Fire has ripped through Olosyc’s Slave Market, completely destroying it, and killing a number of slaves.
The fire started early this afternoon just as the day’s slave auctions were about to get underway and quickly devoured buildings and selling platforms alike.
So ferocious was the blaze that customers and merchants were forced to flee for their lives ahead of a wall of roaring flame. “The fire leapt from stand to stand so fast I could barely outrun it,” wailed one, slightly singed, witness. Others insist that it was not just one fire, but that several blazes started at various points around the market within seconds of each other, leading some to speculate that this was deliberate arson and not an accident at all.
Even as this is being reported officials and other volunteer fire-fighters are still working to extinguish the blaze entirely, although it is now said to be under control, with damage to other property in the city “unlikely”. Once all flames have been put out officials from the High Ward and other interested parties will no doubt be picking through the blackened ruins in order to find out exactly what happened.
”If it’s arson, someone will pay.” Merchant Taryn was heard saying, “I lost some good slaves in there.” Others were luckier, or perhaps just more concerned about their business interests. “I got all my slaves out, but it’s still a terrible loss,” Merchant Lys told The Herald, “With no slave market to do business in many merchants are going to be struggling. Fortunately I myself have other business ventures to direct my efforts towards.”
In a bizarre twist of events it seems it is actually illegal to sell slaves anywhere outside the confines of the market, a law enacted by the Merchant’s Guild many years ago to protect its members from black market slavery. Although no one from the Merchant’s Guild was available to comment at this time it seems likely that there will be no slave trade in Olosyc for a while.
