Ведьмак: Кровь эльфов
Chapter 1
Dwarfishcraftsmengatheredwiththeirkin,whowereoftenhiredtoprotectthemerchantcaravansandwerearmedtotheteeth.Theirgroupstoleratedatbestthegnomeminersandhalflingfarmerswhocampedbesidethem.Allnon-humanswereuniformlydistanttowardshumans.Thehumansrepaidinkind,butwerenotseentomixamongstthemselveseither.Nobilitylookeddownonthemerchantsandtravellingsalesmenwithopenscorn,whilesoldiersandmercenariesdistancedthemselvesfromshepherdsandtheirreekingsheepskins.Thefewwizardsandtheirdiscipleskeptthemselvesentirelyapartfromtheothers,andbestowedtheirarroganceoneveryoneinequalparts.Atight-knit,darkandsilentgroupofpeasantslurkedinthebackground.Resemblingaforestwiththeirrakes,pitchforksandflailspokingabovetheirheads,theywereignoredbyallandsundry.
Theexception,asever,wasthechildren.Freedfromtheconstraintsofsilencewhichhadbeenenforcedduringthebard’sperformance,thechildrendashedintothewoodswithwildcries,andenthusiasticallyimmersedthemselvesinagamewhoseruleswereincomprehensibletoallthosewhohadbiddenfarewelltothehappyyearsofchildhood.Childrenofelves,dwarves,halflings,gnomes,half-elves,quarter-elvesandtoddlersofmysteriousprovenanceneitherknewnorrecognisedracialorsocialdivisions.Atleast,notyet.
"Indeed!"shoutedoneoftheknightspresentintheglade,whowasasthinasabeanpoleandwearingaredandblacktunicemblazonedwiththreelionspassant.
