and surveying the various offerings of the exotic section of the marketplace. More than a few are examining some of the other slaves stalls as well, though mainly passing on the one Ven was at. The elven slaves standing on their pedestals, knowing that a lot of the owners and potential buyers walking around the market would see them and hopefully someone kind enough would buy them and be better than the man that they were currently owned by.

''You look like someone I know! A crossbow merchant who does allllll of his selling outside of Pryldahn! It's the-a hat!''

Venser shook his head at the slaver named Joello and gestured a hand to the row of elven slaves.

''I'll take them all.''

For a brief second, that turned the heads of the many elven slaves and the slaver guards, and Joello went wide eyed.

''All, you-a say?''

''All of them. For my plantation. Perhaps you haven't heard of me? I have a stall I run only once or twice a week while I try to hire and expand. Here, try my greatest variant... I call it the two thousand four Royal Athemyst with the strongest, and best taste.'' Venser said reaching into his belt and removing a silver tin, along with a light green cigar with a purple cloth wrap near one of it's ends.

''Here, give it a try.'' He said, and Joello took it backed up a bit, having one of his guard use a tinderbox to light it. He inhaled slowly, taking a few puffs.

''Three spectacular bindings that exclaim the Pryldahnian flavor, which will delight at all times and will make an unforgettable experience.'' Venser said with a smile, pointing one finger up giving a recited sales speech he had written himself.

''Bahaha! That is-a good my friend! Come, come! I accept this gift and I will offer you fairrrr price for my slaves!''

And Venser followed the squat man as he led him into a nearby tent, his own fine black cape trailing in the early fall breeze.

''Even though my own business is just starting up, I will be having to spend extra to get them back into proper health.'' He said as the squat man gestured for him to sit across his desk, as Joello continued to puff away at the Royal Athmyst cigar.

''Ah no need to! They are arrows, expendable! How many arrows were broken today, yes? My father said that to me often, and he was a soldier! They work, work, then die.''

All Venser could do for now while thinking was nod, his lips curling in further disgust at the man's philosophy. After all, he supposed this was how Joello's business ran. Cheap, ill fed Elven slaves trapped in horrible positions aboard the ships from the Alphonse Islands and...

Did he really have to overthink this?

''I can easily buy all of them. With coin, but mostly jewels and precious metals.''

Joello's eyes glittered with greed at those words.

''And not a letter of credit from the-a Silver Bank-a of Avakova?

Venser nodded in negation. ''I don't need any of that, I have it and can get it to you all soon enough. All we have to do is haggle the price for all ten of the slaves you have now... And, they are underfed, so...''

He let out a soft grunt, preferring not to tell this man that he personally knew God Queen Y'vonne. The man preferred Joello's sort had nothing else to do with him or anyone else in his life.

And thus negations began.

After several minutes of haggling, and making a few teleporting trips from Capital De Seraphim to Nivarah's cave, Venser walked away with the necessary documents, collars and chains, and ten naked elven slave women.

“I think you’ll all be good workers once I get you all settled in and well fed and taken care of. We’ll treat you well, but you will remain loyal tome and my family, The Karkaldwins.'' He explained.

''Can I get a yes, Master?''

“Yes Master... Yes master.'' A few of them replied.

''Don't worry, any of you. It's all... Uh, good...'' Venser peered out past the buildings at the three giant buildings of the Pryldahnian Trinity themselves.

Vayheros. The head of the Trinity. Vayheros was a multi-headed hydra based dragon who is said to have created Laguna as everyone knew it today.

Kore. The god of warfare, destruction, forbidden wisdom, anger, wealth, prosperity, and civilization, who represented himself as a fierce, four armed dragon man with giant wings, a unique war axe in one hand and flaming blades in all his other hands.

Seyr. The goddess of fertility, love, and birth, who was a large breasted naked woman with powerful draconian features and who resembled God Queen Y'vonne. It was Seyr that laid the first egg, which gave birth to the first and from the first dragon the High Dragons such as the ruling De Seraphim family, and then the Pryldanians, a race of tiefling like beings with draconic features rather than demonic features. It was Seyr that breathed life into the sea, that it might flourish with life, teaming for the nourishment of all.

Venser Karkaldwin took a few long moments to watch the ships go by in the harbor, sailing around the giant statues in the bay, each having their own small island. He took time to admire the gods and goddesses.

''All smooth sailing from here...''